About the AuthorPatricia Talbot( CEO and Co-Founder )

Patti cultivates homegrown changemakers prepared to step into their power and work with others to create the world they want to live in.  Get in touch to find out how you can grow the social changemaker in yourself and those you serve with Blue Roads Changemaker YOU. 

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You don't find many people like Dr. Martha Ann Stallings. She is the kind of changemaker who chooses to spend much of her time in “retirement” for the benefit of others working tirelessly to make sure no voice goes unheard. 

In this episode of “On Your Own Terms,” Martha Ann shares her unique take on “Homegrown Solutions for a Patchwork World” and inspires us all to watch and listen carefully for our own opportunities to serve.  You can learn more in the video version of our conversation, listening to the audio podcast, and reading the summary – all available here. 

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Homegrown Martha AnnMartha Ann grew up on a dairy farm in Springfield, Kentucky. It was a small community where everyone knew one another well. Her father was a farmer, and her uncle was the only doctor in town. Since the town was so small, the four high schools in the area consolidated during this time giving her an opportunity to learn with and from new people. 










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I think it was then that I realized there's a lot of people in this world I want to know better.

After high school, Martha Ann attended a local community college. Staying close to home allowed her to save money before transferring to Eastern Kentucky University where she studied to become a teacher. 

EKU was a beautiful place to be and to learn more about mankind.

Solution-Focused Martha AnnAs she moved into her profession as an educator, Martha Ann's experiences continued to shape her worldview. Teaching students with disabilities in a school district on the cutting edge of inclusive education helped her realize the importance of making sure that every student had a place in her classroom.  She embraced her role making sure that every student found a path to success.

I learned a lot from other people about the importance of listening to students and letting them tell us what was happening in their lives.

Martha Ann credits many mentors for her success as a teacher. She, in turn, mentored and inspired many a teacher in her role as Director of Staff Development for Montgomery County Schools and later working for the Training and Technical Assistance Center at Virginia Tech. These days, she carries on her mentorship to many as a community volunteer active in so many projects it's hard to keep up with her.  One of those projects involves a tutoring program affiliated with her church community at Blacksburg Baptist Church.  Her experience as an educator is exactly the expertise they needed. 

One thing I brought to the table was thinking through what an hour could look like for students after school.

The students have fun and build upon what they learn during the school day. The program is held in a mobile home community in Montgomery County that includes a number of Hispanic families.  In this setting, she's keeps her ears open for the resources needed to help the students thrive. 

Martha Ann's Patchwork

Martha Ann has always been a listener and a community builder. Key leaders in the community were witness to her good work for years.  It's no surprise that she was approached early in her retirement to head up the “Education Issue Group” for “Dialogue on Race.” DOR is an initiative of The Community Group, a grassroots African American organization in the New River Valley of Virginia Martha Ann now calls home. Her connections in the community allowed her to hit the ground running and get people involved in this important work. 

Our role is to look at the issues that the local African American community has identified as important for them to be more successful in schools.

Martha Ann knows that listening to all voices is the only way to bring real and lasting change to any community.  One powerful example she cites happened after the death of George Floyd. Many students in the school division were upset and felt their voices were not being heard.

Within 48 hours, I had made a couple of contacts. Someone else in this group made a contact. And a student protest took place at the central office outside of the government building prior to a school board meeting.

Supporting the work of students, parents and faculty who came forward that evening, the Education Committee created a space where voices could be heard. Many stories that had not been shared before brought greater awareness of the lived experiences of African American students in the schools. Soon thereafter, the group sponsored a webinar on the topic of trauma that's been followed by other events for students, parents, faculty and community groups to share and learn from one another. 

Changemaker MarthaMartha Ann has noticed the ways that people pay attention to what others are doing.  When they see something good happening in their community, curiosity and interest are sparked.  This is how changemaking behavior catches on.  

We find out there's lots of organizations doing good work in the community, but we don't know what each other's doing.

By working across multiple projects and initiatives, Martha Ann has become a great connector.  She works with others to bring folks together so everyone gets a fair chance. Another example can be seen in her work with the ACCE (Access to Community College Education) Program.  RACE for ACCE grew out of the work of the Dialogue on Race because the local law enforcement agencies were looking for ways to recruit more People of Color into their ranks. This mission has broadened to include all students with a 2.5 grade point average who are willing to put in the required 80 hours of community service.  In this way, students are encouraged to contribute to their communities while reaping the benefits of a low-cost education. 

ACCE allows students to attend two years of college and finish with no debt.

Martha Ann cares about a lot of issues in her community, but despite her considerable energy and capacity, she's learned that she can not do it all nor take charge of them all.  Furthermore, she recognizes that allowing others to lead is an act of love and capacity building.   

One example came to her when she realized she had a scheduling conflict that made her unable to cover a shift working with the homeless population through her church.  Someone else offered to step up.  In the moment, she was grateful for the help. She was also reminded how allowing others to do their parts, too, provides the chance for others to be of service, too.  

Projects like this one called “To Our House” where local churches take turns providing housing and meals for those in need, require a lot of “person power” to keep them running.  Sharing the load is better for everyone. 

Many of these people have jobs. They just don't have enough money in their jobs to have a roof over their heads.

You're invited to find out more about all of these initiatives near and dear to Martha Ann Stallings, but also to find out what calls you to service in your own local community.  You don't have to do it all, but everyone can do something. 

To find out more about the ACCE program visit the New River Community College website here: https://www.nr.edu/acce/

Martha Ann Stallings keeps her finger to the pulse of the needs in her community. Her actions help us push forward the progress of many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.  Goal #1 – No more poverty.  Goal #2 – No hunger, #3 – Good health and wellbeing and #4 – Quality education bubble to the top.  By listening to the voices of the community, she is helping people work to resolve poverty and hunger while working toward wellness and quality education for all.

On a larger scale, her efforts are also advancing Goal #8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth, #10 – Reduce Inequalities, and #11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities. Wow!

Please get in touch to let us know what YOU and people you know are doing to realize these Global Goals by the year 2030.  We can sure do it if we all work together and take our place as Changemakers! 

CHECK OUT our CHANGEMAKER YOU course to help you get started today! 

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