My Black History: Ceci Ahanonu

I was trying to think back of the actual first meet and great of Ceci and Jana. . . but it seems so long ago I believe it was at the Leadershape seminar that took place in 2001. (Correct me if I am wrong Ceci!) This woman is amazing.

We became quite close when we taught a low-income school class of 4th graders Basic Aid Trainer (BAT) certified through the Red Cross in Salt Lake City. We were to say the least the “odd couple” in Utah in fact I think one the students called us “Salt and Pepper” which is really why children are so amazing, they just tell it how it is. We had some real “challenges” (she knows who I am talking about 🙂 in the classroom and Ceci came up with the greatest ways to engage the kids. Talk E. Toad was one of my favorites. This was a Toad that was passed around and the kids could only talk when they had the Toad in hand. We probably had more fun than the students even knew. Ceci is conquering the world! She has worked at Utah State Health Department in TB control, Reproductive Health, with The Youth of Today, and she is now a PHYSICIANS ASSISTANT in family practive and urgent care. This does not even scratch the surface on Ceci’s accomplishments but I think above all her wisdom, kindess, grace and her example to me have been qualities that I cherish the most.