Episode 31: Dawn D. Florence

Welcome to the TeachHER Podcast Powered by The Innocent Brown Girl Project. Our mission is to convey strategies for Grit & Grace with educators and advocates of African American and Latina Girls. Thank you for joining us today.

Today, our guest is Dawn D. Florence. Dawn D. Florence is the loving wife of a retired U.S. Naval Officer; proud mother of three extraordinary adult children; dedicated, life-long educator; and the Founder and President of Little Sistahs in the Know, Inc. A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Little Sistahs in the Know (LSK) has taken an asset-based approach to empowering girls to seize their future. For nearly two decades, it has been LSK’s mission to build high self-esteem and foster a positive self-image in African American girls by bringing them together to read and discuss books written about them, by providing a venue for them to share ideas and express themselves, and by cultivating an awareness of their rich heritage and culture. Born and raised in New Jersey, but has lived all over; from Mobile, AL to Northern CA to Southeastern VA to Southern CA to Naples, Italy, Dawn received an undergraduate degree in Computer Science from Spelman College and a master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Engineering. A self-proclaimed, chronic career switcher – software engineer, college instructor, preschool computer teacher, stay-at-home mom (a.k.a. COO of Florence Family Enterprises), substitute teacher, non-profit corporation founder and president, elementary school office automation technician – Dawn completed Regent University’s Career Switcher Program in 2012 and became a math teacher at Norview Middle School in Norfolk, VA. A published author, Dawn’s journey is shared in Chapter 4, “My Eighth Life,” of We Switched Career! Alternative Licensure Teacher’s Journey’s to the Classroom. 

During her tenure at Norview Middle School, Dawn and her team developed a school-based, extended day model program for Little Sistahs in the Know.  In addition to the hundreds of girls touched by LSK’s home-based program, LSK’s school program has positively impacted the lives of dozens of Little Sistahs during their educational experiences. In 2019, Dawn became a marketing teacher at Norview High School, where she recently entered her 11th year in secondary education. Today, Dawn continues her work to carry out the mission of Little Sistahs in the Know with programming at Norview High School. What began on August 21, 2005, in the living room of their Chula Vista, CA home as a “book club” for Dawn’s oldest daughter, Ayanna, and a few other girls who looked like her and their moms, continues to empower African Americans girls 3,000 miles away in Norfolk, VA. Through a love of reading, an appreciation of their culture, and the knowledge of their rich heritage, while strengthening the bonds of sisterhood, it continues to be Dawn’s purpose and passion to build up our girls…one book at a time!

Dawn currently resides in Chesapeake, VA with her husband Dennis, their two young adult children, Nzingha and Baraka (Ayanna has spread her wings and left the nest!) and their furry family members: Mufasa, Pip, and Ms. Rex. 

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Little Sistahs in the Know (Website)