ONYX Magazine March/April 2021

C E L E B R AT I N G B L AC K AC H I E V E M E N T T H RO U G H O U T F L O R I DA

Volume 24 – Number 2 MARCH/APRIL 2021

WOMAN OF THE YEAR CAROLYN FENNELL: AHEAD OF HER TIME

VEEP

KAMALA HARRIS IS FIRST, BUT NOT THE LAST

BLACK COWGIRLS THEY DO EXIST

WOMEN ON THE MOVE

BLACK WOMEN TAKING CHARGE IN FLORIDA

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BEING ANTIRACIST

$3.50 onyxmagazine.com

WHAT TO TELL YOUR WHITE FRIENDS

F E AT U R E D CONTRIBUTORS

Patricia Brown Denis is a writer and educator in Tampa who pens the ONYX Reads column. She owns Patricia Brown Denis Consulting, Inc., helping you to Write it Right.

Penny Dickerson has contributed to Florida and national publications as both a journalist and editor.

Her work can be viewed at pennydickersonwrites.com.

Laura Dorsey, is the CEO of LLD Consulting, an associate editor of ONYX Magazine and author of the ONYX Magazine Money Matters series. Laura lives in Upper Marlboro, Md.

Steven King, author, sommelier and critic.

Nancy Port Schwalb is the founder and president of Schwalb Public Relations in Orlando.

Kevin Washington, Ph.D., is an academician and psychologist who leads the Department of Psychology at Grambling University in Baton Rouge, La. Kevin is the author of ONYX Magazine’s Elevate series.

CONTENTS

6 From the publisher 7 Before Us: Black women throughout history 8 Rich Black: Social Justice Game Changer Award 10 Travel: Florida’s African American Culture 12 Woman of the Year: Carolyn Fennell 15 Woman on the Move: Verdenia Baker 16 Woman on the Move: Fentrice Driskell 17 Elevate: Acknowledge change and experience growth 18 Vice President Kamala Harris: First, but not the last 20 Real Estate: Value added ideas 21 Woman on the Move: Martha Ducatel 22 Woman on the Move: Nikki Gaskin-Capehart 23 Woman on the Move: Leila Freeze Gilliam 24 Health & Wellness: Heart to heart – cardiovascular health 26 Arts & Culture: Female CEO steers Black rodeo movement 28 Florida Scope 29 Beyond Florida 30 Woman on the Move: Lena Graham-Morris 31 Woman on the Move: Diana L. Green, Ph.D. 32 Woman on the Move: Malika Harrison 33 Woman on the Move: Bertha Henry 35 Woman on the Move: LaShawnda K. Jackson 36 Woman on the Move: Deidré Keller 37 Woman on the Move: Kena Lewis 38 Woman on the Move: Machelle Maner 39 Woman on the Move: Shaylia McRae 41 Woman on the Move: Erika Pulley-Hayes 42 Woman on the Move: Michele L. Stocker 43 Woman on the Move: Nicole Thomas 44 On the Rise: Resilient Magic-Disney Dreamer’s Academy 46 Politics: White storm – White women also sieged the U.S. Capitol 48 Money Matters: Retirement 50 The Quad: Stories of Black students 52 ONYX Reads: Soul searching 53 Page Turner: Embracing sexy sixties 54 ONYX on the Move: Community involvement 56 SAGE: Seniors doing better than others during pandemic 57 Family: Pets help seniors feel less lonely 58 Entertainment: Lenny Kravitz 60 Workplace: Being antiracist 62 Food & Wine: The low country

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WOMAN OF THE YEAR CAROLYN FENNELL PHOTO BY RED HUBER

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FEATURE

E D U C AT I O N

ACE ANY SEMESTER WITH THE FOLLOWING TOOLS AND STRATEGIES

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aintaining a passion for school can be tough during the spring semester, particularly during an unusual academic year.

Here is a round-up of tools and strategies to help motivate students and facilitate their success: Outside Counsel: Now is a great time for students to meet with their academic advisor or counselor. Doing so can expand a student’s knowledge of current and future opportunities and serve as a temperature check on their progress toward degree completion. Plus, talking to someone invested in one’s success can provide the push needed to keep up the good work.

Advance Calculations: To solve the most challenging equations and embrace the actual theory of mathematical concepts, it’s important to be equipped with an easy-to-use graphing calculator possessing all the latest functions. Boasting an advanced Computer Algebra System (CAS), Casio’s fx-CG500 is good example of a reasonably-priced next-generation graphing calculator helping students enrolled in advanced math and science courses. Clear visuals are especially important for distance-learning, and this model’s high-resolution, color, touchscreen LCD conveys a Natural Textbook display. Drag-and-drop functionality enables students to quickly and intuitively pull information from one representation into another. Meanwhile, split-screen functionality allows simultaneous viewing of functions and graphs.

Mobile Hotspot: A mobile hotspot can be a lifesaver, making remote-learners impervious to internet outages or bandwidth demands from other household members or roommates, helping ensure that they never miss a lesson or pop quiz.

Eliminate a Common Headache: Students writing term papers can easily get bogged down in the tiring logistics of creating a bibliography. And while this task is necessary, it’s unlikely to further a student’s knowledge of a subject. Fortunately, there are apps available that automatically create bibliography entries in the style of a student’s needs when they scan a book’s barcode. Simplifying this task will free up much-needed time and energy for students to research and actually write their papers.

With the right tools and mindset, every student can have a strong spring semester.

Story by StatePoint ONYX MAGAZINE 5

FROM THE PUBLISHER PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Rich Black VICE PRESIDENT Marianne Eggleston, M.B.A. MANAGING EDITOR D. Shenell Reed, M.B.A. EXECUTIVE STRATEGIST Lena Graham-Morris EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Maria Barnes ASSOCIATE EDITORS Gayle Andrews Laura Dorsey Sharon Fletcher Jones Trina Ryan

RICH BLACK MARCH/APRIL 2021

DESIGN DIRECTOR Jason Jones

Dear Friends, Welcome to Women’s History Month. Given the theme “Refusing To Be Silent” by the National Women’s History Project, this month honors each woman who uses her voice to make significant change in her community and profession—like our 2021 Women on the Move honorees. In this issue of ONYX Magazine, we celebrate the most impactful and influential Black women in Florida; those who challenge the status quo and lead the way for others.

Our Woman of the Year, Carolyn Fennell, is known for her expertise in the field of communications. As the senior director of Public Affairs and Community Relations at the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, Fennell serves as the primary spokesperson for the airports, hosts international delegations and brings communities together on many levels. She has worked in many capacities throughout the nation and abroad and sits on influential boards. Her ability to bring people together is inspiring. Her story tells us what drives her to be successful.

This year’s honorees are among a group of firsts. Many women in this issue are the first to lead in that role. There are also women in excel in male-dominated environments. We are honored to recognize them during Women’s History Month. In addition, we acknowledge the accomplishment of Vice President Kamala Harris and how the Black community stood behind her to usher in the nation’s new administration. We encourage you to peruse these pages and be inspired to share the stories with others. As always, we are committed to bringing you stories and events that entertain, inspire and inform. Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jon Burton OFFICE ASSISTANT Mikayla Rich BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Matt deJager

Cynthia Yeldell Anderson Kevin Michael Briscoe Josh Cohen Patricia Brown Denis Penny Dickerson

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Professor Laura Dorsey Nancy Port Schwalb Jodie Mailander Farrell Wendy K. Smith Carter R. Higgins Jakana Thomas Jennifer R. Joe Kevin Washington, Ph.D. Steven King

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Red Huber Photography By Najah ONYX ADVISORY COMMITTEE Deidre Parker, Chair Michelle Tatom, Immediate Past Chair Dick Batchelor 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 Barbara Hartley Tony Hill Alma Horne Rodney Hurst Ann Jenkins Connie Kinnard Larry Lee, Jr.

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

FOUNDERS

Rich Black

Lester and Lillian Seays ONYX Magazine is published by ONYX Communications and Media Group, Inc., Address: P.O. Box 555672, Orlando, Florida 32855-5872. Phone 321-418-7216. Subscription rate is $19.95 for six issues. For subscriptions and notification of address change, contact ONYX Magazine at the above address or e-mail us at info@onyxmagazine.com. Letters to the editor are encouraged. Copyright 2021 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 selfaddressed stamped envelope. The publisher does not assume responsibility for any materials not submitted in manner advised. Unsolicited materials are not subject to payment from ONYX Magazine.

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BLACK HISTORY

BEFORE US

BLACK WOMEN THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE OPENED DOORS IN MANY INDUSTRIES.

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ong before ONYX Magazine’s Women on the Move, women in Florida and around the country stood against injustice, endured hardship and fought to open doors so women like our 18 honorees could walk through. These trailblazers are to be applauded for their immeasurable, and sometimes brave, efforts.

DR. MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE

Born to former slaves, the South Carolina native went on to become a world-renowned teacher, civil rights leader and advisor to five U.S. presidents. In 1904 with five students and a $1.50 budget, Bethune opened the Daytona Literary and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls, which eventually became Bethune-Cookman University. Today, the coed HBCU in Daytona Beach houses six buildings that make up the Bethune-Cookman Historic District.

CLAUDETTE COLVIN

Rosa Parks wasn’t the first Black bus patron who refused to relinquish her seat to a White passenger. In 1955, 15-year-old Claudette Colvin went to jail for disturbing the peace, assaulting a police officer, and violating segregation laws, because she, like Parks, refused to give a White person her bus seat. However, the NAACP abandoned her case when its leadership discovered her pregnancy with a married man.

THELMA “BUTTERFLY” MCQUEEN

The author, best known for her 1937 novel “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” is the pride of Eatonville, the Central Florida city where she grew up that’s also the nation’s first incorporated African-American town.

The Tampa native attended nursing school before pursuing an acting career. Best known for her role as the maid Prissy in “Gone with the Wind,” McQueen went on to hold a variety of jobs including restaurateur, radio host and more. “Gone with the Wind” remains in heavy rotation at local historic theaters.

LILLETTE JENKINS-WISNER

AUGUSTA SAVAGE

ZORA NEALE HURSTON

She played piano for Cab Calloway and Ella Fitzgerald. Duke Ellington christened her the “Queen of the Keys.” And Nat King Cole wrote a song for her called simply “Lillette.” On top of all this, the concert pianist and her husband, Bud Harris, operated the first black-owned nightclub in Reno, Nevada, in the 1940s. Her Majesty was still going strong in Orlando well into her 90s. She died in 2020.

DONYALE LUNA

Peggy Anne Donyale Aragonea Peugot Luna, better known as Donyale Luna, was an American supermodel and actress who gained popularity in Western Europe during the late 1960s, generally cited as “the first black supermodel”, Luna was the first African-American model to appear on the cover of the British edition of Vogue, in March 1966. She entered modeling in a period that favored “White passing models” and has been described as “the first black model who really began to change things; to enable more diverse beauty paradigms to break through.” She is known to have been a cover girl 11 times between 1965 and 1975.

The sculptor carved out her place in history as a Harlem Renaissance artist, educator and activist. Born in North Florida’s Clay County (fittingly enough), Savage got her start molding figures from the red clay soil of her native Green Cove Springs

CATHAY WILLIAMS

Cathay Williams is considered the first Black woman to enlist and serve in the US Army. Union soldiers freed Williams and her parents from a plantation in Independence, Missouri during the Civil War. Soon after, she began working as a laundress and a cook for the Army. However, when Congress established the Buffalo Soldiers, the first all-Black military unit, in 1866, she decided to officially join the armed forces. Legends of America notes that Williams wanted to remain financially independent. The Army didn’t accept women, so she enlisted as William Cathay in the 38 US Infantry. Even though the Army discovered her gender and discharged her, Williams is still the first African-American female soldier. Her gender is not a barrier to her greatness.

Stories by VisitFlorida.com and Black Past

ONYX MAGAZINE 7

TRIBUTE

GAME CHANGER ONYX MAGAZINE PUBLISHER RICH BLACK HONORED BY THE ORLANDO MAGIC FOR HIS OUTSTANDING COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY

BY JOSH COHEN, ORLANDOMAGIC.COM

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RECENT PROJECTS: Black worked closely hrough his devotion to community serwith Desmond Meade, a voting rights activist and vice, his role as president of the Lake NAME: Rich Black, Social Justice executive director of the Florida Rights RestoSunset/Luola Terrace Neighborhood Game Changer ration Coalition, to restore voting rights to over Association and his work as the publisher and ediGAME HONORED: Orlando Magic 1.4 million Floridians with previous felony convictor-in-chief of ONYX Magazine, a nearly 24-yearvs. Toronto Raptors (2/2) tions. old publication that celebrates Black achievement BACKGROUND: Growing up as This year during the pandemic, he initiated throughout Florida, he has made an enormous a first-generation American, Black a COVID-19 transmission prevention campaign impact on many lives. watched his father give back to the billed “ONYX Magazine MaskUp! Stop the Spread,” A graduate of Bethune-Cookman University, Orlando community, which inspired urging people from predominantly African-Amerwhose parents are originally from the Bahamas him to want to do the same. With a ican neighborhoods to wear masks. In addition and were the first to operate a Black-owned passion for helping others grow and to going around town and handing out COVID restaurant in downtown Orlando, Black has succeed, Black has seen firsthand prevention kits, which included masks and hand worked with many organizations, including the all the good that can transpire sanitizer, he worked closely with Orange County Orlando Magic, to change the status quo as it when philanthropy is a staple of the officials to create billboards and host virtual town relates to health, education and socioeconomics. communities we live in. hall series with national expert panels.

He has earned several accolades for his comON THE HORIZON: Encouraging African munity achievements. In 2018, for example, the Americans to get the COVID-19 vaccine is someNational Congress of Black Women (NCBW), Orlando Chapter, honored him with the Dick Gregory Good Brother Award thing Black is heavily focused on at the moment. Dispelling any rumors or concerns others have about getting the injection and educating them on for his outstanding commitment to the community.

“I guess I developed a lot of my attributes from watching him (my father) how it will help speed up our nation’s recovery is critical to Black, who plans working in the community with some of the leaders from back in the day,” to work with others to help share important information about the vache said. “I have had a passion for African-American males. I have three sons. cines available.

Helping Black-owned small businesses is also key to him. The way Black I just felt that with (Barack) Obama and even before that working with my cousin Congresswoman Frederica Wilson with the 5000 Role Models down sees it, having conversations about wealth is a must to change the narrain Miami. We just saw the need…And also working with the Magic of Men- tive. Providing small business owners with proper mentoring and training, toring (program). I always liked the Orlando Magic, but I fell in love with the he says, can reverse financial hardships.

“Until we begin to educate, until we begin to give these people not a Orlando Magic when I found out they had the Magic of Mentoring.”

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Clifford is extremely active in programs that support equality and justice for all people in the Central Florida community. Through this program, Clifford looks to put the spotlight on those continuously doing the hard work, day in and day out, fighting for sustainable change. As part of his program, one person is selected and honored each game. The honorees are given tickets, provided by Clifford, to the game and featured in-arena on the Magic Vision screen at center court.

“The purpose is to honor and to celebrate so many of the people in the Orlando community who are fighting for change and who commit their lives to making Orlando a better place,” Clifford said. “It’s just a way to celebrate them, what they stand for, and what they do for our community.”

Black with two mentees, Jordan and Treyvon

handout, but a hand up, we will always have these problems,” he said. “I applaud the Orlando Magic on what they are doing now as to dealing with the social equity piece and things of that nature because they are in the heart of our community.”

BEING HONORED: Flattered the Magic thought of him, Black is extremely impressed by the team’s allegiance to helping others reach their full potential. The organization’s energy, compassion and dedication is a big reason, he says, we are seeing exponential growth and development in our local communities.

“This speaks to their commitment,” he said. “They’re not just talking.

They’re actually doing the work. This says to me that all over throughout the country with the NBA almost 80 or 90% of the folks on the team are African Americans, I really applaud them and I am really honored and humbled.”

ABOUT THE PROGRAM: As part of the Magic and Steve Clifford’s continuing efforts toward social justice reform, he created the Social Justice Game Changer program to honor one local leader who has made a difference in the realm of social justice issues. A cause close to his heart, ONYX MAGAZINE 9

TR AVE L

EXPERIENCE FLORIDA’S AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE & ART

BY JODI MAILANDER FARRELL

A

frican American history and culture has shaped Florida history for centuries, from free Africans who came with the Spanish to found a 1565 settlement to “wade-in” beach protests in the 1960s that fueled the Civil Rights Movement.

Harlem Renaissance author Zora Neale Hurston was a Floridian. So was soul man Ray Charles and a long line of musicians who followed him, including blues singer Sam Moore, rapper Rick Ross, T-Pain, Flo Rida and Jason Derulo. Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in professional baseball here.

Florida claims the first free Black community in the United States. Miami wouldn’t have become a city without the black railroad workers who stepped up to vote for its charter.

One of the most diverse states in the country exists today because of its African-American pioneers and groundbreakers. Find Black cultural trailblazers, both past and present, no matter where you travel in Florida.

Carter G. Woodson African American History Museum in St. Petersburg

Tampa legend has it that songwriter Hank Ballard penned the hit song, “The Twist,” in 1958 after watching young teenagers twisting and dancing on Central Avenue in The Scrub, once Tampa’s oldest and largest African-American community.

The enclave northeast of downtown was settled by emancipated slaves in 1865 and became a hot spot for traveling artists like Cab Calloway and Ella Fitzgerald on the “Chitlin Circuit.” Today, visitors can explore the neighborhood’s rich past in the newly renovated Perry Harvey Sr. Park, where 12-foot sculptures, tile installations, sandblasted concrete wall murals, and timeline pavers artfully guide visitors through history.

In St. Petersburg, the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum features an art gallery of rotating works by Black artists, its own “kitchen table book club” focused on black authors, and concerts by its resident chorus, as well as visiting chamber orchestras. The museum is named in honor of the man often regarded as 10 ONYX MAGAZINE

“The Father of Negro History” and the creator of Black History Month.

The alluring, rippling dunes of Gulf Islands National Seashore in Pensacola have always welcomed African Americans, even during segregation. Rosamond Johnson Beach is particularly noteworthy because it’s named for a 17-year-old black man who was the first Escambia County resident to die in the Korean War in 1950. In the city of Pensacola, the childhood home of Air Force Gen. Daniel “Chappie” James – the nation’s first African-American four-star general – was recently turned into a museum and flight academy.

In Tallahassee, the Knott House Museum is an 1843 house built by George Proctor, a free black builder. The historic home is the former residence of state official William Knott and his wife, Luella. In 1865, it was a temporary Union Headquarters. But it’s best known as the site where the Emancipation Proclamation was read in Florida on the front steps.

Also in Tallahassee, the John Gilmore Riley Center/Museum for African American History & Culture is a cultural gem in a 126-year-old building that celebrates the accomplishments and influence of the Black middle class in the late19th century. Its exhibits and events are a reminder of Smokey Hollow, a Black neighborhood that once existed just east of the capital’s downtown.

The center is headquarters for the U.S. Colored Troops Reenactment Unit, which ensures the contributions of African-American soldiers in the Civil War are accurately portrayed.

Story courtesy of VisitFlorida.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF CARTER G. WOODSON MUSEUM

WHERE TO GO

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WOMAN OF THE YEAR

CAROLYN FENNELL: A WOMAN AHEAD OF HER TIME

BY NANCY PORT SCHWALB

ONYX MAGAZINE: WHO INSPIRED YOU AS YOU GREW UP? Carolyn Fennell: I am a Florida native. My father was from Tallahassee, where I was born, and my mother’s home was Leesburg, which provided strong ties between the two areas when I was growing up. My childhood was full of neighborhood support and my grandmother’s disciplining and embracing love. She was a small businesswoman and entrepreneur with a consistent message during my youth. I still consider her words a guiding mantra: “Be a lady” and “You can do it!”

OM: In what part of the country did you live?

How much do you think the geography and living surroundings impacted your attitude?

CF: Living in Florida during segregation, I grew up with the reality of separate facilities for Blacks. These access issues were often reduced by teachers who encouraged me to set difficult goals. They inspired me to serve in an advocacy role even when I attended Florida A&M University, where I would often join the civil rights demonstrations and marches between classes.

Those experiences motivated taking risks and advantage of opportunities offered.

OM: What are your earliest memories about your future dreams or goals?

CF: As a young woman, I always dreamed that it would be wonderful to be in public office. So, often I was willing to take a leadership role with my friends, in church and school groups. Early in

my life, there was a strong interest in other countries and cultures. So, the opportunities through marriage that allowed me to live in Sri Lanka, Northern Ireland, Fiji, and England were welcomed. Living abroad for a decade was certainly a fulfillment of my earlier goals and interest that continue today in maintaining global pursuits.

OM: Can you name some books, writers or music that has inspired you and/or imbued you with feelings?

CF: Majoring in English, reading has always been a treasure.

My mother was a minister, so obviously, the Holy Bible remains a source of inspiration. Other favorite works are “Invisible Man” by Ralph Elli-

son; “1984” by George Orwell; “Ulysses” by James Joyce; “The Prophet” by Kahlil Gibran; “The Tipping” Point by Malcolm Gladwell; and “The Power of Moments.”

Reading poetry aloud has always been enjoyable, and favorites are “Myself” by Edgar Guest; “We Wear the Mask” by Paul Laurence Dunbar; “My House;” and “Ego-Tripping” by Nikki Giovanni. Of course, all Maya Angelou works, particularly “Phenomenal Woman” and “Still I Rise.” A high point in my life was meeting and studying with Nobel Prize poet Seamus Heaney in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Newer favorites include Rupi Kaur, and of course, young poet laureate, Amanda Gorman.

As for music, classical, gospel and jazz are favorite genres, especially the songs: “For Every Mountain” by Kurt Carr and “Here’s to Life” by Shirley Horn. The works of composers Rachmaninoff, Beethoven and saxophonist Gerald Albright bring cerebral peace and add Carmen McRae, Nina Simone and a host of Motown favorites.

OM: Do you recall any incidents while growing up where you felt insecure or unsafe because of your race and gender?

CF: Growing up in the segregated South with separate restrooms and fountains, as a very young girl, I made it a Saturday ritual with deliberation to go to retail stores and drink out of the White fountain and get put out by managers. My grandfather admonished me it was a dangerous ONYX MAGAZINE 13

WOMAN OF THE YEAR

Fennell stands with Air Force One

Carolyn Fennel, George Seel C.W. Jennings Interview with Channel 24 WFTV Orlando

exercise, and it ceased. This fueled my goal to “be in the room,” for there you can make a difference. These experiences gave me strength in both my personal and professional life--to seek equal and just treatment and open the door for others just as trailblazers did for me.

the airport’s CEO Phil Brown, and others all who shared information and allowed me to be me. And of course, the privilege of working with a supportive team of talented employees.

OM: Who are some of your heroes in history and those living today? In addition, what was the message you received from them?

CF: There are many recognized heroes in our history--the obvious Harriet Tubman, Shirley Chisolm, Barbara Jordan, and my fifth-grade teacher, Mrs. Spencer. I should add those who were the firsts in their fields, my sister-friends, who took on the pressure of proving they were qualified to do the job. Also, the single mothers who are challenged to raise their children, providing fiscal, moral and civil direction in their life journey. We cannot neglect the young Black men and women who have grown up anticipating equal opportunities to succeed and too often are surprised when that is not always the case. We must tell our stories to motivate and support future generations, so I appreciate ONYX Magazine for this opportunity.

What is the best thing about the job you do each day?

CF: The best part is the opportunity and engagement to be sometimes a participant, others an observer, in the multiple activities of a very fluid demanding national and global system. Orlando International Airport had six million passengers when I began and 51 million pre-pandemic. No two days are alike. Days range from crisis and safety situations and presidential visits to media messaging, all while branding our airport and community as a great experience. This was an unusual industry for women earlier and I owe my successes to many mentors locally and nationally who encouraged my growth. They include John Wyckoff, visionary of the airport, Bill Miller, a former Greater Orlando Aviation Authority Board Chair, Linda Chapin, 14 ONYX MAGAZINE

OM: If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would that be?

CF: I would love to return to Fiji, where I lived for three years or New Zealand. Although, I have long had a desire for a visit to Senegal.

Is there a particular proverb or saying that guides you at times?

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” Philippians 4:13.

WOMEN ON THE MOVE

VERDENIA C. BAKER COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR PALM BEACH COUNTY GOVERNMENT

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erdenia C. Baker, a certified financial manager, was appointed Palm Beach County Administrator in 2015. She is responsible for implementing the policies of the Board of County Commissioners, overseeing 6,800+ employees and balancing a $5.4 billion budget.

With a population of more than 1.5 million, Palm Beach County is Florida’s third-largest county and notably one of a few with a AAA bond rating, critical for financial stability.

Throughout Baker’s career, which began as a budget analyst in 1987, she has demonstrated the ability to collaborate with strategic partners to enhance residents’ and businesses’ quality of life. Baker was the lead negotiator in recruiting the Scripps Research Institute, a foundation of the local biotechnology industry. She led the successful voter-approved 2016 Infrastructure Sales Tax initiative, projected to generate $2.7 billion for new and renovated schools, roads and facilities over 10 years.

Recognizing equality of housing, representation, and business opportunities for all, Baker led initiatives such as the Mandatory Inclusionary

Workforce Housing Program and Community Land Trust, redistricting post-Census. She re-implemented the small/minority/women business enterprise program in 2019 and the recently created Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Baker has been actively involved with tourist development, securing events such as the third presidential debate in 2012, Super Bowls in 2001, 2007 and 2020, and Major League Baseball Spring Training expansion. She serves as incident commander during disasters, including COVID-19 testing, and coordination and education efforts relating to the vaccine. Baker is a frequent guest on local news programs regarding national and local issues.

Baker holds a Master of Science degree in Public Administration, Bachelor of Science Degree in Rehabilitative Services, both from Florida State University. She is affiliated with several national, state and local professional and community organizations and has received numerous national, state and local awards. Baker is married to Joe and they have two daughters, Jasmin and Shannee, and granddaughter, Lauren Nicole.

ONYX MAGAZINE 15

WOMEN ON THE MOVE

REPRESENTATIVE FENTRICE DRISKELL

R

STATE REPRESENTATIVE FLORIDA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

epresentative Fentrice D. Driskell was elected to the Florida House in November 2018. Her message of bringing common-sense solutions to our state’s most pressing challenges allowed her to defeat an incumbent and bring more accessible, passionate representation to District 63, including parts of Carrollwood, Lutz, the University of South Florida, and New Tampa. Rep. Driskell serves on the Insurance and Banking subcommittee, the Energy and Utilities subcommittee, the Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee, the Judiciary Committee, and the Select Committee on the Integrity of Research Institutions.

Rep. Driskell is an AV Preeminent-rated attorney who currently practices law with Carlton Fields in Tampa, Fla. As an honor graduate who received her degree in Government from Harvard University in 2001, Rep. Driskell was the first African American woman to be elected president of Harvard’s Student Government Association. Rep. Driskell’s experience as an Undergraduate Council president strengthened her belief in the importance of engaging women in leadership positions. Her studies in government helped

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her better understand the importance of involving diverse voices in the democratic process.

Rep. Driskell is a graduate of Georgetown Law School, where she served as a student lawyer for indigent survivors of domestic violence and volunteered extensively with the Innocence Project. Following law school, she clerked for Federal Judge Anne C. Conway, the immediate past-chief judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

Since 2006, Rep. Driskell has lived in Tampa where she has led or served on boards of numerous organizations, including the George Edgecomb Bar Association, Athena Society, Tampa Crossroads, and the Hillsborough Education Foundation. “Florida Super Lawyers” magazine has recognized Rep. Driskell as a “Rising Star” each year since 2011. Additionally, for her efforts during the 2019 Legislative Session, the Florida League of Cities recognized her with a Legislative Appreciation Award for her efforts to defend local governments and home rule. She is active in The Florida Bar and helps lead committees there.

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ACKNOWLEDGE CHANGE AND EXPERIENCE GROWTH

BY KEVIN MWATA WASHINGTON, PH.D.

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n adage states, “Change is inevitable; growth is an option.” These words suggest that change is continually taking place in our lives. Often, change promotes growth, but not always. To grow, you must acknowledge that you need to change in your life and note how you will benefit from that change.

Further, you must be willing to be better, seek constant improvement and accept that you have a choice. The choice is to either stay in a stagnant relationship, occupation or situation, which often leads to mindless activities that produce boredom. Or you can grow and experience new life and increased vitality.

The balance is tricky. You have to seek a better version of yourself, and you must accept that you have been the best you could be with the knowledge you had. Getting through this para-

doxical moment presents two options: progression, becoming better, or regression, getting worse. Often, you may choose to remain static, but that, too, is regression. Standards of excellence are ever-changing, forcing us to grow and reinvent ourselves. We have dominion over our divine inheritance and can make ourselves and the world better with our presence. We must acknowledge this as we grow and change.

THE CHALLENGE Often, we get caught up in the lower aspect of ourselves, then resort to survival mode. Here, we do whatever it takes to sustain ourselves. Because ideas are ever-flowing, we miss them when we stay in this lowly state. It is imperative to know that ideas, thought, and visions assist us with being a better version of ourselves. These thoughts, ideas,

and visions come as a spiritual energy, and those attuned to a higher frequency can feel it. Being in the lower vibration of survival challenges the attunement to higher knowledge. Those who are spiritually attuned or possess great faith will accept the visions and act upon them.

This process of acting upon the vision in faith is known as being obedient to the Creator. Obedience has consequences just as disobedience does. Do not get caught up in the lower nature and reap only the rewards of the lower reality.

Since the visions come from the high source, the dividends are high. Seek only to get high on the visions that the Creator has for your life. This is how to become a better version of yourself as you grow to new levels. Growth will upgrade your life in ways that allow you to have a more significant impact upon and within the universe.

ONYX MAGAZINE 17

POLITICS

FIRST, BUT NOT THE LAST WITH BLACK COLLEGES AND GROUPS BEHIND HER, KAMALA HARRIS BECOMES THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

BY KEVIN MICHAEL BRISCOE

T

GETTING TO KNOW THE “DIVINE NINE” AKA is one of the black Greek-letter organizations that make up the National Pan-Hellenic Council, unofficially known as the “Divine Nine.” The council is comprised of five fraternities: Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, Phi Beta Sigma and Iota Phi Theta, and four sororities: AKA, Delta Sigma Theta, Zeta Phi Beta and Sigma Gamma Rho. These organizations were created at a time when African Americans on college campuses were denied the essential rights and privileges enjoyed by white Americans. Each is rooted in a commitment to community service and the betterment of its members and, although it does not campaign for individual candidates, the impact of the Divine Nine’s nearly 3 million members on the 2020 election was felt everywhere leading up to the Nov. 3.

Partnering with the NAACP, the “Divine Nine” conducted massive voter registration and get-out-the vote campaigns through no-contact canvassing in black neighborhoods and on social media. Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. employed celebrity members like comedians Steve Harvey, D.L. Hughley and Ricky Smiley to get the word out.

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U.S. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris delivers remarks during a memorial service to honor the nearly 400,000 American victims of the coronavirus pandemic at the Reflecting Pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial on the eve of Harris’ and President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.

HBCUS CONTINUE TO BUILD LEADERS Harris is a proud graduate of a Historically Black College/University (HBCU), and has rarely missed an opportunity to cheerlead for Howard University and her “Divine Nine” affiliation.

Her ascension to the country’s first black vice president, however, fans the flames of an ongoing debate on the value of an HBCU education.

Though hampered by a host of problems ranging from declining enrollment to limited access to federal research funding, HBCUs account for 22 percent of all bachelor’s degrees awarded to African Americans, and produce nearly a quarter of all black STEM graduates, according to a Thurgood Marshall College Fund report.

“HBCUs have never needed to be validated. We’ve graduated the best of the best,” said Michael McQuerry, communications director for Rep. Stacey E. Plaskett (D-U.S. Virgin Islands) and a 30-year member of Kappa Alpha Psi. “What [Harris’ election] does do is help in recruitment to HBCUs. Deion Sanders, the new head football coach at my alma mater Jackson State, is revolutionizing how top high school and college athletes look at HBCUs, and Vice President Kamala Harris will let the world know that HBCUs produce the best on every level.”

CHIP SOMODEVILLA/GETTY IMAGES

he American political landscape, once dominated by former President Donald J. Trump, tacked in a new direction helmed by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. and Vice President Kamala D. Harris.

When Harris was sworn in on January 20, she became the United States’ first woman, first African American and first Asian American to assume, arguably, the second-most powerful office in the world.

The Biden–Harris team hit the ground running with executive actions and legislative proposals—including a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus and pandemic relief package—to turn around a country reeling from the recent siege on the U.S. Capitol and a public health crisis that has killed more than 400,000 Americans.

Harris has yet to be given a portfolio of issues to champion, but is expected to be part of an “all hands on deck” approach to four major administration priorities: economic recovery, pandemic relief, climate change and racial justice.

While her resume—San Francisco district attorney, California attorney general, United States senator — reflects her chops in the political arena, the heart of her support comes from her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., (AKA( its female and male counterparts that comprise the “Divine Nine,” and the community of historically black colleges and universities, or HBCUs.

“The election of former senator, now Vice President Kamala Harris gives me hope and joy. Hope because I know I have someone who looks like me, has most of the same values as me, and cherishes this country.

–MICHAEL MCQUERRY

While running for president, then-Sen. Kamala Harris met with leaders from historically black colleges and universities during a Thurgood Marshall College Fund event.

CHIP SOMODEVILLA/GETTY IMAGES; JOE RAEDLE/GETTY IMAGES

POLITICS AS BLOOD SPORT The journey from San Francisco district attorney to the West Wing is not without controversy.

As a self-described “progressive prosecutor,” Harris authored “Smart on Crime,” urging officials to focus on rehabilitation over retribution. “But Harris fell behind the curve over the past fifteen years, as the nation’s sense of the scope and moral urgency of needed reforms to the criminal legal system—and especially to the role of elected prosecutor—shifted dramatically,” said University of San Francisco law professor Lara Bezalon.

“The shift revealed that Harris’s brand of ‘progressive prosecution’ was really just ‘slightly less-awful prosecution’—a politics, and set of policies, that still meant being complicit in securing America’s position as the world’s leading jailer.”

“I don’t fault [Harris] when viewed through the lens of hindsight,” said Maria Washington, a federal contractor. “Think back to what our urban centers looked like back then; we had no idea of the impact mass incarceration would have on us years later.”

In 2019, while campaigning for president, Harris took hard shots at eventual nominee Biden over his past record on busing that gave her a bump in the polls, but led some in the president-elect’s camp to distrust her.

The inauguration of a Biden–Harris partnership is proof that both Biden— and the voters—were willing to put those issues in their rearview mirror.

siege on the Capitol—the president-elect and vice president-elect brought a message of healing in stark contrast to incendiary rhetoric of the Trump years. For some, it is a time of both concern and optimism.

“Given the political climate, I didn’t think we needed another Black person in the executive branch,” said Washington. “Despite my initial misgivings, my main concern now is for [Harris’] safety. It’s great, but I’m torn.”

“The election of former senator, now Vice President Kamala Harris gives me hope and joy. Hope because I know I have someone who looks like me, has most of the same values as me, and cherishes this country. She is undoubtedly getting ready to be part of a team that is about to take this country in a new direction,” McQuerry said. “Joy because the current resident of the White House will no longer be a threat to our democracy.”

Kevin Michael Briscoe writes for Zenger News where this story first appeared.

LOOKING FORWARD, MOVING FORWARD Biden assumed the role of consoler-in-chief one day early. He and Harris, along with their spouses, led a memorial service at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on January 19 night to honor the 400,000 lives lost to the pandemic. Four hundred lights surrounded the pool, each representing 1,000 COVID-19 deaths.

“We gather tonight, a nation in mourning, to pay tribute to the lives we lost,” Harris said at the memorial service. “For many months, we have grieved by ourselves. Tonight we grieve together.”

Against a backdrop of 25,000 National Guard troops providing security for the Biden–Harris inauguration—deployed in the aftermath of the Jan. 6

(L-R) Doug Emhoff, U.S. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, Jill Biden and President-elect Joe Biden wave as they arrive on the East Front of the U.S. Capitol for the inauguration.

ONYX MAGAZINE 19

R E A L E S TAT E

VALUE ADDED DIY IDEAS TO INCREASE YOUR HOME'S VALUE

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ow as much as ever, your home may be a sanctuary for all kinds of expression, from thinking and dreaming to working and playing.

Over the past year, homeowners began to consider the intersection of function and design in new ways.

Weekend warriors are dedicating themselves to creating more organized living spaces and making their homes better places for learning, working and living. If you’re considering upgrades to your home, consider these DIY ideas from the experts at Royal Building Products that can increase beauty and resale value.

HOME OFFICE: Spending more time at home may mean storage space is at a premium, especially if you’re relying on a makeshift home office. You can add a high-impact and functional element to your office with a built-in bookcase or workstation. Consider your materials carefully since they have a big impact on your final results. For example, a versatile alternative to wood is synthetic polyvinyl chloride (PVC) trim, which you don’t need to sand or prime before painting, ultimately saving time, energy and money.

While PVC is slightly more expensive than some wood options, it also requires less maintenance long-term.

BATHROOM: By updating worn-out items, modernizing fixtures and creating a more functional space, you can expect to recoup up to 50% of a bathroom’s remodel cost, according to the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. If you’re considering an on-trend look like shiplap, a practical solution like Royal prefinished PVC Shiplap can help create a clean, comfortable space. It’s waterproof, mold resistant, flexible and works well in spaces with many slants and angles. Plus, it’s lightweight and easy to install.

ENTRYWAY: A home’s foyer offers the first impression of its interior, teasing the personality of architecture and decor found with each step deeper inside. Whether bold and dramatic, tranquil and serene, or something in-between, the entryway often sets the tone for a home’s ambience. Details like decorative molding and lattice trim can create a striking entryway for almost any home style.

EXTERIOR: Whether you’re sprucing up an outdoor living space or simply want to boost curb appeal, subtle enhancements can make a big impact.

For example, board and batten shutters offer an attractive, low-fuss way to highlight your home’s windows. Painting the front door is another low-cost way to freshen up your exterior. Or invite a touch of nature by adding flower boxes to your front porch or windows.

Find more creative inspiration, tools, tips and practical steps for every level of DIY-er at buildroyaldiy.com.

SELECT A TRIM STYLE TO MATCH YOUR HOME STYLE The right style of trim can transform a room into

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a whole new space. A good rule of thumb is to keep the style of trim consistent with your home style and from room to room.

CRAFTSMAN: The craftsman home style pairs well with simple, tailored and purposeful doors and minimally ornamented window casings while white, light beige and cream-colored crown moulding can create roomier spaces.

COLONIAL: This home style’s rustic simplicity and rich detail call for interior trim that lends a touch of stately courtliness. Choose multi-piece trim and wider baseboards, wainscoting and crown moulding to adorn family room floors, walls and ceilings.

CAPE COD: This practical and quaintly unassuming design can be accented by subtle interior trim such as transom windows and sidelights that surround multi-paneled entry doors, casings for double-hung windows, picture rails and frame walls.

MODERN: The clean expansiveness of this home style lends itself to unadorned window and door casings as well as baseboards. You can go minimalist and use trim merely to protect walls and floors.

Alternatively, you could rely on trim to create an appealing contrast with the wall colors.

RANCH: Open, informal and inviting, this style needs trim work that flows from room to room.

Many styles work, from simple baseboards to more formal trimmed windows and cabinetry in the kitchen, fireplace mantels in the family room and passageway casings.

Story by Family Features. Photos courtesy of Honey Built Home

WOMEN ON THE MOVE

MARTHA DUCATEL, DMD, FICOI CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER HEALTHY BODIES MEDICAL AND DENTAL CENTER

M

artha Ducatel, DMD, FICOI, is a cosmetic and general dentist.

She is a native of Vero Beach, Fla. She enjoys the Florida heat, beautiful sunsets and spending time with her family, her husband, Dr. Watson Ducatel, and daughter, Phoenix. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, attending concerts and experiencing different cultures.

Dr. Ducatel graduated from the University of South Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Arts and Sciences. She then attended dental school at Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine for her Doctorate in Dental Medicine. She is a member of the American Dental Association, Florida Dental Association, Tampa Bay Area Dental Association, and Fellow of The International Congress of Implantologists. Along with her husband, she is CEO of Healthy Bodies Medical and Dental Center, where they provide medical and dental care uniquely crafted for each patient.

Her inspiration to create smiles started back in high school after seeing the power of having a beautiful and confident smile when she went to the

dentist who improved her smile. At that time, she decided to become a dentist to help others who had smile problems like she once had. Having the opportunity to improve her patients’ smiles has been her true passion ever since.

For the past decade, she has worked to perfect her craft. She is trained in advanced dentistry, including implant dentistry, sedation dentistry, Invisalign treatment, and cosmetic dentistry. Dr. Ducatel is involved in her community, speaking at the University of South Florida, several churches and chamber events to educate her community of the importance of oral health. She enjoys mentoring young women interested in both medicine and dentistry since she has benefited from several mentors along her journey. Her goal is to help her patients obtain their desired healthy smile, improving their oral health and educating them maintaining oral health.

ONYX MAGAZINE 21

WOMEN ON THE MOVE

NIKKI GASKIN-CAPEHART DIRECTOR OF URBAN AFFAIRS CITY OF ST. PETERSBURG

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ikki Gaskin-Capehart is a native of St. Petersburg, Fla., where she lives with her family. Mayor Rick Kriseman appointed her to serve as the director of Urban Affairs for the City of St. Petersburg. Gaskin-Capehart is a change agent leading the City’s plans on behalf of the mayor in the urban core. Her focus on the South St. Petersburg Community Redevelopment Area helps leverage existing community resources and direct new investments in people, programs and purpose in an impactful and sustainable way.

The Urban Affair’s strategic plan focuses on four investment areas; opportunity creation, nurturing neighborhoods and families, connecting through cultural affairs, and being a catalyst for commerce. This strategy is deeply rooted in the City’s vision to be a “City of Opportunity” where the sun shines on all who come to live, work and play. She is most passionate about the City’s My Brother’s and Sister’s Keeper Initiative to better support African American young men and women through the Cohort of Champions program. In this program, Gaskin-Capehart pioneered an annual girls enrichment and women’s conference.

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Gaskin-Capehart holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication from the University of South Florida (USF) and is currently pursuing a Master of Liberal Arts Degree from the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. She is a graduate of Leadership St. Petersburg, National Urban Fellows America’s Leaders of Change, Tampa Bay Public Leadership Institute, Whitney M. Young, Jr., Emerging Leaders, and the Tampa Bay Chapter of the New Leaders Coalition.

Gaskin-Capehart’s community service with several business associations and community groups range from currently serving on the Junior League Community Advisory Board, the Super Bowl Business Connect Advisory Committee, the Institute for Strategic Policy Solutions, and as President of the Tampa Bay Chapter of the National Forum of Black Public Administrators to having served on the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Governors.

WOMEN ON THE MOVE

DEPUTY LEILA FREEZE GILLIAM FIELD RECRUITER ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

D

eputy Leila Freeze Gilliam is a field recruiter for the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, inspiring others to join a profession of service and inciting courage to do goodwill. As a field recruiter, she goes to great lengths to provoke others, through visiting churches, empowering women with her testimony, traveling to schools, and re-establishing law enforcement and minority community relations. Her notable efforts gained the attention of Channel 2 news, interviewing her in 2020.

She has been honored by her community and peers. In 2015 she was honored as a first responder at the Orlando Magic game. Upon request, she celebrated her country by singing the National Anthem. As a school resource officer, she received the Deborah Clayton Honoring Our Heroes Award.

She leaves no room for marginalization, serving as a crisis intervention-trained officer and hostage negotiator. Born in Florida, a middle child of six, she is no stranger to service, as her father is a pastor. With star potential for her athletic achievements, she uses her athleticism to shine

for youth, mentoring and volunteering in programs such as YMCA Teen Achievers, religious groups, autism awareness, and recreational training.

Ambition for a limitless world for all intensified when she became a mother to a beautiful girl. Motherhood did not limit her; rather it focused her, and she completed a degree in criminal justice and entered a career in law enforcement.

Her journey was not absent of challenges, but her vision for fairness and unity evoked resilience. As the first generation of law enforcement, she started as a Deputy Sheriff on patrol, with battle scars and accolades to affirm a job well done. Deputy Freeze’s life proves there are no obstacles, only opportunities. She is determined to mobilize an evolving narrative of progression. Showing the brightest stars sacrifice to ensure a better tomorrow for us all; she was one of two chosen to take a picture with former President Barack Obama, and she’s not finished giving a new perspective to stars.

ONYX MAGAZINE 23

H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S

HEART HEART TO

FOUR WAYS BLACK WOMEN CAN IMPROVE CARDIOVASCULAR CARE.

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H

igh blood pressure -- the leading risk factor for heart attack and stroke—continues to disproportionately affect communities of color. Addressing this health inequity is especially important right now, as people with hypertension and serious heart conditions are at an increased risk for more severe outcomes if they acquire COVID-19.

According to the American Heart Association, the prevalence of high blood pressure among Black adults in the U.S. is among the highest in the world, with the prevalence of high blood pressure in Black women nearly 40 percent higher than white women in the U.S. While many long-standing inequities and stressors produced by structural racism have created and continue to exacerbate these conditions, there are steps individuals can take to prioritize self-care for improved blood pressure.

This is why the American Medical Association (AMA), the AMA Foundation, Association of Black

Cardiologists, American Heart Association, Minority Health Institute and National Medical Association have launched the “Release the Pressure” campaign with ESSENCE. The campaign is aimed at partnering with Black women to help improve their heart health and be part of a movement for healthy blood pressure, with a shared goal of engaging more than 300,000 Black women.

As part of the campaign, the AMA and this coalition of national health care organizations encourages Black women to take a pledge to be part of a healthy blood pressure movement at ReleaseThePressure.org. Specifically, the pledge encourages Black women to take the following four steps: 1.

2.

3.

4.

Set a blood pressure goal: Schedule an appointment with your physician or other health care professional, in-person or virtually, to work in partnership on understanding your blood pressure numbers and knowing your goal for optimal blood pressure.

Monitor blood pressure numbers at home: Once you learn your blood pressure numbers, take and keep regular records of your blood pressure.

Activate a personalized wellness plan: Identify specific goals for fitness and heart healthy eating and connect virtually with family members and friends from your “squad” to keep you on track.

Make regular check-ins with your “squad”: Lean on your family and friends to help you achieve your heart health goals by checking in with them on a daily basis.

Photo by (c) yacobchuk /iStock via Getty Images Plus

“Preventive care is vital to breaking the devastating impact of high blood pressure within the Black community, particularly during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” says Patrice A. Harris, M.D., MA, president of the AMA. “It starts with understanding blood pressure numbers and taking action to manage blood pressure.”

Story by StatePoint.

ONYX MAGAZINE 25

A R T S & C U LT U R E

FEMALE CEO STEERS

BLACK RODEO MOVEMENT BILL PICKET INVITATIONAL CHAMPIONS BLACK WOMEN IN RODEO.

BY CYNTHIA YELDELL ANDERSON

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Caroline and Justini Carter

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAROLINE CARTER

A

frican American cowgirls do exist.

Each year hundreds of Black women travel across the United States to compete in ladies steer wrestling, breakaway roping, bull riding, barrel racing, and other rodeo competitions — many while holding down full-time jobs.

The rise of Black women in the rodeo circuit is largely due to the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo (BPIR), the nation’s only African American touring rodeo, which was founded by Lu Vason in Denver, Colorado, in 1984.

Named in honor of Willie M. ‘Bill’ Pickett, BPIR was an African American cowboy, actor, and ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductee. He invented the bulldogging technique — a rodeo event where a rider wrestles a steer to the ground by grabbing its horns.

“Being CEO was an opportunity where I could get women involved to show that women can run a rodeo operation just as effective or more effective as men,” Cunningham said. “That was important to me. A woman has to do 10 times more than a counterpart to show they are capable of doing certain things.”

Women have been involved in the rodeo world at various levels for decades. However, they have been mostly underrepresented, said Krishaun Adair of Point Blank, Texas, who has been competing in rodeo since she was five years old.

“I did not realize we were like unicorns. I didn’t realize there was a lack of or underrepresentation of Black cowgirls. I grew up looking at Black cowgirls, that’s who I wanted to be. They were my role models. Then I realized how small of a group and how precious we are. People had never seen it before, never heard of it before. Their image of a cowboy or a cowgirl looks nothing like me.”

When Adair and her friend Azja Bryant travel to competitions with horses in tow, people stop and stare, she told Zenger.

“We would stop at different gas stations, and you know, people would either look at you a little funny or [for] some people it was total fascination like they just couldn’t believe,” said Bryant. “I like to be able to perform to the best of my ability, to go out and be a positive role model to others, so I can show other people, ‘Hey there are Black cowgirls out here.’”

Adair said she admires BPIR because it creates a platform for Black cowboys and cowgirls.

“Bill Pickett [represents cowgirls and cowboys] on a level so that we

Valerie Howard Cunningham, producer and CEO of Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo.

“ Because we are an African American rodeo association, the biggest challenge has been and continues to be obtaining the level of sponsorship of other rodeos.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF VALERIE HOWARD CUNNINGTHAM

–VALERIE HOWARD CUNNINGHAM

don’t seem inferior or not as good,” said Adair. “I want to be seen; I don’t want to be isolated. We rodeo, we just so happen to be Black.”

Vason created BPIR as a place for African Americans to hone their rodeo skills, showcase their talents, and educate the community about Pickett.

The idea came after he attended Cheyenne Frontier Days, an outdoor rodeo and western celebration in the United States, held annually since 1897 in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Cunningham told Zenger that he did not see Black cowboys or cowgirls in the rodeo despite knowing there were thousands in the United States.

Now, BPIR has surpassed the model of being just a rodeo — it’s a community that brings people together from across the country.

“Bill Pickett is all African American,” Cunningham said. “It gives African Americans the opportunity to display skills and develop skills and not be treated unfairly. People invited to participate in the rodeo know it’s a safe zone.”

Rodeo in the United States is not just fun; it is big business. According to ranch services company Western Ranches, more than 600 rodeos nationwide are sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, and in 2015 rodeo prize money surpassed $46 million. Contestants have the opportunity to win hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize money in just a few days.

But sponsors and prize money do not come easily for Black rodeos.

“Because we are an African American rodeo association, the biggest challenge has been and continues to be obtaining the level of sponsorship of other rodeos,” said Cunningham.

“Companies don’t want to invest. With the National Finals Rodeo (NFR), millions can be put up for added money at their finals. We sell out all of our venues across the U.S., and we don’t get the same level of sponsorship participation. It’s the biggest struggle we have, but we don’t let that hold us back.”

African American cowboys accounted for up to 25% of workers in the cattle industry in American West, although their images were primarily excluded from popular culture. And while Black cowboys and cowgirls are common in places like Texas and Oklahoma, Cunningham said it is shocking how little is known about them in other parts of the country.

With COVID-19 causing the slowdown of rodeo competition across the country, BPIR is focusing not only on gaining sponsors but on its mission of education and getting more young people involved in the sport.

Cunningham said the Bill Pickett circuit rodeo tour introduces Black cowboys and cowgirls to children across the country and provides education about African American participation in the development of the western United States.

“Seeing kids from different communities that have never seen a Black cowboy and never seen a Black cowgirl, that’s worth more than money could ever buy,” said Cunningham. “History books don’t teach certain things. What Bill Pickett rodeo has done is to bring history alive to educate them.”

Cunningham told Zenger that parents attending and learning about BPIR for the first time often want to know where their children can learn to ride a horse and learn more about cowboys and cowgirls, which passes on the interest to a new generation.

Oklahoma native and steer undecorating champion, Carolyn Carter, began competing in 1982. Now, she has four generations of family involvement in rodeo, including a grandson and great-grandson, who are both two years old.

According to Carter, new generations of Black cowboys and cowgirls have advantages her generation did not have, such as access to parents and grandparents who know how to train horses and gained exposure to Black rodeo competitions at an early age.

“They are learning at an earlier age how to do what we’ve been doing all of these years,” said Carter. “It’s a lifestyle.”

Kalyn Womack contributed to this report.

Cynthia Yeldell Anderson writes for Zenger News where this story first appeared.

ONYX MAGAZINE 27

FLORIDA SCOPE

GOVERNOR ANNOUNCES COVID VACCINE SITES

Governor DeSantis announced the establishment of six COVID-19 vaccination sites to provide greater access to the vaccine in underserved populations in Broward, Duval, Leon, Miami-Dade, and Osceola counties. The Governor made this announcement at Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, where one of the new sites is located. “I’m pleased to announce the opening of six new COVID-19 vaccination sites in underserved areas in Florida,” said Governor DeSantis. “These sites, which will administer 200 shots per day and be open seven days a week, will significantly increase access to the vaccine for seniors in these communities.” These new vaccination sites open today, Thursday, February 25, and will provide vaccines to frontline health care workers and individuals 65 years of age and older. Each site will administer 200 vaccines per day and will be open seven days a week.

– Edward Waters College

Zachery Fasion, Ph.D., the president of Edward Waters College, speaks about EWC being tapped as a vaccine site with Gov. Ron DeSantis standing left in the photo.

NEXT UP FOR VACCINE MAY RECEIVE IT IN MARCH Florida still has not announced details on the next stage of its COVID-19 vaccine rollout, but Gov. Ron DeSantis said that the next age group will likely start getting vaccinated in March. Unlike many other states, Florida has not written a complete playbook for its vaccine rollout, instead focusing its message on inoculating “Seniors First.” Vaccines are currently available to residents and part-time residents 65 years old and older, as well as health care professionals and long-term care facility staff and residents. –Florida Politics

PLAN TO HELP STUDENTS READ ON GRADE LEVEL

According to the Florida Chamber of Commerce, 58% of the state’s third graders read at or above grade level—which means 42 percent currently do not. The Florida 2030 Blueprint established a goal that by 2030, 100 percent of third graders in Florida will be reading on grade level. Reaching this goal is crucial to the success of students and to creating a strong workforce. Research shows that students who are not reading at or above grade level by third grade may never catch up and have a higher risk of never graduating high school. To find out the third grade reading scores in your county, visit www.

TheFloridaScorecard.org – Florida Chamber of Commerce

CELEBRATE SOULFULLY

In February, Walt Disney World Resort unveiled several new experiences inviting guests to celebrate soulfully at The Most Magical Place on Earth. Coinciding with and extending beyond February’s Black History Month, these offerings honor Black heritage and culture through music, food, art and more.

“The Soul of Jazz: An American Adventure” debuted Feb. 1 and will and continue beyond the month at The American Adventure inside EPCOT. Featuring Joe Gardner from Disney and Pixar’s “Soul,” this new exhibit showcases historic artifacts of famous jazz musicians—including Charlie “Bird” Parker and Louis Armstrong—inviting guests on a musical tour of the United States to learn more about this colorful, inspiring and constantly evolving genre of music. “Celebrate Soulfully at Disney Springs” brings together several new offerings debuting in February at the Walt Disney World shopping, dining and entertainment district. With jazz-inspired performances, new art displays, special food menus and more, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Photo by ONYX Magazine

FLORIDA—THE BEST PLACE TO RETIRE

Thirteen of the top 25 places to retire are in Florida’s metro areas, according to “U.S. News & World Report’s” 2020-2021 announcement of top retirement destinations. The report also states the reason is “largely due to affordable homes, low taxes and high ratings for happiness and desirability.”

On the list, Sarasota, Fort Myers, Port St. Lucie and Naples are the top four. Also on the list are Ocala, Miami, Melbourne, Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Orlando, Lakeland, Tampa, and Pensacola.

The 2020-2021 Best Places to Retire were determined based on a methodology that factored in happiness, housing affordability, health care quality, retiree taxes, desirability and job market ratings.

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X XBXEXYXOXNXDX FXLXOXRXI X DX A

THIRD VACCINE GETS GREEN LIGHT Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the third vaccine for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The EUA allows the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine to be distributed in the U.S for use in individuals 18 years of age and older. “The authorization of this vaccine expands the availability of vaccines, the best medical prevention method for COVID-19, to help us in the fight against this pandemic, which has claimed over half a million lives in the United States,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D. “The FDA, through our open and transparent scientific review process, has now authorized three COVID-19 vaccines with the urgency called for during this pandemic, using the agency’s rigorous standards for safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality needed to support emergency use authorization.” The EUA for the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine was issued to Janssen Biotech Inc., a Janssen Pharmaceutical Company of Johnson & Johnson. The two vaccines already being distributed were developed by Pfizer and Moderna.

– U.S. Food & Drug Administration

HONORING CICELY TYSON, LEGENDARY ACTRESS, AUTHOR AND TRAILBLAZER Cicely Tyson, the legendary Tony Award and Emmy-winning actress died on January 28,2021, just two days after the release of her memoir “Just As I Am.” She was 96. Tyson had a career spanning more than 60 years, never retiring from entertainment. She often played roles that lifted Black women as the powerful people they are. She received an “Academy Award for Best Actress” nomination for performance in the 1972 drama “Sounder,” and she earned two “Emmy Awards:” For the groundbreaking “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman,” and “Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All.” In 2016, President Barack Obama awarded her the “Medal of Freedom,” the highest civilian honor presented to people who have contributed to “security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.”

Tyson received an honorary “Oscar” in 2018, the first Black woman to do so. In 2020, she was selected for the “Peabody Career Achievement Award” for her work on the stage, in film and on television. She also scored Emmy nods for the miniseries “Roots” and “King.”

ONYX MAGAZINE 29

WOMEN ON THE MOVE

LENA GRAHAM-MORRIS, THE ENTREPRENISTA®

T

VICE PRESIDENT HORUS CONSTRUCTION

his woman is no stranger to the world of entrepreneurship! She will tell you it runs through her DNA. Lena Graham-Morris is vice president, principal, and shareholder of HORUS Construction Services, Inc., and currently is in a succession plan to take ownership of her family’s third-generation construction business. In an industry dominated by men, she is taking the proverbial reins to be a trailblazer.

Her grandfather, grandmother, great uncle, father, and uncle established the company. Today she works side-by-side with her mentor and partner, who is also her uncle. They have established strategic partnerships that have secured over $500 million in contracts over the last five years. In addition, they ensured the firm’s largest contract in its history and spearheaded the Business Equity Best Practices and Economic Impact Report for a state-renown medical center located in Tampa, Fla. Graham-Morris brings more than 15 years of nonprofit experience to the table, including key positions with PBS/NPR, Metro Orlando Urban League

30 ONYX MAGAZINE

and the African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida. She recently launched HORUS Academy with her partner and team of strategic alliances. The 501(c)3 program offers mentor protégé assistance to small businesses. This initiative includes virtual and physical incubators that provide support to small businesses and subcontractors. To date, the Academy has assisted multiple firms in doubling their yearly revenue and placed many small businesses in contracts through the mentor protégé program.

Graham-Morris serves as president-elect for the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Orlando, an organization dedicated to supporting women business owners and entrepreneurs. She will be installed as president in July 2021 and is the first woman of color to lead the organization in that capacity.

Graham-Morris resides in Altamonte Springs, Fla., with her husband, Jared Morris. Her motto is, “The absolute test of one’s character is the ability to lose as gracefully as you win.”

WOMEN ON THE MOVE

DIANA L. GREENE, PH.D. SUPERINTENDENT DUVAL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

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iana L. Greene, Ph.D., became superintendent of Duval County Public Schools (DCPS), the 20th largest school district in the nation on July 1, 2018. In this role, she serves 130,000 students within 200 schools and manages a $1.7 billion-dollar budget. Greene’s tenure as superintendent of Duval County Public Schools has already been marked with significant accomplishments. District academic performance has continued to improve. Duval is now within one percentage point of becoming an ‘A’ district under Florida’s rigorous school grade accountability system. The District also achieved another historically high graduation rate.

In less than one week, Greene and her leadership team converted more than 120,000 children, 13,000 teachers and staff, and 160 schools to an online virtual learning environment—Duval HomeRoom–in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020. In August of 2020, the District reopened in the pandemic, providing families the choice of a traditional on-campus learning option or two options for remote learning.

Most notably, Greene unified community support for schools, orchestrating the passage of a voluntary surtax to renovate and replace the Dis-

trict’s crumbling school infrastructure with a $1.9 billion master facilities plan. These accomplishments and more led the Florida Association of District School Superintendents (FADSS) to select Greene as the 2021 Florida Superintendent of the Year, making her the 33rd superintendent and the second African American woman to receive this honor.

Before becoming superintendent, Greene served as deputy superintendent of Instructional Services in Manatee County. During her 33-year career as an educator, she has been a teacher, assistant principal, and principal; she also served in curriculum development, staff development, and senior executive leadership.

On a personal note, Greene’s father served in the Air Force, and she grew up living in locations all over the United States and abroad. She is married to James Greene, an independent financial advisor who retired from the Navy. They have two sons, Aldon and Joshua.

ONYX MAGAZINE 31

WOMEN ON THE MOVE

MALIKA HARRISON DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ORLANDO MAGIC

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alika Harrison is director of Social Responsibility for the Orlando Magic. With more than 15 years of experience in corporate social responsibility, philanthropy, communications, public relations, and business strategy, she currently leads the Magic’s community relations, employee volunteering, disaster relief, cause marketing, and civic engagement programs. She also oversees the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation, including strategic grantmaking and fundraising.

Before relocating to Orlando, Harrison served as director of Corporate Responsibility for S&P Global and vice president of S&P Global Foundation in New York City. She led the development of a Center of Excellence to redefine the company’s corporate responsibility strategy, enhanced the internal and external communications, and managed a global multi-million grant portfolio that supported STEM, workforce development, veterans, women entrepreneurs, and environmental sustainability.

Committed to social change and a passionate advocate for the advancement of educational opportunities, equity and inclusion, youth and women’s empowerment, Harrison’s leadership-in-service includes the National Council of Negro Women, Inc., Valencia College Horizon Scholars Program

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mentor, Foundation for Orange County Public Schools’ Read2Succeed program tutor, Leadership Orlando - Class 98, and serving on the inaugural onePulse Foundation Legacy Scholarship Committee. She also serves on the board of directors for Early Learning Coalition of Orange County, ELEVATE Orlando, the Holocaust Memorial Resources and Education Center of Florida, United Arts of Central Florida, and Mayor Demings’ appointee to the Orange County Parks & Recreation Advisory Board.

In 2017, Harrison received New York University’s Bart Lawson Award for Distinguished Public Service. In 2019, the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Central Florida Chapter, recognized her as an Emerging Leader Honoree. For her continuing work in the community, in 2020 she received a SPORTYS Award for Best in Social Responsibility from the Greater Orlando Sports Commission and was selected among “Orlando Business Journal’s” 40 Under 40.

Harrison holds a master’s degree in Public Relations and Corporate Communication from New York University and a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Florida A&M University.

WOMEN ON THE MOVE

BERTHA HENRY

COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BROWARD COUNTY GOVERNMENT

B

ertha Henry was named county administrator in October 2008 after serving as interim county administrator for a year. As county administrator, she serves as the chief executive officer of Broward County, with a population of 1.9 million residents and a $5.3 billion budget for fiscal year 2021. Henry directs the functions of county government, which fall under the auspices of the Board of County Commissioners. Broward County has a workforce of more than 6,500 employees, and Henry oversees the operations of more than 60 agencies, including the airport, seaport, and Convention & Visitors Bureau.

A native of Miami, Henry has a distinguished career in public service with more than 43 years of public administration experience. She began her career with the City of Miami in the Office of Management & Budget. She also worked in Montgomery County (Dayton), Ohio, before coming to Broward County in 1996 as the assistant to the county administrator. In 1998,

she accepted a position as assistant city manager of Finance and Administration for the City of Miami, assisting with the city’s financial recovery. She returned to Broward County in July 2000, serving as the deputy county administrator, and resumed the helm in 2008.

Henry has a Master of Science degree in Public Administration (Finance Concentration) and a Bachelor of Science in Government from Florida State University. Henry was awarded the 2017 International City/County Management Association Career Excellence Award in memory of Mark E. Keane and was also named and honored as one of the “Governing” magazine’s Public Officials of the Year—these among her other numerous awards and recognitions for her professional and volunteer endeavors.

Henry is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., The Links, Incorporated, and she is affiliated with several other organizations. She is married to Bobby R. Henry, the publisher of the “Westside Gazette.”

ONYX MAGAZINE 33

JOIN OUR TEAM ONYX Magazine celebrates 23 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 321-418-7216.

ENTERTAINS, INSPIRES AND INFORMS

34 ONYX MAGAZINE

WOMEN ON THE MOVE

LASHAWNDA K. JACKSON PRESIDENT ORANGE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION

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aShawnda Jackson practices law in the areas of casualty and product liability. She defends companies against premises liability, product defect, and motor vehicle accident liability claims involving personal injury, wrongful death and property damage cases. Jackson has been involved in bar service for 16 years, and broke the glass ceiling by becoming the first Black president of the Orange County Bar Association on June 1, 2020. She also served as president of affinity bar associations Virgil Hawkins Florida Chapter National Bar Association and Paul C. Perkins Bar Association.

No stranger to barriers and obstacles, Jackson was just 3 years old when her father was shot and killed. She was raised by her father’s sister, whom she calls “mom” and grew up in Mims, Florida. “I saw so many people on the wrong side of the law. I wanted to be on the right side of the law. My biological mother was 19 years old when I was born, and I was her fourth child. I was not going to repeat that cycle.”

Equipped with that powerful motivation and the desire to make her father proud, Jackson worked hard to succeed in school. Earning 15 academic scholarships and competing on the University of Florida Track and Field Team, she then attended undergraduate and law school at UF. While Jackson is an aggressive litigator who represents her clients to the very best of her ability, she always finds time to encourage young people in the community to develop and explore their interests, work hard and reach for their dreams. Through the Junior League of Greater Orlando’s MAGIC (Mentoring Adolescent Girls to Inspire Change) program, Jackson mentors young girls detained in the local juvenile detention center who await sentencing or admission into a treatment program. Jackson has a “pay it forward attitude” when it comes to helping kids. “People took time for me when I was young, so I have a hard time saying no if it has anything to do with kids,” she admitted.

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WOMEN ON THE MOVE

DEIDRÉ A. KELLER

DEAN FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW

D

eidré A. Keller is dean of the Florida A&M University (FAMU Law) College of Law in Orlando. Her tenure began on July 1, 2020.

Before joining FAMU Law, Keller was the associate dean for Academic Affairs at Ohio Northern University (ONU) Claude W. Pettit College.

Keller began her academic career at ONU as an Assistant Professor in 2010.

While there, she taught Property, Intellectual Property, Law & Literature, and the Legal History of Montgomery, Ala., among other property, intellectual property and academic success courses.

For three years, Keller taught undergraduates in ONU’s PLUS program, which prepared students underrepresented in the profession for law school. Keller was also the co-chair of the ONU’s inaugural Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Commission. Her work in the DEI space also included organizing conferences with colleagues from across the academy including, MOSAIC: Diverse Voices in Intellectual Property, an annual conference which recently had its sixth annual meeting; and RACE + IP, a semiannual,

36 ONYX MAGAZINE

interdisciplinary conference, the second meeting of which took place at NYU in 2019.

Keller writes and speaks at the intersections of pedagogy, intellectual property, personhood theory, critical race theory, and the Constitution.

Her current work is focused on inclusive pedagogies and diversifying the legal profession. She also is active in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in the community. In that capacity, she is currently serving on the DEI taskforce of the Orlando Economic Partnership.

Before teaching, Keller practiced law in Atlanta with the firms of Sutherland, Asbill and Brennan, LLP and Seyfarth Shaw, LLP. She specialized in intellectual property. Her experience included patent, copyright, and trademark litigation, prosecution, and counseling. Keller earned her bachelor’s degree from Yale College in English and Sociology and her law degree from Emory University College of Law. She and her husband have six children.

WOMEN ON THE MOVE

KENA LEWIS, APR

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CORPORATE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS ORLANDO HEALTH

ena Lewis is a seasoned communications professional and an accredited public relations practitioner (APR) with a diverse background in news, public affairs, marketing, and public relations. She is currently the corporate director of Public Affairs and Media Relations for Orlando Health, a $6.8 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a network of hospitals, physician practices, diagnostic centers and other care centers serving the southeastern United States. In that role, Lewis directs the hospital system’s public affairs and media relations team and provides lead support on issues management and crisis communications.

Prior to joining Orlando Health, Lewis served as senior director of Public Affairs and Communications for the Florida operation of Bright House Networks where she developed and implemented public affairs programs for the Florida Group, which consisted of more than 1.8 million customers across 16 counties.

Lewis also served as vice president of Marketing and Communications for Heart of Florida United Way, the largest provider of funds to central

Florida’s most critical health and human service programs. Early in her career, she managed publicity and public relations efforts for Universal Orlando, Time Warner Cable and worked as a radio reporter and host.

She is actively involved in the community, serving on the communications committee for Grace Medical Home and as a board member for the African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida. She is a member of the National Association of Health Services Executives and the Public Relations Society of America.

Lewis holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a master’s degree in Communications from the University of Central Florida. She is a conference speaker and published author, a recipient of the PRSA Health Academy’s 2017 Excellence in Public Relations Award, and was named the 2017 PR Professional of the Year by the Florida Public Relations Association, Orlando chapter.

She and her husband, Alvin, reside in Orlando.

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WOMEN ON THE MOVE

MACHELLE MANER

VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WELLS FARGO

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achelle Maner is vice president, Community Development for Wells Fargo managing a 10-county region of Florida. In her role, Maner focuses on developing public/private partnerships, identifying programs that support affordable housing, growing small businesses, and creating community/economic development opportunities.

Also, Maner is responsible for investments in non-profit organizations in those sectors. Maner has been in the financial services industry for 30 years and has held many positions in her career. She became vice president in 1996.

In addition to other training, Maner completed a Diversity Practitioner Program and was instrumental in forming a Diversity and Inclusion Council. She co-chaired that Council for three years before acting as one of its ambassadors. Maner serves on the Minority Enterprise Development Corp.

Board of Directors, UNCF Tampa Bay Leadership Council and other committees in Florida. In addition, Maner has participated in and led leadership

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programs in Tampa Bay. She is a graduate of 1995 Leadership Tampa and served as chair of Leadership Tampa’s class of 2000. She is a graduate of the 1998 Class of Leadership Tampa Bay and takes pride in serving as 20082009 Leadership Tampa Bay class chair and as past president of the Board of Directors of Leadership Tampa Bay. Maner is a past president of the Tampa Club Board, the first African American woman to serve in that role.

Originally from Savannah, Ga., Maner is a graduate of Savannah State University, where she majored in Marketing and Business Management. She is very active in the Tampa Bay area, fulfilling her passion for serving in the community and encouraging families and individuals. Most importantly, she is a proud mother of two and mimi to five grandchildren. As an encourager, she takes great pleasure in helping families and individuals overcome challenges and grow to the next level. She is an exceptional leader in the community and she says her priorities are clear: They are faith, family, and then everything else.

WOMEN ON THE MOVE

SHAYLIA MCRAE

CHIEF OF TRANSFORMATION NETWORK HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

S

haylia McRae has more than 22 years of experience working in public education as a teacher, principal, executive coach, and district administrator. She serves as the chief of Transformation Network for Hillsborough County Public Schools, the nation’s seventh-largest school district. In her role, she leads the efforts to transform 28 of the district’s most vulnerable and chronically challenged schools. Her efforts focus on leading more than 1,500 teachers, administrators, and school support staff to serve the social, academic, and cultural well-being of more than 14,000 students, including 88% students of color and 90% students on free and reduced lunch.

Throughout her career, McRae has relentlessly focused on advancing bold and innovative approaches to create equitable access to high-quality instruction. Designing high-achieving, collaborative school cultures, empowering strong family engagement and building community partnerships has been an anchor in her work. As a principal of Marshall Middle School in Plant City, Fla., she led the school to become the first A.V.I.D. (Advancement

via Individual Determination) Demonstration School focused on cultivating readiness for potential first-generation college students. As principal of Martinez Middle School in Lutz, Fla., she led the school to become a Springboard Demonstration School, a designation from CollegeBoard. In partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, McRae helped develop Hillsborough Principal Pipeline, a flagship program for preparing diverse and innovative school leaders and administrators. As the director for Student Success, McRae developed and spearheaded the district’s Student Success Program, which delivered a customized system of support to more than 6,600 middle and high school students deemed “at-risk” by national indicators for dropout.

McRae has been recognized locally and nationally as a rising star in Turnaround Education. She is a graduate of the University of South Florida, receiving a bachelor’s degree in Business Education and an Educational Specialist degree in Turnaround School Leadership. She also holds a master’s degree from Nova Southeastern University in Educational Leadership.

ONYX MAGAZINE 39

WOMEN ON THE MOVE

ERIKA PULLEY-HAYES PRESIDENT AND CEO WMFE WMFV

E

rika Pulley-Hayes joined WMFE|WMFV in January 2020 as president and CEO after a long tenure at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) in Washington, D.C., where she served as radio vice president. In this capacity, she provided strategic leadership to the public radio system by developing initiatives designed to drive innovation in a legacy industry and advance public service media. She has worked to enhance local service and sustainability by identifying new business opportunities and operating models that engage audiences across platforms and increase organizational capacity.

She was instrumental in developing journalism collaborations among local and regional public media organizations and launched a new format for young multicultural audiences. She was also responsible for developing the policies that govern CPB’s Community Service Grant program, which as public media’s largest funding source, supports more than 400 organizations operating more than 1,100 public radio stations nationwide.

Pulley-Hayes began her career at a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company, where she worked under the general counsel and corporate secre-

tary. In this role, she worked closely with the board of directors, negotiated corporate agreements for commercial transactions, and ensured political and regulatory compliance. Pulley-Hayes later managed legal operations of a clinical research organization overseeing risk management, corporate housekeeping and commercial contracts generating approximately $40 million annually.

Pulley-Hayes serves on the Board of Directors of public radio’s NPR, and 826 National, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping students improve their expository and creative writing skills in nine cities across the United States. She is also a member of the Alliance of Women in Media. Pulley-Hayes holds a Master of Business Administration degree and Master of Science degree in Nonprofit Management from the University of Maryland University College. She also earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at William Paterson University in her home state of New Jersey.

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WOMEN ON THE MOVE

MICHELE L. STOCKER

CO-CHAIR OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES LITIGATION GREENBERG TRAURIG, P.A.

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ichele L. Stocker is a shareholder and co-chair of the Financial Services Litigation Practice at Greenberg Traurig, P.A. in the Ft. Lauderdale office. For more than 25 years, Stocker has successfully helped businesses in the financial services industry manage their litigation and reputational risk. She has extensive experience as a commercial litigator representing regional and national banks; mortgage and student loan servicers; consumer finance companies; mortgage bankers; credit card issuers; debt buyers; and third-party debt collectors concerning a variety of individual and class-action consumer statutory and common law claims. She has written and lectured widely on consumer finance litigation issues and is considered an expert in her field.

In addition to her professional activities, Stocker is the chair of the Board of Trustees for Pine Crest School, her alma mater, and one of the nations’ top college preparatory institutions. She is the first African Amer-

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ican to hold this position and is proud to serve her community. Stocker is also a member of the Orange Bowl Committee. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Crockett Foundation, and on the Nova Southeastern University Museum of Art, Board of Governors.

Stocker is admitted to practice law in the state and federal courts of Florida and New York, and is a civil circuit court mediator, certified by the Supreme Court of Florida. She is rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, and has been repeatedly recognized by such publications as “Best Lawyers in America,” and “Florida Super Lawyers.” Stocker holds an A.B. in Politics from Princeton University where she graduated cum laude in 1987.

She also has a Juris Doctor from Columbia University School of Law, where she graduated with honors as a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar in 1990. She is the proud mother of daughters, Savannah, 19 and Sierra, 17.

WOMEN ON THE MOVE

NICOLE THOMAS HOSPITAL PRESIDENT BAPTIST MEDICAL CENTER SOUTH

N

icole Thomas, FACE, the hospital president of Baptist Medical Center South, is the first woman named a hospital president in Baptist Health history. She is responsible for the operational and strategic direction of the second-largest hospital in the health system.

Previously, Thomas had executive responsibility for Baptist M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and Baptist Neurological Institute. She is one of “Modern Healthcare” magazine’s Top 25 Minority Executives in Healthcare and one of 50 Great African Americans in Health Care to Know by “Becker’s Hospital Review.”

Thomas joined Baptist Health in 2001 as vice president of Operations and Specialty Services. Prior to that, she served as assistant vice president of Physician Operations for St. Luke’s Episcopal Health system in Houston, and as an operations administrator at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville.

Growing up in a Houston neighborhood challenged with poverty and crime, Thomas’s family was determined she would have a better life. She attended a health professions-focused magnet high school where she worked as a dental assistant.

Thomas received a received a Bachelor of Science in Public Health Administration from Dillard University in New Orleans graduating magna cum laude. She also has a Master of Healthcare Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was a Minority Merit Scholar and Institute for Diversity in Healthcare Management Scholarship recipient.

Thomas was honored by the Northeast Florida Girl Scout Council as one of its Women of Distinction for 2018. She is a member of the board of directors for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s Jacksonville branch and is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. Thomas was named a Woman of Influence by the “Jacksonville Business Journal,” a Woman with Heart by Volunteers in Medicine and received the Women in Business Award from the Jacksonville Women’s Network. She is a 2013 graduate of Leadership Jacksonville and a past chair of Women in Local Leadership for the United Way of Northeast Florida.

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ON THE RISE

Tracy Powell, vice president of Signature Experiences at Walt Disney World, stands in front of the student wall.

RESILIENT

MAGIC! YOUTH ENCOURAGED TO PREVAIL DESPITE OBSTACLES.

BY PENNY DICKERSON

T

he charge to “go the distance in uncertain times” was an apt theme for the Inaugural Disney Dreamers Academy Virtual Program Series that culminated with a commencement celebration held Dec. 12, 2020. The pre-recorded ceremony took place just weeks prior to the end of one the country’s most challenging years but served as the motivational capstone to a successful career immersion program held annually since 2008 at Walt Disney World Resorts in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Disney Dreamers Academy traditionally brings together 100 students from across the United States for an all-expenses-paid trip to Walt Disney World where they participate in an immersive, transformational four-day learning experiences that align with their prospective career goals. The program is part of Walt Disney World Resort’s commitment to helping the 44 ONYX MAGAZINE

next generation of young people by inspiring them at a critical time in their development.

The March 12-15, 2020, onsite event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and risked leaving lofty dreams of an exemplary cadre hanging in the balance. Resilience reigned, and committed executives, seasoned professionals and a bevy of celebrities merged with resourcefulness and magic to create an 11-week, groundbreaking series that launched Sept. 26, 2020.

“It takes magic to do the impossible and Disney Dreamers are magic,” said Tracey Powell, executive champion of the Disney Dreamers Academy who added that she admires the participation and resilience of the class of 2020 over the past three months.

“Impressively, you have managed the demands of school and college

Entrepreneurship Deep Dive

and astoundingly, many after-school jobs, extracurricular activities and life changing events in your personal or family life even as you participated in multiple live sessions of Deep Dives,” stated Powell who co-hosted the commencement along with three celebrities who served as honorary deans of the Disney Dreamers Academy. They included, award-winning actor Anthony Anderson of the ABC show “black-ish”; Yvette Nicole Harris, actress, writer and comedienne who excels in voice overs and ABCs young, rising star Arica Himmel of the hit show, “mix-ish.”

Anderson introduced the virtual yearbook segment that encouraged Dreamers interested in servant careers including law, medicine, education and entrepreneurship with a tone and tenor that surpassed his comedic reputation.

“What the world needs now is change makers,” said Anderson. “You are part of a generation that has taken to the streets on a mission to see service by the people and for the people.”

Award-winning stage and screen actor Courtney B. Vance, echoed Anderson’s sentiments with these poignant words: “I see the young people of this generation like I see the young people of the Vietnam era calling older generation to live up to and live out the ideas of this country,” offered Vance.

Catch phrases of hope, positive reminders to seize opportunities and

in-depth lectures by leading career professionals were among the academy’s stellar moments coupled with refrains to reach for your dreams and not falter.

“Stay focused, stay determined and believe in yourself,” said Damon Idris, actor on the FX Network show, “Snowfall.” “Stay patient. Your patience is your greatest motivator.”

“Conversations with Game Changers” and “A Legacy of Fashion Design and Culture” were among the virtual sessions Dreamers indulged with additional glimpses into the fields of culinary, music production, entrepreneurship, dance and natural science. For the first time in the program’s 13-year history, Disney Dreamers were awarded career shadowing externships.

Each student will be paired with a professional from his or her field of interest for a spring 2021 mentoring experience. Mentors will bring knowledge and expertise from Walt Disney Imagineering, The Walt Disney Studios, ABC, Pixar, Essence Magazine, National Geographic and other organizations.

“This is a once in a generation opportunity. Take advantage of it. Don’t let time slip by you,” said Djuan Rivers, vice-president Disney’s Animal Kingdom. “Don’t let things slip through your fingers. Be aggressive about it, be relentless about it and don’t be hesitant to do what you feel in your heart.

Go for it!”

Natural-Sciences deep dive

ONYX MAGAZINE 45

POLITICS

WHITE STORM THE WOMEN WHO TOOK PART IN THE SIEGE OF THE CAPITOL ARE PART OF A LONG HISTORY OF WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN EXTREMIST VIOLENCE, BOTH IN THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD.

BY JAKANA THOMAS

T

he terror inflicted on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 laid bare America’s problem with violent extremism.

The FBI and other law enforcement agencies have begun to piece together the events of that day, while attempting to thwart any impending attacks. Scores of people have been arrested and charged over the attack—the vast majority being men.

In the wake of these events, stories were attributing the violence and destruction to “White male rage” “violent male rage” and “angry White men.”

But what about the women?

To distill the violent insurrection into a tale of angry male rage is to overlook the threat that women in the mob posed to congressional officials, law enforcement, and U.S. democracy that day.

LONG HISTORY OF WOMEN’S INVOLVEMENT Several women have been identified as alleged participants in the events of Jan. 6. Among those women are a former school occupational therapist, an employee of a county sheriff’s office, a real estate broker and a former mayoral candidate.

At least one woman is being investigated for her role in organizing the attack with fellow members of the Oath Keepers, a far-right militia movement. And Ashli Babbitt, a female veteran, was fatally shot by police while trying to breach the Senate floor.

The women who took part in the siege of the Capitol are part of a long history of women’s participation in extremist violence, both in the United States and abroad.

Women have buoyed American far-right organizations and causes for centuries. In her recent book on women at the forefront of contemporary White nationalism, author Seyward Darby writes that women are not “incidental to White nationalism, they are a sustaining feature.”

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Recent terror attacks in American cities such as San Bernardino, California, and Las Vegas that featured women among the perpetrators confirm violent women have already inflicted damage on U.S. soil.

GENDER BIAS CAN BE DEADLY

Since the late 1800s, women have supported and enabled the terrorist White supremacist organization the Ku Klux Klan, while hundreds of thousands joined its female affiliate, Women of the Ku Klux Klan, and its predecessors.

Women helped establish the Klan’s culture, bolstered its recruitment efforts and manufactured its propaganda. Despite its hyper-masculine ideology, which identifies White men as the primary arbiters of political power, women have also held leadership positions within the modern-day Klan.

More recently, women have joined the far-right Proud Boys movement, which has openly recruited female foot soldiers. In December, a growing rift between male and female Proud Boys was reported. After experiencing intense sexist backlash from men in the organization, women led by MMA fighter Tara LaRosa began their own group, the Proud Girls USA. To leave one extremist organization to form another suggests a deep commitment to the far-right cause.

In fact, my research suggests that attacks by female terrorists are often more destructive than those executed by their male counterparts.

In an analysis of more than 2,500 global suicide attacks, I show disparities in the severity of male and female attacks are greatest where gender stereotypes suggest that women are neither violent nor political. Such tropes can blind security officials and civilians to the threat posed by women terrorists, causing them to overlook the potential for female complicity.

Female terrorists, including in Iraq, Israel, and Nigeria, have been able to deflect suspicion because they were women. My research shows that gender bias can become deadly when it stops effective counterterrorism policies, such as surveillance, searches, and interrogations, from being implemented.

Also, because ordinary citizens played an unusual role in exposing the identities of the Capitol attackers, gender biases among civilians are also relevant. Failure to accept women’s complicity in the Capitol siege and the broader movement may prevent the identification of female offenders and impedes efforts to punish and deter future attacks.

American women have been key pillars of support for violent rightwing extremists for centuries. They have been right-wing extremists themselves—racist skinheads, neo-Nazis and Klanswomen. Women are also Oath Keepers, Three Percenters and Proud Boys. They were Capitol rioters.

To construct an accurate account of the Capitol attack, it’s necessary to ask “Where are the women?” And the answer is, “Right there.”

This article was originally published by “The Conversation.” It has been published here with permission. Jakana Thomas is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at Michigan State University.

DISCOUNTING IS DANGEROUS A 2005 study noted a disconnect between the rise in women within American right-wing terrorist organizations and the attention it received from law enforcement.

Despite a marked increase in women’s engagement in acts of terror against the state and racial minorities, security officials have largely failed to publicize, search, and interrogate women operatives in these organizations, even after they become known to law enforcement.

American far-right women might also have drawn inspiration and tactical knowledge from women engaged in extremist violence abroad.

Evidence from the global war on terror points to the potential dangers of ignoring the growth of violent extremism among women. In Iraq, for example, female terrorists carried out large numbers of deadly suicide attacks against American assets during the U.S. occupation.

The rest of the world has since been forced to grapple with the reality of violent women after female terrorists staged lethal attacks in Nigeria, Somalia, Tunisia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and France.

ONYX MAGAZINE 47

YOUR MONEY MATTERS; ESPECIALLY IN RETIREMENT

BY PROFESSOR LAURA DORSEY

48 ONYX MAGAZINE

M O N E Y M AT T E R S

“D

on’t put off for tomorrow that which you can do today.” The adage is true when it comes to retirement. Preparing for retirement is not something women can put off until a later date. The time to prepare is NOW. Your Money Matters, even in Retirement. For most, retirement is a time for personal growth, which becomes the path to greater freedom, or at least that is what it is supposed to be in a perfect world. The real question used to be, “At what age do you want to retire?” Now the question is, “At what income do you want to retire?”

The year 2020 celebrated the 100th anniversary of women’s rights to vote in the United States. Since then, women have made great advances in educational accomplishments and career opportunities. Despite this progress, according to the TransAmerica Center for Retirement Studies (TCRS), they continue to be at greater risk than men for not achieving a financially secure retirement. Persistent gender pay gaps fuel long-term financial inequities and higher poverty rates in retirement for women.

Traditional societal norms and gender roles place women at a disadvantage in saving and planning retirement plans.

Women are usually juggling employment and parenting, along with possible caregiving responsibilities. Taking time out for these activities at times regulate women to working part-time.

The consequences extend beyond lost income, negatively affecting a woman’s lifetime earnings, savings, long term compounding of investments, and even employer-sponsored or government retirement subsidies.

These factors make it extremely challenging for women to achieve an adequate level of retirement income. It is important to note that women tend to live longer than men, which accelerates the need to prepare for a longer retirement and save even more. TCRS has done the research, and the numbers speak for themselves: • • • • • •

planning. They also need to further engage in saving, investing and preparing for long and healthy lives and secure retirements.

Have no fear because help is here to assist in navigating this minefield called retirement and the new Social Contract.

Nadine Watson of West Palm Beach, Florida, is the head of The Nadine Nora Agency LLC, which focuses on financial coaching, especially in the area of women and retirement.

Watson is a subject matter expert and financial advisor who travels throughout the state, facilitating speaking engagements for women on their retirement options and navigating the retirement economic landscape. She believes women can take greater control of their financial futures by taking small steps, ultimately leading to improved long-term retirement readiness. Watson’s information sessions include 11 practical steps for women to improve their retirement outlook.

Here are a few: • Assess current financial situations and create a budget that includes income, living expenses, paying off debt, and financial goals such as building emergency savings and longterm retirement savings.

• Get educated about retirement investing and strategies for drawing down savings in retirement. Learn about types of retirement accounts, asset allocation, and dollar-cost averaging. Become knowledgeable about retirement income, including the best time to start receiving Social Security.

• Avoid taking loans and early withdrawals from retirement accounts, which can severely inhibit their long-term growth. Before tapping into retirement savings, explore all possible alternatives to determine the best option.

• Develop a retirement strategy and write it down. Envision the future and use an online calculator to estimate retirement income and long-term savings needs. Formulate a goal for how much is needed to save – and become accountable.

64% of women don’t have a retirement backup plan Only 10% of women are very confident about retirement 53% of women plan to retire after age 65 or not at all Only 75% of women who are offered a plan participate in it Women’s emergency savings is $2,000 Women’s household retirement savings is $34,000

Nadine knows that the life courses of women fundamentally differ from those of men. These societal norms and expectations often create very real impediments for women and their ability to be self-reliant and arrange for their longterm financial security, and she speaks to these issues. To contact Nadine Watson or for more information on the subject Amid widespread concerns about social security and retire- of women and retirement: linkedin.com/in/nadinewatson; m6d. ment systems’ financial sustainability, a new social contract com (Company Website); nadinewatson2012@gmail.com; and for retirement is needed. The new Social Contract: Achieving social media Twitter @nadinesbest.

The latest available data from the Organization for EcoRetirement Equity for Women is part of the Aegon Retirement Readiness Survey. This new social contract addresses nomic Co-operation and Development (OECD) shows a far changes taking place today and embraces tomorrow’s social higher proportion of women aged 65+ face income poverty, and economic realities. It honors the principles of solidarity 56% more likely than men aged 65+ to experience it. Let and sustainability. It is adaptable to our current ever-changing tomorrow take care of itself in other areas of your life, but not times and seeks to achieve gender equality. Women must take in your retirement. Your money matters too much! YOU must greater control over their financial situation and retirement be in control of your financial tomorrow.

ONYX MAGAZINE 49

THE QUAD XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

EDWARD WATERS COLLEGE UNVEILS AND NAMES NEW STUDENT RESIDENTIAL FACILITY

50 ONYX MAGAZINE

FAMILY, BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY HONOR LEGENDARY COACH

T

he life of Jack “Cy” McClairen is one of the crown jewels in our rich history of Bethune-Cookman University. His storied career as a legendary coach and athletic administrator, coupled with his exploits as a Wildcat student-athlete and pro football player served as an illustration of the greatness of our university. His life was dedicated to Bethune-Cookman and its’ Wildcats!

To honor his memory, the McClairen Family and Bethune-Cookman University have joined together to ensure that the Legacy of Coach Cy will forever impact our students as they matriculate through this great institution. We encourage your support of the Jack “Cy” McClairen Scholarship Fund and Wildcat Athletics in order to support the educational pursuits of the students Cy dedicated his life to serving.

Coach Cy touched countless people through

his generosity and leadership. All you have to do is walk the campus, look at the people and listen to the stories. To ensure that these stories continue through his life’s work and inspiration we encourage you to follow Cy’s great example as he “Entered to Learn…Departed to Serve…and Returned to Invest.” There is no greater legacy to leave than that of an investment in tomorrow’s leaders.

PHOTO COURTESY OF EDWARD WATERS COLLEGE; COURTESY OF BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY

Edward Waters College (EWC) is taking significant steps to enhance its living and learning environment for students that reside on its campus. In a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday, the College unveiled and dedicated the new Bishop Adam J. and Connie S. Richardson Hall located at 1780 Pearce Street.

“We look forward to welcoming our students to this state-of-the-art residential facility,” said Dr. A. Zachary Faison, Jr., president and CEO of Edward Waters College. “It is a special day for us all to recognize Bishop Richardson, chairman of the board of trustees of Edward Waters College, and, his wife, Supervisor Connie Richardson, for all that they do for the College, the 11th Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and Jacksonville. None of this would have been possible without the unwavering support from the City of Jacksonville and our outstanding relationship with Mayor Lenny Curry.”

In late 2019, the College broke ground on a comprehensive $4.4 million renovation of its largest student residence facility due to a special partnership with the City of Jacksonville. The newly renovated Bishop Adam J. and Connie S. Richardson Hall has 176 beds and includes new furnishings throughout the entire facility including a computer lab, lounge and study areas and high-speed internet. The apartment-style units are outfitted with a furnished common area, bathroom furnishings and kitchenette. A courtyard has been created with greenery and other features for the students to enjoy.

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FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY STUDENT COMPETES IN APGA TOURNEY

BY BRIAN HOWARD

PHOTO COURTESY OF FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY

F

lorida A&M University (FAMU) senior golfer Mulbe Dillard competed in February at the Advocates Professional Golf Association (APGA) Tour Farmers Insurance Open Invitational at Torrey Pines on the North Course in La Jolla, Calif.

The Chicago, Ill., native finished the 27-hole event 11th at 8-over par 116 as former LSU star Landon Lyons won the tournament at 5 under.

“It was a beautiful course,” Dillard said. “It’s long and pretty demanding. It’s really a driver-driven course and can’t miss the fairways. But overall, I just didn’t have good putting during my two days.”

The APGA Tour was established in 2010. The non-profit organization’s mission, according to its website, is “to bring greater diversity to the game of golf by developing African Americans and other minorities for careers in golf.”

While Dillard didn’t get the finish he was looking for, he said his experience was great.

“Not only did we have our APGA Tour event, but we also had the opportunity to play in the PGA Pro-Am with professional golfer Danny Lee,” Dillard said.

Dillard was named the top-ranked golfer in the inaugural APGA Tour collegiate rankings in October, while teammates Mahindra Lutchman, Ethan Mangum and Cameron Riley claimed third, fourth and fifth, respectively.

“Obviously it is a great feeling to earn the top ranking, but I try not to let it get to my head,” Dillard said. “While the position is just a ranking, for me it won’t change who I am and how hard I work to develop and craft my game.”

Last season, the Florida A&M golf program had a phenomenal year winning four consecutive tournaments and solidifying itself as the premiere HBCU golf team in the nation.

ONYX MAGAZINE 51

ONYX READS

SOUL SEARCHING BOOKS THAT TUG AT OUR EMOTIONS

BY PATRICIA BROWN DENIS

LONG TIME COMING: RECKONING WITH RACE IN AMERICA

WILD: FROM LOST TO FOUND ON THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL

BY MICHAEL ERIC DYSON Dyson explains America’s reckoning with race in great, painful, and poignant detail. This book addresses the moment of truth for those who witnessed the summer of 2020 explode with a pandemic and political and racial eruption. Most people would like to believe the incidents of the 2020 summer were unparalleled, but Dyson uses a unique flashback, letter writing process to those who have been martyred and mutilated in the cauldrons of American unrest. The letters were written as if from a friend or wise counsel beginning with Elijah McClain. Dyson makes many compelling and unfortunate connections between the “habits and systems that harm all of us” from both the present and the past.

BY CHERYL STRAYED The complicated emotions of grief, pain and loss often take people in new and unexplored directions.

This author, after experiencing a devastating loss, chose to take a singular focus through the trails of the west coast. She writes, “so much of being able to hike the PCT depended upon mind control: the stout decision to move forward, regardless”.

The most compelling factor in this story is that she completed the journey on her own. The authors’ tale is a cautionary reminder that it is our own thoughts, while navigating life, that threaten to lead us in circles. If we are not careful and aware of the purpose of our journey we will undoubtedly end up where we began.

BIG FRIENDSHIP: HOW WE KEEP EACH OTHER CLOSE

BY AMINTOU SOW AND ANN FRIEDMAN The entire premise of the book, and the in depth look at relationships is in this sentence, “Although we’re self-confident enough to know that we would have been great if our paths had never converged, we cannot imagine what the alternate reality looks like.” The book asks the reader to consider who they would be if they had not been shaped by the experiences with their friends. This book is a written version of reality television.

Curiosity about why people are involved with each other is probably why many people are fixated on reality television and will like this book. The authors are clearly aware of the parallel between their own story and characters of television sitcoms as they refer to themselves with names from characters in these shows. The authors reveal an interesting concept in their friend analysis, “We have an ever-changing interconnected web of friends” all of us are just two or three friends separated from each other.

52 ONYX MAGAZINE

FIFTY WORDS FOR RAIN

BY ASHA LEMMIE Stories about life in different cultures are a good way to learn from familiar experiences under unfamiliar circumstances. Such is the case with the main character of this novel a young girl coming of age in Japan. Although she spends much of her developmental years under what can only be classified as cruel conditions, there are some compelling insights into how young people can lead us to view life differently. The book also grapples with the defining labels when families and cultural codes collide, “she could wear a crown of solid gold and he could wear a dirty sheet, and it wouldn’t change the way that the world viewed either of them.” The story is set in the early 1900’s with lots of rich details that teach us how norms and customs are developed and strengthened over time.

BLENDED

BY SHARON DRAPER Young people need to hear a clear voice that they can relate to. They need to read about examples of life that sound like their own. This book is certainly not exclusively written for the teen audience because it captures the story from the perspective of the teenage main character who at one point in the story says, “I didn’t add that the idea of a forever without my daddy seemed to me like music without sound.” The words are in the voice of a child but could clearly resonate with any adult. This book craftily captures the nuances of young adult emotion that are often carefully hidden or buried deep inside. The characters’ voice is used to make connections with the reader while her entire world changes.

PAG E TURNE R

O

EMBRACING MY SEXY SIXTIES

NYX Magazine Money Matters writer, Professor Laura Dorsey, joins 19 other writers who are loving the skin they’re in at any age. One author writes, “Being in our sixties now would have probably been the time to sit down, relax, maybe travel a little, and enjoy the rest of our lives in retirement, as our Mothers would have. But we're not our mothers' sixties! We have lived, loved, laughed, cried, succeeded, failed, gotten back up again, and we're still here! Whether we have married, divorced, been widowed, or single, we have raised our children, started our businesses, advanced in our careers, or just started over. Now is the time to tell our stories! We are the new 40s and 50s, just born a little sooner. Our lives are just beginning.

We're starting over—in more ways than one. In these pages, you will meet some phenomenal, confident and beautiful women in their sixties, who will inspire you to be whatever you want to be, do whatever you want to do (legally), requiring permission from no one but yourself. Sexy sixties is a state of mind, and that state of mind comes in all shapes and sizes. It is unique for every individual. In this book, you'll meet a doctor, a lawyer, speakers and writers, teachers and entrepreneurs, community leaders, sales executives and clergy, actors, singers, and models, all with one thing in common: We are embracing our sexy sixties!”

ONYX MAGAZINE 53

ONYX ON THE MOVE

CHUCKS AND PEARLS

The senseless killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, and countless others, due to police brutality and racism, have sparked protests across the country. These incidents of continued prejudice and abuse have exposed the systemic racism that is built into many of our systems. Now, our community is calling to tear down the structures that perpetuate racism and unjust policing. While local demonstrations have garnered national attention, ONYX Magazine Publisher Rich Black said now is the time for our local community to come together to organize and invest in solutions to end police brutality and anti-Black racism.

The virtual event was held on Facebook Live with more than 1,100 viewers in February. Speakers were: • Attorney Ben Crump, “Black America’s Attorney General,” who represented the families of Arbery, Taylor and Floyd; • Esu Ma’at, the chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer at the Orlando Magic; • Lance Triggs, the president of Operations at Operation HOPE. To see the Town Hall, visit ONYX Magazine’s YouTube channel or Facebook page.

ONYX Magazine joined more than 200 Orlando women, led

by City Commissioner Regina I. Hill, District 5, donned white pearls and Converse Chuck Taylor sneakers and ascended on the steps of Orlando’s City Hall on January 20, 2021 (Inaugurations Day) to commemorate the historic swearing in of Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris. The shoes represent the casual flair the vice president-elect became known for on the campaign trail; and the pearls represent her membership in national Black women-led organizations where members wear pearls.

Following a photo, the women discussed the importance of this moment in history and share encouraging words to stimulate community activism during the next administration. In our nation’s history, never has such an event occurred. The 49th vice president of the United States of America is a woman. A Black woman. An Indian woman. This significant swearing in of Harris signifies shattered ceilings and gives hope to Black and Brown girls that the highest achievements are within reach.

Founders Featured from L to R: Traci Thompson, Nikki Wills, Kethlyn White, Trish Stephens, Charisse Rome, Erica Wilson, Melanie Henry, Joselynne Forde, president.

HELPING OUT IN HARD TIMES ONYX Magazine celebrates MMC, INC. a non-profit corporation organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, and social purposes.

Established on December 7, 2020, they’ve been “Making Moves with Compassion.” Founding members and their families held their official launch party in January at the beautiful Hard Rock Cafe at Tampa 54 ONYX MAGAZINE

International Airport. Since February 15, 2020, they‘ve successfully executed 30 programs focusing on community, children, and care of self.

During the Christmas season, they hosted a virtual toy drive through Metropolitan Ministries. In 24 days, they collected 506 toys (goal 500) outperforming large corporations. Moreover, they recently established their first national partnership.

CHUCKS AND PEARLS PHOTO BY PHOTOGRAPHY BY NAJAH; MMC, INC. PHOTO BY RICKY ROBERTS PHOTOGRAPHY AND HAMPTON ALLEN

ONYX MAGAZINE’S TOWN HALL: WHY BLACK LIVES REALLY MATTER

ORLANDO HOUSING AUTHORITY RESIDENTS RECEIVE PPE Representatives from ONYX Magazine along with City of Orlando Commissioner Regina I. Hill (District 5) donated masks and sanitizers to the Orlando Housing Authority in January at an event held at Ivey Lane Homes. The donation is part of ONYX Magazine’s MaskUp! Stop the Spread campaign.

Orlando Housing Authority plans to share the generous donation of products with residents, especially seniors.

“This donation will go a long way in assisting and protecting our residents,” said Vivian Bryan, Esq., Orlando Housing Authority President and CEO. “At a time when so many people are having difficulty finding or purchasing supplies like these, we’re grateful to community organizations that have come together to lend a hand.”

“Minority and vulnerable communities have been especially hard hit by COVID-19,” said ONYX Magazine publisher, Rich Black. “We know that the disease is often fatal in these populations. This donation will help ensure that Orlando Housing Authority residents who are at the greatest risk in the ongoing pandemic will have access to the personal protective items they need.”

Added Commissioner Hill: "This pandemic has affected so many lives, especially those who reside in low-income communities. A donation such as this helps to alleviate disparities and help save lives with the most vulnerable in Orlando. Socioeconomics have made it difficult for the purchase of these items. This donation fills that void and helps in so many ways."

The donation is a part of Bank of America’s contribution of 100,000 disposable masks to the MaskUp! Stop the Spread campaign, and 20,000 hand sanitizers from Orange County Government. Since the campaign began on July 1, local churches have helped bag the items while a number of businesses have shared the PPE with their customers.

"We at Orange County Government value ONYX’s commitment in helping keep all of our community protected from COVID-19,” noted Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings. “Since the pandemic began, Orange County has given more than 15 million face masks to our community, and we appreciate our partners like ONYX that get face coverings to both our minority and elderly populations.”

“The health and safety of our employees, clients and communities remain our top priority during this health and humanitarian crisis,” said Steven Alch, Orlando market president for Bank of America. “One of the ways we continue to support Orlando is by working with local partners to identify and distribute PPE masks to the most vulnerable populations, such as senior citizens, the homeless and communities of color in addition to schools and health centers serving these communities. ” Bank of America’s donation to the MaskUp! Stop the Spread campaign is part of a nationwide effort by the company to distribute 19 million PPE masks to communities disproportionally impacted by the coronavirus, and is connected to its $1 billion, four-year commitment of additional support to help local communities address economic and racial inequality accelerated by a global pandemic.

Special thanks to Experience Christian Center and Pastor Derrick McRae, City of Orlando Commissioner Regina I. Hill, Oley's Restaurant, P&D Soul Food, West Lakes Partnership, Washington Shores Neighborhood Association, Caribbean Sunshine Bakery, Nikki's Place Soul Food, Pine Hills United Community, United Foundation of Central Florida and all of the campaign sponsors.

Candace Rotolo

ONYX MAGAZINE 55

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DOING JUST FINE A STUDY SHOWS THAT OLDER AMERICANS ARE COPING BETTER IN THE PANDEMIC.

I

f you think older Americans have struggled to cope through the pandemic, think again.

According to new research by financial services firm Edward Jones, they have actually been faring far better than their younger counterparts.

“The Edward Jones and Age Wave Study” focused exclusively on how different generations have held up emotionally and financially in the months since the lockdowns began, and some of its findings are at least as startling as how quickly even 70-year-olds came to love Zoom.

“COVID-19’s impact forever changed the reality of many Americans, yet we’ve observed a resilience among U.S. retirees in contrast to younger generations,” says Ken Dychtwald, Ph.D., the founder and CEO of Age Wave, a leading research think tank on aging, retirement and longevity issues.

While acknowledging upfront that the virus itself disproportionately struck aging adults, the five-generational sampling of 9,000 people, age 18 and older, reveals more than a few surprises.

Among them: • While 37% of Gen Z’ers, 27% of Millennials, and 25% of Gen Xers say they’d suffered “mental health declines” since the virus hit, only 15 percent of Baby Boomers responded likewise.

• Faring the best were those 75 and older – the Silent Generation that followed the so-called “Greatest Generation” – with a mere 8% of those respondents reporting any mental health deterioration. That would seem to run counter, as does the results for Boomers (age 56 to 74), to early warnings that prolonged social isolation made older adults especially vulnerable to depression, anxiety and cognitive decline.

• Nearly 68 million Americans have altered the timing of their retirement due to the pandemic, and 20 million have stopped making regular retirement savings contributions.

Dychtwald attributes the two older generations’ resilience to having “a greater perspective on life.”

56 ONYX MAGAZINE

“They’ve seen wars and other major disruptions before,” he says, “and they know that this, too, will pass. Younger generations feel like, ‘What happened to my life? I mean, I was supposed to go to college or I was starting a new job, and now everything has changed.’”

Most retired Boomers and Silent Gens also had monthly Social Security checks to fall back on. Which explains why–though the pandemic has significantly reduced the financial security of a quarter of Americans–younger generations were slammed the hardest: Nearly one-third of Millennial and Gen Z respondents characterize the impact as “very or extremely negative,” compared to 16 percent of Boomers and 6 percent of Silent Gens who admitted to similar hardship.

Looking for any silver lining that’s come out of the COVID-19 crisis?

Well, 67% of respondents did say it’s brought their families closer together.

“The pandemic has certainly thrown into sharp relief what matters most in our lives,” says

Ken Cella, Edward Jones’s client services group principal. “And important discussions have taken place about planning earlier for retirement, saving more for emergencies, and even talking through end-of-life plans and long-term care costs.”

And with the study also showing that an overwhelming percentage of retirees yearn for more ways to use their talents to benefit society, financial services firm Edward Jones believes it’s time to redefine retirement more “holistically” to encompass what it calls “the four pillars” of health, family, purpose and finance.

Successfully addressing most of those pillars admittedly takes more financial savvy than many of us have, though, especially given ever-rising costs. But a financial advisor, such as a local one at Edward Jones, has the perspective, experience and empathy to help.

Story by News USA

F A M I LY

THE PET BOOST FURRY FRIENDS HELP SENIORS FEEL LESS LONELY

M

any older adults experience feelings of loneliness and isolation as they age, but pets can provide the companionship and love seniors desire. A new survey conducted by Home Instead, Inc., franchisor of the Home Instead Senior Care Network, found regular interaction with animals can help to reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness in older adults.

The most frequently cited benefits of pet ownership are company, comfort, unconditional love, entertainment and improved mood. In fact, 86 percent of pet owners agree they would be lonelier and less happy without their pet, and 58 percent agree that they would not be as physically healthy without their pet.

The companionship and love provided by a pet can be especially meaningful for those most at risk for isolation. Home Instead found that pet owners who live alone are significantly more likely to report increased benefits of pet ownership.

Owning a pet can also be an important factor for seniors deciding where they will live as they age. According to the survey, 82 percent of older adults say they will not consider moving to a senior living community without their pet.

While interaction with animals has been shown to improve mental and physical well-being in older adults, research from Home Instead confirms that seniors don’t need to own pets to experience the benefits. Those who regularly interact with, but don’t own, pets report feeling better just spending time with animals owned by family, friends and neighbors.

There are many ways seniors can interact with animals without taking on the responsibility of pet ownership. Here are a few ideas:

• Volunteer at a rescue organization or animal shelter. Many rescue organizations and animal shelters could use an extra hand. Seniors can help provide care for animals, including feeding, watering, restocking supplies, washing dishes, walking dogs, cleaning cages and enclosures or socializing with the animals. Volunteers experience the benefits of interacting with pets, and they can provide some care to an animal in need.

• Get to know your neighbors’ pets. Seniors who regularly walk their neighborhoods will likely see pet owners walking their dogs. Asking to join them for a walk might lead to new friendships with neighbors and dogs.

• Connect with a therapy animal. Pet Partners therapy teams, made up of a pet owner and his or her registered animal, go into many locations where seniors are living or being treated, such as hospitals, hospice centers and care communities.

• Visit a pet store. Some pet stores sell small animals, such as guinea pigs, hamsters, chinchillas, gerbils, mice, rats, certain geckos, bearded dragons, snakes, and specific types of frogs, birds and fish. Visiting can provide a pet fix!

With so many options available, finding the right animal interaction for each individual should be as easy as a walk in the dog park.

To help older adults determine what type of pet interaction is right for them, the Home Instead Senior Care; network is offering free information and tips to help seniors incorporate animals into their lives. To learn more about how older adults can bring animals into their lives, visit PetsandSeniors.com or contact your local Home Instead Senior Care office or www.homeinstead.com.

ONYX MAGAZINE 57

E N T E R TA I N M E N T

COOL LIKE

LENNY

BY CARTER HIGGINS

A

t 56, Lenny Kravitz is still one of the coolest and sexiest musicians ever.

The singer-songwriter, actor, and designer (he owns a boutique design firm for high-end hotels) is not just an award-winning rockstar.

He won the Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance four years in a row from 1999 to 2002, breaking the record for most wins in that category as well as setting the record for most consecutive wins in one category by a male. He’s also dad to one of the coolest young actresses out there, Zoe Kravitz, and cousin to weatherman and Good Morning America anchor, Al Roker, which makes Al cool too.

An only child, Lenny is the product of interracial marriage. His father, Sy Kravitz, is Jewish; his mother, Roxie Roker, who died of cancer in 1995, was an African American and one of the co-stars on the hit show, 58 ONYX MAGAZINE

The Jeffersons. As a bi-racial child in the 1960s, endured an onslaught of prejudicial remarks.

So what makes him so cool? He’s not afraid to learn from his mistakes, his victories and his journey. Here are four pieces of wisdom Lenny has learned that made him the man he is today:

1. BE THE BETTER MAN

“I believe in God, and I’m trying to always to be a better man,” Lenny Tells Men’s Health. “I was in my hotel waiting for the elevator and this old man started yelling at me. He wanted to get on the elevator and in his mind, though I was standing against the wall, I was somehow in his way. He just started yelling at me. At that moment, you have a choice to make: you can

tence, man. You’d better be happy now! You can’t wait for the job or the house or the woman. Love what you’ve got.”

3. FOLLOW YOUR BODY

“I was vegetarian for many, many years, but I woke up one day craving meat.

After, like, 15 years, I woke up and it was, like, ‘I need meat.’ So I followed my body. I did the whole grass-fed, organic, best-quality thing. Now, I’m eating more vegetables and fish, especially being in the Bahamas so many months of the year. I have my own organic farm and I eat fish. Eat light. Eat four or five little meals a day, even if a couple of them are juices or shakes. I do a lot of coconut water. You’ve gotta take care of your body.”

4. BE COOL

“I’ve heard this advice from two people in my life—one was my mother and one was Robert Plant. It sounds cliché and it sounds really simple, but two important people in my life told me the same thing: Don’t take life so seriously. They used bigger words and fancier sentences, but that’s what it boils down to: take the ride, let go, don’t control things, just ride the wave with a smile on your face. Those are some real words of wisdom.” yell back, you can curse him. But I said, ‘Oh, sir. God bless you. Have a beautiful day.’ Which just pissed him off more. [Laughs] He just kept yelling at me. But you have a choice, always, about how you’re going to behave and what kind of point of view and action you’re going to live.”

2. LOVE WHAT YOU’VE GOT

“I appreciate the blessings that I have,” says Lenny.

He adds, “I don’t have a sense of entitlement. I don’t take anything for granted. I’m not owed anything in this life. Having appreciation is a gift unto itself. There are a lot of people I see who have everything—no limit, everything—and many of them have no gratitude for it and they don’t enjoy anything. That’s horrible. ‘I’ll be happy when. . .’ is a death sen-

LENNY KRAVITZ: “LOVE WHAT YOU’VE GOT” But when it comes to women, he only has one wish. “I wish more women would be more natural,” admits Kravitz.

He adds, “I think a lot of women are pulling for what society says they need to look like…changing themselves with so much plastic work. I think aging gracefully is the most beautiful. When you see an older woman who has aged naturally and takes care of herself, that’s so much sexier. I’m down for natural vibes.”

We see you, Lenny!

ONYX MAGAZINE 59

WORKPLACE

BEING ANTIRACIST WHAT TO TELL YOUR WHITE FRIENDS ABOUT STOPPING RACISM AT WORK.

BY WENDY K. SMITH AND JENNIFER R. JOE

P

resident Joe Biden committed the U.S. government to racial equity by issuing four executive orders on Jan. 26 that seek to curb systemic racism. In the orders, he cited the killing of George Floyd in 2020, which sparked months of protests and prompted many U.S. companies to likewise commit themselves—and hundreds of billions of dollars— to helping Black Americans overcome institutional discrimination.

Shortly after the protests began last year, we hosted a panel that addressed this topic. Held on Juneteenth, the webinar featured four Black women—including one of us—who poignantly shared their own frequent encounters with racial bias in job interviews, shopping for clothes, and even working with their peers.

A common question we got from the predominantly White audience was some variation on “How can I be an ally?” That is, a lot of people wanted to know what they can do as friends, colleagues, and managers to support African Americans in overcoming ongoing discrimination and bias and achieving success.

This prompted us—business scholars with a keen interest in diversity, one White, one Black—to try to find an answer to these questions of how White people can support their Black colleagues. So we interviewed five successful Black professionals and the mostly White “allies” they said aided their achievements to see if we could find an antidote to racial bias in the workplace.

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Three themes stood out from this ongoing research, which we plan to submit for peer review.

SYSTEMIC BIAS Racism often seems embedded in the fabric of Black people’s everyday lives. And it’s not just being treated differently by the police, which was the impetus for the 2020 protests.

Black people even experience bias from well-meaning teachers, neighbors, colleagues, and managers. Small acts of reckless disregard build toward broad racial disparities.

We sought to understand the small acts of resolute connection that could shift the tide toward greater justice and equity.

Using our networks, we reached out to five Black professionals in a range of industries—financial services, packaged foods, and sports management—who were all in executive roles in their organizations. We asked them to think of the individuals who were instrumental to their success and describe the specific support these people offered to help manage explicit or implicit moments of discrimination. Next, we interviewed the eight allies they identified—seven White, one Black.

These 13 in-depth interviews yielded key patterns about the simple ways to address racial bias that defy conventional wisdom. Unlike research that relies on surveys to get representative viewpoints, a qualitative approach

allowed us to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the factors and variables in these relationships that made them powerful.

RECIPROCAL RELATIONSHIPS Consistent with social exchange theory, we found that these relationships worked best when there was a partnership and both parties benefited.

People of color said they did not want to be objects of pity. Even the question “What can I do?” implies a power dynamic—someone in power reaching out to someone in need.

The people of color we spoke to found the strongest support when their allies recognized their talents and helped them apply these talents more effectively in the workplace. And that support was more authentic and trustworthy when both parties benefited from the relationship and learned from each other.

The Black professionals we interviewed said that they were already performing at a high level and trying to prove themselves invaluable, which made colleagues and managers who benefited from their efforts seek to promote them in the organization. The allies likewise said they supported Black workers because they saw their talent.

For example, one ally reported seeing that the dominant White macho culture in his organization did not appreciate his female Black colleague’s talent and was limiting her success. When he moved to a new company, as soon as he saw an opportunity he actively recruited her. The new role involved much more responsibility than her previous positions, but he convinced her that she could do it.

She told us that his ongoing support in the position encouraged her continued success. The relationship focused on talent, not pity, and benefited both parties.

DON’T AVOID UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS These relationships were not careful or guarded; they were straightforward and honest.

Past research has found that White supervisors often avoid giving critical feedback to Black subordinates and peers out of a fear of being viewed as biased. Yet it can be more biased to say nothing. Avoiding difficult conversations can impede a young professional’s upward mobility.

People of color need advice from more experienced individuals on how to successfully navigate racism traps that may exist in the workplace. They might be unaware that some of their actions or approaches are being perceived negatively in the office. These difficult conversations can strengthen relationships.

For example, an ally observed that although it was difficult, she considered it a managerial responsibility to tell her Black colleague that he was not meeting her expectations. Another ally reported explaining to a junior Black colleague that proving you are right to a supervisor may not always be beneficial if it harms your long-term career prospects.

These difficult but honest conversations helped shape the person of color’s conduct and laid the foundation for lifelong trusting connections.

CONNECT OUTSIDE OF WORK Finally, it made a big difference to the people of color we interviewed when an ally tried to get to know them better as a person, not only in terms of work.

People are more productive at work when they feel that colleagues see them with nuance—with unique passions, talents and interests—rather than pigeonholing or stereotyping them based on race or gender. It also

becomes a lot easier to champion and advocate for someone you know well.

But as a result of real or perceived racial barriers, Black professionals often report feeling anxious during work-related social engagements, in part because they say they don’t understand the rules. Black and White professionals also tend to move in different social circles outside of work.

Our interviewees said a key antidote to this came when allies made an effort to connect outside of work. Whether over a cup of coffee or a home-cooked meal, these social encounters allowed relationships to flourish and stereotypes to diminish.

One White ally we interviewed reported realizing that she often had White colleagues to her home for dinner but had never invited a Black colleague. So when discussing her vacation plans—a seven-day chartered Alaskan fishing trip—with a Black woman who worked in the same office, she discovered her co-worker’s husband loved fishing and invited them on the trip, where they bonded and formed a friendship.

Doing this doesn’t require becoming friends. It only means closing the “psychological distance” that can separate people along racial lines at work.

A SIMPLE ANTIDOTE Black people in the U.S. are faced with a world that can make them feel both empowered and vulnerable. Recent scenes at the U.S. Capitol just two weeks apart sum up this jarring narrative.

On Jan. 20, Kamala Harris took the oath of office on the Capitol steps as the first Black vice president—and only hours later swore in the first Black senator from Georgia. Contrast that with images exactly two weeks earlier of White supremacists storming that same building.

Americans face great challenges on the road to a more inclusive society.

To be sure, addressing institutional racism requires systematic interventions by companies and substantial policy changes by the government. But our research suggests they also could use something simpler from their colleagues, managers, and others in their lives: genuine relationships.

This article was originally published by The Conversation. It has been published here with permission.

WENDY K. SMITH studies, lectures and consults on the ‘power of paradox’ - how both/and approaches to conflicts and tensions can lead to creative, generative, and engaged solutions. JENNIFER R. JOE is the Whitney Family Endowed Professor of Accounting and Cohen Family Director of Diversity at the University of Delaware.

ONYX MAGAZINE 61

FOOD & WINE

THE LOW COUNTRY

BY STEVEN KING

I

wonder if their wine of honey, grain and palm sap tasted as good as the 2002 Merlot I was currently sipping. While the taste may differ I am sure the effects are quite similar. With a smile I turn my attention to the task at hand. I am on a deadline and its time to talk about food.

Low Country cuisine absorbs my thoughts now. The coastal regions of South Carolina and Georgia come to mind. The geography is a critical factor in determining the regions culinary identity from interior areas of the South. The rich estuary system provides an abundance of shrimp, crabs,fish and oysters that were not available to non-coastal regions prior to refrigeration. Imagine the thrill of the first settlers that migrated to the coast from landlocked interior states. in my opinion that first taste of coastal shellfish piled high made the walk to the southern coast worth it. The marshlands also proved to be the perfect environment for growing rice that was originally imported from Africa.

There are similarities to low country cuisine and Louisiana’s Cajun cooking via type of ingredients. Cajun cooking incorporates the heavier use of peppers that give off its signature heat. While attending the New Orleans wine and food experience I found a great example of that signature heat. I had a chilled corn soup with charred corn, tomato relish and lemongrass crème.

The initial coolness was followed by a medium hit of heat in my mouth on the finish. While that dish would be contemporary in nature due to the use of refrigeration it is still a stellar example of how Cajun heat can be used.

The aromatic vegetables bell pepper ,onion, and celery are called by some chefs the holy trinity of Creole and Cajun cuisines. Roughly diced and combined in cooking, the method is similar to the use of the mire poix in traditional French cuisine — which blends roughly diced onion, celery, and carrots.

A few more culinary traditions originating with the importation of African slaves are the use of rice and okra in cooking. A few of the most valuable slaves knew the tradition of properly irrigating a rice field, and rice became a valued crop in Carolina.

In 1685, a storm-battered ship sailing from Madagascar limped into the Charles Towne harbor. To repay the kindness of the colonists for repairs to the ship, the ship’s captain made a gift of a small quantity of rice to a local planter.

From 1680 to 1783, the city was known as Charles Town. At the end of the American Revolution in 1783, the name was shortened to Charleston, which has been in use ever since.

The low-lying marsh lands bordered by the fresh tidal water rivers of Carolina and Georgia proved to be ideal for rice production. The soil was rich, reasonably flat and highly fertile. It was so soft a person could hardly stand, with twice a day tides pushing fresh river waters onto the flood plains, only rice could be grown there.

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By 1700, rice was established as a major crop for the colonists. That year hundreds of tons of American rice was shipped to England. Colonists were producing more rice than there were ships to carry it.

Rice farming’s extremely high labor requirements are credited with having started the plantation era of the Southern States. Even with ox and mule-drawn equipment of those years, rice plantations of only a few hundred acres required from 100 to 300 laborers and or slaves to prepare the soil, plant, harvest and thresh production—all by hand.

Okra is one of the plants indigenous to the African continent that was brought over to feed the enslaved Africans. Okra produced a generalized African taste for the mucilaginous that also is found throughout the continent in the use of other slimy or slippery vegetables. In general the American palate is resistant to the slimy consistency of okra but it grows well here and reminded the slaves of their native land. A popular current way okra is prepared is to deep fry pieces in corn meal. This preparation dries the okra out and gives a familiar mouth feel for the American palate.

Watermelons were first domesticated in Southern and Central Africa, but most likely appeared in Egypt around 5,000 years ago. The watermelon was a useful fruit in dry regions because it acted like a portable canteen.

The hollowed out fruit provides an excellent vessel to transport items like grains and water in a desert environment.

As you can see the influence of African cuisine is very prevalent in the South. The combination of cultures over the years has produced a unique taste also known as Soul Food.

If you have food, wine or dining etiquette questions email:sking@ onyxmagazine.com

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