Black History Spotlight: Myra Kinds
We are thrilled to lift up the work and power of Myra Kinds– minister, trainer, facilitator and community champion! Myra has been the youth minister at People’s Baptist Church since 2000, having been a member of the church her whole life. You can hear her singing her favorite hymn here. She is an international consultant on gender equity and reconciliation, and her work is grounded in her commitment to healing, belonging, equity, and the betterment of people.
Myra believes in the transformative power of mentoring and that it is an act of love and action–not perfection. She knows that everyone needs someone in their corner. It is not always the traditional mentor, but can be the cafeteria worker or the bus driver. In Myra’s case, it was her mother. Myra’s mother offered her unconditional love. “What I experienced as a child gave me what I needed to weather the storms ahead.” Although Myra’s mother died very young, soon after Myra graduated from high school, Myra never lost her faith or sense of identity or purpose. The job of a mentor is to “help the young person see the light that you see in them,” Myra said, and “Mentors are people who mark our life for the rest of our lives.” We celebrate Myra during #BlackHistoryMonth and every month for the impact she has had on countless young people!
Anne Comber is the Communications Manager for Mass Mentoring Partnership.