Rhonda | Wake County 100

Narrative, Continued:

She believes that her gifts of teaching music, song and dance, are her way of contributing to the community, as well as being able to spread love and respect to others around her.

Rhonda has come to appreciate the arts in the public schools of Wake County. As a child she attended two magnet schools and says she enjoyed every minute of it. She believes that if more schools integrate like the magnets, that the academic performances of students in Wake County will increase significantly. Overall, Rhonda sees’ herself as a person with many accomplishments and continues to achieve more. “I am proud to have done so much and been so many different places in such a short amount of time….”

Written By: Alexandra

Rhonda

Gender: Female

Age: 25-64

Race: African American

Nativity: Born in NC

Educational Attainment:

Bachelors Degree

Occupation:

Office Manager and Dance Teacher

Travel Time to Work: 45-60 minutes

Internet Access in Home: Yes

Religion: Christian

City: Raleigh

Narrative:

“Dance is the hidden language of the soul.”- Martha Graham

Rhonda graduated from East Carolina University with a Bachelors Degree in Dance Education, but because of racial “road blocks” she was unable to get a performing arts degree. Despite her racial obstacles, Rhonda pushed through discouraging people and earned her degree. As a result to her determination she works three jobs. She teaches dance at a Holly Springs Dance Company, as well as at Duke University, and is an office manager at The Wake Forest Academy of Fine Arts. On top of her jobs she likes to perform in a dance group called, “Djembe Fire”. This group performs traditional African dances around North Carolina and in public schools. She loves her job because she gets to meet so many different and unique people. Her future doesn’t stop here; she hopes to open her own Performing Arts institution. “A place where we can come to learn about and from each other in an interactive atmosphere.”

The Doon School