ONYX Magazine March_April_2019

Volume 9 – Number 38 MARCH/APRIL 2019

AIN’T NO STOPPING ME NOW! AT 92, DR. MELISSA FREEMAN SHARES SECRETS TO LONGEVITY

SPECIAL WOMEN’S EDITION

BLACK LIVES MATTER MAKES MOMS HOMEOWNERS

4½ WAYS CHIROPRACTIC CARE CAN TURN UP YOUR SEX LIFE

WOMEN LEGISLATORS MAKE HISTORY IN TALLAHASSEE

WOMEN ON THE MOVE

HERALDING FLORIDA’S FINEST

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contents 7 Elevate: Living Your Best Life 8 Women Legislators Make History in Tallahassee 11 Woman of the Year Dr. Melissa Freeman: Ain’t No Stopping Us Now 13 International Woman on the Move Dancia Penn, O.B.E., Q.C. 14 Honoree Eloise Abrahams 16 Honoree Ann Ashley-Gilbert 18 Honoree Cathy Brown-Butler 20 Money Matters: Why women still make less than men 22 Honoree Sherri T. Brown 23 Honoree Chloe Juanita Evans Coney 25 Five Answers from a Leader: Yolanda Lee 26 Honoree Rep. Val Demings 27 Honoree Elizabeth Dooley, Ed.D. 29 Good Read: Books to live by 30 Family Matters: Getting access to genealogical records 32 Honoree Linda Howard 33 Honoree Jacqueline Jones 34 Honoree Nikki Lewis-Simon 35 Honoree Novlet Mattis

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WOMAN OF THE YEAR MELISSA FREEMAN:

“Ain’t No Stopping Us Now!” At 92, Dr. Melissa Freeman credits faith and genetics for longevity, love and living life on purpose.

Photos of Dr. Freeman by Aldo Mauro

36 Black Lives Matter makes single mothers homeowners 38 SAGE: Caring for a loved one long distance 39 Honoree Vickie Oldham 40 Health/Wellness: Balance diet for healthy weight 42 Honoree Clemmie Perry 43 Honoree Commissioner Victoria Siplin 45 Honoree Carolyn House Stewart 46 Medically Speaking: Can chiropractic care improve sex?

49 Honoree Rep. Geraldine Thompson 50 Arts/Entertainment: Klymaxx 52 Honoree Riva Tims, Th.D. 54 Honoree Paulette C. Walker, Ed.D. 55 Honoree Melanie Williams 56 Honoree Tonjua Williams, Ph.D. 58 Community: Rethreaded upcycles airplane leather for cause 60 Real Estate: The power of women homeowners 62 ONYX Profile: Linsey Davis 64 Home: Spruce up your living space 66 ONYX on the Move 67 Travel: Road trips 68 On the Quad 70 Food/Wine

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

RICHARD “RICH” E. BLACK

DESIGN DIRECTOR Jason Jones

MARCH/APRIL 2019 Welcome to Women’s History Month and the fourth annual women’s issue of ONYX Magazine. We salute all women who use fortitude to achieve significant accomplishments in her community and profession every day. There are many women who fit this description around the state, but only 22 are called ONYX Magazine’s Women on the Move! Get ready to meet these dynamic women.

We start with the formidable Melissa Freeman, M.D. As she exclaims, “ain’t no stopping us now!”

This 92-year-old phenom is the first woman in the nation to treat women with opioid addiction using methadone maintenance as a modality for treatment.

She has no intentions of slowing down—and the nearly 200 patients she sees in her clinic annually thank her. She is joined by other women who have smashed stereotypes, led the nation’s top nonprofit organizations, take the helm at universities, archive important black history, and establish healthcare protocols for women, to name a few achievements of the Class of 2019. Each has soared past her own goals and our communities are better for it.

In this issue, we also explore why women still make less money than men. In a society where equality seems to be essential in many areas, why can’t we get it right when it comes to pay? Women harness so much power in real estate. Find out how women homeowners impact neighborhoods. And to help you relax, one article shows you how exploring chiropractic care might boost your sex life.

Women, this issue is for you—and men will be inspired by your prowess. As always, we at ONYX Magazine aim to bring you content that is inspiring, informative and entertaining. We thank you for always being in support of our efforts.

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jamaal Whitehead OFFICE ASSISTANT Maria Barnes BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Matt deJager MANAGEMENT ASSISTANT Chelsey Rouse CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Talia Ashley Patricia Brown Denis Michele Gillman Joyce Irby

Yolanda Cash Jackson, Esq. Kevin Kinney, D.C. Wayne Middletom Deidre Parker

Zenobia Jeffries Warfield Kevin Washington, Ph.D. Roniece Weaver

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Aldo Mauro Rethreaded Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival 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 Gary Hartfield Tony Hill Alma Horne Rodney Hurst Ann Jenkins Connie Kinnard Larry Lee, Jr.

Brenda March 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

Rich

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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.

ELEVATE

Living Your Best Life

By Kevin Washington, Ph.D.

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ll people have the capacity to do wonderful things. Some would call this being blessed with talents.

Those talents are given to us in order to be shared with the universe. It is up to the possessor of the talents to know the proper avenues to share these talents and manifest their greatness. Often those with immense talents become paralyzed to move on their talents or to share their talents because of their fear created through mental conditioning.

Because the universe is waiting for the full expression of their talent or a space has been created for that talent lesser skilled people who are willing to express that talent get recognized. They are recognized not because they possess the proficient expressive aspect of that talent. Rather, they are recognized because they were willing to mobilize because of their talent.

Many people have heard or seen someone do something and have said, “I could do that differently” or “I speak/sing better than that.” The difference between you and

them is that they were willing to do something about that void that was created for you. Spirit allows us to see the lesser talent to motivate us to mobilize on our greatness.

1. Check the fears that you have about

doing something. Is there fear of failure or of success? Are you concerned about what others will think? They will always think something.

2. Check for self-sabotage. Are you auto-

matically putting up mental and physical stumbling blocks on the basis of your anxieties and fears? Do you create an atmosphere of failure through your inactivity or through your miscalculated activity?

3. Forgive yourself for ever doubting

yourself and thus sabotaging your success.

Understand that you did the best that you could with the information that you had at that time.

4. Know that you have been divinely inspired for this moment to do what you must do. No one else can do it the way you can do it so you might as well make it happen.

5. Never let negative external chatter

become an internal matter. There is no reason to own the fears of others within your mind. Don’t give the shortcomings of others free rent in your head. Evict the thoughts of failure. Allow greatness to manifest in your soul.

6. Get in touch with that aspect of your gift which you are most familiar with. Nurture it. Refine it. Modify it. Develop it.

Love it and prepare to express it back into the universe and watch how the universe celebrate and elevate you.

7. Plan, prepare and present your divine inspiration and be prepared to start back at one.

Kevin Washington, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist and academician, is the head of the Sociology and Psychology Department at Grambling State University in Baton Rouge, La.

ONYX MAGAZINE 7

POLITICS

History in the Making There are more black women in the Florida Legislature than ever before.

By Yolanda Cash-Jackson, Esq.

G

iven all the controversy surrounding Florida’s elections and vote recounts in 2018, it is easy to miss the real Election Day surprise—the gains made by black women vying for state legislative seats. These down-ballot victories often get overlooked when compared to top-of-ticket races or controversial ballot initiatives that draw voter interest.

Winning seats in the Florida Legislature can mean obscurity for black women and often slights from legislative leaders, lobbyists and the media. For too long, I’ve seen quality black women lawmakers sit forgotten in the back rows of the legislative chambers or overlooked at the end of the committee dais because of their perceived lack of influence. Their dismal numbers in a state capitol dominated by white male, Republicans hasn’t helped either.

Fortunately, all that is changing as more black women run and win statehouse races.

There are now 13 black women elected to the Florida Legislature—the highest number to date. Black women made up 5.6 percent of the 160 members serving in the statehouse before Nov. 6, according to an analysis of the Florida Legislature’s membership data. Today, that figure is at 8.1 percent, a small but noticeable increase.

However, the numbers alone don’t tell the whole story about this special group of women. Sen. Audrey Gibson of Jacksonville faced nominal opposition in her bid for re-election. Three of the black women running for the Florida House of Representatives ousted incumbent lawmakers, one a two-term Republican who had represented an overwhelmingly white district in the Tampa area.

These black women, who officially started work in January, are a mix of energetic newcomers and savvy veterans: State Reps. Kamia Brown of Ocoee; Kimberly

There are now 13 black women elected to the Florida Legislature—the highest number to date.

Daniels of Jacksonville; Tracie Davis of Jacksonville; Fentrice Driskell of Tampa; Dianne Hart of Tampa; Delores Hogan Johnson of Fort Pierce; Dotie Joseph of Miami; Anika Omphroy of Lauderdale Lakes; Sharon Pritchett of Miami Gardens; Geraldine F. Thompson of Orlando; Barbara Watson of Miami Gardens; Patricia Williams of Lauderdale Lakes; and State Sen. Audrey Gibson of Jacksonville.

It is at the state government level where elected officials can improve public schools, provide quality of health care and maintain streets and roads. In short, state government matters. Unfortunately, not many black women think about state legislatures as places to serve. In the past 20 years, black women have gone from 2.3 percent of the nation’s state lawmakers in 1998 to 3.7 percent in 2018, and that was before the November 2018 elections.

Yet, state legislatures have been springboards to higher office for several prominent black women. U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters began her career in the California Assembly. The first black woman elected to the U.S. Senate, Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, was first elected to the Illinois House of Representatives, rising to the rank of assistant majority leader. More recently, Georgia’s Stacey Abrams served as minority leader before running for Governor.

In the Florida Legislature, this new class of black women legislators represent a key voting bloc of the Democratic Party, and they have the potential to reshape the makeup of the Legislature and the issues coming out of it.

Sen. Gibson, for example, may be the only black woman in the Florida Senate, but she holds a major leadership post as the incoming Senate Democratic Caucus Leader. In the Florida House, the 12 black women legislators will have a say among the 46 Democrats in choosing who will be their next Caucus chair. The incoming legislative leaders and any lobbyist hoping to curry favor for their clients would be foolish to ignore these lawmakers.

It is no secret that black women have made their presence felt in political races across the country, from the U.S. Senate race in Alabama to the still-undecided governors’ races in Florida and Georgia. The enthusiasm generated by these campaigns has prompted a greater number of black women to not only vote, but to run for office.

Women of color realize that elective office can provide opportunities to improve the lives of Floridians and make a difference in their communities. More black women will run in 2020. The black women now serving in the Legislature are just the beginning of what will be a more diverse leadership in state government.

Yolanda Cash-Jackson is an attorney and a shareholder in Becker & Poliakoff and a member of the ONYX Magazine Advisory Committee. The story initially appeared in “Florida Politics” and has been reprinted with permission.

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Sen. Audrey Gibson District 6 Minority Democratic Leader

Rep. Kamia Brown District 45 Part of Orange County

Rep. Kimberly Daniels District 14 Part of Duval County

Rep. Tracie Davis District 13 Part of Duval County

Rep. Fentrice Driskell District 63 Part of Hillsborough County

Rep. Diane Hart District 61 Part of Hillsborough County

Rep. Delores D. Hogan Johnson District 84 Part of St. Lucie County

Rep. Dotie Joseph District 108 Part of Miami-Dade County

Rep. Anika Tene Omphroy District 95 Part of Broward

Rep. Sharon Pritchett District 102 Parts of Broward, Miami-Dade Counties

Rep. Geraldine F. Thompson District 44 Part of Orange County

Rep. Barbara Watson District 107 Part of Miami-Dade County

Rep. Patricia Williams District 92 Part of Broward County

ONYX MAGAZINE 9

WOMAN OF THE YEAR

“Ain’t No Stopping Us Now!” t 92, Dr. Melissa Freeman credits faith A and genetics for longevity, love and living life on purpose.

By Talia Ashley In celebration of the fourth annual ONYX Magazine’s Women on the Move, Dr. Melissa M. Freeman, M.D., is the Woman of the Year! An internal medicine physician, Dr. Freeman is an American treasure from a strong heritage, and, at 92, she shares unwitting wisdom through her stories.

Perhaps the oldest African-American woman still practicing medicine in the United States, she has no plans to slow down. She got her start after graduating in 1955 from Howard University’s College of Medicine and has been a working physician in New York for more than 60 years. She has operated her own office in Harlem for the last 40 years and she treats nearly 200 patients at her private clinic each year.

A historic feat, Dr. Freeman is the first physician in the nation to treat female patients with heroin addiction, using a methadone maintenance program.

Soon after, doctors around the world implemented the model into their practices. Honorably, Dr. Freeman also has worked for Beth Israel Medical Center for more than 50 years, where she currently serves as the physician-in-charge.

Again, Dr. Freeman is a shining example of a woman on the move.

ONYX MAGAZINE 11

WOMAN OF THE YEAR

“I think it’s awesome to see women moving ahead, into all kinds of nooks, particularly in medicine.”

Born April 26, 1926, Dr. Freeman is youthful, quick-witted and poignant. She is also a proud New Yorker who keeps up with the crowd.

“If I have to go somewhere and the subway is the best way to get there, I take the subway. And if a cab is better, I take the cab,” she quips.

Dr. Freeman has an awe-inspiring family history and childhood. Her maternal grandfather was born a slave in the late 1800s, and he and his son-in-law (her dad) were strong proponents of education. There were three other grandchildren in the home where Dr. Freeman grew up, including her brother and two cousins.

“My dad came from Alabama, and he died when I was a young teen. I grew up in the same house with my brother and my cousins. (My father) insisted we all graduate from high school and college. And, we did,” she says.

She explains how her father foresaw her future as a college student. She knows that he and her grandfather would be happy today. “(My father) made up a college in his mind that I would attend. And the last thing I said to my dad before he passed was I got accepted into high school.”

Dr. Freeman looks upon her childhood with positive memories, despite being born during the Great Depression and living during wartime.

“Wonderful! I never suffered. I was born during the Great Depression, during 12 ONYX MAGAZINE

the World War II food-rationing. Yet, my brother, cousins, and I never felt it. Every year, we would go to the Ringling Bros’ Circus! We would take trips on the Hudson River and my mother would prepare lunches for us. When the electricity would go out, we would use a lantern and study under the quilt. We just thought it was fun! We had a good time.” She continues, “There was an Italian butcher in our building and he would always make sure he rationed meats and butter for my mother.

We never went without food.”

Remarkably, Dr. Freeman does not reference her experiences with racism, sexism or any prejudices when she discusses her childhood history.

“We were even privileged enough to go to summer camp in Canada. There was a Canadian Black Methodist teacher, who my mother had connected with, and we would go to her religious camp to learn more about the Bible, sing songs, and just have a good time in the summers.”

Dr. Freeman’s parents.

As enlivening as she recalls her youth, Dr. Freeman continued this sense of adventure throughout her adulthood. She has been fortunate enough to travel to countries in Europe and West Africa, including Hungary, Paris, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Côte d’Ivoire, and the Cape Coast. She insists more African Americans should travel.

Making note of the significant achievements women have made, Dr. Freeman says, “I think it’s awesome to see women moving ahead, into all kinds of nooks, particularly in medicine. When I was in school, of a class of 70, there were only eight women in my class. But now, more than half of the class is made up of women.

I think it’s admirable.”

Her secret to longevity in career and life is spiritual and inspiring.

“I am a Christian and God put me into this field. Again, my dad died when I was 13. So, he didn’t see me graduate from high school. But God was there, and He kept me alive and around to still help people. Thanks be to God!” Dr. Freeman has already beaten the longevity odds and she credits genetics for the outcome, following other nonagenarian relatives. She also makes it very clear that her faith and the intimacy of her family sustains her.

“My father lived long. My father’s sister died at 103. Another aunt lived until 90.

My mother died at 94, surviving cancer before her death. Auntie (her mom’s sister) died at 95. And, we’re all Christian, Baptist! Uncle Bob lived into his 80s and Uncle Sam lived until he was 89. It’s genetic! Also, I cared for my mother and her sister—both died at home in their beds. And my uncle Sam and auntie died only one day a part.

They were close. We all were!”

At 92, she’s still moving and offers sage advice to anyone who aspires to success: “Keep your mind active, varied, curious—always alert to new things happening, expand yourself by traveling. Stay abreast in your particular field. I have music as an outlet, also. Have outlets to balance your life. And stay involved with young people—listen to them. I have young people around me often. Age is just a number. I go to concerts. I travel.” She laughs in optimism, “Ain’t no stopping us now!”

This has certainly been her life’s motif.

DANCIA PENN, O.B.E., Q.C. Dancia Penn, O.B.E., Q.C., is a lawyer, arbitrator and mediator in active practice in The British Virgin Isles (BVI).

Penn’s career has been diverse and unique. She has had a distinguished career at the Private Bar, and the unique distinction of having served in The Executive, Legislative and Judiciary branches of government. She has served as attorney general, deputy governor of The Virgin Islands, a parliamentarian, deputy premier and minister of Health, Social Development and Gender, and an acting justice of Appeal of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court.

Penn is currently the managing partner of a boutique law firm in the BVI, Dancia Penn & Co. She is a member of The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and a member of the Panel of Arbitrators of The BVI International Arbitration Centre. She also is a qualified mediator on the Roster of Mediators of The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court.

Penn is a graduate of The University of The West Indies and The Norman Manley Law School of The Council of Legal

Education of The West Indies. Among several honors and awards is one from The American Foundation of the University of the West Indies as a Distinguished Caribbean Luminary and a person who has made an indelible contribution to Caribbean life.

In 2018, Penn was conferred with the Pelican Award, the highest peer award of the Alumni of The University of The West Indies for her sterling contributions in the field of politics and for excellence in law.

Penn is a warm, down to earth individual who loves life and people. Among her varied interests are governance, gender equality and the empowerment of women. She is particularly proud that she has been the Representative of Women Parliamentarians from the Caribbean and the Americas on the Commonwealth Women’s Parliamentary Association, among other roles.

ONYX MAGAZINE 13

ELOISE ABRAHAMS, R.N., N.H.A. Eloise Abrahams, R.N., N.H.A., has been helping to improve the lives of Central Floridians, particularly in the African-American community, as nursing home administrator for the Guardian Care Nursing and Rehabilitation Center since 2012. In her position, Abrahams has established an excellent rapport with residents of the 120-bed facility, their families, the Guardian Care staff, and the greater central Florida community.

While at Guardian Care, Abrahams has helped lead the organization to several notable recognitions including the Silver Quality Award from the Agency of Healthcare Administration (ACHA) and a 5-star rating with the ACHA and Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services (CMS) websites.

She also earned a deficiency-free state survey and helped increase the organization’s census ratings within her first year of employment. She has significantly decreased management-level turnover while at Guardian Care.

In October 2018, the facility hosted a historic groundbreaking event to mark the first phase of a planned build-

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out more than a decade in the making. Guardian Care will add an adult day healthcare facility to its campus to serve up to 45 guests daily. The facility will provide doctors on location as well as physician specialists on rotation including: urologists, cardiologists, endocrinologists, orthopedic physicians, and neurologists to ensure guests receive the full continuum of individualized care they need.

Guardian Care’s adult day healthcare facility is the first of several redevelopment projects with others to follow. These redevelopments aim to provide quality living environments as well as effective care strategies through appropriate design and technologies in order to realize greater operational efficiencies, increase the number of private rooms in the nursing home facility from four to 24 helping to keep Guardian Care’s quality of care high and making it a competitive choice for today’s elderly population, and construct a new skilled nursing facility to accommodate approximately 80 beds for residents with higher acuity, skilled nursing and rehabilitation needs.

ANN ASHLEY-GILBERT, M.D., F.A.C.O.G. Dr. Ashley-Gilbert is a pioneer in women’s health in Central Florida. After completing her residency in California, she served as a Lieutenant Junior Grade in the United States Public Health Service providing obstetrical and gynecologic (OB/GYN) care to migrant women in Central Florida. She and Dr. Billie Jean Pace co-founded the Altamonte Women’s Center in 1984. In 2004, the center was named the Best OB/GYN Practice by “Florida Business Magazine.” In 2018, Dr. Ashley -Gilbert was the recipient of the Dr. Alfred R. Bookhardt Orange County Health Equity Award and the Miami Dade County Community Service Award.

She is a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist.

Her mission is to provide information regarding women’s health, wellness and cancer awareness. Currently she serves on the board of the Orlando Metro Unit of the American Cancer Society as a Clinical Champion to help reduce and prevent cervical cancer through Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and early detection. In 2000, she was published in the OB/GYN management supplement magazine regarding HPV treatment.

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She has written numerous articles in the “Godly Business Women’s Magazine,” including “My Hormones Are Stressing Me Out,” and “Why Am I So Tired?”

She currently is a member of the National Medical Association (NMA) and former regional chairperson of the NMA Region III and Florida State Medical Association president.

She was honored by the Girl Scouts of Citrus County in 2013; and received the NAACP of Central Florida Humanitarian Award in Medicine in 2013.

Dr. Ashley-Gilbert is a native Floridian and has an identical twin, Dr. Sharon Ashley-Keith, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A. A graduate of Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, she completed her internship at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in Milwaukee and residency at Martin Luther King Jr. Gen Hospital in Los Angeles.

Her hobbies include sewing exam gowns for her patients, gardening—especially orchids—and traveling. She is married to Pierre Biry and has one daughter, Reyna Gilbert-Lowry, (Spencer), and two granddaughters, Brooklyn and Harlow .

CATHY BROWN-BUTLER Cathy Brown-Butler has been employed by Bank of America since 1993 and currently is a member of the operations team as a business support executive. She works with the Local Markets Organization within the bank to help local teams deliver market strategies and manage processes, tools and resources that provide support for fiscal management, risk and compliance, and brand. Prior to this role, Brown-Butler served as market manager and community relations manager for the bank’s Central Florida region. It was through these roles that she broadened her knowledge of the value and impact of collaborating with community partners.

Brown-Butler has lived in Florida for 26 years and in Central Florida for 22 years. She currently serves on the onePULSE Foundation Board of Trustees, the Nemours Children’s Hospital Florida Board of Managers, and she recently completed two terms with the Seminole State College

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Foundation Board. Through her community involvement, Brown-Butler strives to create a positive impact by advocating for inclusiveness and acceptance, quality education, equality, access to opportunity. Brown-Butler also enjoys creating a path to success and good health for our youth.

In addition to her board participation, she is involved in several civic organizations, including: The Links, Inc., Orlando (FL) Chapter; The Girl Friends, Inc.; Jack & Jill of America, Inc., Orlando Chapter; Leadership Florida; Leadership Orlando; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; and Heart of Florida United Way Women United.

Brown-Butler grew up in Wilmington, Del. She graduated from Simmons University in Boston, Mass., with a Bachelor of Arts degree in finance and a Master of Business Administration degree from Simmons Graduate School of Management. Brown-Butler is married to Brian Butler and they have two sons, Michael James, 21 and Andrew, 18.

MONEY MATTERS

Why Women Still Earn A Lot Less Than Men

By Michele Gillman

Ledbetter’s complaint The Ledbetter Act overturned a Supreme Court case that ruled against Lilly Ledbetter, who worked as an area manager at 20 ONYX MAGAZINE

Goodyear Tire and Rubber for more than 19 years. Over time, her pay slipped until she was earning 15 percent to 40 percent less than her male counterparts.

When an anonymous note tipped her off about the extent of the disparity, Ledbetter filed a pay discrimination complaint under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a statute prohibiting employment discrimination on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin and religion. A jury found in her favor and awarded more than US$3.5 million in damages.

The case was appealed all the way to the Supreme Court, which in 2007 ruled 5-4 that employees must file a complaint within 180 days after their employer makes a pay decision. The fact that the discrimination was embedded in each paycheck and that Ledbetter didn’t know of the disparity for many years did not matter. Time had run out on her claim.

In a vehement dissent read from the bench, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg noted that the ruling denied workplace realities.

She pointed out that since employees often lack information about pay disparities, which can accumulate slowly over time,

they shouldn’t be given such a narrow window in which to file a complaint.

Ultimately, the 111th Congress and President Obama agreed with Justice Ginsburg and nullified the decision. The Ledbetter Act makes clear that the statute of limitations for filing a wage discrimination claim resets with each discriminatory paycheck.

A disappointing impact The law’s impact, however, has been disappointing.

The rate of new wage discrimination cases hasn’t budged, primarily because employees still lack information about their co-workers’ pay. Salary discussions are taboo in most workplaces, and some employers, like Ledbetter’s, forbid it.

Put simply, a woman can’t file a complaint if she doesn’t know she’s being shortchanged.

Title VII wage claims are hard to prove for other reasons too. Title VII generally requires proof that employers acted with discriminatory intent. However, much discrimination in today’s workplace is not intentional but fueled by unconscious gender stereotypes.

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decade ago, on Jan. 29, 2009, newly inaugurated President Barack Obama signed his first bill into law: the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009.

It was the latest legislative effort to close the persistently stubborn gap between how much women and men earn. At the time, women made just 77 centers of every dollar men earned – a level that hadn’t improved all that much since the 1990s, according to Census data.

While existing laws already prohibited gender-based wage discrimination, the Ledbetter Act gave workers more time to sue employers over the issue. And the hope was that it would make a big difference.

So did it?

My research explores the legal hurdles that have prevented women from achieving pay equity with men. Now, 10 years after the act was passed, more work still needs to be done.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama signs two new executive actions aimed at increasing transparency about women’s pay during an event at the White House in Washington April 8, 2014. At left is Lilly Ledbetter. The first law Obama signed after taking office in 2009 was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which overturned the Supreme Court’s 2007 decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Inc., which severely restricted the time period for filing complaints of employment discrimination concerning compensation.

For instance, studies show that workers receive better performance evaluations when they conform to gender stereotypes, such as dominance for men and passivity for women. In one study, participants were asked to award merit-based bonuses to fictional employees with identical personnel files. Men got higher bonuses than women.

The bottom line: Women today earn about 80 cents for every dollar men make earn, up just a few cents since 2009.

And for women of color, the gap is even starker. Latinas earn 52 cents to the dollar of white men, while African-American women earn just 61 cents. Within racial groups, a pay gap between men and women persists, although it is narrower.

Narrow interpretations Of course, employees who believe they are being discriminated against based on gender can also turn to the Equal Pay Act. This act, signed into law in 1963 when women earned only 60 cents for every dollar men earned, does not require a showing of employer intent to discriminate.

The act was the first to prohibit employers from paying men more than women who perform equal work.

The pay gap has since narrowed by about 20 cents, but not because of anti-discrimination laws. The main drivers have been women’s increased educational attainment and entry into the workforce.

The Equal Pay Act hasn’t been effective because courts read the law narrowly. They generally require that women plaintiffs identify a man with an identical job and resumé for comparison. Given that men and women are tracked into different occupations, this can often be impossible.

Moreover, both Title VII and the Equal Pay Act allow employers to defend pay differentials on the basis of “any factor other than sex.” For example, courts have permitted a limitless array of employer excuses for paying women less that are themselves rooted in gender bias, such as women’s weaker salary bargaining skill, lesser management potential or lower prior salary history.

These statutory interpretations may sound technical, but they matter. They help explain why the gap appears stuck at 80 cents and why some estimate it’ll be at least until 2059 until pay equity in the United States is reached.

Why it persists Another reason the gap is so stubborn is that men and women are steered into different occupations, and male-dominated occupations pay more for comparable work.

Even within a traditionally male field such as computer programming, women are paid less. And, as women move into a field, the entire occupation’s wages sink.

Importantly, economists have found that discrimination feeds as much as 38 percent of the gender gap.

Skeptics of the gender gap argue that it results from women’s choices to work fewer hours and stay home to raise children.

It’s true, women bear a larger responsibility for child rearing and thus may cut back their hours or take time off from the workplace – especially because the United States is the only developed country without paid maternity leave and child care is expensive.

But while mothers face a “motherhood penalty” in opportunities and pay, fathers reap a “fatherhood bonus.”

And so-called “choices” cannot explain why female recent college graduates are paid 82 percent of their male counterparts or why the gap widens at the top. Professional women with advanced degrees who work full-time face a gender gap of 74 percent.

Closing the gender gap Closing the gender pay gap is not rocket science – even though recently graduated female rocket scientists earn 89 cents on the dollar to their male peers.

Steps that would help include prohibiting employers from using salary history in setting wages, banning employer retaliation against employees who share wage information, providing greater transparency in pay, and revising Title VII and the Equal Pay Act to better address workplace realities.

The proposed Paycheck Fairness Act – introduced repeatedly in Congress since 1997 but never passed – would codify many of these remedies at the federal level.

And the Trump administration suspended an Obama-era requirement that employers report extensive pay data.

While federal efforts stall, several states, including California, Oregon, Massachusetts, Maryland and New Jersey, have passed their own laws to close the gap.

The economic gains from closing the gender pay gap are huge. Doing so would add about $513 billion to the economy because of the extra income generated, reduce poverty and do a lot to support American families since mothers are the sole or primary breadwinners in about half of them.

Passing the Lilly Ledbetter Act was a start, and now we owe it to American workers to enact laws that close the gap once and for all.

Michele Gillman is a Venable Professor of Law at the University of Baltimore. This story was originally published in The Conversation and has been reprinted with permission.

ONYX MAGAZINE 21

SHERRI T. BROWN Sherri T. Brown is the director of Multicultural Business Development with Visit Tampa Bay. A leader in the hospitality industry for 36 years, she holds an associate in applied science degree in hospitality and tourism management; a Bachelor of Science degree in management; and a Master of Arts degree in marketing. Prior to Visit Tampa Bay, Brown worked at Adams Mark Hotels where she successfully brought in major multicultural conventions and meetings for groups, such as: Filipino Nurses; National Bar Association; Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; Blacks in Government; and the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice.

In September 2008, Brown became the national sales manager for the Multicultural Markets at Tampa Bay & Company. In that role, she made a strong impact by bringing national and international conventions to Tampa. In 2013, she traveled to Macau, China, to draw the International India Film Academy (Bollywood) to Tampa. More than 30,000 attended the event at Raymond James Stadium.

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In 2016, Brown persuaded Joyce Meyer Ministries to host its National Women’s Convention in Tampa after hosting the event in St. Louis, Mo., for 36 years. She has been successful in negotiating contracts with the nation’s largest African-American conventions, including: The Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Nobles Mystic Shrine (AEAONMS); Prince Hall Shriners of North and South America and Its Jurisdictions, Inc.; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; and the National Baptist Convention U.S.A. Brown’s team also won the bid to confirm Tampa as the location for Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.’s, national convention in 2020.

Brown is actively involved in community service. She is an honorary past commandress with Harram Court No. 96 Daughters, an auxiliary of the AEAONMS; a member of Women in Tourism; and a member of the National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners.

Brown lives in Tampa and has a son, Demario, and a daughter, Regina. She is the proud grandmother of Jaylene.

CHLOE JUANITA EVANS CONEY Chloe J. Coney is known as a leader and a community developer, as a woman who wears many hats, and most assuredly as a change agent. Coney established the Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa, Inc., (CDC of Tampa) in 1992, and became its first president and CEO. Under her leadership, CDC of Tampa brought more than $50 million of public and private funding into East Tampa.

The CDC of Tampa Nehemiah Project Community Building Brick by Brick has since enjoyed 26 years of community building through strategic initiatives. These include providing job training, promoting entrepreneurship, developing youth leadership programs, revitalizing commercial areas, and building more than 100 single family homes and more than 500 affordable multifamily housing units.

In 2006, Coney retired from the CDC of Tampa to address constituent concerns, solicit citizen input, and perform community outreach activities as the district director for U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, 14th Congressional District of Florida.

Currently, Coney is a public involvement specialist focused on developing transportation and workforce projects in Tampa with HNTB Corporation, an infrastructure and trans-

portation company. With nearly 40 years of advocating for community building and revitalizing neighborhoods, Coney conducts workshops across the country.

She has received numerous awards: The Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce’s H.L. Culbreath Jr. Award of Leadership; TOBA’s Dr. Ike Tribble Leadership Award ; Tampa Bay Business Hall of Fame; White House President Volunteer of the Year; Tampa Bay Business Journal’s Who’s Who; University of South Florida President’s Distinguished Citizen’s Award; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Community Service Award; Francisco Rodriquez Award from the George Edgecomb Bar Association; and the 2017 Tampa Bay Lightning Foundation Community Heroes award. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Leadership Alumni of Tampa Chamber of Commerce, and Christian Community Development Association.

Coney earned a bachelor’s degree in political science at Florida A&M University. She is married to Pastor Ernest M. Coney, Sr., and they have three children and three grandchildren.

ONYX MAGAZINE 23

5

LEADERSHIP

Answers from a Leader

Y

olanda R. Lee credits businessman George W. Tinsley for the career boost that led her here: proprietor of Outback Steakhouse. Through her company, Lee Vista, Lee is the only African-American woman in Florida to accomplish that feat. Little did she know her human resources and training efforts at a TGI Friday owned by Tinsley would lead her to overseeing operations, and eventually to owning a restaurant. Twenty years later, here she is. She says, “I know I was the last one of (Tinsely’s) managers he expected would still be in the restaurant business.”

She lives by the quote: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you…it doesn’t cost you anything to be kind.”

1. From where do you draw your inspiration every day and how does it impact how you lead others?

My inspiration is drawn from my parents, Albert and Fannie Lee. They taught us to be grateful for opportunities and do what makes us happy, knowing that our possibilities are endless. My parents call (and text) encouraging words of wisdom to us, often, and I still smile and feel the same joy I felt as a child, when I spend time with my family and friends.

I try to bring the same joy and encouragement to others that I receive. I know people have different experiences, so I want to have a positive impact on anyone I meet.

2. What is the single most important decision you have made for your business to date and how has it shaped your business? I feel

an important decision for my business is being guest/community focused. I feel that people often gather around cooking and eating, therefore, using the same mindset,

building those relationships with all people in my community can have a great impact on me and my business.

3. How do you ensure your team and business activities are aligned with your core values? I am trying to

take care of my team in a way that makes them feel a part of something they can help make great. Leading by example and being fair and consistent and speaking my values through expectations and accountability.

5. What words of inspiration do you have for new business leaders/entrepreneurs? Aspire to be the

best you can be by doing what you love and what you are great at doing. Enjoy the ride, although it may be crazy and upside down sometimes. Be willing to learn new things, adapt to change and gain great problem resolution skills and always remember to have fun!

4. What is one character trait you have seen derail other leaders and how do you avoid it? Resistance to

change and not being open to new ideas can sometimes cause a delay in the growth of your business and your personal growth.

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REP. VALDEZ B. DEMINGS Congresswoman Valdez B. Demings was born in Jacksonville, Fla., to James and Elouise Butler.

The first in her family to graduate college, she worked as a social worker, then joined the Orlando Police Department.

Over a 27-year career, Demings had many notable assignments, including commander of the Airport Division, commander of Special Operations, 12 years of service on the Crisis Negotiation Team, commander of the Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Team, and executive vice president of the International Association of Airport and Seaport Police.

In 2007, Demings was selected to serve as Chief for the Orlando Police Department, the first woman to hold that position. Upon taking office, she launched an all-out war against crime. Her tenure was marked by a dramatic 40 percent reduction in violent crime, including robberies, shootings and murders. Chief Demings served as co-chair of the Florida Gang Intervention Regional Task Force. In addition, she founded “Operation Positive Direction,” a youth mentoring program designed to strengthen the relationship between law enforcement and youth in the community.

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In 2016 Demings was elected to Congress in Florida’s 10th District, and today serves on the House Intelligence, Judiciary, and Homeland Security Committees. Demings is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, Women’s Caucus, and New Dems. In addition, Rep. Demings is a regional whip, co-chair of Recruitment for the DCCC, vice chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, and she served on the Elections Security Taskforce.

Rep. Demings stays involved in her community through numerous organizations, including: Saint Mark A.M.E. Church; Federal Judicial Nominating Commission for the Middle District of Florida; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; The United Way of Florida; YMCA; NAACP; Florida Police Chiefs; National Association of Women in Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE); National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE); as well as numerous other affiliations.

Rep. Demings is married to Jerry Demings, who serves as the Orange County (Fla.) mayor. The couple has three sons and five grandchildren

ELIZABETH A. DOOLEY, Ed.D. Elizabeth A. Dooley, Ed.D., is the University of Central Florida’s provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.

She provides academic leadership for UCF’s 13 colleges, multiple campuses, research centers and institutes. She is also responsible for curriculum, academic planning, faculty appointments, faculty development, promotion and tenure decisions.

Before joining UCF in 2015, Dooley was the associate provost for Undergraduate Academic Affairs at West Virginia University (WVU). She served in leadership roles, including associate provost for Undergraduate Academic Affairs and interim dean of the College of Education and Human Services. She was the founding dean of the University College and department chair of curriculum instruction/literacy studies and special education at WVU. Dooley also held a faculty appointment as a professor of special education and curriculum and instruction.

Dooley is a champion of student and faculty success.

She collaborates across UCF to foster a culture of teaching and learning that engages faculty and students in creating knowledge, promoting scholarship and developing cutting-edge teaching and learning practices.

She is steadfast in her commitment to providing educational experiences that help students succeed. “All UCF students are Knights of Distinction,” said Dooley. “It is our obligation to provide everyone with access to an exceptional academic experience. This means that our students have robust and meaningful learning experiences in the classroom and beyond that will enable them to successfully achieve their academic, professional and civic goals after they graduate.”

As part of her unwavering belief that a quality education should be accessible to everyone, Dooley was instrumental in engaging communities across West Virginia in a partnership that created exceptional secondary and post-secondary learning opportunities for more than 2,000 underserved youth.

Dooley also advocates for faculty. She said, “We must promise our faculty an inclusive environment that promotes scholarship and personal and professional growth.”

She holds a doctorate (special education with a minor in higher education administration) and a master’s in special education from WVU; and a bachelor’s in elementary education with a specialization in special education from Alderson Broaddus College.

ONYX MAGAZINE 27

GOOD READ

LIFE. HOPE. LOVE. Books to Live By

By Patricia Brown Denis

The Gift Giver Joyce Hansen After a long search for an intriguing author to highlight this months’ book suggestions, I was introduced to Joyce Hansen by an 8th grader. I think it’s important in Women’s Health Month that we highlight women authors and consider books for young readers that will give mothers something to recommend to their children. Hansen’s first children’s book was published in 1980.

Although published decades ago, “The Gift-Giver” has relatable themes including coming of age, social awkwardness, family and socio-economic challenges, as well as issues related to raising a family in crowded urban cities. The sequel to the Gift-Giver is “Yellow Bird and Me” which was released in 1998. Hansen’s other works include “Women of Hope: African Americans who Made a Difference” and several works of historical fiction.

Love and Hate Mary L. Dance I find that diversity of genre helps to provoke curiosity and reduce monotony. From time-totime I like to read a few poems or get involved with non-fiction. I can recommend “Love and Hate,” which is a first book of poetry written by Tampa author Mary Love Dance. The collection of poems in “Love and Hate” explore the relationship many couples can attest to and feelings most singles can relate to as well. The book really explores the facts of love that we all have to address at some point. The poems resonate from the perspective that there are times when you love someone and at the same time have deep angst against them. In this current age of online dating and single mingle groups Love’s work is appropriate.

Year of Yes Shonda Rhimes As far as non-fiction books are concerned, I highly recommend Shonda Rhimes’ latest work “Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person.” Although she is best known for her work as the writer and executive producer of the night time television dramas “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scandal” and “How to Get Away with Murder,” her work in “Year of Yes” is a reader-friendly voice that takes you inside the personal thoughts that have driven her to success. She gives you a glance at how she has become who she is as an author, producer, and screenwriter. By now, most of us have at least heard of Shonda Rhimes. This book helps you get to know her from inside her extremely creative mind.

Becoming Michelle Obama While looking at the non-fiction world you don’t want to miss “Becoming” by Michelle Obama, the former first lady of the United States. Since “ONYX Magazine” announced the arrival of this long-awaited book in the September/October issue, it has taken the world by storm! Certainly, if you didn’t receive a copy for Christmas or Kwanzaa, you have listened to all of the talk explaining how she mastered the role of being the first African-American woman in the White House, while raising two children and supporting her husband. It also lets you know that she is a force to be reckoned with herself. In the audio version, Mrs. Obama’s own voice fluctuates with emotion while she shares with the world her real-life experiences.

Patricia Brown Denis is a writer and educator in Tampa.

ONYX MAGAZINE 29

LINDA S. HOWARD, CPA, CTP, M.B.A. Linda S. Howard is currently the chief financial officer at Florida Municipal Power Agency (FMPA), where she has worked for the past two years. Prior to employment with FMPA, Howard worked for two years at the Southwest Florida Water Management District and spent most of her career at Orlando Utilities Commission as treasurer and director of Accounting Services.

Howard holds a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license as well as Certified Treasury Professional (CTP) license and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Central Florida. Howard served as the first African-American president of the Florida Government Finance Officers Association (FGFOA), and past president and founding member of the Greater Orlando Chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants, Inc. (NABA).

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Howard also is a long- time member of the Florida Institute of Public Certified Public Accountants (FICPA) where she served as chair of the Financial Literacy Task Force and was selected as FICPA’s Speaker of the Year for her work in the financial literacy arena.

Howard has been happily married for more than 30 years to Ken Howard and they have two wonderful daughters, Kendra and Lucinda. Her hobbies include jogging, reading, and watching mystery television shows and movies. Howard is very active in her church where she teaches, co-chairs the youth scholarship committee, and is active in foreign missions. Her claim to fame is running the Disney Marathon in January of 2004 and again in 2016. Linda’s passion is to help as many people as possible reach their dreams.

JACQUELINE JONES Like Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington and Nancy Wilson, Ms. Jacqueline Jones is a song stylist. This not only separates her from the pack, but it also guarantees performances full of wit and charm that well up from deep inside of her— happy beats that could take you anywhere! While Orlando claims her, Jones was born in Gary, Ind., and has been performing professionally since the age of 4. With deep roots in gospel, she was soon bringing her soulful interpretation to secular tunes like “Guess Who I Saw Today” and “Just the Way You Are.” Before long, Jones traveled to nearby Chicago where she launched her career at smoky jazz clubs while attending Purdue University and pursuing a nursing degree. This kept her from some of those interesting agreements in the world of showbiz. Among her early influences, she names Mahalia Jackson, Ella Fitzgerald, Rosemary Clooney, Sammy Davis Jr., and Frank Sinatra. Jones’ appearance on “The Tonight

Show” sparked engagements at Harrah’s in Las Vegas, Trump’s Castle in Atlantic City and led to engagements around the world from New York to Japan. Ms. Jones is equally at home in intimate settings or large venues, on a concert stage like The College Park Jazz Fest or singing the National Anthem to more than 365 million people at The World Cup Series in 1994. Yes, that was Ms. Jones!

Through the years, Jones has always made time for helping in her community. “At the top of my list are The Steinway Society with Gary and Kathy Grimes and First Monday Night Jazz Jam,” Jones said. Music, health and the arts are her passions. She adds, “I’m glad God gave me such a gift.

Each performance is sharing a bit of that passion with you.

I love the audiences in Central Florida. They’re responsive and supportive. They let you know they are enjoying what you do.”

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NIKKI LEWIS-SIMON Nikki Lewis-Simon serves as Greenberg Traurig, P.A.’s director of Client Development and Corporate Social Responsibility. As part of this evolving role, Lewis-Simon works to strategically align the firm’s diversity and inclusion programming and initiatives with client needs. She serves as an integral component of the business development function on a global scale, expanding the current efforts of the firm’s diversity initiatives in collaboration with crossfirm stakeholders.

Prior to assuming responsibilities on the business side, Lewis-Simon represented her cross-industry clients’ business objectives by protecting their human, intellectual and financial capital against claims of wrongdoing in complex commercial and class action litigation matters and issues involving businesses’ corporate character and brands for more than 15 years, claims for discrimination, defamation, fraud and misrepresentation, professional negligence and malpractice, breach of fiduciary duty, securities law violations and wrongful death.

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A firm believer in the importance of giving back to the community, Lewis-Simon devotes much of her time to important organizations and causes. She is a member of the National Association of Women Lawyers and a member of its Diversity Committee, a member of the Board of Directors of the Kozyak Minority Mentoring Foundation and serves as the immediate past president of the Gwen S. Cherry Black Women Lawyers Association. Lewis-Simon also chairs the Florida Bar’s standing committee on Diversity and Inclusion.

Within the firm, she serves as a liaison to Greenberg Traurig’s Women’s Initiative, a program that supports the inclusion and advancement of women in the legal profession through unique programming and resources designed to benefit the firm’s attorneys, their clients and future lawyers.

Lewis-Simon has been recognized in the “South Florida Legal Guide,” “Top Up and Comer,” “Florida Trend’s” Legal Elite, and in “Diversity Journal’s” Women Worth Watching.

She is a cum laude graduate of the University of Miami College of Law and a cum laude graduate with a bachelor’s degree in print journalism from Florida A&M University.

NOVLET MATTIS As Orlando Health’s chief information officer, Novlet Mattis provides executive leadership for information technology and systems that advance clinical and business strategies and optimize operational processes.

Prior to joining Orlando Health in January 2018, Mattis held similarly prominent leadership roles at other major healthcare systems. During a five-year stint at Ascension Information Services in St. Louis, for example, she served as vice president of information technology, supporting more than 125 hospitals across the United States as well as international joint ventures. At Rex Healthcare in Raleigh, North Carolina, Mattis was vice president of IT and chief information officer and at Seton, an Austin, Texas-based healthcare network that operates more than 100 clinical locations, her

role was program director and Dell practice executive Beyond healthcare enterprises, her career comprises more than 20 years in significant management positions at notable technology companies. They include Dell Global Services, Lucent Technologies and AT&T. A native of Jamaica, Mattis earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Howard University and a master’s degree in business administration from George Washington University, both located in Washington, D.C. Her professional achievements include the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) Certified Healthcare CIO certification. Also, in 2011 while working at Rex Healthcare, Mattis earned the Triangle Business Journal’s Business Woman of the Year recognition.

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Black Lives Matter Is Making Single Moms Homeowners

By Zenobia Jeffries Warfield

I

n May, Tiffany Brown and her children will move into a new home in the historic Black neighborhood of West Louisville, Ken. A single mother of three, Brown has spent most of her adult life in public housing. Her first shot at homeownership comes courtesy of a new project by the Louisville chapter of Black Lives Matter to help provide permanent housing to transient families and low-income single-mother households like hers.

She had recently relocated to Section 8 housing because of involuntary displacement in her previous location, the result of ongoing practices of segregation and unequal access to housing based on race.

The BLM project means Brown and her children not only have access to affordable housing, but now can finally own their home—at no initial cost to them. Her 36 ONYX MAGAZINE

only financial obligations will be to pay the taxes and utilities on the home. She has no mortgage.

Essentially, BLM is gifting them this home.

The four bedroom fixer-upper, which will be ready for moving in this spring, is a step up, she says, from where she and her children previously lived.

“I couldn’t wait to tell my kids we’ll finally have a home of our own,” Brown recalls of the moment she learned she’d been selected by the group. “And we won’t have to worry about anything.”

This is the first home BLM-Louisville has given away.

Last year, the group began raising money to address the issue of homeownership after recognizing the impact that lack of housing was having on the Black community. Thousands of homeless people—men,

women and children—are in Louisville, and there aren’t enough shelters to accommodate them. Hundreds live on the streets, in camps, or in their cars—many of them African American, who make up more than a third of the city’s poor.

Chanelle Helm, the organizer and co-founder of BLM-Louisville, says the goal is to address the marginalization of homeownership for Black people in the city.

Louisville is highly segregated. Its approximately 22 percent Black population lives mostly in the West End, where Shawnee, the historic Black neighborhood of working-class African Americans, emerged during and after White flight, around WWII and into the 1950s.

“Gentrification is what we want to prevent.”

Helm describes the area now as affected by redlining, disinvestment, and crime-

“I couldn’t wait to tell my kids we’ll finally have a home of our own.”

—Tiffany Brown

laced news stories—similar to other mostly Black communities across the country.

But BLM-Louisville and other grassroots organizations and nonprofits in the area have been working to change that.

“Gentrification is what we want to prevent,” says Lyndon Pryor, chief engagement officer of Louisville Urban League.

While economic diversity is part of revitalization and redevelopment in any area, he says, “We do not believe that should come at the expense of the people who currently live here, the people, the history and culture that currently exist in West Louisville,” Pryor says. “We don’t have to lose one to gain the other.”

He believes that much still can be done “and will be done to ensure [the West End]

remains primarily in the hands of the people it belongs to now.”

In the meantime, Helm says, the lack of stable housing is “breaking people apart.”

BLM Louisville holds the deeds to five other houses that have either been gifted to the group or that it purchased with $50,000 donated by the community to help house low-income families. The homes they purchased have ranged from $5,000 to $10,000.

One of the five houses BLM owns will serve as emergency housing for families that have been evicted or displaced and have nowhere else to go.

Donations have come from throughout Louisville—some as little as 63 cents.

The funds will also go toward rehabbing

houses, and the group plans to acquire more houses as the program grows, and more donations come in. “This is what we got to do to get ahead,” Helm says.

The BLM-Louisville program essentially functions like a co-op, supported by funds the organization raises.

The idea of providing empty houses in the city for families in need has always been on people’s minds, she says. The thinking was, “All these vacant and abandoned houses and buildings, why don’t we just put people in them?”

“Of course, the city is like, ‘Well, that costs money.’” But, she says, they are spending money on everything else.

“They’re spending millions of dollars on studies … on when to get a fucking soccer stadium, millions of dollars on a new highrise building, millions of dollars in various different places that has nothing to do with the economic injustice that has been done to West Louisville.”

The BLM-Louisville program essentially functions like a co-op, supported by funds the organization raises. Contractors, other professionals, and community volunteers donate their talent, time, and work to make it all possible.

For Brown, the process of owning her first home was uncomplicated—and informal. She wasn’t required to fill out an application, but she had to write a biographical essay. In it, she described her struggle with drugs, kicking her addiction, and regaining custody of her children. She’s been 10 years clean. Approval took two to three months.

And she’s also putting in sweat equity.

“Next week, I’m going over there to help hang drywall, put in floors, whatever I need to do to get the house ready,” she says. In May, when she’s scheduled to move in, BLM-Louisville will hand over the deed to Brown.

Gone for her and her family are concerns of not being able to pay increasing rents, or being evicted or displaced. Instead, she can focus on finishing her associate degree this winter, and getting a bachelor’s while starting a career in drug and alcohol counseling to help those who face the same challenges she once did.

Zenobia Jeffries Warfield is an associate editor at YES! She covers racial justice. This story originally ran in Yes! and has been reprinted with permission.

ONYX MAGAZINE 37

SAGE

Across the Miles Long distance care of a loved one doesn’t have to tear you apart.

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4. Spend quality time during visits – It’s easy to get wrapped up in

caregiving responsibilities. When you visit, set aside time with your loved one to participate in activities unrelated to caregiving. Go see a movie together, plan a visit to see other family members, go for a walk or simply relax at home.

5. Get to know neighbors and friends – Get to know your loved one’s neighbors and identify one or two trustworthy individuals who can check in and give you occasional updates.

6. Learn more about caregiving – Find support to help you become a better caregiver.

For example, Home Instead Senior Care offers resources that can help family members provide better care and learn skills, such as how to safely move someone from a bed to a chair, how to help someone bathe, and how to prevent and treat bed sores, as well as basic first aid.

Family members looking for additional resources and support relating to long-distance caregiving can visit caregiverstress. com or find a local Home Instead Senior Care office by going to www.homeinstead. com/state.

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Long-distance caregiving for a parent or senior loved one is a difficult reality for many adults.

A study by Home Instead, Inc., franchisor of the Home Instead Senior Care network, finds that 23 percent of American adults currently care for an older relative who lives more than an hour away.

Providing care from a distance can be stressful. But if relocating closer to a loved one is not an option, Home Instead recommends the following tips to make providing long-distance care a little easier: 1. Establish open communication – When visiting your loved one, make time to meet the individuals who are part of his or her everyday life. Whether that’s a physician or caregiver, it’s important to get to know those involved in the daily care of a loved one.

2. Be observant – Do your loved ones avoid answering specific questions about their health? Have they stopped participating in their usual activities? Are they unaware of current events or forgotten important dates? These may be warning signs that they need additional care or help around the house.

3. Be prepared – Create a list of your older adult’s medical issues/medications, doctor’s names, and legal documents in case you need to access them from afar during an emergency.

VICKIE OLDHAM Vickie Oldham enjoys good storytelling. Presently Oldham, the president of Vickie O! Heritage Productions, is spearheading a groundbreaking historic preservation project called “Newtown Alive.” It began as an initiative to trace the 100-year history of the African-American community of Newtown, a community in Sarasota, Fla., but has quickly expanded into a heritage tourism project that is causing residents and visitors to take a second look at the neighborhood through the lens of history.

Oldham and her team completed a comprehensive 350page research report. Other “Newtown Alive” products include a book and 15 historic markers that tell stories about the resilience of Sarasota’s black pioneers. There is a documentary short film, a guided trolley tour, a traveling exhibition, a heritage trail brochure, the newtownalive.org website, a mobile application, videotaped oral history interviews, an inventory of 150 historic structures and public lectures.

In January 2019, the U.S. Civil Rights Trail included a new entry—the Newtown Neighborhood Heritage Tour featuring car caravans and “wade-ins” to integrate county beaches.

Oldham penned the proposal. In 2018, the Florida Trust

for Historic Preservation honored Oldham’s team with an outstanding achievement award. “Sarasota Magazine” presented her with its annual Unity Award. She was selected a Diversity Scholar by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and presented a session at the 2018 conference.

Oldham’s propensity for asking questions is the impetus that led to another African-American history project. In 2004 she spearheaded the “Looking for Angola” project.

Multi-disciplinary in its approach, archaeologists, anthropologists and historians are piecing together the story of a little known and almost forgotten 1800’s Black Seminole settlement that existed in the Tampa Bay region.

The Sarasota resident was a reporter and TV host at the local ABC affiliate after receiving a bachelor’s degree in telecommunications at the University of Florida and a master’s degree in fine arts at Florida State University’s Conservatory of Motion Picture, Television and Recording Arts. She hosted a popular public affairs program called “Common Ground” and has appeared in numerous commercials. Oldham has produced a series of short historical documentaries.

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

How to Balance Diet and Activity to Lose and Maintain Weight

C

elebration of the new year has passed and promises you made for yourself may be broken or kept. If you have kept them, congratulations. I applaud you for taking your health seriously. We all know that life can get in the way with work and just living through day-to-day issues. So, let’s talk about your weight. If your body weight has not changed for several months, you are in caloric balance. If you need to gain or lose weight, you will need to balance your diet and activity level to achieve your goal. To see how many calories you should have in a day to achieve and maintain your recommended weight, do an internet search for the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2015–2020.

To learn how many calories you are taking in, be honest daily and write down the foods you eat and the beverages you drink, plus the calories they have. By writing down what you eat and drink, you become more aware of what you are consuming.

Also, begin to write down your physical 40 ONYX MAGAZINE

activity each day and the length of time you do it.

Here are simple paper and pencil tools to assist you: • Start a Food Diary • Document a Physical Activity Diary Do you want to try a web-based approach to track your food intake and physical activity? Try something new called Tele-health. Send me an email at info@ Hebninutrition.org and we can do some online tracking and chat room discussion to manage your health. The site will give you a personalized diet and activity plan.

Recommended Physical Activity Levels • For adults, two hours and 30 minutes every week (about 22 minutes each day or 50 minutes three times per week), of moderate-intensity aerobic activity such as brisk walking and muscle-strengthening exercise on two or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs,

hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms).

• Increase the intensity or the amount of time that you are physically active to improve health benefits and control body weight.

• Encourage children and teenagers to be physically active for at least 60 minutes each day—almost every day.

Each person’s body has different needs for calories and exercise. A healthy lifestyle requires balance in the foods you eat, the beverages you drink, the way you do daily activities, adequate sleep, stress management, and in the amount of activity in your daily routine. Counting calories all the time is not necessary, but it may help you in the beginning to find out how many calories are in the foods and drinks you consume regularly as you strive to achieve energy balance. A test of balance is whether or not you are gaining, maintaining, or losing weight.

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By Roniece Weaver

Let’s do some straight talk first.

Q: I’ve heard it is more important to worry about carbohydrates than calories. Is this true?

A: By focusing only on carbohydrates, you can still eat too many calories. Also, if you reduce the variety of foods in your diet, you could exclude vital nutrients and not be able to stay on the diet over time.

Q: Does it matter how many calories I eat as long as I am maintaining an active lifestyle?

A: While physical activity is a vital part of weight control, so is controlling the number of calories you eat. If you take in more calories than you use, you will still gain weight.

Q. What other factors besides diet and behavior contribute to overweight and obesity?

A: Environment and genetic factors may add to causes of overweight and obesity.

Women on the Move who want to do better should try the following: Cutting Calories at Every Meal You can cut calories by eating foods high in fiber, making better drink choices, avoiding portion size pitfalls, and adding more fruits and vegetables to your eating plan.

Losing Weight Even a modest weight loss, such as 5 to 10 percent of your total body weight, can produce health benefits.

Physical Activity for a Healthy Weight Lastly, women on the move must increase their physical activity. Physical activity can increase the number of calories your body uses for energy or “burns off.”

The burning of calories through physical activity, combined with reducing the number of calories you eat, creates a “calorie deficit” that can help with weight loss.

Find a buddy to keep you accountable, which includes friends and or family members. Introduce your new goals to your family so they can jump on the health bandwagon. For those who feel they are alone, don’t be discouraged. Someone will notice your progress and I promise you, it will be contagious with friends and family because you will have a new look and attitude. For more information seek help from a dietitian. We would love to meet with you through our new telehealth model.

Stay healthy and Stay well! Roniece

Roniece Weaver, M.S., L.D., R.D., is a registered dietician and president executive director and founding partner of Hebni Nutrition Consultants.

ONYX MAGAZINE 41

CLEMMIE PERRY Clemmie Perry is the founder and executive director of Women of Color Golf (WOCG), and Girls On the Green Tee (GOTG-T). The mission of WOCG & GOTG-T is to promote and facilitate the inclusion of minority women and girls into the game of golf. WOCG seeks to create a spark of interest and inspiration in the game of golf. This inspiration is then turned into action with organized golf clinics, recreational golf events, business networking & mentoring opportunities. WOCG started in 2014, and has introduced more than 500 minority women and girls to the fundamentals of golf in the Tampa and St. Petersburg, Fla., area and in Washington, D.C. WOCG and GOTG-T programs have grown into a nationally recognized community-based organization, with recognition by former President Barack Obama as a U.S. White House Champion of Change for After School Programs for Marginalized Girls.

Perry has more than 20 years of experience working for two Fortune 500 companies (Lockheed Martin Corporation

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and Florida Power & Light Company). At Lockheed Martin Corporation, Perry served as the corporate e-learning training manager. She was responsible for managing virtual learning teams and developing online corporate training materials for 130,000 Aerospace & Defense employees. At Florida Power & Light Company in Miami, she was responsible for electrical distribution systems training and the implementation of smart grid & smart meter technology training programs.

Perry earned her bachelor’s degree from Florida A&M University (FAMU) in Tallahassee and an master’s degree from Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale.

She is a member of the FAMU Alumni Association, National Football League (NFL) Cheerleader Alumni Association and the LPGA Amateurs Golf Association. She currently serves on the World Golf Foundation Diversity & Inclusion 2020 Task Force, the Women’s Golf Task Force and is a Board Member for the Florida Sports Hall of Fame (FSHOF).

COMMISSIONER VICTORIA SIPLIN In the 2018 August Primary, Victoria P. Siplin was overwhelmingly re-elected Commissioner of Orange County District by 75 percent of her constituents. She made history in 2014 as the first Haitian-American elected official in Central Florida and served as vice-mayor of Orange County in 2017.

Siplin’s personal story embodies the American Dream, and she is living proof of the mantra “hard work pays off.”

Born in Nassau, Bahamas, to Haitian parents, Siplin became an orphan at 3 and was sent to live with an aunt in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. She graduated Dillard High School with honors and attended Indian River State College. She credits her success to God and her grandmother.

Siplin began her journey as a public servant when she secured the coveted crown as “Miss Dillard” and worked as a page for Florida State Senator Carrie P. Meek and Senator Arnett E. Girardeau. Her grassroots advocacy includes being a mentor, community organizer and nonprofit fundraiser. She participates in the annual School Supply Giveaway; annual Christmas Toys Giveaway; and Swimming

Babies initiative. She is the founder of Miss Haiti South Florida Scholarship and is active in other important initiatives.

Siplin chairs the National Haitian American Elected Officials Network and a proud member on the National Association of Counties; Florida Association of Counties; MetroPlan Orlando Board of Directors; I-Drive Master Transit & Improvement District Governing Board; Downtown Development Board/Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA); Orange County Community Action Board, Orange County Children and Family Services Board; Orange County Head Start Policy Council; Orange Blossom Trail Development Board; National Congress of Black Women; National Association of 100 Black Women; Orlando Minority Youth Golf Association; and NAACP. Siplin is the general manager of and paralegal at the Siplin Law, P.A., a staple in the Pine Hills community. She is married to the Honorable Gary Siplin (Florida Legislature 2000-2012), and is mother to Joshua and Jacob and Gary, Jr. (Angelica).

ONYX MAGAZINE 43

CAROLYN HOUSE STEWART Attorney Carolyn House Stewart of Tampa is the 28th International President of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Under her leadership, members volunteered six million hours of service and impacted the lives of 26 million people in communities all over the globe. Under a signature program, members enrolled 15,836 middle school-age girls in the Emerging Young Leaders (EYL) program, registered 85,000 new voters through the International Connection Committee activities, and hosted more than 389 community youth summits. Her efforts resulted in the reactivation of 17,951 members and active membership reached historic numbers of 58,679.

Stewart is formerly of counsel and a former shareholder in the law firm of Macfarlane Ferguson & McMullen, one of Florida’s oldest law firms; she was with the firm since 1994.

She was managing attorney for Carolyn House Stewart, P.A., and represented the City of Tampa’s Civil Service Board; and serves as litigation defense counsel for Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART).

She was awarded a Congressional Record Citation by Congresswoman Kathy Castor for her leadership and service to the community and was recognized as a Trail Blazer by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida in 2018. In April 2018, she was one of seven inductees into the inaugural University of South Florida Fraternity and Sorority Hall of Fame. In August 2018, Stewart was inducted into the National Bar Association Hall of Fame for her commitment to advancing justice and civil rights, and for 40 years of exemplary service to the legal profession. Her videoed oral history will be added to “History Makers” in the digital files of the Library of Congress.

Stewart graduated with a juris doctor degree from the University of South Carolina Law Center. In addition to her law degree, Stewart holds a bachelor’s degree in history and social science education from the University of South Florida. She is married to Attorney Delano Stewart and they have a daughter, Delsha, who recently graduated from law school.

ONYX MAGAZINE 45

MEDICALLY SPEAKING

Flex Moves

Can chiropractic care improve your sex life?

By Kevin Kinney, D.C.

Flexibility, Coordination‌ Kama Sutra?

Improved range of motion, flexibility, balance, and coordination are a few of the physical changes associated with chiropractic adjustments. While you may not be performing the full Kama Sutra, a little-added mobility in the bedroom can only add to the possibilities.

Additionally, chiropractic adjustments have been shown to increase speed and reflexes, for the adventurous types.

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Blood Rush Blood flow to sexual organs is imperative to high-quality sexual engagement. Erectile dysfunction, as well as female arousal issues, are directly related to the amount of blood that is able to flow to the organs.

Research and MRI studies have shown that chiropractic adjustments increase blood and CSF flow following treatment.

Other studies have shown that a single adjustment may significantly lower blood pressure, with equivalence to two blood pressure medications. Increased blood flow allows reproductive organs to fully engorge, improving sensitivity, stimulation, and overall arousal.

Strong Like Bull, or Women Muscle strength and endurance play a larger role in sex than most people tend to realize. From core strength needed to generate power in the hips, to the strain placed on your legs and arms depending on the position, sex can certainly be a full body workout, if done correctly. Even the muscles of your pelvic floor (think Kegels) are taxed during intercourse.

Chiropractic adjustments allow the body to sustain and engage in prolonged activity while also improving blood and lymph flow, both key for optimal muscle performance where it counts. Blood flow to the organs and muscles involved in sex is vital and equally as important is the removal of waste products from the same tissues via lymphatic flow.

Brain Sex While the reproductive organs get most of the shine during sex, the most vital organ in fulfilling sex is the brain. There are four major nerves that play a central role in the transmission of sensory and motor impulses, all of which integrate with the brain and spinal cord.

These nerves are responsible for relaying the sensory input from reproductive organs to the brain to be interpreted, and conversely sending appropriate motor responses to received stimuli, such as increased blood flow. Chiropractic adjustments remove nervous system interference allowing efficient transmission of these signals and improve overall brain function.

Additionally, chiropractic adjustments have been shown to increase alpha brainwave patterns which are associated with parasympathetic states needed for high-quality sexual experiences.

Bonus: Studies have also shown improvements in breathing capacity following chiropractic adjustments. I will let you all use your imagination for the benefits in the bedroom.

Dr. Kevin Kinney, is a board certified and licensed chiropractic physician. This story ran in BlackDoctor.org and has been republished with permission.

Adobe Stock

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hen most of us think of sex, the immediate things that come to mind are the feelings associated with it. Rarely do we consider the physiologic processes that are involved in high-quality physical encounters, such as blood flow, metabolism, motor function, and coordination.

However, sex is the sum total of these processes, and more, working congruently to achieve a peak physical performance.

The communication of all of these various and distinct processes occur within the body’s communication system, also known as the nervous system. And like any physical performance, optimal nervous system function is key to reach your maximum potential during sex.

Below are four and a half ways of how keeping your nervous system optimized via chiropractic care can improve your sex life.

Advertise on Clear Channel Outdoor Billboards. Contact ONYX Media Group.

Contact our sales representatives today.

Call 855-986-6699 for more information www.onyxmagazine.com

REP. GERALDINE THOMPSON When Florida state Rep. Geraldine F. Thompson was elected on November 6, 2018, to serve House District 44, she became the first female, democrat, and person of color to be elected to the district, which includes Isleworth, Windermere, Buena Vista, I-Drive, and Williamsburg.

After receiving an undergraduate degree from the University of Miami in 1970 and a Master of Science degree from the Florida State University in 1973, Rep. Thompson served for six years as an Orange County Public School teacher. She later served for 24 years as an administrator at Valencia Community College where she established the College Reach Out Program, which allowed thousands of low income and disadvantaged students to fulfill their dream of going to college.

Rep. Thompson developed a reputation as a respected historian for compiling the history of African Americans in Central Florida and authoring the book “Black America: Orlando, Florida”. She led the campaign to preserve one of Orlando’s unique landmarks, the Wells’Built Hotel which,

during the days of segregation, provided lodging to some of America’s most prominent citizens including Justice Thurgood Marshall. Today, that landmark is known as the Wells’Built Museum of African American History and Culture.

She previously served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2006 until 2012. She was elected to the Florida Senate in 2012 and served until 2016. Significant legislation, which she initiated and saw passed, included bills to exonerate the Groveland Four; provide compensation to James Joseph Richardson who was wrongfully incarcerated for 22 years; and outlaw discrimination against pregnant women in the workplace.

Rep. Thompson was born in New Orleans, La., and grew up in the South Dade town of Perrine, Fla., where members of her family worked in agriculture and construction. She is married to the Honorable Judge Emerson R. Thompson, Jr. She is the mother of three children, Laurise, Emerson III, and Elizabeth, and the proud grandmother of four. She enjoys reading and traveling.

ONYX MAGAZINE 49

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Pause The Men Still

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Joyce “Fenderella” Irby is the original lead singer and bass player on three of Klymaxx’s four biggest records, including the crossover smash, “I Miss You.” The all-girl band originated in Los Angeles, and had a string of hit records from 1985-1990. Joyce, as a solo artist on Motown, also had the No. 1 selling Billboard Urban hip hop record “Mr. D.J.” with Doug E. Fresh in the summer of 1989.

Some of Klymaxx’s biggest records include “Meeting in the Ladies Room,” “The Men All Pause,” “I Miss You,” “I’d Still Say Yes,” with Shalamar’s Howard Hewett, “Diva’s Need Love Too,” “Man Size Love” from the “Running Scared”

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soundtrack, “Sexy,” and “Good Love.”

Before joining the group, Joyce used to stand on the loading dock outside concerts with her bass. That’s where she was first noticed by George Clinton, who took her under his wing, and has remained her mentor to this day. She also charted a single as “Fenderella” called “A Wild & Crazy Song” on Miami based TK Records, (KC and The Sunshine Band). It charted on Cashbox’s Urban hot 100 at No. 78. The loading dock is where she met Solar President Dick Griffey and producer Leon Sylvers. She got the call a few months later to come to L.A. On Klymaxx’s second album, the girls

had the opportunity to record with famed producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

It was Jimmy who insisted Joyce do lead vocals after he heard her singing while he was playing the piano in the studio. For the group’s third album, “Meeting in the Ladies Room,” Joyce penned and recorded the track for the group’s first single, “The Men All Pause” (lyrics by Bernadette Cooper), and the band was on its way.

Bernadette left Klymaxx in 1987 to pursue her solo project and other pursuits.

Joyce, after getting her solo offer from Motown was supposed to remain a member of Klymaxx and record on the group’s next album.

Photos courtesy of Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival

Joyce Irby & Klymaxx: The Femme Mafia rules the stage

Joyce relocated permanently to Atlanta in the early 1990s and was a crucial engineer of Atlanta’s early rise on the national music scene. She solicited the city to major label heads, and hit producers, starting in 1986, as the next “place to be” and suggested they create satellite offices in Atlanta.

Joyce perfected her abilities for talent development and formed her production and publishing companies, (Diva One). She signed and developed multiplatinum writers and producers, including Dallas Austin, to her Diva One MusicCompany. Dallas produced the first Boyz II Men and TLC albums while signed to Diva One. Joyce also signed and developed 13 year old, platinum selling phenom Sammie. In 2004 Joyce’s 18-year-old signee, Lloyd, finally had a hit with his debut single, “Southside” featuring Ashanti, on Irv Gotti’s Murder Inc/Def Jam label. And Joyce signed and developed platinum, writer/ producer Jasper Cameron, whose credits include performers Young Money, Ciara, Lloyd & Christina Aguilera.

In 2013 Joyce won an ASCAP songwriter award for co-penning one of the most played urban records 2012, a top five single “Another Round,” by Fat Joe, w/ Chris Brown, Mary J Blige and Fabulous.

Realizing how much she has missed singing in the studio, Joyce is excited writ-

ing and recording new music for herself. In 2017 she and former label mate Howard Hewett recorded another duet called “Because You.” Released in Europe, the song was met with great reviews and made a mark in the United Kingdom. Joyce hopes to promote “Because You” domestically, and finish a solo project and one with her group, Joyce Irby & Klymaxx.

Joyce as “the voice of Klymaxx,” has put together a top flight performing group, which includes two members, who did perform as supplemental players with the original Klymaxx, on keys and drums.

Joyce Irby & Klymaxx have a high energy show which includes proven crowd favorites! The group is also completing its first album project. “Take U Back” the first single is available a free download here on the site. Both songs “Because You” and “Take U Back” were produced by Joyce’s good friend Grammy-nominated producer Wirlie Morris.

History by Joyce Irby

ONYX MAGAZINE 51

RIVA TIMS, Th.D. Riva Tims, Th.D., is living the majestic life as a pastor for more than 20 years, a mother, motivational speaker, and an entrepreneur.

The Maryland native was raised in a Christian home with her identical twin sister, Rená. Tims earned her doctorate in theology from Christian Bible Institute while simultaneously receiving an honorary doctorate in divinity degree from St. Thomas Christian University.

Tims is the host of “The Glory of Gospel” radio program on 94.5 FM. She was a “Gospel Now Magazine” 2010 People’s Choice Award nominee; she received the National Association of Professional Women Woman of the Year Award 2010/2011 and in 2012, gospel singer Yolanda Adams presented Tims with the Lady of the Year Award. In Jan 2017, she was a recipient of the prestigious President’s Lifetime Achievement Award presented on behalf of President Barack Obama.

Tims is the author of “When It All Falls Apart,” “Freedom Through Forgiveness” and “When It All Comes Together.”

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She produced a CD project single “Incredible God” on her record label Zion Records.

Tims has the honor of being recognized as a sought-after speaker, emcee and conference host. She has made various national television appearances on “Life Today with James and Betty Robison,” “The 700 Club” on TBN and “The Joni Lamb Show” to name a few. Tims has ministered at the acclaimed Tom Joyner Family Reunion Gospel Explosion for several years. She ministers to thousands of women through her own nationally recognized women’s conference “Woman at the Well” in addition to sharing platforms across the nation for other women’s conferences.

Tims openly expresses her greatest joy in life is being a mother of love and excellence for her four children. She devotes most of her spare time to the special needs of her son born with cerebral palsy. In her quiet moments she enjoys reading, performing arts, history, and spending quality time with her children.

JOIN OUR TEAM ONYX Magazine celebrates 20 years of entertaining, inspiring and informing African Americans throughout Florida. Join our team as we continue to expand. We are seeking experienced and enthusiastic Sales Representatives and Writers. Send your resume’ and writing clips (for writers) to info@onyxmagazine.com or call 407-451-2891.

ENTERTAINS, INSPIRES AND INFORMS

ONYX MAGAZINE 53

PAULETTE WALKER, Ed.D. Paulette C. Walker, Ed.D., is the 25th National President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She was initiated into the Sorority through the Epsilon Epsilon Chapter of Michigan State University in October 1966.

Walker is an educator in every sense of the word. In July 2011, she retired as the director of Undergraduate Programs and Internship in the College of Education at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Walker’s research agenda focused on curriculum and instruction as well as administration and supervision issues in urban schools. She has shared her research and expertise during presentations at local, regional and national conferences, university and college campuses, and school districts. Walker is the co-author of the book, “We Can Have Better Urban Schools.” She has served as a classroom teacher, middle school and high school counselor, director of counseling, assistant principal, and districtwide supervisor of state and federal projects.

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Walker received her Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics education, Master of Arts degree in guidance and counseling and her Doctor of Education degree in Administration and Supervision all from The University of Michigan.

Walker’s noteworthy accomplishments have earned her numerous awards; keys to cities; city and state proclamations; other special honors; and recognition from a multitude of professional, civic and religious organizations.

Walker is an active member of Mt. Olive AME Church in Tampa, where she serves on the Trustee Board. Her motto is “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

A Detroit native, Walker has called the Tampa area home since February 1990. She is a widow and the proud mother of two adult sons and twelve grandchildren. Walker is the only child of Helen and the late Otis Felton. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and sewing.

MELANIE WILLIAMS Melanie Williams is the senior vice president of Operations for Frontier Communications, South Region, where she leads seven states and more than 1,587 employees. Her charter is continuous growth and service delivery excellence for Frontier’s customers. Her team is top-ranked in customer experience and broadband growth through 2018.

Williams served as region president of Verizon Florida prior to its 2016 acquisition by Frontier. Other Verizon roles include: Florida’s operations director responsible for statewide service delivery and support for Verizon’s fiber product portfolio; sales director in the Florida Consumer and mass business markets, as well as earlier multi-channel Director assignments in Texas, Ohio and New Jersey.

Williams is active in the Tampa Bay business, academic, and volunteer communities. She serves as member of the University of Tampa Board of Trustees and Chairman of the Facilities Committee; member of the Tampa Bay Greater Chamber of Commerce; board member with the Tampa-Hillsborough Economic Development Council; cabinet member for the American Heart Association (AHA), American Stroke Association and Go Red for Women. Her personal commitment to AHA raised more than $200K.

Selected for the HART Board in April 2018 by Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, Williams has an impact on helping to improve transportation for the diverse businesses and individuals in Hillsborough County. Williams was appointed vice chair of the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) Board of Directors for 2019.

For her commitment and involvement in the community, Williams was selected as a “Tampa Bay Business Journal” 2017 Businesswoman of the Year finalist, while with Verizon, Williams was a three-time consecutive recipient of the National Telecom Leaders Award, and twice served as a Verizon affinity group president.

Throughout her career, Williams has focused her considerable energy on business success through transformational leadership, forward thinking strategy, employee empowerment and development, quality service delivery, and strong fiscal stewardship.

Melanie received her master’s degree in professional development, with a concentration in leadership, from Dallas Baptist University, and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in management from Nova Southern University in Florida.

ONYX MAGAZINE 55

TONJUA WILLIAMS, Ph.D. Tonjua Williams, Ph.D., is the seventh president of St. Petersburg College. A St. Petersburg native, Williams began her tenure with the college 31 years ago, rising through the ranks in a variety of academic and administrative roles, including senior vice president for Student Services and provost of the Tarpon Springs Campus.

Enhancing student success and the quality of their experience is one of her most treasured values. Williams is recognized nationally as an expert in student development and strategic planning that transforms departments and institutions. She is a local, state, and national presenter and has served as a Retention Management System (RMS) associate trainer and consultant for Noel Levitz and a resident faculty member for the Center for Community College Engagement High Impact Practices, Men of Color Institutes, and Entering Student Success Institutes.

She holds a doctorate in higher education administration from Barry University with a specialization in Educational Leadership. She has participated in several leadership programs including the prestigious Aspen Presidential Fellow-

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ship for Community College Excellence.

Williams’ passion is to help others overcome obstacles and succeed in life. As a recipient of community outreach services and a member of “the village,” she understands the importance of reaching out to others and helping them realize their full potential. Being the first in her family to attend college and earn a degree, she strongly supports any initiative designed to help others understand their ability to be successful.

Williams is active in her community and has received many awards and recognitions—most recently the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development’s John E. Roueche International Leadership Award, the Tampa Bay Business Journal’s Businesswoman of the Year Award, and also this year was named one of the top 25 women in higher education by “Diverse Issues in Higher Education” for making a difference in society by tackling some of higher education’s toughest challenges, exhibiting extraordinary leadership skills and making a difference in the community.

COMMUNITY

d e d a e r h Ret Florida social enterprise, Rethreaded, upcycles discarded leather seat covers donated by Southwest Airlines®

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ethreaded is continuing its partnership with Southwest Airlines to produce a line of leather accessories inspired by the winning designs seen on last night’s fan-favorite Unconventional Materials episode of Project Runway All Stars, Season 7. Designers were tasked with creating a look for modern day air travel from provided materials, and crafting a leather accessory out of upcycled Southwest aircraft seat covers, in less than 24 hours. Episode winner Irina Shabayeva consulted the women of Rethreaded on the production of the new accessories, for sale at www.rethreaded.com/pages/rethreadedxsouthwest.

“We are so proud to be collaborating with Southwest Airlines to create opportunities for survivors of human trafficking to reclaim their lives,” said Rethreaded founder Kristin Keen. “This partnership has already allowed us to scale our operations and transform the lives of women in our community.”

In the January 16 episode, Southwest provided items commonly used in air travel, including coffee cups, peanut packets, seat belts, and aircraft seat leather.

These items were specifically chosen to showcase how everyday items can be creatively repurposed into something new.

Safety vests became a sporty jacket, ticket jackets became a geometric top, and in Shabayeva’s winning look, paper cups became a vibrant red, futuristic miniskirt set. All looks featured a leather accessory crafted from Southwest seat leather, with the top designs to be reproduced by Rethreaded

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for sale online. Typically, this would be impossible to do with the unconventional materials challenge, but Rethreaded’s past history of engagement with the airline made it a natural fit to take on the project.

The result is a unique, one of a kind Project Runway All Stars inspired line.

Rethreaded first collaborated with Southwest in 2017 as part of the airline’s ongoing Repurpose with Purpose initia-

tive, an effort to upcycle discarded material into useful products with the help of partner organizations. This initiative helps generate social and economic opportunities for the community partners it serves. Rethreaded, which provides survivors of human trafficking a second chance at life through long-term employment coupled with mental health services, transformed thousands of pounds of discarded leather into a line of

unique jewelry and accessories. Southwest further offered its support through a grant that allowed the organization to purchase new sewing machines.

“At Southwest, we have long been dedicated to global citizenship and Repurpose with Purpose allows us to lead in that effort while continuously minimizing our environmental footprint and maximizing our social impact,” said Linda Rutherford, Southwest Airlines Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer.

“We are thrilled to showcase our creative upcycling efforts through our partnership with Project Runway All Stars, and help empower women through our ongoing partnership with Rethreaded.”

Rethreaded’s in-house team of artisans, salespeople, and managers—many of whom have found freedom from human trafficking with the nonprofit’s services— will expand the line to include a limited edition collection of products inspired by the unconventional materials episode. Shabayeva has visited Rethreaded headquarters in Jacksonville and helped direct the look of the final products.

“The collaboration not only repurposes discarded material otherwise destined for a landfill,” said Beata Gutman, founder of Grasshopper. “It also allows Rethreaded to expand their business and hire even more women in need of new skills and support systems.”

Keen founded Rethreaded in 2012 to provide a safe and supportive environment for victims of trauma and exploitation. It gives career opportunities to women coming out of human trafficking. The women begin with a six-month development program that includes on-the-job training as well as mental health counseling, crisis management, and case management. They are then fully integrated into the business through one of five departments and are pivotal in all aspects of the organization.

Rethreaded is part of a network of charities, community organizations, and change makers within Southwest’s Repurpose with Purpose campaign.

Rethreaded’s mission is to renew hope, reignite dreams and release potential for survivors of human trafficking locally and globally through business. Rethreaded provides a second chance at life through employment for survivors of human trafficking in Jacksonville, Florida. Women have employment opportunities in different facets of the company including production, inventory, sales, marketing and finance/admin. Rethreaded also operates as a distribution company that sells products from like-minded businesses who also employ women who have found freedom from the sex trade.

In its 48th year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) con-

tinues to differentiate itself from other air carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by more than 58,000 Employees to a Customer base topping 120 million passengers annually. Southwest became the nation’s largest domestic air carrier in 2003 and maintains that ranking based on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s most recent reporting of domestic originating passengers boarded. In peak travel seasons, Southwest operates more than 4,000 weekday departures among a network of 99 destinations in the United States and 10 additional countries. Southwest has announced its intention to serve Hawaii, subject to requisite governmental approvals.

Grasshopper is a global venture-building firm investing in ideas that benefit humanity. In collaboration with its clients and partners, it creates joint ventures, businesses, nonprofit organizations and family foundations that wrestle with global systems failures and plan for long term, sustainable growth. Its portfolio spans public health and wellness, food systems, education, clean energy, urban planning & infrastructure, gender equality, conscious design and more. Grasshopper is present on five continents and engages with hundreds of partners ranging from Fortune 100 companies to local community activists.

ONYX MAGAZINE 59

REAL ESTATE

THE POWER OF WOMEN HOMEOWNERS

By Dee Parker

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I purchased my first home when I was single and in my later 20s, and I felt incredibly empowered by the decision. Purchasing that first home is one of my proudest accomplishments. It was my mission to stay informed on all things real estate, and I felt in control of my equity. Buying my first home is also ultimately what led to my decision to become a real estate agent myself. I loved having something to call my own, and I was comforted knowing I was paying into an investment that would lead to independent wealth-building. Sound investments aside, I think many women can identify with my desire to make the space my own.

Realizing the challenges of getting into the real estate market, many single women are wanting to tackle the task as soon as possible in order to set up their future selves, as well as potential future children, with investment properties. Despite the challenges, many single women are finding ways to make homeownership a reality. If current trends continue, it won’t be all that unusual to find a new neighbor is a woman who has made the purchase alone.

This information in this article was compiled by Dee Parker, President Parker Realty Group and Chair of ONYX Magazine Advisory Committee.

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ith $7 trillion in spending power, women are a force to be reckoned with. Female homeowners are growing in numbers. And, as they skyrocket within the housing market, they pave the path for future generations of women to do the same.

Historically, women have faced discrimination in homeownership even as recently as the 1970s, but we’ve come a long way since then. Single women are opting for mortgages before marriages. Modern women accept they have more to offer beyond their traditional domestic roles, and not everyone is ready to be a wife or a mother yet. Today, society has shifted to view marriage as a choice rather than a woman’s predestination. Despite the wage gap, women are earning higher salaries than ever before. With monthly rent amounts constantly increasing, becoming a homeowner is not only viable, but a smart way to spend your money. Modern women are more informed and confident in their own abilities to build equity, without having to rely on a spouse, roommate or parents.

Single women are reshaping politics and the economy. Traditionally, buying a home was reserved for couples after getting married in preparation of needing a bigger space to start a family. In more recent years, motivated by climbing rent prices, women are taking their financial independence to a new level by investing in property as a way of setting themselves up with longterm security. Women plan for a financially secure retirement and recognize the benefits that homeownership provides. Building equity and taking advantage of tax deductions appeal equally to single women as they do to other home buying segments.

ONYX PROFILE

“The World Is Awake”

By D. Shenell Reed

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insey Davis peers through the lens of a child when she sees the world. The award-winning journalist and ABC news correspondent has penned a lyrical, rhyming treasure that beckons us to recognize God’s everyday blessings. Written as a children’s book, “The World is Awake” delicately unveils the curiosity of youngsters and unlocks adults’ childlike imagination that many tucked away years ago. Davis sat down with ONYX Magazine to talk about her new book, faith and a few other interesting topics.

How do you want people to be inspired when they read “The World Is Awake?”

I hope the takeaway is to see the world with the same eyes we had as children. Adults have a proclivity to forget about the everyday blessings—and forget to celebrate and appreciate them. It took me having this young person to grab my hand and say “mommy, look at that rainbow.” There’s something about the excitement of a child when they are seeing things for the first time…how magical a rainbow looks. As adults, we tend to get into the grind of our day and stop seeing that.

How much influence did your son, Ayden, have on this book?

He is really the inspiration for the book. He planted the seed when he, at 2, said “mommy, does God open up the flowers?” I was so impressed with his ability to make that connection between God and nature and also have that curiosity about God. So, this was really my attempt to answer that question as a subtle, meaningful introduction of who God is. (Ayden) is fascinated by Bible stories—David and Goliath, Daniel in the Lion’s Den, Jonah and the Whale—but the messaging is above his head to see God’s hand in it. So, this a way to say, ‘look at the butterflies and rainbows God created, and yes, God created you.’ This book is a way to have the conversation that God is in me and you and in the world all around us.

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As a busy mom, wife and professional, what do you do to take time for yourself?

Linsey Davis reads “The World is Awake” with her son, Ayden, 5.

I begin the day with scripture. I have the Holy Bible app on my phone and try to apply it in my own life, tuck it in my heart and carry it throughout the day and beyond. Whenever I can, my guilty pleasure is getting a massage. And when I’m able to be present with my son, I see that as my me time. I marvel at God’s creation through the son He’s given me.

What was the aha moment that helped shaped your career path?

When you look back into the anatomy leading up to certain decisions, it’s clear. I gave a toast at my sister’s wedding and someone told me had a great voice and should do broadcast. I hadn’t thought much about it. My mom was an English teacher and an avid writer; and I always enjoyed writing.

When I went into the psychology major, I had been thinking, ‘maybe just sitting in a room listening to someone’s difficulties is not for me. Maybe I would be more interested in doing something where I can write and use my voice.’ So, God ordained this moment of when I was watching the news in Spanish. I couldn’t understand what they were saying, but I thought ‘that’s it.

That’s what I want to do.’ I can’t tell you I’ve heard God’s voice, but I can say I have felt him move in my life and that was one of those moments.

And now you’re using those skills to write children’s books. Tell us about your next book, “One Big Heart” coming out in August.

People say children don’t see color and I think that’s absolutely wrong. Children do see color, they just don’t assign value to it. When the men in Philadelphia were arrested in Starbucks, my then 4-year-old son asked ‘mommy, why did the police arrest those black men?’ Later, when he saw police standing at Starbucks, he asked if they were going to take us to jail. This country is so divided and focused on differences; I thought it was time to take a message to young people about who we are as

human beings and that we are more alike than different. The book focuses on all the things we have more in common and that God gave us all one big heart. That is where all the love starts and that is the most important part.

We are very divided as a nation.

What do you think it will take to unite us?

(As a reporter) I’ve covered in depth #LivingWhileBlack, and that has raised the awareness of people who are not black— especially now that cell phone footage goes viral. I think that noticing it has really given people who aren’t black an acute awareness that this problem really exists. I was in Chicago and black man got onto the elevator. A white lady asked him “what are you doing here,” as if he didn’t belong in the hotel. He shrugged his shoulders and said, “I work security.” I asked him if he thought she asked him that because he was black. He said, “it happens all the time.”

His demeanor was that he is used to this kind of treatment. Two other white women on the elevator apologized for the lady on

behalf of human kind. So, I think when people see it firsthand it makes them not just more aware, but empathetic. It is one step closer to us coming together.

How do you think Kamala Harris entering the presidential race is going to shape our conversation about race, equity and inclusion?

We have the Shirley Chisholms of the world. Black women have run for president multiple times, but they have not been considered. I would imagine that Barack Obama has unlocked some doors. Quite often, we are considered out of the race. I am excited for her candidacy and I think it will be very revealing about where we are in America as far as how she’s received.

What do you think your third book will be about?

The next book will have to do with another seed planted by my son: the concept of heaven (and getting there) as perceived by a child.)

This conversation has been edited for space.

ONYX MAGAZINE 63

HOME

Home Updates That Pay Off

W

hether you’re remodeling for a fresh take on an old style or contemplating a new build, there are choices you can make that will definitely pay off, say experts.

To add value to your project, consider these recommended tips from Stephen Quick of Stephen Alexander Homes, builder of the 2018 Coastal Virginia Magazine Idea House.

Once an afterthought, lighting takes center stage in a home’s design. “Consider your lighting needs at the start of the project.

Wait too long and it can become expensive to move or add lights,” advises Quick.

When planning lighting basics, think of the design as a whole: choose your decorative lighting fixtures at the same time you choose recessed. A large fixture throws a lot of light, so keep adjacent recessed lights to a minimum.

Dimming capabilities are a must, and Quick recommends using “smart” dimmers like Hubbell’s iDevice to customize the dimming range. The control offered by these dimmers means you can use larger

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statement lighting pieces with many bulbs to create amazing, but not overwhelming, spaces.

Quick tends to use lighting with a classic foundation, but loves to play with the eclectic. Adding a bold piece that is “whimsical” in an unexpected area offers a surprising focal point, he says.

“We’ve relied on Progress Lighting for twenty years,” says Quick. “Especially in the past few years, as they’ve taken giant leaps in design.”

Stephen Alexander Homes incorporate “lifestyle focus” open floor plans as their signature look. Now, they are pioneering a new trend in home culinary spaces. Pantries are re-imagined to not only be practical, but a spot to display the homeowner’s hobbies and interests. Think useful collectibles like olive oils, wine or beer. Lighting this room properly is a must, as the light needs to be functional, yet have an added element of drama to showcase the hobby.

Beyond mere dollars and cents, make style choices based on the manufacturer rather than the component. As a builder,

Quick starts with a “basket” of necessary elements, but it’s how they are applied that ultimately makes the design special.

Consider engaging an interior designer.

Even with a smaller remodel budget, hiring an expert who knows which brands give you the most bang for your buck is worth their fee. You’re more likely to end up with the look you want at a price that is worth the investment.

Paint is one of the biggest design tools at your disposal. “A new coat of paint sets the tone for everything. Choosing the perfect colors can be hard, but paint companies are on target with the latest trends within the color spectrum, adding colors that hit the mark to give your spaces a fresh look,” says Quick.

And if you don’t like the color once it’s on the walls? “Don’t be afraid to change it.

Paint is not expensive. It’s more expensive to keep a look you don’t like.”

When making home updates, think of those projects that will pay off the most.

This story was provided by StatePoint

ONYX ON THE MOVE

Happy Birthday, Rich!

ONYX Magazine CEO Richard “Rich” E. Black shared his birthday (and Valentine’s Day) with more than 150 community seniors from The Lakes communities at the L. Claudia Allen Center in Orlando. This is the fourth year the sage group has celebrated Black, who is the president of the Lake Sunset/Luola Terrace Neighborhood Association. “It is an honor to be treated like a celebrity by the wisest members of our community,” Black said.

“However, they are the real celebrities—those who have paved the way for the rest of us to continue our work.”

The day party gives the seniors an opportunity to share with one another while honoring Black who is an active proponent of strong communities, in particular, The Lakes. Black says he is committed to supporting the seniors’ birthday/Valentine’s Day bash for years to come.

Black Heritage Festival ONYX Magazine was a proud Media Sponsor of the Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival in January. The 10-day event held leading up to the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday celebrated the accomplishments of black people through a series of lectures, concerts and parties. One of the most anticipated features showcased local musical talent and big names alike. Thousands gathered at Curtis Hixon Park to hear famed acts like CeCe Peniston, Midnight Star and RnR (trumpeter Rick Braun and saxophonist Richard Elliot). Vendors sold their collectable wares and there was plenty to eat in the sea of food tents. Other events included the leadership luncheon with keynote speaker ABC News correspondent Linsey Davis; the annual gala with Klymaxx; a financial seminar; and a gathering for youths. This is the 18th year the event showcased in Tampa.

New Building Dedicated Serenity Village President and CEO Gary Hartfield and his team cut the ribbon in February to open the new Serenity Village Adult Day Training Center in Pinellas Park. The 23,000 square-foot building was remodeled and brought up to standards within eight short months. With the larger facility, Serenity Village now has the capacity to train 295 special needs adults for competitive employment, up from 80 before the expansion. Hartfield, who is a member of the ONYX Magazine Advisory Council, gave a special recognition to the Serenity Village staff and community supporters for helping him bring his vision to fruition.

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TRAVEL

The Quick Guide to Budget-Friendly Road Trips

D

oes wanderlust have you longing to get away? Consider the possibilities of the classic American road trip. With a tank of gas, the right attitude and some smart supplies, you can explore amazing locales on a budget.

“The great American road trip is still very much alive, and we’re not just talking long endurance cross-country trips. Places you can go from your own hometown and return on just one tank of gas,” says Peter Greenberg, Emmy-award-winning producer, writer, radio broadcaster and TV correspondent. “If travel can be defined as an experience that is absolutely meant to be shared, then the road trip is still very high on my list. It offers shared adventure, shared experience and shared storytelling.”

Start planning your next affordable road trip by following these smart tips and tricks: Discover one-tank destinations You only need one day to get away, so research destinations you can get to on one tank of gas. This keeps fuel costs down, and because you don’t need to stay overnight, you won’t have to budget for a hotel. What’s more, people tend to forget the beautiful spots just a few hours away from home, so be sure to bring a map and see which direction catches your attention.

Fill up tires Of course you’ll want to check your fluid levels, wiper blades, and spare tire before you leave. One of the best ways to maximize your vehicle’s fuel efficiency is to make sure tires are properly inflated.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can improve your gas mileage by 0.6 percent on average and up to 3 percent in some cases simply by keeping your tires inflated to the manufacturer’s recommended pressure.

Strive for a high MPG Some cars have better fuel economy than others. With a practical design and impressive fuel efficiency, the Toyota Corolla Hatchback is ideal for road trip adventures. Getting up to an EPA-estimated 42 miles per gallon on the highway, you won’t have to limit your road trip due to fuel cost concerns. Plus the roomy design makes it easy to get comfortable and enjoy the ride.

Learn more at www.toyota.com.

Create comfort Remember the journey should be as much fun as the destination. Clean out your car, make sure windows are sparkling clean to take in the views, pack car-friendly snacks and drinks, and bring along cozy pillows or blankets. Technology can create

comfort, so charge those digital devices and utilize your vehicle’s features. For example, the Corolla Hatchback has Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alexa Connectivity, so podcasts, music and directions are always ready.

Pack smart Whether you’re on an impromptu or well-planned road trip, you can ease costs and streamline fun by packing wisely.

Things like sunscreen, sunglasses and comfortable shoes are must-haves for any road trip. After all, you never know what adventures will come your way. Consider packing sandwiches - the ultimate road trip food - which are great for eating in the car or on a picnic so you don’t have to buy full meals.

“Some of my most amazing travel memories are from one tank road trips,” says Greenberg. “I think everyone should make these excursions part of their travel plans.

They are fun, affordable and great for people of all ages.”

Content provided by BrandPoint

ONYX MAGAZINE 67

ON THE

QUAD FAMU

FAMU Alum Leads Converse FAMU alumnus G. Scott Uzzell has become President & CEO of Converse, Inc., NIKE announced. Uzzell comes to Converse from The Coca-Cola Company where he most recently served as president, Venturing & Emerging Brands Group. Uzzell joins Converse at an exciting time as the brand sets the stage to move into new spaces by reconnecting to its heritage in sport. He credits FAMU for his rise. “I was incredibly fortunate to attend Florida A&M University’s School of Business & Industry. Dean Sybil Mobley and so many of her leadership shaped my dreams of the future. Excellence was a basic expectation at FAMU balanced with a nurturing learning environment. The academic experience at FAMU provided the roadmap to reach my career goals.” As head of Coca-Cola’s VEB Group, Uzzell led the identification and development of a portfolio of high-growth brands for The Coca-Cola Company, including Honest Tea, ZICO Coconut Water, Fairlife Milk and Suja Juice, contributing to new revenue streams for the company.

Marching 100 Performed in Rose Bowl Parade Florida A&M University’s Marching “100” is home after ringing in the New Year in grand style, making history with a first-ever performance in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade, which precedes the annual Rose Bowl football game. FAMU President Larry Robinson, Ph.D., and First Lady Sharon Robinson watched the band’s performance from the stands lining the famous parade route and cheered on the students. “It was really phenomenal seeing the ‘100’ come through, where you could see the magnitude of all the excitement and many months of preparation unfold before a television audience of millions,” said Robinson.

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Bethune-Cookman University Students Attend Conference on Redemptive Social Action Kandi Robinson and Ezekiel Johnson, accompanied

by Dr. Deborah Henson-Governor, assistant professor for the School of Religion at Bethune-Cookman University, attended the inaugural Embrace Conference held on the campus of Asbury University in Wilmore, Ken. Faith and social justice were the topics of discussion. What does our faith look like when we subtract the cultural values and systems we’ve been raised in? That’s the question students and guests from across the country pondered during the two-day event. The conference provided a series of sessions and events that allowed conference attendees to analyze what redemptive social action looks like in the context of Christian faith. The conference featured keynote speaker Christina Edmondson, who serves as the dean of Intercultural Student Development at Calvin College and co-hosted the Truth’s Table Podcast. The conference featured keynote speaker Christina Edmondson, who serves as the Dean of Intercultural Student Development at Calvin College and co-hosted the Truth’s Table Podcast. Edmondson’s podcast co-hosted Michelle Higgins and Ekemini Uwan

via live recording in the University Student Center. During the podcast, Edmonson spoke in depth about the cost of creating false theologies that are convenient to the current political climate or that make a majority group comfortable to the detriment of minority groups. Several of the breakout sessions touched on areas such as, “Double Life”- The Experience of Being “Too American” or “Too Hispanic” for Second Generation Hispanics, “Wakanda”- The African Experience in America, “Cultural Appreciation vs. Appropriation”-Learning to Value Other Cultures Without Disrespecting or Exploiting Cultural Elements, and “Are We Getting It Right?”- The Process of Biblical Redemptive Social Action.

ONYX MAGAZINE 69

FOOD & WINE

A Tasty Take on Trendy Toast (Family Features) While many food trends come and go, some desired food traits seemingly never go out of style. For example, dishes that provide nutritional benefits will pretty much always be popular, along with types of foods that can be customized to match personalized preferences and tastes.

Toast is a versatile option for nearly anyone seeking a bite for breakfast, especially those eaters looking for both nutrition and flavor. Because you can add a variety of toppings to your toast, it can be a simple way to add a healthy element to your morning routine.

These recipes, for example, include Sabra Hummus as a

base spread, which adds protein and fiber perfect for breakfast, brunch or a mid-morning snack. Hummus Toast with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Parmesan brings with it the extra nutritional value of veggies, while Hummus Toast with SoftBoiled Egg and Spinach packs ample protein for an ideal way to start the day.

Plus, because these quick-to-make recipes involve short amounts of time spent on preparation, you’re able to enjoy a nutritious treat even on the busiest of days.

Find more ways to take trendy toast to the next level at Sabra.com.

HUMMUS TOAST WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND PARMESAN

HUMMUS TOAST WITH SOFT-BOILED EGG AND SPINACH

1 slice whole-grain bread 1/4 cup fresh arugula 2-3 sun-dried tomatoes 2 tablespoons Sabra Classic Hummus

olive oil 2 tablespoons pine nuts fresh Parmesan curls salt, to taste pepper, to taste Toast bread; set aside. Wash and pat dry arugula; set aside.

Remove sun-dried tomatoes from jar and lightly pat with paper towel to remove excess oil.

Spread toast with hummus.

Lightly toss arugula with drizzle of olive oil; layer on top of hummus. Top with sun-dried tomatoes.

Sprinkle with pine nuts and add Parmesan curls.

Add salt and pepper, to taste.

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1 slice artisan country white bread 1/4 cup fresh spinach, wilted water 1 soft-boiled egg ice 1 garlic clove, chopped 1 teaspoon olive oil 2 tablespoons Sabra Classic Hummus red pepper flakes, for garnish salt, to taste pepper, to taste Toast bread; set aside. Wash spinach; set aside.

Fill small saucepan with enough water to barely cover egg; bring to boil, cover and reduce heat. Cook egg 6 minutes, remove from heat and plunge into ice bath to stop cooking. Peel egg; set aside.

In medium skillet, saute chopped garlic in olive oil approximately 3 minutes; add spinach and stir 2 minutes, or until spinach begins to wilt. Remove from heat.

Spread toast with hummus. Add wilted garlic-spinach. Cut egg in half and place on top of spinach. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.