
Evanston Rules
In our podcast, EVANSTON RULES, we explore the history and stories of people who have made a difference in our town. Voices of the past, present, and future cross-stitch a tapestry of our community: the opportunities, disparities, legacies, what's been lost and what can be found. Where are we now? How did we get here? Where do we go from here? In Evanston Rules, we’ll explore different historical perspectives and create a new paradigm, one that collectively empowers all Evanstonians. Our value words: Inclusion, Acceptance, Equity and Love drive our work and our conversations. Join us on Evanston Rules. Come to Understand!
Evanston Rules
Denise Martin: She Loves Life and it Loves Her Right Back
Denise has overcome what for many would be roadblocks to success, but her determination at every juncture has shown her to be a formidable yet compassionate competitor. Denise’s Evanston public school education started at Dewey School. Because of forced integration, she and the rest of the black student community were then bused to Walker for 6th grade.
She went on to Skiles, ETHS and finally to Northwestern University where she earned two degrees. After graduating from Northwestern, Denise worked as an administrator at ETHS. In her exemplary career she took seriously her relationship with the black community. She loves Evanston but says about it, “no bulls-eye yet, we keep shooting narrows. We got lots of arrows.”
In addition to her many personal and professional accomplishments, she’s made community involvement a priority in her life as she supports and celebrates Evanston, continuing to make it a better place.