ONYX_Magazine September_October_2018

Volume 9 – Number 35 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

RIGHTS RESTORATION FOR EX-FELONS? YOU DECIDE

SCHOOL IS IN SESSION FIRST DAY FOOTBALL FINANCIAL AID

DR. FALECIA WILLIAMS LEVELING UP THE STATE COLLEGE EXPERIENCE

10

COMMON REAL ESTATE MYTHS

$3.50 onyxmagazine.com

contents 6

Letter from the publisher

7

Elevate — Dictate your destiny

10 Dr. Walter L. Smith Library is a treasure trove of educational artifacts 14 10 common real estate myths 15 Helping kids transition on the first day of school 16 Central Care Mission: A place of hope and change 17 Senior volunteers make a difference for older adults 18 Commissioner Samuel B. Ings serves the community 20 Global learning: more students are studying abroad 24 Tragedy on the yard — gun violence in schools 28 Good Read — stories in their own words 30 Find virtual solutions at the library 34 Keep on truckin’ — alternatives to a college degree 36 Breast cancer disparities prevalent in Black community 38 Florida Scope 40 Music & Entertainment: Deva Mahal

COVER STORY

DR. FALECIA WILLIAMS – LEVELING UP THE STATE COLLEGE EXPERIENCE Cover photo courtesy of Valencia College

4 ONYX MAGAZINE

45 Fighting Fumes – legislation protects public housing residents against smoke 46 Rights restoration for ex-felons? You decide 50 Why millennials are leaving the Black church 52 ONYX Salutes — Pastor Williams 53 ONYX Salutes — Pastor Mills 56 ONYX on the Move — Rich Black receives award 57 Fashion — Packing cosmetics for vacation 59 On the Quad 60 Dr. Falecia Williams — improving residents’ lives at Valencia College 63 Promise Program - Edward Waters College first HBCU to create a path to free tuition 64 Money Matters — When it comes to college, money matters 66 Business — Focus on impact for time management 68 In Concert — Glenn Jones

Photo courtesy of Valencia College

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43 Beyond Florida

FROM THE PUBLISHER PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Richard “Rich” E. Black MANAGING EDITOR D. Shenell Reed, M.B.A. EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Marianne Eggleston, M.B.A. EXECUTIVE STRATEGIST Lena Graham-Morris ASSOCIATE EDITORS Gayle Andrews Talia Ashley Laura Dorsey Sharon Fletcher Jones

RICHARD “RICH” E. BLACK SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018 Welcome to this exciting issue of ONYX Magazine!

It’s the time of year when folks are returning from vacations, heading back to school, making their way to the polls and planning for the upcoming holidays.

This issue features an exclusive interview with Dr. Falecia Williams, President of Valencia College’s West and Downtown Campuses, who is working to ensure downtown Orlando residents have greater access to their programs and services.

Additionally, we’re providing an insider’s view of the carefully curated Dr. Walter L. Smith Library, articles debunking real estate myths, fashion and health and one of the most important issues on Florida’s November ballot; Amendment 4 (Restoration of Rights for ex-offenders).

As always ONYX Magazine’s mission is to entertain, inspire and inform. Any measure of success we have achieved has been through your appreciation and support of our product, our events, and our brand. So that we can better serve you, complete your subscription online or by hard copy today, ‘like us’ on Facebook and forward your comments and suggestions. We look forward to hearing from you. In the meantime, Enjoy!

Rich

DESIGN DIRECTOR Jason Jones GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jamaal Whitehead BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Matt deJager MANAGEMENT ASSISTANT Chelsey Rouse CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tim Belcher Gigi Brooks Kathryn Deen Laura Dorsey Marianne Eggleston Angelique Fullwood Lena Graham-Morris

M.Z. Gunter Virginia P. Hayes Mary Anne Hodel Dan Holly Kalen Johnson Sharon Fletcher Jones Ursula Jorch

Dr. Lisa Newman Dee Parker Nancy Port Schwalb Dr. Erlanger Turner Kevin Washington, Ph.D.

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS City of Orlando Tara Dorsey Chester A. Glover Ersula Odom NOBLE Kent Phillips ONYX ADVISORY COMMITTEE Deidre Parker, Chair Michelle Tatom, Immediate Past Chair Bob Berryhill Dr. Lavon Bracy Bryon Brooks Marva Brown Johnson Hon. Mable Butler Yolanda Cash Jackson Dr. Cynthia Chestnut James Clark

John Crossman Tony Hill Alma Horne Rodney Hurst Ann Jenkins Connie Kinnard Larry Lee, Jr.

Nancy Port Schwalb Margaret J. Thompson Gail Thomas-DeWitt Hon. Alan Williams Carla Williams Dr. Samuel Wright Lady Dhyana Ziegler

FOUNDERS

Lester and Lillian Seays ONYX Magazine is published by ONYX Communications and Media Group, Inc., Address: P.O. Box 555672, Orlando, Florida 32855-5872. Phone 321-418-7216. Subscription rate is $19.95 for six issues. For subscriptions and notification of address change, contact ONYX Magazine at the above address or e-mail us at info@onyxmagazine.com. Letters to the editor are encouraged. Copyright 2018 by ONYX Magazine.

All rights reserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher.

Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the writer or interviewee and not necessarily those of the publisher. Manuscripts, photos and art should be submitted with a self-addressed stamped envelope. The publisher does not assume responsibility for any materials not submitted in manner advised. Unsolicited materials are not subject to payment from ONYX Magazine.

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ELEVATE

Dictate Your

Destiny

By Kevin Washington, Ph.D.

A

t all times, we must dictate our destiny and not be defined by someone else’s dreams. It is imperative that we live our divine destiny because life has been designed for us to do so. Our purpose for coming into existence is manifested when we live our life’s mission. Some are afraid to live their life’s work and attempt to get others to live it for them. They sit back and manipulate other people’s lives like someone operating a remote-control car or airplane. They navigate others through situations while they, themselves, maintain no real accountability or commitment to the outcome. When the manipulator is able to get others to take the necessary risks for them, they are freed from having to suffer the consequences of the potential failures.

The major challenge with this manipulative relationship is that it results in two people missing out on the divine plan that has been ordained for their lives rendering them forever miserable and resentful.

Living within the context of our divine purpose requires us to answer the calling on our lives. We hear this calling throughout our lifetime in various ways: singing, reciting poetry or dancing. People may encourage us to share our gift with others. This nudge to bring out our genius is always present, however, we often become afraid to share our gifts, often after experiencing rejection. It is important that we continue to push through to our greatness.

Most often, we are called to do those things we have never done before. Going

into unfamiliar territory may be frightening and risky, but that is where our greatness will be found. We must take risks in order to do the profound things we were born to do. When we take the risks and live our divine purpose, we will be blessed beyond measure. One who writes songs must share their music with the world.

By doing so, the world is enriched. Their greatness occurs when they take the steps to bring out their greatness. They may make several attempts before they hit the right notes and produce the perfect lyrics.

This is because our greatness is revealed when we make efforts. Our goal should be to have our purpose open up to us as we make our date with our destiny.

Even if we fall short of our divine goal initially, we do not fail because we are on the path to fulfilling our destiny. True failure occurs when one falls and remains down. To have fallen is not failure to those knows where they are going. The moment that they fall is a moment of increased intelligence; and they now know how to avoid the same fall. When an infant is learning to walk, they fall sometimes, however they are able to get up because the floor was not their destination. We must live our life with the goal of manifesting our innate gifts. Maintaining awareness that there is a power greater than ourselves will assist us with having the confidence to grow toward our destiny because we have support of a Greater Power.

Affirmation: I have everything I need in order to succeed; I have no excuse, I must produce.

LIVE YOUR DESTINY 1. We have been created for a purpose, so we should stop worrying and live.

2. Our purpose is manifested through the process of living, so we must persevere through challenges and enjoy life.

3. We have everything we need in order to succeed, so we ought to stop giving away energy by complaining about what we lack; just do the divine thing.

4. We will receive guidance and direction along the way from other people, from situations and circumstances as well as internal revelations, so we have to remain open for profound instructions and insights.

5. All time is divine time, therefore, we have all the time we need to manifest our purpose. So, we should organize our actions, dictate our destiny and live our life boldly.

ONYX MAGAZINE 7

AWARD

Attorney Johnny McCray, Jr. Esq, Civil Rights Excellence in Investigations; Jonathan Allen receiving award for his father, Attorney W. George Allen, Esq., Civil Rights Justice by Action Award; Senator Chris Smith, Esq, Civil Rights Justice by Action Youth Award; Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson, Civil Rights Outstanding Leadership Justice by Action Award, and she was the keynote speaker; Congressman Alcee L. Hastings, Nelson Mandela Humanitarian Award, and he delivered the Congressional Greetings; Civil Rights Chairwoman Brenda Andrews

Members of Congress Among Leaders Recognized by NOBLE

By Tim Belcher

Photos courtesy of NOBLE

T

he National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) held its 42nd Annual Training Conference and Exhibition at the Diplomat Resort and Spa in Hollywood, Fla., in July. More than 1,500 law enforcement and other officials representing numerous agencies and organizations from around the nation and abroad were in attendance.

At NOBLE’s 10th Annual Civil Rights Luncheon there were more than 350 attendees. Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson, representing Florida’s 24th District since 2010, served as the keynote speaker during this event and received the “NOBLE Civil Rights Outstanding Leadership Jus-

tice by Action Award.” As a former educator, elementary school principal, community leader, school board member, state legislator, and founder of the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project, Rep. Wilson has a well-earned reputation as a “voice for the voiceless.” Wilson spoke about Civil Rights issues, focusing on the continuous fight for justice for African Americans and other people of color. Her astounding message resonated with everyone in the room; leaving them with words of importance to take back to their respective agencies in hopes of making a positive impact and building better relationships.

Congressman Alcee L. Hastings, representing Flori-

da’s 20th District, received the “NOBLE Nelson Mandela Humanitarian Award” after delivering a moving Congressional greeting. Rep. Hastings was first elected in 1992 and is currently serving his 11th term in the Congress. In 2007, Rep. Hastings became the first African-American to chair the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe and continues his work in the areas of human rights, economic development, regional security, and parliamentary diplomacy.

One of the most respected voices in Congress on international affairs, Rep. Hastings is now Ranking Democratic Member of the Commission.

Commonly referred to as the Helsinki Commission, this

independent U.S. government agency was created in 1976 to monitor and encourage compliance with the landmark human rights and democracy-building treaty signed in Finland 1975.

“Congressman Hastings is a true gentleman who cares about his communities at large and the work Congresswoman Wilson does in our communities is unparalleled,” said Timothy Belcher, Sr., the president of NOBLE South Florida Chapter. He added, “It was a great honor and a pleasure having two distinguished members of join NOBLE at one of the signature events of our 42nd Annual Training Conference.”

ONYX MAGAZINE 9

BLACK HISTORY Walter Smith, Ph.D., points out important facts on the History of Black Achievements table, with historic items that date back to the 1700s.

Living Legacy The Dr. Walter L. Smith Library is a trove of historic treasure.

By Kalen L. Johnson

I

t is said that the contents of a book should never be judged by its cover— while in the heart of West Tampa, the two white houses that sit at 905 Albany Avenue could easily be mistaken for ordinary houses. However, these particular houses are unique as the home of the Dr. Walter L. Smith Library.

After retiring from a monumental career in education, Walter L. Smith, Ph.D., returned to Tampa only to realize he wasn’t quite done yet.

Upon his return, he was greeted by a feeling that something was missing from his neighborhood. After watching kids wander aimlessly, not having a place to cultivate their abilities, Smith deemed it his 10 ONYX MAGAZINE

responsibility to identify a solution.

“I saw young people after school doing nothing but playing in the streets having a good time,” said Smith.

While you can enter most libraries in any attire, this library’s prestige requires that visitors don nothing short of appropriate clothing. This request is only fitting considering the library’s vast amount of art, books, magazine collections, and artifacts that can only be viewed at this library.

In 2002, Smith began the process of gathering the resources he garnered over the years to convert what use to be two of his family’s homes into the museum-like library.

The two-building library features a computer room with an exhibit of Afri-

One of the two buildings that make up the library.

“I am proud of the number of kids I have been able to assist who wanted to come to the library to study and learn.”

– Walter L. Smith, Ph.D.

can-American astronauts and a large periodic table.

Smith said, “Our young people need greater resources in our community to enhance their overall development and also to enhance their educational advancement other than in the classroom in school.”

When talking about the development of the library, Smith credits the help of friends and his two sons, Walter and Andre, in addition to Dr. Charles Myers, a former dentist and great friend. It was punctuated that Smith holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology and chemistry when he referred to his mother as the “nucleus” of the creation of the library.

“My mother, Ms. Eva Reynolds, was very strongly supportive of my putting together of the library,” said Smith.

He honors his mother in a section of the library that displays a black, blue and gold handmade sequins dress she made for his retirement party. The shimmering outfit is hard to miss in part two of the library, which houses other eye-catching fabrics.

Since 2004, the library has served as a neighborhood haven for the younger generation. Children come to complete their schoolwork, read books, and improve their computer literacy skills, all while being able to enjoy a trove of knowledge and distinguished history. In addition, children have the opportunity to gain a better sense of the future from having learned of the past.

When entering the library, it is immediately obvious where Smith’s heartstring is: Florida A&M University (FAMU), where he served as the seventh president. Current students and alumni of FAMU would have a field day with the extensive collections of FAMU yearbooks, A&M Magazines, and historical framed photos of the campus that are proudly displayed throughout every inch of the library.

Smith’s mother donned this handmade dress at his retirement party.

Smith’s favorite item in the library is a photo of him shaking hands with then Florida Gov. Bob Graham. Smith was recommending Leander Shaw for Supreme Court Justice. Shaw became Florida’s first African-American on the Supreme Court.

More than 100 awards from the impactful success of Smith’s career in education can be seen throughout the rooms of the library. The walls are stamped with colorful masks, informative posters, and luxurious pieces of art from various tribes throughout Africa. These stunning artifacts were collected by Smith when he was an African-American Institute Scholar in West

Africa, a senior Fulbright Scholar to the University of Malawi in Southeast Africa, and when he worked on the apartheid elections in South Africa.

The diverse resources of information in this library is unmatched as it provides books on math, science, and history.

From books like “The Magnificent Twelve: Florida Black Junior Colleges,” which Smith penned, to thirteen volumes of The National Geographic Magazines, there isn’t a single piece of information visitors can’t access.

“My goal was to enhance the development of the youth,” said Smith.

It is important to Smith for youths to be knowledgeable of the great contributions African-American people have made to our world. One of the most significant items in the library is the 120-inch table that is decorated with a timeline titled “The History of Black Achievements.” This timeline dates back to the 1700s, acknowledging the known and unsung African-American heroes who have contributed to the transformation of our country, world and race.

Visitors should brush up on their history prior to visiting the library, as they can expect a history quiz from Smith.

Smith’s efforts for developing and opening this library has touched many people in the community. Dedication, vision, and courage are three words that are displayed big and bold on one of the walls in the library. When setting out to build this library, Smith possessed dedication to the advancement of the youth, a vision for the impact of the library, and the courage to take on the responsibility of investing in the children of his surrounding community.

“I am proud of the number of kids I have been able to assist who wanted to come to the library to study and learn,” said Smith.

Smith welcomes all visitors to come and visit the library upon request. The library is registered as a 501(C)3 nonprofit organization and gladly excepts monetary donations.

Special to ONYX Magazine. Kalen Johnson is a graduating senior public relations major at Florida A&M University School of Journalism and Graphic Communication.

ONYX MAGAZINE 11

REAL ESTATE

10

Common Real Estate Myths

Here are 10 real estate myths that can trip up buyers and sellers

Information compiled by Dee Parker

1. It is better to price a home on the high side as the seller can always come down.

2. When making an offer on a home, you need to start with a low offer.

Just as sellers make a classic mistake of overpricing, buyers often make the mistake of wanting to start with a really low offer. If the home is priced within fair market value, an unrealistically low offer is only going to alienate the seller, and you won’t be taken seriously.

3. Online sites say…therefore, it is.

When was the last time an online site physically walked through a property, pulled relevant comparables, did specific adjustments and established an on-point range of value? Their estimates give general value, but it is not exact valuation tool. Work with an experienced Realtor®.

4. The longer a home is on the market, the more negotiable the deal.

Not necessarily, and in fact, it may mean just the opposite. A home that sits on the market is likely sitting due to its asking price as well as its lot, floorplan, location or condition of the home. The seller may be unrealistic about their asking price or want the market to pay more than it is willing to bear.

5. Multiple price reductions mean the seller is desperate to sell.

Price reductions are made to bring the property in line with current comparables, price it to be competitive, or underprice it to help generate more traffic and interest. Often when a seller has done several price reductions it means they are through with negotiation.

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6. The market will only go up.

In recent years, homebuyers and sellers have experienced a time of increasing home values. They think that the market only goes up; they don’t think about when a correction will come. The last recession should have reminded everyone that real estate prices can indeed fall and fall a lot.

7. You can get a better deal as a buyer if you don’t use a real estate agent.

If the house is listed with a real estate agent, the total sales commission is built into the price. If the buyers don’t have an agent, the seller’s agent will receive the entire commission. An agent representing both buyer and seller may not have undivided loyalty and cannot provide a full range of fiduciary duties.

8. You can save money selling your home yourself.

To sell a home on your own, you need the skills to get the home listed online, market the home to prospective buyers, understand the real estate contract, negotiate the contract and then deal with any issues that arise during the inspections, loan application phases, etc. The buyer also may expect a substantial discount.

9. Open houses sell properties.

Homes rarely sell to buyers who visited them during an open house. Agents like open houses because it enables them to find additional customers who are looking to buy or sell homes.

Weigh your options.

10. All the properties listed in the multiple listing service show up online.

Your agent must choose to let the listings show up online and on third party websites. Most do, but it never hurts to verify that yours will.

Photo courtesy of Parker Realty

Sellers want to protect their asking price, so they think overpricing it is an effective defense mechanism against selling too low.

In reality, overpricing your home often leads to the home sitting and not receiving much interest. If a home is priced competitively from the beginning, the chances of attracting maximum interest from the beginning greatly increases.

BACK TO SCHOOL

Make Back-to-School Easy for Your Child

Mikey Paramore on his first day of third grade at Lake Whitney Elementary School. .

By Dr. Erlanger Turner

N

o matter whether or not school has started for your child, you can employ these tactics to make the back-to-school transition easy for him or her.

Photo courtesy of Sherry Paramore

Practice the First Day of School Routine

Getting into a sleep routine before the first week of school will aide in easing the shock of waking up early. Organizing things at home—backpack binder, lunchbox or cafeteria money—will help make the first morning go smoothly. Having healthy, yet kid-friendly lunches will help keep them energized throughout the day. Also, walking through the building and visiting your child’s locker and classroom will help ease anxiety of the unknown.

Get to Know Your Neighbors

If your child is starting a new school, walk around your block and get to know the neighborhood children. Try and set up a play date, or, for an older child, find out where neighborhood kids might go to safely hang out, like the community pool, recreation center or park.

Talk to Your Child

Asking your children about their fears or worries about going back to school will help them share their burden. Inquire as to what they liked about their previous school or grade and see how those positives can be incorporated into their new experience.

Empathize With Your Child

Change can be difficult, but also exciting.

Let your children know that you are aware

of what they’re going through and that you will be there to help them in the process.

Nerves are normal, but highlight that not everything that is different is necessarily bad. It is important to encourage your children to face their fears instead of falling in to the trap of encouraging avoidance.

Get Involved and Ask for Help

Knowledge of the school and the community will better equip you to understand your child’s surroundings and the transition he or she is undergoing. Meeting members of your community and school will foster support for both you and your child. If you feel the stress of the school year is too much for you and your child to handle on your own, seeking expert advice from a mental health professional will help you better manage and cope.

This article has been reprinted with permission by BlackDoctor.org.

ONYX MAGAZINE 15

Jess H.

CENTRAL CARE MISSION:

A Place of Hope and Change

By Kathryn Deen

“Even when I wanted to give up on myself, you guys gave me another chance.” - Ken W. “I came out a new man.” William N. “It has changed my life and is now changing my son’s life.”

- O.B. K. “I owe this place and the people my life! I am the man I am today because of them.” Jeremy I. Thousands of success stories like these have emerged from Central Care Mission’s (CCM) 33 years of service restoring broken men in Central Flor16 ONYX MAGAZINE

ida. Sometimes, it takes hitting rock bottom to realize a change needs to be made, and CCM offers a critical lifeline.

The men’s residential life skills community center in Orlando especially devotes itself to those with no place to sleep and seemingly no escape from drugs. The approach is holistic, restorative and Christ-inspired.

Its programs revive men’s physical, vocational, spiritual, financial and emotional health.

Launched in 1985 by the Central Church of the Nazarene in downtown Orlando, the

organization outgrew its space and moved to Lake Mann in Washington Heights.

Those seeking help must go through an application process and commit to one or two years at the center. CCM serves men of a wide range of ages, ethnicities, beliefs and backgrounds.

CCM’s therapeutic environment, positive activities like reading and exercise, and skills training help reshape participants’ brains and bodies to put them on a path of sustainable health, self-sufficiency and promise for the future.

This is where science, medicine and psychology meet the best of Christianity, community and Biblical principles.

This is where miracles happen.

In fact, 100 percent of program graduates land jobs; they’re paid an average of $12 per hour, have an average savings of $3,250; and 86 percent of graduates never relapse while there.

Plus, 70 percent purchase cars.

In short, they become happy, healthy, productive members of society again. And nothing could make President and CEO Spencer Pfleiderer prouder. “(What’s most rewarding is) to see that light bulb moment when some realized they never have to be what they’ve always been—and that they are free from the past and free to move into the future. In short, when they embrace the possibility of their own transformation,” Pfleiderer said.

Among CCM’s most successful transformations is Jesse H. After being shuffled through 12 homes in the foster care system, he ran away at 16,

living in the bushes downtown for five years and becoming addicted to drugs. One overdose nearly killed him as he lay unconscious in the hospital for three days.

“After he woke up in the hospital, I had a father-to-son conversation with him,” Pfleiderer recounted. “I said, ‘You need to let us love you. It’s time to open up and let people love you and let God love you.’ I was in tears. I didn’t want to see him die.”

Fast forward to today the 20-something-year-old CCM program graduate has a fulltime job, a car, a 401K, health insurance, about $8,000 in savings. He reads, mountain bikes and recently ran his first marathon. Next up, Jesse starts college at Valencia State this summer to study physics on a 100-percent free ride.

“At first, he was shy, reclusive and angry,” said Pfleiderer, aka “Papa Spence.” “Now, he’s excited and engaged. He lives next door and encourages the other guys.”

CCM is always enhancing its facility and offerings. It recently added 10 new mountain bikes, a professional sand volleyball court, and a full basketball court (under construction) to its residence. Coming up, a 5,000-square-foot multipurpose Life Skills Community Center is in the works. It will seat 200 and feature a kitchen, pantry, classrooms and office space.

And it’s all to support Central Care Mission’s No. 1 message: “No loss is too great to overcome,” Pfleiderer said. “Transformation and hope are real.”

Photo courtesy of Central Care Mission

GIVING HOPE

SAGE

Senior Volunteers Make a Difference in the Lives of Older Adults

By NewsUSA

W

ith years of experience and a willingness to make a difference in their communities, more older adults are volunteering to serve their peers in need. By doing so, they are staying active, meeting new people and learning new skills — all factors that contribute to health and longevity. But most importantly, they are making a difference in the lives of others.

Volunteers Making a Difference in the Lives of Older Adults, a new report from the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a), highlights five volunteer programs that are changing lives.

These programs demonstrate how local Area Agencies on Aging across the country are innovating to meet critical needs and offer local seniors meaningful volunteer opportunities.

“My volunteer work has given me the opportunity to meet with some very inspirational people, whom I otherwise would have never been able to meet because they are homebound,” says one volunteer.

The five volunteers highlighted in the n4a report represent thousands of older adult volunteers across the country who give their time and talents to ensure that other, older Americans live with dignity

and choices in homes and communities for as long as possible. They may inspire you to volunteer your time and talents.

In Atlanta, trained volunteers teach health and wellness classes to their peers.

The classes cover topics such as fitness, healthy sexuality, disaster preparedness and issues related to mental health. Program staff members report that most of their volunteer community educators are in their mid-60s with the most dedicated volunteers in their 70s and 80s.

Veterans in Maine are volunteering to visit other veterans who are often isolated in rural communities. They swap stories and provide companionship. The volunteers also link their fellow veterans to social services and programs that address unmet needs.

“As Vets age, they seem to be forgotten.

The need is huge for volunteer veterans to visit and share life stories with other veterans,” says the program’s director.

Other senior volunteers across the country are staying active in their communities by making weekly phone calls to homebound seniors, helping seniors navigate public transportation, providing rides to medical appointments, and educating seniors about Medicare, among many other critical tasks.

There is a role for everyone!

For more information about how you can volunteer, contact your local Area Agency on Aging or the Eldercare Locator at 800-677-1116. For a copy of the five case studies, visit www.n4a.org and find “Volunteer Resource Center” under n4a Initiatives.

ONYX MAGAZINE 17

COMMUNITY

Commissioner Samuel B. Ings Doing the Work of the Community

NOBLE marched to Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, Miami Gardens, Florida. At the church, NOBLE had it’s Blessing of the Badge and Memorial Service.

US Department of Justice Regional Director Southeast Regional Office Thomas Battle and Orlando City Commissioner Samuel B. Ings, Mayor Pro Tem, preparing for the 1.5-mile march.t

18 ONYX MAGAZINE

Photos by Gregory Reed and June Ings

NOBLE’s 42nd Annual Memorial March. Remembering those Police Officers, who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty or those officers who have passed on of natural causes, during the year. The march occurred in a Miami Gardens with Mayor Oliver Gilbert.

NBC-LEO Chaplain, Orlando City Commissioner Samuel B. Ings, Mayor Pro Tem and Notable Civil Rights Attorney Benjamin “Ben” Crump, Saturday, July 28, 2018, Closing Luncheon Speaker.

EDUCATION

Global Learning

MBA students at the Keller Graduate School of Management visited China.

A student traveler shares her study abroad experience and encourages others to get on board.

By Marianne Eggleston

20 ONYX MAGAZINE

for Architecture and Design, in Philadelphia. Conference highlights included key innovations in the global education field while providing inspiration to higher education administrators, international education professionals, and senior decision makers.

The conference brought together provosts, deans, directors, faculty leaders and advisors with a specific emphasis on collaboration, executable strategies and the integration of technology, to achieve a true global vision for institutions of higher learning.

While there, I learned that getting HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) officials’ assistance in devel-

oping study abroad programs for their students is a key goal of The Asia Institute.

“Global learning through study abroad teaches students valuable life skills, they would not otherwise have. The experiences gained are important not only as memories, but impactful opportunities that have the power to change us,” said Bradley A Feuling, the chairman and CEO of The Asia Institute. “Looking to the future, the next generation of leaders will undoubtedly bring with them these global perspectives.

This is the fundamental reason why more universities and colleges should actively expand their global initiatives, including Photos courtesy of Marianne Eggelston

I

n 2015, while completing my master’s degree in Business Administration, I was fortunate to study abroad to Beijing and Shanghai, China, and live within the culture for two weeks. What an amazing and eye-opening experience to host presentations for executives at their corporate offices in China: Microsoft, Hyundai, Super 8 Hotels, Great Wall, and Yangshan Port among others.

Although I had traveled internationally earlier in my professional career to places like Cannes, France; Kingston, Jamaica; and Haiti, I was still a little leery about traveling to China and outside of America.

Many students have not ventured far from home out of fear—and that fear will stunt your growth, stop you from gaining new opportunities and developing your full potential.

My trip to China was managed by The Asia Institute, and we have continued to stay connected over the years. Recently, I attended its “Re-Imagine: Innovations in Global Education - Inter-Campus Collaboration Through Study Abroad, Admissions and Technology” full-day conference at the American Institute of Architects - Center

“Global learning through study abroad teaches students valuable life skills, they would not otherwise have. The experiences gained are important not only as memories, but impactful opportunities that have the power to change us.”

the advancement of experiential learning outside of one’s own country.”

The efforts may be paying off. In recent years, African American students have begun to participate more in studying abroad. While there is still room for growth in developing these programs, colleges see the benefit. Studying abroad provides students with diversity in education as well as an impactful experience, training and professional skills which prepares them for advanced career opportunities globally.

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) selected 18 students to participate in its second partnership with the Embassy of Japan and the Japanese International Cooperation Center (JICE) for its Emerging Leaders program: U.S.-Japan Kakehashi Project in Tokyo, Japan. The project provided a study abroad experience for undergraduate, graduate or recent graduates living and/or attending school in CBC members’ districts. The cohort

participated in lectures on U.S./Japan relations, tours of cultural and historical landmarks and visits to leading technology companies in March.

Nearly 300 students applied for the competitive internship with acceptance based on essays, recommendations, academic standing and interest in international affairs, political science, foreign relations urban planning, Japanese language or Asian studies.

“Thanks to the strengthening of our partnership with the Japanese Embassy and JICA, we saw a 62 percent increase from highly-competitive applicants from our inaugural year in 2017,” said A. Shuanise Washington, the president and chief executive officer for CBCF. “As the world continues to expand in its global, diverse outreach, CBCF through its partnerships is attracting and leading the charge of preparing young African-American leaders for these international opportunities.”

The Asia Institute also has worked with Fayetteville State University in North Carolina, on two great programs in China.

Organizations such as Americans Promoting Study Abroad does amazing work with inner city kids and study abroad. They have numerous success stories to tell. It is important for junior and senior high school students to participate in study abroad programs. This experience will help to expand their vision globally and develop interpersonal and intrapersonal communication skills for the future.

Many times, students self-select themselves out of study abroad programs because “it costs too much.” However, there is a lot of funding available for study abroad experiences to help them defray the costs. The Asia Institute is actively trying to expand scholarship programs to help more students to participate in global learning opportunities.

To learn more about study abroad programs and possible funding, students should reach out to their university’s International Studies department (or similar department). Also, there are many suitable programs throughout the country for studying abroad. Do an internet search and be sure to vet the organizations, checking their reputation and success rates, before moving forward.

ONYX MAGAZINE 21

Tragedy on the Yard Does a new act protect school students from a potential mass shooting?

By Angelique Fullwood

W

hen 17-year-old Brandon Dasent returned to Marjory Stoneman Douglass High School, he felt uneasy about the number of police officers patrolling the halls carrying the same AR-15s that had just slaughtered his friends.

“I do feel somewhat safer with the police there, but at the same time I don’t as an African-American male,” Dasent said.

Dasent was running late to school one day when he threw on a pair of gym shorts and T-shirt to wear. While walking the hallway, he was approached by one of the newly stationed armed officers.

Dasent says the officer, to whom he never spoke, yelled and cursed

24 ONYX MAGAZINE

at him saying, “You need to get your shit together, boy. Do you really come to school like that?

But this was the new reality for Dasent and his classmates as they try to heal from the tragic event that shook the nation. He will never forget the words of his teacher addressed to his class: “Nothing is ever going to be the same.”

His teacher’s statement rang true on many levels. After 17 people were killed in a mass shooting at the Broward County high school in February, debates spurred around the country about the best course of action to ensure the safety of children in public schools in a time where, according to researchers, the number of school shootings is increasing. Florida lawmakers quickly passed legislation to address campus safety concerns that will go into effect in school districts across the state this fall.

Now summer break has ended and schools are back in session. At Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, which receives death threats every day because of the student activism move-

ment that gained prominence over the last few months, the focus this fall is returning a sense of normalcy for the community. But in schools across the state, clothes and supplies won’t be the only new things students will notice on their first day back: Armed security guards, local police officers, and Student Crime Watch Programs will be as common in schools as lockers and backpacks.

All of this and more is a result of SB 7026, also known as the “Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act,” which established restrictions on access to guns and allocated $99 million for enhancing school security and $97.5 million for school resource officers (SRO).

The legislation also allows for teachers to be armed in the classroom, a controversial move that stirred conflict amongst lawmakers and citizens alike.

Rep. Sean Shaw was one of the Florida legislators who voted against the bill because he believes it did not do enough to address gun violence in Florida, he said.

“In my district there are killings in result of gun violence all the time, and this bill would do nothing to address that.” Shaw said.

Shaw and others in the Democratic Black Caucus believe that gun safety laws

Brandon Dasent

should be created with a holistic approach.

“We should not respond to a tragedy involving guns with more guns, that’s one of the main reasons why I voted against the bill,” Shaw said. “What we ought to be doing is addressing why there are so many guns on the streets of Florida and why it’s so easy to get them.”

Each district has tailored its own gun safety plans according to available resources. Hillsborough County Public Schools communications department manager Tanya Arja says that HCPS has been working with local law enforcement partners on a security plan. While for the past 49 years the county has had resource officers in schools, the district will receive about $9 million from the state this year as part of the Safe Schools Allocation to hire

155-160 new school security officers.

“In our middle and high schools, students, staff and parents will continue to see a school resource deputy or officer from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office or Tampa Police Department,” Arja said.

“Starting new this school year, there will be an armed school security officer at every elementary school.”

In Leon County, Tallahassee Police Department declined the district’s offer of $1 million of its $1.3 million safe school allocation to place TPD officers in elementary schools.

Districts like Hernando County are also looking to ramp up their number of SROs, but still haven’t come up with a way to pay for it.

The Dade County School Board passed a resolution to put a measure on the Nov. 6 election ballot that will create additional funding for school safety measures in the form of raising property taxes.

Board members were split on how to appropriate the new funds. Steve Gallon III, Dade County board member, said that teacher salaries should be the priority.

“Pre-Parkland, this conversation has been about teacher salaries,” Gallon said.

“Post-Parkland, about the enhancement of our school security staff.”

While counties try to pay for new safety provisions, students and parents are glad that legislators are actively addressing the concern of gun violence. Some are hopeful that long term solutions will soon be under way.

“I’m glad to see that they’re making an effort,” Dasent said. “It’s not enough until we can get those weapons of war off the street.”

“In my district there are killings in result of gun violence all the time, and this bill would do nothing to address that.”

– Rep. Sean Shaw

Special to ONYX Magazine. Angelique Fullwood is a senior at Florida A&M University’s School of Journalism and Graphic Communication

ONYX MAGAZINE 25

GOOD READ

In Their Own Words Becoming

The Last Black Unicorn

By Michelle Obama Out November 13 In a life filled with meaning and accomplishment, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As First Lady of the United States of America—the first AfricanAmerican to serve in that role—she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world, dramatically changing the ways that families pursue healthier and more active lives, and standing with her husband as he led America through some of its most harrowing moments. In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. Crown Publishing Group, publisher.

By Tiffany Haddish From stand-up comedian, actress, and breakout star of “Girls Trip,” Tiffany Haddish, comes “The Last Black Unicorn,” a sidesplitting, hysterical, edgy, and unflinching collection of (extremely) personal essays, as fearless as the author herself. Growing up in one of the poorest neighborhoods of South Central Los Angeles, Tiffany learned to survive by making people laugh. If she could do that, then her classmates would let her copy their homework, the other foster kids she lived with wouldn’t beat her up, and she might even get a boyfriend. Or at least she could make enough money—as the paid school mascot and in-demand Bar Mitzvah hype woman—to get her hair and nails done, so then she might get a boyfriend. Finally poised to become a household name, she recounts with heart and humor how she came from nothing and nowhere to achieve her dreams by owning, sharing, and using her pain to heal others. Simon & Schuster, publisher.

I Can Only Imagine For Little Ones

By Bart Millard Illustrated by Sumiti Collina I Can Only Imagine asks questions a child might ask and invites families to wonder together: What is heaven like? What does God do? What would it be like to spend a day with Jesus? Children will see that although experiencing the glory of heaven may be far off, we can enjoy a friendship with Jesus every day—right here on earth. Whimsical, playful illustrations and thought-provoking questions make this a book that families will cherish. Fun and vibrant illustrations offer a vivid visual and will help your children see that God can be found everywhere, every day. The Christian worship song “I Can Only Imagine” by MercyMe touched countless lives with its glorious representation of being in the presence of God, and this beautifully illustrated picture book invites you and your children to imagine those same wonders. Thomas Nelson, publisher.

Born A Crime

By Trevor Noah Trevor Noah’s unlikely path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of “The Daily Show” began with a criminal act: his birth. Trevor was born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother at a time when such a union was punishable by five years in prison. Living proof of his parents’ indiscretion, Trevor was kept mostly indoors for the earliest years of his life, bound by the extreme and often absurd measures his mother took to hide him from a government that could, at any moment, steal him away. Finally liberated by the end of South Africa’s tyrannical white rule, Trevor and his mother set forth on a grand adventure, living openly and freely and embracing the opportunities won by a centuries-long struggle. Born a Crime is the story of a mischievous young boy who grows into a restless young man as he struggles to find himself in a world where he was never supposed to exist.

Penguin Random House, publisher.

28 ONYX MAGAZINE

A program of

Experience the 3rd Thursday Gallery Hop every month, 6-9 pm, in the Downtown Arts District which includes the Orange County Regional History Center and Downtown Arts District Art Market in Heritage Square and Art After Party at Hooch, 9-11 pm.

For details, visit 3rdthu.com

ART. MUSIC. BIZ.

THE ART OF ALANA O’HERN & UNA PARIS M E E T TH E A R TI S T S R ECE P TI O N

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018 / 5:30-8:00 PM Bloomingdale’s Mall at Millenia 4152 Conroy Road Orlando, FL 32839 3rd Floor Furniture Showroom

Beverages & hors d’oeuvres provided

by Earl’s Kitchen + Bar E XH I B IT I O N O N D I S PL AY U N T I L O C TO B E R 31 , 2018

Gallery space is administered by the Downtown Arts District, in partnership with Bloomingdale’s.

30 ONYX MAGAZINE

ONYX MAGAZINE 31

WORKPLACE

KEEP ON TRUCKING, BABY! Nobody knocks a college education, but skilled jobs could be the key to success.

By Dan Holly, Urban News Service

34 ONYX MAGAZINE

W

hen Earnest Parker, Jr., wanted to go to college, his parents did not have the money. Now he is earning more money than many college graduates—by owning and driving trucks.

After five years of steady work and savings, Parker had amassed enough money in his 401(k) retirement plan—with the help of his employer, who matched his contributions—to buy his first truck. He put down $3,000 on a W900 Kenworth for $110,000.

Parker bought a second truck, a Freightliner Century, for $30,000 in November 2017. With unmistakable pride, he jokes that his fleet “grew by 100 percent.”

Working near Statesville, N.C., just north of Charlotte, Parker does not believe his lack of a degree has held him back. “For

Earnest Parker, Jr., shows off his fleet of trucks

the money that I’m making, I probably wouldn’t be doing too much better even if I did go to college,” he said.

After paying all expenses, Parker takes home about $750 per week (roughly $39,000 per year). “I’m pretty happy,” he said. “Everybody always feels they could get a little more, but I look at what I can provide for my family and I’m really not in need.”

Parker can provide hope to the growing number of Americans who cannot afford to attend college, but do have smarts, drive and ambition. He is playing his cards right, said Michael Walden, Ph.D., a professor of economics at North Carolina State University.

While many young people stress out about college debt and struggle to find jobs, many industries, like trucking, have

“

“I’m pretty happy. Everybody always feels they could get a little more, but I look at what I can provide for my family and I’m really not in need.”

Earnest Parker, Jr.

good-paying jobs and are seeking workers.

There are some 50,000 open positions for truck drivers, according to the American Trucking Association. It projects the driver shortage to grow to more than 174,000 unfilled jobs by 2026.

Not every young person needs to go to college, Walden said.

“Skilled craft jobs—particularly in construction, as well as jobs in transportation—are expected to increase by 600,000 to 700,000 positions in the next decade,” Walden told the Urban News Service. “On top of that, many of the current [job] holders are older and will be retiring. Many of these jobs can pay a ‘middle class salary’ of $40,000 and over and require two-year community college training or on-the-job training.”

The average truck driver in the U.S. earns $79,565, according to Indeed.com.

Its salary estimates, the website shows, “are based on 1,113,184 salaries, submitted anonymously to Indeed by truck driver employees, users, and collected from past and present job advertisements on Indeed in the past 36 months.”

By contrast, recent college graduates who major in education earn $34,981 and those who studied communications earn $47,047, according to a recent study

by National Association of Colleges and Employers. Those who studied engineering earned the most right out of college: $64,981—still almost $15,000 less than truck drivers. Over time, college graduates eventually out earn non-graduates, studies show. Still, those studies measure

gross pre-tax income and, generally, do not adjust for repayment of college and graduate-school debt.

Walden, who examined the future job market in his book, “North Carolina Beyond the Connected Age: The Tar Heel State in 2050,” pointed out that even those who start college don’t always finish. “Onethird of entering college students never graduate, some because they are not interested in college work,” he said. “The skilled craft jobs are an excellent alternative.”

Of course, many students never finish college, but still have the debt.

The hiring projection for college grads decreased in 2018 for the first time in eight years, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers. And the average outstanding balance on student loans rose from $9,400 in 1993 to $28,950 in 2014, according to The Institute for College Access & Success, a national nonprofit that works to make college more affordable.

Meanwhile, as many college students worry about finding a job and stress over debt, some industries that do not require a college degree need workers. The most recent report of the American Trucking Associations concludes that the trucking industry has a shortage of about 51,000 qualified drivers—”the highest level ever recorded,” the report states.

Struggling to find good drivers is a fact of life for trucking companies, said Lewis Guignard, owner of Gray Rock, the company that employs Parker. “It’s not terrible, but it’s annoying,” he said.

Guignard doesn’t think industry is quite as desperate for drivers as the trucking organization makes it out to be, and he thinks government overregulation artificially inflates the shortage.

But Guignard, whose duties include contracting for the cargo moved by 35 drivers, including Parker, wonders why more people do not pursue careers as truck drivers rather than piling up student loan debt. All it takes to work for Gray Rock is to be 21 years old, have a commercial drivers’ license, one-year experience as a truck driver and a clean driving record, he said.

Pay is based on number of miles driven but the average non-owner driver can expect to earn almost $1,000 per week, and pay is rising, Guignard said. He said he doesn’t know if any of his drivers have college degrees because he doesn’t ask.

“There are a lot of blue collar jobs that, honestly, pay a lot better than a lot of college jobs these days,” said Guignard. “If the purpose of going to college is to get a good job and support your family, you can do that with a career in trucking.”

Drivers can advance from driving for someone else to being an owner-operator to owning more than one truck, Guignard explained. Trucks take about a decade to pay off. When drivers own multiple trucks they can easily clear more than $2,000 a week, he said.

Driving a truck has its disadvantages.

Parker, who has four kids, acknowledged that he has missed a lot of their basketball games and other events while on the road.

But drivers can avoid even that if they play their cards right. Tyris Bailey started out as a driver at age 24, became an owner-operator at 33, and now, at 44, owns three trucks. He also works out of Gray Rock’s office as the company’s safety director.

Bailey attended community college for two years but never got a four-year degree.

He seems conflicted about college. Asked if he regrets not finishing, Bailey said, “In hindsight I wish I did. I look at things and think I probably could have been more advanced. ...But I might be all right.

I have friends who have master’s degrees and they’re doing the same I’m doing— owning trucks.”

ONYX MAGAZINE 35

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Breast Cancer Disparities Are Still Prevalent Among Black/White Women

By Dr. Lisa Newman

U

nfortunately, we see significant disparities in breast cancer between African-American women and White American women. Breast cancer death rates are approximately 40 percent higher in the African-American community compared to the White generic and community.

Some of this is related to socioeconomic disadvantages that are more prevalent among African-Americans: higher poverty rates, higher rates of being uninsured. All of these factors create barriers to healthcare access leading to African-American women being diagnosed with more advanced stages of breast cancer when the disease is less likely to be treated successfully. But the socioeconomic disadvantages are not the only explanation.

African-American women also are more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer at younger ages compared to White American women. All of us regardless of racial ethnic

36 ONYX MAGAZINE

identity have an increasing risk of developing breast cancer as we get older. But for African-American women in younger ages specifically younger than the ages of 40 to 45, the risk of breast cancer is higher compared to the risk of breast cancer in young White American women.

African-American women are also more likely at all ages to be diagnosed with biologically more aggressive patterns of breast cancer such as the triple negative breast cancer. Male breast cancer is actually twice as common in the African-American community compared to the White American community. And breast cancer in men is very uncommon in general, but again for African-American men the risk is higher than it is for White American men.

Because of the disparities that we see in breast cancer between African-American women and White American women, it’s

important for African-American women to understand that breast cancer screening and breast health awareness overall is even more important.

Triple negative breast cancers, the biologically more aggressive patterns of breast cancer, can be treated effectively. If we catch them early, we are that much more likely to treat them effectively.

Lisa Newman, BDO, is a breast cancer specialist. This article originally ran in BlackDoctor.org and has been reproduced with permission.

FLORIDA SCOPE History In the Making Mayor Andrew Gillum could be Florida’s next governor—the first African-American to hold the seat! After winning the Democratic Primary election on Aug. 28, the first African-American to do so, Gillum is headed to the general election on Nov. 6 to face Republican candidate Ron DeSantis. Born in Miami, Gillum was the first in his family to graduate college (Florida A&M University) and he went on to become the youngest person in history elected to the Tallahassee City Commission, before later becoming Mayor. He has a proud record of 15 years in public service. Your vote counts!

B-CU Student Receives Scholarship from Comedian Kevin Hart Following up on his generous $100,000 scholarship gift made through the United Negro College Fund to four deserving college students back in 2015, actor and comedian Kevin Hart has joined forces with UNCF and KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) to help 18 more KIPP students earn a college degree— including Kerry Gaino, a Bethune-Cookman University.

Through a new UNCF scholarship program launched in partnership with Kevin Hart’s “Help From The Hart Charity” and KIPP Public Schools, the $600,000 scholarship will provide funding to support KIPP students from eight different cities, attending 11 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). “Education and knowledge are powerful,” said Hart. “I just wanted to do my part in providing opportunities for our future leaders, especially from my Philly hometown, and show support for HBCUs. This is just the beginning; trust me when I tell you there are a lot more kids who want to go to college who don’t have the money to make it happen.”

Second from Left: Jaterria Hicks, of Atlanta, Ga., learns medical principles during a medical workshop Friday, March 9, 2018, as part of Disney Dreamers Academy with Steve Harvey and ESSENCE Magazine at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Todd Anderson, photographer, WDW.

38 ONYX MAGAZINE

Kevin Hart, Kerry Gaino, UNCF President Dr. Michael Lomax and John Kisher

Disney Dreamers Academy Opens Application Process Applications are being accepted now through Oct. 31, 2018, for the Disney Dreamers Academy with Steve Harvey and Essence magazine. This annual outside-the-classroom mentoring program is scheduled for March 21-24, 2019, at the Walt Disney Resort in Florida. The program helps 100 select high school students, ages 13-19, from across the United States jump-start their life goals and pursue their dreams. Disney Dreamers Academy turns the entire magical setting of Walt Disney World into a vibrant classroom. Students participate in a series of sessions and workshops designed to help them imagine bright futures, make exciting discoveries and learn how to put their goals into action. Disney Dreamers engage in a wide variety of experiences at Walt Disney World while working side by side with celebrities, community and industry leaders and Disney cast members. This four-day, all-expenses-paid experience at Walt Disney World will continue to help change the lives of young people in 2019. For more information or to apply, visit DisneyDreamersAcademy.com.

DE VA MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT

40 ONYX MAGAZINE

Stacking Up the Blocks

By Gigi Brooks The daughter of legendary blues icon Taj Mahal gained critical acclaim in 2008 for her co-write with her father, “Never Let You Go,” on the Grammy-nominated album, “Maestro,” and brings to the table soulful, power-packed vocals, which take us on her life’s journey of pain, love, loss, and heartache. She has toured the world performing at renowned festivals and venues such as the Montreux Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, the Beacon Theater, the Apollo Theater, and many others.

Deva sat down for an exclusive interview with ONYX Magazine to discuss the success of her new release, and journey through her life and career.

“From a young age, I was always surrounded by music, concerts and different experiences. My parents really set the scene to not follow after the beaten path, but to look outward, and not be afraid of what is different… .”

“From a young age, I was always surrounded by music, concerts and different experiences. My parents really set the scene to not follow after the beaten path, but to look outward, and not be afraid of what is different...especially my mom. Growing up in Hawaii was different. There weren’t many families who looked like us, so going to school was kind of challenging, and in third and fourth grade I started getting bullied, so I dug deeply into music. It really was my saving grace. I started developing my craft as a musician and vocalist at a really young age. I started singing locally and recording music with my dad. I went to university studying theater and music, also I started my first band when I was about 17 called Soul Project. It really solidified that I was on the right track, when I and my 17- to 20-year-old student band won the local battle of the bands against all of these older dudes. I thought, ‘now I can write music and people will like it.’ Unfortunately, at that time my younger sister passed away in a car accident, so I dropped out of school, because I couldn’t function. I moved to the Bay Area, my parents were separated by that time. My mother and other siblings were living in New Zealand, and she told me to come. I didn’t even know where New Zealand was on the map! It changed my life.”

In what way?

“It’s just different...you step off the plane and the light feels different...it’s brighter. Of course, you can’t see the actual location where it is on the earth, but you feel like you are upside down! The language and vernacular are different too. My brother was already making music there. He’s a talented producer, writer, instrumentalist, rapper, poet and visual artist. So, he said come sing with me. There’s a community-driven music industry there that was thriving and very progressive, the standard was so high. I started making music, and recording tracks that were being played on the radio. Then, I decided to continue my studies and I started studying vocal jazz performance.”

Why jazz?

“I’ve always been interested in jazz. The main music schools that they had was jazz school or classical conservatory. My first years at the university, I joined the jazz ensemble. We started playing all of the pubs and packing out venues; everybody was getting paid good money. I was recording with other bands, and singing in festivals around the country. I recorded and self-produced a live album. Eventually, I went on tour with Fat Freddy’s Drop, which was one of the biggest New Zealand bands of

my time. They asked me to record on their album, “Based On A True Story,” which they toured throughout Europe and the U.K., so they took me on the road. It was a pretty amazing opportunity, and led me to move to New York.

I was seeing the whole world as a touring musician. I’d always dreamed of moving to New York. Nothing was the same in New Zealand. Suddenly, this amazing place full of opportunity had limitations. A year later, I moved to New York with a couple of thousand dollars, no place to live and no job! Sometimes, I was homeless, finding hustle jobs, sleeping on friends’ couches...I was lucky to build a family of friends in a community of people who really look out for each other.”

What opened the door?

“I started using the same tactics I did in New Zealand. I went to a local jam session, with a great musician. Then, a friend of mine moved to New York six months after I did, and we started writing and performing locally. Eventually, word got out, because we joined this Columbia Artist Management, Inc., (CAMI) tour, my dad noticed what we were doing, and asked if we wanted to open with him on this world blues tour. His booking agent wanted to sign us, because they had been listening to our music. It was amazing!”

You are touring your debut album which is rare.

“Thank you for saying that. It’s building. The blocks are stacking up and the momentum is increasing, which is really exciting. I feel blessed and crazy at the same time! We recorded the whole album on tape, so “Run Deep” was born.

It was the perfect freshman album, because I’ve lost quite a few siblings, grandparents, friends, my heart has been broken a million times. I feel like I’ve lived enough life to have real moments to share, and real experiences to convey.”

Correction: Gigi Brooks is the author of “Nina Simone Reimagined,” which appeared in the July/August 2018 issue of ONYX Magazine. The article omitted her byline.

ONYX MAGAZINE 41

BEYOND FLORIDA

American Medical Association Elects First African-American Woman at Helm

First African-American Superintendent to Lead West Point Lt. Gen. Darryl A. Williams, a 1983 U.S. Military Academy graduate who has held high-ranking Army posts in Europe and Asia, will become the first black officer to command West Point in its 216-year history, academy officials announced Friday. Williams will assume command as the academy’s 60th superintendent during a ceremony Monday morning in West Point’s Jefferson Hall, school officials said. The native of Alexandria, Virginia, has served as the deputy chief of staff for the U.S. Army in Europe and the deputy commanding general for support for the 2nd Infantry Division in South Korea. Most recently Williams was commander of NATO’s Allied Land Command, based in Turkey. West Point, founded in 1802 along the west bank of the Hudson River 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of New York City, didn’t graduate its first black cadet until the Reconstruction era in 1877. No black cadet had graduated in the 20th century when Benjamin O. Davis Jr. arrived in there in 1932. Davis ate alone, roomed alone and was shunned by fellow cadets because he was black. After graduating in 1936, he went on to command the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II and retired as an Air Force general in 1970. West Point recently named its newest cadet barracks for Davis. – Army Times

Patrice A. Harris, M.D., a psychiatrist from Atlanta, Ga., was elected as the new president-elect of the American Medical Association (AMA) today by physicians gathered at the Annual Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates in Chicago. Dr. Harris has diverse experience as a private practicing physician, public health administrator, patient advocate and physician spokesperson. During her entire career, Dr. Harris has been a leader in organized medicine to ensure the voice of physicians and patients is represented in health care transformation. “It will be my honor to represent the nation’s physicians at the forefront of discussions when policymaker and lawmakers search for practical solutions to the challenges in our nation’s health system. I am committed to preserving the central role of the physician-patient relationship in our healing art,” said Dr. Harris. “The American Medical Association has wellcrafted policy concerning the changing health care environment in this country and I look forward to using my voice to help improve health care for patients and their physicians.” Dr. Harris is the first African-American woman to hold the office. – American Medical Association

New Experimental Vaccine Shows Hope for HIV Treatment A new experimental vaccine regimen, tailor made to fit of the structure of a vulnerable region on HIV, generated antibodies in mice, guinea pigs and monkeys, and it neutralized dozens of HIV strains. The findings will lead to human clinical trials for a vaccine capable of neutralizing a large fraction of common HIV strains. The findings were published on June 4th in the journal Nature Medicine, and it was led by investigators from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which falls under the National Institutes of Health. Chief of the Structural Biology Section at the NIAID Vaccine Research Center Peter D. Kwong, Ph.D and John R. Mascola, M.D., center director, spearheaded the study. The study has been called “elegant” by research leaders. “NIH scientists have used their detailed knowledge of the structure of HIV to find an unusual site of vulnerability on the virus and design a novel and potentially powerful vaccine,” said NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. “This elegant study is a potentially important step forward in the ongoing quest to develop a safe and effective HIV vaccine.” – National Institutes of Health

ONYX MAGAZINE 43

HEALTH

Fighting Fumes Hud sends down a ruling to protect public housing residents from secondhand smoke

By Britney Reddick

S

econdhand smoke is a serious health threat and can linger in rooms and even travel between homes in multiunit housing. There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke, and now Florida residents in public housing should be protected by a new smoke-free housing rule from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that went into effect in July.

“Everyone deserves the opportunity to lead a healthy life, and ensuring homes are free from the risks of secondhand smoke is a critical step for the health of residents,” said American Lung Association Director of Health Promotions Kurt Goerke. “This is especially true for children and those who are more vulnerable to the impact of secondhand smoke, such as those living with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Today we’re making a healthier future for Florida and our nation.”

In November 2016, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced a rule requiring all federally-owned public housing to become smoke free by July 30, 2018. This rule will protect close to two million Americans nationwide from being exposed to secondhand smoke in their homes, including 690,000 children.

The American Lung Association celebrates this long-awaited health protection, following more than a decade of advocacy for the passage of the rule as well as support for the implementation of smoke free housing policies in local public housing authorities. In Florida, it means protections for residents in local multi-unit housing. For example, Lee County now has 37 apartments and condos with a smoke-free policy which includes 6,519 smoke-free individual units. Based on an estimate of

an average of two people per unit, that includes up to 13,038 people who are covered by a smoke-free multi-unit policy in Lee County. “…We this important step to protect the health of residents in Florida, and we know we’ll see the health benefits for years to come,” said Kurt Goerke.

Second hand smoke exposure poses serious health threats to both children and adults. Damaging health effects in children and adults include lung cancer, respiratory infections, worsened asthma symptoms, heart attacks and stroke. For residents of multi-unit housing (e.g., apartment buildings and condominiums), secondhand smoke can be a major concern even if people don’t smoke in your unit, as smoke can migrate from other units and common areas and travel through doorways, cracks in walls, electrical lines, plumbing, and ventilation systems.

American Lung Association materials and success stories on smoke free housing can be found at Lung.org/smokefreehousing.

“Today we’re making a healthier future for Florida and our nation.”

–Kurt Goerke

ONYX MAGAZINE 45

VOTING

Rights Restoration for Ex-Felons?

You Decide Florida Amendment 4 tops the November ballot

By Sharon Fletcher Jones

A

rthur Taylor committed a non-violent, nonsex related crime. He served time in prison, paid restitution and completed his parole requirements more than 20 years ago. However, Taylor says he has not been able to escape the stigma attached to the ex-offender label and believes that having his rights restored would help to minimize that.

“While I was incarcerated, I learned the art of barbering. It was something I picked up pretty fast and got really good at. When I got out, I couldn’t get a business license, but I got hired to sweep floors and clean up shops. I took some more classes, but mostly I’ve worked warehouse and construction jobs. Nothing wrong with that, but I still dream about owning my own barber shop one day, and sure, I want to be able to vote, to have a say in what goes on in the government…,” Taylor added.

If Amendment 4 passes on November 6, Taylor and other ex-felony offenders will have the freedom to vote automatically upon release. In Florida, the passing of a constitutional amendment requires that 60 percent of voters approve it. Such will be the case for the passing of the Voting Rights Restoration for Felons Initiative.

The amendment is designed to automatically restore the right to vote to people with previous felony convictions upon completion of their sentences, with the exceptions of those convicted of murder or a felony sexual offense. Offenders’ sentences include time in prison, on parole and any probation period.

As of 2018, people with prior felonies do not regain the right to vote in the state of Florida until a state board restores the individual’s voting rights. Under current Gov. Rick Scott, convicted felons must wait five or seven years, depending on the level of offense, to request restoration of their voting and other civil

46 ONYX MAGAZINE

Attorney Desmond Meade, a returning citizen, leads a campaign to restore felon rights.

rights by a clemency board.

This felon voting law was a part of the original Florida Constitutions of 1885 and 1868 as well as the 1968 and current constitutions. In February, United States District Court Judge Mark Walker ruled Florida’s process for the restoration of voting abilities for felons unconstitutional, stating that it violated the First Amendment and the Fourteenth Amendment.

Clearly restoration of rights is a prickly issue. Floridians for a Fair Democracy, a political committee and advocacy group, continues to lead the campaign in support of this initiative along with U.S. Representative Charlie Crist and gubernatorial candidates Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, former U.S. Representative Gwen Graham, businessman Christopher King, and Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine.

Party lines are clear on the issue of rights restoration; Democrats are for it and Republicans are against it.

According to research completed by the Sentencing Project based in Washington, D.C., Florida accounts for nearly a quarter of all Americans convicted of felony offenses who completed their sentences but have still not had their rights

restored and are unable to vote. That equates to about 1.5 million people while some states allow inmates to vote while they are in prison.

Desmond Meade, a returning citizen who once was homeless, is a graduate of Florida International University College of Law; chair of Floridians for a Fair Democracy; president of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC); state director for Florida Live Free Campaign; and chair of the Florida Coalition on Black Civic Participation’s Black Men’s Roundtable.

Meade currently is engaged in a national campaign to reduce mass incarceration, reduce gun violence in urban communities, and re-enfranchise the more than 5 million returning citizens nationally who are being prevented from voting.

His collaborative efforts have been tantamount in bringing this issue to local, national and international forefronts.

“This amendment is about people not politics,” he said in response to those who suggest that restoration of rights may change Florida’s long-standing political persuasion from red (Republican) to blue (Democrat). “How a person may or may not vote should be irrelevant to the conversation. When a debt is paid, it is paid.”

In opposition to Amendment 4, Floridians for a Sensible Voting Rights Policy was organized. The non-profit

“How a person may or may not vote should be irrelevant to the conversation. When a debt is paid, it is paid.”

–Desmond Meade

advocacy group headed by Executive Director Attorney Richard Harrison advocates for voting policies related to its mission while opposing the ballot initiative.

“Other than murder and sexual felonies, it [the initiative] treats all other felonies as though they were the same,” Harrison said. “It’s a blanket, automatic restoration of voting rights…your only choice will be an all or nothing, yes or no vote on the amendment. If it passes, neither you nor anyone else will ever be allowed to consider the specifics of the crime or the post-release history of the criminal before that new voter registration card is issued.”

Larri Thatcher, an attorney at Law and Intake and outreach and community education coordinator at The Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association, Inc., has been helping individuals seal or expunge their record for more than 10 years. In doing that work, Thatcher encounters many individuals who have a felony conviction which prevents them from being able to

seal or expunge their record, and also have lost their right to vote in Florida.

“Under current law, the process to restore ones right to vote is lengthy, so I began to assist people in filing the application so they could get it filed quickly,” said Thatcher. “I am motivated by the fact that I believe in Democracy and as such the right to vote is a powerful tool.” She added, “The State of Florida has an online database that can be searched for rights that have already been restored. If their rights have been restored, there is a certificate that can be printed from the website. I have been able to print out certificates for several clients and it is a powerful moment,” she said.

“On the other hand, I recently spoke to a person whose felony offense happened in 1991. He completed all aspects of his sentence years ago, applied to have his rights restored and was denied. He expressed disappointment at not having his rights restored and concern as to whether he would ever be able to vote.”

Special thanks to Urban Style Cutz barber shop in Progress Village, Tampa.

ONYX MAGAZINE 47

HEART & SOUL

Ghosting Pews the

Millennials are tipping out of the Black church in search of satisfaction

By M. Z. Gunter

D

issatisfaction.

That’s it. One word, five syllables, deeply felt and actively expressed through the sounds of the footsteps escaping the aisles and the sight of bodies missing in pews. This is the new normal, or rather, the approaching normal.

Christianity, which has long played a significant role in African American history, finds itself beginning to wane among African Americans, particularly millennials. Millennials increasingly do not see themselves, their values, their needs reflected in the church, they see institutional torpor and spiritual corporatization.

As a whole, Blacks are the most religious peoples of the United States with 82 percent indicating a religious identity, 79 percent identifying as Christian according to Pew Research Center.

Moreover, their religious commitment is much higher than that of Whites and Latinos with African Americans much

50 ONYX MAGAZINE

more likely to pray daily, attend religious services at least once a week and state religion is very important than both other groups, the report shows. This is unsurprising given the deep social and deep political bonds Black people have with the church.

For the Black community, the church is not just a place to express godly devotion, but a space that nurtures social well-being, where one can express art, learn art, gather cultural references and cues, experience magnificent joy and transcendent sorrow without overwhelming threat of the White gaze. It informs family dynamics, mental health, spending habits, and politics with the church acting as a cradle to the Civil Rights Movement and other local and national crusades. Uniquely, it did so without calcifying into fundamentalist theocracy, instead institutionalizing socio-political activism into its theological mission. In short,

churches not only accounted for spiritual needs, but practical needs.

It is then that the creeping rise of religiously unaffiliated Black millennials should be of concern for the Black church.

While religiously unaffiliated numbers among African Americans reflect the national trend (according to Pew it rose from 12 percent to 18 percent from 2007 to 2014) the gap between millennials and adults 65+ is wide (29 percent vs 7 percent).

Church is the former social political epicenter of Black life; one cannot help but ask where are Black millennials being centered, where is their axis? Should the church move toward them or them toward the church? How does one begin to move?

The problem of the Black church for the millennial is two-fold: the intra-church dynamics and the extra-church judgement. Black millennials often grew up in the church and they intimately understand its contours and inclinations, however; they believe these things have gone unmodified to its detriment.

Jeanell Allen, 28, remarks, “I believe many millennials are disillusioned with the church.

Some friends have expressed they feel church is antiquated and not the safe space their parents felt it was.” Another

millennial, Shardasha Thomas, 29, recounts, “It’s not the same, there was a reason to be in church. No reason to be there now. We had so much to do, we were close, we were knitted.”

Interestingly, this isn’t only an account of programming ongoing within a particular church, but also an account of types of churches.

Megachurches have become a phenomenon, an ongoing one with rapid growth still continuing, according to the 2015 Megachurch Survey by Hartford Institute for Religion, Research and Leadership Network. There exists, however, a ministry gap. That is, larger churches’ size with congregations reaching the thousands and multiple worship services provide a cloak of anonymity. Participation and regular attendance are more like a large college lecture, slipping in late to one’s seat and listening in rather than an intense precept or smaller seminar where you know your classmates and an absence is noticed. Church becomes a whole city, not a neighborhood, and as a result, active participation in various ministries and volunteerism are slowed. For millennials, certainly Black millennials, church is about fellowship and connectedness.

Still some church leaders recognize the advantages mega-

churches have in adapting to this need. Reverend Ronald Williams, Pastor of New Bethel A.M.E. Church of Orlando, Florida notes, “They [megachurches] have developed a curriculum in how they present worship, the structure is more exciting and they have the resources to brand the church.

The traditional church has to get there.”

These problems manifest themselves at smaller churches in different ways. In contrast to the overwhelming monolith of the megachurch where connectedness might be lacking, Black millennials see the smaller churches they often grew up in as stifling, self-interested and self-involved.

Thomas shares, “Churches stay within themselves.”

Men’s Day, Women’s Day, Pastor’s Anniversary, Church Anniversary—churches celebrating among themselves is

becoming a self-congratulatory, perhaps even self-indulging, exercise that for many misses the goal of religious practice.

Moreover, practice itself is ritualized with dress codes and rote sermons and the unchanging order of service and sitting in the same pew to avoid confrontation of displacing someone from “their” seat. Tradition becomes an uncomfortable stasis, an anchor that’s an enemy to rejuvenation millennials would like from church service.

This does not go unnoticed by church leaders. Rev. Williams remarks, “There is a lack of interest because local churches aren’t keeping it real in how we present Christ, in how we present forming a personal relationship with God. They can’t grasp it the way I was taught, singing hymns?

That doesn’t work, we have to be more creative. I’m still trying to figure it out.”

Rev. Leroy Rose, III, of New Covenant Baptist Church of Orlando concurs stating, “Probably because they [millennials] aren’t affiliated, they haven’t bought into the rules and roles the church has been preaching for years. We should share ultimate truth of scripture: God told us to love.”

Still, Rev. Rose is not entirely convinced the church, or at least each church should change: “For every church to campaign to get millennials is not necessary. Different churches cater to different groups of people. The leader of the church has to be authentically themselves, leaders shouldn’t try to change who they are to get millennials to come.”

The craving for connectedness isn’t just an intra-church pursuit, but an inter-church and extra-church one as well. Forming a bond with the community and serving as a refuge for those outside of the church is at the forefront of millennial thinking, not the revivalist tactics of megachurches, nor the ritualized transactional approach of smaller ones. In that vein, the values of churches are a significant flashpoint for Black millennials. Some are in direct contrast with their own. Black millennials find themselves a great degree more liberal or secular than their elders. They support LGBT rights, the right of female bodily autonomy, gender equality and are less likely to stigmatize single mothers and other sorts of family dynamics.

Allen, comments, “I believe in gay marriage and I do believe that people are born that way. I have had multiple discussions with my parents about the topic.

They understand where I’m coming from as a straight ally to the LGBTQIA community, even if they don’t 100 percent agree with it. However, God told them to love, not judge.”

Black millennials believe their personal life, or at least the perception of it, is not their personal relationship with God. There is a mistrust of church because of an air of judgement many perceive burning on the back of their neck via stares and whispers. The greatest fear is that what is presented as religious morality is Black people yoking themselves to the same oppressive rhetoric and power structures that they are attempting to resist.

Likewise, Black millennials see pooling of resources through tithes and offering that they do not then see being invested in their communities, but instead in a pastor’s garage, on a pastor’s wrist or in a pastor’s closet. They see poverty pimping, exploiting vulnerable communities for monetary gain. A refrain from Thomas was, “Where is the money going?”

This is significant because this is the wedge that begins decentering the Black church as the primary political network for Black peoples. The Black church is at once socially conservative, though earnestly in pursuit of civil justice. For increasing numbers of Black millennials, this is a house divided that cannot stand and this attitude extends to modern civil rights activism. Modern movements such as Black Lives Matter finds young leaders, leaders who would be stigmatized by the church, organizing outside of church walls.

Belief is not the problem for Black millennials, a fear of creeping fundamentalism is the problem.

Reverend Rose, nevertheless, believes this to be to the millennial advantage. “They have experienced need to be loved, to be experienced, to be accepted, and faced the opposite. They want to make sure others don’t fall into that category.”

ONYX MAGAZINE 51

ONYX MAGAZINE SALUTES

Pastor Cornelius Williams Great Is Thy Faithfulness: Celebrating 40 Years as Pastor

C

ornelius Williams was born October 24, 1947, in Winter Garden, Fla., to Nelson and Anna Williams. He attended Drew High School and graduated in class of 1965. After completing high school, he joined the United States Air Force where he served four years active duty and two years reserved.

During the time of his service he came home to marry his childhood sweetheart, Hazel Rodgers, after a three-month dating and engagement period. Cornelius and Hazel purchased a home and moved in Richmond Heights. It was then in December 1971 where Cornelius was called into the ministry and began in the teaching ministry.

He and his wife began their family in 1972 with his first son (Aurelius) was born then came along his only daughter (Natasha).

In August 1976 Cornelius became an ordained Deacon and continued to serve as the business treasurer and clerk for the church.

By July of 1978 Deacon Williams accepted the call of preaching and was appointed as Pastor of Orange Center Church of God of Prophecy. During the same time the family outgrew their home and moved to a larger home in Pine Hills and expanded the family even more with two sons (Sherron & Roderick). Since Pastoring the same location for 40 years, the church has undergone 5 major renovations.

In November 1994 he was ordained as a Bishop and continued to serve as Pastor. Bishop Williams takes his calling as an election sure and serves with seriousness not only as a Pastor but he mentors and grooms those coming behind him in their spiritual walk.

In 2004, Bishop Williams was appointed District Overseer of 10 churches. In 2010 Bishop Williams has completed working in the secular field after retiring at 30+ years of working. He is currently serving as district overseer, state presbyter, administrative assistant to the state overseer, Camp Sonshine committee chairman, Ministerial Review Board and Finance Committee. He currently has four ordained ministers, including his wife, who work with him side by side in the church and one ordained Deacon.

Bishop & Lady Williams have been married for over 49 years.

They have four children, three daughters-in-love, one son-in-love,

52 ONYX MAGAZINE

one granddaughter-in-love and 11 grandchildren. The Lord has truly blessed him, and he is most thankful for his family, mentors and friends that have been a blessing to him in every way. The family’s favorite scripture is John 3:16 and they are always excited because great is His faithfulness toward them.

ONYX MAGAZINE SALUTES

Pastor Larry G. Mills Celebrating 30 Years as Pastor of Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church

W

hether one is meeting him for the first or fifth time, it is evident that God has truly called Larry G. Mills as His servant. The husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, pastor, author, prophetic imaginer and leader of the Mount Sinai Missionary Baptist Church in Orlando greets you with a sincere simile, warm hug, strong handshake, discerning look and comforting words. Dr. Mills will celebrate 35 years in ministry, his 30th anniversary as Pastor of Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church and 35 years of marriage to Bernice Mills.

Dr. Mills is compassionate, confident, and committed to the Mount Sinai family and to serving the broader central Florida community. During his pastorate, the church has grown from 70 attendees to a membership of more than 1,000. His spiritual leadership has empowered the church to achieve tremendous expansion in domestic and international ministries that includes a 12-acre campus with a development center, state accredited pre-K school, and numerous outreach facilities.

His humble beginnings were in a working class, immigrant community outside of Detroit, Michigan. Though he attended the renowned Northern High which produced several Motown singing groups, he directed his voice to harvest souls for Christ.

Earning four bachelors, three masters and two doctorate degrees, Dr. Mills obediently follows God’s directions to serve people and preach the gospel. Nationally known and a highly revered pastor, preacher, teacher and lecturer in the local, state and National Congress of Christian Education, he authored two books; The Recovery of God’s Purpose for the 21st Century Church and Marriage Matters: It’s God’s Will.

Prior to retiring from Lockheed Martin Corporation in Feb-

ruary 2007, Dr. Mills experienced a rewarding career for 23 years in which he served as a Corporate Vice President of Human Resources and Business Conduct for Corporate Operations.

Over the course of his career he accumulated numerous years of experience in human resource and international personnel management. His role provided leadership for all human resource functions, facilities operations, environmental, health and safety, international operations in England, and ethics for four divisions.

Being obedient to the great commission, Dr. Mills has traveled globally to provide leadership and spiritual development to a wealth of churches, organizations, and communities. Currently, he serves on the Orlando Utilities Board of Commissions, anchors the Pine Hills Job Partners of Central Florida, and serves on the Mayor’s DTO Identity Project for chronic and family homelessness. He chaired the African-American Council of Christian Clergy, spearheaded the 2015 Spread the Dream Initiative celebrating the arts, culture, and history of African-Americans, and chaired committees serving Valencia College and the University of Central Florida. A visionary leader with a servant’s heart, he took the lead and provided spiritual guidance in building a well in Haiti, renovated church facilities in Dominica, provided Christian education opportunities, initiated health programs, and supplied needed school and hygiene products in Antigua, Ethiopia, Haiti, Jamaica, Liberia, and the Virgin Islands.

Won’t He Do it? Won’t He Do it? Yes, God will. The Mt. Sinai Family and the greater Orlando community know in the words of Motown favorites that Rev. Dr. Larry G. Mills is the Real Thing, who God gifted with the Imagination to inspire many Ribbons in the Sky.

ONYX MAGAZINE 53

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ONYX ON THE MOVE

“I have always admired the firm way Dick Gregory stood and fought for Black people in America.”

– Rich Black

T

he National Congress of Black Women (NCBW), Orlando Chapter, honored ONYX Magazine Publisher Rich Black at its sixth annual Founders Day luncheon Saturday.

As nearly 100 people looked on, Black received the Dick Gregory Good Brother Award for his outstanding commitment to the community.

“We were very happy to honor Richard,” said Beverlye Neal, Florida Director of NCBW. The group selected Black because he exemplifies everything the award stands for in recognition of activist Dick Gregory and his fight against injustice in the Black community.

Black is the publisher and CEO of ONYX Magazine, a 21-year-old publication that celebrates Florida’s Black life while having seamless connection with other cultures. Since acquiring the magazine in 2013, Black has grown it to include several new content departments, up to 80 pages per issue, and regional prominence.

In 2016, Black introduced ONYX Maga-

56 ONYX MAGAZINE

zine’s Women on the Move, a prestigious event that honors Florida’s most influential and impactful women of color in business and community leadership. The annual luncheon is held in March to recognize Women’s History Month.

ONYX Magazine is embarking on ONYX Business Connect, a statewide effort to bring business communities together to share important resources.

ONYX also has established the ONYX Foundation, which will raise funds to educate minority communities in the areas of literacy, arts and culture, and history. A graduate of Bethune-Cookman University (B-CU), Black is known for spearheading a fundraising effort to build a statue of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune on the B-CU campus during its centennial year in 2004.

“I have always admired the firm way Dick Gregory stood and fought for Black people in America,” said Black. “I am honored to be recognized by such an outstanding organization that keeps its word to empower women of color.”

Photo by Tara Dorsey

ONYX Magazine Publisher Receives Prestigious Award

FASHION

Ready, Set…Jet! 14 Beauty and Fashion Hacks to Streamline Your Travel Excursions

By Lena Graham-Morris, The Entreprenista®

W

hether it was my decade-anda-half roving as a professional make-up artist and stylist or lifetime journey as a beauty and fashion junkie, there were always challenges with transporting my precious cargo.

No matter if you are traveling the friendly skies, on the road again, or ready to set sail, here are a few hacks to ease the pain.

1. Red Flag Choose a unique suitcase or use a distinguishing mark to identify quickly, like tying a red scarf to the handle.

2. Check Mate Make a packing list based on your agenda for the trip. Download a free list here www.iamentreprenista.com.

3. Roll Out Roll your clothes and belts instead of folding. Use the inside of your shoes for additional space.

4. Organized Behavior Invest in organizers for makeup and clothes. Put liquid foundation and lipstick in a contact lens case or small travel containers.

5. Swag Bag Use shoe bags (or shower caps) to protect your clothes and make your shoes readily accessible.

6. So Fresh and So Clean Put dryer sheets in luggage to help with smells and wrinkles and invest in one dedicated travel laundry bag.

7. Multi-Task Invest in items that have multiple uses, i.e., eyeshadow can be used as, eye pencil as eyeshadow, crème color sticks can be used as blush, eyeshadow, gloss, and lipstick.

8. Unified Front Use palettes, and condense individual items.

9. Portable Perfume Use a pocket size roll-on perfume or cologne instead of full-size. (Try scent bird).

10. Double Trouble Invest in a travel brush kit or dual-sided brushes to condense space.

11. No Spill Zone To stop spilling liquids, cut a small square of saran wrap, secure it on top of an open bottle, then screw the lid on. Also, wrap hair care products/liquids in plastic bags.

12. Gentle Touch Use cotton pads on top of powder compacts to help with breakage and protect mirrors.

13. Family Jewels Lay your jewelry out flat between two sheets of plastic wrap. It’ll save space and prevent your valuables from getting tangled. Also use empty ChapStick tubes to hide valuables, for small earrings etc. A weekly pill container can be just what you need.

14. Full Steam Ahead Invest in a small compact steamer and wrinkle remover fabric spray.

ONYX MAGAZINE 57

ON THE

QUAD FAMU Eyes Center For Excellence Florida A&M University (FAMU) has been diligently meeting with the private sector, federal officials and key legislative staff to discuss the establishment of a new Center of Excellence in Tallahassee, Fla. The Construction and Infrastructure Technology Innovation Center of Excellence (CITIC) is an innovative multidisciplinary partnership between several of FAMU’s core academic schools, public partners and the private sector that is focused on global sustainable infrastructure. The Center of Excellence will create new STEM-based jobs in Florida and will initially focus its efforts on energy development and the advancement of technologies that enhance the construction of affordable housing, roads, transportation infrastructure, as well as rapid and sustainable reconstruction following natural disasters.

B-CU Program Readies High Schoolers for College The Wildcat Immersion Program, formerly Summer Bridge, is an intensive six-week program that helps students transition from high school to college, increase access and opportunity, and promote student success. The program focuses on the students’ academic and personal development and social involvement. Each summer, the program houses 120-150 students who have received conditional acceptance into the University.

Facilitators encourage students to seek out campus resources to ensure their academic and personal success. Activities and support services are designed to develop Wildcat Immersion students into active scholars who are spiritually grounded, globally-minded, technologically proficient, connected with the greater Bethune-Cookman University community, and prepared for leadership opportunities on campus and beyond. The program currently has a 70.5 percent retention rate, with 85 percent of the students stating that the program prepares them for their first year.

B-CU Program Promotes Undergraduate Research The 2018 Center for Undergraduate Research Excellence (CURE) program concluded a 10-week summer residential initiative that enhances students’ academic experience by exposing undergraduate students to research.

“Each week, students and mentors participate in a series of research-related lectures which can range from qualitative and quantitative research methods to digital mapping,” said Nichole Jones, Ph.D., assistant professor of nursing. “They are coached on how to make effective professional presentations related to their topics and have the opportunity to volunteer at conferences throughout the summer to gain exposure to professional research presentations.” All majors and University departments are represented among the 32 undergraduate B-CU students and 20 faculty mentors. Participants will present their projects at the B-CU 2019 Academic Showcase. “

FAMU/State Colleges IGNITE for Students Community college students in Florida who have their sights set on pursuing a bachelor’s degree are flocking to the new Florida A&M University (FAMU) transfer student program “IGNITE.” In partnership with Florida College Systems (FCS) schools and community colleges, the program offers an alternative for students to earn their degree after completing their Associate’s Degree. The 2+2 system (two years at community college, two years at the University) helps students to reduce the overall cost of attending a four-year university, in addition to reducing debt by offering scholarship programs and helping to eliminate excess credit hours.

Current IGNITE partner colleges include: Broward College, Miami-Dade College, Santa Fe College, Tallahassee Community College, St. Petersburg College, Palm Beach State College, and Valencia College with Florida State College at Jacksonville, Florida Gateway College and Pasco-Hernando State College starting in Fall 2018.

B-CU Is Tom Joyner Foundation October School of the Month The Tom Joyner Foundation, a major driving force in raising money for historically black colleges since 1998, named Bethune-Cookman University its October School of the Month. The foundation, formed by the nationally syndicated radio personality Tom Joyner will assist B-CU in broadening and strengthening its efforts to raise money to help keep students in school. B-CU will be promoted by the Tom Joyner Morning Show during October and receive funds raised from listeners, alumni and other interested parties. The show, aired in 105 markets around the country, reaches nearly eight million listeners every week.

ONYX MAGAZINE 59

FEATURE

DR. FALECIA WILLIAMS Creating an educational village to improve residents’ lives

F

alecia Williams, Ed.D., is the president of Valencia College’s West and Downtown Campuses. Noted for leading a team charged with the creation of the college’s first bachelor degrees, Williams has worked at Valencia for 17 years, first as an adjunct professor, then in leadership roles in conjunction with dual enrollment, high school outreach programs and workforce development. Williams holds a Doctor of Education with a specialization in Community College Leadership from the University of Central Florida.

She sat down with ONYX Magazine to talk about the direction of Valencia College and its Downtown Campus.

How did you achieve your position with Valencia?

Describe your process.

Following a national search, I was selected

by Dr. Sandy Shugart as the Campus President for Valencia’s West Campus in April of 2011, and I officially began in the role on May 1, 2011. The search process included progressive interviews and forums with the selection committee, faculty and staff, senior administrators, and Dr. Shugart. The incipient UCF Downtown and Valencia College Downtown campus was approved by the Florida Board of Governors in 2016, and I was named as the campus president for that location as well. I presently serve as the Campus President for Valencia’s West and Downtown Campuses and will celebrate 20 years of service at Valencia in November of this year.

What are some of your top priorities with this campus?

One of our overarching, long-term goals for Valencia College Downtown is to improve the quality of life of the citizens of Parramore by increasing access to pro60 ONYX MAGAZINE

grams, services, and resources that provide significant benefits to help residents gain the skills and certifications needed to become employable earning a livable wage. We have also highly prioritized increasing the educational attainment level and college-going rate within the downtown area. We envision a day when the learning and earning outcomes will be equitable for residents across all of the zip codes in Orange County.

Toward these goals, we’ve brought together members of the Parramore community – residents, service providers, business owners, clergy, and educators – to provide recommendations that will help shape the future campus and address needs ranging from affordability to housing to safety and health. Together we believe Valencia College Downtown will be a catalyst for raising educational aspirations, growing the pool of skilled workers, establishing partnerships with businesses and industry, and strengthening the community.

students of different backgrounds.” It is these outcomes that resulted in Valencia College being selected as the first winner of the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence in 2011.

In the five years ahead, Dr. Sandy Shugart has remarked, “the focus on these student outcomes, on learning, will continue to be central to our work. But as Valencia has earned the attention and acclaim of the nation and our community, we have discovered new opportunities, in fact, new obligations to serve. Our community needs us and we can have an impact beyond anything we have yet imagined if we focus the same energy and imagination on making an impact on the quality of life in our community—raising educational attainment levels, increasing economic opportunity by growing the economy, and helping our community to flourish.” This is the essence of why we’re opening Valencia College Downtown.

What are you most proud of in your time at Valencia thus far and what are some goals you have in place for the immediate (5-yr) future?

In my tenure at Valencia, I am most proud of our fidelity to our vision. Valencia is a premier learning college that transforms lives, strengthens community, and inspires individuals to excellence.

“According to Dr. Sandy Shugart, we have been wildly successful. While we still have more to achieve, we have earned national acclaim for our students’ graduation rates, success in transfer, job placement, wages earned following graduation, and for closing the gaps in achievement among

Are you anticipating any new degree programs?

The programs offered by Valencia College at the Downtown Campus will include: • A.A. General Studies • A.S. Baking and Pastry Management • A.S. Culinary Management • A.S. Hospitality and Tourism Management • A.S. Restaurant and Food Service Management • A.S. Digital Media Technology • A.S. New Media Communication • A.S. Health Information Technology • Accelerated Skills Training and Workforce Training

Photos courtesy of Valencia College

By Nancy Port Schwalb

graduates and returning adult learners.

The campus will be located on 68 acres of city-owned land in downtown Orlando’s Creative Village, where about 15 acres between Livingston and Amelia streets and across from the UCF Center for Emerging Media have been designated for higher education.

Left, a rendering shows the future downtown Valencia College campus. Right, Williams speaks with a group about what the new campus should include.

Accelerated Skills Training and Workforce Training

Prepare for high-demand, higher wage careers in a short amount of time. Valencia College’s Accelerated Skills Training programs focus on intensive, hands-on training designed to help you enter a new career field or advance your current skill set. Students will have the opportunity to earn industry-recognized credentials, train in essential workplace skills and receive job placement support.

Planned Accelerated Skills Training Programs for Downtown • Advanced Manufacturing • Construction • Healthcare • IT Coding • Private Security • 911 Emergency Telecommunications • Transportation and Logistics What leads students to enroll in programs such as these?

I believe students are compelled to enroll in programs such as these because they are interested in attaining a higher quality of life. Most choose their area of study based upon their passion, expertise, talent, interest, or potential earnings.

When did the downtown campus come to fruition?

President Emeritus John Hitt announced the university’s decision to establish a downtown Orlando campus during the UCF Focus Breakfast in September 2014.

Valencia President Sandy Shugart conveyed Valencia College would be a partner in the campus days later. Both institutions spent more than a year jointly the exploring everything from student services and educational programs to transportation and facilities. The project plan was approved by the Florida Board of Governors in 2016, and design and build teams were selected that summer. The campus will officially open in Fall 2019, with housing, parking and dedicated transportation to and from UCF’s main campus.

Who was the target audience for this campus? Why is it located where it is?

Valencia College Downtown is open to everyone wishing to earn a college credential, certification or degree. The campus is located in downtown Orlando to provide an opportunity for greater access and outcomes for students. The program offerings are equally suitable for recent high school

How is the school’s relationship with UCF? The University of Central Florida and Valencia College share a long history of partnering together to advance educational opportunities and access across Central Florida through programs like DirectConnect to UCF. At the Downtown Campus, the institutions will share space and partner together on academic program offerings, student support services, technology, and other operations. UCF and Valencia are also working with Orange County Public Schools Academic Center for Excellence (ACE)—the new K-8 school in Parramore—and will continue to explore other community initiatives where we can provide technical assistance and support.

Is there anything you would like to add in regard to the student environment that you create in, on, and around your campus?

Education truly is a catalyst for change, revitalization, and empowerment. We believe that in the very depths of our hearts and are deeply dedicated to realizing that dream in downtown Orlando. We are honored to become a neighbor in the Parramore community and look forward to working side-by-side with the residents to make a positive impact on their lives.

Valencia College Downtown opens in August of 2019. Join the movement!

More information about the new campus

Photos courtesy of Valencia College

Stimulating downtown Orlando and providing a true college experience means having a critical mass of students. Approximately 5,400 UCF students and 2,300 Valencia College students could attend classes at UCF Downtown when the campus opens in Fall 2019, with opportunities for future growth.

One-third of the new $60 million downtown academic building will be funded through community support. The university also is contributing $20 million from its resources and received an additional $20 million from the state.

Already more than $20 million has been raised in community support toward the campus. Additionally, the value of in-kind contributions of land and infrastructure by the City of Orlando and the developers of Creative Village is approximately $75 million.

In addition to the programs offered by Valencia, UCF will offer more than 20 programs exclusively at the downtown campus, maximizing the proximity to the bustling downtown business district.

Williams is joined by a little girl during a candlelight vigil honoring those lost in the Pulse Club shooting.

ONYX MAGAZINE 61

#FREETUITION Left to right: EWC Marketing and Communications Manager Talia Ashley; EWC SGA President Chassidy Williams; Florida State Representative Tracie Davis; EWC Alpha Chi Honor Society Vice President Joy Miller; EWC Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Dr. Eric Jackson; Florida Senator Audrey Gibson; Interim Superintendent of Duval County Public School Dr. Patricia Willis; EWC Vice President of Institutional Advancement Jennifer Silva; and Office of Mayor Lenny Curry Director of Community Affairs Dr. Charles Moreland.

A Promise Kept Edward Waters College offers Florida’s first state-funded program for student debt elimination and a debt-free first year.

EWC Staff Report

P

rotesters carry signs that read #FreeEducation, demanding the costs of college be eliminated, giving those in every socioeconomic group a chance to attend. Universities and colleges around the nation are tackling the topic of making education more affordable; often they feel pressure from elected officials and political candidates who want to wipe away college tuition debt entirely—or keep it from ever accruing.

One Florida college has stepped up to the challenge. Edward Waters College is the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) serving institution in the state of Florida to create a debt-free pathway to a college degree for Pell Grant eligible, first-time-in-college students beginning their higher education. It is also the second in the nation among four-year institutions.

What is the Edward Waters College Promise?

The EWC PROMISE is a commitment to local high school graduates seeking a four-year bachelor’s degree. One-hundred

students will be considered based on financial and transportation needs. There is a target cohort of 100 students and a college match of 100 bus passes for transportation.

Funding will cover recipients throughout their first academic year and enhanced elements to graduation with a target of a fouryear completion rate.

Who is eligible?

The Promise serves high school graduates and works with need-based income thresholds for those who seek a degree in the fields of biology, business, communications, criminal justice, elementary education, mathematics, music, or psychology.

All first-time-in-college students are eligible to apply and they must be commuter students.

What is the purpose?

Students are overwhelmed with college debt and the burden of paying off a “last dollar” amount to pursue higher education. Across the nation, College Promise programs have shown to be highly successful for Pell Grant eligible students to more

readily persist in their studies, and graduate on time. National studies show that students drop out due to financial barriers which impacts local and state economies.

The College Promise is to remove all barriers that prevent students from completion.

Which services are provided?

In addition to covering tuition, fees and books, the Program will provide financial, academic and soft-skills seminar training.

Full-time, Pell Grant-eligible students will receive an academic and student services counselor with requirements to maintain in good academic standing, complete a 75-hour community service program and work directly with an industry mentor to become career ready upon graduation.

Students will attend the oldest established college in the state of Florida. In addition, they will receive a comprehensive, culturally-rich education based on Christian principles and educational values focused primarily on community service and financial and economic self-sustainability.

In making the efforts to establish the Edward Waters College Promise Program, the EWC Community thanks past EWC President Dr. Nathaniel Glover, Florida Governor Rick Scott, Florida Senate President Joe Negron, Florida Senator Audrey Gibson, Florida State Representative and EWC Alumna Tracie Davis, Attorney Yolanda Cash Jackson, and EWC’s Vice President for Institutional Advancement Jennifer Silva.

Students should contact the Admissions Office at 904-470-8200 for more information.

ONYX MAGAZINE 63

MONEY MATTERS

When It Comes to College,

MONEY MATTERS

By Laura Dorsey

S

tudents in the class of 2019 are gearing up for their last year in high school. Questions are swirling about what this final year and the following four years will bring. High school seniors and their families are on the brink of making some of the biggest decisions of their lives, and as this column suggests, MONEY MATTERS. One of the biggest deliberations is regarding the value of attending college. Television, newspapers, and social media are filled with the case against college. They will remind you that students are saddled with debt; there is no guarantee for a good job and it is not even necessary for many jobs. Everyone does not need to go to college.

The most ill-fated part of the case against college is that it encourages families, especially minority families, to aim low.

Many statistical analyses agree that about 33 percent of young adults get a four-year degree, while another 10 percent receive a two-year degree.

It is important for us to dissect the college argument piece-by-piece. It clearly starts with money. Tuition numbers are staggering, and student loan debt has amplified significantly. But there are many reasons college costs are not usually a problem for those who graduate.

The returns from a degree have soared. The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently showed a huge gap between

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incomes when you compare educational attainment. For example, a person with a bachelor’s degree made an average of $1,989 more per month than someone with only a high school diploma. College grads typically earn $1 million more than high school grads over their work lives.

In this column, we often talk about investments. We must see college as an investment.

A research group in Washington finished a comparison of college with other investments.

It found that college tuition in recent decades has delivered an annual return of more than 15 percent. For stocks, the historical return is 7 percent. For real estate, it is less than 1percent.

“A higher education is an investment that pays dividends over the course of a lifetime— even for students who accumulate some debt to obtain a degree,” said Jennifer Ma, senior policy research scientist at the College Board.

The evidence is overwhelming that college is a better investment for most graduates than in the past. Reports show that a bachelor’s degree pays off for jobs that do not require one such as plumbers or construction workers. Why is this the case? Education helps people do higher-skilled work, get jobs with better-paying companies or open their own businesses.

Notwithstanding the horror stories of educated people having a hard time landing a job, the unemployment rate

Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today. Malcom X

for 25- to 34-year-olds with a bachelor’s degree is below the unemployment rate for those with only a high school education. The truth is most college grads are not working at McDonald’s, especially those who graduated with a job-focused degree—teachers, engineers, accountants—and others who have the necessary education for a specific career.

If there is no other testament that a college education

is a good investment, then we must look no further than our 44th president and the former first lady. In their very own words, Barack and Michelle Obama said they were 42 and 40 years old respectively when they fully paid off their student loans. In total, it took the couple roughly a decade to pay for those Ivy-League degrees. That is the type pf payoff that dwarfs the sticker price of even the most expensive college cost.

BUSINESS

Focus On Impact For Greater Returns

By Ursula Jorch

F

arah’s struggling. She’s got a lot to do, and the day just seems to get away from her. The 40 minutes she spent surfing Instagram didn’t help her cross items off her list, but it was the only break from work that she took all day.

Still, at the end of the day, she feels unsatisfied and downcast because she didn’t complete what she had on her to-do list. Farah thinks she has a time management problem.

Farah’s problem isn’t time management.

It’s even bigger than that.

Remember a day when you got three times as much done in the same time frame on the previous day? You had the same number of hours on those days as you did on the ‘meh’ accomplishment days, right?

We all do. So, what got you going on those high achievement days?

Focus.

What makes you focus? Something important you want to do, a goal you want

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to reach. What makes you focus is the impact you want to have.

Farah’s big problem was that she wasn’t clear on her intended impact, and she wasn’t putting it into action.

Impact is where your amazing self meets the world and makes it a better place. It is about doing whatever you can to be your amazing self and it is about contributing to others and making a difference.

When you have your intended impact in mind, you can tear through things that take three times longer when you don’t have anything in mind but profit or another item to cross off a list.

Impact is your big picture. Your vision for impact carries you forward, with focus. You are more motivated, you move through challenges more quickly, and you’re happier!

Your business is made of individual days. They add up to create your business life. Life with impact is sweeter and better.

Businesses with impact make more money.

With impact as your focus, you can manage your energy (and your time) in a way that lets you get things done.

Farah had a breakthrough. With her energy and her impact in mind, her new way of working become: • She set priorities that moved her closer to her intended impact.

• She limited those priorities to three a day.

• She did what was most important to her impact first.

• She challenged herself to get things done more quickly.

The result? More is getting done and she feels more at ease, yet more accomplished.

She has more impact. Want to get more done? Focus on your impact. It’ll carry you through big projects and small ones as you make a difference.

IN CONCERT

GLENN JONES Designing A Bold New Style

By Marianne S. Eggleston

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rammy-nominated producer, artist, writer and actor, Glenn Jones is one of the most versatile talents in entertainment today. From gospel music to the secular music scene, his success has been unstoppable. Jones’ latest single, “Love By Design” features Grammy Award winner Regina Belle, and it has topped the Billboard Magazine Charts as the No. 1 Most Added Smooth Jazz Vocal Record in the Nation. The song was written by James Day and produced by renowned jazz producer Chris “Big Dog” Davis. It is released on the independent record label, Talent Room Entertainment. The “Love By Design” single showcases Jones’ signature tenor and upper register which distinctly pairs with the richness of Belle’s vocals. The incomparable vocals are perfectly matched with James Day’s melodic lyrics, leaving listeners with a harmonious ballad. This marks the legendary R&B pair’s second duet after 2001s “From Now On.” The new CD includes a mixture of timeless love songs and up-tempo dance tracks. It also features the smooth jazz sounds of jazz greats Nick Colionne and Kim Waters, and the long-awaited return of Gospel great

Genobia Jeter-Jones.

Glenn Jones is still one of the most sought after live performers in the music industry today with many chart topping hits in his catalog, including his signature songs, “We’ve Only Just Begun” and “Show Me.” He has shared the stage with many industry greats including Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin. Jones is also the founder of his own non-profit, The Love Jones Foundation (LJF), established in memory of his mother-Ella Lee Jones.

The foundation provides educational programs to youth and music therapy to the elderly. For more information or to donate go to www.lovejonesfoundation.org.

Talent Room Entertainment will soon post information on Glenn’s social media pages about his VIP Fan Club and upcoming tour dates. Talent Room Entertainment (TRE) is a new independent music, media and entertainment company founded in 2018 by Glenn Jones and is based in Atlanta, GA. TRE is excited to be home to talented music and movie producers, musicians, vocalist, actors, and writers. The TRE label celebrates the release of its first music project titled “Love By Design”, and the

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production of a new radio segment titled “Behind The Curtain with Glenn Jones”.

Glenn joins ONYX for a one-on-one conversation about success and staying relevant in the entertainment business. “I’ve been blessed to have maintained a successful career as a recording artist, producer, writer and actor for over 30 years. However, there have been a few peaks and valleys in both my personal and professional life.” What inspires you to keep moving forward? “I think what sustained me has been my love of music, and I’ve had the good fortune of living my passion.” How have fans responded to your new music?

“My fans have been loyal, and I have worked hard to stay true to a level of quality which they have come to expect.” Who are your all-time favorite artists? “I have drawn inspiration from so many incredible artists like Donny Hathaway, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Bobby Womack, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles and so many other musical giants.” In the new digital world, how do you stay relevant musically?

“The landscape in records, radio and retail has changed so much in recent years, I’m just down with music for life, it is my life!”