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Volume 9 – Number 27 MAY/JUNE 2017
CELEBRATING BLACK MUSIC MONTH
DIANA ROSS STILL THE BOSS $3.50 onyxmagazine.com
THE WELLS BUILT
African-American History Takes Center Stage
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Verizon’s Freestyle 50 Challenge
contents 5 Women on the Move 8 Make a Joyful Noise 9 ONYX Magazine Salutes the Lives and Legacies of Audrey Reicherts and Dr. Valerie King 10 Mother’s Day Brunch Recipes 11 Fashion Designer Merline Labissiere 22 2017 Legacy Banquet surpasses fundraising goal for FAMU 24 Profile: Sherry Paramore 25 Profile: Javonté Anyabwelé 26 Profile: Suzan A. McDowell 27 Profile: LaDonna Boyd 29 United Arts 30 A Moment in Black History 31 Ce Ce Winans Takes Her Message of Love on the Road 36 Jazz in the Gardens Re-Cap 38 Verizon’s Freestyle50 Challenge 41 Book Sheds Light on Boss Moms 42 Elisabeth Withers-Mendes 43 Spend Well to Save Big
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DIANA ROSS Cover Photo courtesy of Diana Ross
Photo courtesy of Diana Ross
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COVER STORY
WOMEN ON THE MOVE HERZING UNIVERSITY AND ONYX MAGAZINE’S WOMEN ON THE MOVE AWARDS ICONIC TRIBUTE TO FLORIDA’S INNOVATIVE CORPORATE LEADERS
Leah Flynn
Mr. Lester Seay (Founder ONYX Magazine), John F. Davis, President, African American Chamber, Richard E. Black (ONYX Publisher/Editor-In-Chief) And Michelle Tatom (ONYX Chair)
Women on the Move Luncheon
Herzing University Staff
Women on the Move Honorees
ONYX Women on the Move Staff, Honorees and Presenters
In celebration of Women’s History month, Herzing University and ONYX Magazine presented the Second Annual Women on the Move (WOTM) Awards at The Alfond Inn in Winter Park in March. The luncheon was an iconic tribute to some of Florida’s corporate leaders, who also were featured in the March/ April issue of ONYX Magazine. The WOTM Awards was sponsored by many amazing organizations that recognize the power and influence women have in helping drive their organizations’ success: Title Sponsor Herzing University; Presenting Sponsor Orange County Public Schools; Souvenir Sponsor Florida Virtual School; and Event Sponsors African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida; Commissioner Samuel Ings; City of Orlando; Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau; Mercedes-Benz of Orlando; Starbucks Coffee; Kirby Rentals; ONYX Magazine; and Chic Desires.
Annetta Wilson, president of Annetta Wilson Media Training and Success Coaching, hosted the event. Dr. Rosalie Ellis Payne, recently retired sr. director of Human Resources at Carnival Cruise Line, gave the keynote address. The event was highlighted with an award presentation to 30 of Florida’s top corporate leaders. Young violinist Leah Flynn, Cheiron Music Group artists, Tray Johnson, and Emily Lucas provided entertainment. Fallen Orlando Police Department Lieutenant Debra Clayton received special recognition. WOTM co-chair Deidre Parker, owner of Parker Realty said, “Our 2017 Women on the Move Honorees embody the spirit and resilience of their predecessors – women like Fanny Lou Hammer, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, Oprah Winfrey, First Lady Michelle Obama and others who have dedicated their lives to transformative leadership.” ONYX MAGAZINE 5
ENTERTAINMENT
ELISABETH WITHERS-MENDES Bringing Another Level of Arts & Entertainment To Central Florida
Elisabeth Withers-Mendes
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prah tapped her for Broadway. Sir Paul McCartney personally invited her to sing at his wedding. Nick Ashford of singing duo Ashford & Simpson declared she had the “it” factor. Tony Award-winning singer/actress Elisabeth Withers-Mendes has seen the peak of entertainment success and now she’s helping aspiring young artists in Florida show their chops through Orlando Eye on Talent, Inc., an entertainment company she developed with her husband, Damon. Orlando Eye on Talent developed partnerships with colleges, universities, middle schools and department stores, like Bloomingdales, to bring another level of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) to the city. The program provides keynote addresses, in-school field trips, talk-back concerts and live performances, which give opportunities to the most talented of Central Florida. Recently, it hosted A Master Bass Clinic, featuring Mark Kelley of “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” house band The Roots. In the clinic, students learned the performance and business sides of the entertainment industry and participated in an essay contest. On June 7, Orlando Eye on Talent will present the “PRINCE Birthday Concert Tribute,” a fundraiser to benefit the Epilepsy Foundation and mental health programs.
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ORLANDO EYE ON TALENT IN ASSOCIATION W/I DRIVE 360 PRESENTS
THE 2ND ANNUAL LIVE CONCERT CELEBRATING PRINCE’S BIRTHDAY JUNE 7TH 2017 i360 COURTYARD ON INTERNATIONAL DR. GATES OPEN 5PM CONCERTS START 7PM SEE EVENTBRITE FOR DETAILS
“Our motto this year is “let’s elevate our minds and all connect,” says Withers-Mendes. “So we have dug deep and invited some of the most renown musicians and actors in the industry.” Artists like Mike Phillips, a saxophonist for the late Prince, and local talent from Orlando, Miami and Tampa. The anticipated event will be held at I-Drive 360 courtyard on International Drive Wednesday at 7 p.m. Contact EventBrite for $35 tickets. Before starting Orlando Eye On Talent, Withers-Mendes was no stranger to entertainment. Nudged by Nick Ashford, she auditioned for the steamy role of Shug Avery in the acclaimed Broadway hit “The Color Purple.” Mogul Oprah Winfrey herself gave Withers-Mendes the job, and she returned the honor by receiving the Tony Award nod for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. The Grammy Award-nominated singer also produced two highly-acclaimed albums; one included the hit “Be With You,” which she wrote with Disney producer Toby Gad. The song became the steppers anthem. Singing under the name Elle Patrice, she and Tony Moran produced the songs “Rising” and “Emotions,” which quickly gained international club success. Her third album, “No Regrets,” garnered rave reviews. Before rising to fame, Withers-Mendes earned a bachelor’s degree at Berklee School of Music in Boston and a masters degree at New York University. She later became a lead vocalist on the hit children’s show “Between the Lions” and went on to sing backup for renown artists like Erykah Badu, Celine Dion, R. Kelly, Mary J. Blige and Jennifer Lopez, to name a few. Withers-Mendes and her husband have a 12-year-old daughter.
photos by Wire Image and Kermit Innis
By D. Shenell Reed
MONEY MATTERS
Spend Well to
Save Big By Pamala McCoy
Does it appear that you have more money going out than you have coming in? Many of us love to live for the moment, but often that leaves us in financial disarray. We commonly hear ‘save your money.’ Less often do we get tips on how to spend well. Get your money goals together with a Spending Plan. A Spending Plan, also called a budget, is strategic plan for how you will spend your money as you work toward your financial goals. There are many ways to start your plan, but the simplest way is to record monthly the funds you have coming in [income] and what you have going out [spending]. This will design a roadmap to monitor your spending and help you determine a pathway to saving. Who should have a Spending Plan? Everyone with income: no exceptions. You can create a Spending Plan by following the BONA5D steps below.
1. Identify all sources of income 2. List all expenses 3. Calculate your Cash Flow (Income – Expenses) 4. Set priorities and make changes as needed 5. 5. Review monthly
Get started today by tracking each family member’s spending for a week. This “Spending Tracking” can be done with a simple spread sheet. Since you’re tracking for only one week, multiply the total by four to get your monthly spending. Now, you can see your miscellaneous spending versus necessary spending, like housing and utilities. This also shows you where to cut back and save for those big things you want. For more information on your Spending Plan or personal money management, contact Pamala McCoy, CEO of BONA5D Credit Consultants, LLC – the first choice for those seeking to ‘FUEL THEIR FINANCIAL POTENTIAL’™ through Education. Empowerment. Evolution. Enlightenment. Enrichment. www.bona5dcc.com McCoy also is the author of “BONA5D™ BITS: Where Inspiration And Intellect Collide With Your Finances.”
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