It has taken 100 years, but Major League Baseball (MLB) announced on Dec. 16 that the Negro Leagues will be included in the organization’s history rather than being treated as a separate entity.
“It is MLB’s view that the Committee’s 1969 omission of the Negro Leagues from consideration was clearly an error that demands today’s designation,” MLB said in a statement.
The Negro National League was formed on Feb. 13, 1920, at a YMCA in Kansas City, Missouri. The National Negro League struggled to make ends meet, and the Indianapolis Clowns were the last NNL team to suit up for games as a traveling squad until halting operations in 1989.
Many remember former Kansas City Monarchs star Jackie Robinson who broke through the racial barrier being the first African American player to compete in MLB for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, but now other former Negro League players will finally have a place to call home.
With MLB’s decision to elevate the Negro League’s status to Major League, all previous statistics and records spanning from 1920-1948 will be integrated into the history books and cement legacies for future generations to enjoy. Players such as Satchel Paige, Oscar Charleston and Josh Gibson will now be immortalized for their efforts on the diamond.
American baseball player Jackie Robinson (1919 – 1972) playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers, 28th August 1949. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
“All of us who love baseball have long known that the Negro Leagues produced many of our game’s best players, innovations and triumphs against a backdrop of injustice,” said MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred.
The Negro Leagues were ahead of their time, so much so that they started playing night games five years before MLB did and introduced player-safety technologies that are still being used today.
One of those initiatives was the use of a baseball helmet. The National Baseball Hall of Fame stated that former Newark Eagles star Willie Wells was “one of the first pro ball players to wear a batting helmet,” in 1942 after being hit in the head by a pitch. After being knocked unconscious, Wells played the next game with a construction hard hat and finished his career with a .319 batting average.
Six years before Robinson helped desegregate MLB, Brooklyn Dodgers general manager Larry MacPhail enforced that his entire club use hats with protective-plate inserts in ’41.
Even though Hall of Fame catcher Roger Bresnahan popularized a safety measure by routinely wearing shin guards in 1907, MLB notes that John “Bud” Fowler was the first known Black professional baseball player to do so with molded wooden slats to protect his shins from players’ cleat spikes as they slid into home plate.
More importantly, MLB’s decision rights a wrong that extends far beyond sports. In terms of social justice and equality, the move is viewed as a win by many.
“For historical merit, today is extraordinarily important,” said Bob Kendrick, President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri. “Having been around so many of the Negro League players, they never looked to MLB to validate them. But for fans and for historical sake, this is significant, it really is.”
Official MLB historian John Thorn mentioned the importance and impact of Negro League players finally being regarded as major leaguers.
“The perceived deficiencies of the Negro Leagues’ structure and scheduling were born of MLB’s exclusionary practices, and denying them Major League status has been a double penalty, much like that exacted of Hall of Fame candidates prior to Satchel Paige’s induction in 1971,” Thorn said. “Granting MLB status to Negro Leagues a century after their founding is profoundly gratifying.”
As the first coronavirus vaccine shots are being administered, there is quite a bit of talk and anticipation around whether it’s safe and how fast we’ll get it. We’re definitely asking lots of questions about how we’ll be distributing that vaccine, who will get it first and if our already stressed medical supply chains can handle distribution and storage.
Fortunately, there is even a robust conversation on how government (state, local and federal), health professionals and vaccine manufacturers must gain the trust and confidence of justifiably skeptical Black and Brown communities.
According to one recent (and not so surprising) national COVID Collaborative survey, just 14 percent and 34 percent of Black and Latino respondents, respectively, trust the coronavirus vaccine. This is particularly worrisome because COVID-19 kills Black and Brown folks at a much higher rate. For Black populations, the legacy of medical violence is a long one and will not go away – public leaders and elected officials must tackle it.
Yet, one major question we may get blindsided on is this: who will get the “best” vaccine available … and who won’t?
It’s that tricky, age-old question of premium versus basic. Gold versus bronze. Brand name versus generic. Americans have a constant pre-occupation, sometimes warranted, with whether or not they’re getting the best product or if they’re forced into making tough choices based on cost, quality and, many times, bias. Because of the rather narrowed and incomplete way we’ve been having the national coronavirus vaccine discussion, many have assumed it’s just one type or one standard of vaccine. If we let headlines and cable TV talking heads tell it, there’s a public sense of the big singular “vaccine” and that it’s “… 95 percent effective.” However, most of us in the know have failed to focus on one major detail: there’s not just one vaccine, there are several … and not all coronavirus vaccines are created equal. Nor are all those vaccines 95 percent effective.
Starting this week, we have watched with a mix of nervousness and fascination as healthcare professionals have received the first administered doses of vaccine. According to the NY Times Covid-19 vaccine tracker, 2 vaccines have been approved for full use and there are 16 vaccines from different pharmaceutical makers and labs all around the world in final Phase 3 “large scale efficacy tests.” About 5 are in “limited use” as we speak.
Of those in Phase 3 or emergency use that are beginning to reach supply chains for use in the United States are Pfizer, Moderna and Astra Zeneca; Pfizer has already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for emergency use. Both Pfizer and Moderna show 95 percent effectiveness. However, AstraZeneca, reportedly, has only seen “moderate” effectiveness, with trial efficacy ranging anywhere from 62 percent to 70 percent and sometimes 90 percent, depending on the level and sequence of dosage.
That’s not to say AstraZeneca’s vaccine is not effective. Indeed, trial studies show that it is. But, when a weary public only sees the percentages, we have not yet had that honest, open conversation about how two vaccines – Pfizer and Moderna – appear to significantly outperform one other vaccine, AstraZeneca, and maybe others. In a situation like that, as vaccine is gradually available, people are going to ask questions about if they are getting the “best” vaccine. More alarmingly, we will also find ourselves in a situation where governments and medical institutions may distribute a type of vaccine based on zip code, income, health insurance and, some will wonder, race.
Bad enough we see a rather high number of people in certain demographic groups who don’t trust the vaccine. Why add to those fears with extra anxiety over vaccine quality? We need to get ahead of that inevitable conversation and potential clash right now. The fear is that vaccine distribution or, rather, who gets what grade of vaccine will be determined by where they live, how much they make and the color of their skin. Expectations on vaccine supply have already been dramatically reduced as we’re now finding out the current administration didn’t prepare for or bother to purchase the “several hundred million doses” of Covid vaccine it promised – instead, states are planning for just less than 40 million doses to start with. We’ll only have a limited supply of that 95 percent effective Pfizer and Moderna, but initially – and likely – a greater supply of the potentially 70 percent effective AstraZeneca. So, what happens when word gets out that the 95 percent effective vaccine will be used up before certain communities or populations can get in line?
It’s a valid question because we see it unfolding every day in the delivery of our healthcare, particularly as well researched and documented bias – consciously or not – often drives healthcare decisions. What we know is that race and income oftentimes dictate level and quality of care. We know, for example, that Black and Latino patients face numerous barriers to needed prescription drugs: Black and Brown children were found less likely to receive antibiotics for respiratory infections than White children. If this is a norm, why should those populations expect the equitable distribution of coronavirus vaccine?
That’s the critical question I’ve seen unfold in terrible and tragic ways firsthand. As Chief Public Health Officer for Washington, D.C. leading the response to the first bioterrorism attack on our nation’s capital back in 2001, I had to explain to outraged Black D.C. postal workers why they were receiving a different and thought-to-be cheaper Anthrax antibiotic, doxycycline, compared to the Ciprofloxacin that was being taken by mostly White Capitol Hill personnel and postal workers in Manhattan. Two Black postal workers had already died from Anthrax and people wanted answers and optimal healthcare. Yet, the decision to pick “doxy” was based, ultimately, on risk vs. benefit, not cost …. difficult to explain in a setting of disparate mortality along racial lines.
We might very well be headed down this same road in the distribution of coronavirus vaccine. Even as we resolve the question over trust – since various public and private institutions may eventually mandate Covid vaccination as a condition of travel, employment and schooling, anyway – we’re going to hit the thornier topic of quality. How vaccine is dispersed could potentially come down to bias selection: the battle between haves and have-nots. What we need to do now is have as much of a transparent conversation about these vaccines as possible and include the talk about vaccine efficacy as part of the overall conversation on closing the trust gap, especially as it relates to Black communities.
To ward off the dramatic and dangerous levels of skepticism from that, public health professionals and elected officials must be honest. Let’s get out in front of this: 1) we now know we’ll have limited vaccine supply to start off with and 2) our medical and emergency supply chains, including the cold storage needed to preserve the 95 percent effective Pfizer and Moderna, will also be limited. Hence, there will be heavier reliance on the 70 percent effective AstraZeneca which, incidentally, doesn’t likely need the cold storage.
Policymakers on all levels should immediately huddle with public health officials and consider measures to prevent vaccine distribution that would appear to be based on income, healthcare access and race. All approved vaccines, regardless of proven or perceived quality, must be distributed equitably. As we attempt to navigate our nation out of this pandemic, let’s ensure our historical and ongoing national biases don’t further ruin the path to total recovery.
IVAN WALKS, M.D.is the former Chief Public Health Officer of the District of Columbia and Principal of Ivan Walks & Associates.
CHARLES D. ELLISON is Senior Fellow at the Council of State Governments Eastern Regional Conference’s Council on Communities of Color and Publisher of theBEnote.com
By Antonio? ?Ray? ?Harvey? ?|? ?California? ?Black? ?Media?
Months after Black employees called out widespread racism at the California Air Resources Board (CARB), Gov. Gavin Newsom has appointed two African American women to the board of the California agency that shapes state policy against air pollution.
Last week, the governor announced that he appointed Liane Randolph, 55, of Oakland, who was in charge of integrating the resource-planning processes at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), as the new chair of CARB.
“Cleaner air is essential for California’s families and Liane Randolph is the kind of bold, innovative leader that will lead in our fight against climate change with equity and all California’s communities at heart,” Gov. Newsom said. “By committing to achieving carbon neutrality and a clean economy, my Administration is fighting for a healthier and more vibrant future for our families and our economy.”
Randolph is the first Black person to serve as chair of CARB.
Responding to the news of her appointment, Randolph said she is “beyond excited” about the work she will do at CARB.
“Governor Newsom and the Legislature have set California on a bold path to address the air pollution that burdens our communities and the existential threat of climate change,” Randolph said. “Implementing these policies requires effective management and strategy that centers the people affected most by environmental damage. I am eager to step forward and continue California’s leadership in tackling these challenging issues.”
Randolph has been a Commissioner at the CPUC since 2015. Before that, she was deputy secretary and general counsel at the California Natural Resources Agency from 2011 to 2014. From 2007 to 2011, she was an attorney at the law firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP.
Randolph, a Democrat, also served as chair of the California Fair Political Practices Commission from 2003 to 2007. From 1996 to 1997, she a was staff attorney there as well.
She holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California Los Angeles School of Law. The CARB chairperson’s position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $183,552.
?Randolph replaces Mary Nichols, CARB’s outgoing chair, who is reportedly President-elect Joe Biden’s top pick to be the next Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).?
Another Black woman, Davina Hurt, will also serve on the air agency’s board. She joins other members: John Balmes of Berkeley, Los Angeles’ Gideon Kracov, and Tania Pacheco-Werner of Sanger.
Hurt, 45, has been a Belmont City councilmember since 2015. She has worked as a campaign manager at the Democratic Volunteer Center from 2014 to 2015.
Hurt is a member of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. This CARB board position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Hurt is also a Democrat.
In September, the Concerned Black Employees at CARB (CBE CARB) submitted a 13-page letter alleging discrimination at the agency. It stated that members had been the target of routine and systematic racism and that they had been excluded from promotions.
CARB, the letter points out, has a total of 1,627 employees and only 73 of them are Black. Only one African American has held an executive position with the organization.
“Our intent in sharing this Letter and Action Plan is not to shame or belittle CARB, or to assign blame. We enjoy the work we do at CARB and want to do all we can to improve CARB for the future, and our future careers with the agency,” CBE CARB stated.?
Last summer, at the height of the George Floyd riots and the national reckoning on race, Assemblymember Jim Cooper (D-Sacramento), who is African American, expressed disapproval and disappointment after Nichols posted a tweet comparing air pollution violations with the tragic death of George Floyd.
“How dare you use a dying man’s plea for help as a way to discuss your agenda. Have you no shame?” Cooper reacted to Nichols’ tweet.?
Nichols posted on June 1, “‘I can’t breathe’ speaks to police violence, but it also applies to the struggle for clean air. Environmental racism is just one form of racism. It’s all toxic. Government needs to clean it up in word and deed.”?
Nichols later issued an apology via Twitter, stating “I apologize for speaking at the wrong time about the wrong topic. Racism comes in many forms and I believe we must fight every instance of it in our society.”?
Yeah I know, but the call of a watchman, is to faithfully deliver God’s message, including all of God’s rebukes and warnings. It is a watchman responsibility to warn the people of the coming judgment. You see, there are people today in harm’s way – in peril because of their sin, and like the prophets and Apostles, and even Christ Himself, we too must warn unbelievers of this coming dreadful day and compel them to flee to Christ, who alone is mighty to save. So as Isaiah said, “I will not keep silent because of Zion, and I will not keep still because of Jerusalem, until her righteousness shines like a bright light and her salvation, like a flaming torch.” [Isaiah 62:1]. I can’t make you heed the warning? I am not called to force you to change, but I am called to alert you. It is an eternal life and death situation for both me as a watchmen and for the lost. [Isaiah 62:6-9, Ezekiel 33:1-9, Jeremiah 1:13-17, John 6:66-69].
You see, the word of the Lord came to me: “[Daughter] of man, speak to your people and tell them: Suppose I bring the sword against a land, and the people of that land select someone from among them, appointing them as their watchman, and see the sword coming against the land and blows their trumpet to warn the people. Then, if anyone hears the sound of the trumpet but ignores the warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be on his own head. Since he heard the sound of the trumpet but ignored the warning, his blood is on his own hands. If he had taken warning, he would have saved his life. However, if the watchman sees the sword coming but doesn’t blow the trumpet, so that the people aren’t warned, and the sword comes and takes away their lives, then they have been taken away because of their iniquity, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood. “As for you, [daughter] of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. When you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me. If I say to the wicked, ‘Wicked one, you will surely die,’ but you do not speak out to warn him about his way, that wicked person will die for his iniquity, yet I will hold you responsible for his blood. But if you warn a wicked person to turn from his way and he doesn’t turn from it, he will die for his iniquity, but you will have saved your life.” [Ezekiel 33:1-9].
To know that you have done all you can to let people know of God’s coming wrath even if it offends them, it is a task that is not optional. “Again the word of the Lord came to me inquiring, “What do you see? And I replied, “I see a boiling pot, its lip tilted from the north to the south.” Then the Lord said to me, “Disaster will be poured out from the north on all who live in the land. Indeed, I am about to summon all the clans and kingdoms of the north.” This is the Lord’s declaration. They will come, and each king will set up his throne at the entrance to Jerusalem’s gates. They will attack all her surrounding walls and all the other cities of Judah. “I will pronounce My judgments against them for all the evil they did when they abandoned Me to burn incense to other gods and to worship the works of their own hands. “Now, get ready. Stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Do not be intimidated by them or I will cause you to cower before them.” [Jeremiah 1:13-17].
“When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for a number of days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven. I said, Yahweh, the God of heaven, the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps His gracious covenant with those who love Him and keep His commands, let Your eyes be open and Your ears be attentive to hear Your servant’s prayer that I now pray to You day and night for Your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins we have committed against You. Both I and my father’s house have sinned. We have acted corruptly toward You and have not kept the commands, statutes, and ordinances You gave Your servant Moses. Please remember what You commanded Your servant Moses: “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples. But if you return to Me and carefully observe My commands, even though your exiles were banished to the ends of the earth, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place where I chose to have My name dwell.” They are Your servants and Your people. You redeemed them by Your great power and strong hand.” [Nehemiah 1:4-10]
I tell you, we have had, and continue to have, plenty of warning, and plenty of time to prepare. The storm is on the horizon, and it will surely come, unless God intervenes, so get ready for its coming. And know that no one is excluded from Jesus’ demand to repent. If we will not repent, Jesus has one word for us, “Woe, to you” [Matthew 11:21].
“Therefore I testify to you this day, that I am innocent of the blood of all men, for I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.” [Acts 20:26-27]. Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand!
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — When he came on board as UPS’s chief marketing officer in June 2018 after a 34-year career at Xerox, Kevin Warren was only the second outsiderin the company’s 113-year history to join in at the C-suite level.
Now, in a business that has long prided itself on promoting from within, Warren brings to the package delivery industry a new set of eyes and a mandate to drive the company’s success in the world of e-commerce.
Warren’s selection reflects a “major uptick in the number of CMOs with ethnically and/or racially diverse backgrounds; positive signs that companies are taking seriously the importance of increasing diversity at the most senior levels of leadership,” according to a report released in May by leadership advisory firm Spencer Stuart.
LANGENHAGEN, GERMANY – MAY 28: A UPS truck arrives at a UPS depot that has been hit by a coronavirus outbreak near Hanover on May 28, 2020 in Langenhagen, Germany. Authorities of the state of Lower Saxony have announced that 72 workers at the depot have tested positive for the virus and that another 55 will be tested. Germany has been easing lockdown measures over recent weeks and several instances of outbreaks, including at meat packaging plants, a Baptist church and now the UPS depot, have occurred. (Photo by Alexander Koerner/Getty Images)
On the other hand, as a whole, corporate governance expert Cydney Posner writes in The Sorry State of C-Suite Diversity that “the representation of racially diverse executives in the C-suite is slightly skewed toward positions with lower potential for advancement. [We] find that ethnically diverse executives have lower representation in positions that directly feed into future CEO and board roles,” like general counsel or human resources.
As CMO, Warren, 58, is responsible for all UPS marketing, The UPS Store, digital infrastructure analytics, revenue management, business planning, and forecasting, customer loyalty management, digital marketing, customer experience, branding and customer communications.
And, while some companies may view these marketing functions as “discretionary,” Warren said he sees the role of marketing quite differently.
“My mandate is to raise the voice of marketing inside the company to a strategic level and show how it contributes to the performance of the company,” he said. “And we’re winning by saying what we’re going to do and going out and doing it.”
The early years
Warren grew up in the Petworth neighborhood in Northwest Washington, D.C., the youngest of four, and only son of Lucy, a school teacher, and Billy, a counselor in the D.C. Department of Corrections and was a part-time cabbie.
After graduating from St. John’s College High School in 1980, Warren continued his Catholic education at Georgetown University.
It was there that he had to balance the academic rigors of a White prestige school with an active collegiate social scene that included his initiation into Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. and the vibrant Black Greek social scene that blanketed the District in the early to mid-80s.
“Georgetown was a liberal arts school, so I was studying theology with concepts of atheism, Kierkegaard and Jean-Paul Sartre,” said Warren, who graduated in 1984 with a finance degree. “Georgetown fed me academically, but I had to find an alternative social outlet to augment what I was getting on campus. I had good balance; I just had to navigate it.”
Warren also recalled Georgetown as a cultural mile marker that changed his perspective on life.
“It was an environment that gives you an opportunity to test yourself with others, which gives you confidence as to what you can achieve,” he said. “It was really about going outside my comfort zone and really kind of opening up to what was possible.”
The Xerox years
“My goal was to go to Wall Street,” Warren said. “But, I took an internship with Xerox during my senior year and ended up falling in love with the company.”
Given his own sales territory a year later, Warren pounded the pavement, cold-calling potential customers, and honed his skills as part of a sales team.
“It was a culture of success that was unbelievable. It was a very young company, and diverse well beyond a lot of its peers as far as Blacks and women,” he said.
Early on at Xerox, which then specialized in office copiers and printers, Warren identified two mentors/role models that would help define his career: Barry Rand, a former executive vice president of worldwide operation who allegedly left Xerox after being passed over for the top job there in early 1999 to become the CEO at Avis Holdings, and ex-NFL linebacker and former Senior Vice President Dave Garnett.
“[Barry] was sharp, but down enough to connect with men and women, Blacks and Whites,” Warren said. “He was the picture of what the possibilities could be.” (Rand died in 2018.)
Garnett, said Warren, taught him that “you always need to be adding to your portfolio. It’s the whole concept of identifying what skills you have, what skills you’ll need in the future … and how you’re going to get those skills to differentiate you from the competitive landscape.”
But, it was the emergence of network computing that catapulted Warren into the stratosphere of senior leadership. In the ’90s, as standalone copiers and printers were being replaced by network office systems, Warren found himself in a position to train his colleagues on the new technology.
“I took a pay cut and took myself off the management track for 21 months to teach our sales teams and analysts how to sell this new technology, but it exposed me to senior management and put me on a trajectory a lot faster than I would have been had I not taken that chance.”
Warren left Xerox in 2018 after serving as executive vice president and chief commercial officer, and several other executive leadership positions in the United States and Canada.
Long after his Xerox days, Warren’s formula for success is now the “secret sauce” for its leaders’ next generation.
“People use this cliché all the time, but Kevin was a servant leader who didn’t mind rolling up his sleeves and getting his hands dirty when needed,” said Kamonte McCray, who worked for Warren beginning in 1995 and is now a Xerox senior vice president and general manager for the Content Management and Workflow Software Group.
“He was the ‘North Star’ that I followed because I aspired to be him. I would hope that when people talk about me, they’d say the same thing.”
The UPS years
Regardless of one’s previous successes, coming into a new industry is not an easy feat, particularly in a company that prides itself on established practices and its prowess in the field.
Chris Byrne, UPS vice president of marketing operations and digital acceleration, and Warren’s de facto chief of staff highlighted the pros and cons that Warren faced when making the jump from Xerox to UPS, a major package-delivery service.
“The pro is that you can come in with a fresh set of eyes and begin to ask questions like, ‘Why do we do it that way or do we have to do it at all?’” said Byrne, who followed Warren from Xerox.
“When you come into the company [from the outside], you can see these things more clearly. The con is that there is a learning curve and corporate nuances that impact your abilities, but to see things with fresh eyes outweighs those cons.”
Fresh eyes and building followership is what Warren brings to the table as a relatively new UPS executive, added Byrne.
“People get behind Kevin,” Byrne said. “Why is that? It’s because if you’re invested in what he believes in as a leader and the things he stands for, he’ll support you. He builds trust, and he extends trust.”
Evidence of that trust is UPS’s commitment—primarily driven by Warren to change its image among small-and-medium-sized businesses through its “Be Unstoppable” initiative that offers a suite of shipping tools and special discounts.
Warren said, “this program is designed to change the company’s public perception as a reliable, but somewhat stodgy, delivery company.”
“Our industry is being disrupted, and the biggest disrupter is e-commerce. Just like the digital copier and printers disrupted the older copier technology, the same is happening with companies like Amazon and Shopify, and even customers like Walmart and Target. We’ve got to be able to better understand the dynamics of the e-commerce industry.”
In another nod to small and medium-sized businesses, while also promoting UPS Store franchising opportunities, Warren spearheads its Blue Horizon Minority Incentive Program. In an effort to help drive minority franchise ownership, first-time minority franchisees are eligible to receive discounts on initial franchise and application fees.
SAN FRANCISCO, A pedestrian walks by a United Parcel Service (UPS) truck on July 30, 2020 in San Francisco, California. UPS reported a 13.4 percent surge in quarterly revenues to $20.46 billion beating analysts estimates of $17.48 billion. The global shipping company’s net income rose 4.7% to $1.77 billion for the quarter. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Breaking the new glass ceiling
Warren is a keen proponent of diversity and inclusion for people of color, especially in the top ranks of corporate management.
“Race is always there. Early on in my career, it was less of an issue because there was more diversity in the lower and middle ranks, but as you ascend to the top ranks, it’s a real dynamic that has to be dealt with.”
As a director of Illinois Tool Works, Fiserv, Georgetown University, and the UPS Foundation, Warren is now focusing some of his commitment to diversity on board representation as a way to build a pipeline to the C-suite positions he has occupied over the years.
A similar push is underway on Wall Street as well.
Earlier this month, Nasdaq submitted a proposal to the Securities and Exchange Commission requiring listed companies to have at “least two diverse directors, including one who self-identifies as female and one who self-identifies as either an underrepresented minority or LGBTQ+.”
“It’s so important to have a seat at the table because we’ve gone backwards in terms of black CEO representation versus 10 years ago,” Warren said. “Blacks in the board can ask where we are in terms of succession planning from a diversity pipeline standpoint. This is not philanthropy. This is practical; this is business.”
Like a modern-day Harriet Tubman, VP-Elect Kamala Harris opened the door to claim a seat at the U.S. Senate table. U.S. Congresswomen Karen Bass or Barbara Lee should carry the torch lit by Harris.”
— Marie Y. Lemelle, CA Black Women Coalition
The movement of powerful and politically active Black women throughout California and the U.S. will continue to join forces to strongly urge California Governor Gavin Newsom to appoint either Rep. Karen Bass or Rep. Barbara Lee to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated upon the ascension of VP-elect Kamala Harris to her new position. Taking the movement from social media and phone calls targeting Newsom’s office, two protests of elected officials, influential Black women, allies, and organizers will take place on Tuesday, December 15 from 11 a.m. to noon at California Governor Gavin Newsom offices at the California State Capitol, 10th and L Streets, Sacramento, CA 95814 and Ronald Reagan Building, 300 S. Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013.
“Black women play a critical role in everything I do and say, and I would love to see a Black woman replace our Vice President-elect Kamala Harris,” said U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-South Carolina, the majority whip of the U.S. House of Representatives and highest-ranking African American in Congress. “U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Calif. 13), and U.S. Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-Calif. 37) are both qualified and prepared to be California’s next junior senator.”
“If gender equity is California’s promise as stated by First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, we are calling in that promise from the Governor’s office,” said Northern California Protest Leader Hon. Shay Franco-Clausen, Corresponding Secretary CDP Black Caucus and Silicon Valley Chapter lead for BWOPA. Black women voted in record numbers to deliver a victory to Democrats and this Country. It’s time to make room at the table we helped build and uplift Black women. California needs to replace Vice President Elect Kamala Harris seat with another Black woman.
“Black women in the Democratic Party have saved this country over and over again,” said Molly Watson, Board Member, Black Women’s Democratic Club. “If a Black woman is not appointed, our country loses the Black woman’s voice in the U.S. Senate.”
“Failing to appoint a women of color is a step back,” said Amiee Allison, President, She the People. “This is a moment for the governor to rise to the challenge.” In 2016, Californians voters chose a progressive Black woman to represent them in the Senate. The voters’ will must be respected by appointing a progressive Black woman to replace VP-elect Kamala Harris.
Historically, Black women are blatantly excluded from leadership roles. Kamala Harris, the only Black woman in the U.S. Senate, changed the game for us and proved that a Black woman is invaluable to the progression of California and our Nation. Let’s not forget that Black women voted in record numbers to deliver a victory to Democrats and our country. “Karen Bass and Barbara Lee can fill those shoes perfectly without breaking their stride,” said Alfre Woodard Spencer, an actress and activist.
“Like a modern-day Harriet Tubman, Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris kicked opened the door to claim a seat at the U.S. Senate table,” said Marie Y. Lemelle, MBA, former State Board Member for Barbering and Cosmetology and City of Glendale Commission on the Status of Women. “Harris’ legacy is to lead more Black women to the table who will represent a forgotten but strong California population.” It is no surprise that women are already underrepresented in the U.S. Senate; and that is unacceptable. California should continue to buck the trend and send another Black woman to the U.S. Senate.
December 1st marked the 65th anniversary of Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat. Her right to keep her seat was a symbol of will power and the right to claim a prominent place in this world. We are ready to repeat the historic and courageous move that Ms. Parks made to demand respect and inclusion. She stood her ground without a coalition of Black women by her side. We earned the right to #KeeptheSeat and will continue to fight to never give up our seat to represent all people but especially the largest population in the State of California.
We live the values of gender equality, fairness, community, diversity, and authenticity that are essential to strong leadership. We ask that you do not overlook our progressive leaders Bass and Lee to carry the torch lit by Kamala Harris. Don’t dim the light of the Black woman’s spotlight and voice.
There is no doubt that Bass and Lee are ready to take on the challenges and issues that face Californians. They have the experience and the relationships to step in Kamala Harris’ shoes and step up to the table with confidence and determination. They know how to get the work done in Congress while advocating for the needs of Californians.
This is our time, and we are staking our claim to the seat that Kamala Harris earned with the support of Black women. Diversity in our leaders is the core to who we are in California. Together, we benefit from a variety in experiences and perspectives.
Tell Gov. Newsom why we need to #KeepTheSeat and #AppointABlackWoman, write to the Governor’s Chief of Staff Ann O’Leary at ann.oleary@gov.ca.gov.
For more information or the #KeepTheSeat toolkit, contact Marie Y. Lemelle, Platinum Star PR at (213) 276-7827 or marielemelle@platinumstarpr.com.
Although spare change technology, also known as round-ups, has been around for a few years, Dominique King, Founder of I Heart My HBCU, was the first to bridge this technology to Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) via a single mobile app.
“I Heart My HBCU became the first platform where users could donate spare change to any of the 104 HBCUs in one place,” says King.
King launched this groundbreaking funding platform three years ago, in 2017, joining an elite group of black women tech entrepreneurs. This technology could have been directed towards many other areas of need, but her plan was to preserve the rich heritage of HBCUs and combat challenges that lead to the closures of some of these great institutions, such as Concordia College in Alabama.
King is passionate about her efforts to preserve the viability of these institutions; being a HBCU graduate herself, of the prestigious Howard University in Washington, D.C., she knows first-hand the importance of not only the cultural significance of HBCUs, but the vital role that the education she received at Howard has played in the many successes she has earned in her life to this point. In her consistent and constantly evolving spirit to give back, she toiled tirelessly to develop a novel way to support HBCUs in their efforts to continue producing scholars and leaders of today and tomorrow. It was out of this spirit of selflessness that I Heart My HBCU was born.
How It Works
In as little as 2-minutes, users can download the I Heart My HBCU app in iOS or Android stores and link their bank account. The I Heart My HBCU app rounds up each credit or debit card purchase to the nearest dollar. The spare change will then be donated to the user’s five favorite HBCUs.
“When creating this app, it was important for me to encourage HBCU Alumnae to support all HBCUs. Users can easily adjust how much or how little of their spare change they share to their five favorite HBCUs,” says King.
Always innovating, King is continually updating the app to attract more non-HBCU alumnae, in an effort to help HBCUs expand their donor base beyond its students and alumnae, into other segments of the Black community and all supportive communities in general. While HBCU alumnae are large in numbers, preserving our HBCUs will take a community effort. I Heart My HBCU’s chat integration creates a virtual community for HBCU alumnae, the Divine Nine, and friends of HBCUs to network, exchange ideas, support other black-owned businesses and, most importantly, support HBCUs. During a time when people are increasingly isolated due to the pandemic, we need a tool that fosters community. Recognizing the dire need for communal interaction, I Heart My HBCU intentionally goes beyond a “set and forget” platform and attempts to attract new users and keep them engaged with features such as chatrooms, in-app challenges, and even the chance to get your student loans paid!
About I Heart My HBCU
Founded in 2017, I Heart My HBCU is committed to supporting the educational institutions that help shape creative, talented, and brilliant young black minds, and to pay homage to the incredible role that these institutions have played in the lives of all of its alumnae by securing an even brighter future for its current students and those yet to come. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, 80 cents of every dollar will go towards funding Student Scholarships – Student Emergency Fund – Sports Programs – Academic Programs – Campus Upgrades – Endowments, and more.
This past weekend, Martin Jenkins, California’s first and only African American Supreme Court Justice, swore in former California State Sen. Holly Mitchell to the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors.
For the first time in history, the five-member leadership team that Mitchell is joining, which represents nine cities in California’s most populous county, is composed of all women. Mitchell will serve as chair Pro Tem of the current board, which Los Angeles County political insiders have now dubbed the “fab five.”
Representing the county’s Second District, Mitchell is the second Black woman to serve on the board that oversees Los Angeles County’s robust $36 billion budget, the largest for a county government in the country. The first Black woman to serve on the board of supervisors was Yvonne Brathwaite-Burke. She served twice: from 1992 to 2008 and from 1979-1980.
“I have to think that somewhere on high, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is smiling,” said Jenkins in his remarks, acknowledging the installation of the all-women county board. “When she was asked by a reporter how many women it would take for her to feel that there was enough diversity on the Supreme Court, she said ‘all nine, all of them” Jenkins said, quoting Ginsburg. “And in the fab five, you all have accomplished just that.”
Before the administering the oath, on a more personal note, Jenkins praised Mitchell, who he says he says he has known for over 25 years, for her accomplishments and leadership ability.
“Holly is a deeply committed public servant,” Jenkins continued. “She’s the best kind of public servant. She’s smart, a true visionary, pragmatic in her judgments, humble and forceful at the same time. And last, she is a leader – a charismatic leader.”
Mitchell, who represented the state’s 30th Senate District and was the only African American woman serving in the California State Senate from 2013 to 2020, succeeds Mark Ridley-Thomas, who is also Black. In her new role she represents the Second District of Los Angeles County. The district covers an area that includes parts of Los Angeles, Carson, Compton, Inglewood, Mar Vista, Ladera Heights, Crenshaw, Lynwood, and other cities. It is located in the region of the state that has the highest number of African Americans.
“Equity will be at the center of all of our work,” Mitchell promised in her remarks. “As we fight to bring more housing to those in need, more mental health services, more job opportunities and real second chances for re-entry, they will be accomplished through that lens. And I look forward to collaborating with the newly-formed anti-racism initiative established by the supervisors.”
Mitchell joins the board when Los Angeles County faces the worst occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state. The county also faces a homelessness crisis that is the worst in the country, heightened racial tensions, a strained relationship between law enforcement and minority residents of the county, among other problems.
The other women on the board are: Hilda L. Solis (First District), who served as United States Secretary of Labor during the Obama administration; Sheila Kuehl (Third District); Janice Hahn (Fourth District); and Kathryn Barger (Fifth District).
During the virtual swearing-in ceremony, soul singer and Oakland native Goapele sang “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,” and religious leaders representing Christianity, Judaism and Islam offered prayers. The event’s Master of Ceremony Manuel Pastor, a professor at the University of Southern California, also paid tribute to Native American ancestors he called the “caretakers of the land.”
Assemblymember Sydney Kamlager (D-Los Angeles), who says she looks up to Mitchell and considers her a “big sister,” has announced that she is throwing her hat in the race for Mitchell’s Senate seat.
In another virtual ceremony last Friday, Gov. Newsom swore in Jenkins to the California Supreme Court.
“The residents of the Second District are fortunate to have you represent them,” said Ridley-Thomas to Mitchell. Ridley-Thomas served on the board for 12 years.
“I’ve worked with Holly for many years through state and county partnerships, tackling some of the most daunting social issues of our time — homelessness, child maltreatment, human trafficking, poverty, criminal justice reform and structural racism,” Ridley-Thomas said. “She is a trailblazer, a leader, a fighter on the frontlines pushing for equity and justice for those who have no one else to stand up for them.”
The former Poyner Spruill litigator and historic, Black ‘trifecta’ queen titleholder to continue firm work in integral new role
NATIONAL—– Current “Extra” television correspondent and Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst has been announced as North Carolina-based law firm Poyner Spruill’s first Diversity Advisor. The prestigious law firm is one of the country’s oldest, its roots tracing back to the 1800s.
“I am honored to return to the firm where I previously served as a member of the litigation team,” said Kryst who was a member of the 90-attorney firm’s litigation team before being crowned Miss USA. “This role will allow me to provide guidance on diversity and inclusion, using my previous experience serving as a member of the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, my studies earning an undergraduate degree with a focus in human resources and my Master of Business Administration degree, and my various experiences speaking nationwide about diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
As a Diversity Advisor, Kryst will sharpen and advance Poyner Spruill’s diversity and inclusion goals. Her role will also see her working alongside the multidisciplinary law firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Kryst’s practice at the firm previously focused on complex civil litigation. She was also active in assisting the firm with diversifying its ranks and fostering an inclusive environment by interviewing diverse internship candidates through the firm’s involvement in the NCBA Minorities in the Profession program and the Charlotte Legal Diversity Clerkship, helping to author the firm’s first Diversity and Inclusion Plan, and organizing the firm’s annual Black History Month celebration.
While on sabbatical during her reign as Miss USA 2019, she continued to advocate for change and used her platform to speak against injustice, noting her passion for criminal justice reform, and has worked pro bonofor clients serving excessive time for low-level drug offenses. She traveled across the country speaking about diversity and inclusion, including most notably in a workplace culture discussion hosted by the Society of Human Resource Management, during which she addressed harassment, ageism, and generational differences, among other issues. In her onstage questions during the 2019 Miss USA Competition, Kryst spoke in support of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements and described the Millennial generation as “innovative” before going on to win the title.
“We are excited to have Cheslie serve the firm in this new role and to remain part of the Poyner team,” said Dan Cahill, managing partner of Poyner Spruill. “Her passion, world experiences, and knowledge will offer great insight and direction. Our firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee is energized about working alongside Cheslie to continue progressing towards and reaching our goals as we commit to fostering a firm culture that is both diverse and inclusive.”
Kryst, a Charlotte, NC-native, is the first attorney to win the Miss USA title and was the longest-reigning Miss USA in the competition’s history. She was notably part of the “trifecta” of Black queens who wore the crowns of America’s three most well-recognized and reputable pageants – Miss America, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA – simultaneously this past year.
Since October 2019, Kryst has been working as full-time correspondent at “Extra” where she covers the latest celebrity and entertainment news. She is active in her role as a Global Impact Ambassador for Dress for Success and serves on the National Board of Directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters America.
“I am looking forward to amplifying the voices of the underrepresented in this new role” said the 29-year-old Kryst. “It is an honor that Poyner Spruill trusts me to make an impact.”
There is history being made! According to Deadline, as of February 1, 2021, Rashida Jones will be taking over as president of MSNBC, making her the first Black executive to lead one of the major cable news networks. She is replacing Phil Griffin, who will be stepping down next year.
The chairman of the NBCUniversal News Group, Cesar Conde, had made the announcement in a memo that was sent to the staff. According to NBC News, Jones, who is currently senior vice president at NBC and MSNBC, will take over at MSNBC on Feb. 1.
Jones currently leads the breaking news and major events coverage.
Conde announces the move via a staff memo:
“Rashida knows and understands MSNBC, in part because it’s where she started when she first joined NBCU seven years ago. She knows that it is the people who work here that make it great, and she understands its culture. She also appreciates the impact and potential of the brand.
“As you know, Rashida currently leads coverage of breaking news and major events across NBC News and MSNBC, in addition to overseeing dayside and weekends news programming on MSNBC. In the last year alone that has meant, of course, that she has masterfully guided our coverage of the global pandemic, the social justice protests and unrest, Decision 2020, and the two most-viewed Democratic presidential debates in television history. She helped lead the preparation for Kristen Welker’s role as general election debate moderator. And she has steered many of our groundbreaking editorial series, including Justice for All and Climate in Crisis.”
Before she joined NBC News, the Hampton University graduate was the news director for the NBC affiliate in Columbia, South Carolina, and also served as director of live programming for The Weather Channel.
Westside Story Newspaper – Online The News of The Empire – Sharing the Quest for Excellence
