2000 Carolyn Sherif Award address: Some life lessons

This paper recounts some of the lessons I have learned from African America ns, including those I taught at Howard University, from research, from my s truggle for pay equity, from my experiences with leadership organizing a co mmunity event, and from having cancer. I do not think any of these "lessons " are unique to me. I hope that sharing them will. be helpful to others. Ma ny of these lessons are about empowerment and acceptance.