WE ARE MOREHOUSE A Monthly Newsletter from the Morehouse College Young Alumni Engagement Program
Silicon Valley Difference Maker Elliott Robinson ’06 is changing the world one company at a time as a Partner at Microsoft Ventures
January 2018
Today's recurring gift to the Annual Fund sustains Morehouse's future for Leroux ’39 GIVE TODAY BY CLICKING HERE INTERESTED IN BEGINNING YOUR CHARITABLE LEGACY AT MOREHOUSE? Contact the Office of Institutional Advancement today. PHONE: (470) 639-0545
WE ARE MOREHOUSE JANUARY 2018
4 Making a difference in Silicon Valley
Meet Elliott Robinson ’06, an inspired venture capitalist, changing the world one opportunity at a time as a partner at Microsoft Ventures
16 Very. Smart. Brother.
Meet Dwayne Wright ’01/ Panama Jackson, one of the creative voices behind the wildly successful verysmartbrothas.com, one of the most respected commentaries on relationships and culture today.
ON THE COVER Elliott Robinson ’06, Bay Area based Partner at Microsoft Ventures is also a Kauffman Fellow, and serves on the boards of companies such as Trusona, Livongo and Layer.
INSIDE Duke Bradley ’98, principal of Atlanta area Banneker High School poses with some of his students. Check out a story on page 24, to learn about Banneker's transformation under his leadership.
DEPARTMENTS 3 FROM THE EDITOR 4 COVER STORY 6 ATHLETICS 8 VOWS 10 BUSINESS 14 CLERGY 16 CREATORS 20 EDUCATORS 24 WAYFARER 26 HEALTH & SCIENCE 27 LAW 28 PUBLIC SERVICE 29 ARRIVALS 31 FARE THEE WELL 34 "AND IN ALL THINGS THAT WE DO"
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FROM THE EDITOR >
I
t should be noted that with a new year, comes change. And at Morehouse, the new year brought with it, the college's twelfth president in Dr. David Thomas.
I've had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Thomas speak on a few occasions in the first month of his presidency, and the things that strikes me most about him are his presence, and the fact that he's been trying to get to Morehouse for his entire life. While walking around campus recently, I had an epiphany while thinking about that statement. I feel that far too often, we as Morehouse Men, take our experiences, our memories, the stories, the friendships and the brotherhood itself for granted. Hearing Dr. Thomas, this erudite, accomplished and brilliant man state that at 61 years old, he'd 'finally made it to Morehouse' is a reminder that our alma mater, is a beautiful and unique dream for so many people throughout the world. This month's issue is full of stories of Morehouse Men who are making a profound and lasting effect in their respective fields and careers, however the common thread among all of them, is the pride that they have in their Morehouse experience. That pride in ownership, should lend credence to the notion that we should do all that we can to protect our alma mater, and to support it so that generations of young men in the future can experience this beautiful idea that is Morehouse College. I hope you enjoy reading this month's stories. Please share, and email me story ideas or alums to feature in future months (joseph.carlos@morehouse.edu). True Forever, Joe Joe Carlos ’04 Program Manager Young Alumni Engagement Program http://www.wearemorehouse.com
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WE ARE MOREHOUSE > Visionary
Meet Elliott Robinson ’06, a Bay Area based venture capitalist committed to helping others Silicon Valley VC, Elliott Robinson ’06 is a partner at Microsoft Ventures. Elliott has over ten years of international experience investing in and partnering with world class entrepreneurs and the technology companies that they lead. He has seven years of experience focused on Seed and Series A investments followed by three years focused on series B and C opportunities. Elliott is currently investing across the spectrum, having executed deals with check sizes ranging from $2M to $35M. Like his father did at Vanderbilt, Elliott earned a degree in Mathematics from Morehouse. "Like my father, I earned my B.S. in Mathematics while at Morehouse with the original plan of starting my own software company. After a summer internship at Syncom Venture Partners, I realized that I could potentially make a larger impact by investing in and working with technology entrepreneurs like my father, who were disproportionately underserved. The future of work, not just in America, but globally is being defined by emerging technologies that are disrupting every industry you can think of. It’s imperative that Morehouse College play a leading role in representing the new wave of technology founders and CEOs." Elliott had a wonderful Morehouse experience as a student, starting with his time in the Summer Science Program in 2002. And when asked about how instrumental Morehouse Men have been in his career trajectory, he noted, "It’s impossible to measure the true impact that the Morehouse Alumni network has had on my career trajectory. During my first year as a twenty-two year old analyst, I had one of the most formative conversations of my life with Willie Woods. At the time, he was serving as the chairman of the NAIC (National Association of Investment Companies), which is the trade association that represents
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diverse owned investment management firms like ICV Partners." Elliott went on to say, "Our conversation was about how important it was that the Morehouse Men who were in the private equity and venture capital industry support each other and serve as a shining example in order to increase our presence in the industry. Following that conversation, Willie connected me with the rest of the Morehouse College private equity alumni network. They have provided me with endless support and opportunity since that day and I’ve been paying it forward ever since." From the outside, conventional wisdom could dictate that the Morehouse experience doesn't prepare one for the world of venture capital investing, but Elliott disagrees. "Morehouse College prepared me for a career in venture capital because more than any undergraduate institution could have done, I was taught how to think differently. Our alma mater’s DNA is rooted in developing trailblazers and mold breakers, not followers. In an industry where 99% of the venture capital investment partners do not look like me, I’m able to analyze new investments and advise CEOs on how to solve problems faster by providing them with a completely unique perspective that only a Morehouse alum can provide." Elliott says the most rewarding thing about his career centers around what he can do to enhance the Morehouse brand. "The most rewarding thing about my career is the growing number of technology CEOs who can say they’ve had a Morehouse Man serve on their board of directors and help them grow into industry leading companies. I currently serve on the boards of Cerebri Artificial Intelligence, Layer, Trusona, and Livongo Health. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of venture capital backed CEOs have never worked with a African-American investor or had one on their board." He also mentioned, "I often get asked questions about Morehouse College during board meetings from
investors that represent the typical colleges and universities that hire graduates into their venture capital firms. What I often tell them is that if you aren’t recruiting at Morehouse, then you will likely miss out on the next big thing. The best feeling is when I see them at the next board meeting and they start asking me about prominent alumni, making it abundantly clear that they’ve been to the website and done some research. I’ve been a part of two IPOs and four acquisitions at this point in my career and it pleases me to no end that a Morehouse Man has been an integral part of each one of those outcomes." Elliott is a proud supporter of his alma mater, and notes that the ROI and daily benefit that he receives from his Morehouse experience, can't be measured. "As a venture capitalist, all of my investment decisions are made with an expected return on investment in mind. When I think about all that Morehouse College has done, I’m not sure that I’ll ever be able to deliver the same ROI to the institution that its
given to me. The reason that I give is because there is not a day that goes by where I don’t benefit from being a Morehouse Man." Inspired by his father, Elliott spends a considerable amount of his time paying it forward. "I spend a large portion of my free time advising Morehouse College technology founders. Everything from discussing product development and pitch deck advice to making introductions to investors who may be best suited to evaluate their business opportunity. I’ve also put a lot of effort into mentoring current students who are interested in pursuing a career in technology. I would really like to see more Morehouse Men and Men of Morehouse make their way into technology companies. Even for those who may want to start their own tech company, spending a few years working at companies like Microsoft, Google, or Amazon for example, will provide you with a perspective and skill set that will benefit you as you embark on founding your own company, just as my father did." Elliott is well on his way.
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WE ARE MOREHOUSE > Athletics
Derek Howard ’04 overcomes adversity, guides Wilson to city title Written by Scott Chancey, Hartsville Messenger
FLORENCE, S.C. — When Derek Howard was hired as Wilson’s football coach less than a month before the season, the odds of success were not in his favor. It was his first year as a head coach after more than a decade of being an assistant. On top of that, Howard had less than a month to prepare his Tigers (3-8 last year) for their first game after Wilson’s previous coach, Thomas Balkcom, was put on paid administrative leave and eventually resigned.
but I felt like everything just fell into place,” said Howard, whose team finished the season 6-5. “And when the kids are receptive and people are welcoming to you, it just never felt like it was difficult. I worked for some good coaches that set really good examples. I had a plan in my mind for several years, so I guess just being able to come in and not have any obstacles like people not letting me do what I wanted to do was important.” Howard now knows that plan works.
For a team that returned a considerable amount of seniors, it still needed someone to bring all of the elements together.
“The support at Wilson is there, and it’s exciting because that lets me know we’re on the right track and we can continue to get better,” Howard said.
Leave that to the chemistry teacher in Howard, who is the Morning News Football Coach of the Year after guiding the Tigers not only to a winning record and playoff berth but the program’s first city championship since 2009. “I know everybody makes it seem like it was so hard,
Even other coaches noticed, as Marlboro County coach Dean Boyd (more than 200 wins) and Dillon coach Jackie Hayes (more than 300) commended Howard on the team’s progress.
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“They have all this tradition, and the first thing they’d
WE ARE MOREHOUSE > Athletics do was shake my hand after the game and say, ‘You’re doing a great job with this team,’” Howard said.
From there, Howard fine-tuned his plan for becoming a coach one day.
Wilson lost at eventual state champion Dillon but defeated Marlboro County on the Bulldogs’ homecoming night.
“Being in those places allowed me to see what worked and what didn’t and what fit my coaching style and what things I needed to improve on,” Howard said. “I worked with some guys that gave me a great deal of responsibility. My responsibilities just changed each time and got greater and greater.
During Howard’s climb to be Wilson’s coach, he had been an assistant at Lower Richland, Fairfield Central, Keenan and his alma mater, Ridge View. “Every program, I went places that I purposely picked because they weren’t an easy fix,” said Howard, whose team also defeated Darlington to keep the Virgil Wells trophy for the second consecutive year. “They weren’t teams that were traditional winners. They weren’t teams that had all the resources. They weren’t where you could depend on your best players getting you out of being in difficult situations. You had to coach. You had to learn Xs and Os and learn how to deal with kids, motivate kids and deal with parents and the community and things like that.”
“I have seen the ups and downs of what it is like to make something out of nothing and even how to work when you have everything.” But football is not Howard’s lone goal at Wilson. “I wanted to change the perception about what people might think about Wilson football, because the perception of these kids and who they really are, it cannot be any different,” Howard said. “These kids are respectful. They’re not afraid to work, and it’s really a great group, and it’s across the board and the entire community.”
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SUPPORT OUR UNDEFEATED & NATIONALLY RANKED MAROON TIGERS We Are Morehouse Monthly|Page 7
WE ARE MOREHOUSE > Vows
Benny Walk ’02 married Erin Harper on December 22, 2017 at the Rheingast Brewery in Cincinnati, OH. Several Morehouse Men were among the well-wishers in attendance: Justin Bridgeman ’02, Tony Brown '02, Christopher Elders ’02, Desmond Hollingsworth ’05, Andre Holmes ’02, Roger Humphrey ’03, Brandon Johnson ’02, Ian Labitue ’02,
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Chealon Miller ’02, George Peters ’04, Joshua Raiford ’03, Paul Rue ’03, Chris Swinney ’05, Lance Templeton ’02, Karon Wallace ’02, Larry Yarrell ’04. Benny is the Founder/Advocate for Hire of Incorporated Protections. After Morehouse, he attended the London School of Economics, and earned a J.D. from New York University School of Law.
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WE ARE MOREHOUSE > Business
Meet innovative fifth generation farmer, Carlton Bridgegorth ’09 From ModernFarmer.com “I worked really hard to get a respectable paying job,” says Carlton Bridgeforth of his former career at Deutsche Bank. So why leave Wall Street for the family farm in Alabama? The 32-year-old insists that sentiment had little to do with it: “I saw a business opportunity here.” His equally successful brother Kyle, 28, then a D.C. lobbyist, did, too. Upon returning home in 2009, these prodigal sons expanded the existing crops—wheat, corn, cotton, and canola—to include sorghum, a gluten-free grain that’s popular in China and gaining steam in the United States. “All our decisions are market-based,” Carlton explains. “If we project that we can receive the price we want, we’ll put something in the ground.” The duo also brought modern technology to bear on the farm’s 10,000 acres. Like his father before him, Carlton holds a leadership
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position with the National Black Growers Council: “We reach out to black communities and talk about opportunities for young people. Black farmers are a dying breed. There aren’t many of us left.” Still, he remains hopeful. “You have to be an optimist when your life is about planting seeds and praying for rain.” Carlton is also the founder and president of Bridgeforth Internationa, which works to provide high quality products which are locally grown by experienced farmers. At Bridgeforth International Corporation, we facilitate business between Bridgeforth Farms, the National Black Growers Council (NBGC) and over seas buyers while maintaining a key focus on promoting agribusiness education and awareness.
WE ARE MOREHOUSE > Business
Greg Davis ’08 and Davis Broadcasting, Inc. bring Smooth Jazz station back to Atlanta Greg Davis Jr. ’08, recently appointed Vice President & Market Manager of Atlanta for Davis Broadcasting, Inc., is responsible for leading DBI's newest acquisition of WJZA AM/FM Smooth Jazz 101.1 FM and 1310 AM. "We are excited to add this station to our Atlanta portfolio that currently includes Hispanic Formatted radio stations, La Raza 102.3FM/100.1FM and La Mega 96.5FM/1290AM." Davis said. After Morehouse, Greg earned an M.B.A. from The University of Georgia Terry College of Business. He's responsible for local and national sales efforts as well as strategic marketing initiatives for Davis Broadcasting Inc.. Greg has been selected as one of Columbus and the Valley's 40 under 40 and Atlanta Business Chronicle's 30 under 30. Davis Broadcasting Inc. Operates 5 stations in Atlanta and 6 stations in Columbus, GA.
Next month, we're proud to present a new column
Strategies with Johnathan Hill ’17
LinkedIn Business Leadership Program Sales Associate
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WE ARE MOREHOUSE > Business
Tax Tips from C.P.A. Malaki Sims ’00 to help you save time and money When Do You Want to Pay?
In most cases a tax refund equates to the government giving you back money that you paid in advance in the previous year. At the end of the day, what you owe is what you owe, no matter when you pay it. Decide if you want to have extra money withheld to get a bigger refund, or more money available throughout the year. Complete Form W-4 (https://www.irs.gov/ pub/irs-pdf/fw4.pdf), Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate, with your employer to adjust the amount they withhold from you.
File Timely or Get an Extension
File your taxes on time to avoid any penalties or interest charges. If you aren't ready to file your taxes by the deadline, the government will grant you a six month extension before you are charged a late-filing penalty (normally 0.5% per month). However, remember that this extension is an extension of time to file, not time to pay. If you owe money and don't pay it then you will be charged interest (the federal short term rate plus 3%).
Don't Chase Tax Deductions
Don't spend money for the sole purpose of receiving a tax deduction since you won't receive a dollar for dollar reduction in tax. Tax deductions lower your taxable income, not tax owed, and they are equal to the percentage of your marginal tax bracket. For example, if you are in a 20% tax bracket and give $10,000 to your church, your taxes are lowered by $2,000, not $10,000. If your reason for giving was only to reduce tax then it doesn't make sense to spend $8,000 to save $2,000. Look for deductions on things you would spend money on anyway, such as giving to Morehouse or retirement savings.
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WE ARE MOREHOUSE > Business
Review Tax Credits
These are a dollar for dollar reduction in tax. Some of the most popular ones are the: Earned Income Credit, which helps workers with low or moderate incomes (https://www.efile.com/ tax-credit/earned-income-credit/) Savers Tax Credit, which helps with retirement saving (https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/tax-deductions-and-credits/what-is-the-savers-credit/L3LyopRkK) Child and Dependent Care Credit, which helps with daycare and after school care costs (https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/family/deducting-summercamps-and-daycare-with-the-child-and-dependentcare-credit/L8aAzvmjB) The American Opportunity Tax Credit, which helps with college costs (https://turbotax.intuit.com/ tax-tips/college-and-education/what-is-the-american-opportunity-tax-credit/L1Mzj4ybX)
Take Advantage of Retirement Deductions
If your employer offers a 401K plan be sure to contribute to it, at least up to the percent that your employer will match. The employer match is a 100% return on whatever you contribute. You are leaving money on the table if you don't take advantage of it. You can also take deductions for IRA contributions (traditional or Roth).
Use Losses to Your Benefit
If you have an investment that has been losing money consider selling it to offset those losses against gains from other investments that are doing well. This is called "loss harvesting", and you can offset those gains on investment income dollar for dollar. If your losses exceed your gains by $3,000 then you can use that amount to offset other income. Losses in excess
of $3,000 can be carried forward to future tax years.
Invest In A Tax Professional
Enough said. Let the pro's do what they do. Accountant Malaki Sims ’00 lives with his wife and two sons in his hometown of Houston, TX. Malaki earned a degree with a concentration in Accounting in 2000, and after Morehouse, he attended The University of Texas Red McCombs School of Business where he earned an MPA in Accounting. After starting his career as an auditor at Arthur Andersen, Malaki was a Senior Auditor at Ernst & Young as well as McConnell, Jones, Lanier and Murphy. He was a Corporate Accounting Manager at PM Realty Group and an Associate Vice President at Merrill Lynch. A proud Houstonian, Malaki served as president of the Houston chapter of the Morehouse College National Alumni Association, and was responsible for the establishment of several fundraising and engagement events that the chapter still employs today.
TAX DAY: TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2018 • When Do You Want to Pay? • File Timely or Get an Extension • Don't Chase Tax Deductions • Review Tax Credits • Take Advantage of Retirement • Deductions • Use Losses to Your Benefit • Invest In A Tax Professional We Are Morehouse Monthly|Page 13
WE ARE MOREHOUSE > Clergy
Spotlight: Rev. Taft Q. Heatley, M. Div. ’98 Rev. Taft Quincey Heatley ’98 is the twelfth senior pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church, Alexandria, VA. Taft is a native of Hartsville, South Carolina, the second child of Dr. Alvin Taft and Dorothy Heatley. He was raised in the Mt. Calvary A.M.E. Church in Hartsville, where his father serves as chairman of the Trustee Board and his mother serves as the Church Musician/Senior Choir Director. Reverend Heatley accepted the call to ministry in 2000. On July 6, 2003, Reverend Heatley was licensed to preach the Gospel under the leadership of Reverend Anthony L. Trufant at the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York. Upon completing his work towards his Master’s degree, Reverend Heatley was ordained by Reverend Anthony L. Trufant at Emmanuel Baptist Church on June 16, 2007. For seven years while at Emmanuel, Reverend Heatley gave leadership to the Young Adult Ministry and Frontliners Men’s Ministry. As an Associate Minister, Reverend Heatley served as a teacher in the Discipleship Development Institute. Reverend Heatley recently served as the Executive Pastor of the Ray of Hope Christian Church in Decatur, Georgia, under the leadership of the Reverend Dr. Cynthia L. Hale, Senior Pastor. As Executive Pastor, Reverend Heatley oversaw all of the ministries at the Ray of Hope which totaled more than 50 and managed a staff of 12. Recently, in April 2014, Reverend Heatley released his first book, God Is the Goal: The Chase for Intimacy with God. In March 2015, Reverend Heatley served as “Chaplain of the Day,” at the Georgia House of Representatives and on March 16, 2015, Reverend Heatley was the guest preacher on the Yolanda Adams Morning Show for their "Meditation Monday" segment. Reverend Heatley was educated in the Darlington
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County School District, graduating from Hartsville High School in Hartsville. After graduating from Hartsville High School, Reverend Heatley attended Morehouse College, in Atlanta, Georgia, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics with a Minor in Physics in May of 1998. In May 2007, Reverend Heatley completed his Masters of Divinity Degree at the Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, New Jersey. At Princeton, Reverend Heatley was recognized for both homiletical and scholastic excellence, receiving the Jagow Prize for preaching; the John T. Galloway Prize in Expository Preaching as well as the Elder Garnett Hawkins Award for Scholastic Excellence. On December 28, 2012, Reverend Heatley married his gift from God in the person of Krystal Heatley from Pensacola, FL. They have two children, William Quincey Heatley and Quinn Kelsey Heatley. To learn more, please visit http://www.shiloh-bc.org.
WE ARE MOREHOUSE > Clergy
Rev. Stephen G. Brown, M.T.S. ’91 Senior Pastor, Greater Bethlehem Baptist Church Our Vision: The Greater Way: Loving, Learning, Living! This is the process by which we make disciples of Christ. Loving (Sundays at 10am ONLY) We have Sunday worship experiences that allow visitors and members to have meaningful encounters with the Lord. Learning (Wednesdays at 7pm) We have mid-week gatherings that facilitate learning through interactive bible-study and Life-Groups. Living (Monthly Outreaches) We live our faith through serving both inside and outside of our church. SERVICE TIMES: SUNDAYS 10:00 AM 7031 Forney Rd. Dallast, TX 75227 http://www.greaterdallas.org
Rev. Joshua T. Scott ’04 Senior Pastor, Humble Praise Center "Humble Praise Center is a non-denominational Christian Worship Center. Our mission is to share the uncompromising Gospel of Jesus Christ and demonstrate God’s Love through our dedicated service to our family, community, and church." The mission of Humble Praise Center is to share the uncompromising Gospel of Jesus Christ and exemplify Love through service to our Family, Community and Church. We serve our community through philanthropic endeavors such as food and clothing drives to help the less fortunate, school supply drives, workshops, and community festivities to build our families. SERVICE TIMES: SUNDAYS AT 11:30AM Bible Study Bistro - Tuesdays at 7:30PM 2325 Atascocita Road Suite B Humble, TX 77396
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WE ARE MOREHOUSE > Creators
Very Smart Brother: Dwayne Wright ’01's brilliant commentary sets the new standard Dwayne Wright ’01, also known as Panama Jackson, has a wildly successful website, verysmartbrothas. com, which provides sparkling social commentary on a daily basis. Many of us read his opinions on topics ranging from fatherhood, to career to relationships to sports and beyond, and his writing leads us on a roller coaster of emotions ranging from catharsis to in many cases a far deeper understanding of life itself. Panama Jackson is a proud alum of William Jefferson White Hall's Room 126, and charts his love of writing back to his senior year at Morehouse. "I developed a love for writing during my senior year at Morehouse College. Like many of our mid-to-late 90’s contemporaries, I started with poetry and that turned into a love of using words in any format, even if everything I wrote at the time was for my eyes only. In 2003, I came across the blog of fellow Morehouse alum, Calvin Smith ’01, a long-time friend who I’d been in a Morehouse pre-freshman STEM summer program. Because of him and another friend (Liz Burr), I started a blog in 2004." He went on to note " I enjoyed blogging more than I thought, and by 2008, with my now writing-partner, Damon Young, we started the site VerySmartBrothas. com as an outlet to talk about relationship and dating from a black man’s point of view at a time when that became a thing. Over time that morphed into talking about black life and culture at-large." The viral success of the site, led to a book, “Your Degrees Won’t Keep You Warm at Night: The Very Smart Brothas Guide to Dating, Mating and Fighting Crime” led to "high-level publicity, including features in the Washington Post, Ebony, and Essence (to name a few) and television and radio appearances." The success of the site and the book led Panama to a realization of a new career path, "It was then that
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I realized I might be able to really do something with writing. I still had a full-time job as a budget analyst for the federal government in Washington, D.C., but I was able to leave that job and write full-time as a Senior Editor for TheRoot.com and for VSB this past summer." Panama credits Morehouse Men for being pivotal in his career trajectory. "As we’ve grown as men and as human beings, I’ve been able to take those experiences and lessons learned and turn them into miniature time capsules that we’ll be able to reference for life. As a professional editorialist and culture commentator, I wouldn’t be where I am without the perspectives gained during late night hang-out sessions at Morehouse and in various cities across this nation as we’ve grown into adults with responsibilities, removed from Morehouse but with Morehouse being our lifelong bond." Morehouse tends to have a profound effect on one's life, and Panama's is no different. "My Morehouse experience prepared me for my career by introducing me to other men who would ultimately help shape me into the person I am today...that education was invaluable to helping me understand human behavior and the world economy, but without the group of men and the great four years I had at Morehouse, I wouldn’t have formed such nuanced views on the minutiae of life." Panama credited the value in the venerable late night discussions that color the memories of most Morehouse Men "...those hip-hop arguments and black life arguments that we liked to call debates amongst friends turned me into a certified authority on many things in the black community, which allows me to write about them with such candor, humor, and have fun while doing it. But it also gave me lessons about black life that gave me compassion for my fellow man in a way that allows me and others who write with me through VSB to address issues with care."
WE ARE MOREHOUSE > Creators
Panama Jackson ’01 Panama also feels that neighboring Spelman was key in his growth; "The women I’ve had the pleasure to meet and those who I call some of my closest friends have all helped me become a better human and man, by doing the work that black women do best - making the rest of us better by merely existing and checking us when needed be and being supportive even when we don’t deserve it." Panama credits his former Econ professors John Handy and Glen Ross for having the most positive impact on his experience at the college. "Dr. Handy took an interest in me early on and helped give me some direction on what life looked like after Morehouse. He helped me get to the University of Maryland-College Park for graduate school. Dr. Ross’s Urban Economics class is the one that turned me into an economics major and opened me up to the world of public policy and how important legislation, advocacy, and grassroots activism can affect policy." Panama feels that his rewarding career can be attributed to the outcomes and impact of the discussion topics
he writes about; "I get to stir the pot and create discussions that are relevant and timely regarding issues affecting the black community. I think for many people, the ability to have people not only care about but engage with your opinion is as good as it gets and I get to do that on a daily basis." His work has also helped to showcase the work of other Morehouse Men; " I’ve brought in several Morehouse Men to write for VSB, some of whom are now regular contributors and provide some of the most interesting content we have on the site." His advice to current students is, "understand and recognize the power of words and your ability to use them to speak truth to power and to create conversations...the ability to spark thought is freeing." Read Panama's work by visiting, www.verysmartbrothas.com.
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WE ARE MOREHOUSE > Creators
Cameron Kirkland ’10's teams with Bloomingdales to exhibit his photos
NY Daily News columnist Carron Phillips ’06 signs with MAXX
Henry Stewart ’99 named CMO of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Hip Hop's most respected and sought after photographer, Cameron 'Cam Kirk' Kirkland '10 recently teamed up with legendary retailer Bloomingdale's to exhibit his groundbreaking photos of some of the music industry's biggest stars.
NY Daily News Sports, Race & Social Issues columnist Carron Phillips ’06 is now part of the MAXX Sports & Entertainment Team, who also represents him.
Henry Stewart ’99 was named Assistant Executive Director/ Chief Marketing and Communications Officer of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated and editor-in-chief of The Sphinx Magazine, the nation's second oldest continuously published African-American magazine.
On Wednesday, January 24th, Cam Kirk will be at the flagship Bloomingdale's store at E. 59th St. and Lexington Avenue for a special presentation of his work from 6pm8pm with music by DJ Vashtie. Those in attendance will experience images curated by the photographer of some of music's brightest stars with the opportunity to discuss and purchase his selected prints. To follow his work and learn more about purchasing prints, please visit thecamkirk.com or follow him on Instagram at @thecamkirk.
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Featured on HLN and MSNBC, the native of Saginaw, MI is the first African-American to be a member of both the Sports Journalism Institute (2011) and the Associated Press Sports Editors Diversity Fellowship Program (2014-2015). In 2016, he was named Journalist of the Year by the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalist. Carron graduated with honors with an African-American Studies degree and received his Masters in 2011 from the Magazines, Newspapers & Online Journalism program at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse.
In the role, he has oversight and responsibility for establishing, leading and managing marketing, communications, and branding efforts on behalf of the fraternity. He coordinates the strategic creation of marketing and communications strategy and has oversight for all operational and administrative marketing functions. Henry is a Experienced Public Affairs and Strategic Communications and Engagement Strategist
BAKARI SELLERS ’05 LAUNCHES NEW PODCAST “VIEWPOINT” “Bakari has a commanding presence, a national following, and most importantly, a keen interest in the intersection of race, politics and social justice. “ViewPoint" adds to the national conversation by introducing listeners to emerging voices of the day on a number of hot button topics ranging from the future of Democratic politics in the South to the role of #blacklivesmatter in the Age of Trump. “ViewPoint" will be intentional about providing a platform for diverse voices and unusual suspects -- ranging from Paul Finebaum and Johnetta Elzie to Charlamagne the God and Secretary Hillary Clinton -- giving listeners a candid take on the issues of the day without the spin or the talking points.” - Westwood One
Subscribe to the podcast now by visiting:
Google Play iTunes
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WE ARE MOREHOUSE > Educators
"The Story of Turnaround at College Park's Banneker High School Is Nothing Short of Impressive" Veteran educator Duke Bradley, III, Ph.D. ’98 has turned around College Park's Banneker High School with renewed engagement and energy "Just a few years ago, whispers permeated the South Fulton community suggesting College Park’s Benjamin Banneker High School might close its doors. During this time Banneker High School was the proverbial poster child for organizational dysfunction and academic failure—low test scores, a revolving door of school leaders and violent and disruptive student behavior had become the norm. For three consecutive years, Banneker carried a sub50% graduation rate, when the state’s average was nearly 30 points higher. Banneker’s performance was not just low, it was well below the performance of schools with similar demographics across the state of Georgia. Accordingly, excuses for Banneker‘s cycle of failure were frustrating to many of the school’s longstanding supporters. If Banneker was to improve, then a comprehensive system of change was needed for all schools within the Banneker cluster.In response, FCS introduced the Achievement Zone, a term adopted by the district referring to the geographic area where resident schools require the most support and intervention. Through the Achievement Zone, a series of common instructional and behavioral expectations were implemented for the purpose of creating alignment between schools and to ensure a relatively common experience for students. FCS knew that having the right leader at Banneker was also necessary. The district turned to Dr. Duke Bradley, III, a veteran administrator who had been
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designated as a turnaround leader by the Georgia Department of Education. Bradley had improved the standing of Atlanta Public Schools’ Wesley International Academy. Under his leadership, the Grant Park International Baccalaureate (IB) charter school was saved from closure and was eventually awarded a five-year renewal of its charter. Most importantly, Bradley had created a new vision for excellence for a school in distress, and the same efforts were sorely needed at Banneker. In short order, Bradley declared “A New Day” at Banneker High School, a slogan intended to signify that the days of old were gone. Consistent with stated expectations for all Achievement Zone schools, new programmatic mandates were immediately implemented. “We needed to immediately restore the faith of our parent community and improve every aspect of our school. Early reform efforts were wide ranging. Banneker partnered with Chick-Fil-A to train professional staff members and reassigned teachers based on their strengths rather than their teaching preferences. Another major change was the addition of the Junior Achievement Magnet Program led by veteran administrator Dr. Ava Debro. Junior Achievement’s curricular design focuses on the business concepts of marketing, entrepreneurship and financial literacy. In its first year, JA-MBA students outperformed their peers in nearly every statistical category. For the first time in 10 years, the school is 100% staffed. In 2016, Banneker also boasted the highest rate of
WE ARE MOREHOUSE > Educators growth in graduation rate among the 16 traditional high schools in Fulton County Schools. And over a five-year span, the school has produced the second highest graduation rate growth of all FCS high schools, improving by nearly 30 points. Since the launch of the Achievement Zone, Banneker has had consecutive years of growth on the state-issued Milestones Exams, and they recently doubled down on that success by producing double-digit gains in Math, Language Arts, and Science. Bradley attributes Banneker’s success to his staff, new talent imported from other schools, veteran teachers who serve as mentors, and a talented administrative team. Last fall, Banneker received its biggest news yet. The school was awarded a $5.4 million Federal School Improvement Grant—one of only five schools statewide to earn the award. Banneker’s use of the grant corresponds with Bradley’s vision for the school. “There are high demand industries in metro Atlanta that do not have a well-supplied workforce. With all of the community revitalization efforts happening south of our airport, we cannot afford for our kids to be excluded from the positive change happening in their own communities. We want Banneker’s narrative to be that we produce students who have the skills necessary to be competitive in the 21st century workforce,” says Bradley. Bradley acknowledges that Banneker’s process of improvement is incomplete. Though there is more hard work ahead, Banneker High School, under new leadership and a new vision for excellence, is definitely rising!" - South Fulton Lifestyle Magazine
To learn more about Banneker High School, please click here
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WE ARE MOREHOUSE > Educators
Donors Tim Fields ’98 and Giles Eady ’07 set an example as Higher Education leaders Emory University, with a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,861 on a sprawling 630 acres campus has tuition of fees of $49,932 and is currently ranked 21st among National Universities in U.S. News and World Report's most recent rankings. Two Morehouse Men; Giles Eady '07 and Tim Fields '98, are tasked with convincing the eager and burgeoning applicant pools in the ever-competitive world of undergraduate admissions, to choose Emory over the Ivies, Stanford, Michigan and The University of Chicago among others. They are also tasked with deciding among the best students in the country, which will be granted admission to Emory. Tim is the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Admission at Emory and Giles is the Sr. Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Admission. Both contribute their careers in higher education to their Morehouse experience. Tim had an Education minor at Morehouse, and he took classes from the legendary Dr. Alonzo Crim, Atlanta's first black school superintendent. "In one of his classes there was an requirement to serve as a mentor at a local elementary school. It was during that experience that I found my love for education and the gratification that comes for giving back and helping others. It was through that experience and my graduate education that I found that higher education was the best place for me given my lack of patience, temperament, and desire to help promote access to post-secondary education." Tim said. Giles attributes his career trajectory to his time working with the beloved Dean Sterling Hudson. "Dean Hudson always had me doing various tasks for his office, but little did I know, he was grooming me to be an admission professional. After graduating from Morehouse, I worked in the corporate sector until my
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company closed. When my company closed, I needed a job so I spoke with Dean Hudson. 10 years later, here I am!" Tim earned his M.Ed. at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and Giles earned his M.P.A. from the University of Georgia's School of Public and International Affairs. Both men, are staunch, consistent and ardent supporters of Morehouse College through their time, talent and treasure. "I support the College for two major reasons because as a Higher Education professional I understand the importance of Alumni giving and want to be lead by example and as a graduate of an HBCU I know I would not be the person I am today without that experience. Thus I want to do my part to make sure students, from all backgrounds, for generations to come have the opportunity to have a “Black College Experience”. Tim said. Giles supports Morehouse because he feels it's what he owes Morehouse for what it gave him. "I financially support Morehouse monthly. It’s just like any other bill that I have, but this one affords another young man like me the chance to have a great Morehouse experience like I did. My financial support is the least that I owe Morehouse for helping to make me into the man that I am today." In their lofty positions at Emory, both Tim and Giles have realized career success, but they define that success not by their titles, but rather how they can make a difference in the lives of others. "My greatest success in life have everything to people reaching their goals" Tim said. He added "a few of my career highlights include helping a 75-year-old woman pass college algebra, because that was a life goal, no one else in her family had done so; be a part of the team that help support the first African American Rhodes Scholar
WE ARE MOREHOUSE > Educators help recruit for Morehouse at many of the college fairs and other recruitment events I attend, and finally I serve on reunion committees that regularly meet not only for reunion, but also to plan class homecoming events." Giles, who is also an Advanced EMT with Emory EMS/ AMR Dekalb EMS, also has advice for those who find it difficult to give to Morehouse. "I understand some Morehouse Men have qualms about giving financially to Morehouse because they were displeased about something Morehouse did to them in the past. But I say to them: funding is a key part to things getting better. Without your support, Morehouse slowly dies and another young man will not be able to become what you have become—a Morehouse Man."
Tim Fields ’98
Both Morehouse Men, generations apart, are outstanding professionals and consistent college supporters who are an ideal example of alumni who generously give their time, talent and treasure is given to Morehouse Men, Morehouse students, and those who aspire to be.
at Emory University; and finally help a convicted felon successfully transition into college and ultimately graduate from Morehouse College." Giles attributes the transformative nature of his work as being rewarding as well, "The most rewarding thing about my career is being able to give students all over the world the life-changing experience of a college education." Giles added "It is always amazing to meet students in their senior year of high school and then see them again at graduation to see how much they have grown into themselves." And when it comes to helping Morehouse Men and current students, both Tim and Giles are front and center and genuine in their efforts in that regard as well. Tim, a former track and cross-country standout at Morehouse, is still closely connected to the coaching staff and the current team. " I was on the track and cross-country team and work very closely with the coaching staff to support the athletes. Informally I
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WE ARE MOREHOUSE > Wayfarer
Fulbright Scholar Jordan Jones ’14 shares a story about his experience abroad "A few evenings ago, I attended a university-sponsored documentary screening and discussion about the Afro-Colombian author, anthropologist, poet, vagabond, amateur boxer Manuel Zapata Olivella. If his poor, solitary death in 2004 isn’t telling of his notoriety then the fact that he is spoken about more outside of his own country is glaring. Not appreciated in life nor death. But there I was, one of a few, sitting among eager minds and thirsty souls. This was more than an ethnographic lecture through film. For Colombians, studying Afro-descendant history is like dusting off the tucked away photo album of a forgotten relative. As a North American, studying this history is like going to a funeral and meeting the cousin you never knew, but always wish you had. Zapata Olivella was a leader insomuch that he lived his life for ideas, and those ideas spoke directly to the recognition and liberation of Afro and indigenous people. I first heard of Zapata Olivella during my undergrad at Morehouse. My professor of West African Fiction and Film gave me a list of Afro-Latino authors that included this man. His principal work seperated into five parts, takes on the entire African diaspora through the narrative of African slaves who vehemently oppose their slave masters. Not to be confused with Tarantino’s “Django,” Changó: El Gran Putas was published in 1983 and did more in a couple hundred pages than Tarantino could ever do in his entire career. Over the course of twenty years, Zapata Olivella wrote about and into history. He travelled all over Colombia, the continent of Africa, Guatemala, Mexico, and even Harlem. He lived and breathed the ties that bind and divide black people. The result from his exploration? More than seven novels, including Changó, a 500-page novel about one man who carries inside of him five centuries worth of diasporic stories (truths).
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Five centuries of strength, pain, sorrow, song, dance and the lessons learned through suffering. A renowned scholar on Zapata Olivella, William Mina called this the emergence of a unique type of “mythic realism,” which assigns the “vitality of African traditions to the historical ‘realism’ of deeds and personages of real life.” Friends, you must see it! Mythic realism is Grandma as a young girl sitting at the kitchen table with 13 siblings in rural Mississippi; is Great-uncle fleeing to Ft. Worth, Texas in 1910 to escape the genocide of blacks in East Texas, is also him changing the spelling of his last name to avoid further persecution; is great-grandfather sharecropping well into the modern-era; is your ancestor’s master’s last name; is Amistad, Nat Turner, and Frederick Douglass; is Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth; is Anansi and Brer Rabbit dancing in Congo Square; is Cyrus from the New Testament and Moses' wife Zipporah from the Old; and is Jesus the nappy-haired Christ himself. We all carry all of our history with us to this very moment. It all exists in us like star dust. Perhaps my excitement is just that---history within me crying out to be known, recited, and then shouted. This is what Zapata Olivella understood when he and his sister demonstrated on a national stage, the many different dance traditions that emanated from Afro-culture. This is what he knew when he traveled to Harlem to meet Langston Hughes. And for this, he is a faint name in the footnotes of a novel for which he was asked to consult--One Hundred Years of Solitude—by the most famous literary figure in Colombian history, Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Of course we’d all like to be remembered. It feels nice to walk into bodegas and restaurants with, if not my name, my skin color on people’s lips: “Ay, el negro! Qué más?!” I am both a and the black who draws a familiar
WE ARE MOREHOUSE > Wayfarer smile. While I am so much more, this feeling of recognition is comforting. I wonder if Zapata Olivella ever felt that? Or maybe he was pulled by something different altogether. Maybe he was so concerned with feeding his soul the richness of the past that he never considered the potential richness of the future. Or maybe, by being forgotten, he joined the choir of nameless faces that are crying out this very moment
for us to remember them not for their own sake, but for the sake of their great-great-great-great-grandchildren. Paz y amor, Jordan"
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WE ARE MOREHOUSE > Healthcare and Science
Discovery Health Partners named Jason Brown ’01 as CEO to accelerate next phase of growth Discovery Health Partners announced that Jason Brown ’01 has joined the company as Chief Executive Officer and a member of the LaunchPoint Board of Directors. Brown takes over day-to-day leadership from Bruce Simpson, who has retired. Brown brings deep healthcare experience on the payer and provider sides and a history of scaling highgrowth technology and tech-enabled services companies to his new CEO role. "I have the great fortune to take the helm at a pivotal period of growth for the company, and I am absolutely thrilled to join a team of very talented and dedicated people,” said Brown. “We are committed to continuing to bring innovative technology and analytics solutions to solve our clients’ problems in new and creative ways.” “The Board and I are ecstatic to welcome Jason. He brings an expert understanding of healthcare and technology, which will help Discovery continue as the market-leading premium restoration solution provider to Medicare Advantage plans and help accelerate our next phase of growth,” commented Terrence Ryan, LaunchPoint Chairman of the Board. “This executive addition comes at a significant time for Discovery as the company achieved record growth in 2017 and scales to take advantage of a rapidly growing market for healthcare solutions that reduce waste, lessen administrative inefficiencies, and improve revenue,” added Steve Unterberger, Managing Director at Carrick Capital Partners and a LaunchPoint Board member. Prior to Discovery, Brown was President of Health Plan Services, Market Operations, at Evolent Health (NYSE: EVH), where he was responsible for driv-
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ing performance, growth, and profitability. Previously, Jason served as President of the Population Health Business for Valence Health prior to its sale to Evolent Health. Brown is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Morehouse College and received an MBA from Harvard Business School. About Discovery Health Partners Discovery Health Partners, a division of LaunchPoint, offers payment and revenue integrity solutions that help health payers improve revenue, avoid costs, and enhance the member experience. We offer a unique combination of deep healthcare expertise and analytics-powered technology solutions to help our clients improve operational efficiency, achieve financial integrity, and generate measurable results. More information about our solutions, including Coordination of Benefits, Eligibility, Medicare Secondary Payer Validation, and Subrogation is available at http://www.discoveryhealthpartners.com.
WE ARE MOREHOUSE > Law
Landon Dais ’03 assumes role as Political Affairs and Compliance Manager for MedMen Attorney and longtime community organizer Landon Dais ’03 is named political director of the Marijuana Policy Project’s New York affiliate. Dais spent his career in law, community organizing, government affairs and political campaigns. He joins MPP-NY from the law firm of Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo & Terrana, where he was a litigation attorney. He’s also a member of the board of directors of Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement. “We hope Gov. Cuomo will give veterans and other sufferers of trauma the option to use a treatment that may help them, and one that is far safer and less addictive than many of the drugs currently prescribed for PTSD,” he said. “I look forward to working with the administration, senators and Assembly members and all elected officials to provide information about the relative safety of marijuana as compared to alcohol and opiates and urging them to adopt more sensible marijuana policies.” Along with Dais, former Sen. Alfonse D’Amato will serve as a senior adviser for MPP-NY. The organization has been working since July to help strengthen the medical cannabis program in the state.
Army Veteran and former AUSA Nick Brown ’98 is a litigation partner at Pacifica Law Group, LLC Nick Brown ’98 is a litigation partner at Pacifica Law Group, where he focuses on assisting public and private clients with complex civil and regulatory litigation, municipal law, public policy, and political matters. Nick provides strategic advice and counsel to clients to prevent legal challenges from occurring, and helps them effectively and efficiently resolve litigation or crisis management matters that do arise. Nick also has extensive trial experience before juries, trial judges and the Ninth Circuit, and has handled cases ranging from simple prosecutions to complex multi-million dollar cases involving numerous defendants. In addition, Nick’s experience working with state and federal leaders, his substantial involvement in legislative matters, and his first-hand experience with election issues enables him to navigate political and policy matters for clients. Prior to that, Nick, a Harvard Law grad, served as Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington, where he was responsible for the management of a variety of federal criminal cases, from initial investigation to trial and sentencing, and through the appellate process. In that role, Nick appeared before every federal judge in the Western District of Washington and prosecuted over 100 individual cases.
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WE ARE MOREHOUSE > Public Service
Jasuan Boone ’01 named Chief of Staff for the Department of State of New Jersey Jasuan Boone '01, was recently named the Chief of Staff for the Department of State of New Jersey. Most recently, Jasuan was Senior Vice President for Beaudoin & Co., a New York based advocacy and government affairs firm. Jasuan has worked as Director of City and State Government Affairs as well as Senior Legislative Representative for the New York based United Federation of Teachers. Jasuan was also the co-founder and managing partner of Gateway Strategies. A seasoned political player, Jasuan has worked on several political campaigns in a variety of positions; Campaign Manager for Susan Zimet for Senate (NY-42), Campaign Manager for James A. Kuykendall for Mayor of Paterson, NJ, Regional Field Director for Jon Corzine for Governor, Political Consultant for John Kerry for President/DNC, Legislative Assistant on the United States Senate Banking Committee as well as Deputy Political Director for African Americans for Paul Wellstone for Senate. Jasuan is a board member of Princeton University's W.E.B. DuBois Scholars Institute, and has served on the board for the Alliance for Quality Education.
Shannon Hardin ’09 selected as Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin ’09 ascended to the Columbus City Council presidency after being picked by his colleagues in a 4-2 vote. Hardin beat out Priscilla Tyson for the position. He won re-election to his city council seat this past November. Hardin fills the council president’s seat vacated by Zach Klein, who left council after being elected to be the next Columbus city attorney." - WOSU Public Media
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WE ARE MOREHOUSE > Arrivals Braeden Caleb Barksdale
Catherine Grace Love
DaRel Barksdale ’01 and his husband Charles are the proud parents of a son, Braeden Caleb, born on July 26, 2017.
JC Love, III ’01 and his wife Porcia are the proud parents of another daughter, Catherine Grace, born on January 2, 2017.
Allan Vincent Smith Allan Smith ’02 and his wife Vignette are the proud parents of a son, Allan Vincent, born on January 10, 2018.
Please send pictures and information about your newborns to joseph.carlos@morehouse.edu
TO PURCHASE TICKETS VISIT: GIVING.MOREHOUSE.EDU/CANDLE2018TICKETS
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REMAIN ENGAGED. REMAIN INFORMED. JOIN WWW.CONNECT.MOREHOUSE.EDU TODAY! • GROUPS • EVENTS • JOBS • VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
FARE THEE WELL > Christopher Turner Roberts ’08 - 1986-2017
Mr. Christopher Turner Roberts, age 31, of New York, New York passed peacefully on Tuesday December 26th at the Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Ga., after a long illness. He was a Bulloch County native having resided in New York, New York. He was a 2004 honor graduate of Statesboro High School where he was active in the band and a member of the Statesboro High School Football Team; where he was a part of the 2001 State Football Championship. Christopher matriculated at several institutions. He was a 2008 graduate of Morehouse College where he received a degree in Finance, and Bachelor of Arts and received his MBA from Duke University of Durham, N.C. He was employed with SunTrust Bank of Atlanta, Ga., from 2008 until 2012. He was employed with Citibank Group of Manhattan, New York. He is survived by his loving parents Lenwood and Gloria Roberts of Statesboro, Ga.; his loving brothers Bryant Roberts of Atlanta, Ga., and Benjamin Roberts of Charleston, S.C.; his loving grandparents Leroy and Eva Simmons of Moncks Corner, S.C.; a loving fiance Shari Singleton of New York.; and a host of other relatives and friends.
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"AND IN ALL THINGS THAT WE DO" The Morehouse Manhattan Alumni Association hosted the 28th annual MLK Awards & Scholarship Breakfast at The Cecil in Harlem on Monday, January 15th. George Peters, II ’04 emceed, Dr. K. Torian Easterling ’03 was the keynote speaker, and the honorees were Jonathan Simon ’93 (Dreamer Award), Aaron Holiday ’04 (Mountaintop Award), and Stewart Cornelius ’09 (Drum Major Award). Congratulations to the outstanding leadership of the Morehouse Manhattan Alumni Association. To learn more about their events and activities, please visit, www.morehousemanhattan.org.