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Ivy Raya

SPEAKER DAY Greenman speaks about her experience though high school and college and never being labeled as the clever one. "I was tutored in math in seventh grade."

Alumna Molly Greenman, former president and CEO of The Family Partnership, graduated in the Class of 1971 from St. Paul Academy and Summit School. She has been named the 2023 Distinguished Alumni and, on Apr. 10, came to campus to talk about her accomplishments in her work. The Family Partnership works with families and communities impacted by multigenerational trauma and aids them with various programs and services. The organization offers services on early education and care, mental health therapies, family home visiting, and anti-sex trafficking.

In a study from Kaiser Permanente, they concluded that the number of adverse childhood experiences causes taxes on a child’s life and puts them at a disadvantage, which later causes generational trauma and impacts their chances of success in life. Another factor that can cause trauma is the community environment and the type of access people have to health care, groceries, school, etc.

Greenman was born and raised in Saint Paul and was not always a star pupil. When elected to the student council, her fellow classmates burst into laughter. The only reason she could think of is that she wasn’t known as a straight-A student.

She said, “We [Debbie and I] were known for wandering to and from school through the alleys of Crocus Hill smoking.”

Laughter filled the auditorium.

Throughout her speech, Greenman frequently engaged with the audience and entertained people during her talk with jokes at her expense.

Greenman emphasized that success is measured by more than performing well in school. She talked about her experience in social justice and encourage students to find their passions. Greenman placed comedic self-deprecating quips throughout her talk which held the students’ rapt attention, and she interacted with the audience and listened to the student’s questions.

After graduating with her undergraduate degree in psychology, Greenman found a program called The Center for Institutional Change, where she was able to work with kids that had autism. From there, she had numerous opportunities to work for founders of various community service companies, which were mostly women. The experience allowed her to find her passion.

She said, “My intellectual interests were really about how the organizations worked and how to make them work for the people who were on the front lines.”

Society only does surface-level work to check the boxes to relieve their conscience. They believe that the only people they have to take care of are those who absolutely cannot care for themselves. Greenman wants to help fix the crooked ways programs have opted out of helping people.

In early education and care of their child, many parents are not getting the child care they need. Greenman gives the example of a kid at child care no longer being able to go since their mother had a baby. Since the mother is now home taking care of a baby, the program believes that she can take care of the kid at the same time. However, Greenman argues that the child should have as much time in high-quality developmental experiences growing up. The Family Partnership provides a program where the requirements are not as specific.

Greenman said, “Some people think they hit a home run when they are born on third base.”

Based on people’s economic status, sexuality, race, gender, and other identities some people are born with more of an advantage than others and have no perspective on other people’s situations. Greenman used her talk to educate the newer generation about the errors of governmental systems. And, while she critiqued the similarity (and ultimately, the forgetability) of mission statements, she hopes that people will use their minds and hearts to change the world.