Julie Zeigler becomes first Black Commissioner of Crescent Township, PA
Dr. Julie Zeigler is the first Black Commissioner in Crescent Township history By day, Dr. Julie Zeigler is the Chief Financial Officer for Tadiso Inc., one of the state’s largest medication-assisted treatment facilities. But she’s also one of five Commissioners for Crescent Township. Crescent Township, it’s located near Moon Township and Sewickley in Allegheny County. She loves living there. And she enjoys her role as Commissioner, a role she’s had since January 2026. But what few people know is that Dr. Zeigler is the first Black Commissioner to ever serve in
WWIB Columbus — Women of Excellence Inaugural Class
[gallery size="medium" ids="16744,16728,16727,16726,16725,16724,16723,16722,16714,16715,16716,16721,16720,16719,16718,16717,16706,16707,16708,16709,16710,16711,16712,16705,16704,16703,16702,16701,16700,16699,16698,16690,16691,16692,16693,16694,16695,16696,16697,16689,16688,16687,16686,16685,16684,16683,16682,16674,16666,16658,16659,16667,16675,16676,16668,16660,16661,16669,16677,16678,16670,16662,16663,16671,16679,16680,16672,16664,16665,16673,16681,16657,16656,16655,16654,16653,16652,16651,16650,16642,16634,16626,16627,16643,16644,16645,16646,16647,16648,16649,16641,16640,16639,16638,16637,16636,16635,16618,16610,16619,16628,16620,16611,16612,16621,16629,16630,16622,16613,16614,16623,16631,16632,16624,16615,16617,16625,16633"]
First Independence Bank taps Caroline Chambers to lead new community investment foundation
A bank with a long history of serving communities too often locked out of mainstream financial opportunity is preparing to widen that work through a new foundation, and it is placing that effort in the hands of a leader whose career has centered philanthropy, inclusion, and community partnership. First Independence Bank announced the appointment of Caroline Chambers as Director of Community Investments, a new leadership role that puts her at the center of building the bank’s charitable foundation. That foundation, expected to officially launch later this year, is
5 Black poets for students to study and know
This post was originally published on Word In Black. BY Alvin Buyinza It’s often called the voice of the human soul. It was a means of rebellion for Phyllis Wheatley, Langston Hughes, and Nikki Giovanni. And it’s the bedrock of rap music, often called “the CNN of the street.” Poetry, the art form in question, is embedded in the Black experience, a form of resistance and truth as well as beauty and resilience. Yet people often see poetry as inaccessible — reserved for eggheads, elites and reluctant K-12
Empowering Future Generations Through Racial Justice Leadership
By Sherri Kolade Photo by P. A. Greene Dr. Karsonya Wise Whitehead’s upbringing in two worlds—Washington, DC’s chocolate city and South Carolina’s quiet dirt roads—shaped her story of race and identity. Summers spent on her grandparents’ farm in Lexington, South Carolina revealed the racial dynamics of the South, while WDC nurtured her intellectual growth and pride in her Black heritage. After earning a history degree from HBCU Lincoln University, Whitehead studied at the University of Notre Dame, focusing on peace studies, social justice, and human rights. She returned to
More Than Words: How Alison Bibb-Carson Built a Career That Connects
BY RHONDA CROWDER, PHOTO BY L EWI S B U R R E L L Raised by a renowned TV journalist father and a mother who made her career as a reading specialist and educator, it’s only natural Alison Bibb-Carson would develop a knack for communication arts, particularly writing and speaking well. And although many expected her to follow in her dad’s TV news footsteps, she set out to chart her own course. “Writing has always been my bread and butter, probably since high school when I realized [that]
Dr. Demarus Crawford White | From Burden to Breakthrough
Dr. Demarus Crawford White is guided by a simple conviction: opportunity should never be determined by circumstance. When she joined Npower Ohio, she found not just a leadership role but a mission to expand access to education and career pathways for people often overlooked in the technology sector. As executive director of the technology training nonprofit, she has emerged as one of Ohio’s most vocal champions for equity, workforce readiness, and the belief that success is attainable when people are given the tools to pursue it. “Npower is a
Morehouse School of Medicine names Gerald L. Hector EVP and CFO
Gerald L. Hector, CPA has been appointed executive vice president and chief financial officer for the highly esteemed Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. Hector also held similar positions in higher education at Cornell University, Ithaca College, Johnson C. Smith University, and Central Florida in Orlando. FL. His experiences span all aspects of higher education management that include treasurer, debt management, controller’s office, information technology, post award management, policy office, student accounts/bursar, facilities, grounds, business operations, auxiliary services, risk management, purchasing and procurement, legal, financial aid, campus safety, compliance,
Redefining Power, Purpose, and Possibility in the Practice of Law
By: Kristopher Jackson Photo by Paul Williams III In a profession long defined by tradition, Kobi Kennedy Brinson has become a force of transformation. A partner at Winston & Strawn LLP and one of the nation’s most respected corporate litigators, Brinson has spent more than 30 years proving that excellence and equity are not opposing forces—they are essential partners in progress. When Brinson was elected to Winston & Strawn’s Executive Committee nine years ago, she made history as the first African American woman to serve in the firm’s 170-year
Sabrina Brathwaite Wilson | Redefining Wealth, Leadership, and Legacy
By: Kristopher Jackson For Sabrina Brathwaite Wilson, Senior Financial Advisor, Senior Vice President, and Resident Director at Merrill’s Uptown Charlotte office, finance has never been just about numbers — it’s about people. Her journey into the financial services industry wasn’tplanned; it was, as she describes, “a calling that found me.” “I knew I loved helping people,” she reflects. “Someone saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. I started out as an assistant, and I realized I could have an impact on people’s financial education and help