“Through the Eyes of this Black Woman: Continuing to Rise” by Dr. Thomasina M. Portis is now available for purchase

 “Through the Eyes of this Black Woman: Continuing to Rise” by Dr. Thomasina M. Portis, was proudly published by Citi of Books. It is posed as a family conversation that weaves historical narratives and personal anecdotes about the author’s family and her life in the South during the Jim Crow Era. This book is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other retail sites.

Dr. Thomasina M. Portis, CEO of Renaissance Global Ministries, holds a distinguished career in music, education, Christian ministry, and community service. She began her career in public education as a music and humanities teacher in Sumter County, South Carolina and retired as an Assistant Superintendent in the District of Columbia Public Schools System in Washington, D.C. After that retirement, a judge in the State of Maryland State Courts appointed her as the sole Trustee of a parochial school in Fort Washington, Maryland. During this appointment tenure she expanded her career to become a public and Christian educational consultant and keynote speaker across six continents. She is also the founding pastor of Renaissance Christian Tabernacle, Washington, DC.

In addition to many years in public and parochial education, Dr. Portis has an extensive background as an adjunct professor in several colleges and universities, an accredited Chaplain, and a Christian Counselor. She has a strong community service engagement history which has expanded over two decades. It includes: sponsoring over 1,000 Black students to Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and national music conservatories; raising funds for a number of Ghanaian children to be brought to America for surgeries; serving as President of Sisters-By-Choice, Inc. (a former residential facility for young teenage mothers from across the United States, ages 13-18, and their children), San Diego, CA; and, consulting for Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s Community of Caring  and Special Olympics Program in the United States and Canada for children with special needs. 

Dr. Portis provided intense counseling to some of the victims of the terrorist bombing in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; delivered the Protestant Baccalaureate Sermon during her daughter’s graduation celebrations at Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, served as a guest lecturer at Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, and was the Keynote speaker at international Character Education Conferences in Seoul, South Korea and Berlin, Germany. Notably, she was the first Black woman to chair the Boy Scouts of America’s Learning for Life Education Program.

“Through the Eyes of this Black Woman” offers a compelling exploration into an incomplete American story and speaks to the travesty of our nation’s historical omissions of the great contributions made by Black and Brown citizens. Her book celebrates the White Americans who do not subscribe to the racially hostile and antagonistic impact spurned through acts spurned from a continuing White Supremacy Ideology. The text takes the reader on a journey from her Southern childhood experiences to her impactful professional career. This new book interweaves stories of inequality and injustice to Black Americans with her unwavering faith that America will still become a nation of liberty and justice for all of her citizens. Inferred is that an all-inclusive American story may help to authenticate the humanity and value of every American citizen. 

This conversation celebrates the continuous work of American civic leaders, past and present. It expresses the imperative need to build a more diversified legislative, judicial, and economic structure that can provide more favorable results for all citizens of this nation. The book is an engaging read to a broad audience as an anecdotal history. It is also written as a comprehensive study for colleges and universities in courses such as Liberal Arts, Law, History, Sociology, Religion, Economics, and Civil Rights, to name a few. 

Ultimately, “Through the Eyes of this Black Woman” is both timeless and timely.  Dr. Portis’ insights encourage all readers to confront the complexities of racism and work towards a more equitable future.