I wanted to share with you a story I came across about one of the former Connie Hawkins basketball league players. His name is Heath Bailey, and he’s making a difference in the Middle East. The article was written by Heath himself, to let people know how he’s doing. It has been edited below for clarity and use by the New Pittsburgh Courier’s editorial staff.
Heath Bailey, 45, grew up in several neighborhoods in Pittsburgh. He spent most of his youth in Homewood. He was educated in the Pittsburgh city schools and is a 1990 graduate of Pittsburgh Allderdice in Squirrel Hill. He played basketball in high school and in college for Robert Morris University. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master’s in Business Education. Bailey also possesses a permanent certification in School Supervisory Leadership and Educational Administration in grades K-12.
As a Black male educator in Pittsburgh, Bailey was naturally compelled to engage with some of Pittsburgh’s leaders in community empowerment initiatives and civic organizations. While in the four school districts of which he worked (Wilkinsburg, Pittsburgh, Sto-Rox, Canon-McMillan), Bailey ran programs for many marginalized and disenfranchised populations. As the principal for Sto-Rox, he even became a supportive member of his school’s Gay Straight Alliance in order to help protect a number of his students from bullying and harassment. At Canon-McMillan, Bailey ran programs such as “Celebration of Diversity Day” and brought to the suburban school guests from around the country such as former Olympian J.R. Holden, Educational Equity Coach Jason Rivers, Pittsburgh radio personality Chris Moore, actor/activist Lamman Rucker, and National Women’s Organization leaders Pamela Macklin and Kathy Wilson.
In 2014, the Abu Dhabi Education Council in the United Arab Emirates called Bailey with an offer to help support them in their education reform efforts. On Thanksgiving Day 2014, Bailey left Western Pennsylvania to embark on a new beginning and resurrection of his life. Prior to his move to Abu Dhabi, Bailey refused to compromise his integrity and become part of a failing system that subjugates and pipelines his demographic into the legal system and prisons. Due to his experience in diverse educational settings around Pittsburgh, many viewed Bailey as a tenured and successful administrator. However, Bailey was not fulfilled and felt like his work or presence was not valued in Pittsburgh.
“I am a living sample or case study of the challenging demographic who the public school system is pretending like they care about,” Bailey said. “If I am not valued or respected for my passion and for who I am, then I am certain my students are going to be further harmed in these schools. I have witnessed a lot of harm to students in (public) schools, and I was shunned each time for exposing it. I could no longer remain in those leadership positions and watch it any longer. I am not a poverty pimp.”
Now, in his third school year living and working in Abu Dhabi, Bailey seeks to expose as many people as he can to various global perspectives and ideas about world cultures. Since his arrival, he has visited Thailand, Morocco, Sri Lanka and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where his wife is from. He was recently married on Sept. 8, 2016 to Elfaz Melesse and had a double ceremony on March 18 in Dubai.
Bailey has a lot to share and would like for the people of Pittsburgh to hear more about the Middle East. He is intrigued about how the world views the Western culture of world dominance, Americans and particularly, Black Americans. He claims that there are many other areas of human activity around the globe which he has explored since leaving Pittsburgh.
“It is simply fascinating!” Bailey said.
Despite having to leave home, Bailey is now fulfilled as a global educator in an area of the world which, Bailey said, values him.
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