June 13, 2024
Spotlight/Social Justice
Above, Mrs. Alyse Newhouse-Morgan Picture Source Alyse Newhouse FB Page
Dear readers of the relaunched Echo, we proudly share Mrs. Alyse Newhouse-Morgan as our Echo's Black Beauty for June 2024. As the editor and publisher of the relaunched Echo, I had the pleasure of witnessing this young lady grow up in church by the side of her grandmother, Mrs. Elizabeth Carter. This month's Black Beauty will inspire you to know that the investment of love, nurture, and provision provided by the Black family, public school system, and local Black churches can produce an excellent crop of future leaders, wives, mothers, and scholars. Alyse is a Howard University Graduate with a B.A. in Political Science. Activities and societies she has been affiliated with throughout the years are:
3rd Vice President of Membership National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Metropolitan Washington D.C. Chapter
D.C. Metro Area, Advisory Neighborhood Commission 8District.
NSBE Professionals DC Chapter, Women in Technology (WIT) - Washington
Northern Virginia Urban League Young Professionals Network
Vice President of the Senior Class for the College of Arts and Sciences
National Political Science Honor Fraternity
Pi Sigma Alpha
To name a few. In today's article, Alyse shares her journey from Tinton Falls, New Jersey, to Washington, D.C., in her own words. We of the relaunched Echo hope that her story of perseverance, drive, and accomplishment inspires our readers to consider their children or church attendees' children worthwhile future leaders. Who can accomplish anything as long as they put their minds to it and as long as the Black community protects them. Along with the continued investment and effort of the Black churches in Black children's lives, that not only provides character-building leadership development but also raises awareness about Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Let's join Alyse on her inspiring journey from Tinton Falls, NJ, to Washington, D.C.
Kindly, Karen Brittingham-Edmond. https://ncbw.org/about-ncbw/
Above, Mrs. Alyse Newhouse-Morgan Picture Source Alyse Newhouse FB Page
Embracing Change: A Journey from Tinton Falls, NJ to Advocacy in Washington, DC
By Mrs. Alyse Newhouse
I remember riding the bus on my last day of school at Monmouth Regional High School in 2006. It was an indelible moment, a bittersweet recognition that life after that day would be different. Everything I knew was about to change as I embarked on a journey to Washington, DC, a journey that would shape my womanhood and help me blossom into who I am today. As the bus picked me up and I waved to my grandmother, Elizabeth Carter, I felt a sense of mourning. One chapter was closing, and a new one was beginning.
My time in Tinton Falls began in 2002 when I entered Monmouth Regional as a freshman. My mother graduated from MRHS in 1976, and 30 years later, I walked the same hallways. Coming from Prince George's County, MD, a majority well-to-do Black neighborhood, to Tinton Falls. NJ, there were cultural nuances that I had to navigate, but overall, I had a great experience and received a solid public-school education. I fell in love with History and Government, largely thanks to Mr. Thomas Halbedl, a veteran teacher at the school since the early 1970s. In my final year, I championed for equity in how we were taught history and lobbied for an African American Studies class. We were taught all of American History and even had an AP European History class. I later discovered that an African American Studies class was instituted, and I was pleased to have played a small part in that decision.
Upon leaving the Jersey Shore, I attended Howard University in the Fall of 2006. I loved walking down Georgia Ave, hearing the Go-Go beats, and seeing the vibrant expressions of Black pride around the campus. DC was undergoing a transition; Black homeownership was beginning to decrease as gentrification started to encroach closer to the campus. New Balance sneakers were the footwear of choice, and Drake was not yet known to the masses. I navigated my four to five years in the Nation’s Capital, initially with naivete but eventually with a level of finesse that allowed me to move among various circles. During this period of self-discovery, I shifted from wanting to attend law school to feeling uncertain about my true path upon graduation. I knew I had a deep sense of purpose rooted in the self-determination of Black people, whether through law or politics. However, I also found an interest in technology and business. My career began in the nonprofit sector, first with the National Society of Black Engineers, then Deloitte and Porsche’s US HQ. Despite my success, I still felt unsatisfied.
There was a persistent calling to serve my community amidst the relentless news cycle of injustices against us. Trayvon Martin, Sandra Bland, George Floyd—the list goes on. Many names do not receive national attention, and countless families experience loss due to gun violence, which we know is linked to access, economics, education, and inequities. Motivated by these issues, I ran for office in my local community, East of the River, better known as SE/SW DC. I became a homeowner in 2017 and saw firsthand that DC is a tale of two cities. One side is prosperous, with lower crime, greater opportunities, and development, while the other side has an over 22% unemployment rate. In 2020, I ran for local office as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner. Despite not growing up in the community I represented, I unseated the incumbent by winning my constituents' hearts and minds.
Mrs. Alyse Newhouse-Morgan with her handsome husband, Mr. Dwyane Morgan, little Camron Morgan center, and not pictured here is the Morgans' newborn baby girl, Monroe Elizabeth Morgan.
Now, as a wife and mother of two, I dedicate my free time to the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Metro Washington DC Chapter. Since joining in 2017, we have advocated for Black women and girls in the areas of economic empowerment, education, and health through public policy. Our community faces numerous systemic issues, and I believe it is crucial and my responsibility to be the change I want to see. On the eve of Juneteenth, we recognize that we are still fighting the same battles our ancestors fought. We still face inequality on the job, unequal pay, housing discrimination, food insecurity, and underfunded schools.
What will you do to ensure that your family lives in a better world than the one you entered? How will you use your God-given gifts to advance self-determination for our community? Think about it, and then act on it.
