Verneka Sturrup Silva is the third child of the late William Samuel and Ellen Ingraham Sturrup. She is a native of Miami, born and raised in historical Coconut Grove. Silva was educated in the Dade County Public Schools at St. Alban’s Day School, and George W. Carver Elementary and Junior High School. She graduated from Booker T. Washington High School with honors and went on to receive her B.S. Degree in Health and Physical Education from Florida A&M University. While at FAMU, she was a member of the basketball team, the tennis team, and served as sports writer for the school paper, The FAMUAN. She earned her Master’s of Science Degree in Social Work from Atlanta University, and completed her Post Graduate work in Education Administration at New York University, Barry University, and the University of Miami.

Her experience and community work has been prolific. She has worked for the public school system, was recreation supervisor for the Murrell Branch Y.M.C.A., a Parrish Worker, the Secretary for Christ Church as well as society editor and columnist for the Florida Flash, Miami Tropical Dispatch and the Pittsburg Courier Newspapers. Silva has served as the President of the Coconut Grove Cares, Inc. where under her leadership, a working agreement was established with Coral Gables Sr. High Adult Education program to teach “ex-offenders” how to read. Later on, she became President of the National Alliance of Black School Educators / Miami Chapter, where she instituted a workshop program for teachers unable to pass the State Teachers Examination. She also served as Secretary to National Alliance of Black School Educators-Local School Administrators Commission, and as Co-chairman of the 1987 NABSE national nominating committee.

Silva was one the seven founding members of the Girl’s Clubs of America / Miami Chapter. Her fund-raising skills there led to her becoming a member of the Board of Directors for the Dade County Sickle Cell Foundation, where she had great success bringing in much needed contributions to fund the foundations’ annual programming.

As a Supporting Life Member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., a national collegiate service organization, she was selected as a National Officer and National Project Reassurance Director. She also helped reorganize the Greater Miami Chapter of The National Pan Hellenic Council, where she worked as Historian of the Chapter.

In recognition of her devotion and commitment to Christ Episcopal of Coconut Grove, she was licensed by Diocese of Southeast Florida in 1978, and became one of the first female Lay Ministers in the diocese. She served the Diocese as a member of the Standing Committee, and was the first African-American to be appointed Secretary of Christian Education for Episcopal Church Women.

Silva served on the first Dade County Public School Desegregation Committee and became the first black female Administrative Assistant Principal in a predominantly white school.

The synopsis represents only an overview of the enormous contributions that Silva has made in many different capacities around the Miami-Dade County Community. Over the years she has been referred to as a “quiet storm”, moving in and through many challenges to solve problems, protect rights, and make the community a better place for all.

Source:    Verneka Sturrup Silva Collection, The Black Archives History & Research Foundation of South Florida, Inc.