Valeria Lynch Lee facts for kids

Valeria Lynch Lee (born in 1942 in Halifax County, North Carolina) is an amazing African American leader. She is known for helping others and for supporting public media in North Carolina. She helped start one of the first radio stations in the country run by Black people. Valeria has worked as a program director, manager, and board member for many groups. These groups worked to make education and life better for people in North Carolina. In 2009, she was honored by being added to the North Carolina Women's Hall of Fame.

Valeria's Early Life and Education

Valeria Lynch was born in 1942 near Hollister, in Halifax County, North Carolina. She grew up on her family's farm. She later went to North Carolina Central University. There, she earned a degree in business education.

Valeria continued her studies at North Carolina State University. She earned a master's degree in education. After finishing school, Valeria married Jim Lee. They moved to Turkey for two years. This time was very important for her. It was the first time she did not experience open racism.

Starting a Career and Helping Communities

In 1968, Valeria and Jim Lee came back to North Carolina. Valeria started working as a school counselor and librarian. This was a big time for the Civil Rights Movement. Valeria helped put in place new rules for integration. This meant bringing people of all races together in schools. She also helped with Head Start Programs. These programs help young children from low-income families get ready for school.

In 1973, Valeria and Jim started a non-profit group called Sound and Profit United, Inc. They wanted to get a license to broadcast on the radio. They got the license from the FCC.

Creating a Radio Station for the Community

By 1976, their public radio station, WVSP (Voices Serving People), was on the air. It was one of the first public radio stations for Black communities. The station played blues, jazz, and Latino music. It also had interviews with important national figures. WVSP broadcast for twelve years from a water tower on the Lynch family farm.

The station became a key part of the activist media network. This network was active during the Black Power movement. In 1980, Governor Jim Hunt chose Valeria to be a trustee for the Center for Public Television. This center was at the University of North Carolina.

Valeria also earned a second master's degree in media. She got it from Ohio University's School of Radio and TV. She was chosen for a special program in 1980. This program helped minority individuals learn about media management. Before WVSP went off the air, the Smithsonian Institution showed its history in Washington, D.C.. This exhibit later became a traveling show.

Valeria's Work in Philanthropy

After her radio work, Valeria became a program officer for the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. She helped choose projects to fund. These projects either improved communities in North Carolina or helped save the state's cultural history. She often spoke at events and led educational programs. These programs focused on issues important to the Black community.

From 2000 to 2008, she was the first President of the Golden Leaf Foundation. She also led the N.C. Rural Economic Development Center. She was a director for BB&T, a bank. In 2009, Valeria became the CEO of Applied Behavioral Concepts for Families. This group helps give money from the national tobacco settlement to economic development projects in North Carolina.

In 2009, she also joined the Board of Directors of BB&T. She stayed there until she retired in 2012. That same year, she was honored by being elected to the North Carolina Women's Hall of Fame.