Life & Work with Dr. Nkechy Ekere Ezeh

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Nkechy Ekere Ezeh. 

Hi Dr. Ezeh, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I came to The United States, from Nigeria, with just a high school diploma. I had to navigate the American system while earning degrees including a Doctorate while at the same time raising five children who all have gone on to achieve great things. 

I am definitely a blend of my parents; I possess strength and a tender heart. “Injustice makes me cry.” My father told me that it’s OK to cry—and when I am done crying, to sit, up breathe, and be strong. 

It was hard at first. Getting a job here was hard due to racism. You do whatever honest job you can get while attending school and raising your family and waiting for a better job. I did not have to work but I begged my husband to let me work. I wanted to be independent. I just could not see myself waiting to be given spending money. I promised to not only work but to be involved in the children’s activities. 

Who am I? I want to say read my book – Nwaenyi. The book is my memoir and is loaded with powerful lessons, some painful, I have learned throughout my life. The reader will learn the importance of ensuring that children know their worth and their value. Hopefully, some of my experiences will serve as examples of how everyday “parenting” can become an opportunity to build confidence and pride in our children. It will also acknowledge that it is ok to make mistakes and our children will survive them. They will also see the role that my father played in raising me. 

But seriously, I worked hard. It was not easy but God has been faithful. At one point, throughout my schooling up to my university education through my Master’s, I was going to school while pregnant and working. You know, I honestly cannot recall not working two jobs and then tending to the real work at the home of cleaning, cooking, washing, school runs, etc., and of raising my children. I accomplished all that while at the same time raising, with my husband Pius, and five children, Onyinyé MK, Obinna, Akuezumkpa, Nnenna, and Nkechy-Nicole. 

My husband and I are partners not just husband and wife but partners. There is a BIG difference. He is a partner and husband who understand that it took the two of us to bring our children to the world and it will take two of us to raise them. There are NO nannies or maids here. So together we worked hard in raising our children. 

Before I came to American, I wanted to be a Lawyer. So, my career in early childhood education was accidental. When I found out I was pregnant, I took a child development class because I did not have my mother here to guide me, then I fell in love with the field. Studying education/ early childhood education was a blessing to us. I was on my own… just my husband and me, and I needed the knowledge. 

I attended Grand Rapids Community College for Associate degree in Child Development. Upon graduation, I was hired to start a brand-new Child-Care Center at Messiah Baptist Church. Being interviewed by five African American women in various professions including Audrey Mayfield, a director, and Dr. Veta Tucker professor at GRCC, Mary Trice, Elementary school Teacher, and Principal, etc. opened my eyes to the potential for me as a Black woman. I continued my education at GVSU where I earned a BA and M. Ed later. Because of my work in the early childhood education field, I was invited to guest present at Aquinas College by Dr. Margo Clifford. After my presentation, she encouraged me to become an adjunct professor, the following semester she encouraged me to apply for an Assistant Professor position. I loved teaching at Aquinas College so I went back to school to get a Doctor of Education at Nova Southeastern University in Curriculum Development and Systemic Change. Twenty-five years later, I have successfully gone through the ranks of academia and is now a tenured full professor of Education at Aquinas College. 

In 2010, commissioned by W.K. Kellogg Foundation I conducted a current reality research on children living in the core city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. She founded the Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative (ELNC) for the purpose of planning and designing an intentional preschool service system aimed at providing, expanding, and sustaining the capacity of high-quality early care and education programs in the vulnerable neighborhoods of Grand Rapids. 

Within the first 10 years of operation, as the Pedagogical Leader and Chief Executive Officer of ELNC, ELNC has secured over $35Million in funding and has created over 544 quality preschool slots in the core city of Grand Rapids. All ELNC preschool sites have earned top ratings of 4 and 5 stars through the State of Michigan Quality Tiered Rating System. Dr. Ezeh led the establishment of ELNC in Battle Creek and Kalamazoo. 

I am very careful with the work that I get involved in now. I have gotten off many of boards and committees that do not add value to who I am. All projects or charities that I am involved in must balance my brain and complete who I am. My purpose on this earth is to be a voice for vulnerable children and women, and I don’t take it lightly. As a result, I am involved in the following charities – Alliance for Children Everywhere, a global organization that does work with orphans in Zambia, and I founded an organization called Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative that creates culturally competent early learning opportunities and authentic parents engagement for vulnerable children in Grand Rapids, Battle Creek and Kalamazoo, Michigan USA. Since 2017, I conduct a Parent Empowerment program in Nigeria to help vulnerable women. Every year, we engage over 50 women and gift them with seed money for a small business. Most recently, I created a foundation in Nigeria -the Felicia Ekere Foundation -in honor of my mother. The purpose of the foundation is to bring resources to vulnerable women, with young children living in the rural villages of Enugu Ezike, Enugu State, to increase their capacity and to improve their children’s outcomes. ALL my charitable work in Nigeria is under the foundation.

Biography of Dr. Nkechy Ekere Ezeh 

Dr. Nkechy Ekere Ezeh is an award-winning international scholar and author who is passionate about lifting up vulnerable children and parents who are often left out in the educational system. Her life embodies education, and she believes in using early childhood education and authentic parent engagement to ensure that our community’s most vulnerable children have access to quality, early learning opportunities. 

Ezeh completed her BA and M.Ed. at Grand Valley State University and Ed.D in Child and Youth Studies with specialization in Curriculum Development and Systemic Change from Nova Southeastern University. She was one of the US delegates to Reggio Emilia, Italy, and a panelist on the Oxford University Early Literacy Round Table. 

Dr. Ezeh is a tenured professor at Aquinas College and the founder and pedagogical leader of the landmark Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative (ELNC) – a trusted, place-based, early learning collaborative with affiliates in three Michigan cities – Grand Rapids, Battle Creek, and Kalamazoo, that provides funding, innovative shared support services, and advocacy to partner organizations rooted in vulnerable communities. Through its successful two-generational model, ELNC and its partners provide family support and high-quality, culturally competent, early childhood educational services to at-risk families. Her life purpose is to ensure that teachers are able to educate ALL children and that vulnerable children are ready for kindergarten. 

Dr. Nkechy Ekere Ezeh’s life embodies Education. Her passion is using quality Education to improve the condition of vulnerable children! As an international scholar, for the past 25 years, she has conducted Professional Development and Parent Education workshops throughout the United States of America, Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, South Australia), China (Beijing & Hong Kong), Dubai, India, Japan, Liberia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Zambia. 

Her work has earned her speaking engagements around the world and numerous awards – including the including the 2022 High Scope Educational Research Foundation Charles Eugene Beatty Award for Courageous Leadership on Behalf of Children and Families, 2021 Aquinas College Distinguished Service Award, 2020 Grand Rapids Community College Distinguished Alumni of the Year, 2019 Distinguished Community Trustee Award highest from the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce, 2018 West Michigan Woman of the Year, one of the 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan in 2018, 2017 Sojourner Truth Award, 2016 GVSU Alumni of the Year and 2016 Giant in Education Award. 

Dr. Ezeh’s work has taken her across the globe to train teachers /caregivers, empower parents, and to the state government to testify and advocate for vulnerable children. She recently published her memoir – Nwaenyi: Child of an Elephant; Lessons Learned from My Father, a Nigerian Chief, about Child Development and Affirmations. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting anything in the diaspora is extremely hard. First of all, you do not have your family here and the familiarity of your culture, so yes, it is very hard. The Structural racism here is another issue. But with hard work, prayer, and the support of your immediate family, you keep going. I had to navigate the American system. 

I am definitely a blend of my parents; I possess strength and a tender heart. “Injustice makes me cry.” My father told me that it’s OK to cry—and when I am done crying, to sit, up breathe, and be strong. 

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am known for my passion and fierce advocacy about helping vulnerable children and parents who are often left out in the educational system. My life embodies education, and I believe in using early childhood education and authentic parent engagement to ensure that our community’s children have access to quality, early learning opportunities. I am tenured professor at Aquinas College and the founder and pedagogical leader of the landmark Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative (ELNC) – a trusted, place-based, early learning collaborative that provides funding, innovative shared support services, and advocacy to partner organizations rooted in vulnerable communities. Through its successful dual-generational model, ELNC and its partners provide family support and high-quality, culturally competent early childhood educational services to at-risk families. My life purpose is to ensure that teachers are able to educate ALL children and that vulnerable child are ready for kindergarten. 

My work has taken her across the globe (United States of America, Australia, Dubai, Hong Kong, India, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Qatar, Singapore, Nigeria, and Zambia) to train teachers and educate parents to take back their rightful positions as their child’s first teacher. I am regularly called to the state government to testify and advocate for vulnerable children. 

What does success mean to you?
I define success as being in a place where you can and are able to achieve your goals in life or where you can live out your purpose in life. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.nkechy.com
• Instagram: nkechyezeh
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dr.NkechyEzeh
• Twitter: @nkechyezeh

Image Credits
Studio24
AbujaNigeria
OnyinyeMK