Education Empowers

This mural located on Dave Cowens Drive in Newport, KY represents the story of Newport local Virinda Garland Doddy. She was a student at the Southgate Street School (Now the Newport History Museum) in Newport during segregation. It is not lost on us the challenges and nastiness a young black girl faced during the beginning of integration, but Virinda explained how her teachers at the Southgate Street School were extremely dedicated to ensuring their students’ success. They taught her that she could do anything she put her mind to and that “can’t” was not allowed in her vocabulary. Her early education was crucial to her persevering the hate she faced in the following years. Virinda went on to be the first black woman to graduate from Northern Kentucky University with a degree in Social Services. In fact, she earned multiple degrees while also raising six children, and dedicating her life to helping others in her community.