{"@context":"http://iiif.io/api/presentation/3/context.json","id":"https://saaacam.aviaryplatform.com/iiif/ft8df6mm39/manifest","type":"Manifest","label":{"en":["Dr. O. Raye-Atkins Interview"]},"logo":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/571/original/full-color_2x.png?1735841768","metadata":[{"label":{"en":["Publisher"]},"value":{"en":["The African American Network TV (TAAN TV)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Description"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eEducator and author Dr. O. Raye Adkins discusses how she came to San Antonio and how she embarked on her journey in education. She reflects on her career, her venture in publishing two books, and why she loves San Antonio. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e"]}},{"label":{"en":["Rights Statement"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eAll materials are for noncommercial educational or research uses only. Please contact SAAACAM for any questions regarding usage rights.\u003c/p\u003e"]}},{"label":{"en":["Date"]},"value":{"en":["2017-07-29 (created)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Type"]},"value":{"en":["Interview"]}},{"label":{"en":["Format"]},"value":{"en":["MP4"]}},{"label":{"en":["Source"]},"value":{"en":["Originally Produced/Created by TAAN TV and its CEO Laura Thompson; now part of the Laura Thompson Media Collection at SAAACAM"]}},{"label":{"en":["Keyword"]},"value":{"en":["Education, Family Life, San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD),  San Antonio College (SAC),  University of the Incarnate Word (UIW),  University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA), Loss, Port Chicago Disaster, 300 Voices in 300 Days"]}},{"label":{"en":["Language"]},"value":{"en":["English (primary)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Access Ss"]},"value":{"en":["access_public"]}}],"summary":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eEducator and author Dr. O. Raye Adkins discusses how she came to San Antonio and how she embarked on her journey in education. She reflects on her career, her venture in publishing two books, and why she loves San Antonio. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e"]},"requiredStatement":{"label":{"en":["Attribution"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eAll materials are for noncommercial educational or research uses only. Please contact SAAACAM for any questions regarding usage rights.\u003c/p\u003e"]}},"provider":[{"id":"https://saaacam.aviaryplatform.com/aboutus","type":"Agent","label":{"en":["San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum"]},"homepage":[{"id":"https://saaacam.aviaryplatform.com/","type":"Text","label":{"en":["San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum"]},"format":"text/html"}],"logo":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/571/original/full-color_2x.png?1735841768","type":"Image"}]}],"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/collection_resource_files/thumbnails/000/239/640/small/300VoicesLTCollectionO.RayeAdkinsinterview.mp4_1713901885.jpg?1713901890","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://saaacam.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2808/collection_resources/127801/file/239640","type":"Canvas","label":{"en":["Media File 1 of 1 - 300_Voices_LT_Collection_O.Raye_Adkins_interview.mp4"]},"duration":762.8621,"width":640,"height":360,"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/collection_resource_files/thumbnails/000/239/640/small/300VoicesLTCollectionO.RayeAdkinsinterview.mp4_1713901885.jpg?1713901890","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://saaacam.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2808/collection_resources/127801/file/239640/content/1","type":"AnnotationPage","items":[{"id":"https://saaacam.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2808/collection_resources/127801/file/239640/content/1/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"painting","body":{"id":"https://aviary-p-saaacam.s3.wasabisys.com/collection_resource_files/resource_files/000/239/640/original/300_Voices_LT_Collection_O.Raye_Adkins_interview.mp4?1713901878","type":"Video","format":"video/mp4","duration":762.8621,"width":640,"height":360},"target":"https://saaacam.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2808/collection_resources/127801/file/239640","metadata":[]}]}],"annotations":[{"id":"https://saaacam.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2808/collection_resources/127801/file/239640/transcript/66574","type":"AnnotationPage","label":{"en":["O. Raye Adkins Transcript [Transcript]"]},"items":[{"id":"https://saaacam.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2808/collection_resources/127801/file/239640/transcript/66574/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Transcript\r\nFor\r\nDr. O. Raye Adkins\r\n7/29/2017\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMaliska Randle  0:03  \r\nHello everyone, I'm Maliska Randle with TAAN TV. We're doing 300 Voices in 300 Days and I'm here with Dr. O. Raye Adkins. How are you doing? \r\n\r\n\r\nO. Raye Adkins  0:12\r\nI'm doing great. How are you, Maliska? \r\n\r\n\r\nMaliska Randle  0:14\r\nI'm doing awesome. So, first, like, tell us a little bit more about yourself. The TAAN TV viewers want to know, like- like about you.\r\n\r\n\r\nO. Raye Adkins  0:23  \r\nI am from my hometown, which is Palestine, Texas. I was born there. But I've been in San Antonio since I was twelve years old. So I received most of my education in San Antonio, going to San Antonio ISD [Independent School District] schools, and then going on to San Antonio College, and then on to [University of the] Incarnate Word, and then on to UTSA [University of Texas at San Antonio], and then my final doctorate was from Texas A\u0026M College Station. So I pretty much have been in San Antonio for most of my life. I am a retired educator, I retired as a principal at thirty-two years in the school system. And I have probably spent my whole life working to better children, to make the lives of children better. And so I've done that through a variety of ind- of avenues. And so we’ll- I'm sure we'll talk about that.\r\n\r\n\r\nMaliska Randle  1:14  \r\nYeah. That's great. So, like, what did your parents do when you were growing up? \r\n\r\n\r\nO. Raye Adkins  1:19  \r\nActually, that is a- a rather lengthy story. My dad was killed in the military four months before I was born in an accident called Port Chicago. And if you Google Port Chicago, he was in the Navy, and it was a large explosion. And so I grew up with my grandparents and when I moved to San Antonio, I began living with my mom. And so the Port Chicago story is another long story that can be Googled if people are interested in it. So that's how I- that's- that's where I've been most of my life. Spent a short time, about six months, in San Diego, California, but pretty much I've been in San Antonio my entire life. \r\n\r\n\r\nMaliska Randle  2:00  \r\nOkay. So, um… I guess, I know you mentioned that you're a retired educator. So, like, what led you to go down that path? Like what–\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nO. Raye Adkins  2:06  \r\nUm, as I thought about this interview today, I probably was being led that way early on. My mother worked, as many mothers worked back then, long days. And so I was responsible for my sister and brothers who were born after me, younger than myself. And so I remember being- my brother wanting to go to Scouts, and he needed somebody to represent him, a parent. And so I went in his stead- I went in my mother's stead because she was working twelve hours a day. And then ano- another occasion, one of them were playing- one brother, or somebody was playing football, and they needed somebody to work in the- in the- to sell the hot dogs in the concession stands. And I was about sixteen years old, and I was the one that went for my mom. So I've been working with children all of my life in one form or another, and- and I have educators in my family, and back then it was pretty tradition for- traditional for women to go into education or become teachers or go into the nursing field. It wasn't as expanded as it is today.\r\n\r\n\r\nMaliska Randle  3:15\r\nYeah, that’s true.\r\n\r\n\r\nO. Raye Adkins  3:15\r\nSo, I started out at middle school and spent eight years or eleven years there–I forget now–then went to the high school and then went to Central Office and then went back and became an elementary principal. \r\n\r\n\r\nMaliska Randle  3:29  \r\nOh, wow. So did you enjoy elementary school more than high school?\r\n\r\n\r\nO. Raye Adkins  3:33  \r\nI absolutely loved being an elementary principal. But I loved all of my experiences as an educator, they were enlightening and part of the highlight of my life. And even after I retired, I did some workshops for a company called AHA Process. And we inserviced teachers, educators, anybody who worked with children and families in poverty. So I still continue to do that after my thirty-two- thirty-two years. And I did that for about eight years. So total, it's been about forty years of education or education-related experiences.\r\n\r\n\r\nMaliska Randle  4:08  \r\nWow. That's- that's awesome. That's great. So- I guess, like, what do you feel is your, like, greatest contribution in San Antonio?\r\n\r\n\r\nO. Raye Adkins  4:19  \r\nI have been in a lot of arenas, and it's hard for me to say any one. I was at my ret- when I retired, I was working in Harlandale School District. And I was the first African American, the first fe- female African American–first African American period–\r\n\r\n\r\nMaliska Randle  4:42\r\nWow, that–\r\n\r\n\r\nO. Raye Adkins  4:43\r\n–in Harlandale School District, so.\r\n\r\n\r\nMaliska Randle  4:43\r\n–is great. \r\n\r\n\r\nO. Raye Adkins  4:45\r\nI'm- I’m not so sure about that. I'm not sure they've hired another one since, I don't know what that track record look like. So- but at any rate, so I did that and I still give to experiences that will impact the lives of children. There are some people who say, “I love children,” and I do love- like children, I love children. But I love most being able to make a difference, a real difference in their lives, whether that's through giving them a variety of experiences, or making sure that there are avenues that are open to them. I've written- and I guess the culminating experience for me is a rec- recent release of a children's book.\r\n\r\n\r\nMaliska Randle  5:27\r\nOh yeah, I was gonna ask you about that.\r\n\r\n\r\nO. Raye Adkins  5:29\r\nYes, I’ve- I've written a ch- I wrote a children's book. And I wrote that book with the idea that, number one, most of the children books on the market are not designed for African American children–I think about 5% of them are. And so I was intent on gearing that toward African American children and providing them with some fine art in the process of that. So one of the local artists in San Antonio from SAEAS [San Antonio Ethnic Arts Society], did all the artwork, and I did the writing. And so it turned into a tremendous project. That's my second book.\r\n\r\n\r\nMaliska Randle  6:05  \r\nYour second book? Do you plan on writing a third book?\r\n\r\n\r\nO. Raye Adkins  6:07  \r\nProbably not. \r\n\r\n\r\n[mutual laughter]\r\n\r\n\r\nO. Raye Adkins  6:10\r\nI already know that I planned on writing that book. I have a girlfriend, who really poked at my consciousness about there being- not being a lot of books and- and I did have a story that I wanted to share. And everything ties back to your own environment. And so the story is somewhat of a tie back to my environment and my experiences resulting from the death of my father before I was born. And so children are often in a state of what I call “lack,” you know, there's missing parents, missing resources, missing love, sometimes, missing affection. And so I was blessed that that was not in my life, but I wanted to share a story with them, in the event it is, that they will be able to still overcome. The way you are tonay- today is not the way you will be in the future, is what I say to children.\r\n\r\n\r\nMaliska Randle  7:06  \r\nYep, that's true. And it's good that they have a- like, a book that they can look at and say, “Oh, like, that somehow relates to me.” You know? I feel like that’s awesome. So, I guess why is it im– well, you kind of already answered this– like, important to tell your own stories? Like just to–?\r\n\r\n\r\nO. Raye Adkins  7:26  \r\nWell, I answered it, but I have a fuller answer for you. I did not- back at the time that my father was killed, there was really no communication. And so I didn't know how he was killed. I didn't have answers that children only want- often want. And so in- fifty years after the event occurred, there were lots of answers there, and so I went to see them. And after I found the answers, I wrote a book called Letters to My Father. And before that, I was really a little bit depressed and confused, and had questions about “Why, how, and who was I as a result of that?” And children often want to know, “Who am I? What am I connected to?” “I want to see my mom, I want to see my dad.” And there was no father there for me to see. And so I wrote that book, Letters to My Father. I investigated–and I encourage children when they have a question to investigate–I investigated the circumstances of his life. And as I wrote that book, I felt personal relief, personal relief and release. And so- so that's one thing that happened. And then after I wrote Letters to My Father, it was a few years later that I wrote When the Deer Rings Your Doorbell, which is the children's book. And it continues in many aspects to, and- and provides a little bit of an ending to Letters to My Father, even though they are two different genres and they were written in two different places in my life, with two different experiences. But they do connect, so you never really get away from your past. People say, “Let your past be your past,” but your past often becomes who you are, and I really like that I am where I am in terms of wanting to help children and- and being o- able to be open about that, so–.\r\n\r\n\r\nMaliska Randle  9:26  \r\nWow. That's awesome. So you've been in San Antonio most of your life, you went to school here, you grew up here since you were twelve. Like, what do you like most about San Antonio? Or not, like, what you like the most. Like, what are some things that you like to do in San Antonio and that you really enjoy? [laughs]\r\n\r\n\r\nO. Raye Adkins  9:42  \r\nI love San Antonio. I absolutely love San Antonio. San Antonio, first of all, is clean, and sometimes we take that for granted. San Antonio is friendly, San Antonio is- when I look at skylines of San Antonio right now I think, “God, what a beautiful skyline we have in San Antonio.” And of course, we have all the fun activities that we're able to do. But how do we relate back to my life? It’s as I was teaching children, particularly when I was in the classroom, I wanted them to see the San Antonio that I saw. And I found that taking them downtown on the riverboat and taking them to operas. And those were the things that I love to- learn- I learned to love about San Antonio, because I got to do them with my children. I went to Natural Bridge Caverns and all kinds of activities. And so anything that you can think of that you might want to do, you can find in San Antonio to do, if you want to do that. And so I made a point of always working downtown because I love to be able to walk downtown and the Riverwalk and La Villita area. So in the summertime, I would make a point of working downtown so I could be downtown. I don't do that so much anymore. San Antonio has grown and changed. And- and of course, it has a great military connection that I love, partially because as my dad was- died in the military, I had some military benefits. And so there's not much about San Antonio that I don't love. I love the diversity, and I think San Antonio is probably a good model when we talk about diversity. Do we have some challenges? Absolutely. But if you asked me and said, “Where would you want to live, if you weren't living in San Antonio?” I might go somewhere that wasn't quite as hot, but–\r\n\r\n\r\n[mutual laughter] \r\n\r\n\r\nO. Raye Adkins  11:45\r\n–I don't know. But that's, that's my barometer at this place in my life. So I really can't think of many places that I’d want to live outside of San Antonio. And I think the opportunities that I've been given are a result of being in San Antonio, tell you the truth.\r\n\r\n\r\nMaliska Randle  12:00  \r\nOkay. Well, I just want to say thank you so much for coming in to TAAN TV and letting us have the chance to interview you. Thank you so much. \r\n\r\n\r\nO. Raye Adkins  12:09\r\nWell, thank you for the interview. \r\n\r\n\r\nMaliska Randle  12:10\r\nAgain, this is Dr. Raye Adkins here at TAAN TV, and I'm Maliska Randle, and I hope y’all have a great day. Bye. \r\n\r\n\r\nO. Raye Adkins  12:17\r\nThank you. \r\n\r\n\r\nMaliska Randle  12:21\r\nAnd this is 300 Voices in 300 days. And this is 300 Voices in 300 Days of San Anto- [laughs] I was not doing this earlier. And this is 300 Voices in 300 Days, in celebration of San Antonio's Tricentennial. Have a great day.\r\n\r\n\r\nO. Raye Adkins  12:37\r\nGood.\r\n\r\n\r\nTranscribed by","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://saaacam.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2808/collection_resources/127801/file/239640#t=0.0,762.8621"}]},{"id":"https://saaacam.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2808/collection_resources/127801/file/239640/transcript/66574","type":"AnnotationPage","label":{"en":["English [Transcript]"]},"items":[{"id":"https://saaacam.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2808/collection_resources/127801/file/239640/transcript/66574/annotation/2","type":"Annotation","motivation":"subtitling","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/file_transcripts/associated_files/000/066/574/original/transcript_1713902628.vtt20240423-168468-onvatb.txt?1713888228","format":"text/vtt","language":"en"},"target":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/file_transcripts/associated_files/000/066/574/original/transcript_1713902628.vtt20240423-168468-onvatb.txt?1713888228"}]}]}]}