HBCU Times Magazine

JEMELE HILL FIERCE HBCU ADVOCATE AND ALLY MACKENZIE SCOTT’S $560 MILLION CALL TO PHILANTHROPY TIFFANY HILL, ESQ. ATTORNEY. FILMMAKER. AUTHOR. DERREK PUGH: BENEDICT COLLEGE SAVED MY LIFE RUST COLLEGE’S FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT

HBCU s: A WORTHY INVESTMENT

Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training (ARRT) Program at the Langston University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (LU-RRTC) on Research and Capacity Building for Minority Entities PROJECT OVERVIEW:

The Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training (ARRT) Project at the Langston University (historically Black college/university [HBCU]) Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (LU-RRTC) on Research and Capacity Building represents a collaborative effort between the Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts Boston ([ICI] Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institution), North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University ([NCA&T] HBCU), South Carolina State University ([SCSU] HBCU), and Jackson State University ([JSU] HBCU). The Project implements a Peer-to-Peer Multiple Mentor Model to help post-doctoral fellows navigate institutional context and cross-fertilize their independent research project and research grant proposal through exchanges with a primary mentor and a scientific panel of mentors comprised of content experts, multicultural specialists, methodologists, and statisticians.

The ARRT Program works in concert with the LU-RRTC drawing upon the center’s extensive minority-serving institution research capacity building expertise, collaborative networks, resources, and interventions (e.g., methodology and grant writing web-based trainings, communities of practice, strategic planning, sponsored programs office and institutional review board technical assistance and consultation), offer courses, webinars, and implement peer mentoring as an innovative strategy to holistically address the fellows’ research skill building needs.

INVITATION TO APPLY:

We invite individuals who have earned a doctorate from a minority-serving institution (i.e., HBCU, Hispanic serving institution, or American Indian tribal college) or traditionally White institution (TWI) and current doctoral candidates (must graduate before beginning fellowship) at minority-serving institutions or TWIs interested in employment research to apply to participate in the post-doctoral fellowship. Minority-serving institution based faculty members who have earned doctorates are also eligible to apply (i.e., 80% research supplements through subcontract for such faculty in residence at their employing minority-serving institution are optional). We strongly encourage individuals with disabilities to apply. We are particularly interested in recruiting candidates who have a strong desire to obtain an academic faculty position or research position at a minority-serving institution upon completion of the fellowship program.

PARTICIPATION INCENTIVES:

• Salary and benefits package- Annual salary with full health benefits • Peer-to-Peer multiple research mentorship opportunity with scientific panel mentors • Financial research agenda start-up package- i.e., study participant honorariums/fellow research travel • Peer reviewed publications • Present research findings at national rehabilitation related conferences If you have any questions regarding the Langston University Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training Program (LU-ARRT), please contact | HBCU Times 2021 Summer Issue Dr. Corey L.2Moore, Principal Investigator/Training Director at (405) 530-7531 or email: capacitybuildingrrtc@langston.edu.

Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (LU-RRTC) on Research and Capacity Building for Minority Entities The MISSION of the Langston University RRTC is to improve minority entities’ (e.g., historically Black colleges/universities [HBCUs], Hispanic-serving institutions [HSIs], and American Indian tribal colleges/universities [AITCUs]) disability and rehabilitation research capacity and infrastructure by conducting a programmatic line of research examining experiences and outcomes of persons from traditionally underserved racial and ethnic populations and communities and capacity-building efforts.

LU-RRTC TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

The LU-RRTC serves as a national resource center for minority entities (MEs) seeking to develop their research infrastructure (RI), and to enhance their capacity to engage in disability and rehabilitation research.

To this end, the RRTC initiates dissemination, training and technical assistance (TA) activities to develop strong RIs within MEs for the conduct of research, preparation, submission, and management of NIDRR funded research grant projects. TA services are provided as a part of LU-RRTC interventions for research project participants and to ME and SVRA requestors around the country. The quality, intensity, and duration of TA vary by system (i.e., ME or SVRA) and the readiness of TA recipients.

Minority Entity TA Areas- • Faculty Scholar Role & Function Balance Consultation (e.g., teaching/service/research balance)• Sponsored Programs Office Operations Consultation • Research Infrastructure Strategic Planning • Institutional Review Board (IRB) Operation Consultation • NIDRR Research Proposal Development Mentorship • NIDRR Research Project Management Consultation • Manuscript for Peer Reviewed Publication Development Mentorship • NIDRR Request for Comment (RFC) or Request for Proposal (RFP) Interpretation Consultation • NIDRR Expert Panel Application Development Consultation • Data Management and Analysis Software and Related Technology Support Consultation State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (SVRA) TA Areas- • SVRA Policy Consultation to Improve Outcomes for Persons from Traditionally Underserved Communities • SVRA Rehabilitation Practitioner Consultation or Training to Improve Outcomes for Persons from Traditionally Underserved Communities LU-RRTC PEER-TO-PEER MENTOR RESEARCH TEAM ACADEMY

The LU-RRTC Peer-to-Peer Mentor Research Team Academy represents a collaborative effort between Langston University and the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

The Academy mentors Fellows to conduct research that addresses the rehabilitation needs of persons with disabilities from traditionally underserved backgrounds and communities. Ultimately, the program builds Fellows’ scholarly self-efficacy and research skills by providing them with state-of-the-science knowledge of scientifically valid measurement strategies and methodologies, and direct hands-on experience in the conduct of research and grant proposal development.

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HBCU Times 2021 Summer Issue | 3

HBCU

EDITOR’SMESSAGE

F

rom the presidential inauguration, to the COVID-19 vaccination, the first half of 2021 has been nothing short of eventful. Attempting to rise from the hardships brought on from the global pandemic, communities around the world are coming together and rebuilding. While there is still a long way to go, we at HBCU Times are more than happy to present to you our Summer 2021 issue. The sun is out and the feel-good stories are beaming right along with it!

We are definitely coming in hot, with our feature story on the incredible, Emmy-award winning sports journalist, Jemele Hill.

She takes us down memory lane, sharing how her early love for short stories and creative writing led to racking up opportunities at Michigan State University as an aspiring journalist. In addition to her role as co-founder of Lodge Freeway Media, telling stories of women of color, Hill’s voice is booming from Vice TV to podcasts. Best of all, she’s using her prominence in the sports entertainment arena to advocate for HBCUs. In addition to her controversial, yet necessary 2019 article, encouraging Black athletes to attend HBCUs, Hill emphasizes the importance of pouring into the Black community and standing as a role model for those who hope to follow in her footsteps.

Now, if you’re not already excited, this issue includes even more stories on inspirational, change-making Black women breaking barriers. The article on attorney, author, and filmmaker, Tiffany Hill, is a must-read. The Southern University graduate’s journey of surviving domestic abuse, to a thriving legal career is sure to leave you feeling empowered. Next up, we have the proud North Carolina A&T Aggie, Sabrina Simmons. After unexpectedly losing her sight, Simmons shares her journey of regaining her independence, assisting others through her company, Eye Learn, LLC, and most importantly, living her life to the fullest.

Of course, we would not be remaining true to our mission if we did not include stories of heavy-hitters who are undoubtedly

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DAVID STATEN, PH.D.

changing numerous communities for the better. Elected official and Deputy Director of the South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy, Derrick Pugh, is a real life success story. He gets candid about his journey to finding himself at his beloved HBCU, Benedict College. Councilman Pugh also shares about his desire to make an impact, and how his wide-range of experiences have allowed him to be a stronger and more relatable leader. While Pugh is serving the people of South Carolina, Dr. Ruth Taylor is making history in Holly Springs, Mississippi as Rust College’s first female president. The Yale University graduate recalls her journey from leading a revitalization effort in San Antonio, Texas, earning $50 million in grants, to leading a university through a global pandemic. Taylor talks about the importance of community building and the necessity to preserve all HBCUs. Finally, we cover the headlining $560 million donation to 22 public and private HBCUs from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. We share the details of Scott’s donation model, including using data to identify organizations with strong leadership, as a means to alleviate society’s current economic disparities. Scott’s “no-strings-attached” donation is not only a transformative win for several institutions, but also an increase in public profile for all historically Black colleges and universities.

It’s been a rough year and a half, but we are making it through.

It’s time for a vacation and we’ve got the stories to accompany your summertime vibes. Leaders in nearly every field are causing monumental change, and HBCUs are receiving world-wide recognition. Trust us, you will not want to put down this Summer issue of HBCU Times!

WHAT’S INSIDE

2021 Summer

C O N T E N T S

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U N CF F EATU R E: HB CU I N VESTM EN T A S A PATHWAY TO E QUITY

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A $ 5 6 0 M I LLI ON CA LL TO PHI LA N TH RO P Y

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THE R I SE OF CLA R K ATLA N TA U N I V E RSITY

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TI F FA N Y HI LL, ESQ. : ATTOR N EY. F I LMMAKE R. A U THOR .

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DER R EK PU GH: B EN EDI CT COLLEGE SAVE D M Y LI F E TWI CE

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SHE’ S N OT DON E Y ET: STA CEY A B R A M S’ COM M I TM EN T TO C RE ATING A SY STEM THAT SER VES

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A GGI E TWI N S: A LOVE F OR F I TN ESS

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DR . LAWR EN CE DR A K E: TR A N SF OR M ATI ON A L LEA DER

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DR . I VY R U TH TAY LOR : R U ST COLLE G E FIRST F EM A LE PR ESI DEN T

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F EATU R ED STORY: JEM ELE HI LL: F I ER CE HB CU A DVOC ATE A N D A LLY

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TM CF F EATU R E: THE N ATI ON A L B LA CK TA LEN T B A NK

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HB CUs: SECON D TO N ON E

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2 0 /2 0 STATE OF M I N D: OVER COM I N G B LI N DN ESS

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DR . B R OOM - COOLEY ’ S LI TER A CY LE G AC Y

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TA M I K A F ELDER : SU R VI VOR TO GLOB A L CA N CER A CTI VI ST

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POWER A LU M N I

CY N THI A HOWELL

DR . LOR AY SPEN CER

TER R A N CE TU CK ER

K HA LI LA H LON G

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HBCU

CREDITS

EDITOR AND CO-CEO Dr. David Staten CO-CEO Dr. Bridget Hollis Staten ART DIRECTOR Mia Salley ASSOCIATE EDITORS Amori Washington Octavia Robinson Dr. Regina Bush CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dr. LaToya Owens Ericka Blount Danois Kimberlei Davis Yolanda McCutchen Dr. Marybeth Gasman Lani Shaw, Esq. Amori Washington Ashley Elliott TMCF Staff Dr. Patrice Jones Cynthia Howell Dr. Loray Spencer Terrance Tucker Khalilah Long

CREATIVE CONSULTANTS Jordan Staten Esthervina Rogers Paula Lyles Dr. Charmaine Antoinette Hollis Dr. Judith Hollis Dr. Corey Phillips Dr. Carlton Watson Dr. Tiffany Flowers CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Terrell Maxwell of Maxwell Photography Rolondo Davis Carrie Brown Clark Atlanta University Rust College Alabama State University Thurgood Marshall College Fund Additional photos provided by the authors and interviewees.

ADVERTISING MANAGER Melvin Hart

MODELS Shantavia Edmonds Jasmine Raiford Sierra Cunningham

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hbcu_times8892 hbcutimesgroup www.hbcutimes.com HBCU Times inspired by Ethel & Jordan Staten

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U N CF F E AT U R E

HBCU INVESTMENT AS A PATHWAY TO EQUITY

BY DR. LATOYA OWENS

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istorically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been levers of social mobility and community shelters for Black people in America since the founding of the first institution, Cheyney University, in 1837. For more than a century, HBCUs have disproportionately supported the production of middle-class Black Americans despite severe underfunding and purposeful disinvestment. HBCUs consistently overproduce, accounting for only 3% of public and not-for-profit institutions, yet enroll almost 10% of African American college students nationwide, while yielding 17% of the bachelor’s degrees and a quarter of the STEM degrees earned by Black students.

Despite their critical role in producing Black graduates, the state underfunding of HBCUs has been documented in various cases, including the recent landmark HBCU Maryland case which netted $577 million to the state’s four public HBCUs. Even the Office of Legislative and Budget analysis recently announced that the state of Tennessee withheld between $141 million and $544 million in land-grant funds to Tennessee State University between 1957 and 2007. But this is not the only sector that hasn’t invested in HBCUs, the gap in private gifts, grants and contracts between ultra-rich universities--institutions of higher education with endowments valued at more than $1 billion--and HBCUs in 2018 was $227 million, which is $100 million more than the gap in 2010.

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This lack of investment in HBCUs is a lack of investment in their missions to serve underserved communities and students.

In comparison to their peers, though HBCUs enroll 2.1 times more Pell eligible or students from low-income families, have a significantly higher population of first-generation students at more than 50%, and educate almost 75% Black student population, their graduates are 51% more likely to move into a higher income quintile after graduation.

Beyond that, HBCUs significantly contribute to the wellbeing of their students: HBCU graduates report higher social, purpose, community, financial, employee and physical wellbeing than their non-HBCU peers. The familial environment created to provide the wrap-around services required for underresourced students also proves successful in producing graduates satisfied with their experience and prepared to be successful in the workforce demonstrated by their production of Black professionals including the creation of 80% of Black judges, 50% of Black doctors and lawyers, and 40% of Black engineers. This success is seen with HBCUs educating just 10% of the Black student population.

As we focus on equity and addressing the needs of the most underserved communities and people as well as uplifting society, HBCUs will be a critical component of any plan. The necessity of

their role was highlighted as we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, where the populations they are committed to serving were most affected. HBCUs mobilized to serve as testing sites, vaccination sites, provide shelter for students suffering from housing insecurity and to operate as food pantries. They were also particularly successful at preventing virus spread during oncampus instruction with HBCUs reporting significantly lower infection rates than their peers. Additionally, HBCUs’ success at producing Black doctors will be critical to addressing health disparities also extended by the pandemic.

HBCUs will play a significant role in reversing the recent economic downturn, particularly in the Southeastern US--where there are lower levels of economic well-being and where most HBCUs are located. In this area, they generate $14.8 billion annually in economic activity, producing positive economic benefits, critical for the recovery of our nation.

HBCUs continue to be indispensable for educational, economic, cultural, and societal gains for Black Americans and deserve more resources and an increased focus on their work for society.

As we work towards creating more equitable outcomes for society, HBCUs remain pivotal to ensuring we achieve those endeavors.

Dr. LaToya Owens is the Director of the UNCF Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute

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A $560 MILLION CALL TO PHILANTHROPY

BY DR. MARYBETH GASMAN

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n 2020, in the midst of a global pandemic, intense racial turmoil, and the rise of the first Black U.S. Vice President – Howard University graduate Kamala Harris, philanthropist MacKenzie Scott stunned the HBCU community by donating $560 million to 22 public and private HBCUs. She also made donations to the primary member organizations for HBCUs – the United Negro College Fund and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. For most of the HBCU recipients, the multi-million dollar gifts were the largest ever received. When asked about the gifts, HBCU presidents were quick to note that the donations are and will be transformative in myriad ways for their institutions.

HBCUs have a long and storied track record for their contributions to U.S. society, having built the Black middle class and serving as the foundation for Black success overall in the country. However, the contributions of HBCUs have been

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overlooked. Extensive research shows that philanthropists have disregarded these venerable institutions, choosing instead to give more often and more significantly donations to Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs).

In addition to changing the landscape for individual HBCUs, MacKenzie Scott’s gifts raised the overall profile for Black colleges, even those that were not fortunate enough to receive donations. Scott herself realized that her gifts could draw more attention to HBCUs and thus increase positive perceptions of these institutions by the general public, noting, “My own reflection … revealed a dividend of privilege I’d been overlooking: the attention I can call to organizations and leaders driving change.” As we know from research related to HBCUs and philanthropic giving, philanthropists want to be associated with successful organizations and thus, Scott’s donations to HBCUs

are directly linked to future donations. As she herself realized, her donations will result in others giving; she and her team have done considerable vetting of HBCUs for future philanthropists.

In addition to putting in the work, Scott has approached philanthropy in a way that is a model for future donors. Her approach is trusting in HBCU leadership, data-driven, humane, and boasts an understanding of what HBCUs need in order to prosper. Future philanthropists could learn much from her approach. First, Scott and her team did their homework before making donations – they used data. In her words, “I asked a team of advisors to help me accelerate my 2020 giving through immediate support to people suffering the economic effects of the [COVID-19] crisis. They took a data-driven approach to identifying organizations with strong leadership teams and results, with special attention to those operating in communities facing high projected food insecurity, high measures of racial inequity, high local poverty rates, and low access to philanthropic capital.”

Second, she consulted experts in order to make informed decisions. As Scott notes, “The team sought suggestions and perspective from hundreds of field experts, funders, and nonprofit leaders and volunteers with decades of experience. We leveraged this collective knowledge base in a collaboration that included hundreds of emails and phone interviews, and thousands of pages of data analysis on community needs, program outcomes, and each non-profit’s capacity to absorb and make effective use of funding.”

Third, and from my perspective most revolutionary and unique, she gave the donations with no strings attached and was well aware of the benefits of giving in this manner. In Scott’s words, “We do this research and deeper diligence not only to identify organizations with high potential for impact, but also to pave the way for unsolicited and unexpected gifts given with full trust and no strings attached.”

As mentioned, MacKenzie Scott’s historic donations will fundamentally change HBCUs in terms of amplifying their longterm value and sustaining their contributions. And, more than likely, she will continue to give to the remaining 83 HBCUs that demonstrate effective leadership and strong academic outcomes.

Despite Scott’s donations, HBCUs need additional and diverse funding sources. HBCUs will benefit if philanthropists – big and small – from across the giving spectrum step up and contribute to their future. There is ample evidence that HBCUs provide a robust and important education to African American students and others, that they have a long and considerable record of empowering students, and that they offer a safe environment that exclaims that Black Lives Matter. HBCUs – all of them, including those that are not household names – are a rich source of future employees, thinkers, artists, activists, and leaders and any proclamations related to valuing African American contributions and people need to include HBCUs at the core.

I am not alone in this call to philanthropists as McKenzie Scott herself asked her fellow philanthropists to step up, noting about those institutions to which she gave: “And every one of them would benefit from more allies looking to share wealth of all types and sizes, including money, volunteer time, supplies, advocacy, publicity, networks and relationships, collaboration, encouragement, and trust.”

For decades, HBCUs have been saying that they “do more with less” and philanthropists and others have been letting them do it.

MacKenzie Scott noticed this deep commitment and willingness to “carry more than we imagine,” comparing HBCUs to the Glasswing, a “tiny butterfly with invisible wings that can carry 40 times its own weight.” The image painted by Scott is beautiful; however, it’s time for HBCUs to have the opportunity to do more with more.

Fourth, she gave the money upfront and because she trusts her team’s research and the institutions that she is giving to, she is not burdening them with constant reporting requirements: “Because our research is data-driven and rigorous, our giving process can be human and soft. Not only are non-profits chronically underfunded, they are also chronically diverted from their work by fundraising, and by burdensome reporting requirements that donors often place on them.”

Fifth, Scott’s donations are all non-discretionary funds, so the HBCU recipients can use the funds for what they deem appropriate, providing “maximum flexibility.” And lastly, she understands the power in effective HBCU leadership and trusts that power: “All of these leaders and organizations have a track record of effective management and significant impact in their fields. I gave each a contribution and encouraged them to spend it on whatever they believe best serves their efforts.”

Dr. Marybeth Gasman is the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Endowed Chair in Education & Distinguished Professor at Rutgers University.

HBCU Times 2021 Summer Issue | 11

THE RISE OF CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY

BY KIMBERLEI DAVIS

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o·men·tum has both magnitude and direction.

In under two years at the helm of Clark Atlanta University, the momentum at which President George T. French, Jr. has led the institution also tells of inspiration, focus, and productivity.

Fundraising and admissions are at the highest they’ve ever been and alumni giving continues to uptick.

“At Clark Atlanta University we offer such awesome academic and social experiences for our students,” French said. “We prioritize the safety and well-being of the whole student.”

“We have over 100 stellar Historically Black Colleges and

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Universities, there’s no doubt about it, but here in Atlanta, you have the largest collaborative of HBCUs in the nation. So when a CAU student can interact with a Morehouse School of Medicine student it allows for the best synergy that you could ever imagine.”

Atlanta is already considered the Black Mecca and Black Hollywood, but the southern city is also rising in standing within the tech community and could potentially outpace Silicon Valley.

Earlier this year, CAU announced a partnership with an Applebacked innovation hub.

According to its website, The Propel Center will include stateof-the-art spaces to accommodate lecture halls, learning labs,

and common areas to facilitate group learning and serve as a centralized nexus and symbol for HBCU collaboration across the country.

Dr. French said he is excited about the technological resources the center will offer and the technological advances.

The center will be located at the Atlanta University Center — home to Clark Atlanta University, the Interdenominational Theological Center, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, Morris Brown College, and Spelman College. @PrezGTFrench didn’t take the conventional route on his journey to become a college president.

The late Albert Sloan, who served as the 13th President of Miles College persuaded French to become a Golden Bear.

from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative in support of the program.

French notes several points of pride of CAU, (before its consolidation in 1988), “Atlanta University was the first HBCU in the nation to award graduate degrees to African Americans and the first to award bachelor’s degrees to African Americans in the South; Clark College was the nation’s first four-year liberal arts college to serve African American students. The distinction between Atlanta University and Clark College is unparalleled.”

“THE FUNDS CONTINUE TO COME IN AND THE COMMUNITY BELIEVES IN CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY.”

In 1996, the attorney began work as Director of Development for Miles College, and unbeknownst to him, however no secret to God, French would later serve as President for 14 years.

His service to Miles makes him one of the longest-serving university presidents in the nation.

Some of the greatest minds to ever walk the earth matriculated from an HBCU.

One of the founding faculty in the School of Social Work was W.E.B. Du Bois, who wrote his most influential works during the 23 years he spent at Atlanta University, from 1897-1910 on the faculty of the history and economics departments, and later, from 1934 - 1944 as chair of the sociology department.

“James Weldon Johnson also walked our hollow grounds. Du Bois and Johnson did the work not only in Atlanta, but they went on to the NAACP as co-founder and field secretary respectively. What they did for social justice decades ago is simply phenomenal and at CAU we continue to shape the narrative with this year raising the most money in our fundraising history.”

Before his passing, French was able to shadow Sloan for ten years.

This mentorship played an integral part in French’s development as a leader and is a model for what fellows selected to a groundbreaking certification program at CAU can expect.

Last year, CAU received a $15 million unrestricted gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott - the substantial financial gift is the largest single-donor gift in the university’s history.

During commencement in May, French announced $5 million in additional gifts representing three different organizations.

“The HBCU Executive Leadership Institute (ELI) at Clark Atlanta University will be very intentional in preparing the next generation of HBCU presidents.”

CAU’s ELI was recently awarded a $1M Racial Equity Grant

“The funds continue to come in and the community believes in Clark Atlanta University. We are a leader in this space and we are excited about the partnership with Apple and Southern Company

HBCU Times 2021 Summer Issue | 13

and others both regionally and nationally. It’s indicative of the strength of CAU.” The global pandemic continues to affect children and families by disrupting routines, changing relationships, roles and responsibilities, all while halting or altering usual child care, school, and recreational activities.

“The strength that I draw on is not necessarily based in academia as much as they are in humanitarian and ministry, because we really had to minister to our students during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“Our students faced mental strain, unlike anything they’ve experienced before. We purchased laptops for all our undergraduate and graduate students to ensure they had access to remote learning, we built relationships with Verizon and others to ensure students had hotspots and secured CARES Act funding so students could take care of daily living expenses.”

Every morning there’s the smell of breakfast that permeates through the French household and the person making the waffles unequivocally loves “Dadhood.”

The husband and father of four prepares breakfast each day for his 14-year-old and reserves that time for daddy-daughter bonding.

French’s highest title he says is “Reverend.”

“To be faithful to God is above all…”

He served as pastor in several southeast churches from 1989 until 2006 before retiring to include Ebenezer Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in South Boston, Virginia; St. John Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Gadsden, Alabama; and Mount Carmel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Adamsville, Alabama.

Louisville is no stranger in producing notable Black Americans.

As the university prepares to open at full capacity in the all with over 4,000 students, French said they will continue to be responsible by consulting with the CDC, working with leaders at the Morehouse School of Medicine, and make mental health a priority.

CAU will increase mental health services and “we will introduce counseling services in a group setting and we’ll be intentional about its importance.”

French holds degrees from the University of Louisville (B.A. Political Science), Miles Law School (J.D.), and Jackson State University (Ph.D.).

He’s a board member, chairman and wears many hats, and has many accolades, but nothing flutters Dr. French’s heart more than being called dad.

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The city is the home the late Muhammad Ali, Mattie Jones, Rajon Rando and of course - Dr. George T. French, Jr.

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TIFFANY HILL, ESQ.: ATTORNEY. FILMMAKER. AUTHOR.

BY LANI P. SHAW, ESQ.

HBCU TIMES: Why did you decide to attend Southern?

ATTORNEY. AUTHOR. FILMMAKER. YES, TIFFANY HILL, ESQ. IS A TRIPLE THREAT. Tiffany is a corporate and consumer law attorney and owner of TH Legal Consulting. She is licensed to litigate in Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma and Ohio. Tiffany has successfully litigated on behalf of her clients to eliminate over $1 million in debt and she has negotiated global contracts for clients in the real estate and personal protective equipment field with portfolios totaling over $1 billion. Tiffany is also the author of “Authentic Me: A Story of Strength, Perseverance and Faith,” where she shares her deeply moving and personal story as a survivor of an emotionally and physically abusive marriage. Tiffany shares her journey to help other survivors of traumatic experiences transition from pain to purpose. And, as if being an attorney and author were not enough, Tiffany is also the executive producer of “The Last Time,” a domestic violence awareness film, which made its television debut in 2017 and continues to air on Aspire TV, reaching 34 million homes worldwide. Tiffany is a proud HBCU graduate who earned her undergraduate degree from Southern University and her Bachelor of Civil Law and Juris Doctor degree from Louisiana State University.

Here is a portion of her story. W

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TIFFANY: I gained a great appreciation for HBCU’s because most of my family members are graduates of Grambling. I always knew I would attend an HBCU and I love Louisiana.

Southern was the right decision for me. The entire HBCU culture is amazing, and I love it.

HBCU TIMES: What’s your favorite memory about Southern?

TIFFANY: One of my favorite things about Southern was the Bayou Classic and the Southern/Grambling friendly rivalry, because we always had fun no matter who won. That was one of my best memories of growing up and while in college and even now as an adult, I still go back occasionally to the Classic. I’m hoping, post pandemic, these events will continue because it’s just so wonderful for us to be able to do that as alumni and it is also a great opportunity for high school students that are thinking about attending an HBCU. HBCU TIMES: How relevant are HBCUs today?

TIFFANY: Very relevant. When I think about my children and where they will decide to go, I hope it’s an HBCU. HBCUs celebrate our culture and focus on our heritage and history.

Unfortunately, there’s a misconception that if you go to an HBCU that you may not perform well or be as competitive for

your profession. For me, attending an HBCU was an important part of my success and vital to my development. I was confident, I didn’t second guess myself, I felt prepared. I think HBCUs remain relevant and are vital in changing the dynamic of the social justice issues we’re experiencing in this country today.

HBCU TIMES: Why did you want to be an attorney and how did Southern prepare you for law school?

TIFFANY: It was never a question of whether I would go to law school. I wanted to go to law school for as long as I can remember.

My grandfather was a very important influence in my life and when I was a little girl, he would always say, ‘this is my little lawyer’ when he would introduce me to others. This had a lasting impression and I knew that I could achieve this goal. When I talk to my kids, even now, I am constantly speaking of things that they can be so that they know anything is attainable. Southern prepared me to succeed in law school and beyond. I was a part of Southern’s honors program and majored in political science.

The support that I received was top-notch. I was a good writer, but I was hesitant about public speaking. There were so many organizations on campus that helped me to grow and to become a better speaker. I joined a sorority, so I became involved in AKA and those experiences, even outside of the classroom, gave me more confidence in speaking and articulating my points. All of which became very helpful when it was time to go to law school.

HBCU TIMES: How did you start your legal career after law school?

TIFFANY: I graduated from law school in 2004 and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada where I worked in the district attorney’s office for a year. I then moved to Auburn, Alabama and practiced transactional law. From Alabama I moved to Ohio where I worked in the general counsel’s office for Ohio University. I am now based in Oklahoma, and here I’ve specialized in corporate and consumer law. I started my own law practice, TH Legal Consulting, in 2005.

HBCU TIMES: How has your experience been as a solo practitioner?

TIFFANY: My biggest accomplishment are my three sons, ages 14, 10 and 8. Starting my own firm was the right decision for me because I needed flexibility as a mom who was also committed to my career. It was important to me to be able to structure my schedule and spend more time with my children. Even beyond that, it has given me the opportunity to work with so many people in other areas such as Washington, DC, Atlanta, Las Vegas, etc.

HBCU TIMES: What inspires you to be successful?

TIFFANY: I want my children to continue to have endless opportunities and access. I know that starts with the example that I set for them. I also appreciate the opportunity to encourage

and inspire those that come behind me. I have such a unique opportunity to help others- that’s inspiring and something that I never take for granted.

HBCU TIMES: What challenges have you faced as a Black woman and how have you overcome some of those challenges?

TIFFANY: The challenge as a solo practitioner is that you are responsible for creating and cultivating your own team. Your leadership skills are critical. I overcome challenges by networking and connecting with the right people. It’s been very important to maintain relationships with others within my profession who can be a support system to me and vice versa. As a Black woman in my profession, I have learned to never diminish who I am or underestimate the value that I can offer.

HBCU TIMES: How has mentoring played a role in your success?

TIFFANY: I am a strong advocate of mentoring. Mentoring helps with accountability. For example, I can make a list of goals that I want to accomplish but when I tell my mentor, she pushes me and asks me about my timeline. When I’m in the mentor role, I try to be supportive and to be available. A twenty minute conversation can be important to a mentee and I try to remember that when people reach out to me for advice- even though I might be busy when the call comes through, I always take the call from mentees because my mentors did that for me.

HBCU TIMES: In addition to being an attorney, you are also an author and filmmaker. How did you break into those industries?

HBCU Times 2021 Winter Issue | 17

TIFFANY: That’s one thing that I love about law, with our law degree, it touches everything. Becoming an author came from experiencing personal hardships. When I started doing speaking engagements on college campuses about domestic violence, I sought ways to make the difficult subject of domestic abuse a topic that we could be comfortable having dialogue about. “The Last Time” film that I executive produced aimed to do just that.

I took something that was very painful to me and shifted the narrative into something meaningful to help others in similar positions. It was truly purpose work.

For more information about Tiffany Hill, visit www.thlegal.org

HBCU TIMES: Where does your drive come from and your interest in service?

TIFFANY: I grew up in Spearsville, a small community in north Louisiana. What I value most was it’s a community where everyone took care of each other. My mother was a high school principal and English teacher. My dad owned his own trucking company. My parents were both very involved in the community and every weekend we were doing some sort of service and outreach. My mom would cook for the elderly people in the neighborhood, and we would go and drop off food to them. We did service through the church and went to local school board meetings and other political events. Looking back, I remember dreading it, but now I realize that as a result of their intentional focus on service, helping people comes second nature to me. It’s an example that was set for me and something that I also instill into my kids.

HBCU TIMES: How do you balance it all?

TIFFANY: Ironically, it has not been hard to manage it all. And I attribute that to when you’re doing things that you really enjoy it’s not stressful. When I work with my clients and obtain great results, it’s so satisfying in the end. I never view it as a balancing act and approach every task with gratitude that in some small way, I’m impacting lives.

HBCU TIMES: What are your future endeavors?

TIFFANY: My future endeavors include the continuous quest to live an intentional, authentic life that fulfills my purpose- so to me the focus is not so much on what “thing” I will be doing in 5-10 years as much as what state of mind I will be doing it from. If my focus is always on making sure I’m operating with intention and from a place of mental clarity, peace and purpose, there is no limit or no box around what I will accomplish. I’m passionate about film as a way to connect us through shared experiences so I definitely will produce more film projects aimed at awareness of topics like domestic violence and any other project that will aid someone in their shift from pain to purpose. What I always offer to others is to embrace failure or painful experiences as a catalyst for continued growth and- through it all- always be true to your authentic self. My motto: “To live authentically is the ultimate form of happiness.”

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Lani P. Shaw, Esq. is the Enforcement Counsel for the Comptroller of the Currency’s Chief Counsel’s Office. In this role, Lani supervises and regulates national banks and federal savings associations. Primarily, Lani ensures that financial institutions operate in a safe and sound manner and in compliance with laws requiring fair treatment and fair access to financial products. Lani is a recipient of the Comptroller’s Award for Outstanding Service and has received the U.S. Treasury Department’s Special Act or Service Award.

Lani is a candidate for the OCC’s Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification and was recently selected for cohort 2 of the agency’s Leadership Exploration and Development program.

Lani is a graduate of Hampton University and Howard University School of Law. Lani serves as First Vice President of the National Hampton Alumni Association, Inc. and is a member of Hampton University’s inaugural class of 40 under 40 award recipients. Lani chairs Bison on the Vineyard, an annual getaway and fundraiser to Martha’s Vineyard for Howard graduates and friends. Lani is a former member of the Alfred Street Baptist Church Board of Trustees and currently serves as a member of the church’s elected Board of Directors, where she serves as Vice Chair of the Governance and Legal Committee. She also serves as the Vice President of CARE, the OCC’s African American employee networking group that provides programming and professional development for all employees. Lani is a member of the South Carolina Bar and remains active in the National Bar Association, where she has formerly served as Chief of Staff, Board Member-at-Large and Chair of the Government Lawyers Division. Lani received the NBA’s 40 under 40 recognition in 2014 and the NBA Young Lawyers’ Division’s Young Lawyer of the Year Award in 2010.

BENEDICT COLLEGE

HBCU Times 2021 Summer Issue | 19

BENEDICT COLLEGE SAVED MY LIFE TWICE

D

BY KIMBERLEI DAVIS

errek Pugh is unequivocal proof that it doesn’t matter what side of the track you started on, there’s always a path forward if you’re willing to do the hard work - the necessary work.

His mother didn’t live to see her eldest son become an elected official and the youngest person selected to be Deputy Director at the South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy, but Hymonia Pugh’s story is very much a part of Derrek’s story.

20 | HBCU Times 2021 Summer Issue

The former athlete has had his share of false starts, but it would be his mother’s decision to move him across the border from one Carolina to the other, his wife’s unwavering faith in him, the recent fatal overdose of a young woman, and representing #TheBESTofBC that have shaped Pugh and centered his footing along the way.

“Anybody that I come into contact with knows how I feel about the illustrious Benedict College,” Pugh said. “I found myself at my HBCU.”

Benedict is in a season of consecutive wins, he noted.

“Johnson C. Smith, South Carolina State, Morris College, we all poke fun at each other, we talk trash to our rivals, but deep down we support each other and understand the importance of sustaining these institutions and celebrating when one of us wins.”

However, alumni and students need to do a little more than just showing up to an occasional homecoming and sporting event. He encourages stakeholders to remain invested by mentoring, extending employment opportunities, and supporting fundraising initiatives.

Pugh exudes Tiger Pride and his cheek dimples become more pronounced when he shares his love for his alma mater and his wife.

Teshieka “TK” Curtis met Derrek when he was “working dead-end jobs and only needed three classes to graduate.”

Before it was just the Pugh of them, Derrek said he was making “$8.50 an hour at Three Rivers Behavioral Health and she saw the best in me even when I The former Dillion High School Wildcat said he picked up his football cleats again at Benedict, but even that wasn’t enough to keep him focused and engaged and his life began to shift again.

“Benedict gave me another chance through their continuing education program and one of my proudest achievements was returning as an adjunct professor, in the Health, Physical Education and Recreation Department.”

It’s been over four years since Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis became the 14th and first female president of Benedict College and Pugh believes she has set a new standard for the office.

“She’s really made significant strides and embraced the new way we’ve had to operate due to the deadly pandemic,” Pugh said. “Dr. Artis has consistently demonstrated that she can make time to handle business, but also intentionally make time for the students and I admire her leadership style.”

In April, it was announced that Benedict College’s Marching Tiger Band of Distinction will perform during the 2022 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®

didn’t see it in myself.”

“She was my girlfriend at the time and she said, ‘“Let’s see what we can do.”’

That’s the essence of a Black woman, we help connect the dots.

TK’s social media bio says she’s a ‘Goal Getter,’ and if you’re connected to her, she intends to see that happen for you too.

And, she’s also a boss, literally.

The accomplished and highly-decorated chief nursing officer at Encompass Health (Rock Hill, SC) said she is proud to have her husband represent her interests as a citizen of Richland County.

“Derrek always says, relationships are the currency of the Kingdom,” said Curtis-Pugh MSN, RN, CMSRN, RN-BC, NPD. “His heart for service is evident in everything that he does, and his passion for seeing Richland County flourish is unmatched.”

Pugh said he never thought that he would be an elected official, but “knew that I had a heart for the people and I needed to make

HBCU Times 2021 Summer Issue | 21

sure that I was working in a capacity to create impact.”

J. Michael Ross, the former Mayor of Blythewood, encouraged him to run for office during a chance encounter at a church program, he said.

“Mayor Ross wasn’t trying to sugarcoat anything. He simply said there was a lack of diversity and I needed to represent the Black and Brown community.”

It would take Pugh nearly five years to overcome his hesitancy and now he serves as “Councilman for the second largest county in South Carolina and the largest district in Richland County.”

Pugh said he can still go to places that some politicians can’t, because he isn’t far removed from certain life experiences and is relatable.

At nine, Pugh left Rowland, North Carolina to live with his father, the late Jerome Hargrove in Dillion, South Carolina where he was exposed to a different quality of life.

He went from living in a neighborhood where people lived paycheck-topaycheck to a neighborhood where there were principals, physicians, and professors.

The same now rings true as he serves the people of District 2 in Richland County.

“My constituents may live in a million-dollar home and then on the other side of the county my constituents may be struggling to pay $500 for rent,” he said. “God puts you in positions of influence for a reason and I understand both sides.”

While spearheading summer and afterschool programs as the programming supervisor for Richland County Recreation Commission for over 2,000 children annually, it was then that Pugh said he realized the totality of his humble upbringing in the “projects in Rowland.”

“My brother and I would get dressed up like free lunch was an event,” he quipped. “That was our normal.”

Pugh’s younger brother, Jacoby Lewis, is a graduate of South Carolina State University and works for the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the husband and father my brother

22 | HBCU Times 2021 Summer Issue

has become. People in our hometown who know about our upbringing and our mother’s alcohol addiction are amazed at some of the things we are doing and accomplishing, but that’s all God.” Derrek has been recognized as one of South Carolina’s rising stars, as a member of the SC Black Pages 2018 Top 20 under 40 professionals in business class.

Derrek serves as executive director for Rural Life Resources in Orangeburg, South Carolina, and previously served as Commissioner on the Planning Commission, and former Vice Chairman of the Board of Zoning and Appeals for the Town of Blythewood.

He also serves as a board member for the Ray of Hope USDA feeding program, the Carolina Legacy Council, and the Capital City Club Membership Committee in Columbia.

The first few months of 2021, Pugh said he questioned his work leading the SC Youth ChalleNGe Academy following the reincarceration of some of the program participants and the fatal overdose.

It was the advice of a former coworker that Pugh said he drew from to get him out of those dark three months.

“Mr. Green said to me almost 20 years ago, “‘If you think you’re going to come in here and save every one of these kids, you’re gonna lose. If you get one, you’ve done your job…”’

Pugh said he is called to serve all youth regardless of their culture and background and teaches respect for self, others, and law enforcement, and service to the community.

“I strive to give our youth the tools they will need when they face adversity.”

Over a year into his four-year term, Councilman Pugh is still working on addressing food deserts and affordable housing while balancing communities with rapid growth and what some say is a lack of infrastructure.

Other initiatives of Pugh are Zumba ‘Friday Night Live in the Park with Big Sarge;’ ‘The Councilman’s Corner’ podcast and his quarterly newsletter.

To learn more about Councilman Derrek Pugh visit: derrekforsc.com

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SHE’S NOT DONE YET: STACEY ABRAMS’ COMMITMENT TO CREATING A SYSTEM THAT SERVES

BY AMORI WASHINGTON

W

hile many of us believed, as children, the world revolved around our wants and needs, in Gulfport, Mississippi, a young Stacey Abrams and her five brothers and sisters, began learning the rewarding practice of serving others at the start of their childhood. Though service was prioritized at an early age due to the influence of her parents, the former Minority Leader of the Georgia House of Representatives continued to be an active servant of the people well into her adulthood. Today, the work of Stacey Abrams goes far from unnoticed; and, after the significant role she played in the results of the 2020 presidential election, there is no denying her influence. However, many are still questioning: How did she do it and what does it mean for the future of politics?

Well, Stacey’s renewed dedication to civic engagement and serving the people of Georgia began after earning her degrees, and returning to her home state of Georgia. Throughout the early 2,000s, she worked to improve Georgia’s economy by establishing financial services to assist small businesses and supporting legislation to raise the minimum wage. However, her most notable efforts demonstrate her commitment to ensuring voting rights and education for communities of color. In an interview published on November 19, 2020 with The Cut 24 | HBCU Times 2021 Summer Issue

magazine, Stacey explains how this journey to turning Georgia blue started way before the recent election. In 2010, yes, over a decade ago, Stacey assessed the population increase in Georgia, which included a rising number of African Americans, who were relocating back down South from the Midwest, Latinos, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders. She also noted a lack in representation for Black voters in rural underfunded counties.

Her assessment led to the realization of the need to rebuild the infrastructure of Georgia, explaining, “You can’t build systems if you don’t have something solid that is impervious to who’s in charge.”

What initially began as an effort to sign up citizens for the Affordable Care Act, quickly became the New Georgia Project.

Originally founded in 2013, the organization transitioned into a nonpartisan effort to register and civically engage Georgians, specifically citizens of color. As of September 2019, the organization has registered nearly half a million Georgians in all 159 counties. In addition to registry, Stacey knew her efforts for minority communities had to also include education. Citizens needed knowledge on what voting allowed them to do and what exactly they were voting on.

Having already shared and put into action her plans for improving Georgia, Stacey knew she could make a larger step towards change by obtaining a new title, governor. While the race ended in an unfortunate defeat for the voting rights activist, the 2018 election revealed a major issue Stacey had already begun working towards eradicating, voter suppression. Stacey confirmed, while she wasn’t owed a victory, she was owed a system, along with every other voter - this led to the birth of Fair Fight, a voting rights organization. The initial aim of the organization was to promote voter participation, education and fair elections in Georgia and nationwide. Ultimately, she wanted to ensure the outcome of the 2018 gubernatorial race would not occur in the 2020 presidential election.

According to The New York Times’ article, released at the beginning of January of this year, Stacey worked alongside other dedicated and leading women such as Deborah Scott, Executive Director of STAND-UP, a Think and Act Tank for Working Communities, and Felicia Davis, change-making organizer and activist, to turn Georgia blue. From old-fashion canvassing to appearing in television ads to explain the absentee ballot process, the shared effort of Stacey Abrams and her team, along with committed partners, resulted in registering 800,000 new voters to participate in the presidential election. As we know, Stacey’s efforts did not end in November; her active work registering voters, spreading education on citizen participation and even making a guest appearance at the “Verzuz” battle between Atlanta rappers, Jeezy and Gucci Mane, led to another Democratic victory in the Georgia U.S. Senate runoff in January.

So, what’s next? How can we maintain the momentum Stacey has established?

First, it’s imperative to emphasize turning Georgia was a plan that took over a decade to produce. Stacey’s long-standing commitment to service demonstrates that real systemic change does not mean immediate results, but rather requires belief and active participation in the political process. As for the future of politics, understand it’s more than just registering to vote, but also educating oneself. Take the initiative to learn more about

political leaders in your hometown and state and the work they are doing. Research legislation that directly impacts your community, and finally, know YOUR rights!

Amori Washington graduated from Claflin University in 2018 with a B.A. in Professional English, and a minor in Spanish. Serving as an undergraduate writing tutor for 3 years, she worked collaboratively with fellow peer tutors and researched writing center pedagogy in order to best assist college-level writers. While enrolled in graduate school, Amori started ASW Editing & Writing Consulting to assist students, professionals, and creatives in developing and improving various types of writing projects.

In December of 2019, Amori earned her M.Ed in English Language Learners (TESOL) from Vanderbilt University, where she served as a graduate writing center consultant and editorial assistant for Urban Education: SAGE Journal. Currently, Amori teaches ESL Writing Composition at ZMB Jinling High School in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. When she is not editing or teaching, Amori enjoys dancing, trying out new recipes, and traveling with friends and family.

HBCU Times 2021 Summer Issue | 25

AGGIE TWINS: A LOVE FOR FITNESS

BY KIMBERLEI DAVIS

W

hether it’s serving up aces on the court, being named Jet Beauties of the Week, winning trophies at physique-competition events or running a thriving business (Lene Body Fitness), the Mitchell Twins are all about that “FIT IS LOVE” life.

Henderson, North Carolina natives, Arlene and Darlene Mitchell are certified personal trainers who exude beauty and brains matched with a high dose of Aggie Pride and who are unapologetic about living a healthy lifestyle.

Aggie Pride is a way of living that has produced some of the world’s most sought-after leaders and influencers in the area of politics, higher education, food service, non-profit, finance, retail, healthcare, leisure, hospitality, government, and of course, fitness.

Alumni have said Aggie Pride is not just who they are, it’s what they do.

“You have to attend North Carolina A&T University to understand the pride that we have and our culture,” Arlene said.

Darlene added, “The pride was first extended to us as three-sport athletes in high school and it says a lot about the university that we later worked there as Division I coaches after graduation.”

Arlene coached for eight years while Darlene worked as the Assistant Sports Information Director at North Carolina A&T, before transitioning to coaching four years of volleyball at North Carolina Central University as an assistant coach.

Darlene makes it a point to be relatable with her students at James B. Dudley High School in Greensboro, North Carolina.

The five-year Health and Physical Education teacher says she aims to make her students feel comfortable and “to not be that educator who causes more stress” because their home environment may be stressful enough.”

After a year in which people spent months cooped up at home getting very little to no exercise, we’re almost past the halfway mark of the new year and those resolutions have taken on a little more weight in 2021.

Virtual classes and mental health options were turbocharged by

26 | HBCU Times 2021 Summer Issue

intake.”

They say jumping jacks, modified push-ups, and squats are basic at-home exercises that can be intense if done right so your body can snap back for the summer.

Love also spiked during the pandemic.

In 2016, an on-air “twin-intervention” occurred on Steve Harvey’s Emmy-winning syndicated daytime talk show to help the then single Darlene find love.

Although nothing came from that, Darlene is now engaged to a persistent social media follower who initially slid into her DMs. “We dated, I gave love a try and he put a ring on it,” she said while flexing her ring for the camera.

Arlene took to The Gram in January to document her getting her nose piercing.

“It was more than just the nose ring, it was about me conquering fear,” she said. “Someone said to me, ‘I’m not sure what’s holding you back or what you are afraid of, but understand you need to jump, run and leap and God will meet you on the other side.”’

the pandemic and with the restrictions on gym capacity while shuttering some entirely, Arlene said she had to get creative as a full-time entrepreneur.

The pandemic was a blessing in disguise for Darlene, and on March 15, 2021, she went into full throttle to make the tide work in her favor.

Thanks to the dedication and commitment from over a dozen Lene Body Warriors, their garage became a remote gym and the decision has paid off in multiple ways.

“I’ve been busier since the pandemic with more one-on-one and small group training,” she said.

This wasn’t the first time Arlene heard a prophetic pronouncement related to her conquering fear, “So I took a leap of faith by leaving my job as a K-12 educator and started the business. I was scared, but the nose ring was the first step to conquering other fears.”

Through their newly launched apparel line, ‘Black Colleges Rock,’ the Mitchell Twins are emphasizing the importance of supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities, but in no way diminishing the importance of their counterparts.

In true twin fashion, they said in unison, “Black Colleges Rock - for us!”

She thanked God for the opportunity and consistent employment.

The distressed font on the logo represents, “the fact that no HBCU is perfect, but they have endured over the years and have educated some phenomenal people.”

“You may get a no over here and another no over there, but you have to maintain that passion and drive to keep going and the right doors will open up,” Darlene said.

U.S. Congresswoman Alma Adams, Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr., Janice Bryant-Howroyd, and Terrence J are all prominent NC A&T alumni.

The Mitchell Twins offer this advice for those struggling to lose those extra pandemic pounds, “You can’t out-train a bad diet.”

“We choose the distorted look because everyone has opinions, but your culture, your HBCU is what you make it,” Darlene said. “If you go in with the mindset to succeed, then you’ll succeed or to party, then you might not succeed the way you want.”

“Nutrition is key so you can’t out-train a McDonald’s and fried chicken diet,” they said. “The hardest part is starting, but consistency is key. Start by changing something in your diet, incorporate exercise a few minutes a day and increase your water

“HBCUs have that stigma that we just party all the time, and though we do have fun we know how to party, get our education,

HBCU Times 2021 Summer Issue | 27

American, Ozark, The Chi or Tyler Perry’s Sistas.

The Mitchell Twins have studied sports science and fitness management and have incorporated their Aggie Pride into helping thousands of people worldwide live and reach their healthy lifestyle goals.

Learn more about The Mitchell Twins by following them on Instagram or visiting their website mitchelltwins.com or emailing mitchelltwins85@gmail. com.

and be on top,” Arlene added.

The international jet setters make work-life balance a priority.

This is evidenced in their success as certified personal trainers, business owners, and strong family bonds.

Twins are uniquely alike, but they are also uniquely different and Arlene and Darlene rely on and draw strength from each other.

“I love her drive and willingness not to give up,” Darlene said.

What are the odds Arlene said she would say the same thing about her younger sister?!

Arlene is the eldest by ten minutes and twins run in their family.

Their father was a twin, and of their four siblings, a brother and sister are also twins.

“Our mother had a single, double, single and we were the surprise double birth,” Arlene quipped. “She wasn’t expecting us.”

When the 36-year-old twins aren’t surprising people with their stamina to work out five times a week or helping clients get the booty they always wanted, they’re binge-watching Bridgerton, L.A.’s Finest, 9-1-1 and 9-1-1 Lone Star, Black Lighting, All

28 | HBCU Times 2021 Summer Issue

Kimberlei Davis is a published author, brand strategist, empowerment speaker and an accomplished journalist currently working in print, digital and broadcast media. She is a graduate of Johnson C. Smith University and is the founder of The LEAP Foundation, a non-profit organization aimed at assisting with the academic outcome of foster children. Kimberlei is the mother of one son, Benjamin.

Connect with the writer @KimberleiDavis

Recruiting Teachers Now Charleston County School District

is a nationally-accredited school district that is committed to providing equitable and quality educational opportunities for all of its students.

CCSD is the second-largest school system in South Carolina and represents a unique blend of urban, suburban, and rural schools spanning 1,300 square miles along the coast.

CCSD serves more than 47,000 students in 87 schools and specialized programs.

www.ccsdschools.com

HBCU Times 2021 Summer Issue | 29

DR. LAWRENCE DRAKE

TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADER

BY ERICKA BLOUNT DANOIS

L

awrence M. Drake II, CEO of the LEAD program (Leadership, Education and Development), had no intentions of going to college growing up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the 1940s and 1950s. He idolized his grandfather who labored in the steel mills and coal mines in Pittsburgh for over 40 years and expected to follow in his footsteps and earn a good living. His grandmother, one of 20 children, had other ideas for him and was insistent on college.

“My grandmother was on my case to go to college even though we didn’t have any money,” remembers Drake. “Even though my grandparents didn’t have a lot of money, they always held their heads high. My grandfather was the finest man I’ve ever met before or since.”

His grandparents had migrated to Pittsburgh during the Great Migration of Blacks leaving the South for better opportunities in the North. His grandparents’ parents had been enslaved. His grandparents had grown up poor and wanted a better life for him and Drake eventually submitted and enrolled at Fisk University in Tennessee. He majored in classical music and sang for the revered Fisk Jubilee Singers.

“Fisk gave me an opportunity to see the world differently. I met many of my friends, my frat brothers, my friends in the Jubilee singers there. Going to Fisk changed my entire thinking about everything.”

He would go on to spend 40 years in the business world as a corporate executive, including as president and CEO of the Coca Cola company on the African continent and an entrepreneur, living and working in over 60 countries around the world before retiring in 2007. He would go on to earn a master’s degree in psychology after retirement. In his travels as a businessman he came to the realization that the United States was woefully behind in education and learning systems despite having some of the most renowned universities in the world and spending more per student than the majority of developed nations around the world.

Drake was introduced to the LEAD program by a colleague and would eventually serve on the board and become the board chair.

The more he learned about LEAD, which was founded in 1980 by business school professors at Wharton and executives from McNeil Pharmaceutical in an effort to train under-represented high schools to prepare students for college and the business world, the more impressed he became. He knew that LEAD’s mission aligned with his personal mission: to help people to become the best version of themselves and to change the way the Black community thought about learning. By 2013 he had become LEAD’s CEO.

LEAD started on the campus of University of Pennsylvania.

Several companies came together and agreed to fund 30 students to come to a residency program at Wharton for the summer for six weeks at no cost. LEAD eventually branched out to a portfolio that included residency programs at schools like Duke University, Dartmouth College, UCLA and Stanford, among others. After about 15 years the program decided it needed to cover computer science and engineering. Howard University, Hampton University, Spelman College and Morehouse College participated, but there was always a financial challenge. Morehouse, Howard and Fisk are part of the portfolio participating this year.

“LEAD, like Upward Bound when I participated, was a place where Black kids could see other Black kids from various backgrounds around the country,” said Drake. “They saw themselves and no matter what their background was they could see that they were smart and capable.”

Since LEAD’s founding and under Drake’s leadership, the organization has expanded beyond the business model and high school students to include K-12 students in a summer learning institute, college fellows in the global learning institute and a program for alums and professional development for parents.

“We can’t just have one kid from the family excel,” says Drake.

“We have to educate the entire family. We came up with a phrase we call ‘family learning.’ We can take an entire family into a community and we can help the entire family.”

Drake thinks that the future of HBCU’s requires thinking of a different economic model.

“The pricing is too high,” he said. “They need a hybrid model and to think about technology-based infrastructure. We need to restructure in this world as we become the majority. We keep trying to be like a white school and we don’t need to be.”

Five industries, he says, will drive the 21st century economy: precision medicine, Internet, artificial intelligence, robotics and advanced manufacturing.

His commitment to the success of HBCUs is personal. His daughter went to FAMU, another daughter to Virginia State and his wife went to Norfolk State: “We are an HBCU family,” he says.

About his time at Fisk, he says: “It was a high class education. It was competitive and had everything you could want as a young person - great music, renowned professors, it had history, it was an activist campus - everything except the cafeteria food but even that we had a DJ in the cafe. It was just that kind of experience.”

HBCU Times 2021 Summer Issue | 31

DR. IVY RUTH TAYLOR

RUST COLLEGE FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT

BY ERICKA BLOUNT DANOIS

D

r. Ivy R. Taylor has become used to being the first.

In 2014, she became the first African American to serve as mayor of San Antonio. Six years later in 2020 she became the first woman president of Rust College, a United Methodist affiliated HBCU in Holly Springs, Mississippi.

“I’m definitely living out my dreams here,” said Taylor about her appointment at Rust College. “This work is so important and I think the current environment coming out of the last presidential administration we’ve seen the disparate impact of the pandemic on Black families. It all just underscores the relevance of HBCUs and the role we play in leveling the playing field and helping to equip people with the tools to thrive.”

Taylor is used to thinking quick on her feet and making what some people would perceive as difficult transitions run smoothly.

Growing up in Queens, New York, she would go back and forth to visit family in North Carolina. From Martin Van Buren High school, a public high school in Queens, she made a smooth transition to Yale University for undergrad. Yale, an aspiration for most, was actually an afterthought for her. It was only at her mother’s urging that she applied.

“Later my mother revealed to me that she graduated from segregated schools without a hope or a prayer of going to college because no one in her family went and no one discussed sending her to college,” said Taylor. “The valedictorian at her school in 1963 attended Yale and since then she had a secret dream to send her child to Yale.”

But starting at Rust College in the midst of a pandemic has been challenging. She had to make key decisions right away – including whether they would open campus and establishing pandemic protocols. The students faced many obstacles and Taylor had to find quick solutions.

Taylor did well at Yale, but found she floundered after graduating.

Yale lacked the support system she was accustomed to at a majority Black high school.

“We were able to provide computers to all of the students. We were just trying to have them in a normalized environment as much as possible to keep them safe until things cleared up a bit,” remembers Taylor.

“No one at Yale talked about what I was going to do after school.

They didn’t try to connect me or groom me. I ended up in a bunch of dead end jobs in New York. After a couple of years I realized I needed to go back to school. I discovered urban planning and went to UNC Chapel Hill and got a degree in city planning.”

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From there she ended up in San Antonio, Texas, where she worked to improve family stability for apartment community residents and got her first taste of academia as a lecturer at the University of Texas at San Antonio in the Public Administration Department.

After Hurricane Katrina in 2005 where she watched thousands of people that looked like her suffering and dying, she was inspired to do something that would have a bigger impact.

“I didn’t know what that was. Then folks asked me to run for city council,” she remembers. She ran and won a seat.

Her husband picked up any slack when it came to raising their 5-year-old daughter as she attended city hall meetings and community meetings on the weekends and as she worked on helping underserved communities. She led a revitalization effort that led to one of the most distressed areas of San Antonio to be awarded $50 million in grants.

After five years serving on council she started looking for the next challenge. She had expressed that she was interested in being mayor, but didn’t see where a city like San Antonio that was committed to Latino leadership would elect a Black woman.

As luck would have it she wouldn’t have to run in a traditional election. Former President Barack Obama tapped Julian Castro to be the HUD secretary, so there was a vacancy in the San Antonio mayor’s office. In the event of a vacancy the mayor is elected by council members. Her colleagues elected her. Then in 2015 she ran in the citywide election and surprised everyone by gaining the Black and Latino vote for the mayoral election.

She joined the Board of Trustees of a historically Black college in Austin, Texas, which began to spark her leadership skills at an HBCU. After serving as mayor, she wanted to do something that would specifically benefit Black people. “That’s really where my passion was,” she remembers.

She enrolled in an executive doctoral program at University of Pennsylvania and spent two years flying into Philadelphia once a month for three days a week. She wrote her dissertation on board governance at HBCUs. In 2020, she completed the program, obtaining a Doctor of Education degree.

In May 2020, the Board of Trustees at Rust College selected Taylor to serve as the 12th president of Rust College, the first woman president of the institution which was founded in 1866 to educate freed slaves.

She says it’s the perfect time to be at an HBCU. “The climate we are in is leading more people to understand the relevance and value of HBCUs,” said Taylor. “I hope people will be strategic about an infusion of resources and funding that we obtain and try to plan for the future. “ Taylor has written a grant for the United Negro College Fund to hire additional staff to help faculty in designing the curriculum specifically for online platforms or distance learning.

“Being able to be flexible and meet the demands of the future is incumbent upon any institution if they want to survive,” said Taylor. “What I want to see happen is for HBCUs to survive.

That’s what I want to commit the rest of my career, time and talent to – preserving these institutions.”

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FEAT U R E D S T O RY

JEMELE HILL FIERCE HBCU ADVOCATE AND ALLY

BY ASHLEY ELLIOTT

M

ost high school students aren’t exactly sure what they will major in once they get to college, let alone what career they will pursue for the rest of their lives, but for Emmy-award winning sports journalist, Jemele Hill, the decision came quickly and easily. “I was lucky because I knew very early on that I wanted to be a journalist, specifically a sports journalist,” she recalled. “I knew this probably around the 10th grade, but even before I narrowed in on journalism, I always loved to write so I wrote short stories, poems, and did a lot of creative writing before I took a high school journalism class. That’s when I decided that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”

The amazement of this early discovery is that it gave Jemele a head-start on what would become an unprecedented career in the world of sport’s journalism. But even before that, Jemele recalled a unique opportunity that would have taken her career in a totally different direction. “I once tried out for The Real World Chicago,” she laughed. “A good friend of mine was doing a story about how The Real World was coming to Detroit to audition and recruit people because they were looking for their next cast. Because I was a big fan of the show, I tagged along and filled out all of the paperwork to be on the show. I made it through the first couple of rounds and ultimately the final round, but I didn’t make it out of the Michigan bracket. It was a really fun experience.”

While this opportunity would have definitely put Jemele in the world of entertainment, God had a different plan that included her sticking to sports! Jemele’s distinguished sports journalism career began when she became a writer for her high school newspaper followed by a stint at the Detroit Free Press answering telephones in the sports department. As she entered into her senior year, Jemele was selected for a six-week summer apprenticeship at the Detroit Free Press. There, she worked 20 hours a week and was assigned mentors who taught her the ins and outs of the journalism business. She would be further encouraged by her supervisor to attend a National Association of Black Journalists convention during the same summer. These experiences gave her

the inspiration to further pursue journalism as she prepared to head off to college. “When I arrived at Michigan State University, I already had professional clips and within a month of being on campus, I applied for a sports writing position with the college newspaper,” noted the Detroit, Michigan native. “My career was building continuously for me and by the time I graduated from Michigan State I was in a really good position to be a full-time professional journalist after having completed five internships and being in journalism for five or six years.”

This drive and momentum put Jemele on an unrelenting path to success, solidifying her as one of the most recognizable and impactful Black female sports journalists of all time. After graduating with her journalism degree from Michigan State University, Jemele spent close to a decade working in print journalism with newspapers such as The Raleigh News and Observer, the Detroit Free Press and The Orlando Sentinel. It was in 2006 when she landed her first television journalistic role at ESPN and began hosting and co-hosting other television shows to include Sports Center, ESPN’s First Take, Numbers Never Lie, Outside the Lines, Sports Reporters, and her podcasts Jemele Hill is Unbothered, Way Down in the Hole, and His and Hers, a podcast that she co-hosted with journalist Michael Smith. Most recently in August 2020, Jemele began co-hosting the television show Cari and Jemele (Won’t) Stick to Sports alongside her close friend and broadcast journalist Cari Champion on Vice TV. Additional to her work in radio and television, Jemele is a writer for Atlantic magazine, the co-founder of Lodge Freeway Media, a production company that focuses on telling stories of women of color through films, docuseries, television, and print, and the 2018 National Association of Black Journalist of the Year. “The HBCU Times 2021 Summer Issue | 35

number one thing that I’m most proud of is that this business never really changed who I am. I am the same person when I started,” she explains. “While I have certainly grown and matured and learned a lot of different things, the essence and core of who I am has not changed based on whatever success that I’ve achieved and that has always been really important to me.”

While her voice remains bold and highly influential in the arena of sports entertainment, Jemele has expressed her passion for another important topic. In October 2019, she wrote an article detailing why Black athletes should pursue their college education at HBCUs rather than predominately white institutions (PWIs), where most of them ultimately decide to play college sports.

“Even though I attended a PWI, I am well aware of the legacy and history of HBCUs and what they have meant for our community. There are over 40% of Black professionals in the workforce that have attended a historically Black college, and when I think about all of the money that has been poured into predominately white institutions; about how college football would never have become a billion dollar industry if not for the contributions and the labor of Black athletes, I just wondered what the world would look like if our prospective Black athletes chose to go to HBCU’s instead. A lot of people don’t know that the best athletes went to historically Black institutions and when integration happened, out of pure survival a lot of predominately white institutions began to recruit Black athletes. They didn’t do so because they suddenly had a change of heart about integration, they did so because that was the only way they were going to survive, so for our culture, having more choices and more opportunity was a good thing, but it did come at a price in that some of our historically Black institutions didn’t have the same access to money and programs as PWIs.” She further explained the gravity of this profound message. “I thought it was important to remind people not only the history of HBCUs and what they have meant to sports, but also to hopefully plant a seed in a lot of young men’s minds that when they’re making very momentous decisions to go to these universities, to think about community. I understand their side of it – you’re a great athlete, you want to go to the best schools, with the best facilities that have national television exposure, however if you are a good athlete, the exposure and all of those things will come

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to you. I think a lot of our young Black athletes feel that the school makes them and not the other way around. By attending a HBCU they have a very unique opportunity to rebuild or strengthen the infrastructure of our communities because of the cornerstone that HBCU’s have always had in our lives.”

Jemele’s article was met with mixed reviews but she stood firm on her position, outlining the value HBCUs bring to not only the Black community but society as a whole. “I wasn’t deterred by some people who criticized the piece and tried to use it as some form of reverse racism. I think what they failed to think about is why historically Black colleges are necessary in the first place, beyond just the legacy these institutions have built. The reality is that they are offering a different type of education that I think Black students would not receive elsewhere.

There is a deeper understanding that we need to be even more connected to each other than before because it’s a lot at stake right now. We need to have that sense of family amongst each other,” she stressed. “As much as I enjoyed my experience at a predominately white institution and made some tremendous friends and was able to enjoy a great deal of success; I grew up in Detroit and a PWI was the first place where I ever got called a nigger so there is definitely a certain climate that exists at PWIs for Black students, a very hostile climate that they would obviously avoid by going to a historically Black institution.”

Merging her love for sports and recent advocation for HBCUs, Jemele noted how she would love to see more prominent Black athletes serve as coaches and role models for students at HBCUs like Deon Sanders in his recent coaching position at Jackson State University. “Deon is one of the greatest NFL players of all time so for him to take on the responsibility of teaching and training young people in college football is great.

He definitely understands marketing and how to grab people’s attention. I think that’s going to bode very well because at the very least if you are able to hook people’s attention and the team starts to experience success, this has the potential to be really extraordinary and could also create a wave of momentum for other prominent Black athletes deciding they want to coach at HBCUs. This will help strengthen some of the HBCU programs and provide some valuable experiences.”

JEMEL

“ A LOT OF PEOPLE DON’T KNOW THAT THE BEST ATHLETES WENT TO HISTORICALLY BLACK INSTITUTIONS AND WHEN INTEGRATION HAPPENED, OUT OF PURE SURVIVAL A LOT OF PREDOMINATELY WHITE INSTITUTIONS BEGAN TO RECRUIT BLACK ATHLETES.”

she serves as a role model for other young women hoping to get into the sports journalism business. This is the most rewarding aspect of her career and remains core to who she is and what continues to motivate her every day. “I am most proud of being able to encourage, support and mentor other Black women in this business because it is not an easy profession regardless of gender or race and it’s even more difficult for young Black girls and women, especially in sports because it’s such a male dominated space that if you look around television, radio, newspaper or media outlets in general, you would think that we don’t exist so I am happy to at least show that not only do we exist but we’re necessary. That has always been really important to me.”

For someone who has spent years getting an up close and personal look at signature plays and star athletes, Jemele knows a lot about up and coming players promising to dominate the sports scene, in addition to those who have already paved the way. When the question of who is the greatest [athlete] of all time (G.O.A.T.) comes into play, however, two immediately come to mind with one taking the lead position. “To be the greatest athlete ever, it lends itself to more individual sports, and basketball being a bit of an exception because basketball, while a team game, is very individualized within the team, so I would say Serena Williams and Michael Jordan,” explained Jemele. “But when you think about what Serena has accomplished and how long she’s done it, it’s extraordinary. It used to be that tennis players were considered old by the time they were 26 or 27. Serena is almost 40 years old and she’s one away from the most grand slam titles ever. You look at how many titles she’s won over her career and the fact that one of those titles came while she was pregnant and even post pregnancy she managed to get to the final of several major slams; the consistent dominance that she has had and carrying the entire sport between her and her sister Venus.

Serena has been American tennis for decades. It’s just that when you stack it up, there’s hardly any athletes that can be in the same conversation as her.”

Similar to Serena’s tenacity, Jemele shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. She’s already spent decades commentating hundreds of sports shows and interviewing intriguing guests.

She continues this momentum weekly on her Monday featured Spotify podcast, Jemele Hill Unbothered and her Wednesday night premiered television show, Cari and Jemele (Won’t) Stick to Sports. What also keeps her focused she says, is knowing that

LE HILL

ASHLEY ELLIOTT is a Marketing and Public Relations professional who has spent more than 12 years developing Integrated Marketing Communications campaigns for three institutions of higher learning across the state of South Carolina. She currently serves as the Assistant Director of Marketing and Information Technology for the University of South Carolina Career Center, as well as a University 101 instructor.

Ashley is a member of Andrew Chapel Baptist Church in Orangeburg, S.C., where she has helped organize the Community Church Growth Conference for more than 10 years.

She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Northeastern Corridor of Orangeburg Community Development Commission and is a member of the American Marketing Association, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and South Carolina Women in Higher Education.

A native of Orangeburg, S.C., Ashley earned her Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications from Claflin University and a Master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from Eastern Michigan University. She is a graduate of Leadership Orangeburg and is a Licensed Realtor with Keller Williams Realty Columbia.

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TM C F F E AT U R E

T

he Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), which represents America’s publicly-supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs), will expand its expertise in diversity talent to form the National Black Talent Bank™. The National Black Talent Bank™ will bolster the pipeline of diverse talent in the corporate sector and advance pathways toward economic mobility for talented African American students.

The National Black Talent Bank™ will house a database of uniquely talented Black high school seniors while creating an alternative path to college and career. Students will participate in programs that position them for gainful employment opportunities within corporate America while providing access to tailored higher education pathways.

Black students have nearly $25,000 more student loan debt than their white counterparts according to the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans. The National Black Talent Bank™ will address these issues by providing a dual path intended to reduce student loan debt and address the wealth gap by giving Black talent access to lucrative jobs while providing an affordable path to college degree completion.

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“The National Black Talent Bank™ is an intentional effort to close the racial wealth gap and tap into the top emerging talent to advance racial equity and representation in Corporate America”, said Dr. Harry L. Williams, President & CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. “This initiative is even more critical in our current climate as we strive to create a more just and equitable society.”

TMCF has already identified a number of career paths that are interested in hiring early talent including tech, sales, and marketing.

“The National Black Talent Bank™ will help us develop and recruit diverse students who will become tomorrow’s corporate leaders and experts,” said George Spencer, Chief Development Officer of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. “As an organization, TMCF understands how important it is to cultivate the future workforce of our nation. Creating the National Black Talent Bank™ is another step toward creating an inclusive workplace environment.”

For sponsorship or partnership inquiries, including talent sourcing packages and investment opportunities, please contact George Spencer at george.spencer@tmcf.org.

About the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Established in 1987, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community. TMCF member-schools include the publicly-supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Predominantly Black Institutions, enrolling nearly 80% of all students attending black colleges and universities. Through scholarships, capacity building and research initiatives, innovative programs, and strategic partnerships, TMCF is a vital resource in the K-12 and higher education space. The organization is also the source of top employers seeking top talent for competitive internships and good jobs.

TMCF is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, charitable organization. For more information about TMCF, visit: www.tmcf.org.

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HBCUs: SECOND TO NONE DR. PATRICE JONES

A

few years ago, I made it known that I wanted to join the faculty or staff of a historically Black college or university (HBCU). For most of my post-secondary career, I have worked for predominately white institutions (PWI) in various capacities, and for nearly 10 years, I worked as an online educational and virtual ecologies consultant, but I never provided services to an HBCU. I actually earned my first three degrees from PWIs, and when I decided to get a PhD, I wanted to attend an HBCU. Many said, “You did that backwards” because the dominant idea is that HBCUs are springboards to something “better”—say, like a PWI. Hence, for some people, going first to a PWI and then an HBCU is “working backwards.”

Thirteen years ago, I was employed at Edward Waters College (EWC) for a few years, and like the institution’s climate, at the time, those years for me were personally turbulent. As I matured, however, I began to reflect on those years at EWC, and though challenging, they were rewarding. There, I realized that being an educator was a service, and as a Black American educator, I found the greatest sense of purpose in serving those whose experiences and strengths were regularly misunderstood. No, I never felt compelled to help the “poor little Black children,” which is a popular disposition some seem to take. Instead, I marveled at the tenacity, determination, courage, and dexterities of many Black American students who had not been afforded the opportunities my parents’ choices provided to me and my siblings. Those students possessed a hopefulness despite the common narrative on “achievement gaps” and the regularly

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encountered deficit perspective. What was obvious to me, often escaped far too many others—that Black American students are strong, their resilience is unmatched, and many are preverbal diamonds in the rough.

As a second-generation educator, I initially ran from my “calling” as a teacher. After graduating with my bachelor’s degree, I immediately began working as a radio-air personality. Within months from airing popular hip-hop hits on the radio, I found myself traveling from class to class teaching students who were only four or five years younger than me. I taught high school English by day and worked at the radio station on weekends. I was there for one year before vowing never to return.

Years later, I did return, but this time, I was older. Instead of taking ‘just any’ teaching position, like the previous one that I held in a wealthy, predominately white area, I vowed to only teach at an inner-city school. For some teachers, the inner city is a scary place, and when you mix in the pubescent emotions and behaviors of middle school students, the combination is regularly perceived as hell. But for me, teaching middle schoolers in the inner city was fun and provided me with peace and gratification.

They learned from me, and I from them; we were a pseudofamily.

That was 15 years ago. I left that middle school primarily because I found my ability to make a difference through instruction stifled by bureaucracy and the out of touch people who thought all

children learn the same. So, I moved to higher education.

August 1 of this year, I started a position as the executive director of Online Education and Programs at Alabama State University (ASU). Now that I have again joined an HBCU, the criticism has persisted. Not all of my naysayers are white; some are indeed Black and have not recognized the significance of contributing our best to our own. “Aren’t you taking a step back?” I am rhetorically asked. Moving from a private, well-funded PWI, others indicate that I am “too smart” and “too together” to work at an HBCU. I feel perplexed by their statements, but I understand what they meant.

are flawed, so faculty and staff at PWIs are subject to quandary just like those at HBCUs. There are dynamic educators in both settings, and those who have no interest in education outside of the extrinsic benefits they receive also exist at all institution types.

As an educator, I take pride in fostering the development of all students, no matter their ethnic group membership, and if I was never hired by ASU, I would have continued to provide service that I would want someone to give my own children. I always will, no matter where my career takes me because I love teaching and learning.

But I am unapologetically dedicated to serving Black students and those who do not come from social or economic privilege. My intention, is to listen, learn, and promote elevation among students. This is not about me or where my career takes me. Whether I am an executive director, classroom teacher, or an educational consultant, I am compelled by a self-sacrificial obligation to bridge an ancestry of subjugation with a cultural trajectory for elevation. I aim to help.

FOR ME, THE STRENGTH THAT SO MANY BLACK STUDENTS CARRY--AS A MEANS OF ADVANCING NOT ONLY THEMSELVES BUT THEIR RESPECTIVE FAMILIES AND SOCIAL GROUPS--IS SOMETHING SO ALLURING THAT WORKING ANYWHERE ELSE AT THIS PERIOD IN MY LIFE SEEMS LESS THAN “RIGHT.”

There is a perception that exists in the academy, and it is that HBCUs are places for people plagued by lethargy to go and hide. Even worse, some academics think HBCUs are places for educators who cannot go anywhere else. Well, I and most other educators, can “go somewhere else.” Is it so perplexing for me to choose an HBCU? This is a choice, and no matter the “issues” that are faced at HBCUs, those challenges are merely representative of the obstacles that Black Americans have endured for centuries—the very struggles that have made us even stronger than some realize. Plus, any shortcomings and ‘failures’ at HBCUs are not distinct to Black Americans. Humans

There is a burden in my message, a message that I feel needs resounding. Mainly, it is this--there is an unrelenting capacity of Black students, and its potential is infectious. Black students are often the most burdened by doubts, negative social stigma, and economic deficiency, but

HBCU Times 2021 Summer Issue | 41

they are often the most determined to change the course of their lives. No matter what the test scores indicate, Black American students possess not only brilliance but the ability to survive and thrive by riding through the struggle.

For me, the strength that so many Black students carry--as a means of advancing not only themselves but their respective families and social groups--is something so alluring that working anywhere else at this period in my life seems less than “right.”

Strong Black students are on all college and university campuses, but their presence is concentrated at HBCUs. So, it is for them that I will give my all, and no, I am not taking “a step back.” I am using the skills I have developed to help connect the hopes of the past with the prospect for a stronger future. I am attaching myself to a group of students whose strength lies, among other places, most certainly in their abilities to push pass the pain, pass the past, and pass the obstacles to find footing on a higher plain--students who are resolute and who do more with less. I am bringing ‘my best’ to those whose potential is often shadowed by others’ perceptions of them based primarily on skin tone and zip code.

By nature, I am a hard worker and maybe even a bit Type A. For some, it may seem that I will step outside of the lane my job description suggests, but with regard to the advancement of

learning and student development, we are all within the scope, not only of our jobs but, our responsibilities. As an HBCU alum, renewed HBCU employee, and a member of the Black community, I encourage all educators to stop looking at HBCU service as a sentence of subservience or a step toward ‘something better.’ And I challenge those select few on HBCU campuses to erase their deficit perspectives and for those who have ‘settled in’ to hoist their assiduousness.

You know, there are some who reserve their strength for themselves, their own agendas, and who wear that strength like a costume, often to mask their own weaknesses and flaws. Others, however, use their strengths, to whatever small degree they have it, to help those in need and protect those they love. I liken myself in the latter category, and for those of us who use our strengths to help, HBCU service is a duty.

Black American students are strong, but their connections with a positive future is regularly thwarted by bigotry, ignorance, and stereotypes. And on HBCU campuses, the need, like the strength, is concentrated. Therefore, I see myself belonging at an HBCU, and for me, it is an honor that I have consciously chosen, not something that I settled for.

The most important role that Patrice W. Glenn Jones holds is “child of God”.

This loving mother of four, celebrates the close-knit relationship she has with family, especially her “favorite girl”—her mother—and her two big sisters. She is “Auntie Trici” to her beloved nieces and nephews.

Patrice began her career as a middle school English teacher and radio air personality in Jacksonville, Florida. After earning a master’s degree in English from the University of North Florida, her career expanded to higher education and included positions as a faculty member, TRIO program coordinator, developmental English chair, program director, and assistant dean. Patrice also holds an educational specialist degree in information science and learning technology from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a PhD in educational leadership from FAMU.

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Patrice presently serves as the Executive Director of Online Education and Programs at Alabama State University and an adjunct teaching professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide. She has served for 20 years in secondary and postsecondary institutions, private and public.

With 15 years of online learning experience, she also works as an educational consultant on project-based, regional teams to expand online learning initiatives. She also works as an educational assessment contributor for Pearson Education and an author. She is honored to call herself a mentee to senior educators at ASU, Florida A&M University (FAMU), and Southern University.

Her reputation as a passionate, hard-working educator has been substantiated by the body of work she continues to develop. Patrice is a noted speaker whose charisma and relatability has led her to make multiple appearances and presentations. This fun-loving educator has recent publications in Proctor Institute Research Brief series, The Journal of Negro Education, Negro Educational Review, Thought and Action, edited books, and several book chapters. Patrice’s favorite past times are baking, dancing, and laughing with her family.

20/20 STATE OF MIND:

OVERCOMING BLINDNESS

BY KIMBERLEI DAVIS

T

here are a ton of misconceptions about blind and visually impaired people.

“I have light perception in my left eye and can tell the difference between day and night, but that’s about it.”

Those misconceptions include that blind people need to be spoken to very loudly, all blind people read Braille and to paraphrase one of Sabrina Simmons’ favorite myths, blind people don’t like to turn up!

“On those blessed days when I feel like God is shining down on me I may get a silhouette and make out if someone is wearing a striped shirt, but those days are few and far between.”

Only months after losing vision in both of her eyes in 2012, the North Carolina A&T Aggie said she returned to the yard and quipped to her fellow alums with pride, “Who said I wasn’t coming to homecoming?!”

Homecoming is the ultimate family reunion in the HBCU community and the Summerton, South Carolina native wasn’t about to let anything stop her from celebrating.

With her magnetic personality and flare for fun, Sabrina joined with family and friends one Saturday in Charlotte at Dave and Buster’s to celebrate her son’s then double-digit birthday.

Tyler, now 19, is resilient and as much as he wants to be his mom’s protector, Sabrina said she has to show him that she can and is capable of doing certain things, “I’ll allow his help to a certain degree.”

“ON THOSE BLESSED DAYS WHEN I FEEL LIKE GOD IS SHINING DOWN ON ME I MAY GET A SILHOUETTE AND MAKE OUT IF SOMEONE IS WEARING A STRIPED SHIRT...”

The following Tuesday, Stephen Tyler Warren turned 10 and while running to catch the school bus asked his mom to bring his class cupcakes from Sam’s Club.

Unbeknownst to him, his mom woke up blind in her right eye due to what was diagnosed as retinal detachment by an optometrist.

The next day an ophthalmologist told her that if she were to get her vision back, it was a twenty percent chance and it would never be the same set of eyes, but her left eye was healthy.

Following surgery on January 30, 2012 to repair the retina and a shot in her left eye to protect it, “On February 6th, I was blind in my left eye.”

Make no mistake, Sabrina is still on the move in Detroit.

She works in the field three days a week traveling to clients’ homes to train them on how to use assistive technology, a Braille embosser, and CCTV through Eye Learn, LLC. “I’ve learned enough about technology to help people who have more sight than me.”

Gifted in technology, Tyler helps her with her organization.

“Motherhood offers immediate gratification, because you see the progress in your child.”

Seeing development in her son over the years, Sabrina said, “It was challenging, but it was also very rewarding to be able to continue to mother him in blindness.”

Sabrina had to self-advocate when it came to parent-teacher conferences and navigating the assumptions about her.

“It was easy for them to leave me out of discussions because of blindness,” she said. “It actually pushed me to learn more about the technology that is available in order to assist other blind parents and individuals.”

In a matter of three weeks, Sabrina completely lost her sight.

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“AGGIE PRIDE TAUGHT ME HOW TO BE A LEADER, LIFELONG LEARNER - IT’S AN EXPERIENCE.”

Sabrina, a graduate of the Training Center for the Blind in Kalamazoo, MI, has several asks for the world as it relates to understanding and offering accommodations for those in the blind and visually impaired community.

“We know what we need,” she said. “If we ask for something to be sent electronically, we have devices that can read it aloud to us. Some blind individuals are Braille illiterate and that has to be taken into consideration.”

Sabrina said she is grade 1 Braille and can read the signs on the elevator, public restrooms, buildings and doors, but “When it comes to reading a book, I am not so proficient in that and it takes me a really long time.”

What hasn’t taken time is how Sabrina has risen through the ranks of the National Federation of the Blind and currently serves as president of her local chapter.

Detroit has been home for Sabrina since she was six months old and she credits her late stepfather, Loris (Juanita) Taylor for who she is as a person.

“I was the baby girl in a blended family and I was spoiled beyond belief. He was my champion, dependable, reliable, my daddy.”

When Sabrina left her self-described sheltered life in Michigan to attend college twelve hours away in North Carolina, she grew up.

She was Spelman bound before the Aggie Pride bit her during a college tour while in middle school.

“I had paraphernalia before I was an Aggie, I manifested it because I knew that is where I wanted to be.”

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“Aggie Pride taught me how to be a leader, lifelong learner - it’s an experience,” she said. “A&T is where I found my sister friends, it was purposeful.”

Since graduating in 1996, a friend became paralyzed and another friend had a brain aneurysm, but Sabrina said they all still have Aggie Pride!

Being an Aggie teaches you tenacity and how to pull through, she noted.

Sabrina only missed homecoming three times since 1990 and one was due to the pandemic, “but that doesn’t count.”

“I’m blind in one eye and can’t see out the other, but my son likes to eat so I can cook and will call an Uber or Lyft if I have to. I’ll also be back on the yard with my white cane celebrating soon.”

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HBCU Times 2021 Summer Issue | 45

reading and math lessons from school daily. She was only nine years old when her mother died, and credits her early teaching by her mother with helping her to overcome academic challenges and earn a scholarship to Southern University in New Orleans. “Southern is really my foundation. It’s where I pledged Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. It’s where I made Who’s Who. It was really my world. I was still dealing with the emotional toll of my mother being deceased and they nurtured me. The camaraderie, the love and the family relationship at Southern University of New Orleans really impacted my life in many areas,” said Dr. Broom-Cooley. She excelled at Southern, where she was a Spanish education major, became a Fulbright scholar and studied at the University of Costa Rica.

After graduating from Southern in 1978, Dr. BroomCooley began graduate school at Louisiana State University New Orleans (currently University of New Orleans) in 1980 where she earned a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction with a concentration as a reading specialist in 1981. Following graduate school, she taught Spanish for a year before being recruited into the English as a Second Language and the Bilingual Programs, as a bilingual specialist.

DR. BROOM-COOLEY’S LITERACY LEGACY

BY YOLANDA McCUTCHEN

W

hile growing up in New Orleans, Louisiana, Dr. Deborah J. Broom-Cooley always knew that she would become an educator, “I was born into a family where I was surrounded by educators. I grew up with it in my blood. I had great role models and two of my aunts taught me in elementary school. It has always been there.” Dr. Broom-Cooley says her mother was her first teacher and she still remembers her coming home from her secretarial job and augmenting her

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After eight years as an educator in Louisiana, Dr. Broom-Cooley relocated to Georgia. She entered the Atlanta Public School system holding a master’s degree and five additional certifications including one in educational leadership and began working in the International Studies Program. Once she married and had children, Dr. Broom-Cooley left the school system for 10 years. However, being a consummate scholar, she earned a doctorate in education leadership from the University of Sarasota (now Argosy University) while raising her family. In 2004 she re-started her career working for Georgia’s Dekalb County Schools.

With all the credentials that she has earned, Dr. Broom-Cooley credits her HBCU education as being pivotal to her success. “All of those institutions really gave me what I needed to get to the next level as far as teaching children and impacting the lives of educators, but Southern was the was the foundation for me.”

In 2018 her membership in Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. was the catalyst for the creation of the Literacy Collaborative Project. Members of the sorority were invited to participate in a Reading Across America Day event where they read to elementary school students and facilitated discussions on the books. Following the interactive session with the students, Dr. Broom-Cooley was introduced to the Eliminating Book Deserts Service Project by Dr. Tiffany Flowers, Assistant Professor of Education at Georgia State University Perimeter College. The program’s goal is to increase and enrich the number of books in elementary through high school media centers. Following the

presentation Dr. Broom-Cooley agreed to accept the books on behalf of Salem Middle School which serves over 1,150 students.

In August 2019, Dr. Broom-Cooley became the literacy coach at Salem Middle School and developed a school-wide literacy program which focused primarily on building and supporting students’ reading and math skills for students in grades six through eighth. This period of instruction Dr. Broom-Cooley named Extended Learning Time Refresh (ELT Refresh). The school’s literacy leadership team performed an analysis to determine the needs of the students and found that the greatest needs among the students were support in vocabulary acquisition, reading comprehension, and basic math facts review and applications. Data indicated that the elementary schools feeding students into Salem were performing two or more grades below in reading and math, students were not visiting the media center regularly, reading for pleasure or engaging in book talks. Though the data was daunting, Dr. Broom-Cooley was confident that with targeted instruction she knew first-hand the students could improve, because she had experienced similar challenges with reading and math as a child. Through her mother’s instruction and support she overcame her academic challenges, “I had those issues, but she never called attention to it, she never said anything negative. I always knew that I was intelligent, young, gifted and Black. She pushed, supported and worked with me. She is the reason I became a reading specialist,” said Dr. Broom-Cooley.

She shares her own journey of overcoming her academic issues with her students to inspire them. She calls herself the face of “Exceptional Ed” rather than using the term Special Ed. Following this assessment, Dr. Broom-Cooley and her team applied her mother’s approach and set the following goals for “Saving the Middle Ground: Supporting Middle School Students Through Literacy and Love” : (1) increase classroom visitation to the media center monthly for book selections, (2) establish mini classroom and home libraries for students, (3) develop a monthly instructional calendar of reading and math activities; along with Positive Behavior Intervention Strategies, No Place for Hate/ Bullying Intervention Information, and (4) establish monthly student showcase series called “Salem Lions are Readers.” The team was comprised of media center staff, a counselor, teachers and the mentorship program coordinator.

The adoption of and collaboration with the Elimination of Book Deserts Service Project, and the school-wide literacy program (ELT Refresh), garnered from August 2019 to March 2020 book circulation at the media center of 12,110, 857 books added, class bookings of 585 and 3,000 estimated individual visitors. In response to the restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the literacy team pivoted to the use of electronic books to keep the program’s momentum going in addition to students and teachers engaged in virtual and face-to- face learning.

Dr. Broom-Cooley is elated with the program’s results, “Hearing the children so excited to have books of their own is the art of the vision for the literacy program I most wanted to see it come to fruition.

These are students who we were previously told did not like to read!” “Saving the Middle Ground: Supporting Middle School Students Through Literacy and Love” is the legacy project Dr. Broom-Cooley says that she wanted to leave at Salem Middle School upon her retirement. She said that she is confident that her successor whom she pointed out is a Spelman alumna will continue educating the public regarding the need for literacy programs which enrich the lives of all students, ultimately developing life-long readers and learners.

After more than 43 years in the field of education Dr. BroomCooley remains inspired to help students and teachers, “It’s what I know. It’s what I breathe. It’s what I live and I love of developing and building and supporting teachers regardless of whatever area they’re in.” On May 28, 2021 she retired from Dekalb County Schools where she spent the last 16 years of her career.

However, before her retirement she had already begun working on another literacy project, “I’m building up a literacy program to undergird the content areas in the workforce development program at Delgado Community College (Louisiana) to support adult learners. Many of the students in the program are lacking basic math and literacy skills. I’m developing tactics to train the instructors to prepare these students.” This next project is an extension of Dr. Broom-Cooley’s motto: Literacy is everyone’s business, not just the children!

At age 67, Dr. Broom-Cooley intends to continue supporting literacy in her retirement, becoming more involved in the work of her sorority and serving Southern University of which she is a lifetime member of its alumni association, “Southern University is near and dear to my heart.”

HBCU Times 2021 Summer Issue | 47

TAMIKA FELDER: SURVIVOR TO GLOBAL CANCER ACTIVIST

BY YOLANDA MCCUTCHEN

T

amika Felder has charted a course that she never imagined but one that she feels she was destined for.

After graduation in 1997, she moved to Washington, D.C. to begin her career in media. Felder’s aspiration was to become “the next Oprah” until she was advised to work on being the best Tamika Felder instead of becoming another Oprah. That advice would later become a hallmark in her career to blaze her own trail. Felder hit the ground running in the nation’s capital working for independent production companies, local county television networks, America’s Voice and BET.

benefits provided by her employer. She was also in her twenties, feeling great with no worries about her health. It had been years since she had gone to see a doctor, “I didn’t really care about it because I wasn’t sick. I didn’t feel the need to go to the doctor.

I had a boil that was under my arm, basically a hair bump gone bad and that made me go to an emergency room.” During the intake process when she was asked her medical history, Felder admitted that she had not had a physical or pap test in years. At the ER she was strongly urged to make an appointment to see a primary care doctor for annual health screenings. Felder started a new job with full health benefits a few weeks later and reluctantly went to see the doctor she was referred to in the ER. At that time, she still felt like this appointment was just a routine errand to complete and move on, “I was at the doctor just looking at the clock and thinking I gotta get to work. I just started this job. My family was up from South Carolina. I was like, I gotta go. And the doctor said, “Let’s talk about your pap.” And, it literally was like an out of body experience. It wasn’t real. I was in my own movie.” Felder’s doctor told her that she had cervical cancer and would need to undergo a radical hysterectomy immediately to save her life. She was 25 years old at the time. In addition, to the hysterectomy, Felder’s course of treatment included radiation, chemotherapy and more surgeries.

Her career in television was stellar having covered presidential campaigns, the impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton, interviewing luminaries including then Senator Joe Biden and Patti Labelle along with winning awards for her work. Felder was a freelance journalist which meant she did not have health

After recovering Felder had no intention of becoming an advocate, she wanted to resume her career and put cancer behind her. However, it wasn’t quite that easy, “I just couldn’t stop thinking about it. Then I got pissed off! I’m like, where’s my ribbon for cervical cancer? What is the color for cervical

The Summerville, South Carolina native studied English and mass communications at Claflin University where she became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Felder said that her HBCU experience at Claflin prepared her to take on the world, “The college experience is about morphing into who you are as a person. The president at the time, Dr. Tisdale was really instilling that confidence that the world needs visionaries. So, I always felt I’m going to do something. I’m going to be something. And I think everybody has that. What everybody doesn’t have is people pouring into you and helping to bring those qualities out. Claflin really poured into what was inside of me.”

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cancer? I want somebody to walk for me! Wear a T-shirt for me!

Let’s release some balloons for cervical cancer. I can’t be the only one,” said Felder. These thoughts and feelings are the orgin of the global cervivical cancer organization that she now helms called Cervivor (a termed coined by Felder that combines the words cervical & survivor). Felder began sharing her story, hosting awareness events, organizing cervical cancer walks and made her own T-shirt. The more she shared her story, the more she bonded with other survivors. At the time, gynecological cancers were not being discussed at the same levels as other forms of cancer. People were reluctant to tell their stories, but Felder sought to lift the veil of silence in a very candid way.

With her engaging personality and years of experience as a news producer and host, she built a reputation as a speaker in the cervical cancer community. As she was fulfilling her calling as a patient advocate, she was also still working full time in the TV industry. She traveled on weekends and sometimes took days off to fulfil speaking engagements and was building partnerships for the organization. She kept up this pace for a decade, “I was fearful to leave my job. I was a TV person; I was good at it. I had the awards to prove it. I was also fearful to be without the security of health insurance. Having cancer is knowing that it can reoccur.” Even with all of these factors, Tamika was no longer passionate about the newsmakers she was covering. She realized that her true passion was storytelling and that is what she had been doing through her speeches and training others to tell their stories. She took a leap of faith and left her producing job to be Cervivor’s chief visionary on a full-time basis, “If you never jump you’ll never know how sweet it can be on the other side,” said Felder.

The organization continues to flourish.

Felder has traveled to nearly every state in the United States and has taken her message global in Australia, Dubai, Ireland, Rwanda and Vietnam to name a few of the countries where she has been invited to educate and inspire.

Felder has gone from covering the news to becoming a newsmaker.

In 2017 she graced the cover of Newsweek magazine which named her a “Cancer Rebel,” for the way she has disrupted (changed) the conversation on cervical cancer. In addition, she has been

featured on Good Morning America, Dr. Oz and Self magazine.

Felder’s motivational tactics extend beyond the survivor world in her first book, Seriously, What Are You Waiting For? 13 Actions To Ignite Your Life & Achieve The Ultimate Comeback. “It’s not about my cancer journey. It’s a reminder of simple things in life that sometimes you forget or we just need a reminder. It also gives you the permission to dream out loud, to wish out loud. It’s a book about clarity.

It’s a personal and professional development book,” stated Felder.

Felder is now an established leader within the cancer community, currently serving on the board of the Global Coalition Against Cervical Cancer and on the steering committee of the National HPV Vaccination Roundtable.

She has served on a Presidential Cancer Panel and as a patient advocate member of the National Cancer Institute’s Gynecologic Cancer Steering Committee – Cervical Task Force. She has addressed the Congressional Black Caucus Conference and her work lobbying and educating members of Congress and federal policy makers has been recognized and recorded in the Congressional Record.

Although Felder is fully committed to the cause of cervical cancer awareness, 20 years after being diagnosed and 20 years cancer free, it still can be difficult for her to continuously relive her own cancer journey, “This work is definitely very triggering. I lost my fertility. I deal with lots of secondary issues because of my cancer. But I’m grateful and truly blessed to be here. I know that there is a huge health disparity with Black women and cervical cancer. We die two times more than our white counterparts.

When we are diagnosed, we are slow to follow up. We can prevent cervical cancer. I’m here to save lives.”

HBCU Times 2021 Summer Issue | 49

PO WER A L U M N I

C

CYNTHIA HOWELL

ynthia D. Howell is the 10th Executive Director of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (AKA), the oldest Greek letter organization established for African American women. As Executive Director, she is responsible for the administration of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. International Headquarters, including maintaining the organization’s permanent records, handling all business transactions, and implementing AKA programs as approved by the board of directors. She has served in this position since 2013.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Hampton University, a Master of Business Administration in Business Management from Golden Gate University, and a Master of Science in Contracting and Acquisition from the Florida Institute of Technology. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Public Policy and Administration at Tennessee State University. She has combined her degrees with skills in business and nonprofit management, process improvement, and information technology to effectively plan and implement small and large-scale programs in both the private and public sectors.

Howell’s professional career began as a Missile Material Management Officer in the United States Army, where she served in numerous leadership positions during her tenure. She acknowledges that a special highlight of her military career was performing as a NATO evaluator. She was afforded the opportunity to work with military personnel from various

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countries to evaluate air defense maintenance units and ensure compliance with published NATO standards and procedures.

She also received training and certification as a military classroom and small group instructor.

Before taking the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Executive Director position, Howell served as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Georgia (CACGA).

The organization’s mission is to promote, assist, and support the development and continuation of children’s advocacy centers (CAC’s) in Georgia and ensure a system of care is in place to reduce trauma to child victims of abuse and commercial sexual exploitation.

As Executive Director of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Howell is committed to ensuring that a set of guiding principles define the character and culture of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. International Headquarters: passion for the mission, focus on client/member-centered services, effective use of technologies, emphasis on staff development, and implementation of sound business practices.

On a personal note, she is committed to ensuring that all children have a safe and happy childhood. According to Howell, “We have no higher priority than protecting children and their dreams.”

P O WE R A L U M N I

DR. LORAY SPENCER

D

r. Loray is a native of Lexington, SC, a 2000 graduate of Lexington High School and the oldest child of Milton and Lorraine Davis. She is a graduate a Claflin University‘s Alice C. Tisdale Honors College in Orangeburg, SC, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in biology and chemistry.

She completed the General Practice Residency program where she served as chief president. Dr. Loray then attended dental school in Nashville, TN at Meharry Medical College. Dr. Loray worked in public health for three years in Nashville. She subsequently served as the lead dentist and managing clinical director in dental offices in both Nashville and Greenville, SC. Dr. Loray has been married to Dr. Harvey Spencer, Jr. for several years and they have two sons (Trey and Daniel), a daughter (Denise Danielle), and a little yorkie (Ziggy). Dr. Loray and Dr. Harvey are the owners of A Healthy Smile Family and Cosmetic Dentistry in Rock Hill, SC. She enjoys spending time with her family, shopping, travelling, attending football games, and spending time at the beach.

HBCU Times 2021 Summer Issue | 51

P O WE R A L U M N I

TERRANCE TUCKER

T

errance Tucker is the founder of the T.U.C.K. Project, a mentoring program aimed at promoting male achievement throughout Columbia, SC and Augusta, GA. An extremely gifted and engaging motivational speaker, Terrance has spoken at over 100 middle and high schools and colleges, as well as five federal prisons and juvenile detention centers around the South Carolina, Georgia and North Carolina region. Mr. Tucker has also delivered over 40 keynote addresses.

In addition to motivational speaking, Terrance teaches life skills courses at two South Carolina federal prisons. Terrance has devoted countless hours to ensuring that these young men have the tools to recognize and achieve their maximum potential.

In addition to a focus on youth, the T.U.C.K. Project hosts a monthly outreach program where clothing and food are donated to the homeless community in downtown Columbia, SC. In doing so, he is demonstrating the importance of reaching back while reaching ahead.

Terrance, born and raised in Columbia SC, is a proud graduate of C.A Johnson High School and he is also a proud alumnus of South Carolina State University, where he earned both a Bachelor of Science in sports management and a master’s in rehabilitation counseling. In 2007, he was honored as South Carolina State University 2007 Scholar of the Year. Terrance is a heavily engaged member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. and was voted the Epsilon Omega 2017 Citizen of the Year for his selfless dedication and community service efforts. Recently, he was honored as an Unsung Hero by Saving Our Children and Families (SOCAF), Inc. at their 10th Annual Award Luncheon.

Terrance was recognized as a 2018 South Carolina Black Pages Top 20 under 40 professional. Mr. Tucker has also been awarded the 2018 South Carolina State University Alumni Association Outstanding Garnet & Blue Award for his community service efforts. In 2019, the T.U.C.K Project has hosted and sponsored over five successful male achievement summits. Most recently, Mr. Tucker was awarded the 2020 SC Trio Alumni Association Spirit Award and 2020 Southeastern Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel Conference “TRIO Achiever Award” for his commitment to preparing first generation college students for college.

Terrance’s Motto: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

“It is imperative that we teach our future kings the principle that if service is beneath you, leadership will be beyond you. Each person you encounter knows something you do not. Learn from them.”

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P O WE R A L U M N I

KHALILAH LONG strategy for the ACEs Aware Initiative.

I

nsightful. Results-driven. Creative. Skilled with an intentional ability to effectively connect with various audiences and a thirst for effective communications strategies, Khalilah Long has excelled throughout her career in communications, branding, marketing, and public relations.

For nearly two decades, Khalilah has pioneered organizational communications initiatives that have increased brand exposure to key stakeholders, media outlets, and potential partners. She has planned, designed, implemented, and managed campaigns in an array of industries for both the nonprofit and for-profit industries.

Khalilah has a rich background in traditional promotional marketing, social media strategies, brand development and brand refresh, speechwriting, event planning, media relations and project management.

Khalilah joined Aurrera Health Group in July 2021 as the Deputy Director of Communications and will play a key role in developing, managing, and executing the communications

Prior to joining Aurrera Health Group, Khalilah held a position on both the Branding, Marketing, and Communications and K-12 Advocacy teams at the United Negro College Fund where her writing focused on educational topics including the importance of higher education for minority students, advocating for historically Black colleges and universities, K-12 education reform, diversifying the teacher workforce and, government policies that impact the higher education community.

In earlier roles, Khalilah has led communications teams in product roll-outs, conducted research-related press briefings, and communications strategies for small and large industry conferences.

Khalilah has published articles related to nursing, healthcare reform, higher education accreditation and mental health advocacy in national, local, and industry-specific publications.

She has written speeches for industry leaders, congressional members, and Nobel Peace Prize winners.

Khalilah grew up in both Murfreesboro, Tennessee and Hartford, Connecticut; and currently resides in the D.C. metro area with her daughter. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing from Howard University. When she’s not cheering from the sidelines of her daughter’s softball games or volleyball matches, Khalilah enjoys upholstery, DIY projects, and mystery movies.

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