Atlanta Businesswoman Donata Russell Ross, Daughter of HJ Russell Receives Special Honors for Leadership and Excellence
Atlanta-based entrepreneur, Donata Russell Ross has been recognized for her outstanding contributions to the hospitality industry with her induction into the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau's Hospitality Hall of Fame. As CEO of Concessions International, LLC, a minority-owned company known for providing food and beverage services in airports, she has demonstrated remarkable resilience through various challenges, including the aftermath of 9/11 and the COVID-19 pandemic. Russell Ross has an impressive background, holding a degree from the Wharton School of Business and overseeing a company that generates over $100 million in annual revenue with a workforce of 1,200 employees. Her family's legacy, particularly that of her father,...
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Sherina Maye Edwards, Advocate for Academics, Named Chair of 25th Annual UNCF Gala in Chicago
Sherina Maye Edwards has been named Gala Chair of the “25th Annual UNCF “A Mind Is…” Gala, which will be held on June 14, 2025, at the Geraghty in Chicago. For the 25th anniversary, the “A Mind Is…” Gala will be a flashback to its original theme, a Black & White Ball. “As an alum of two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Spelman College and Howard University School of Law, I am so proud to serve as Chair of the 25th Annual UNCF “A Mind Is…” Gala. Throughout its 80 years, UNCF-member schools have made a difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of...
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Developer Charles Dickerson Marks Milestone with Completion of Affordable Housing Project in Detroit
Detroit Deputy Mayor Melia Howard and Detroit City Council members recently joined developer Charles Dickerson III to celebrate the opening of “The Beauton,” a $7.3 million mixed-use affordable housing project that brings 29 new units to the North End neighborhood. The Beauton promises to help strengthen the community by addressing housing shortages, boosting the local economy, and revitalizing the area with its vibrant, inclusive design. Charles Dickerson, whose company CADS III Management is developing the Beauton, is the founding managing partner of CADS III Management INC. which was established in 1998. Dickerson is a proud alumnus of Howard University graduated in 91’ with a Bachelor of...
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Dana Frank Illuminates Black Wealth-Building Through Generations and Financial Resilience
Dana Frank, shares highlights and lessons learned from entrepreneurial father Gerald Frank and her late uncle, the famed music producer Quincy Jones, whose influences remain an enduring part of her life By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia Dana Frank’s new book, Get Up and Get On It! A Black Entrepreneur’s Lessons on Creating Legacy, offers a rich, detailed look into her family’s journey of building generational wealth and overcoming adversity. The book highlights Frank’s father, Gerald Frank, who left Detroit at 18 in 1950, determined to escape Jim Crow laws and create a better life in Seattle. Armed with dreams and his drumsticks,...
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Dr. Herman Taylor of Morehouse School of Medicine Receives 2024 American Heart Association Clinical Research Prize
Endowed Professor and Director of the MSM Cardiovascular Research Institute will be honored during upcoming AHA Scientific Sessions Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) is proud to announce that Herman A. Taylor, Jr., MD, MPH, FAHA, endowed professor and director of the MSM Cardiovascular Research Institute (CVRI), will receive the 2024 American Heart Association (AHA) Clinical Research Prize. “I’m deeply humbled by this award from the American Heart Association,” Dr. Taylor said. “Heart health and disease result from the convergence of many factors. In my work, I try to look at the interplay between the broader social and physical environments that shape heart disease, and the individual...
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Rep. James Re-elected as Michigan’s Only Black U.S. Representative
Representative John James has clinched re-election in Michigan’s 10th Congressional District, a race that was fiercely contested and closely followed as a key race in the state. His victory not only reinforces his position as Michigan’s only Black member in the U.S. House of Representatives but also signals a strong endorsement of his legislative agenda and appeal across a district known for its electoral volatility. In a rematch from 2022, incumbent Republican Rep. John James defeated Democratic Party challenger Carl Marlinga in Michigan's 10th Congressional District. James defeated Marlinga by a narrow margin of 1,600 votes in 2022, earning his first term in Congress. Republicans have...
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Professor Tonya M. Evans on Cryptocurrency, Black Wealth, and the High Stakes of Trump’s Agenda 47 and Project 2025
In the face of increasing hype and misinformation, Evans encouraged Black investors to pursue a clear understanding of cryptocurrency, noting that education is key. By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia In a recent appearance on Let It Be Known News, Professor Tonya M. Evans—an expert in fintech law at Penn State Dickinson Law and a prominent figure in digital asset strategy—discussed the evolving landscape of cryptocurrency, particularly its impact on Black America. As an advisor on fintech policy through her company Advantage Evans, LLC, and a board member of Digital Currency Group, Evans is deeply invested in guiding Black investors through the complex world...
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Dr. Timothy Lewis is New Director of the Black Studies Program at SIUE; The Effects of Black Studies Can Be Felt, Seen Worldwide
The rich, vast and multifaceted aspects of Black scholarship should be taught, investigated and celebrated inside and outside of the classroom, according to Timothy E. Lewis, PhD, the new Director of Black Studies at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. “I want to take Black Studies out of the classroom, making it the premier unit on campus for implicit Black education, including documentary screenings, symposiums, historical celebrations and more,” said Lewis, interim chair of the Department of Social Work, and associate professor in the Department of Political Science. “I plan to not only rely on internal funding, but I am and will continue to pursue external funding and grants to...
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Exclusive Q&A: Ralph Clark on Chicago’s ShotSpotter Controversy and City Council Vote
Ralph Clark, CEO of SoundThinking, spoke exclusively to The Chicago Defender about the technology’s value and the implications of the council’s decision (Photo Credits: Wikimedia Commons and soundthinking.com). Earlier this week, the City Council overwhelmingly voted to grant Chicago police superintendent Larry Snelling the power to renew the city’s ShotSpotter contract. This move defied Mayor Brandon Johnson’s wish to terminate the controversial gun detection technology. Not long after that vote, Johnson vowed to veto the measure that passed 33-14, calling it illegal because, in the words of Corporation Counsel Mary Richardson-Lowry, the ordinance is “in violation of the separation of powers act.” Richardson-Lowry explained, “The legislative branch...
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Entrepreneur, Philanthropist Ebony Austin Donates to Metro Atlanta High School Band for Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade
Austin is a multi-millionaire entrepreneur, philanthropist, and HBCU advocate who owns five highly successful Nouveau restaurants with a Dallas location opening soon. She also launched a line of stone-ground grits available nationwide in 160 Publix grocery stores where all the proceeds go back to HBCU student scholarships. Overall, Austin has given back more than $100K in cash scholarships to HBCU students. And she’s created more than 100 job opportunities for her community while holding an extensive real estate portfolio. Austin recently announced the donation of $20,000 to metro Atlanta’s Jonesboro High School band to fulfill their dreams of performing at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New...
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