A special day, indeed, when Mrs. Esther Lee, Bethlehem native, community leader and President of the Bethlehem NAACP Zoomed into our sixth, seventh, and eighth grade advisory cohorts for a conversation with Mrs. Washington, Ms. Griffin, Mrs. Mindler, Mrs. Woods Maignan, Mrs. Johnson and myself.

As noted in The Morning Call, Esther Lee states that she's "as outspoken now as she was then," referring to her work in the community as a steadfast voice for calling out injustice and iniquities towards the Black community in Bethlehem and the Lehigh Valley.

She has fought for Civil Rights, desegregation, and equity in Education. She was the first Black woman to serve on a school board in the Lehigh Valley in 1971. She serves as a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consultant on many corporate boards. Her focus at the moment is on education and equity in assessments for Black students, as well as ensuring students return to in-person learning.

Some of the highlights of this conversation were in her anecdotes about the history of Bethlehem and how her family worked and struggled with iniquities. Her message was to study, work hard, and to engage with the community for change. Mrs. Lee's sharing of stories about the growth and progress in the area was underscored with her belief that, "If you can't stand up for what you believe in, then you take a seat." 

Her words inspired questions from the students in the follow-up, in which she honestly and strongly underscored her beliefs about equity and inclusion. She shared stories about taking her children with her to events in which she was speaking and working within the community, noting the importance to get involved early in this work. We hope that our MA students will take these messages to heart as they look for ways to be involved in the community.

Please enjoy the recording of our time with esteemed community elder, Mrs. Esther Lee!