This episode features Denise Martin. Denise overcame what for many would have been roadblocks to success, but her determination at every juncture has shown her to be a formidable yet compassionate competitor.
Denise’s Evanston public school education started at Dewey School. Because of forced integration, she and the rest of the Black student community were then bused to Walker for 6th grade. She went on to Skiles, Evanston Township High School and finally to Northwestern University where she earned two degrees. After graduating from Northwestern, Denise worked as an administrator at ETHS. In her exemplary career she took seriously her relationship with the Black community.
She loves Evanston but says about it, “no bulls-eye yet, we keep shooting arrows. We got lots of arrows.” In addition to her many personal and professional accomplishments, she’s made community involvement a priority in her life as she supports and celebrates Evanston, continuing to make it a better place.
Denise is currently a co-chair of the African-American Youth Achievement awards, serving on several sorority committees. She serves on the Unity committee, which honors AA seniors. She is also a member of the Y Women‘s planning committee and serves as the CEO of the Joe “ Butch” Martin Fund at the Evanston Community Foundation.
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Mrs. Denise Martin is truly a caring person. I met her while caring for a mutual friend and she became the Angel my family needed and needs to this day. Mrs. Martin has helped my family in good and bad times and she always seems to show up when we need someone the most. I am a single Mother of two and Mrs. Martin has been a Thanksgiving Angel as well as a Christmas Angel. I try not to ask anyone for anything and you never have to ask Mrs. Denise Martin. She is truly a blessing to anyone who knows her and helping the community and others is her life work. Thank you Mrs. Denise Martin for blessing my family when we needed it most.