In 1957, one of Treopia’s brothers, Ernest Green, was one of the Little Rock Nine, when the National Guard was called in to escort Arkansas students to high school, beginning the elimination of segregation. Her other brother, Scott Green, recently deceased, was the first black member of the New York Sheet Metal Workers Union #28. Treopia graciously shares her story of her family and the journey they faced, including having Martin Luther King Jr. attend her brother’s graduation with her family and working with Thurgood Marshall.
Treopia began her career in public education as a kindergarten and first-grade teacher, later serving as an Early Childhood Administrator, Title I Parent Coordinator, and Resource Teacher for educational television. She was also a consultant in parent involvement to the U.S. Department of Education and the Maryland State Department of Education. Upon leaving public education, Ms. Washington’s career focused on creating equitable experiences for under-served populations through responsibilities with multiple national organizations.
In 1998 Ms. Washington was appointed by President William J. Clinton, to the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), where she served as Special Assistant to the Executive Director until 2001. Following the conclusion of the Clinton Administration, she served as Vice President of Partnerships and Minority Affairs at the National Board for Professional Teaching Standard (NBPTS), where she focused on efforts to increase the presence of NBPTS in under-represented communities.
Treopia G. Washington currently serves as the Director of Special Initiatives for the College of Education at Bowie State University in Maryland. Treopia is a workshop facilitator, panelist, and keynote speaker for universities, school systems, and national organizations, along with being a board member for organizations and institutions. She received a B.S. degree in Early Childhood Education from Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia, and an M.Ed. degree from Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland. Ms. Washington is a native of Little Rock, Arkansas.
Treopia recently published her first book titled In Spite Of.
Treopia spoke with Angie Jerabek, BARR’s Executive Director, in a Leading with Culture video series this past school year. Check out the conversation below.