Driven to Succeed: An Inspirational Memoir of Lessons Learned Through Faith, Family and Favor

In her new inspirational memoir, Dr. Hattie N. Washington reveals how a country girl from the backwoods of Meherrin, Virginia succeeded through life with optimism, drive, and a belief in God to become an honor student, a master teacher, a parent to two accomplished daughters, and a foster parent to numerous abused foster boys over twenty-two years. She writes about family, relationships, and the complexities of growing up during the segregation and desegregation era, when the strike at R.R. Moton High School in Farmville, Virginia in 1951 led to the historic Brown v. Board of Education 1954 desegregation case. Her strong faith and high self-expectation shine through, especially when her two-room elementary schoolhouse in Prince Edward County, VA closed in 1959 due to Virginia’s massive resistance to the Brown v. Board of Education civil rights case. You will read about how an ongoing series of personal setbacks brought on many detours, yet she broke down barriers to complete her high school and college education; and made history by becoming the first female vice president of Coppin State University. She shares the long journey she had starting a non-profit boys’ home in Maryland for abused foster boys with special educational needs, named Aunt Hattie’s Place (AHP).She also discloses divine interventions and dark family secrets that overflow with wisdom, lessons learned, and a call to action. Her riveting memoir is complete with historical and personal photographs of her life’s journey that provide motivation for generations to come. ABOUT AUTHOR: Dr. Hattie N. Washington is nationally recognized for her work in the education, foster care, and non-profit arenas. For over 22 years, she served as a Professor (tenured) of Education and Special Education at Coppin State University (CSU) in Baltimore, MD; and for 8 of those 22 years, she was the Vice-President of Institutional Advancement and Executive Director of the CSU Development Foundation. She founded Aunt Hattie’s Place, Inc. (AHP), a non-profit residential facility for males with special educational needs, and for 22 years, simultaneously, reared numerous abused foster boys. She is affectionately known as “Aunt Hattie” by her foster boys, AHP’s staff, and volunteers. Their lives after AHP have proven to be fulfilling and on the right path.Dr. Washington’s education includes a BS Degree from Norfolk State University in Elementary Education with a Minor in Special Education; Master’s Degree from Ball State University (Athens, Greece Overseas Program) in Counseling Psychology; and a Ph.D. from University of Maryland, College Park in Curriculum and Instruction. She has done further postgraduate study at Glasgow University in Glasgow, Scotland, UK (Rotary International Fellowship) in Multiculturalism & Special Education Administration; Harvard University in Boston, MA in Executive Management; and Oxford University in London, England, UK in Higher Education Accountability. She has been a teacher for over 35 years (in the United States and abroad—Scotland & Greece), a local and state administrator, college professor, TV hostess, a civic & community leader, a national & international consultant and trainer, an active civic and community leader, and was the PTA President of her two daughters’ middle & high schools throughout their years in those grades. Today, her two daughters are a physician and an attorney, and she made history as the first female vice president of a university.Dr. Washington is the author of three books: “DRIVEN TO SUCCEED: An Inspirational Memoir of Lessons Learned Through Faith, Family and Favor”, “DETERMINADA A TRIUNFAR: Unas memorias inspiradoras de lecciones aprendidas a través de la fe, la familia y el favor” (Spanish Version), and “AUNT HATTIE’S COOKBOOK: Southern Comfort Food Favorites.” For more information, visit her website: www.drhnwashington.com or www.driven2succeed.com; email her at: hwashington0001@gmail.com or ahpkids@aol.com.