"The Legacy of a Humble Black Woman" is a heartwarming story about Estella Pyfrom's humble beginnings that would serve as the driving force of her success. As one of six girls raised by her parents, who were migrant workers, in south Florida; she was taught the importance of hard work, showing genuine love and compassion toward people, especially children.
As a little girl, she noticed there was something special about her hands, which at age six, were used to pick beans when she traveled with migrant families from Florida to New York. She used those special hands to braid her sisters' hair as well as the hair of women living on the migrant camp. In addition, she made gadgets and worked her way through college by making outfits worn for students and professionals at Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University (FAMU) in the 1950s. She offered one of those hands, in marriage, to her high school sweetheart, Bill "Willie" Pyfrom. The two would then begin raising Pyfroms in 1953.
In 2009, after teaching more than 49 years, Estella decided she would retire and joy her family-at least that was her plan. However, her passion to take technology to children in underserved communities wouldn't let her rest. Her vision was much bigger than she could ever imagine-it was a bus-Estella's Brilliant Bus.
Little did Estella know, at 15-year-old, when her dad was teaching her how to drive a migrant bus, used to pick up field workers, God was preparing her to drive right into her destiny- A destiny that would fulfill her purpose and catapult her to unimaginable heights. Not only did she come up with the concept for her mobile education center, but at 80-years-old, she sits behind the wheel of her technology bus.
Her passion to bridge the technology gap landed her a prime-time commercial during Super Bowl 49. In addition, she was selected as a CNN Hero, and she received recognition by Oprah Winfrey, during her 2015 Life You Want Now Tour.
Estella mantra is: If you dream big enough and believe in your dreams, you can make it happen.
estellasbrilliantbus.org