I am deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Gloria Jean Wade-Gayles. To many, she was a world-class scholar and a prolific author. To the Spelman sisterhood, she was a "Queen Mother" who demanded excellence because she saw the brilliance in us before we often saw it in ourselves.
Her creation of the Spelman Independent Scholars (SIS) program wasn’t just an academic achievement, it was an act of love that ensured the stories of Black women would be preserved forever. Dr. Wade-Gayles often spoke of being "pushed back to strength."
As we mourn this immense loss, we lean into the strength she spent her life building in all of us. Rest in peace, Dr. Wade-Gayles. Your legacy is written in the lives of the thousands of women you empowered.