There are many stories of perseverance that I can tell about my Mom but a common thread that stands out for me is her dedication towards insuring I had a proper education; which is amazing considering her own humble beginnings. My Mother, Jacqueline Porter, grew up on a farm in Southern Virginia during the Jim Crow era of the south. She went to school in a one room schoolhouse with the only reading material made available to her, as a small child, being the magazines that she found on the side of the road. Despite being poor in a family of 5 children, she was the first in the family to graduate high school and college. Afterwards, she became an educator and is still one to this day. So it’s no surprise that as a kid, she pushed for me to be tested so I could start Kindergarten at the age of 4 instead of waiting till I was 5 (due to a late birthday). Then, when teachers wanted to hold me back because they thought I had reading and speech problems; she, and a few wonderful Nuns, had me tested again which resulted in me being put in accelerated classes. Looking back, there were many fun and happy weekends and summers spent with my Mom taking me to the library, letting me play with her microscopes and helping her grade student’s papers. The gift of knowledge, curiosity, and opportunity she gave me could never be repaid with anything except unconditional love. Love you Mom! - Noah, Associate Director Performance Media #MomsFindAWay #CareWithoutLimits