Today we’d like to introduce you to Marie Hall.
Hi Marie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’m from Youngstown, Ohio, a small city in the Midwest. Throughout my childhood and teenage years, I had many adverse childhood experiences. It left me crippled with low self-esteem and feeling unworthy. I covered up much of my trauma of rejection, heartbreak, and trust issues, but it manifested itself in different ways. My inability to fit in always made me feel out of place and caused me to have great insecurities. It was taxing trying to hide my pain and frustration. I masked it through the fake smiles, conjured up laughter, and tough girl act, hoping no one would ever be able to see through the facade and recognize the real me. However, there was a fight in me that I can’t explain. It kept me going and believing that there was more for me so I kept pressing no matter the trials I faced.
Throughout my childhood into adult life, I watched my mother help everyone in our community. It didn’t matter their situation or circumstance; my mom had a heart for people and assisting them when they were in need. She was a servant leader. That trait rubbed off on me. I remember always telling my friends I was going to help people. Back then, I thought I would become a doctor, but God has a way of interrupting the plans you think you have and fulfilling his own. He’s funny that way.
As I reminisce, I can recall living in Los Angeles; by now, I’m a grown woman with a husband and a child. In the dream, I owned two schools. I didn’t quite understand the dream because my college degree was not in education, and it sure wasn’t on my mind to do anything with children. I always envisioned myself leading a Fortune 500 company and making a significant impact in the business world. I was astonished by the dream and began asking God if I was going into education. Shortly after, we moved to Atlanta, and I started working at a university. Immediately, I enrolled in the Master of Education program, and things began to take shape in my life regarding all things education quickly. Upon graduation, I began teaching in Dekalb School District as a first-grade teacher. The first day I set foot in the classroom, tears filled my eyes, and I remember whispering to myself, “What took you so long.” It was as if I had finally found my calling, my place in the world to do the work that God wanted me to do.
I’ve encountered many children just like me throughout my career, those that struggle with anger issues, have a rugged exterior, lack of trust, and feelings of unworthiness. All of which can affect their academics and ability to perform well in school. My heart goes out to them. I’ve had many children tell me they hate their lives and wish they could die, that they feel useless. It is a heart-wrenching feeling to hear children speak negative words over themselves, especially children in marginalized communities. These children have many obstacles and begin to act out because they feel discouraged and they believe they can’t learn on top of everything else that may be going on in their lives.
In my heart and mind, I knew something needed to change. I had to help in any way that I could. That’s when I decided the change had to begin with me. Not only was I going to change the trajectory for children and adults, but ultimately, I was changing mine as well. I’ve been tutoring for a while, but nothing too serious; it was just here and there. However, the servant leader inside me took action and opened RubyMac Learning Academy Inc, a nonprofit 501c(3) organization specializing in tutoring and educational consulting. To help disenfranchised communities, I developed a program that provides free tutorial services for low-income families with children who otherwise couldn’t afford support outside of the school day.
In addition, I became a published author at the onset of the pandemic and launched Myrtle Tree Publishing. Somehow, being quarantined compelled me to leap into another level of faith and caused me to push through my fears. My first published book, I Declare… Declarations for African American Boys that Promote Self-Love and Self-Worth, was written to encourage black boys to see themselves as powerful, capable, and strong. It has reached many African American boys and is helping to transform their lives. My second book, Grandma’s Hands, teaches morals, values, and the important role Grandmothers play in children’s lives.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road of entrepreneurship has not been a smooth road. I’ve gone through a lot of growing pains and still am learning day by day. Since the pandemic, it’s been a bit difficult to network and build partnerships to help my organization. I’m learning to be more intentional in utilizing social media to expand my brand. Not to mention, time is a huge factor. Sometimes, it can get cumbersome trying to create content, posting daily, and fundraising.
Another area of growth is finding time to focus on grant writing and sending out communications. It can be a bit overwhelming, but I’m managing it. I try to prioritize the most critical projects and complete tasks on a day-to-day basis. Moreover, I’m still a full-time employee, so I must build my brand over time, working late night hours. I’m learning to balance my time which isn’t easy. It’s demanding but gratifying.
We’ve been impressed with RubyMac Learning Academy and Myrtle Tree Publishing, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My company RMLA is a multifaceted and transformational organization. RMLA educates, elevates, and empowers organizations and individuals to amplify and leverage their skills, learn a growth mindset, and to lead change through confidence and communication. RubyMac Learning Academy is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that provides a comprehensive quality educational program for children ages four through 13. Our passion is to develop children’s ability to thrive in school by building their confidence academically. We also work towards their social and emotional well-being by meeting their needs individually and partnering with families to ensure academic success. RMLA maintains a safe and nurturing environment by ensuring learning goals develop the whole child and meet individual needs. We balance instruction and activities by incorporating children’s learning styles and designing lessons to be fun and engaging.
As an educational consulting and counseling facility, RMLA also offers professional development workshops and seminars to schools, childcare programs, and educational institutions looking to galvanize employees’ skills and knowledge. As a collaborative partner, we assist organizations in cultivating their work environment.
RMLA’s greatest accomplishment is being able to offer free educational support to students in marginalized communities. The children we serve through our MALI program have significantly benefited and have shown tremendous gains in their academics. We are incredibly proud of them. We would also like to recognize our donors and sponsors that have generously given to our organization. This transformational work would not be possible without them.
In addition to RMLA, my company Myrtle Tree Publishing is on the rise. Through Myrtle Tree, I have published my books, an amazing and unbelievable journey using literacy to reach children and adults in a completely different format and platform. God is literally blowing my mind. It’s such a humbling experience. It has landed me speaking engagements and another avenue to transform people’s lives in a unique way. I’ve begun developing a coaching program for individuals to help to move them from surviving to thriving.
I want you to know that we believe in you and you are valued. If you’re going to transform your life, if you’re ready to move into action- We are the company for you. We develop and equip you to have a strong mind and help enhance your gifts so you can pursue your passions. We build confidence so you can lead a purpose-driven life.
How do you define success?
Success is not in the ability to obtain material things. Success for me is knowing at the end of the day, I’ve helped transform someone’s life for the better. If I’ve helped to change one person’s life, then I’ve done something good, it’s a success. It means my time here on Earth has been impactful to the world. I got into this work because I genuinely care about people and want the best for them. I didn’t get into this work for fortune or fame, but I’ll be humbled and grateful to God for the elevation when it comes along.
Pricing:
- Comprehensive Diagnostic – $50
- Tutorial Services – $25/hr
- Consultation – Starting at $60
- Adult education – $25/hr
Contact Info:
- Email: marieshall@rubymac-learning-academy.com and info@mariesboatwright.com
- Website: www.rubymac-learning-academy.com and www.mariesboatwright.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marie_s_boatwright/ and https://www.instagram.com/rubymac_learning_academy
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rubymacacademy
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mariesherella
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjWhS22EWTXis6ma77fc2tg
- Other: https://linktr.ee/mariesboatwright
Image Credits
ADJ Media (professional photos only)
