WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 5:40 — 5.2MB)
Maqube Reese has been a symbol for the Bloomington community for years, from her days at Stepping Stones, to the seat at city hall promoting Black History Month, to currently working at I.U.’s Kelley School of Business as the assistant director of diversity initiatives.
Last Saturday, she was given the city of Bloomington’s Outstanding Black Leaders of Tomorrow award at the Woolery Mill’s annual Black History Month Gala.
Reese said she was still shocked as she just learned the news of receiving the award.
She was appreciative of the safe space that the Woolery Mill provided for all African American individuals to be recognized.
“Knowing that these are different spaces for black and brown people to be recognized,” said Brown, “it’s part of recognizing these people in the community.”
She made a deep rooted impact in her community in many ways, but one way she made a difference was for herself. Building relationships and taking chances boosted her self confidence.
Her civil accomplishments in her work made way to create true adjustments in a 70% white community in Bloomington, but to her, knowing what is not talked about to a mainly small African American group of people is what she counts on the most.
Reese said, “Community engagement, all about trusting the process, and being fully engaged, listening to people. Anger is something we shouldn’t express, you are supposed to be angry at injustice, listening to people, and its different ways of listening.
Multiple times she named her family members and her mentors for helping her succeed in life, and to reach a new volume in all the work she has put in.
“My mentors have given back to me, empowering my voice, and people’s voices sound different,” she said. “The ways I do it are different from other people, there are multiple ways to advocate.”
Looking deep into a person is what woke her up the most, seeing how different sets of people interact: white, black, or brown. She noticed they needed to be treated as our neighbors, not our own worst enemies.
“All about the individual, I have experienced being a Christian, both of my parents, I feel that it is not a reward, it is a part of the human race is about identifying, and seeing what we can do to help one another and to help each other.” She said, “I do this because it is a part of my ecosystem, and if someone in my ecosystem is not supported it affects me, whether I see it or not. Seeing people evaluate individuals as neighbors, it can support moving forward.
To Reese, the relationship between progress and injustice is everything. Losing her parents at a young age and being from a rough side of Fort Wayne really gave her a new sun to shine across.
“I give credit to my community, because I am from Fort Wayne, Indiana (born on the southside), both of my parents died when I was young, and I was raised as the youngest of 13 children.” She said, “What I will tell people is that I am from a large family, and that is where I get all of my passion from, I have 9 brothers and 3 sisters, they love me so much, and that is why I have my successes especially in the community.”
Maqube Reese shows that she has proven herself through all the odds, trauma, and success. However, she is still looking on the bright side, waiting to be the change to an ever evolving world.
