CODE M Magazine - February 2021

WE

CELEBRATE TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF MEN

BLACK

HISTORY

MONTH WITH

CELEBRATE

VALENTINE’S DAY WITH COVID IN MIND

BREAKING

AWAY

FROM THE

2020

TRAUMA HANGOVER

BRIAN HALL

4

HBCU EXECUTIVES CELEBRATE

BHM

WITH

CODE M

FEBRUARY 2021 ISSUE

TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF MEN

If you make the lives of men better, you make the world better!

SERVING CLEVELAND AND SURROUNDING OHIO CITIES: COLUMBUS TOLEDO CINCINNATI DAYTON YOUNGSTOWN

www.codemmagazine.com

INSIDE 25

CELEBRATE VALENTINE’S DAY WITH COVID IN MIND

ON THE COVER

18

WE CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH WITH BRIAN HALL Brian Hall and the Greater Cleveland Partnership are helping companies find diversity and

4 FEBRUARY 2021 / CODE M

There is no greater time to show the ones you love just how special they really are.

equity in their unique evaluation program.

12 BOOK REVIEW: THE DEVIL YOU KNOW

10 MOVERS AND SHAKERS

Charles M. Blow recommends that Blacks migrate back to the South to empower change and impact racism.

Get to know people who are making a difference in their careers, and changing the world.

CODE M / DECEMBER 2020 5

[ INSIDE ]

28 BREAKING AWAY FROM THE 2020 TRAUMA HANGOVER To paraphrase the immortal words of Dr. King …

“Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty 20-20 has passed!”

17 WALKING WHILE BLACK

A mother’s account on what it feels like to let her son walk to the store in 2021.

32 FOUR HBCU EXECUTIVES CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH WITH CODE M MAGAZINE

22 MANCODES: Quotes from men and women of distinction

Learn more about four historically Black colleges and the visions of the leaders who run them.

ADVERTISE WITH CODE M Men of color influence the latest trends of popular culture, fashion, and music more than any demographic. Reach this audience when you advertise with CODE M Magazine. Call 216-273-9400 to request a rate kit.

CODE M / FEBRUARY 2021 7

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TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF MEN

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CODE M Magazine was created to be a guiding force in creating a dialogue for black men everywhere. Code M focuses on the conversations of advancement, mental health, career choices, the political landscape and relationships that define and shape the lives of black men everywhere.

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by CODE MEDIA GROUP, LLC © 2020 All Rights Reserved

MOVERS &

SHAKERS

These fine people are shaking things up in their respective fields by blazing a trail with their drive for success!

Tameka L E W I S 10 FEBRUARY 2021 / CODE M

[ MOVERS & SHAKERS ]

TAMEKA LEWIS

JAREED ROBINSON

The Bedford Heights Graduate started her own Brokerage after 25 years in the business and has quickly become one of the top realtors in Northeast Ohio.

Jareed Robinson is a manager in the Assurance practice at BDO USA, LLP. He has six years of public accounting experience within various industries including real estate, construction, manufacturing, distribution, and employee benefit plans. He prides himself on teamwork and effective communication and enjoys assisting clients with various accounting needs.

Founder of T. Lewis Realty, LLC, Lewis is a part of the million dollar producer club and is trending to have her best year yet.

DANIELLE SYDNOR The President of the NAACP Cleveland Branch is doing amazing things around the city. Her banking experience and years of community involvement have made her very important to Cleveland and its future.

Sydnor is also the Executive Director of Economic and Community Development Institute (ECDI) Northern Ohio, a statewide CDFI, where she led a multi-city team and oversaw operations, fundraising, and stakeholder engagement. Look out for Sydnor to do big things in 2021.

GINO J. McGOWENS

Gino J. McGowens, the former Senior Director, Member Relations at the Greater Cincinnati African American Chamber of Commerce has transitioned to his own company, The Herring Group. A consulting company focusing on marketing, diversity & inclusion. He's also the Varsity Baseball Head Coach at Purcell Marian High School.

CODE M / FEBRUARY 2021 11

MOVERS & BOOK

REVIEW

THE GREAT MIGRATION IN REVERSE Charles M. Blow recommends that Blacks migrate back to the South to empower change and impact racism.

By Bolling Smith

T

BOOK REVIEW

he great migration of the American Negro in the 1920s and 1930s to the North was supposed to bring economic freedom and opportunity. For the most part, it did. Blacks escaped poverty through education and good-paying factory jobs. What they still could not escape is what Charles M. Blow eloquently calls, “The Devil You Know.”

The devil, as described in his new book is, racism.

2020 was extremely hard on African Americans. We suffered all kinds of stress brought on by the pandemic, the

Blacks migrated north from the South by the thousands from 1929 thru 1950.

12 FEBRUARY 2021 / CODE M

[ MOVERS & SHAKERS ]

CODE M / FEBRUARY 2021 13

[ REVIEW ]

loss of income, but the overwhelming stress impacting most Blacks is racism. It seemed like we could not get away from murder after murder of Black person after Black person.

Blow explains in his new book, “The Devil You Know,” that Blacks need to migrate back to the eight states in the South and become the majority, elect the right people for office, police themselves, and gain control of their environments. Blow suggests that power is the only true eliminator of racism.

He might be right! The results of the 2020 Georgia election is a recent example of Blacks, being in the majority, and controlling the outcome of an election.

Ten years ago, Blacks made up 1.6 million of the electorate in Georgia. In the 2020 election, Blacks made up an incredible 3.6 million of the electorate.

The migration of Blacks back to the South sealed the win for their interests and changed politics in Georgia forever.

Charles M. Blow is an American author and contributor to CNN.

The book, “The Devil You Know,” could be considered controversial. Encouraging Blacks to reshape the electoral map, by migrating back south will certainly raise eyebrows. And the book touches on some extremely hard realities about America. After the death of George Floyd, whites protested in record numbers. But with Blacks continuing to be killed by the dozens, something drastic must be done. The book could serve as the blueprint to end what we call systemic racism.

Blacks from the South found new opportunities by moving North.

CODE M / FEBRUARY 2021 15

LIFE

WALKING WHILE BLACK A mother’s account on what it feels like to let her son walk to the store in 2021.

By Juleen Moreno

I

was sitting at my desk working. I could hear sounds from outside, the conversations you hear without even meaning to hear them. I overheard one of my son’s friends asking his mother if he could go to the corner store with my son. I knew not long after I would get a knock at my door and an invite for my son to go to the store.

“If his mother gives him permission, I don’t see why not.”

This is a standard conversation between most parents and their teenage sons before they leave the house. However, I know that for me and my beautiful, brown-skinned boy, this conversation is going to be longer.

“David! Get dressed. Sam’s on his way over here! He wants you to go to 7-11 with him.”

“YES! Can I have money for chips?”

“Okay, but don’t overeat, you guys are going to go to the pool later.”

“Can I bring the squirt guns to the pool?”

Usually, this type of conversation would go something like, “Ma! Can I go to 7-11 with David?”

“Sure, honey. Here’s some money; bring me back an orange juice. Don’t talk to strangers.

Don’t be rude to the cashier. If anyone bothers you, find the nearest police officer or call 9-11. It’s hot today. Are you wearing sunscreen?

Maybe we can go to the pool later.”

“YES! Can I invite David to go to the pool with us?”

My heart pounds. It’s over 1,000 feet to the pool, 1,000 adult steps, 2,000 teen steps holding a gun-shaped toy; 1,000 feet for anything to go wrong, 2,000 steps to be seen by a nervous neighbor; five minutes for them to make a 9-1-1 call and one split second for them to shoot my boy in cold blood. He would go from being my beautiful son to a hashtag. I would have to live another 18,250 days without my baby because I let him walk 1,000 feet to the pool with a toy gun.

“Sorry son, not this time. Are you ready to leave? What are you wearing? Go change.

Your pants are too big, and it’s 100 degrees outside. Remove that hoodie from your head. You are not leaving here until you put on pants that fit, and you remove that hoodie. Don’t talk to strangers, don’t be rude to the cashier. If the police bother you, remember what I told you. Let them see your hands at all times. Comply, then complain. Do not wear anything that covers your face, do not reach for anything in your pockets. If they give you instructions, you do it. Do not run, do not talk back, I don’t care what your friend is doing; he is not you. If your friend is doing foolishness, you leave him there. What’s my phone number?”

“626 - --- - ----.”

“David, this is not a game! Do not roll your eyes at me. What is the goal every day?”

“To make it home alive.” https://www.momisalwayswrite.com/post/ conversations-500-words-of-reality-fromthe-mother-of-a-black-teen CODE M / FEBRUARY 2021 17

COVER WE CELEBRATE

BLACK

HISTORY MONTH WITH

BRIAN HALL Brian Hall and the Greater Cleveland Partnership are helping companies find diversity and equity in their unique evaluation program.

By Brad Bowling

F

or companies all around the region, the Pandemic has brought a host of unforeseen challenges. Along with Coronavirus, George Floyd’s death compounded the need for corporate America to look at itself and address the issues that everyone seems to be discussing. Does our company have a problem with diversity and equity?

fessional hurdles, Blacks have always found it difficult to gain any real traction in business.

“I was brought here at a time when we had Redlining (“Redlining” is the term used to block certain people from living in certain areas) and Jim Crow laws,” Hall said. “That institutional racism has made it hard for Blacks to progress at a level we needed. So, I have always been passionate about helping us gain more traction in business and anywhere else.”

Hall, a graduate of John F. Kennedy High School in Cleveland, Ohio knew early on what he wanted to do with his life. After graduating from The University of Cincinnati, he moved back to Cleveland and began his career by starting and running several family businesses.

For Black History Month, CODE M Magazine sat down with Mr. Hall to discuss where Blacks are today, the current climate of diversity, equity and inclusion in corporate America, and what Blacks need to focus on in the future.

Those opportunities gave Hall the ability to see what problems Blacks face and so he began to develop an appetite for solving and addressing those issues.

For years, people of color have been working to secure a better position at the business food table. Between personal and pro-

“All Blacks have experienced some level of racism in their lives. It has always been present in our society. It seemed like, in the past, the one thing we all knew was what was

18 FEBRUARY 2021 / CODE M

[ COVER ]

going on, but no one really needed to do anything about it,” Hall assessed.

Hall uses the example of how kids play hide and seek to explain how we all acknowledge racism in America.

“You know how when you play hide and seek with your kids, and they go hide? We know you can see them but you don’t really let them know that you can see them

just so you can continue to play the game. That is how we deal with racism in this country,” Hall continued.

“We all know that it is there, but nothing has ever really been done to eliminate it from our culture. We all can see it, but nothing is really done about it.”

Hall’s viewpoint of racism might be taking a turn. The death of George Floyd created a new conversation among white households in America and corporate America. People are starting to not only acknowledge that something is wrong, but now they are starting to address racism as a problem.

The Greater Cleveland Partnership, Cleveland’s Chamber of Commerce, is in a prime position to not only assist with solutions for companies, but it also offers assessments so that those who want change can identify and eliminate the problem.

“The Greater Cleveland Partnership has over 12,000 members. Every year we get over 100 companies that ask us to do an assessment of where they stand on systemic racism

within their corporate culture,” Hall explained.

“After the death of George Floyd, that process and the number of companies that reach out to us has accelerated.”

Hall went on to say that the partnership has several different ways that it helps companies that are looking to move past racism within their business. The organization can provide leadership in determining systemic racism within an organization, and then can offer solutions to effectively change the culture. In this way, the company can offer a more equitable environment towards its employees and associates.

Brian Hall recently was a guest on WKYC Channel 3.

CODE M / FEBRUARY 2021 19

CODE M / AUGUST ISSUE15

[ COVER ] “2020 has definitely been a tough year for all of us, but it also created a dialogue that might just be the difference in how we continue to deal with racism. I think we are all going to be better for discussing it,� Hall commented.

The Greater Cleveland Partnership collaborated with the City of Cleveland to consider racism a public health crisis. Over 125 companies have signed on to that petition and more are considering it every day.

Addressing the problem from that perspective really offers hope that society might be ready to deal with the oppression that racism brings, and what we all need to do to create a better environment for change.

Hall is passionate about creating a better balance for everyone on both sides of the aisle for ending racism.

His leadership and ideas are paving the way for incredible growth in the area.

The pandemic has only heightened the light shining on the problem and Hall knows that time is of the essence to capture the spirit of change and continue to be the leader in the areas for impacting it.

In Hall’s spare time he loves to fish and travel. Hall enjoys time fishing all over greater Northeast Ohio and will hop in his car for a one-tank trip at the drop of a hat. But home is Cleveland and CODE M Magazine is ok with that.

16 AUGUST ISSUE / CODE M

[ LIFE ]

CODE M / DECEMBER 2020 21

[ LIFE ]

MAN CODES:

QUOTES BY PEOPLE OF DISTINCTION

Compiled by Bilal S. Akram

”I don’t want a Black History Month.

Black history is American history.“ — Morgan Freeman

matter. It’s to suggest that other folks aren’t experiencing this particular vulnerability." — Barack Obama

"It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men."

”If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” — Frederick Douglass

”I swear to the Lord I still can’t see why democracy means everybody but me.” — Langston Hughes

"During Black History Month, I’m reminded yet again of the ways that the struggle for civil rights is interwoven with the struggle for workers’ rights.”

”Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” — Harriet Tubman ”The African race is a rubber ball. The harder you dash it to the ground, the higher it will rise.” — African Proverb "It’s important for us to also understand that the phrase 'Black Lives Matter' simply refers to the notion that there’s a specific vulnerability for African Americans that needs to be addressed. It’s not meant to suggest that other lives don’t

Frederick Douglass

22 FEBRUARY 2021 / CODE M

“We should emphasize not Negro History, but the Negro in history. What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but the history of the world void of national bias, race hate, and religious prejudice.” – Carter Woodson

”If the only time you think of me as a scientist is during Black History Month, then I must not be doing my job as a scientist.” — Neil deGrasse Tyson ”Freedom is never given; it is won.” — A. Philip Randolph

Harriet Tubman

— Frederick Douglass

— Tom Perez ”I felt that one had better die fighting against injustice than to die like a dog or rat in a trap. I had already determined to sell my life as early as possible if attacked. I felt if I could take one lyncher with me, this would even up the score a little bit.” — Ida B. Wells “Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” Deuteronomy 11:19

[ COVER ]

CODE M / AUGUST ISSUE 21

[ COVER ]

NOVEMBER 2020 ISSUEM / CODE M 2622DECEMBER 2020 / CODE

Blacks are suffering the most with the pandemic, but still are unsure if the vaccine can be trusted.

[ LIFE ]

CELEBRATE VALENTINE’S DAY WITH COVID IN MIND

There is no greater time to show the ones you love just how special they really are.

By Keith Kerns

T

he events of 2020 have tested us all. No one was safe from the struggles that last year brought.

No matter how prepared we were, we all suffered some type of loss. Some suffered more than others, but we all are feeling a little less safe, a little less connected, and a little less loved.

With 2021 comes an opportunity to rediscover the things that matter the most to us. We thought it was our careers until that was stripped away.

We thought it was our homes, until we could not make rent or mortgage payments. We realized that it was the bonds we’ve created with the ones we love that truly are the most important things in our lives. For those in love, this is a time to really celebrate that union this Valentine’s Day. With COVID-19 ever present, the choices of what to do to express your appreciation for your special person means getting creative. Depending on the anxiety level you and your special person are experiencing, you are going to want to take the precautions to make sure you are safe this holiday season. For those that can venture out, there are some wonderful options available to celebrate February 14th.

Valentine’s Day can be a celebration that last 14 days, 7 days, or one day depending on how you choose to celebrate it. Most of the time, those who celebrate the day do something to express their love for their partner. In 2021, escaping could mean simply choosing to think outside the box.

EXPLORE THE CITY The cities of Ohio have some amazing

restaurants and places to explore. Take your partner on a fun-filled journey to see parts of the city that you’ve never seen before and enjoy new experiences together.

BREAKFAST IN BED There has never been a better time to improve on those cooking skills. And with COVID-19 going to place soon, you can use those newly developed skills on creating an

CODE M / FEBRUARY 2021 25

[ LIFE ] award-winning breakfast for your partner.

WORK OUT TOGETHER Since the new year is upon us and most people begin the new year by working out, why not embark on a joint workout session to bring you two closer together. This is a great way to spend some quality time and work on your goals together. There are gyms all around the city that will let you try them out for free or bring your partner as a guest if you already are a member.

VISIT A MUSEUM At one point, the pandemic closed any and everything we loved. But since then, certain venues and museums are back open. Although with reduced admissions getting into some of Northeast Ohio’s best museums might be difficult. You might have to make a reservation to visit some of these awesome places. Make sure you plan accordingly because the evening can be quite fun if you plan it right.

IGLOO DATE The city offers some outstanding places to spend quality time with the one you love.

Igloo’s are popping up all over the city. If your anxiety is high, plan a date outside and visit some of your favorite places, but remain safe.

Igloos are the best way to be out and outside at the same time. Check the Internet to find establishments offering outdoor seating.

MINI VACATION Ohio is located within 500 miles of most of the best places to visit in the US. A one-tank trip is a fun way to spend a limited amount of cash on an unlimited amount of fun. Each place you visit always has a story to tell whether you visit a local eatery, a local landmark, or just explore new places. There is nothing like a two-hour trip to free your mind and enjoy your special someone.

2021 has brought on some new challenges for the year and enjoying Valentine’s Day is no different. But we can all rest assured that time with special people is more treasured than ever before. Take a moment and plan something memorable that will remain with you and your partner for the rest of your lives.

CODE M / FEBRUARY 27ISSUE 27 CODE M /2021 AUGUST

HEALTH

BREAKING

AWAY FROM THE

2020

TRAUMA HANGOVER

To paraphrase the immortal words of Dr. King …

“Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty 20-20 has passed!”

T

here was a huge, collective sigh when the new year was rung in and on January 20, a new president was inaugurated. 2020 was indeed a tough year rife with a lot of drama, upset, threats, fear, anger, and death.

There were marches, protests, violence, and heartache.

Then a pandemic infiltrated American society and a maelstrom of mis- and disinformation flew in every direction leaving people wondering what to do and whom to believe as they began mourning the loss of loved ones from COVID-19.

America shuttered its homes and businesses in an attempt to stave off the spread of the corona virus. Jobs were lost, long-standing venues closed for good, people were beginning to lose their homes because they weren’t bringing in any money and couldn’t pay their rent or mortgage.

African Americans found themselves hit the hardest by COVID-19, yet no medical relief was in sight. Coupled with quickly dwindling financial reserves, the future was looking bleaker by the day.

Meanwhile, politicos fought mightily to have their way, to keep their positions, to stay in control. They manipulated, juggled, and outright lied to the American public as they argued over how much stimulus money to give to people living on the edge. The politicians were in no danger of suffering, so it never occurred to many of them to look past their own situations.

And all while this circus was going on, Black people were still being profiled, harassed, and murdered. It’s now 2021 and what exactly has changed?

28 FEBRUARY 2021 / CODE M

by David Christel

Well … there’s hope with the new administration. That’s nice. But that doesn’t speak to the stress and anxiety people have been living with since the corona virus arrived on our shores exacerbated by political strife. And, after a year of wrangling with social distancing, wearing masks and staying sequestered at home, people are getting exhausted, worn down by trying to survive. For many, the past year has been traumatizing.

Psychologist have determined that there are three types of trauma: acute, chronic, and complex.

•

Acute – An event that sends all of your being into shock.

This is what most of us are familiar with wherein we’re unable to emotionally and mentally cope with what’s happened, e.g., a soldier in a conflict situation, a horrible car accident, getting attacked or raped. We shut down, go numb, withdraw, and sometimes go insane. It can take years of working with a therapist to grow beyond the shocking event and find some normalcy in our lives.

•

Chronic – Ongoing trauma that takes longer to register with us emotionally or that we either choose or are forced to live with.

An example of this type of trauma — not by choice — is living with a drug addict or alcoholic parent or being repeatedly abused by another person. We develop survival mechanisms to withstand the ongoing stress and anxiety, often not realizing the full emotional toll it takes on us, yet it directly affects our quality of life and relationships.

[OPINION]

CODE M / DECEMBER 2020 31

[ HEALTH ] Or chronic trauma could be from the type of job we’ve chosen such as an EMT, emergency room doctor, or fireman. The intense situations that are part of these jobs are difficult to resolve and they may negatively impact our lives to a degree, but they don’t obliterate our sense of overall wellbeing.



Complex – Slow-burn trauma, such as derived from long-term, unrelenting stress and anxiety.

The effects of this type of trauma are often hard to recognize but they accumulate over time and we at some point blow up, melt down, or burn out. Examples of complex trauma include verbal bullying in school, incredibly demanding and derisive bosses who never let up, living in an unhealthy physical environment, or because of your skin color you experience either unconscious or overt racism on a consistent basis.

2020 was the year we got to experience all of the above and it hasn’t let up. What’s needed now are ways to 1) relieve the stress and anxiety, 2) manage its ongoing presence, and 3) help others de-stress from the anxiety and trauma that’s built up over this past year. Here are couple of options to consider:



Exercise – get activated and get the endorphins going. Oxygenate your body through deep breathing exercises, walk every day, or try a million other things that get you moving.



Diet – review your diet and choose only the foods and beverages that truly energize and enliven all facets of your being.



Get real – no more denial, apathy, avoidance, boredom, procrastination, or anything that keeps the real you down. Begin the journey of finding out who you really are and what your purpose in life is through meditation, contemplation, or a spiritual practice.



Connect – if you’re not facetiming or using Zoom or Skype, you’re really missing out. Discuss with those you trust what’s working, what’s not, and how you can support each other. Don’t keep your stress and anxiety bottled up or it may one day explode in the most damaging of ways.



Communicate – don’t just whine, attack, and/or gossip. Become a part of the solution. Get in touch, get expansive, get creative, and get active. Talk with people – not at them. Learn to listen – listen to learn.



Be of service – helping others is incredibly rewarding and enriching. It also gets you out of your own head and troubles.

All of us want lives and relationships of quality and depth, so a thing like trauma is not something to ignore. Take stock of what’s happening with you emotionally. If you find that you’re constantly irritable, negative, fearful, confused, depressed, enervated or angry, you may be suffering from one of the three forms of trauma.

Address it now. You, your loved ones, friends, and co-workers deserve the best of you, the truest essence of your being. Let your light shine no matter what!

30 FEBRUARY 2021 / CODE M

[ BUSINESS ]

CODE M / AUGUST ISSUE 23

EDUCATION

4

HBCU EXECUTIVES CELEBRATE

The students of Central State University.

BHM WITH CODE M

Learn more about four historically Black colleges and the visions of the leaders who run them.

Thomas brings visibility and insights from experience in every aspect of academia. Roles he has held have included president, interim president, provost and academic vice president, executive vice president, executive assistant to the president, dean, department chair and English professor.

Dr. Thomas is currently a Senior Fellow with the American Association of State Colleges and Univer-

By Leslie Logan

C

entral State University is one of America’s most storied universities. Started in 1887 the college is considered to be one of the best historically black colleges in the country.

Central State University welcomes President Dr. Jack Thomas. Dr.

32 FEBRUARY 2021 / CODE M

sities. Previously, Dr. Thomas served as president of Western Illinois University (WIU), a state-run university where he served for nearly a decade. As president, he successfully managed a budget of nearly $224 million during a period of unprecedented state fiscal challenges.

At WIU, Dr. Thomas was responsible for a number of accomplishments, including increasing diversity, creating new academic programs, managing

fiscal and cash flow issues brought on by the state’s financial crisis, investing in STEM and other academic programs, increasing funding for student scholarships, and establishing a presidential institute to foster and improve corporate, community, and K-12 relations. Under Dr. Thomas’ leadership, the Institution constructed a new campus in Moline, Illinois and achieved its multimillion dollar capital campaign goal. WIU has been rated as a "Best in the Midwest College" by the Princeton Review and as a top tier Midwest Universities Master's institution by U.S. News and World Report.

Dr. Thomas brings a wealth of experience to Central State University and has improved the campus and university since becoming president.

Dr. LaTonia Collins Smith serves as the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Harris-Stowe State University. Collins Smith has more than 20 years of progressive leadership experience with an extensive background in administration and program development. She began her career in higher education at Harris-Stowe State University in 2010 as a project coordinator in the Office of Counseling Services. She has also served the institution as associate

[ EDUCATION ] provost, assistant provost, and as executive director of the Center for Career Engagement. Her key accomplishments include rebranding of the university’s career services and academic advising departments and university-wide math pathway implementation. Dr. Collins Smith is the co-principal investigator of a $5 million National Science Foundation grant to substantially strengthen STEM in the state of Missouri, the largest grant in the history of Harris-Stowe. She currently serves as a peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), the nation’s largest regional accreditation body. She also served as the campus team lead for the following initiatives; the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Re-Imagine First Year Project, the Strada Foundation Measuring College Value project, the Complete College America MSI Initiative, the Ascendium Project

Success Initiative, and the Gallup Alumni Survey Project. Dr. Collins Smith serves as chair of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Statewide Celebration Commission of Missouri and is a board member for Downtown STL, Inc. She has served as a member of the College Kids Advisory Board, Chouteau Greenway Community Advisory Board and Technical Advisory Group, and the Near North Side Choice Neighborhood

The students of Dillard University.

Community Partnership. She served on both the Alumni Board of Directors and Alumni Foundation Board for the University of Central Missouri. She is a member of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). Dr. Collins Smith has received several leadership and service awards including the Equal Education Opportunity Group Pioneer Award, Resilience in Action Merchant of Hope Award, Delux Magazine’s Power 100 in Education award, the NAACP Ben Hooks Community Leader award and the AKA Central Region’s Outstanding Educational Advancement Foundation Captain award.

A native of Atlanta, Dr. Walter M. Kimbrough was his high school salutatorian and student body president in 1985, and went on to earn degrees from the University of Georgia, Miami University in Ohio, and a doctorate in higher education from Georgia State University. He has enjoyed a fulfilling career in student affairs, serving at Emory University, Georgia State University, Old Dominion University, and finally Albany State University in 2000 where he became the Vice President for Student Affairs at the age of 32. In October of 2004, at the age of 37, he was named the 12th president of Philander Smith College. In 2012 he became the 7th president of Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana. Kimbrough has been recognized for his research and writings on HBCUs and African American men in college. Recently he has emerged as one of the leaders discussing free speech on college campuses. Kimbrough also has been noted for his active use of social media in articles by The Chronicle of Higher Educa-

tion, and in the book Follow The Leader: Lessons in Social Media Success from Higher Ed CEOs. He was cited in 2010

by Bachelors Degree.org as one of 25 college presidents you should follow on Twitter,

by Education Dive as one of 10 college presidents on Twitter who are doing it right (@HipHopPrez), and in 2015 he was named by The Best Schools.org as one of the 20 most interesting college presidents. A 1986 initiate of the Zeta Pi chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity at the University of Georgia, Kimbrough was the Alpha Phi Alpha College Brother of the Year for

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Students of Huston-Tillotson University.

the Southern Region and served as the Southern Region Assistant Vice President. Finally, in 2020 he was named by College Cliffs as one of 50 Top U.S. College and University Presidents.

Dr. Collette Burnette, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, joined HustonTillotson University as president on July 1, 2015. She served as interim President at Pierce College in Puyallup, Washington; the Vice President for Administration and Chief Financial Officer, Executive Assistant to the President, Vice President for Information Technology and Services, and Chief Information Officer at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio; Dean of Information Technology at

Pierce College in Lakewood, Washington; and Manager of Consulting and Project Management Services at the Washington State Department of Transportation in Olympia, Washington. Colette has combined her IQ, EQ, entrepreneurial spirit, and technical knowledge to forge successful careers in engineering, information technology, and higher education. Before transitioning into higher education, Dr. Burnette worked as a Computer Analyst at The Washington Post, an Operations Support Engineer at Proctor and Gamble, Director of Information Systems at Neighborhood Reinvestment Corp., and ran her own computer consulting firm, CompuMent.

Dr. Burnette is a strong proponent of Historically Black Colleges and Universities and civic and community engagement. She currently holds leadership positions in her community as co-chair of the Mayor of Austin’s Task Force on Institutional Racism

and Systemic Inequities, chair of the Central Texas Collective for Racial Equity, and treasurer of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas. She serves on numerous boards and committees including the Greater Austin Area Black Chamber, Greater Austin Urban League, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas Advisory Council, Urban Roots Advisory Council, and Waterloo Greenway.

She is YMCA of Central Texas, Austin Community Foundation, and E3 Alliance board member. Previously, she served as board chair of Leadership Austin, and as a member of the National Association of Schools, Colleges, and Universities of The United Methodist Church.

[ BUSINESS ]

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