Dr. Denise H. Dunbar
Denise Dunbar (Dr. Denise Helen Dunbar) is a Vermont-based scholar, social justice advocate, and author known for her work on racial equity in education, particularly focusing on Black males in Vermont schools, detailed in her book "Black Males in the Green Mountains. She founded Just Transformations (an organization for equitable education training, and has spoken publicly in the Burlington area on civil rights and systemic injustice, often linking historical issues to modern educational disparities.
Interview Summary
Vermont Educator Denise Dunbar: A Life of Resilience, Advocacy, and Educational Transformation
In an intimate biographical interview, Denise Dunbar, a Vermont-based educator and advocate, shared her remarkable journey from Brooklyn's diverse neighborhoods to becoming a pivotal voice in educational equity and anti-racism work.
Born in 1951 to a Jamaican-American family, Dunbar's early life was shaped by powerful parental influences. Her mother, a protective force, encouraged her to find her voice and overcome childhood shyness through dance and personal empowerment. Her father, a transit worker who advanced from bus driver to subway engineer, modeled breaking institutional barriers.
Dunbar's academic and advocacy work crystallized through her experiences as a single mother pursuing higher education. Carrying her three-year-old daughter while receiving her undergraduate degree, she embodied resilience and determination. This personal experience propelled her into educational advocacy, particularly focusing on addressing systemic racism and educational disparities.
Her groundbreaking book, "Black Males in the Green Mountains," emerged from Office of Civil Rights reports documenting race-based bullying in Vermont schools. The work exposed significant challenges faced by Black students, revealing that despite Vermont's small Black population, school disciplinary and achievement gaps mirrored troubling national trends.
Collaborating with activists like Paige Wadley Bailey, Dunbar helped introduce the "Reading to End Racism" program in Vermont schools. Her approach emphasizes age-appropriate, scientifically grounded discussions about race, melanin, and cultural diversity.
Drawing from a rich family history of resistance and progress—including ancestors who navigated slavery and fought for liberation—Dunbar sees her work as continuing a generational legacy of education and social justice. Her great-grandmother's insistence that her daughter would go to college ultimately led to Dunbar's own doctoral achievement.
Today, Dunbar continues researching bullying and harassment across Vermont, committed to transforming educational systems. Her message to younger generations remains powerful: "Walk in your truth. Write your narrative. Listen to elders, but know this is your world."
Dunbar's life story represents a profound testament to individual resilience, familial strength, and the transformative power of education in confronting systemic inequities.