Written by Phyllis Cunningham

Phyllis Cunningham ’75 never imagined that she would return to the field of education after she retired during the summer of 2016. She felt she had invested enough of her time working in schools, universities and community-based organizations throughout Michigan, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, and Washington, DC. She believed she had made a lasting impact as a leader by charting a pathway for future “change agents” in the traditional “Aggie” way.

As such, Cunningham began pursuing her retirement dreams of becoming a contributing writer for any African-American owned newspaper that would allow her to freely express her perspectives on those topics she selected as being news worthy. Much to her delight, her ambitions directed her to reach out to The Carolinian Newspaper in Raleigh, North Carolina, which at the time had been in business for over 75 years, and will soon celebrate 81 years in the newspaper publishing business, and is owned by the Jervay Family.

There, Cunningham found an incubator for crafting stories she loved to write about, especially those involving hazardous weather conditions that tend to cause human suffering. Her writing regarding Hurricane Florence resulted in her acquaintance with Dr. Annelle Primm, who is a licensed Psychiatrist in Baltimore, Maryland, and serves as the Convener and Co-Chair of the All Healers Mental Health Alliance. (AHMHA – Visit: https://allhealersmha.com/about-us for details.)

Cunningham’s contributions to AHMHA were so impressive that she recently was invited to serve as a Co-Chair of the organization’s Education Task Force, which has 14 members located throughout the United States. The Purpose of the task force is to examine the impacts the Covid-19 Pandemic have on the academic, social and emotional learning, and well-being of African-American students, and others in under-resourced communities, within local and global communities.

This Aggie is excited about the opportunity to serve the AHMHA in this capacity during this crucial time in the organization’s impressive history and the history of the United States. She and Co-Chair, Dr. Faye Gary of Cleveland, Ohio, who is an Alumna of Florida A&M University, convene their Zoom Meetings bi-monthly and anticipate presenting a White Paper of their Findings to the full body of the AHMHA by the end of June 30, 2020.

Cunningham is a native of North Carolina, and is the proud mother of one son, Aaron. She is married to Aggie alumnus, Reverend William Boykin, Senior, also from North Carolina. The couple met at the Greatest Homecoming on Earth’s parade in 2004.

They reside in Silver Spring, Maryland, and Raleigh. Both are “active” members of the alumni family and the Aggie Athletic Foundation. They exemplify true “Aggie Pride” and are totally committed to their beloved Alma Mater, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.