Author: Carma Henry

What Do We Don Now?

     The initiative was called “Family Open House;” a campaign fronted by Cedric Walker, the owner of the Universoul Circus. His motive was to give back to the underprivileged communities across the country through fun performances, a spectacle of games, and food for the whole family. This effort is now in its fifth year, approximately, in every city in the United States with the organizations that help those families in need.

     Montage: A Film Series is a program designed to link communities and people through the art of filmmaking and culture. Montage returns for its 2020 season in celebration of Black History Month for a screening of Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People. Montage takes place Thursday, February 27 at 7 p.m., at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center. Tickets are FREE and are available at  www.ccpompano.org or at the door.

     “I am proud of Howard’s continued efforts to drive economic development in the District. Adding critical residential and retail amenities transforms vacant and underperforming assets into thriving communities that both improve the fabric of the neighborhood and add vitality to Howard’s mission,” said Howard President Wayne Frederick. “I am also particularly happy that we were able to include Gideon, which is headed up by a strong Howard University Alumni with a history of giving back.”

     Of Teeq Tequila’s three products, co-owner Nayana Ferguson says it’s hard to pick a favorite. “It’s like picking a favorite kid! I’d say that the Coconut Lime is my favorite, just because there’s nothing like it on the market. It’s the smoothest, and you can sip it alone,” Ferguson says.

Dr. Gwendolyn Boyd

     This acclaimed Delta Sigma Theta Sorority academician set footsteps for sisters to follow!  Dr. Boyd’s professional career of more than three decades at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics laboratory was highlighted by exemplary leadership and dedicated services as part of the engineering teams.   Dr. Boyd returned to her alma mater, Alabama State University, in 2014 to serve for three years as the 14th and first female president of ASU. Highlights of her presidency included establishing the university’s first engineering degree program with approval for a B.S. in biomedical engineering. She and her team had the university removed from SACSCOC warning status from previous financial instability. The largest freshman class was documented during her tenure.

      Although HBCUs are celebrated for their culturally enriching environments and unrivaled homecoming weekend festivities, they are also some of the nation’s most academically rigorous institutions, attracting competitive students from various backgrounds. Benedict College’s 2023 cohort is no exception. This school year, the 2019 “HBCU of the Year” (named by who) welcomed over 800 students, a class that includes three Valedictorians, an overall GPA of 3.1, and an increase in international student enrollment.

     Dr. Smith joined the company at age 35, the youngest person to accept this role, and has since grown the AATC by 118 percent, enhancing local employment efforts, while it has been recognized as one of the city’s Top 20 “Best Places to Work” for medium-sized companies by the “Atlanta Business Chronicle.” That same publication also recognized Dr. Smith with its Most Admired CEO Award in 2018.

  After a career of service spanning 37 years, Southern Region Director Ron Oats signs off on his retirement effective Feb. 15, 2020.

A drop in the bucket for disadvantaged creators