Friday, October 26, 2007

In Memory

There I was, in the 1977-1978 school year, a junior at Oneonta. My political consciousness was growing in leaps and bounds and I found myself taking all the courses I could in what was then called the Black/Hispanic Studies Department. And that is how I stumbled across Ralph Watkins and his “Comparative Slavery” course. I was just starting to put the pieces together of what institutional racism was and how it functioned - and Ralph was right there with a map to show me the way. He had patience with my “Long Island white girl” naivete, but simultaneously knew how to challenge me to dig deeper, as he understood that I was searching, longing to know more, and he supported me through the process. And the teaching did not stop at the classroom door. I distinctly remember stopping by his office one day to talk, and he told me to read Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man”, which he described as a novel that was like jazz, filled with syncopation, rhythm, and beat. And then of course, there were all those after hours talks, and beers, at the Black Oak...and laughter, oh, the laughter! I can hear his laugh and see his smile as I write this.....

I left Oneonta in 1979 and moved on to Boston University to receive a dual Masters in Social Work and African American Studies. And for the past 17 years, I have run my own consulting company that focuses on diversity and anti-racism. The solid foundation I got from Ralph is with me each and every day in my work.

As the years past, Ralph became more than my teacher and mentor – he became my friend. I am honored to have know him. He impacted my life in a very profound way, as I know he impacted many, many others over the course of his teaching career. What a rare gift indeed to have had him in my life. He will be missed.

With love,
Patti DeRosa

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