Weymouth native serves as link to Jackson visit

Now living in Chicago, Cromwell has been an active member of Jackson’s RainbowPUSH (People United to Serve Humanity) coalition since 2005 and works in the PUSH Excel Program, which is the educational sector of the Rainbow Coalition.

Cromwell received her education at Weymouth Consolidated High School, Nova Scotia Teacher’s College and Mount St. Vincent before settling in Ottawa where she taught for nearly 13 years before moving to Georgia to teach for another three years.

She explains the RainbowPUSH coalition is a progressive organization founded by Jackson to fight for change through education and civil rights. “When I learned he was coming to Nova Scotia to speak at the gala, I mentioned I was from there and he suggested I join him as his personal assistant on the trip. “Although Jackson already had a working knowledge of Nova Scotia, I was pleased to provide him with additional information regarding my great-uncle Sam Langford, the boxer from Weymouth Falls and Africville, as well as current issues in the province especially those relating to education.”

Cromwell is a founding member and international representative of the recently organized Nova Scotia Alliance of Black School Educators and it was through this organization that an evening reception was held at the Prince George in Halifax on June 14 honoring Jackson for his work in education and civil rights. “Over 100 people attended the reception and Jackson overwhelmed by the warm welcome he received,” she said. “We presented Jackson with a plaque honoring him as a world leader in civil rights.”

Cromwell said Jackson is renowned for bringing people together in common ground across lines of race, culture, class, gender and belief.

At Cromwell’s suggestion, Jackson made an impromptu visit to Cole Harbour High where he told a students of African – Canadian Studies to choose “futures over funerals”, to choose life over death and to choose hope over dope.

Jackson also stopped at the Black Cultural Center and both these visits were a very influential part of his visit Cromwell said.

St. Mary’s Bay Academy teacher Nessim Hanna and students Alyssa Frost, Natalie Comeau, Stacey Morrison and Krystin Atkins were chosen by Clare Credit Union to attend the Nova Scotia Co-operative Council’s gala at the WTCC in Halifax June 15.

Hanna said hearing and meeting Jackson in person was a tremendous experience for both he and his students. “We were at Table 1 up front and had a clear view of Jackson as he spoke,” said Hanna. “The students and I were inspired as we listened to Jackson speak about how Martin Luther King paved the way for President Obama, and the impact King had on his life.”

Hanna added that the students said their evening at the gala made them proud to be Canadians, and Cromwell said she was very pleased to have representatives from her home community attending.

Cromwell maintains close ties with her family and home community so before returning to Chicago she took time to spend with her family and friends in Weymouth Falls. She also enjoyed the opportunity to reconnect with teachers she once had at WCS.

Cromwell visited SMBA where she made herself available as a resource for teachers and students.

Reflecting on Rev. Jackson’s visit, Cromwell said it was a wonderful experience to come to Nova Scotia with him and see the impact he made in his short time here.

Before returning to Chicago last week, Jackson said he would like to return to the province in the near future to work with educators and the larger community.

Cromwell said there is a work in progress to have a chapter of the PUSH Coalition in Nova Scotia and an invitation has been extended for educators and community members to attend the upcoming 38th RainbowPUSH annual conference June 27-July 1 in Chicago.