Cornell University Cooperative Extension-NYC Celebrates Jackie Davis-Manigaulte ’72

Jacqueline (“Jackie”) Davis-Manigaulte, senior extension associate, director of community relations, and the Family and Youth Development Program Leader for Cornell University Cooperative Extension (CUCE) in New York City has had a most distinguished career spanning more than 50 years. On Sept. 26, Davis-Manigaulte’s family, friends, colleagues, and program participants, along with many others impacted by her work, gathered virtually and in person to celebrate her retirement from CUCE-NYC. Davis-Manigaulte’s legacy as a trailblazer and visionary was commemorated. Individuals in attendance spoke at length about her unwavering commitment to youth development programming in New York City and her accomplishments and contributions to Cornell University and the greater community at large.

Signifying this lasting impact, Rachel Dunifon, the Rebecca Q. and James C. Morgan Dean of the College of Human Ecology, announced the eponymous Jacqueline Davis-Manigaulte Trailblazer Award to be conferred to one College of Human Ecology student each year beginning in summer 2025. Dunifon described the summer internship as a community-engaged learning experience.

“Students will be asked to do incredible work in their communities and to reflect on how that relates to Jackie’s work and legacy. One of the many ways in which we can have Jackie’s legacy live on within the College,” Dunifon said.

Davis-Manigaulte is often remembered for stating that she wanted to be “the best teacher in New York City.” This desire and assiduous work around youth education and development began when she was a youth herself growing up in Queensbridge Houses, located in Long Island City/Queens, New York. Members of Davis-Manigaulte’s family, including her eldest sister, Judith, fondly recounted how Davis would teach and feed younger children in their community at their home.

Lucinda Randolph-Benjamin, CUCE-NYC’s 4-H Youth Development Program leader, and a close colleague of Davis-Manigaulte’s, presented a timeline of her legacy. It stretched across 51 years of her work with CUCE-NYC, commencing in 1973. Davis-Manigaulte was one of the first members of the New York City 4-H staff, led by Donald Astwood, as a home economist. Her first major project in New York City was implementing the National 4-H Mulligan Stew Program, a children’s nutrition education multimedia series.

In 1982, she launched the 4-H Club Program in New York City, in collaboration with Carolyn Smith, a former 4-H educator in Wayne County, NY and subsequently, with New York City 4-H team members, Lucinda Randolph-Benjamin, Barbara Smits, Jackie Bula and Bill Fink. Davis-Manigaulte has always exhibited a can-do attitude and effort. With a joyous voice, Randolph-Benjamin, remembered Davis-Manigault’s encouraging words, “‘Yes, we can…We’re going to do this thing, and so yes, we can.’ She didn’t let us know what she feared. But she let us know what she hoped and what we were going to do.” The first New York City 4-H clubs involved projects such as urban gardening, planting trees, nutrition, sportfishing, public speaking, and community service. Numerous youth agencies throughout the city were engaged.

Davis-Manigaulte remained an erudite throughout her career as she pursued opportunities of learning to enhance her impact as an educator. In 1983, she earned a master’s degree in Home Economics with a Nutrition Education focus from New York University (NYU). During this time and continuing into the 90s, she also began forming political partnerships. U.S. Representatives Edolphus (“Ed”) Towns of the 10th and 11th Congressional Districts , State Assemblymember Albert  (“Al”) Vann of the 56th District in Brooklyn, and State Assemblymember Roger Green of the 57th District in Brooklyn became critical legislative partners for the New York City 4-H Youth Development Program.

Davis-Manigaulte saw opportunities for new programming areas for 4-H, given the changing political and social landscapes and dialogue in New York City.  Lucinda Randolph-Benjamin stated, “I’m telling you as the times changed, Jackie had to think of strategies that were different. We couldn’t just teach our programs the way they had been taught.” Davis-Manigaulte worked with these and other elected officials and community agency leaders to provide experiences for youth participants that reflected local needs and interests.

In 2008, Davis-Manigaulte earned her Ed.D. in Adult Education from Columbia University Teacher’s College, affectionately receiving the title of “Dr. Ms. Jackie.”  She provided the exemplar of academic and professional possibility and advancement for her colleagues of color, particularly women, as well as other colleagues throughout the Cooperative Extension system. She laid a strong foundation for her team, who are well positioned for success and growth. Randolph-Benjamin, in a self-assured voice said, “There is such joy and such pride, and so I love it because Jackie’s leaving it with me.”

Today, the Family & Youth Development program area includes science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM); healthy lifestyles; community engagement/positive youth development; and parenting education – all key factors in the development of healthy, productive and fulfilled youth, families, and communities. Davis-Manigaulte launched and provided leadership for numerous initiatives such as the New York City Community Improvement Through Youth (CITY) community engagement Children, Youth, and Families at Risk (CYFAR) Project funded through the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA); the College Achievement through Urban Science Exploration (CAUSE) project with Henry St. Settlement; Parenting the Second Time Around (PASTA) in New York City — a Hatch research and outreach initiative; Taking Root: Strengthening STEM in Afterschool — a youth worker capacity-building project funded by the Pinkerton Foundation in collaboration with the Partnership for Afterschool Education; The National 4-H Youth Mentoring Program, funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention through the National 4-H Council; and the NYC Choose Health Action Teens (CHAT) project which engages Cornell and City University of New York students as mentors for teens who teach youth about healthy eating and active living.

Davis-Manigaulte is handing off her work, which she has co-designed and co-created with her team. Programs, such as the 4-H CYFAR LEGACY Project, is intended to improve the wellbeing of youth and their families through urban agriculture and workforce development opportunities.  The program will be led by Randolph-Benjamin and Jamila Walida Simon, associate director of innovation in youth programming for the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research and New York State 4-H Civic Engagement Specialist. Walida Simon also has her Extension beginnings working with Davis-Manigaulte in 4-H. On behalf of the College of Human Ecology, Walida Simon presented a Certificate of Recognition and shared that she is “very much included” among the individuals who Davis-Manigaulte “has touched across the lifespan.” The Certificate reads: “With deep appreciation for your 51 years of committed, creative, and visionary work with Cornell University Cooperative Extension-New York City, your leadership of the Family & Youth Development Program, and your sustained ‘labor of love’ on behalf of New York City’s children, families, and communities.”

Davis-Manigaulte has made an indelible mark across the country, through her Extension work with CUCE in New York City. Assistant Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) for Cornell Cooperative Extension Eduardo González, Jr., addressed Davis-Manigaulte during the celebration, saying, “I stand on your shoulders like so many others in this room. You have been a guiding light. For so many of us you have been an inspiration. You have been an example of resilience, determination, and overcoming obstacles and barriers.”

Appropriate words that undergird Davis-Manigaulte’s impact across 51 years. Her goal in being “the best teacher in New York City” has never wavered. It has only been transformed into a vocation that has uplifted her community of practice.

by: Danielle Parks, Cornell University Cooperative Extension – New York City