As a mom of three girls, an educator, and a Nashvillian, I recognize the need for a new educational experience for girls in our community. I don't believe in re-creating the wheel, but I do believe when we see a need, we are purposed to fill it. B.E. Academy will fill the need for comprehensive, culturally relevant, STEAM education for girls in Metro Nashville.

The name of B.E. Academy evolved from my maternal and paternal grandmothers, Blanche, and Effie. My maternal grandmother, Blanche Stevens, was reared in a non-traditional family and then established a traditional family and was married to her husband for fifty years. She was a retired M.N.P.S. teacher, administrator, counselor, and coach. She was a known leader in the Nashville community. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Tennessee State University. She served on many committees and in many organizations as well. Blanche was a lifetime member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.

My paternal grandmother, Dr. Effie Green Peoples, learned how to overcome various challenges in a single-headed household while beating the odds as an African-American single parent. She was reared in a traditional family with her parents being married for three decades until the early death of her mother. She obtained an Associate Arts degree in Mental Health Technology from Cuyahoga Community College, a bachelor’s degree from Ursuline College, and a master’s degree in social science administration at Case Western Reserve University. In 2022, she received the Degree of Doctor of Ministry from Ashland Theological Seminary, Ashland, Ohio.

Their upbringing and perseverance are inspiring and a remarkable testament to what it looks like to be in the “right place”. Both reflect the wide range of family, life, challenges, and victories unique to the intersectionality of the Black woman/girl experience. I founded B.E. Academy in their honor and I am excited to help usher in a new generation of empowered, resilient and capable girls.