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Nathea Watts, Owner & Founder of Alice-N-Wonderland
Nathea Watts, Owner & Founder of Alice-N-Wonderland
A Few Words About Me...
Working with children and literacy have always been two of my favorite things. When I was 10 years old or younger, I decided that I would be a teacher when I grew up. You might ask “what young girl didn’t want to be a teacher when she grew up?” True. I spent my summers, Christmas breaks and vacations teaching and reading to children. We called this activity “playing teacher".
At the age of 12, I wrote an essay for an English assignment titled “What Do You Want to be When You Grow Up?” Without hesitation, and after giving it much thought, I wrote that I wanted to be like John Boy Walton. Why? Because he was a writer.
As a young adult, I spent years studying, and teaching others what I had learned. I tutored young adults, children, boys, girls, men and women. When I saw a need, I would learn how to address the need, then teach what I learned. I would dress the wound.
For as long as I can remember, I have been writing poetry, short stories, entering writing contests and submitting articles.
My philosophy is, get it out of your head and put it on paper. Write it out.
I personally love good true stories based on real life experiences. When listening to the stories of friends or others, I would ask permission to write it out. My book, "Behind Closed Doors" is a compilation of non-fiction stories about life experiences, victories, defeats, insecurities and depression. "Behind Door Three" is the story of my first born and the story of his tragic death. It tells the effects of his death on me and the impact that it had on his siblings.
Through Alice-N-Wonderland, I am so happy to be able to continue my lifelong commitment to working with children through my Child Care Center, and to bring my love of literacy and its healing powers to children in my community who are struggling.
Alice-N-Wonderland is dedicated to the memory of my Mama, “Alice”
My Mama, Nathea Thompson, was born on June 30th, 1939. At the age of 10, she changed her name from Nathea to Alice. Not legally, of course. She just started telling everyone her name was Alice. She also began writing her name as Alice in the school system. So, from the age 10 until her death, the world knew her as Alice.
On July 31st, 1962, I was born and given the name Nathea Lorraine Watts.
One of the dearest memories of my Mama was when I came home from school one day and asked her "Mama what does dignity mean?" She answered, "dignity is the ability to hold your head high no matter what. To know your self worth. We can make changes in our lives, at any age." I have carried this sentiment with me ever since.
In 1991, I founded a child care program, Alice-N-Wonderland, aka “Alice-Nathea-Wonderland," with the 'Alice' for my mama and the 'N' for me, Nathea. I founded this program with the belief that we can all make changes and we should be proud of the changes we make. We are not what happened to us. We are not what we did. We are not what people say about us. We are what we say about ourselves.
I have learned that if I don’t like what is happening in my life right now, I can change my story, write myself out of demeaning situations and circumstances - at any time in my life. It’s My Story! My Life, My Story.
In 2004, I established the 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Alice-N-Wonderland Empowered Literacy Center, after identifying a need amongst local children and families which I believe can be met through enhanced literacy skills and individual empowerment. Through the Empowered Literacy Center, I help children write themselves out of their old stories by writing themselves into new ones.
I look forward to welcoming you and your child to Alice-N-Wonderland!
-Nathea Watts, owner & founder of Alice-N-Wonderland
My Mama, Alice
My Mama, Alice
Meet Our Board
Joyetta Caron
Director
Ernest Dunning
Director
Rommie Carraway
Secretary
Kaysha Hutchinson
Treasurer
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