Denise Webb, 20, is a CoGenerate Senior Fellow. She’s a student at Berry College and a seasoned activist, working with organizations including United Way, Partnership for Southern Equity and The Sunrise Movement. She is the co-author of Why Aren’t We Doing This!...
Purpose Prize
The Latest from CoGenerate
What Young Leaders Want — And Don’t Want — From Older Allies
We know from our nationally representative study with NORC at the University of Chicago in 2022 that 76% of Gen Z and 70% of Millennial respondents wish they had more opportunities to work across generations for change. In a new report, What Young Leaders Want — And...
Two Oscar-winning Films Shine a Light on Intergenerational Connection
Despite the ongoing drumbeat of generational conflict (a hate story), right in front of us is evidence of a new narrative of cross-generational connection and collaboration (a love story). That love story was on full display at the Grammys, most visibly in the Tracy...
*
Henrietta Mann
Purpose Prize Fellow 2010
Mann is providing Native American youths a pathway out of poverty through culturally based higher education at a newly created tribal college.
Preserving Native American language, culture, traditions and land has been a central feature of Henrietta Mann’s work as an educator. But after spending nearly four decades in public higher education, Mann was weary of seeing the continuing achievement gap of Native American students.
After an attempt at retirement, Mann returned home to Oklahoma to become the founding president of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal College (CATC) in Weatherford, Okla. CATC, one of only four tribal colleges in Oklahoma, ensures that Native Americans have culturally based education opportunities, which are not offered to them elsewhere.
Mann believes that native youths must have a solid education that reflects their culture, history, government and language in order to provide leadership for their communities. Starting in 2006 with just one student, CATC now has 110 students from 17 tribes. Currently, the college is hosted by Southwestern Oklahoma State University but in the next five years, Mann plans to build an environmentally friendly campus for CATC. Mann is also working to increase enrollment, add additional degree programs and extend distance learning capabilities.
“I intend to continue utilizing my skills and experience to do the work I was destined to perform,” says Mann, “Cheyennes believe we are each put on Earth for a purpose. I am fulfilling my life purpose.”