Awardees

Business Program to assist Black Owned Businesses to them to get qualified and do business with SWBT.

I was given permission from topranked management to visit the Black community and volunteer on company time for nonprofits and government boards. The first board in the city of Dallas was the South Dallas Fair Trust Fund.

Brian Eberstein Unsung Hero Award

My name is CW Whitaker and before I get started on my bio I like to say thanks to the Blair family and Brian Eberstein (for this prestigious award), my two-lifetime pastors Rev. EA Greer of Forest Ave Baptist Church (32+ years) and Pastor Freddie Haynes of Friendshipwest Baptist Church (28 years) (for providing the words and prayers for making my spirit of giving, serving and supporting), Irene Whitaker Marshall my mother CW Whitaker my father and Roy Marshall my stepfather for raising me to be the man I am today.

I am the proud owner of DFWBAM, a social media company that gives more than I receive. At my company, we have a program called The "BLS", which stands for Blessing, Loving, and Supporting. Listed below are programs and boards that allowed me to "BLS" my community. In the 1960s I was appointed as the Youth Sunday School Superintendant and President of the Youth Usher board by Rev. E A Greer. This was a deal presented to me if I would just get out of the Youth Choir. I also volunteered at the age of 16 to drive the church's station wagon to pick up and drop off church members that needed a ride.

I worked at SWBT for 31 years during my time there, I volunteered for Junior Achievement, a school program at Lincoln High school that taught youth about starting and running a business for several years. I received donations from SWBT to take kids to visit Black Owned Businesses in DFW to provide them a road to owning their own businesses in the future. I also volunteered with an SWBT Minority

After retiring from SWBT, I focused more on the community with KKDA Radio. I served as Cousin Linnie's Posse President. Cuz would say "Round Up The Posse" when people in the community needed help that mattered to so many. We helped people every week with food, yard work, and other needs.

Also, I started a website for Willis Johnson and assisted The Wolfman to encounter the needs of the public. At that time I started DFWScoop, now Called DFWBAM. Thanks to my KKDA friends my database went from 1500 to 94,600 today.

During this time in my life, I served on three different City of Dallas boards.

1. South Dallas Fairpark Trust Fund, first appointed by Al Lipscomb and made president by Ron Kirk. This board made loans and grants to small business owners in South Dallas only.

2. The board of adjustments, I didn't particularly like this boy because I guess it wasn't helping people the way I wanted to help and serve.

3. The Dallas Parks and Recreation board for 13-plus years. First appointed by four different council members, and appointed president by Mayor Laura Miller. Currently, I hold the record for the longest-serving member. My two of my greatest accomplishments while serving on the board when the renaming of Rochester to William Bill Blair Jr. Instrumental in the planning for Downtown Parks and acquiring the Klyde Warren Deck Park, instrumental in the largest bond package for parks and recreation in the city of Dallas history. Development of youth programs in all parts of Dallas, work on the committee to get Bahama Beach Water Park in Southern Dallas. On the committee to hire John Jenkins, and Willis Winters as Park Directors, and Greg Hudson as the current Dallas Zoo president.

Other things that I volunteered on were: to bring 13 new playgrounds to southern Dallas, the Kiest Park Softball Complex, work to bring the new cedar crest Clubhouse and renovated the golf course, upgrades to the Cotton Bowl, advocating for $80 million to Downtown Parks and the renovations of 4 Recreation Centers in southern Dallas Other Boards that I served on include: BATC: I also served on the board as a board member and president of the Bishop Arts Theatre Center for 20 years. We served 5 to 15,000 kids per year, a diverse organization that bought the community of Oak Cliff together. I am proud to have received the Bishop Arts theater centers Legacy award in 2022.

Served on the Dallas County School board, after Ms. Edna Pemberton and Jordan Blair. This board was about the safety of kids. Member of the Dallas Youth Council, this board took youth on college tours, Fair Park, and other places of interest.

Nova Academy, board member for the education of kids in Dallas Zoo Board to entertain and educate kids about animals Dallas Park Foundation Texas Horse Park Board

HONORS AND AWARDS:

• Legacy Award by Bishop Arts Theatre Center

• President Obama Community Service Award

• Community Network Award-SBC, For serving the community

• SBC Advocate of the Year-1996 For assisting black and Hispanic business owners to do business with SBC

• Helping Hands Award - DFW Minority Business Development Council

• Community Hero Award, awarded by KKDA radio for outstanding work in the community

• City of Dallas Service Award

• Unity in the Community Award

• Outstanding Community Leader Award – ALW Inc.

• Greater Southwest Black Chamber – Service Award

• Coaches Corner - Community Servant Award

• Summer Youth Programs - Dallas Parks and Recreation And many more.

Again, thanks to the Blair Family and Brian Eberstein for making me a part of the 48th Annual Elite News Awards Night Ceremony.

Pierre Lavie

in Switzerland, 1980. Months Father/Husband/Brother/Son.

Elliot Erwitt is quoted as having said, “photography is the art of observation. It has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.”

I like that and have been actively observing life since ~2009 with an iPhone and ~2018 with a camera.

William Blair Jr. Don’t Forget Award

Pierre Lavie (he/him). Born

I shoot with digital cameras and print photographs using inkjet printers. Photographs are made using Hahnemühle archival fine-art photography paper and matted+framed in Dallas by Debra Stevens Custom Framing (972.620.1365).

Dr. H.I. Holland Education Award

Cedar Hill Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Gerald Hudson grew up in Dallas, attended Skyline High (one of the first Dallas area schools to have an Engineering Academy) and originally planned to become an Engineer. He graduated from Texas Tech University with a Bachelor’s