January 24, 2023
By Tessa Chilton
Kish Cumi Price 16’ is a lifelong learner with an enthusiasm for working with youth and families. Throughout her life she has sought out experiences to pursue her passion which is advocating for marginalized populations and bridging the gap between academia and the community.
Cumi Price moved to Louisville in 2010 and in 2016 she earned a PhD in counselor education and supervision from the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD). In November 2022, she was named president and CEO of the Louisville Urban League (LUL), a non-profit organization that elevates the standard of living in historically underserved urban communities. Specifically, it focuses on jobs, justice, education, health, housing and Black business.
Cumi Price recently joined the CEHD Dean’s Advisory Board. This group meets quarterly to advise the dean on ways to strengthen programs, improve community outreach, and increase support.
Cumi Price reflected on her career and shared her thoughts on collaborating with the Dean’s Advisory Board in this Q&A interview.
Q: Could you talk to me about your current role with LUL. Why did you step into that role?
Cumi Price: I have been President and CEO of the LUL since November 2022, but I joined the League in 2019 as the director of education policy and programming. It was interesting to come back because I am incredibly passionate about the work that we do with jobs, justice, education, health, housing, and black business. Everything I’ve done centers around marginalized populations. Through our work, with education and healthcare specifically, I have really gotten to understand the power of policy. I hope that we as a city can understand that we have endured a lot of hurt and injustice. To get to a place where we can do what is best for our Black and Brown youth, families, and citizens we must reach a new level of transparency, communication, and understanding. We can change the narrative around academic achievement and economic development by being innovative and tying research to application.
Q: How do you feel like your experiences at UofL prepared you to tackle the various issues and subjects you deal with at LUL?
Cumi Price: I credit my experience as a doctoral graduate assistant. In my three years as a doctoral student, I had three different placements – which I was told is not typical, but it was such a blessing. I initially worked with what is now the Multicultural Teacher Recruitment Program (MTRP). The goal of that program is to recruit more diverse teacher candidates, so I had the opportunity to see how a system can be broken. In my second and third year, I was recruited as a research assistant for two of my counseling professors. That was wonderful because I gained an understanding on how to bridge the gap between institutional knowledge and the application of knowledge. My third year I had a dual placement, so I was also working in the Dean’s Office with Amy Lingo who is now the Interim Dean. There I learned about the accreditation process and how professors design curriculum. All these different lenses helped me understand a broader picture of academia. I also would like to uplift the Holmes Scholars Program, which I received the distinction through the CEHD. This is a phenomenal program that prepares scholars of color for the faculty track and beyond. It deserves more attention and support–and by support, I mean funding.
Q: Talk to me about serving on the Dean’s Advisory Board. Why did you choose to do that?
I’m interested in being involved because the advisory board is a way to have a space to be heard and to collectively solve issues.
Cumi Price: I’m a big believer in giving back, especially when you have received a lot. I also think that the advisory board gives me an opportunity to weigh in on innovative ways to fill the gaps that we’re seeing. For example, we have a lot of issues with discipline in the school system and there has not been a lot of emphasis on classroom management in teacher prep. So, now we can think about ways we can emphasize that. It needs to go deeper than what the accreditation checklist requires. I’m interested in being involved because the advisory board is a way to have a space to be heard and to collectively solve issues.
Q: Is there anything you would like to say to current CEHD students?
Cumi Price: My encouragement to them would be to expand your territory. You have a cohort that you typically work with, but I encourage people to form relationships within and outside of the CEHD. Even departments in a college can have silos so it’s important to be intentional about connecting with others. I took entrepreneurship and Pan-African studies courses. There are so many opportunities to develop a wealth of knowledge so be deliberate about looking for those.
Q: Where do you see the LUL in five years?
Cumi Price: In five years, I hope we can see wrap around support in ways that we haven’t even considered. “A Path Forward,” our five-year strategic plan, outlines specific metrics for jobs, justice, education, health, housing and Black business. The goal is to bring partners together to achieve our collective results and ensure that there is accountability and support in that. I see the University of Louisville as a very strong partner. I’ve had several meetings within the CEHD and the University because it is an opportunity for us to envision greatness and work toward it. UofL will have a new president in February and Louisville has a new mayor, so new leadership brings an opportunity for us to see things differently and do things better for our community. I look forward to that collaboration.
Q: Is there anything else you would like to share?
Cumi Price: I’d like to share that one of our initiatives will officially launch in the next school year. For that we’re going to be asking various groups to adopt a school and increase their involvement. We are dealing with a teacher shortage in our schools, and we need community presence from caring individuals like never before. There will be a lot of opportunities for college students to get involved. Your learning doesn’t just happen on campus. The root of your learning at UofL is for the community. We want to make sure that students, faculty, and staff are plugged in in ways they haven’t been before.
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If you’re interested in the counselor education and supervision PhD program, click here for more information.
About the College of Education and Human Development:
Founded in 1968, the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) is a vibrant community that prepares students for leadership in a variety of metropolitan settings including schools, public and private corporations, and governmental agencies.
CEHD embraces the University's mission to advance the intellectual, cultural, and economic development of our diverse communities and citizens. Our commitment to student success is unparalleled as we promote the highest levels of learning and social, emotional, and physical health and well-being for all children, individuals, and families.
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