Felton Institute wishes to celebrate Charlotte Pinkney for her incredible dedication, loyalty, and service of 30 years to this agency. Charlotte first came to Felton in the Spring of 1990 as a substitute teacher. She has supported, supervised, and taught at various Felton programs throughout her teaching career, including the Teenage Pregnancy and Parenting Program (TAPP). Currently, you can find Charlotte at the 2730 Bryant St. office as a floater, supporting various early education classrooms under Felton’s CYF Division. She is greatly valued, known for her enthusiastic disposition and vibrant character.
Originally hailing from Palatka, Florida, Charlotte has many fond memories of her childhood, deeply rooted in religion and family values. Tragedy struck when she lost both her parents at a young age and had to move to California to live with relatives. The San Francisco Bay Area has been her home ever since.
A dedicated educator at heart, Charlotte believes every child is unique and deserves the chance to reach their full potential. “Queen Charlotte,” as students fondly call her, provides a caring, inspiring and engaging atmosphere that fosters her student’s emotional, intellectual, and social development. In addition to her educational training at City College of San Francisco, Charlotte draws from her real-life experiences to provide her students with a greater understanding of the world around them.
“Working with children is extremely rewarding, and you continue to find joy in the little things.” Beyond academic lessons, Charlotte hopes to provide inspiration and serve as a mentor to all her students. As the TAPP program supervisor for two years, Charlotte says her work with teenage mothers was especially meaningful because she felt responsible for keeping them on their paths to attending college, despite the challenges of parenthood. Charlotte always stressed the importance of hard work and keeping faith. “One lesson I wanted to leave with them is to never give up on their hopes and dreams, and always to be the best they can be.”
Documented in her recently released autobiography “God Smiled On Me; Watch Me Rise,” Charlotte tells her story as a domestic violence survivor and single mother of three. “I decided to write down my story of domestic violence to step up and show my support to other women.” She advised her students, “By prayer, and just being bold… run for your life, and never look back!” This philosophy is expressed in Charlottes’ book currently available on Amazon.
Last year, Charlotte was presented with a Certificate of Honor on behalf of the Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco. Charlotte says it was a privilege to be recognized by the city she has dedicated her life to. The certificate of recognition reads, “Congratulations on your 30 years of education and service! As a hardworking single mother of three kids, a domestic violence survivor, and author of “God Smiled on Me,” you are an inspiration to us all. We’re so proud of how fervently you have been serving students and families across San Francisco.”
In her spare time, she enjoys hanging out with her adult children Damaya, Dominic, and Sidney. Her other hobbies include cooking, dancing and watching comedy shows. Never too old to stop dreaming, this vivacious teacher confides that she still hopes to build her media empire and star in her own TV show one day, perhaps within the next 30 years. Charlotte laughs about how her three decades at Felton just flew by, and how she loves Felton for being “a big organization with a family feel, that always puts family first.”
We salute you, Charlotte!
For more information about Felton’s Early Care and Education (ECE) Program, please visit the ECE program page or email admissions@felton.org.
About Felton Institute: Founded in 1889, Felton Institute responds to human needs by providing cutting edge, evidence-based mental health and social services that transform lives. Felton Institute is a tax-exempt organization registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit under EIN 94-1156530.
Offering more than 50 acclaimed and honored programs that address homelessness, mental health, prenatal, adolescent, adult and senior needs, Felton Institute provides services in San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo, Marin, and Monterey counties.
Felton is named for its social services pioneer and executive director Dr. Katharine “Kitty” Felton who was called the ”conscience of San Francisco” and was committed to ensuring that children and families in crisis have access to social services and resources in order to help them build upon their inherent strengths and develop self-sufficiency. www.felton.org