POWERPLAY MAGAZINE - Family & Education Issue by PowerPlay Magazine

F A

L Y

A T

“… This is where you’re going to grow up...”

FAMILY TIES

Two stories of adoption, faith & family

FOCUS ON EDUCATION: achievers + educators + highered profiles BE(AR) FAMILY FUN!

How Chris & Kenetria Harris make it work

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w w w.a r k a n s a s ED C.c o m /s m b | 1- 8 0 0 -A R K A N S A S

Discover!

Open Tuesday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Saturday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm *Free Admission* @MosaicTemplars Mosaic Templars Cultural Center

501 W. Ninth Street Little Rock, Arkansas Mosaictemplarscenter.com 501.683.3593 Mosaic Templars Cultural Center is a museum of the Department of Arkansas Heritage.

editor’s letter

Connecting

Teacher’s Kid T

he first teacher I ever met also happens to be the first person I ever knew. While all good mothers teach and train their children, mine was an educator by profession. She taught elementary school, and I got to see her in action because I tagged along with her for my entire matriculation through the primary grades.

Photograph by: Randall Lee

Let’s stay connected! @sericiacole @sericiacole Facebook.com/SericiaCole

Serendipity: While shooting this issue’s cover, I remembered my mother’s reach as an educator when I recalled that she had been the fifth grade teacher of Mark Leverett’s wife Kim. (Just a few years ago.)

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She was a young wife and mother, which made her a young teacher. Mama was 24 or 25 years old when I remember her making sure I got to J.C. Cook Kindergarten in the Pulaski County Special School District. After school I would ride the bus to Mabelvale Elementary School where she worked. It was a recurring theme in the lives of my younger siblings and me that no matter the neighborhood in which we lived or were zoned, we went to school wherever Mama taught. The situation had its advantages (she knew all of our teachers, she knew all of our friends, she knew everything), as well as its disadvantages (she knew all of our teachers, she knew all of our friends, she knew everything). But obviously, the biggest benefit is that our mother was able to have an even greater influence into our lives. (If you know anything about Hayward and Mamie Battle, then you know this was probably not by accident.) Some of my favorite times together happened when she began teaching fifth grade at Joe T. Robinson Elementary. I was also in the fifth grade at that time. Mama would maneuver the two-lane Highway 10 traffic with Danica Patrick-like finesse all the way to our mutual destination. Once there, we didn’t depart. Thanks to the school’s open-space format, I could see her (and she could see me!) throughout the day, with only a row of tote trays as our boundary. The sound of her teaching and encouraging and instructing and chastening her students was like white noise, soothing and reassuring. Ms. Boyd, my homeroom teacher, and mama were friends; we even lived in the same neighborhood. And I can never forget that it was Ms. Battle who taught social studies to my class. It

Throwback: Here’s fifth grade teacher Ms. Battle with students after a school carnival. It’s no surprise that I’m on the scene along with my little sister and brother.

was hard not to call her Mama as she stood before us going on about pilgrims and Native Americans. Looking back, I know that being a teacher’s kid indelibly shaped me. In school, that identification made me pay more attention, try harder, sit and stand taller, and behave better (most of the time). At home, because she was able to be with us during breaks and for the entire summer (advantage/disadvantage), Mama was able to pour into us and watch us become who she was molding. She didn’t want it any other way; and though we didn’t realize it then, we wouldn’t have either. Having a chance to see my mother work hard at her craft had other effects on me, a little Black girl growing up in the 80s. The biggest is that it inspired me to want a career and a family. To see her functioning as a team member with other teachers, creating lesson plans and activities, working evenings grading papers, which I sometimes got to help with—I have to tell you, routinely grading your peers’ homework and tests was the ultimate inside perk!—and handling parents with tactful skill helped me understand what it took to be a professional. Plus, she modeled with aplomb being a devoted parent and a doting and dutiful wife. I made up in my mind that I wanted all of that for my own life. She got in the game early, but my mother has long since been out of the classroom arena. However, once a teacher, always a teacher; as long as she lives she will be imparting valuable lessons. And as her oldest student, I hope to keep my courtside seat—watching and learning from my first and best teacher. All the best, always,

Sericia Cole Editor-in-Chief sericia@powerplaymag.com

contributors Adena J. White “In Pursuit of Significance,” p. 39

Founder and Publisher Darren Peters darren@powerplaymag.com Editor-in-Chief Sericia Cole sericia@powerplaymag.com Managing Editor Candace L. Randle candace@powerplaymag.com Creative Director George Frederick Nash

Contributors Jennelle Primm Joi White Chemia Woods Special Contributors Roger Robinson (Quality Video) Randall Lee (Contemporary Imaging) Sales & Marketing Sanci Hughes Richardson sanci@powerplaymag.com

Adena J. White, APR, is an accredited public relations professional who works at the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce as director of communications. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in speech communication and journalism with an emphasis in PR from Arkansas Tech University in Russellville and later completed a master’s degree in applied communication studies from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Adena is an active member of the Arkansas chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, having served the organization as a board member for three years and as a committee chairwoman. Originally from Center Ridge, Ark., she now resides in Conway with her husband, Matthew, and Shelby, their Pomeranian. @AdenaJ L. Lamor Williams “Loves Makes Us Family,” p. 33 Born and raised in Pine Bluff, Ark., L. Lamor Williams has worked for the Black Press in Dallas, the Fort Worth StarTelegram and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette covering everything from education, Little Rock city government, wildfires, hostage standoffs to the AIDS crisis, as told from a small town in Kenya. Having once been a newspaperman, and following a stint in the U.S. Army Reserve, Lamor now works as a PR practitioner for Little Rock-based Mangan Holcomb Partners while completing studies at Philander Smith College. facebook.com/lamorw

Shanta Nunn-Baro “Culinary Kids,” p. 19 Opinions expressed in articles, commentaries, letters or advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Publisher or the staff. Cover and contents may not be reproduced or reprinted in any form or medium without prior written permission. PowerPlay Magazine considers unsolicited manuscripts, the however publisher cannot be responsible for the return of unsolicited materials that do not include a self-addressed, postage-paid envelope of sufficient size. Please do not send manuscripts by email. While effort has been made to verify the accuracy of information presented in this issue, neither PowerPlay Magazine, nor its staff, is responsible for omissions or information that has been misrepresented to the magazine. Powerplay Magazine encourages mail from readers. Please send letters to editor@powerplaymag. com. Include your full name, daytime phone number and mailing address. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

Shanta Nunn-Baro, a freelance writer with over 25 years of marketing and public relations experience, is a self-proclaimed food junkie. When not pecking away at her computer trying to write a bestseller, she is in her kitchen slicing and dicing. She and her husband have been married for 12 years and the couple have a seven-year-old son. facebook.com/shanta.nunnbaro ON THE COVER: THE LEVERETT FAMILY: [l-r] Reagan, Wesley, Mark, Kim and Kennedy. Photographed at their home by Randall Lee exclusively for POWERPLAY MAGAZINE. www.powerplaymag.com

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Your Words

The Music Issue

Turn Up the Music! Featured the uber-talented trumpeter Rodney Block and some of Arkansas’s most talented musicians

PowerPlay is one spiffy magazine! I loved seeing it today! Selyna Kreale Thank you PowerPlay Magazine for recommending my book, I Love the Color Pink! The Adventures of Laci Macasey! @lacimacasey (Monica Hatley-Carr)

TRACY JOHNSON! Check out my dude in PowerPlay Magazine! Learn how BOSSES do it! @sosobrat (Da Brat)

Amazing! I will definitely make sure my students have access to it in order to see the greatness going on right here around them! Cassandra Green

FACEBOOK SOUNDOFF: We asked and you told us!

Who are some of the educators who have influenced and inspired you? I had so very many teachers who shaped me along the way. But Professor Gerald Jordan at the University of Arkansas has a special place in my heart. First, he taught me to write as a professional skill. Then he gave me real encouragement in the form of educational and professional advice for how to grow in my craft. I still talk to him a few times a year. He keeps me grounded, while making me believe I can achieve anything. Kerri Jackson Case Mary Ann Washington was my second grade teacher at Romine Elementary in Little Rock. This lady had what it took and poured it ALL into her teaching. I looked forward to going to school each day. She presented in such a way that kept us engaged and we truly learned whatever the subject. We stay in touch to this day, having established a bond that has brought me back to her time after time for direction in life. Nonjala King 6

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Ms. Laverne Goldsby was my guidance counselor at Cloverdale Junior High in Little Rock, and she was a teacher, friend and confidante. She has seen me in just about every facet of my life. She told me recently that she was so proud of me, and it nearly brought me to tears! Hats off to Laverne Goldsby, educating and helping our youth for over 35 years! LaTonya Laird Austin Mary Louise Williams. She’s able to see the best in everyone and truly has a heart of gold. She positively impacts everything and everyone she surrounds herself with. Even though she’s in her 80s, she’s the most loyal worker, volunteer and friend you could ever pray for. Active in politics, education, social organizations and in her church, she’s definitely one of Arkansas’ most precious jewels. Angela Bradford-Barnes

contents

THE FAMILY & EDUCATION ISSUE

COVER ● STORY

23 LOVE MAKES US FAMILY By L. Lamor Williams

Through the years, many myths and stereotypes have persisted about Black families and adoption. Truth is, Black families are not only willing and able to adopt, but they are also doing so more increasingly. POWERPLAY MAGAZINE spotlights two that demonstrate how their heartstrings bind them.

EDUCATION

FEATURE

31 NEW LEADER OF THE PRIDE By Sericia Cole

Now that he is a Golden Lion, New Orleans native Laurence B. Alexander is on a quest. Named chancellor of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff in 2013, his roar may not be boisterous; but it is thus far proving to be effective.

P L AY I N G W I T H P O W E R

41 IN PURSUIT OF SIGNIFICANCE By Adena White

One of 15 children who grew up in a small Arkansas town, Charlotte Rainey Green is the consummate educator who strives to promote educational access and success as a means to lead a life of significance.

in every issue 4 EDITOR’S LETTER 5 CONTRIBUTORS 8 POWER SURGE 9 PAUSE 38 POWER MOVES

ON THIS PAGE: PRIDE | PROUD UAPB Chancellor Laurence B. Alexander is photographed on campus by Randall Lee/ Contemporary Imaging.

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power surge

Promotions | Appointment | Honors

Erica L. Ingram of Little Rock recently assumed command of the 871st Troop Command of the Arkansas National Guard, becoming the first African American woman to helm an Arkansas National Guard battalion. As commander, Lt. Col. Ingram, will oversee seven companies comprised of about 700 guardsmen who provide support to combat battalions. Based at Camp Robinson, the 871st is the headquarters unit for the 106th Army Band, 119th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, 213th Area Support Medical Company, 224th Maintenance Company, 296th Medical Company, 1123rd Transportation Company and the 216th Military Police Company, which is preparing to deploy to Afghanistan. Ingram, 42, was a second lieutenant in the United States Army for nearly five years before joining the Arkansas Army National Guard in 1999. The Wilmar, Ark., native and University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff graduate currently serves as president of the National Guard Association of Arkansas. __________________________________ Synetra Hughes has joined the Center for Retailing Excellence at the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas as a program manager. In this role, she will develop and manage student and professional development programs with a focus on analysis and consumer insights, helping develop extracurricular programs and curriculum to enhance students’ academic experience. She will also work to connect students to the retail industry. 8

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Hughes holds a bachelor’s degree in information systems and transportation and logistics from Walton College. With 10 years of experience in the retail/consumer packaged goods industry, she has held positions in the supply chain, replenishment and retail analysis areas with Abbott Laboratories, Walmart and Sam’s Club. Most recently, she worked for Kraft Foods in customer planning, forecasting and replenishment. With her MBA from Webster University, Hughes has a doctorate in workforce development education from the University of Arkansas. __________________________________ The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual support and advocacy organization, has tapped Little Rock native Kendra R. Johnson, 43, to serve as Arkansas state director, a new position that will see the Spelman College graduate working with the organization’s Project One America campaign to bring equality in Mississippi, Alabama and Arkansas. Johnson returned to Arkansas after 14 years in Brazil working in bilingual communications, and has since served in staff roles at Better Community Development, Inc., Southerners on New Ground (SONG) and the Women’s Project in Little Rock. She holds a graduate degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. __________________________________ Tamekia Brown has been named assistant superintendent for teaching and learning, grades 8-12, for the Springdale School District. Brown, a University of Central Arkansas graduate, has been principal at Central Junior High in Springdale, Ark., the past two years. She holds a master’s degree in curriculum instruction from UCA and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Before moving to Northwest Arkansas, Brown had been principal at Morrilton High School and Maumelle High School.

The Arkansas Department of Human Service has made Delia Anderson director of the Division of County Operations. Previously, as assistant director, Anderson was responsible for administering the division’s Office of Community Services. Before joining the Department of Human Services, Anderson was vice president for institutional advancement at Philander Smith College and has held executive-level positions with the Little Rock March of Dimes and the United Way of Pulaski County. She is a graduate of Philander Smith College and obtained a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. __________________________________ Arkansas native Dana Fisher Dossett relocated from Washington, D.C., where she had been a senior public relations specialist with the National Educational Association for the past six years, to lead the City of Little Rock’s Department of Community Programs as director. Fisher is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and received her master’s degree in speech communications from Arkansas State University. __________________________________ Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families has brought on Marquita Little as its new health care policy director. She is a graduate of Hendrix College and the master’s program at the University of Arkansas, Clinton School of Public Service. Little was previously director of policy and planning in the director’s office at the Arkansas Department of Human Services.

People | News | Events events

DONNA GRADY CREER

Remembered

Memorial Scholarship Fund established in her honor

news

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Healthcare Pioneers Honored on the Arkansas Civil Rights Heritage Trail

When gospel industry veteran, educator and community leader Donna Grady Creer died along with her husband, Donald, in June 2013, people across the country mourned with Arkansans over the great loss. Not long after, a scholarship fund was established and named in Grady Creer’s honor as a memorial to her life and commitment to education by providing academic scholarships—awards up to $1,000—to assist college students with expenses including tuition, room and board, books, and other fees. The Donna Grady Creer Memorial Scholarship Fund Committee selected as its 2014 recipient Daria Shunelle Nelson of Little Rock, now a sophomore attending Wiley College in Marshall, Texas. The daughter of Darius Nelson and Roshunda Miller, Daria is pursuing a degree in mass communications and is a member of Wiley’s acclaimed A Cappella Choir. The committee hopes to award many more scholarships to honor Grady Creer who was an ardent supporter of education and the promise and potential of young people. news

MORE ‘BLACK-ISH’ ON THE WAY ABC picks up its hit Black family comedy Black-ish for another 22-episode season. Starring Anthony Anderson as Andre “Dre” Johnson, Tracee Ellis Ross as Rainbow Johnson and special guest star Laurence Fishburne as Pops, Black-ish opened at No. 2 with its debut and as the No. 1 new comedy among adults 18-49, as reported by TV Series Finale.

The Institute on Race and Ethnicity at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock created the Arkansas Civil Rights Heritage Trail in 2011 to “acknowledge the sacrifices and achievements made by those who have fought for racial justice in our state.” Additionally, its goal is to raise awareness for Arkansas citizens about Little Rock’s rich and important Civil Rights legacy, which the institute says is “often overlooked by historians of the era.” The trail’s first honorees were recognized during the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Riders for their efforts to integrate interstate bus transportation and the work as members of the Arkansas Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee who organized lunch counter sit-ins in Little Rock in the 1960s. People

This year, on Oct. 24, the Institute on Race and Ethnicity added 10 more trailblazers—pioneers in the field of health, including Dr. Thomas A. Bruce, Dr. M. Joycelyn Elders, Dr. Billy R. Thomas, Dr. Henry Foster, Jr., Dr. Edith Irby Jones, Dr. Cleon Flowers, Sr. (posthumous), Lena Lowe Jordan, R.N. (posthumous), Dr. Samuel Lee Kountz (posthumous), Phillip L. Rayford, Ph.D. (posthumous), and Dr. John Marshall Robinson (posthumous). Names of the Civil Rights activists begin on Markham Street down to the Clinton Presidential Library. New names of individuals who have worked toward equality for all in Arkansas are nominated each year and are commemorated during a public ceremony. For more information about the Arkansas Civil Rights Heritage Trail, visit www.arkansascivilrightsheritage.org.

PHILANDER SMITH COLLEGE NAMES NEW PRESIDENT

The board of trustees of Philander Smith College has chosen Roderick L. Smothers, Ph.D., as the 14th president of the historically Black educational institution. A Louisiana native, Smothers has been serving as vice president of advancement at another HBCU, Huston-Tillotson University in Austin, Texas. He holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a master’s degree in higher education administration, and doctorate in educational leadership,

research, and development, all from Louisiana State University. Artee Williams, chair of the board of trustees of Philander Smith College, said in making the announcement of the appointment that Dr. Smothers “is the right choice to continue the institution’s forward movement, to build upon its rich heritage, and to sustain its esteemed legacy.” Smothers will officially take office on Jan. 5, 2015.

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People | News | Events

People

Academics + Sports = Success

Parkview High School Principal Dr. Dexter L. Booth calls Markell the “total package” and says the 17-year-old is focused on all the right things as a student. With a rigorous schedule that includes all Advanced Placement courses, including human geography, physics, microeconomics, literature and calculus, studying and being

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prepared for class each day are on Markell’s front burner as his current 4.286 GPA attests. His dedication to his studies is paralleled with his passion for basketball. He’s been honing his skills on the hard court since a young age, playing with AAU teams and earning tournament honors, and extensively training privately. He’s been a member of the Patriots squad since ninth grade (a three-year letterman), and Al Flanigan, Parkview head basketball coach, says that the 5’11 point guard is something special. “Markell is everything you look for in a student athlete; he has his priorities straight. I never have any problems with him. He’s a model student on and off the court, and that’s a tremendous shout out to his parents.”

In his senior year, Markell is being actively recruited by top-tier academic institutions such as Princeton, Harvard and Washington University in St. Louis—schools that highly value the strong combination of scholarly prowess and athletic ability that Markell exemplifies. Although he harbors dreams of playing professionally, he plans to major in chemical engineering and someday become a physician. A chess champion, budding historian/genealogist and community volunteer, Markell is poised to become a well-rounded and respected leader. Coach Flanigan agrees. “He is a very intelligent young man. His future should be bright.” Ebony Blevins

Being a student athlete is not easy, juggling the demands of academics and sports along with family responsibilities and the normal ups and downs of being a teenager. But for Little Rock Parkview High School senior Markell A. Foreman, Jr., his cool, laid-back demeanor belies the pressures he undoubtedly faces as an outstanding student who excels in the classroom and as a standout point guard for the perennially successful Patriots basketball team.

People | News | Events

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People

ONE TO

LISTEN FOR: Curtis Fields

Little Rock native and Parkview High School graduate Curtis Fields has had the eyes of the world watching him. Literally. When he appeared on the 2013 BET Awards, he attracted plenty of attention for performing his song “Opposites Attract” and playing the guitar via his iPhone. Since then, Fields has continued to garner respect for his innovativeness and musical talent. He’s appeared on The View and The Queen Latifah Show where he explained that playing the guitar on his cell phone was a move borne out of “necessity.” “I didn’t have access to a keyboard or guitar,” the Fisk University alum (who sang with Fisk’s Jubilee Singers) said. “The only thing I had was my phone. I had no money. I hate singing without music and this app allowed me to accompany myself.” Now signed to Epic Records—he auditioned for Chairman L.A. Reid and blew him away—the up-and-coming Atlanta artist has shared the stage with R&B favorites including Grammy Award-winning artist John Legend and Eric Roberson and has new music on the way. Follow his journey on Twitter @TheCurtisFields and go over to www. thecurtisfields.com to watch him perform.

People

GET ‘STORM TESTED’:

The latest by Christian rap artist

RON DANIEL

Little Rock’s Ron Daniel is a veteran of Christian rap, and his latest release Storm Tested demonstrates just why he’s been relevant in the game for as long as he has. The project offers a riveting mix of hardhitting beats and sophisticated rhymes as Daniel speaks with passion and a sense of urgency describing the complexity of the world and how anyone can be lifted out of tough circumstances. The album ranges from providing solutions for some of today’s most pertinent challenges, including a cut for women who are juggling careers, relationships and family dynamics on “SuperStar Diamond Cut” with Jasmini Sanders, to provoking listeners to think about the impact of wrong decisions in “Think About It” featuring Supa Mario. There’s also inspiration in the tracks “P.I.M.P. (Prayer Is My Power),” “Come Close,” and “Chop It All” featuring Preacha Man which speak to how personal challenges can be handled through faith-driven messages. Order Storm Tested on ITunes, Amazon, Google plus and all digital outlets. For more information, contact Divine 7 Entertainment at info@d7ent.com or log onto www.d7ent.com. www.powerplaymag.com

2014 MLK CHALLENGE

events

Young people can celebrate the national Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday as a “day on and not a day off” by participating in the MLK Challenge sponsored by Mosaic Templars Cultural Center in Little Rock. The opportunity engages youth ages 12 to 18 in service projects in a way that challenges them mentally and socially, a full day of group service activities that range from painting murals in the city, planting community gardens, to organizing food pantries. The projects are all designed to show youth the importance of community volunteerism while developing a spirit of service as Dr. King advocated. Monday, January 19, 2015 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.; lunch is provided. Must be 12 to 18 years old to participate. Go online at www.mosaictemplarscenter.com to register your child. Call 501-683-3593 for more information. word

I have learned that from students to parents to staff and beyond, we all have a position in this education process. Everyone is important and valuable regardless of their position and status and should be always respected and treated fairly.

Steven Juain Young, an education support specialist at Booker Arts Magnet Elementary School in Little Rock who was featured on the cover of the Summer 2014 issue of NEA Today. Read more of what Young has learned in reaching for the stars as an elementary educator at www.neatoday. org/2014/06/12/arkansas-esp-shareslessons-on-reaching-for-the-stars/.

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#FOLLOW THESE LEADERS

Who are you keeping up with on social media? Email us at editor@ powerplaymag.com and tell us who we should be following!

If already familiar with this chanteuse, then you know that she is a fiery soul (and a public school teacher!) who is passionate about more than a few things (At the top of her list? Her children, her husband and her singing). Check her out on Instagram@sgrhodeva3 only if you want your timeline filled with her electrifying, thousand-watt smile. <<Tawanna Campbell Berry> For his witty sense of humor, keen social observations, snappy photography and love for his faith and family, you should add this guy as a friend. You won’t be sorry. facebook.com/ anthony.k.valley <<Anthony Valley>>

well-Rounded

well- round • ed (wĕl′roun′dĭd) adjective

1. Fully developed and balanced in a range or variety of subjects. 2. Steeped in culture. 3. Well-spoken. 4. Well-read. 5. Well-dressed.

True power players know how important it is to be well-rounded.

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well-rounded

Culture

Honoring A Legacy, Keeping History Alive The Eddie Mae Herron Museum Center

through the small, northeast Arkansas town known T ravel as Pocahontas, and you might very well happen upon the

Eddie Mae Herron Museum Center. In addition to embodying nearly 200 years of African American history in Randolph County, the museum is an education center for children and families, a community center for local organizations, and a heritage and cultural center in a town with an African American population of only one percent. Primarily and most importantly, it is the city’s conduit for keeping alive the African American history in Pocahontas.

PowerPlay Magazine’s Jennelle Primm spoke with the chairman of the Eddie Mae Herron Center Board, Pat Johnson, to learn about the historic building that’s so special to its local community and, as such, the entire state of Arkansas. 14

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Culture

Tell us about the Eddie Mae Herron Museum Center? The Eddie Mae Herron Museum Center stems from the oneroom segregated school here in Pocahontas. Built in 1919, it was first St. Mary’s African Methodist Episcopal Church before it became the Pocahontas Colored School. For about 30 years after its construction, the building continued to serve as a church while also functioning as a school. After the integration of schools in 1964, the building sat empty for a short time before the Pocahontas Public School System used it as the very first HEAD Start Center. The Head Start operated for about 10 years; then after it closed, the building sat empty and began deteriorating. With the building out of use, the people in the community felt like the history was fading, so that’s how the Eddie Mae Herron Museum Center came along—it was a group of concerned citizens who wanted to use this place to talk about the African American history here in Randolph County.

well-rounded

students about the center, how it started, and the history of the building. Plus, we have some sort of educational program every week during the month, as well as quilting. We have senior ladies who come together and make traditional style quilts that are donated to the children’s hospital or the veterans or nursing home. Something special we do—as a nod to history—is an old hog butchering demonstration. The older members of the center felt like the young people need to know that they haven’t always been able to go the store to get packages of meat, and butchering a hog was a time for a community to get together and share with each other. Every year our county judge, who is a butcher by trade, does the demonstration and shows the children where the pork chop, ham, and bacon come from. This activity has gotten bigger and bigger! And we end the day with a community dinner. What is your fondest memory of Ms. Eddie Mae Herron?

Who exactly was Eddie Mae Herron? Ms. Herron was the school teacher of the Pocahontas Colored School from the early 40s until it closed in 1965. Miss Eddie Mae first came to Biggers, about 11 miles north of Pocahontas, where she taught for two years after coming from Little Rock. When they closed the school in Biggers, she moved to Pocahontas. Being that she was the only teacher in the school, after we finished the restoration, we knew naming the center for her would be the perfect way to honor her for the significant role she played in the lives of African Americans in this community. How did you become involved? I got my start right here in this one-room building. I went to school here from the first to the eighth grade. After eighth grade, we were still not allowed to go to public school, so we were bused to Newport, about 52 miles away. It was about 100 miles round trip everyday that we had to go for our education. That went on until 1965 when the schools were integrated. That’s one of the reasons this building was so special to me and to others, because during the 40s, 50s, and 60s, we were set apart and had school here in this building. We just felt like having this teacher be remembered was the right thing to do. Tell us about some of the center’s programming. The city of Pocahontas had never celebrated the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday, until we initiated it. Our commemoration has really grown in the community, bringing in a lot of people from other areas. In February, we celebrate Black History Month. The public schools bring buses of children to hear our programs that we arrange throughout the month. This allows us to teach

She was a very, very good teacher. Very loving. She was like our second mother. She was real stern, but we knew she loved us. She loved our families as well because she would hold night classes for parents who had been unable to go to school. She taught my mother how to read, and before my mother passed, she could read the Bible by herself. Miss Eddie Mae actually named me. Often when you are young, you may not come to appreciate your name until you are older. My name is Pastorine; it is Pat for short. When I was born, she asked my mother if she could name me and that’s the name she chose. I just wish she were here today to get some of this praise that she so well deserves.

Recognized on the National Register of Historic Places, the Eddie Mae Herron Center is supported by the City of Pocahontas, but relies on private gifts, donations and grants. For information about visiting or to make a donation, check out its website at herroncenter.org. www.powerplaymag.com

Alma Thomas, Untitled, c. 1966, 24” x 24”

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Art

well-rounded

Alma Thomas, Untitled, c.1968, acrylic on paper, 18” x 52”

ALMA THOMAS

Alma Thomas, Untitled, c. 1968, acrylic on paper, 9” x 35”

Thirteen Studies for Paintings presented by Candace L. Randle

lma Thomas was remarkable in her achievement as both an artist and art educator. Following her retirement after 35 years of service as a teacher at Shaw Junior High School (Washington, DC), Thomas decided to venture into the nearly all-white male art world of abstract painting during the 1960s and, while proving that it is never too late to follow your passion and true calling, debuted her abstract artwork in 1966 at the youthful age of 75. The preparatory works in Thirteen Studies for Paintings reveal the thoroughly strategic planning behind Thomas’s work. Often, multiple sheets of paper are taped or pinned together with notations in the margins and on the reverse, allowing viewers to feel Thomas’s process of thinking through a painting’s structure. Thirteen Studies for Paintings is a beautiful and vibrant display of the artist at the height of her aesthetic and intellectual

Alma Thomas, Untitled, c. 1968, acrylic on paper, 16” x 50”

powers. Thomas’s artworks tell a story of beauty, conflict and passion in an array of bright broken pieces that are uniform and triumphant. Alma W. Thomas (American, 1891- 1978) was born in Columbus, Georgia and moved to Washington, DC with her family in 1907. In 1924, she became the first graduate of the Art Department at Howard University, and in 1935 received a Master of Arts in art education from Columbia University. Her work is represented in the collections of The Columbus Museum of Art, The Corcoran Gallery of Art, The Baltimore Museum of Art, The National Gallery of Art, The Howard University Gallery of Art, The Phillips Collection, The Smithsonian American Art Museum, The Hirshhorn Museum, The Whitney Museum of American Art, and The Barnett-Aden Collection privately owned by Robert L. Johnson, among numerous other public, private, and university art collections.

Alma Thomas: Thirteen Studies for Paintings showcased in Washington, DC at the Hemphill Gallery of Fine Arts through December 20, 2014. Visit hemphillfinearts.com to see more of the images from Alma Thomas and view the Alma Thomas: Thirteen Studies for Paintings exhibition.

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well-Rounded

Books

Local Writer Debuts New Children’s Book Author Maria Hoskins captures her own childhood memories in her debut children’s book. Christmas Night on the Farm is the brilliantly illustrated story of a girl’s memories of her family’s holiday season in the mid-1960s on a rural Arkansas farm. Young readers will enjoy recollections told in verses reminiscent of “The Night Before Christmas.” Classic storytelling with beautiful and captivating illustrations by Lauren Crymes, Christmas Night on the Farm offers children of all ages an enchanting glimpse of one family’s holiday preparations.

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Published by C&V 4 Season Publishing Co., Christmas Night on the Farm debuted November 2014 just in time for the holiday season.

Food

well-rounded

Culinary Kids

Having your children join you in the kitchen can be easy, educational & fun (+ tasty)!

Verda Davenport Booher’s children get busy in the kitchen.

by Shanta Nunn-Baro

find that cooking with my seven-year-old is a very fun and entertaining experience. We can stick to old favorites like spaghetti or explore new recipes as I encourage him not to be afraid of foods and to make healthy food choices. It’s also educational, as he measures and reads recipe directions. Not to mention that our cooking exercises have led him to being a devout vegetable-eater. He even eats Brussel sprouts—which are his favorite! Sharing my passion of cooking with children is Verda Davenport Booher. A married mom of two, Verda homeschools her children, is a professional actress, and is a fitness enthusiast who serves as run coordinator for local chapters of Black Girls Run. Verda has been vegetarian for 20 years and vegan for 15. Along with being a healthier option, she says that her vegan-lifestyle serves as a foundation and fuels other choices that she makes including what she buys for her family and home, what she wears and how she chooses to treat the environment. As far as cooking with 12-year-old Rhett and Sela, her nine-year-old, Verda says that one of their favorite family recipes is pizza because of the endless topping combinations that can please any appetite. Plus, pizza is easy and it allows the kids to be creative! For this recipe, we used garden-fresh heirloom red and yellow tomatoes, other organic vegetables, and a gluten-free crust. Try it with your children! Not only will you make a delicious meal, you’ll make wonderful memories in the process.

Tomato and Kale Pizza with Garlic* Rhett is a pizza pro.

The finished product!

Ingredients: 1 ball of pizza dough, homemade or store-bought ½ cup of marinara sauce, homemade or store bought 1 tablespoon olive oil 6 stems of kale, washed, dried and cut into bite-sized pieces Salt and pepper, to taste 5 cloves of garlic, minced 5 tomatoes, sliced Daiya Mozzarella Cheese shreds* ½ teaspoon oregano Directions: 1. Heat oven to 375 degrees 2. Roll out dough (kid fun!) 3. Bake crust for 5 minutes 4. Sauté kale and garlic for 2 minutes with salt and pepper, drain 5. Remove crust 6. Spread marinara sauce (kid fun!) 7. Pile on tomatoes (kid fun!) 8. Sprinkle garlic and kale mixture, cheese and oregano (kid fun!) 9. Bake for 20 minutes

*Daiya Cheese is a dairy-free alternative

VOILA! ENJOY! www.powerplaymag.com

well-Rounded

Health

Low T

Breaking the Silence

it comes to the health of the African W hen American male, the more commonly discussed conditions include prostate cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure, to name a familiar few. But one major health concern that’s often swept under the rug is a diagnosis of low testosterone.

years ago a drop in testosterone was common among men over 50 or 55, today men are being diagnosed younger.

Until recently, having low testosterone wasn’t necessarily something many men were willing to talk about – largely due to some of its more ego-deflating symptoms, according to Dr. William Rutledge, a family practice physician in Little Rock, who says erectile dysfunction is what usually brings patients to him for diagnosis and treatment. However, there are additional signs of low testosterone, including lack of energy, less muscle mass, more fat, and a decreased libido that can even lead to depression. Thankfully though, advances in medicine and a more health-conscience culture are helping to open up discussions on low T.

“Twenty years ago, it was generally men over 55 or 60 only. That is changing in America. We know biologically, hormone levels begin to decline at age 35.” In the 20 to 30 years Rutledge has been practicing medicine, the treatment options have increased tremendously. “There are some therapies that are quite helpful for it,” he says. “Pellet injection is the preferred treatment. It can raise levels very quickly and lasts five to six months.” While there are additional treatment options, Rutledge believes these carry some significant risks. For instance, gels and ointments applied outside of the skin can be transferred to others. Also, these treatments often don’t raise hormone levels fast enough to make an impact, and even if so, the effects can be short-lived. open-minded society and advanced A more medicine make it easier to address this prevalent health concern. It certainly should no longer be downplayed for fear of ridicule, because not only can low T be associated longterm with obesity, low bone density and an increased risk of osteoporosis, there is also the intangible but huge risk of diminished quality of life. Dr. Rutledge agrees.

“I don’t think this is anything new,” says Dr. Rutledge, continuing, “but I think men are more apt to discuss it today, than say 20 years ago, mostly because of public awareness. Research and treatments are also better. Now there is help and therapy for low testosterone. I think the message has gotten out that we can do something about this.” According to celebrity physician Dr. Oz, low testosterone affects two- to four-million men, and only five percent of those actually seek treatment. What’s more startling is the fact that those numbers are steadily increasing. While

by Jennelle Primm

The Low Down on

“There are many reasons for that. We have treated people as young as 40. Life stresses help deplete testosterone faster,” explains Dr. Rutledge.

“The biggest risk is a subtle depression or helplessness which can result in a sub-optimal life with less joy and happiness. No one should settle for that. There are therapies that can help, and I encourage anyone feeling that way to have their levels checked and seek treatment.”

The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult your physician. 20

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Food

well-rounded

THE SKINNY ON LABELS What’s

Org an ic

and What’s

Natu r al ?

compiled by Jennelle Primm Eating healthy or “eating clean” is all the rage these days. From raw food diets to, yes, even no food diets and everything in between, it seems we are constantly looking for ways to improve our health, a quest that actually starts in the kitchen. And as if grocery shopping weren’t already a tedious chore, enter the complex task of understanding food labels. Just when you learned to decipher calories from trans- and saturated fats, comes the latest marketing tactic to sell us on foods labeled as either natural or organic. Now, to the average consumer, these two terms may sound like the same thing—and that’s exactly what food distributors bank on you believing. But before you put that bag of natural potato chips in your shopping cart, you should probably have a better understanding of these labels. Contributing writer Jennelle Primm gives us a helpful primer. knowledge

ORGANIC

NATURAL

In order for a product to bear the USDA-certified organic seal, products must be certified by a third-party agency that uses standards overseen by the USDA.

The Food and Drug Administration has no definition for the use of the word “natural” on packaged food products.

Certified organic foods contain at least 95% organic content and are produced using approved organic farming methods with no genetic modifications or having been treated with synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. So, if it has a USDA “Certified Organic” seal on it, it has gone through a rigorous process to earn the badge, a process that can sometimes take up to three years.

The USDA regulates the usage of the word “natural” when applied to meat, poultry, and eggs stating that “a natural food is a product containing no artificial ingredient or added color and is only minimally processed.” In other words, unless you are buying meat, poultry, or eggs, there are no rules or regulatory requirements food manufactures have to meet before slapping a “natural” label on the packaging. They can call it what they want no matter how unnatural it may be.

:Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service www.fsis.usda.gov. The best approach is to be an informed consumer. Always do your own research. And have your own personal criteria when buying any packaged products.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO!

• The major difference between natural

and organic refers to how the product was grown or raised versus how it was processed. Organic foods must be grown without any pesticides, synthetic hormones or toxic fertilizers, as well as processed with no artificial additives and no GMOs (genetically modified organisms). Natural foods can be grown in any fashion but, in theory, are minimally processed with limited to no additives.

• Don’t be fooled by labels! Watch out

as “made with organic ingredients.” This can often mean that one or more of the ingredients used in the product are Certified Organic, but have been combined with non-organic ingredients to ultimately result in a non-organic product.

• Natural beef does not mean “hormone

free.” The USDA requirements for the use of the term “natural” on beef only refers to processing of the meat, and must include a clear statement such as “no artificial ingredients, minimally processed.” This

for marketing tricks on packaging such

*Always remember to consult your physician before starting a new diet or if considering making major changes to your eating program.

makes no guarantee of the absence of hormones, steroids, or antibiotics. (By federal law, hormones are not allowed in raising hogs or poultry.)

• When in doubt, read the ingredients.

Don’t be fooled by a picture of real fruit on the front of that cereal box. A quick look at the ingredients will reveal all. A good rule of thumb is to make sure you can pronounce everything listed in a product’s ingredients listing or at least be familiar with what those ingredients are.

Additional Sources: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service www.ams.usda.gov | www.organicconsumers.org www.powerplaymag.com

SPECIAL EDUCATION FEATURE

SPOTLIGHT ON

HIGHER EDUCATION WITH DR. DONALD R. BOBBITT by Candace L. Randle

e hear about it all too often and experience it firsthand; public school systems are constantly strapped for resources and educators must work twice as hard while competing with multiple distractions. There are many questions: What are some of the biggest factors impacting students of today? How do schools seek to innovate with limited resources and budgets? And is pursuing higher education even worth the rising costs in today’s economy? These and other factors are all relevant and ultimately impact and set the parameters for a student’s development, career, and future livelihood. PowerPlay Magazine recently visited with Dr. Donald R. Bobbitt, president of the University of Arkansas System, to hear his thoughts about the higher education landscape and what the system is doing to focus on student achievement, accessibility and affordability. PowerPlay Magazine: So how does Arkansas best create a comprehensive vision for its students? Bobbitt: In today’s economic climate, you have to look at universities as being the business incubators for the companies of tomorrow. It’s hard for Arkansas to compete with states that have the resources like Texas and California. Ideas come from faculty and students, and the students who graduate become the staff who 22

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take those ideas and hopefully develop them into something that could possibly become the Walmart or J.B. Hunt of tomorrow. Many professions that did not require a degree in the past now do, including police and firefighters, many city and state professions and even flight attendants. Higher education is as important as it has ever been, and I see it as a top priority to make an education as attainable as possible for anyone who wants to put forth the time and effort to earn a degree. The new eVersity that we are launching within the University of Arkansas System is being created not to target those students who are able to attend one of our traditional brick-and-mortar campuses, but to reach out to a large sector of our population that does not have the time or financial resources it takes to physically be on one of those campuses but still wants the quality education they provide. In November 2012, the University of Arkansas’ Board of Trustees adopted a resolution directing us to develop a coordinated approach to maximize the impact of the university through online and other distance technologies to better serve our educational mission. This resolution laid the foundation for the establishment of the University of Arkansas System eVersity, and we are aiming to begin classes in Fall 2015.

PPM: Quality education is priceless and the opportunities afforded to someone with his/her college degree are immeasurable, but for some, it’s still too costly. How does the University of Arkansas System address the rising costs of education and tuition? If you look at our structure, costs are still well below our peers in every category. As a system, I think we are doing a good job of keeping costs down and therefore making an education affordable to most Arkansans. But I also think it’s going to be imperative for us to do more and to keep finding ways to not only make classes affordable, but to gear them more toward students’ lifestyles and make them more accessible. We have found that there are about 350,000 people in Arkansas alone who have had some college experience at some point in their lives. And now they are out there working hard, trying to support their families and, in many cases, wishing they could have the opportunity to finish their education and potentially improve their situation. Life got in the way of their college experience and also is keeping them from going back. These are the types of students we want to be able to reach with eVersity. We are not only going to reach out to them with the opportunity to earn a degree, but we’re going to make it affordable and we’re going to make it fit into their busy schedule.

Faculty from across the University of Arkansas System will develop and deliver rigorous degree programs that utilize rich data analytics to enhance student success and achievement. Everything through eVersity will be delivered 100 percent online. All student services – from admissions through graduation, including academic advising, tutoring, financial aid, advising and career planning – also will be available in 100 percent completely online formats. PPM: What are your top system-wide priorities going into 2015? We want to expand access to higher education to all Arkansans, including those traditionally underrepresented in higher education to better mirror the demographics of our state. And once we get students enrolled, we want to do everything possible to improve retention and graduation rates and set them off on a path to success that will benefit not only their lives, but also the state’s economy. It’s also important to us as a system to operate as efficiently as possible, making sure that resources are allocated in a fiscally-responsible fashion and focused on education, research and service to the state. A part of that includes being on the forefront of new technologies and innovative processes in our classrooms and laboratories in order to support our faculty and staff in teaching and conducting research. And, as I previously mentioned, the UA System is very excited heading into Fall 2015 when classes begin in our new eVersity. It’s a priority for us to reach those students who have always wanted to come back to earn a degree and communicate to them that it’s affordable, accessible and that these workplace-relevant degrees are attainable.

Donald R. Bobbitt, Ph.D., has been president of the University of Arkansas System since November 2011

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NEW

Leader PRIDE

OF THE

Laurence B. Alexander is chancellor of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. by Sericia Cole

Who is Laurence B. Alexander?

I’m currently the chancellor at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. I’m a native of New Orleans; I grew up there. I lived there pretty much through my college years and went away to graduate school and then came back to live and work. I’m a person who came from so little and I’ve been blessed to have such a great opportunity to impact so many lives.

nd with that introduction, you’ve now met Laurence B. Alexander, 55, the new leader of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff: a nononsense but down-to-earth personality who, in spending time with, you quickly come to understand is also smart, calculating, committed and forward-thinking. That’s right. He’s just what the doctor (as in University of Arkansas System President Dr. Donald R. Bobbitt) ordered. The day of our visit, Alexander’s second fall semester at UAPB had just taken off. I got a chance to learn about his background, his family, and his very big vision for reestablishing luster to the storied university in places where it hasn’t shined quite as vividly as it has in the past. What I know from our brief time together is that Alexander is not someone who flies by the seat of his pants. Not at all. He’s a man with big plans for UAPB. Was being a university president or a chancellor on your radar? Well, I’ve got to be honest and say yes; that was a goal. I was actively working toward higher administration and so along the way, I went back to grad school and got a Ph.D. I went to Florida State, so I had to travel 2 ½ hours from my home in Gainesville. That’s when I had to actually commit and say, yes, I do want to be a college president somewhere; and actually in the program, they asked us what we wanted to be. So I guess from that point on I was working towards becoming a chief administrator.

It was a goal fulfilled. His first day on the job was July 1, 2013, and since that time Alexander, who holds a bachelor’s degree in drama and communications (from the University of New Orleans), a master’s degree in journalism and communication (from the University of Florida), a juris doctorate (from Tulane University), and a Ph.D. in higher education (from Florida State University), has solidly turned his attention toward taking the venerable “Flagship of the Delta” to new heights. He comes with varied and vast career experiences: he’s been a newspaper reporter, a professor, and spent 22 years as a big university administrator at the University of Florida. In fact, his last administrative role at UF saw him as director of a university-wide program that recruited minority students to graduate school from historically Black colleges and universities (as well as predominately white institutions); thus, he was already familiar with UAPB. He had actually gotten a call from an alum who gave him the heads up that the chancellorship would soon be vacant.

So when Lawrence A. Davis, Jr., UAPB’s chancellor for more than two decades, stepped down, not only was Alexander prepared, but he also believed it could be the right opportunity. What made UAPB the “it” thing once you got in the interview process? I’ll say honestly, really, the passion and the loyalty of UAPB alumni are greater than you see in the typical place. You talk about bleeding black and gold! The folks who graduated from AM&N College and UAPB love this university. That came through in a very strong way. I also saw a really dedicated faculty and staff who are committed to these students and their success, and I saw the potential in a number of students. I know a lot of the students here come from the Arkansas Delta and to me it was really an attractive opportunity to be able to get these young people ready for challenges they’re going to face in the 21st century, globalized workplace. In February 2013, Bobbitt nominated him for the chancellorship and the UA board of trustees approved him. That summer, Alexander would leave sunny Florida with his sights set on south Arkansas to take the helm of UAPB. As many strong unique selling points as there were about the job, there were some areas where it was clear that he could have an immediate impact, one of those being enrollment. As a result, Alexander hit the ground running. You got here and immediately, one of your first priorities was enrollment? And it still is. But coming in last year, we really had to do some things differently. I got out on the road locally in Jefferson and Pulaski County, but also in various areas of the state. We also tied recruitment into all of our alumni events and have solicited their help in recruiting; they are the best recruiters because they love this place and are passionate about it. And we’ve allotted $2 million for scholarships to deserving students to get them into UAPB and to help make their college experience more affordable. Additionally, we’ve enhanced the numbers in the LIONS Program that started out as a summer program for new students coming to UAPB who needed help with remedial courses. It’s grown from about 30 to about 170 students. We’ve now expanded it beyond just those who needed remedial courses to students who want to come to UAPB, period. We identified ways to cover the costs, so it didn’t cost them anything, and they’d start out with six credit hours and no debt. In order to do that we were using some funds from Title III, but we also got a $200 thousand grant from www.powerplaymag.com

the Walton Family Foundation.

s Alexander knows, the Golden Lion pride is serious about their alma mater. They have a right to be. Along with a rich history of being the second oldest public institution in Arkansas, a place where many of the state’s most prominent and prosperous African Americans matriculated, the HBCU has experienced many glory days through the years.

of-the-art facility for the more than 200 students enrolled in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

support from grants, contracts and partnerships through local, state, federal and private funding sources.

What are you looking forward to with the new STEM Building? The STEM building that opens this fall is exciting! It’s a conference center as well that provides space for students in the STEM areas, to gather and hear presentations from speakers, and for students to do presentations. A lot of times we have students who are preparing for graduate

And of course, what many have noticed of late is UAPB’s re-branding campaign. After the wellpublicized loss of the nursing program right before Alexander’s arrival and other intenselyreported misfortunes, the new leader saw fit to refresh the school’s image and to communicate a vision of a more diverse campus while staying true to its HBCU roots. Working with The Design Group in Little Rock, there’s been an extensive push through radio and television spots, in addition to well-placed billboards, to carry the message forward.

alking about “The Yard,” there seems to be a new air about UAPB. After watching the chief administrator interact with students on campus, it becomes easy to pinpoint the source. They call out to him and approach him, eager to not only bring up their concerns but to also laugh and casually talk. It’s apparent that Alexander is comfortable being flanked by the young people who are counting on him to make the right improvements to increase the value of their UAPB education.

Notably the university’s athletics programs are almost always competitive contenders in the Southwestern Atlantic Conference; and its sharp marching band (the Marching Musical Machine of the Mid-South) never fails to thrill and delight audiences. Not to forget, the Vesper Choir and Jazz Band are perennial favorites for their quality programs. But also, perhaps more quietly, the university’s aquaculture program is a shiny gem. As the state of Arkansas’ only comprehensive program in this field, it has gained extensive recognition and now even offers a doctorate degree in aquaculture/fisheries. This fall, current students and alumni have yet another reason to be proud. In November, as part of Homecoming activities, university officials hosted a grand opening ceremony for the campus’ first new academic building in years: a 29,000-square foot, $10 million, state28

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school or who are engaged in research. It will be good place to showcase their talents. The building also features wet labs, computer labs, and study lounges. The chancellor has wasted no time in making his mark. He’s established an Office of Institutional Advancement and brought in James B. Tyson as vice chancellor. By bringing under one umbrella public relations/communications, alumni affairs, development, the national alumni association and the Economic Research and Development Center, along with some governmental relations activities, the aim is for more synergy and collaboration among the functions. There is also now an Office of Research, Innovation and Economic Development, headed up by new vice chancellor Dr. Mary Benjamin, whose primary goal is to proactively guide the institution through the next phases of research

While Alexander understandably spends a good deal of time attending to his Golden Lion family, when he became chancellor, the pride grew. Tell us about your family. My wife’s name is Veronica and we have three sons. The oldest, Brandon, is married and has two children. His family lives in Gainesville. Our other son Tyler is a senior at Morehouse, and David, the youngest, is a student here at UAPB. My wife was excited about the prospect of taking on this role and joining the Golden Lion family. She’s from New Orleans too. We both went to predominately white institutions, but we were really solidly behind the idea of our children having the HBCU experience. Brandon got away (he attended the University of Central Florida) but the other two wanted to go to HBCUs; and they’re happy with it. It appears there are happy people all around.

What would Chancellor Alexander do if he had a magic wand? I’d change that whole drive in to our campus! (laughs) Well I would change all of Pine Bluff and I would do something … there must be something we could do that’s large or a collection of smaller things that would transform the entire community of Pine Bluff into a real college-town. It’s a large job in a sense, but it’s not just my job; it’s everybody’s job to make it more welcoming for our students, to help the college and the community work together. Because as this university elevates, Pine Bluff will elevate. www.powerplaymag.com

President Dr. O. Jerome Green sees the life come back to Shorter College.

by Sericia Cole

Prior to July 2012, had you driven by 604 Locust Street in North Little Rock over the last decade or so, you probably didn’t notice much activity. That’s because, as current Shorter College president Dr. O. Jerome Green puts it, the campus was actually “a ghost town.” That certainly isn’t the case today, and a fair portion of the credit is due to the new president. An ordained itinerant elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Alabama native has a long history with Arkansas, including having earned his law degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He was living and working in Birmingham, however, when he got the call about coming to lead Shorter College. And ever since taking the reins of the private, two-year college in the summer of 2012, the school has been in revival- mode.

hen I first arrived at Shorter College there was nobody here. I believe we had about five full-time staff members and probably one of those was the janitor. There were no faculty members, full- or part-time,” says Green from the conference room inside his office on a campus that now bustles with not only faculty and staff, but also—and most importantly—students. Shorter’s rebirth is nothing short of miraculous. During its period of dormancy, starting around 1998, about the only thing it had going for it was its affiliation with the AME Church, which was sending $25 thousand each month just to keep the lights on in what was essentially “an empty store.” It was an important contribution, however; one that signaled that the national church was not ready to let the historically black institution, founded in 1886, go completely dark. “Their position was It’s our store, and it’s for

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OUR people. And one day, God will move where what was desolate can bloom again. And so from 1998 to 2012, the AME Church kept the lights on and kept a skeleton crew here so that there was a Shorter College even though there was not anything going on but a GED program upstairs,” Green relates. The church’s steadfastness is ultimately what brought Shorter back to life. Specifically, Green credits Bishop Samuel L. Green, Sr., (no relation) presiding prelate of the 12th Episcopal District of the AME Church, for helping spur the financial commitment to help Shorter take care of its tax obligations—both to the Internal Revenue Service and to the State of Arkansas. Addressing these debts were the first order of business before the school could return to its mission of providing educational opportunity to students who otherwise may not have access. According to Green, this commitment alone was worth its

weight in gold because it allowed officials to take the steps to re-acquire accreditation, which the college had lost. “The AME Church’s 12th Episcopal District, that’s the folks here in Arkansas and in Oklahoma, made the financial commitment to give Shorter College approximately $250 thousand a year that it was able to use to enter an agreement with the IRS to relieve the college from a tax debt of approximately $1 million and to enter into a payment agreement with the State of Arkansas for unpaid taxes totaling approximately $250 thousand.” He says this made it possible for the college not to be saddled with financial burden which would render it financially unstable and thus ineligible to regain accreditation. In just a little more than two years, the tax debts are nearly a thing of the past. “The IRS debt is gone [in 2015], and we’re on the verge of completely

resolving the State’s,” Green says. His respect and appreciation for Bishop Green and the AME Church’s 12th Episcopal District are transparent; he believes that their support allowed for the college’s resuscitation. “What distinguishes this bishop from all of his predecessors is he didn’t let [Shorter College] die. Bishop Green called it from the grave; it really was dead.” In April 2012, the college obtained candidacy status for accreditation with the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and School, making the school eligible to handle financial aid—a big precursor to admitting the student population that would turn to Shorter as a gateway to a better life. With TRACS candidacy status and Title IV funds (financial aid) in hand, the college was then eligible, as an HBCU, for the Title III program. Described by the U.S. Department of Education as a means to help eligible institutions become “self-sufficient and expand their capacity to serve low-income students by providing funds to improve and strengthen academic quality, institutional management, and fiscal stability,” having Title III was a game changer. With it, school officials were able to hire faculty and install necessary technology (“The campus has Wi-Fi, a computer lab, computers in the library, and smart boards”). Mind you, all of this work was achieved by the board of trustees prior to Green even being approached about the presidency. But once Green arrived in July 2012, he quickly got to work. With $12 thousand released from the board for a marketing campaign to recruit students, the college adopted a new slogan— “You Fit Here”—that was used on billboards and in radio spots. Soon after, Shorter College was ready for business. With 52 students enrolling that fall, the newly-minted president was grateful, but not nearly satisfied. “I was praying to get the numbers to 100 in January, and that spring semester [2013] we opened with 230 students,” he enthusiastically recalls. Summer school was even offered that following spring, something the school had not done “in years and years.” An unexpected loss of Title III funding the next fall was a shocking blow (according to Green, Education Department officials said Shorter received Title III prematurely in 2012 and so

funding was withheld for the 2013-14 academic year), but the college was unbowed. It opened the Fall 2013 term with 331 students and 464 were enrolled in the spring. While Green isn’t so sure why exactly they were penalized for receiving the funds when they did, in hindsight he realizes that without the early, if accidental, inclusion in the program, it would have been tough attracting enough students to be able to cash flow without it.

Here and Now hankfully, Shorter’s Title III eligibility was restored with the 2014-15 academic year. “Because we have it back this year, we’ll be able to address some of the really pressing needs we’ve found within our population that causes them not to succeed, “ says Green. “Right now we are doing as good as any institution on retention; we’re doing about 50 percent retention. But our students come from these disadvantaged backgrounds of not making good decisions, not having the luxury to make good decisions. You know, when you’re under pressure, you don’t think as straight as you think when everything is alright. That’s where our students have come from and they’re still under pressure. “

So the Shorter College answer is to create a transformational atmosphere for its student body. “They’ve got to change their mind about who they think they are and their reason for being. And so we’ve adopted some values, the 4 C’s: Competence, Character, Culture and Citizenship.” Using the concept of a weekly chapel program, a mandatory general assembly, each week the 4 C’s are instilled through an activity, speaker, or experience. “The point is that we enlarge their vision; so they’ll know that the world is bigger than where they came from; that there’s more. So they grow, they expand,” says Green. His persistent message to students is simple yet impactful. He tells them, “You are special because you’re here.” In fact, Green goes straight preacher-mode explaining how he impresses upon his congregation that by choosing Shorter College, they’ve “made a decision to move from a place of impossibility to a place of possibility.”

chool’s start this fall began Green’s third year into what has so far been a success story, including a return to being an accredited institution with TRACS’ stamp of approval in October 2013. There are now about forty fulltime staff members and more than 400 students, with an expectation to hit the 500 mark in the spring of 2015. So what’s next? If you’re O. Jerome Green, a lot of big-picture, next-level thinking. “We are developing some on-campus housing, and we’re also moving to develop two new associate degree programs, one in Criminal Justice and Corrections and the other in Entrepreneurial Business. We want to be able to serve the growing corrections/criminal justice fields because so many of our people have come from backgrounds that, when they get degrees they may not be able to get jobs because of their convictions and credit. So we’re going to train them to be entrepreneurs so they can start their own businesses.” Those two new degree offerings are expected to be ready next fall. In the meantime, the school is also applying to expand its general studies degree program with a concentration in Christian Leadership to a fouryear baccalaureate degree, making way for the revival of Jackson Theological Seminary as a division of Shorter College—a move that will no longer have it operating as a separate entity as it had been through the years. Green ultimately envisions the seminary also offering a master’s of divinity degree. It’s an expansion of Shorter College’s academic thrust that administrators believe is now necessary, along with on-campus housing, in order to grow and evolve with changing times, and to meet the needs of its student population and community. As all of the cobwebs are cleared away once and for all, it’s clear that Green’s leadership is purpose-driven. Because if the determined president has his way, no one should be able to characterize Shorter College as a ghost town ever again.

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Family

cover story

makes us family. African Americans are increasingly turning to adoption to expand their families. by L. Lamor Williams

The Leveretts Photography by Randall Lee / Contemporary Imaging

cover story

Family

No one can love them like me and you don’t just get rid of family.

very photo has a story to tell, and the mother-daughter Facebook profile picture of Dawn and Elizabeth Turner speaks volumes: just look closely past the beaming smiles as mother playfully balances daughter on one knee and focus on Buddy the Bunny, the floppy-eared stuffed animal clad in red-andwhite striped t-shirt and denim shorts, that little Elizabeth is tightly holding. Turner and Elizabeth live on Misawa Air Base in Japan where Turner is a kindergarten teacher for the U.S. Department of Defense. A couple of years ago, Elizabeth lost Buddy somewhere on the base. For many 6-year-olds, the lost toy would barely have been a blip on the radar, but for Elizabeth, who Turner adopted as an infant in her native Arkansas, the experience was traumatic.

Judge Mark Leveratt was adopted as an infant.

“She has an attachment to her stuffed animals. We have more than a hundred. I used to try to get rid of a few here and there, but she would get so upset. She would say ‘They’re my family. No one can love them like me and you don’t just get rid of family,’” recalls Turner during an interview while on her yearly summer visit to her parents’ Jacksonville, Arkansas, home. Now living in Japan, Dawn Turner adopted her daughter Elizabeth in her native home state.

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Family

“I posted the picture so people on base would know what Buddy looks like,” Turner says. “I was just hoping that someone would find him because I knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep. Fortunately, he was only missing for about six hours.”

Jesus made children a priority.

ark Leverett is board chairman of the Pulaski County affiliate of The CALL, an acronym for Children of Arkansas Loved for a Lifetime. According to the adoption advocacy group, in Arkansas, more than a dozen children enter the foster care system because of abuse or neglect each day. They join nearly 4,500 other children in state custody. This year, more than 7,000 children will spend time in foster care and more than 500 children are waiting to be adopted. In Pulaski County, for example, Leverett says that 66 percent of all children in foster care are African American. With deep Christian roots, The CALL’s ministry model is particularly important when discussing impacting adoption rates in Arkansas, he says, noting that there are 1,100 foster homes in Arkansas – too few to meet the needs of children who are taken into care. “The great majority of them are [African American],” says Leverett, who was adopted by his parents as an infant. “We’re trying to connect them as best we can. I believe the church has the greatest capacity to reach in and pull them out of the foster care system and get them into Christian homes.” “Jesus made children a priority,” he continues.

“All followers of Jesus should do the same.” Similarly, Turner says she teaches her daughter that “God is the author of adoption. He adopted us.” While adoption is at the heart of the Leverett and Turner families’ commonalities, the two are at opposite ends of the spectrum of experiences when it comes to adoption in the Black community.

To go out and adopt some kid you don’t know, that was simply unheard of.’

hen Turner, 42, decided to adopt at age 34, her family was nothing but supportive. Likewise, when Leverett and his wife decided to add to their family through adoption, they too received an outpouring of encouragement. However, when Leverett’s parents decided to take him into their lives in the late 1960s, there was a great deal of stigma associated with adopting a child who was not kin to the family. The woman who is “mom” to Leverett comes from “a big church family, 18 of them originally,” he says. “She was the only one in her family without children.” And though his mom had raised some of younger siblings, Leverett says she was actually discouraged from adopting. “It wasn’t en vogue in general and certainly not in the Black community. Yes, we would raise our siblings, nieces, nephews and cousins, but to go out and adopt some kid you don’t know, that was

cover story

simply unheard of.” A Third Division District Court judge in Little Rock, Leverett’s immediate family now includes his wife of 17 years, Kim, along with their daughters Kennedy, 16, and Reagan, 14. Their son Wesley, 12, was adopted by the couple in 2009. For his part, Leverett recalls being blissfully clueless about his adoption until a spiteful cousin clued him in, igniting the nearly inescapable chain reaction of questions that haunt most adopted children: “Why was I given up?” “Didn’t my mother want me?” “Where do I come from?” He says that after the cousin’s revelation, his parents confirmed that it was true and vowed that when he was old enough and mature enough, they would help him find his birth mother if he wanted. “My mom told me every child should know his mother,” Leverett recalls. “From a mother’s perspective, that’s one of the most selfless acts I can think of. She had no idea if I would develop an emotional attachment to this woman that might compete with our relationship.”

We literally look like brothers.

t’s at this point where Leverett’s story becomes either unbelievable or ordained (so much, in fact, he is writing a memoir which he is currently shopping around for a publisher), as the 45-year-old says his adoption story really began in 2012, when he found his birth mother alive and well in West Helena, Arkansas. Listening to his story, one can’t help but think, Is this for real?

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cover story

Family

He would get confirmation of his biological mother’s identity over Mother’s Day weekend in 2011 and a year later, over Father’s Day weekend, found his biological father. “My birth mother had two children before me and she was 19 when she had me. My grandparents told her she couldn’t keep the last one because they simply couldn’t afford to,” Leverett shares. “She was sent to a home for unwed mothers here in Little Rock. So on one side of the state there was a woman with too many children and on the other side of the state there was a family that desperately wanted children.” After some phone conversations with his birth mother, Leverett and his family traveled to West Helena to meet the relatives for a reunion that he confides was underwhelming. “When I met her, I just didn’t feel the connection to the image I had conceived in my mind over the years,” he confesses. “We don’t look alike. We don’t have many similarities at all. The connection I thought I would have with my mother, I subsequently have with my [biological] father. He lives right here in Sherwood.” Not only was Leverett living just a few miles from his biological father, he’d met him several times over the years. A fast friendship between the two men was easy because the elder had unknowingly given golf tips to his son and grandson. Today, the two talk almost daily and play golf together once a week. “We literally look like brothers. We walk alike. We sound alike. We stand alike,” Leverett says. “He’s been in the same city ever since I was born and I never knew. Nor did he. He never knew my mother was pregnant. He deployed to Vietnam without a clue,” Leverett says. “When he and I first talked on the phone we were like two old friends.” Leverett is equally grateful for a strong relationship with his older sister—they share the same biological mother—who lives in Tennessee. “You would think we grew up together. She’s my buddy and she knows I’ll do whatever for her and

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I know she’ll do the same. I also have a great connection with my niece, her daughter, who lives here.” Leverett says it was always in the back of his mind to give a child the same opportunity he had. When The CALL visited his church with its heart gallery, featuring photos of children looking for “forever homes”, he says that he knew Wesley would become his son. “It was almost like his photo was speaking to me,” Leverett recalls of that Sunday. “And then I had people come up and say ‘We saw your son’s picture in the lobby.’ It was the work of the Holy Spirit.”

This is where you’re going to grow up.

urner says that she chose adoption because, while she isn’t married, she had the resources to “change a child’s life” and more importantly, she had the love. She said her plan is to adopt again in Arkansas (it’s easier because it is her home of record), but she wants to do that before she turns 45. “In Arkansas, there’s a rule that you can’t be more than 45 years older than the child you’re adopting,” she says, adding that she hopes to adopt another infant. “After the age of 3, it’s so much more difficult,” Turner explains. “I have friends who adopted older children and some of them took off work to spend as much time as possible with their kids working on building that bond.” And as Turner

knows, even with the best intentions, the bond can be tested. Elizabeth started asking to meet her birth mother at age 5, and has built a romanticized image of woman who gave birth to her. In heated moments, she can lash out at the only mother she’s ever known. “You have to learn not to take it personally when they say things like ‘My birth mother would let me have chocolate cake for breakfast.’ We work on expressing things respectfully,” Turner says. “I tell her we’re not allowed to say things to hurt feelings on purpose, just because you can’t have extra time on the [Nintendo] DS. I make sure I never say anything negative about her birth mother. And it’s been difficult for her to understand that her birth mother chose a closed adoption. That means no contact until Elizabeth turns 18, but I told her I would help her find her birth mother when the time comes.” Unlike Elizabeth, Leverett’s son knows his biological parents. They were never married and he lived in a home where he and his six siblings each had different fathers. Due to neglect, the children were removed from the home and placed in foster care. “It’s fairly complicated and quite different from my situation,” Leverett says. “Until he’s mature enough, we shield him from that portion of his life.” While Wesley and Elizabeth have very different experiences, they have striking similarities in behavior at times. Turner used the word “pensive” to describe moments her daughter has when she’s not very talkative. Leverett observes that his son is “not very expressive” and “distrustful” at times. Turner and Leverett both say that they work constantly to make sure their children know that they are indeed in a “forever family.” Before he became a Leverett, Wesley had experienced the sting of disappointment that comes with a family deciding at the last minute not to adopt him.

Family

“It was more of a test reassuring Wesley that this was his last stop. This is where you’re going to grow up,” Leverett says. “I know he must be thinking ‘Yeah, I’ve heard this before.’” Turner also has to reassure her daughter that though she was given up once, they are together forever. “In her mind, because it’s happened once, she believes it will happen again. I could stand on the top of the house and shout it out and she still won’t believe me.” Each parent admits that adoption comes with challenges, but they say the rewards are far greater. “The reason I’m writing my book is to encourage people considering adoption; to encourage them to take a chance on a kid,” says Leverett. “I want to encourage those who are considering abortion, which would’ve been a very easy out for my [birth] mother, to consider adoption. And I want to give those in foster care hope that they can get out—just like I did.”

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FAST FACTS The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that about 14 percent of all children in this country are Black. However, Black children account for about 23 percent of all children adopted annually. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry puts that number at about 120,000 children per year. Adoption USA, The Department of Health and Human Services report, also found that children adopted from foster care are most likely to be Black (35 percent) and those adopted internationally least likely to be Black (3 percent). Children adopted privately from the United States are most likely to be white (50 percent) and those adopted internationally are least likely to be white (19 percent). The majority of children adopted internationally are Asian (59 percent).

WELCOMING THE WORLD. Since opening its doors in 2004, the William J. Clinton Presidential Center has welcomed more than three million visitors from around the world. The Clinton Center is a world-class educational and cultural venue offering a variety of special events, exhibitions, educational programs and lectures throughout the year.

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playing with Power

In Pursuit Of Significance:

Dr. Charlotte Rainey Green by Adena J. White

“My parents’ expectation was for us to be significant in whatever we decided to do.”

f you were to ask Charlotte Rainey Green what she wanted to be when she grew up, she would have given you one of two answers: a teacher or a journalist. While she ultimately chose to become a teacher, she has not been limited by the four-walls of the classroom. In fact, Green has written two books, established a nonprofit, co-founded a consulting company and will soon host a television show—all centered around her passion for education. These are achievements that she believes came about as a result of “walking in God’s purpose” and pursing a life of significance – ideals her parents, Carl and Icy Rainey, instilled in her and her 14 siblings. “My parents’ expectation was for us to be significant in whatever we decided to do. They did not push success; they pushed significance,” she said. “They encouraged all 15 of us to try to make significant contributions to our community

and go for the purpose for which God has called us, whether that was attending college, joining the military, entering the ministry, or specializing in a trade. Success is a fringe benefit of living a God-purposed life and focusing on being significant.” Green grew up in Cleveland, Arkansas, a small community located in north Conway County. Her decision to pursue teaching led her to the University of Central Arkansas. “I decided to attend UCA because of its history and reputation of being a good training college for teachers,” she said. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in elementary and special education, she continued her learning with a master’s degree in gifted curriculum and completed her education with a doctorate in education leadership.

Educator, Author, TV Host, Entrepreneur A resident of Conway, Green has worked for the Conway Public Schools for 17 years, starting her career as an elementary school teacher, later seguing into a gifted specialist and, eventually, an elementary-level principal. Now an administrator for the district, she supervises Gifted and Talented and Advanced Placement programs, working to ensure that high-performing kindergarten through 12th grade students are challenged academically. “Because GT students are above grade-level, teachers may not focus on them as much,” she said. “As educators, we need to focus attention on kids who need an additional challenge; kids at grade-level or above are not often pushed.” The district’s motto is “Every Child. Every Day. Whatever It Takes.” “When we say ‘Every Child,’ we refer to all students – children who are not www.powerplaymag.com

playing with Power reading at grade level and children who are reading above grade level,” Green said. “It is our job to challenge every student to go beyond what they thought they could.” Green’s zeal for education extends beyond her full-time administrator position. She is the founder and executive director of Arkansas Preschool Plus, a nonprofit that collaborates with parents, educators, and the business community to provide curriculum to private early childhood centers. Its purpose is to ensure that all of Conway’s preschool-aged children – those from birth to age 5 – benefit from appropriate learning and child development strategies. “Research shows that 85 percent of brain development occurs by age 5, so a child’s opportunities in those early years set the stage for all future learning and success,” she said. Arkansas Preschool Plus strengthens preschool education in the community by supporting private preschool owners, early childhood staff, and parents of preschool children. “Unlike state and federally funded childhood centers, private centers do not have the resources and professional development opportunities as those that get additional funding. Our mission is to provide these tools free of cost to those centers so the children they serve can have access to quality materials.” The nonprofit promotes kindergarten readiness in a number of ways, the most substantial being its affiliation with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Through this partnership, children in Conway can have age-appropriate books mailed to their home every month from the time they are born to age six. Green said there is a waiting list for the Imagination Library program. “No parent wants their child to start kindergarten ill-equipped. Our ultimate goal for the home-support system is to send a book home with every child born in a Conway hospital and continue to mail books to that child every month until he or she starts school.” Green truly believes that education is a “great 40

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equalizer,” so much so that she has authored two books on parenting styles and their relationship to education, Because I Said So: A Discussion on Parenting Styles and Achievement Gaps and Parent Bailout: The Bailout that is Really Crippling America. This fall, the educator will take her expertise to the small-screen as host of her own television program, Arkansas Voices for Education, that will air locally in Conway on Channel 5 and statewide on the Arkansas Educational Television Network (AETN). “I’ll be able to pursue that dream of being a newscaster after all,” she laughed. The show will feature guests who will discuss education-related topics affecting the community. The guests will represent six voices: parents, teachers, administrators, students, community, and policymakers. “The goal is to capture these different voices and points of view regarding topics important to our community. It’s an opportunity to engage people in conversation so they can be empowered to make significant contributions. Education affects everybody.” Besides her upcoming TV gig, Green’s other endeavor includes running a consulting practice that she co-founded with her brother, Dr. Ron Rainey. Strategic, Inc. was established in 2012 to offer consulting services in education and leadership. “We’re just getting off the ground and recently landed a contract with a major corporation. It worked out well, and we have gotten other interest. I don’t know what God’s going to do with it, but I trust whatever He has planned.”

“Once opportunities come along, never discount them, but realize not every opportunity that crosses your doorstep is for you,” she advised, adding caution to remember that “success is not the reward. The reward is being significant and making contributions that will help other people.” Charlotte Rainey Green’s pursuit of a life of significance has certainly proved fruitful. In the end, the single mother of two sons, Caleb and David, gives all credit to her upbringing. “I was blessed with phenomenal parents. The things I do speak directly to the lives they lived. I want to continue that legacy so my children will be able to say the same thing about me.”

“Success is a fringe benefit

Success = Opportunity + Preparation

of living a God-

As an advocate for lifelong learning, Dr. Green stresses the importance of educating oneself. “Part of educating yourself is engaging in strategic relationships with people you can learn from. Once you do that, the opportunity will come – you just have to look for it. Success equals opportunity plus preparation, and preparation is education.

purposed life and focusing on being significant.”

Seen On The Scene

Power Moves

The Arkansas Black Hall of Fame held its annual induction gala ceremony on Oct. 18 at the Statehouse Convention Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wally Allen Ballroom in Little Rock. 2014 honorees were Rickey L. Jasper, senior executive with the Central Intelligence Agency; Judge Olly Neal, Civil Rights activist and attorney; Dr. Vertie Carter, EEO trailblazer; Colette Honorable, Arkansas Public Service Commission chairman and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission nominee; Bobby Rush, Grammynominated Blues artist; and U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves (posthumously). Photography by Roger Robinson / QVS Photography

Carmen and Rodney Parks

Chairman Charles Stewart and Michelle R Smith

Inductee Colette Honorable escorted by William Honorable

Legendary singer and inductee Bobby Rush

Phillis and Cory Anderson

Coleen Dodson Jeter (Atlanta, Ga.) and her family

Karen Buchanan and her husband, inductee Judge Olly Neal

Mark and Kim Leverett

Tamika and Quincy Edwards

Gary Godley and Myron Jackson

Lester and Joy Matlock

Supha Mays, Colette Honorable and Richard Mays

Virgil Miller and Stephanie Taylor

Yana-Janell Scott www.powerplaymag.com

Power Moves

Seen On The Scene

Little Rock Chamber of Commerce Celebrates 32nd Annual Minority Enterprise Development September 13 – 22, 2014 The Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce held its 32nd Annual Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week, September 13th – 22nd, with a series of events designed to highlight and grow minority businesses in the Little Rock region. A Business Opportunity Brunch kicked off the week, with a panel discussion featuring Myron Jackson, CEO of The Design Group; PowerPlay Magazine’s Candace L. Randle, in her role as Director of Corporate Communications & Public Affairs for The RLJ Companies; and former Chamber Board Chairman Sherman Tate, CEO of Tate and Associates. The panel was moderated by Christina Munoz-Madsen, Associate V.P. of Communications, Public Relations and Marketing at UCA. MED Week culminated with the Annual Regional Minority Business Awards Luncheon presented and hosted by Philander Smith College featuring nationally-known actress, comedienne and owner of Private Stock Studio LLC, Phyllis Yvonne Stickney.

Patricia Nunn Brown and Candace L. Randle

The Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce has been a partner in the area’s MED Week since its inception in 1983. In 1990, the Chamber assumed responsibility for all local programming.

Carmen Parks, Candace L. Randle, Sericia Cole, Traci Otey Blunt (Washington, DC.), and Celia Anderson

Christina Munoz-Madsen 42

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Myron Jackson

Seen On The Scene

Power Moves

The Mosaic Templars Cultural Center celebrated the opening of its newest exhibit, “Freedom! Oh, Freedom! Arkansas’s People of African Descent and the Civil War: 1861-1866”on Nov. 14 with a VIP reception and public program featuring remarks by guest curator Ronnie Nichols of Potomac, Maryland. Photos by Roger Robinson/QVS Photography

MTCC staff members Amber Bryant and Cordell Anderson

Muskie Harris and Sericia Cole

The Philander Smith Collegiate Choir

Artists Aj Smith and Marjorie Williams-Smith

Danny Campbell

Gisele Hudson, her mother Rose Marie Cooke and daughter Imani Hudson

George Frederick Nash (Dallas, Texas)

Guest Curator Ronnie Nichols (Potomac, Md.)

Dr. Sandra Nichols (Potomac, Md.) and Yana-Janell Scott

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expats

Where Are They Now

Bear-ish: Skylar, Kenetria, Jace, Christopher and Jaxon (l-r) enjoy family time.

Photos courtesy of Kenetria Harris

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Where Are They Now

expats

A Day in the life of the Harris Family, PowerPlay Magazine spends a moment with power couple Christopher and Kenetria Harris.

eside every great man is an equally great woman, which rings especially true when describing Little Rock homegrowns and now husband and wife, Christopher and Kenetria Harris. While he is an assistant coach with the National Football League’s Chicago Bears, and they are proud parents to daughter Skylar and sons Jace and Jaxon, together they prove to be the ultimate duo as they’ve mastered the art of balancing family and football. Now residents of Gurnee, Illinois, a suburb north of Chicago, the Harris family is enjoying life and prepping for pre-season in the Windy City. By Chemia Woods MENTORS “We both look up to our parents. Both of us are twins, so kudos to anyone who can raise two babies that are the same age at the same time,” said Kenetria. Both she and Christopher credit their parents for setting strong

foundations and ideals for what it means to make your family a top priority and always maintain unity as a family, to which she adds is something she and her husband “stress to our children often.” A FAMILY THAT PRAYS Our parents taught us the importance of prayer and praying over our family daily which is what keeps us sane on even the craziest of days. BALANCING ACT Christopher and I always remember to put our family first and no matter what. You only get one family so you must cherish them. Secondly, we don’t bring the stresses of our jobs and careers home. When you have a limited amount of time to spend with your family, you want to make each moment count. And lastly, we work to set aside a family day, where we all do some sort of fun activities together as a family. It’s important to always make time for your family!

Neighborhood:

HIS Twin Lakes

High Schools:

J.A. Fair

Little Rock Central

Colleges:

University of Louisiana Monroe, LA

Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN

HERS Shackleford in West Little Rock

Hard to find just one word for this pair: Nonchalant and easy going Nurturing and selfless

ar ti sti c i nte l l e c tual

Title: Young Buck Caesar AKA Bilah Medium: Digital Mix Media Size: 24â&#x20AC;&#x2122; x 49.5â&#x20AC;&#x2122; 2014

New artwork collection by George Frederick Nash that is inspired by the strength and endurance of African American slaves.

georgefredericknash.blogspot.com gfnstudio@gmail.com gfnstudio gfnartist

Parting shot

Photo credit: Ralph Armstrong Collection, Mosaic Templars Cultural Center

PROUD FAMILY â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is the family that gives us a deep private sense of belonging. Here we first begin to have our self defined for us.â&#x20AC;? - Dr. Howard Thurman