Meet Dr. Plashan McCune | Executive Director of Higher Learning U Inc.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Plashan McCune and we’ve shared our conversation below.

What should our readers know about your business?
We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others o Listen and include my constituents in planning, leading and organizing
o It’s individual, collective and community
o Unapologetic Mission driven focus to change outcomes for underserved youth and families that has implications for the whole community

What you are most proud of or excited about.
o Our youth leading, Learning, Seeing new dreams and visions for themselves
o Community and parent involvement
o Possibilities of what we can do together

How did you get to where you are today business-wise.
o Prayer
o Working with community in partnership
o Maintaining and growing relationships
o Persistence, Integrity, and authenticity
o Doing things that others are not doing- meeting needs

Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges?
o No! And it still isn’t. We Black Girls and Women don’t have lots of support, allies or resources.
o Prayer, family, friends
o Community
o Focus
o Pursuing knowledge
o Pursuing other resources
o Not allowing discouragement to overwhelm me
o Understanding and staying true to my purpose

What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way.
o I need God, I need my family, friends and community
o Planning and being prepared for whatever comes will keep me sane
o I don’t have to know or do everything myself
o It is okay to rest
o It is okay if somethings don’t happen
o The journey is long, hard, and beautiful

What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
o Black Girls Matter!
o Black People Matter!
o People Matter and are a part of our community- BIPOC and Allies
o We care and we demonstrate it in all that we do so people trust us.
o Its’ about building. It’s about community and the we and us. It is not about the I- Umbutu
o We do what we say, and we do it with love.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
o 16th st Mall, o Soul Food Q’s Quisine
o Union Station
o Stadium – Coors Field
o Garden of the God’s
o Red Rocks
o My church- Colorado Community Church
o Lincoln Hills
o Idaho Springs- Main Street and Hot Springs
o Breckinridge & Keystone

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
-Janel Lopez’s while at the Rose Foundation- First to reach out and support the work. -My parents’ in-law Mr. Oscar and Lessie McCune, who told me that they were proud of me and that I could do it. Especially my mother-in law who even now continues to send me encouraging messages before each event and checks in afterwards.
-Angeline Thompson, who committed herself to really understanding the work and building relationships with the girls and the team. She saw the work and made sure that DPS supported it and still supports the work in many ways.
-Katherine Plog- Martinez, who was my supervisor at the time I stepped out of my job description. It was a risk for her to support me, she knew it was important work to do.
-All of my colleagues in DPS who helped by volunteering and paying for- food, T-shirts, transportation, communications etc. sometimes reallocating their program budgets and other times giving from their personal resources. Dr. Samatha Haviland, Dr. Lisa Roy, Allen Smith, Scott Lessard, Gwen Victor, Dr. Christian Sawyer
-Those 1st 100 volunteers who came out to love up on our girls and show that their community was there and wanted them to be successful. So many came together that day the energy was heavenly.
-Ms. Sylvia Bookhardt who has encouraged me over these years and who was so inspired that she wrote our theme song and 8 years later we are still singing it.
-Montbello Organizing Committee for supporting with transportation in the past
-Dr. Greg Diggs who was my original thought partner. We gathered the first group together to share the data and build interest to meet the need. He encouraged me after disappointments to do the things that God put on my heart to do. He worked alongside me until he died right before the 1st Summit. I will always remember that he wanted this work to be a part of his legacy not knowing that he would not live to see it.
-Zareeta Hammonds book Culturally Responsive Education and the Brain. Her work validated the approaches that we use in implementing the programs.
-My Steering Committee and Youth Board who have volunteered past and present because they want to provide our children the best experiences: Sarah S, Brooke S., Donna C., Sade C. and Hilary S, Angela F., Tanika S, Lisa W., Tuneishia H., Jhasmyne C., Brianna B., LaChance P., Tia D., Tyerra J., Angel A., Ceirra N, Earl W. Lauren S., Noel S, Maya J., Ericka P., Brian M., and many more.
-The parents who volunteer and make sure that their children are present, available to lead, serve and engage.
-Borris G-C and team Patricia G.
-School Staff- like Anthony A-P. who is always the first to register his group and makes sure that his students have the most amazing experiences.
-Beth Vinson former Dir. Of DPS STEAM, Dr. Alex Marero, Dr. Tony Smith, Rachel Langberg, Faye D., Di Marly Suarez, Renee Freeman- DPS outstanding leaders who have been committed to equity, educational justice and creating safe and joyful spaces for Black Girls.
Of course last but not least my husband and daughters who are with me every step of the way sacrificing and loving the girls and families we get to partner with.

Website: https://www.higherlearningu.org/african-american-young-ladies

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aayls_world/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-plashan-mccune/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/plashan.mccune.5 

Image Credits
AAYLS Participants I have submitted all photos in a previous section.