Conversations With Carole

Salute To Indigenous Peoples’ Day with Tobias Vanderhoop

"Growing up in an extended family as I did, both in Everett and on the Island, definitely contributes to my sense of Tribe today. You didn't want for anything; we all shared what we had."

You won’t want to miss this interview. Those of the insightful words of my special guest today, Tobias Vanderhoop, who proudly represents the Aquinnah people of the Wampanoag Tribe. We'll learn more about his close relationship with his community as we celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day. You’re listening to Conversations with Carole!

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About Tobias Vanderhoop
My Vision

Kuweequahsun, nutus8wees Tobias Vanderhoop. Nuwôpanâeeshkeetôp nuwtômâs Ahqunahut. 

(Greetings my name is Tobias Vanderhoop. I am a Wampanoag man from Aquinnah.)

Tobias grew up "off Island," in the City of Everett, north of Boston. He was fortunate to have the opportunity to come to the Island frequently, and his interactions with his cousins, friends, and this special place made him know this as his home. 

In 1992, Tobias moved to Aquinnah (the Indigenous town on Martha's Island) with the idea that he could stay there and work for his Tribe. While working for the Tribal Administration, Tobias had the opportunity to participate in a partnership between the Tribal Education Department and the University of Massachusetts Boston, working toward a Bachelor's Degree in Community Planning and Management, which he earned in 2004. After receiving a call to action from Tribal Elder Norva Randolph in 1999, Tobias also served on the Tribal Council for a total of eight and a half years. 

After serving two terms as a Tribal Councilman, he felt he could do more for his community, so he applied to Harvard University and was accepted into their Mid-Career Master's in Public Administration program. Tobias commuted from Cambridge back to the Island as often as possible from July 2007 – June 2008 to continue to serve the Tribal Council while completing his education. 

Since then, he has continued to push the boundaries of his service to the Tribal Community, serving as Tribal Administrator for four and a half years and assisting the Tribal Chief in the judiciary branch of our government as Chief Administrator.

Following a two-year Tribal assignment in Ketchikan, Alaska, Tobias returned to Aquinnah and launched his consulting practice, which assists organizations interacting with various Tribal departments on Island.

Today’s podcast features Carol Ann Whitehead, an amazing social entrepreneur and civic activist from Manchester, England.  She is the Managing Director of the UK based publishing and events agency, “The Zebra Partnership.” Carol Ann is currently living in Northern Ireland, chaperoning her teenage daughter, who is under contract with BBC Television. Carol Ann is one of the most prolific social media mavens on LinkedIn. You won’t want to miss this interview. 

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Carol Ann Whitehead is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and an award-winning Managing Director of The Zebra Partnership. It serves as a Publishing, Events, and Campaigns agency working with consultants and performers on a project-by-project basis in the United Kingdom. The Zebra Partnership also serves a diverse overseas audience, from festivals to royal visits.

Her community service includes:

• Being a Non-Executive Director and Heritage Trustee for the historic Portico Library and Newsroom.
• Companion of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).
• Serving on the CMI Womens Board.

As an ally, Carol Ann was Executive Director and presenter of the ITV National Diversity Awards nominated for Your Manchester Media 2020-2022. It's an LGBTQ+ originated flagship weekly magazine show streamed via Sky Glass and other platforms with a million viewers in 2021.

Carol Ann is a bi-weekly BBC Radio Manchester contributor known as a 'Trender' discussing current affairs nationally and internationally. She is the Host of 'The Whitehead Files,' an Oprah-styled fireside interview in studio, online, or on location across many platforms.

Carol Ann serves as a guest lecturer at the University of Manchester, is on the Northern Power Women Power List, and is a Pankhurst Trust Ambassador.

She delivered an 'Improving Wiki Diversity' lecture at the United Nations Youth Association in Denmark and mentored young people to host their own Wikieditathon event. In 2019 she was honoured with Global Goodwill Ambassador status from the foundation, and in 2021 Carol Ann was named Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Champion in the top 100 Social Media Influencers. 

Carol Ann was awarded the 2022 'Inspiring Women Worldwide accolade from the Women's International Network in Geneva.

They defied the odds and pursued educational excellence anyway. Despite racism, housing segregation, and academic hurdles, they pursue their dreams at The University of Michigan boldly and courageously. Now, a special project is archiving their years on the campus. African American students who attended U of M from 1853 to 1970 are now part of a unique database that anyone anywhere in the world can access. 

Dr. Richard Smith, a U of M grad, explains how this project started and why it’s important to record the history of Black students who have studied at the university.  

It’s especially important for Carole because her grandfather and mother are both part of this remarkable database.

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Richard Smith, M.D., FACOG, a long-time OB-GYN physician at Henry Ford Hospital who helped champion a national model for prenatal care services, is the recipient of the 2021 Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). By the time he retired in 2020, Dr. Smith had delivered nearly 9,000 babies. Generation after generation of countless families turned to him to usher their babies into the world.

Dr. Smith attended Harvard University School of Public Health, the University of Michigan, and Howard University College of Medicine.

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A new public database of African American students created by the University of Michigan documents students who attended U-M between 1853 and as recently as 1970.

A comprehensive compilation of this nature did not previously exist at the university and remains very rare for universities across the country.

In the process, hundreds of compelling stories have been uncovered surrounding segregated housing, relocation after slavery, and “segregation scholarships,” which originated in the 1920s.

“What we have discovered is that it was African American students, their organizations, the local community, and African American alumni who carved out lives for themselves on this campus, often with no help and with opposition from the university itself,” said Terrence McDonald, director of the Bentley Historical Library.

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Carole's Mother was a U of M grad: 
Gwendolyn Juanita Charleston Copeland

Carole's Grandfather took graduate courses at U of M:
Rev. James A. Charleston
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To learn more visit:
https://africanamericanstudentproject.bentley.umich.edu/database

The podcast Conversations with Carole is meant to build a community where we can talk about current and historical issues relevant to our times. I've been in the cross culture business for many years and celebrate the past work I've done in radio. It made sense NOW to move the conversation to a podcast format where we can all get involved!

Each week, we will dedicate our time to an intriguing topic or person in our quest to dig deeper into the subject matter. And we're not just interested in a conversation about American issues. We want to travel the globe, bringing in diverse voices and people who are making a difference in this world.

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As an award-winning keynote speaker, trainer, and global thought leader, since 1987, Carole Copeland Thomas moderates the discussions of critical issues affecting the marketplace. She has her pulse on the issues affecting working professionals and regularly consults with industry leaders. She has spent 36 years cultivating relationships and partnerships with local, national, and international sponsors, including Walmart, Amtrak, and Emirates Airlines. Carole is the past president of The National Speakers Association -New England Chapter and was on the leadership team of Black NSA. Carole is a blogger and social media enthusiast using various technology platforms to enhance her business development activities. 

Carole has been featured in the New York Times, Boston Globe, Black Enterprise, ABC Radio, and CBS News.

She is the author of eight books and is the Past National Vice Chair of the National Black MBA Association

Carole is a 28-year member of the National Speakers Association (NSA) and an active member of Black NSA. She won the President Emeritus Award for the leadership role she played during the 2017-2018 NSA New England Chapter Year.

Visit Carole's website at www.carolecopelandthomas.com.