Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence (YCEI) Program Manager Tangular Irby, MAT has been part of the Yale child Study Center (YCSC) community since the fall of 2020 when she started a part-time position as a RULER trainer and facilitator. She began working in her current role as a member of the YCEI content and communications team in September of 2022. She also continues to facilitate training and coaching for RULER schools. Prior to her work at YCEI, she served as a classroom teacher, central office administrator, and adjunct professor. In these roles, she served students of all ages, from preschool through adulthood.
When asked about an accomplishment she is proud of, Tangular responded, “I am humbled when I think about the opportunity that the YCEI provides for me on a daily basis. Professional development and training have always brought me joy. Never did I imagine that I would be able to do what I love supporting educators across the globe. Collaborating with and learning from such dedicated researchers and practitioners has also been very rewarding.”
What many may not know (or may have recently learned at the February 2022 YCSC Celebration of Black History Month) is that Tangular has also published four children’s books and two journals for educators. As the granddaughter of quilters, Tangular grew up admiring the beauty of the quilts gifted to her by family. Quilting became a way to honor the legacy of her maternal and paternal grandmothers, Gee's Bend quilters Pearlie Kennedy Pettway and Jensie Lee Irby, who passed on long before their creations were recognized as more than just a means to keep their families warm.
Our stories make us human. Sometimes learning about someone else helps us find our unique place in this world.
Tangular Irby
Tangular also recently launched the podcast “Legacy of our African American Lives.” The first season will give Gee’s Bend legacies the opportunity to use their voices to uplift, empower, and enrich the next generation. Outside of work, Tangular says she enjoys talking, writing, and creating additional opportunities to share her family history with others. “I also find joy in encouraging others to discover and share what makes their family special. Our stories make us human. Sometimes learning about someone else helps us find our unique place in this world,” she shared.