The Terrific Tomeka Hart
Education: Trezevant High School
BS University of Tennessee Knoxville
MBA Kennesaw State University
JD University of Memphis School of Law
Tomeka Hart currently serves as CEO of the Memphis Urban League and President of Memphis City Schools Board of Commissioners. She is the first woman to hold the position of CEO of MUL, which has been in existence since 1932. These two roles have put her in a position to spearhead major changes within our city. However, both of these positions are multi-faceted and come with many challenges. It seems that getting people to believe in themselves, their city, its leadership and the immediate need to fully invest in its youth may just be the biggest fight of her life. Ms. Hart shares with us here why she is more than ready for the battle and has every intention of being victorious.
Jae: You are a very civic minded individual. Where does this love for the betterment of your community stem from?
Tomeka: My family. My mom is a very giving person. She’s always doing for others and I grew up with that giving spirit. When I returned to Memphis for law school I immediately got active with a couple schools and a couple of students who were wards of the state. That made me see the great importance of helping our youth.
Jae: What made you decide to run for MCS School Board?
Tomeka: It’s a combination of things. I love Memphis and I want to see it progress. While I was in law school I started looking at law, policy, politics and the school system. Once I graduated, I started thinking about what else I could do to serve the community. Eventually, the feeling of somebody needs to do something changed to why don’t you do something? Then, I realized that the district I would serve is the same one in which I was educated and where my family grew up. My mom and dad were both raised in District 7. I was like, “Okay, I’m supposed to do this.”
Jae: We all know MCS needs improvement. I see good things on the horizon, but it didn’t deteriorate over night so it’s not going to be rebuilt overnight. You, the other Commissioners, Superintendent Cash and his staff have a huge feat ahead of you. That job comes with a lot of responsibility. However, you have another job that also comes with a lot of responsibility. What made you decide to vie for the position as head of the Memphis Urban League?
Tomeka: This was not something I planned. I was practicing law at that time, but I was beginning to feel like public service was what I should be doing full-time. I was already familiar with the Urban League because I was active in their Young Professionals component. When Dr. Takufu decided to leave in 2006, I had a couple of people tell me, “I should think about applying for the position.” After giving it some thought, I realized it would be a good fit. What better way to serve my city than through this wonderful organization that helps people get jobs and further their education? I am a public servant at heart.
Jae: Some people aren’t quite sure what the Memphis Urban League does. Can you give us a quick synopsis?
Tomeka: We help people become economically self-sufficient. We do this by helping adults find employment and helping students with academic achievement. We focus on workforce development, education and youth development through various programs. We have job placement, computer training, job readiness/employability skills training. Our educational programs are geared towards our high school students. We do college prep programs, youth leadership development and adolescent parenting for those who have children.
Jae: What do you think is your greatest challenge in both positions?
Tomeka: With MCS the greatest challenge is education reform. The school board has to be the leader in reforming the district. Public education is very challenging. Especially, urban public education. We have to get people to recognize the real challenge of educating low-income, potentially disadvantaged students. It requires more resources. It requires helping people who are funders, supporters and parents to understand that is necessary we get those resources. We are trying to bring about lasting, impactful reform that leads to academic achievement throughout the school system.
Jae: So far what have you come up with in order to make this happen?
Tomeka: It is an ongoing process, but we are making strides. What we have learned is that you have to be data driven. You have to know your students and really be able to identify and target what is challenging them. For instance, we have a large number of students who are overage for grade. Now that’s not a new phenomenon, but we had to look at how to best service them. Part of the solution is helping those students identify their individual challenges by putting them in an environment where they can be successful. This year we implemented the MCS Prep Schools, which are specifically designed for students who are overage for grade. I hope the data will reveal that, that was the right thing to do and it will help those students to get where they need to be. Some of them will be able to move through the program quickly and catch up with their class. It will prevent others from dropping out because they are a part of a program that gives them the attention they need. That is just one example of really honing in and diagnosing what our issues are and then treating it with the right medicine. We also have the PM schools that are set to recapture those students who have dropped out of school. We are optimistic and the response from students and parents has been wonderful. The demand for these programs has exceeded our expectations.We also have to create options for our gifted and academically capable students. So, we are expanding our optional programs. I am so proud of that. I was a victim of growing up in a community where there was a lack of optional programs. I had to go out of my Frayser community in order to attend a school that could be academically challenging. That inequity has to stop. Part of academic reform is creating challenging and academically demanding programs in every school, not just a handful. Every community deserves that. If we are realistic and every year we commit to each Pre-K class that we will do everything in our power to make sure that throughout their tenure they have the best education we can give them that’s when we’ll start to see change. But that’s long term. We need people to be patient. We didn’t get here overnight. We are now communicating to people--here’s where we are and here’s where we’re going and in x amount of years that’s when we will start to see tremendous change because of the way we have addressed these issues.
Jae: What is your greatest challenge with the Urban League but it sounds like your challenges overlap.
Tomeka: Exactly. I serve the same purpose in both roles—making people self-sufficient. With the Urban League the greatest challenge comes with serving as a job placement agency. With the downturn in the economy, more and more people are getting laid off or terminated. We are servicing more people, but we have fewer positions to place them in.We are doing what we can to educate more businesses about what we do. Companies are learning that if they work through us the 10 people I send on the interview are ready opposed to the amount of job-ready individuals who may respond if they place an ad in the paper. We don’t send people who are not qualified for the job and companies see value in that. One of our goals is to get our participants more livable wage jobs. I would rather get them $10 or $12 an hour jobs but right now it’s more $7 and $8 jobs. But the great thing is that they are working and the people we have been able to place are grateful to have a job. Another challenge is many of our clients have very few skills. They may also have a criminal background. Companies don’t want to hire ex-offenders, and you have people who genuinely want a second chance. I am dealing with a company now to try and create some transitional jobs. We are working hard to overcome our challenges.
Jae: What advice do you have for women who seek to follow in your footsteps? Women who not only want to be an asset to their community but want to be the heads of organizations and companies?
Tomeka: I always say to people define yourself for yourself. Make sure what you have set for yourself is really what you want and not what someone else wants for you. Then find out how you get there and commit to doing those things. I generally look ahead 3 -5 years. This allows you to create a map and follow it. If you happen to get off on the wrong exit, quickly find a way to get back on your map. In doing this, you can set yourself up so that whatever you want to do you will have the resources, the skills, the talent and the passion to do it. If you are prepared and determined, it’s hard for other people to hold you back.
Jae: Two more questions. Since this site is geared toward women why do you think women are so amazing?
Tomeka: I’ll speak from an executive position. I’ve worked for men and women and I believe that good female executives understand the business of what they do, but also have that human touch. My mentor, Kathryn Pascover, is a partner in a law firm. She is brilliant in her field and was very demanding but she also understood me as a person. She understood my emotional needs and personal desires outside of my work. She did not require me to give that up in order to be a lawyer. She did her best to show me how I could do all of that and be a good lawyer. There are amazing women who have lucrative careers but are also mothers and wives. Men often times can focus on one thing because there is a woman there who is taking care of home and raising the children. Many woman have to do it all so they get the full picture that career is important but so is having a life outside of your career. Women are strong enough to nurture both. That is what makes women fascinating. We are full of heart!
Jae: What are your hobbies?
Tomeka: I enjoy politics, fine dining, traveling, and reading. Right now, I’m reading “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell. It’s about success.
For more information visit www.memphisurbanleague.org Memphis City Schools www.mcsk12.net
Parents who have a student who is overage for grade and in need of an accelerated program to graduate can contact the Office of Innovative Schools at 901-416-2200.
BS University of Tennessee Knoxville
MBA Kennesaw State University
JD University of Memphis School of Law
Tomeka Hart currently serves as CEO of the Memphis Urban League and President of Memphis City Schools Board of Commissioners. She is the first woman to hold the position of CEO of MUL, which has been in existence since 1932. These two roles have put her in a position to spearhead major changes within our city. However, both of these positions are multi-faceted and come with many challenges. It seems that getting people to believe in themselves, their city, its leadership and the immediate need to fully invest in its youth may just be the biggest fight of her life. Ms. Hart shares with us here why she is more than ready for the battle and has every intention of being victorious.
Jae: You are a very civic minded individual. Where does this love for the betterment of your community stem from?
Tomeka: My family. My mom is a very giving person. She’s always doing for others and I grew up with that giving spirit. When I returned to Memphis for law school I immediately got active with a couple schools and a couple of students who were wards of the state. That made me see the great importance of helping our youth.
Jae: What made you decide to run for MCS School Board?
Tomeka: It’s a combination of things. I love Memphis and I want to see it progress. While I was in law school I started looking at law, policy, politics and the school system. Once I graduated, I started thinking about what else I could do to serve the community. Eventually, the feeling of somebody needs to do something changed to why don’t you do something? Then, I realized that the district I would serve is the same one in which I was educated and where my family grew up. My mom and dad were both raised in District 7. I was like, “Okay, I’m supposed to do this.”
Jae: We all know MCS needs improvement. I see good things on the horizon, but it didn’t deteriorate over night so it’s not going to be rebuilt overnight. You, the other Commissioners, Superintendent Cash and his staff have a huge feat ahead of you. That job comes with a lot of responsibility. However, you have another job that also comes with a lot of responsibility. What made you decide to vie for the position as head of the Memphis Urban League?
Tomeka: This was not something I planned. I was practicing law at that time, but I was beginning to feel like public service was what I should be doing full-time. I was already familiar with the Urban League because I was active in their Young Professionals component. When Dr. Takufu decided to leave in 2006, I had a couple of people tell me, “I should think about applying for the position.” After giving it some thought, I realized it would be a good fit. What better way to serve my city than through this wonderful organization that helps people get jobs and further their education? I am a public servant at heart.
Jae: Some people aren’t quite sure what the Memphis Urban League does. Can you give us a quick synopsis?
Tomeka: We help people become economically self-sufficient. We do this by helping adults find employment and helping students with academic achievement. We focus on workforce development, education and youth development through various programs. We have job placement, computer training, job readiness/employability skills training. Our educational programs are geared towards our high school students. We do college prep programs, youth leadership development and adolescent parenting for those who have children.
Jae: What do you think is your greatest challenge in both positions?
Tomeka: With MCS the greatest challenge is education reform. The school board has to be the leader in reforming the district. Public education is very challenging. Especially, urban public education. We have to get people to recognize the real challenge of educating low-income, potentially disadvantaged students. It requires more resources. It requires helping people who are funders, supporters and parents to understand that is necessary we get those resources. We are trying to bring about lasting, impactful reform that leads to academic achievement throughout the school system.
Jae: So far what have you come up with in order to make this happen?
Tomeka: It is an ongoing process, but we are making strides. What we have learned is that you have to be data driven. You have to know your students and really be able to identify and target what is challenging them. For instance, we have a large number of students who are overage for grade. Now that’s not a new phenomenon, but we had to look at how to best service them. Part of the solution is helping those students identify their individual challenges by putting them in an environment where they can be successful. This year we implemented the MCS Prep Schools, which are specifically designed for students who are overage for grade. I hope the data will reveal that, that was the right thing to do and it will help those students to get where they need to be. Some of them will be able to move through the program quickly and catch up with their class. It will prevent others from dropping out because they are a part of a program that gives them the attention they need. That is just one example of really honing in and diagnosing what our issues are and then treating it with the right medicine. We also have the PM schools that are set to recapture those students who have dropped out of school. We are optimistic and the response from students and parents has been wonderful. The demand for these programs has exceeded our expectations.We also have to create options for our gifted and academically capable students. So, we are expanding our optional programs. I am so proud of that. I was a victim of growing up in a community where there was a lack of optional programs. I had to go out of my Frayser community in order to attend a school that could be academically challenging. That inequity has to stop. Part of academic reform is creating challenging and academically demanding programs in every school, not just a handful. Every community deserves that. If we are realistic and every year we commit to each Pre-K class that we will do everything in our power to make sure that throughout their tenure they have the best education we can give them that’s when we’ll start to see change. But that’s long term. We need people to be patient. We didn’t get here overnight. We are now communicating to people--here’s where we are and here’s where we’re going and in x amount of years that’s when we will start to see tremendous change because of the way we have addressed these issues.
Jae: What is your greatest challenge with the Urban League but it sounds like your challenges overlap.
Tomeka: Exactly. I serve the same purpose in both roles—making people self-sufficient. With the Urban League the greatest challenge comes with serving as a job placement agency. With the downturn in the economy, more and more people are getting laid off or terminated. We are servicing more people, but we have fewer positions to place them in.We are doing what we can to educate more businesses about what we do. Companies are learning that if they work through us the 10 people I send on the interview are ready opposed to the amount of job-ready individuals who may respond if they place an ad in the paper. We don’t send people who are not qualified for the job and companies see value in that. One of our goals is to get our participants more livable wage jobs. I would rather get them $10 or $12 an hour jobs but right now it’s more $7 and $8 jobs. But the great thing is that they are working and the people we have been able to place are grateful to have a job. Another challenge is many of our clients have very few skills. They may also have a criminal background. Companies don’t want to hire ex-offenders, and you have people who genuinely want a second chance. I am dealing with a company now to try and create some transitional jobs. We are working hard to overcome our challenges.
Jae: What advice do you have for women who seek to follow in your footsteps? Women who not only want to be an asset to their community but want to be the heads of organizations and companies?
Tomeka: I always say to people define yourself for yourself. Make sure what you have set for yourself is really what you want and not what someone else wants for you. Then find out how you get there and commit to doing those things. I generally look ahead 3 -5 years. This allows you to create a map and follow it. If you happen to get off on the wrong exit, quickly find a way to get back on your map. In doing this, you can set yourself up so that whatever you want to do you will have the resources, the skills, the talent and the passion to do it. If you are prepared and determined, it’s hard for other people to hold you back.
Jae: Two more questions. Since this site is geared toward women why do you think women are so amazing?
Tomeka: I’ll speak from an executive position. I’ve worked for men and women and I believe that good female executives understand the business of what they do, but also have that human touch. My mentor, Kathryn Pascover, is a partner in a law firm. She is brilliant in her field and was very demanding but she also understood me as a person. She understood my emotional needs and personal desires outside of my work. She did not require me to give that up in order to be a lawyer. She did her best to show me how I could do all of that and be a good lawyer. There are amazing women who have lucrative careers but are also mothers and wives. Men often times can focus on one thing because there is a woman there who is taking care of home and raising the children. Many woman have to do it all so they get the full picture that career is important but so is having a life outside of your career. Women are strong enough to nurture both. That is what makes women fascinating. We are full of heart!
Jae: What are your hobbies?
Tomeka: I enjoy politics, fine dining, traveling, and reading. Right now, I’m reading “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell. It’s about success.
For more information visit www.memphisurbanleague.org Memphis City Schools www.mcsk12.net
Parents who have a student who is overage for grade and in need of an accelerated program to graduate can contact the Office of Innovative Schools at 901-416-2200.
