Dr. Joe-Joe McManus is the Executive Director of Rootstrong, teaches at Boston College, and serves as a consultant and leadership coach for the Kingston Bay Group. Notably, he served as the founding Executive Director of the Ernesto Malave Leadership Academy at the City University of New York (CUNY), the largest urban public university in the United States. A very proud Rattler, McManus began his career in higher education teaching at Florida A&M University, where he earned his Ph.D. and where his students and colleagues dubbed him “Dr. Joe-Joe.”
The academic and professional goals that Dr. McManus has pursued have been motivated by his personal history. When Joe-Joe was a year old his brother Kacey was adopted, he was five weeks old. A few years later B-J, the youngest brother, was born. Racism became an issue early on for the boys because of reactions to Kacey being an African American child in a European American family. Later issues of anti-Semitism and classism piled on; Mom being Jewish and the family living in an apartment behind a liquor store. There was also a history of Interreligious marriage on his Dad’s side; Grandpa was Irish Catholic and Grandma English Protestant.
Nothing was more difficult to cope with than the racism that was directed at Kacey. Teachers were the worst. They placed Kacey in the lowest possible classes, Joe-Joe in the highest. They both knew that wasn’t right. Their parents fought with the teachers, and Kacey and Joe-Joe fought what seemed like everyone else. Over time the prejudice in school, the racism that is everyday America, and the tremendous stresses of being an adolescent, became too much. At the age of seventeen Kacey became a victim of suicide, and Joe-Joe suffered the most profound loss of his young life.
Kacey and Joe-Joe had tried to make a difference, speaking to fellow students, arguing with teachers, taking on anyone that dared make a racist comment. It all seemed in vain. Joe-Joe felt like a failure, unable to protect his younger brother from the pain and injustice.
Years of struggling silently with the loss of his brother followed, constantly fuming over manifestations of racism that continued to go unchecked. Oppression of all sorts became evident, and continued to fuel his rage. Then Joe-Joe began to speak, loudly. He spoke at schools with students he didn’t know, trying to work with them to combat racism in themselves and others. He spoke to teachers he did know, tearing apart their Eurocentric curricula and oppressive teaching practices. He found himself speaking to international audiences at universities in Moscow, Kiev, and all over Russia, then at the University of Cambridge, then to a packed hall of military personnel back in the States, then again on campus at the college he was attending. His work caught the attention of new mentors who continue to guide him today.
His personal commitment, academic knowledge, and professional experience are the foundation of Dr. McManus’ no-nonsense style and results oriented approach. The first in his family, McManus earned a B.S. in psychology and went on to receive his M.A. in Multicultural Education. He completed his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership at Florida A&M University (FAMU) in 2000.
Dr. McManus' experience at the City University of New York included serving as Executive Director of the Malave Leadership Academy as well as Senior Administrator with responsibilities for the development and management of multiple areas within the university system. Most significant was founding and advancement of the Malave Leadership Academy. During his tenure, the Academy grew to include three major programs; a fellows program, a program focused on leadership through service - CUNY Corps, and a program focused on leadership through advocacy - CUNY Ambassadors. He also provided leadership for other central offices and initiatives such as International Student & Scholar Services, Multicultural Affairs, Career Services, Student Life, Women's Centers, and other areas within the Division of Student Affairs.
Prior to his tenure at CUNY, McManus served as Curriculum Development Coordinator for the Tucker Foundation at Dartmouth College. His experience also includes serving as faculty at an HBCU and an international university, serving as a senior administrator at an independent P-12 school in New York City and extensive work with both public and private P-12 schools and universities as well as numerous community based organizations. Notably, he completed an appointment as a visiting professor at Chancellor College at the University of Malaŵi through the International Foundation for Education and Self-Help (IFESH). For the previous four years he taught in the College of Education at Florida A&M University.
Dr. McManus’ overall experience includes multicultural teacher education, leadership development, curriculum and instruction, educator mentoring, interdisciplinary and cross sector partnerships, and organizational development. He has lectured, served on panels, presented, and consulted in the U.S. and internationally more than two decades, and served on the Board of Directors of the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME). McManus currently serves on Advisory Boards for Education, Excellence & Equity (E3) and InYourClass.com. He is also a member of the Diversity Collegium think tank as well as the Diversity Community Exchange (DiCE) Group for which he served as editor of their current book The Diversity Calling.
Published the book, The Diversity Calling: Building Community One Story at a Time
Founded Rootstrong, a 501c3 non-profit leadership education organization, with friends and colleagues. [Note: The website will be launched October 30]
Named to the Board of the Diversity Collegium (diversitycollegium.org) and the Advisory Council of E3: Education, Equity and Excellence (e3ed.org).
