• Lifestyle

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

January 8, 2023

Alex Haley’s Grandson, Son of Chief Gambian Technical Adviser for Book ‘Roots’ To Visit The Gambia

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Malick L. Manga and Bill Haley, Jr., Alex Haley’s grandson, will be visiting The Gambia to celebrate and acknowledge the awarding winning book, “Roots.”

The seven milestone anniversaries surrounding the book and its ongoing cultural phenomenon is being revisited through a series of initiatives. Important among the milestones is a technological transfer initiative in partnership with Affordable Human Needs (AHN) and Frontida Records as promotion to build on the continued bond between Africa to America. Malick L. Manga and Bill Haley, Jr., will be arriving in The Gambia on January 9, 2023, in celebration of their joint legacies to kickstart the new year.

The year 2022 marked seven milestone anniversaries surrounding the award-winning book, Roots, which was written by world famous author Alex Haley. The massive trajectory of “Roots” was fostered by Haley’s chance meeting with Ebou Manga, a Gambian student at New York’s historic Hamilton College who was a major key to unlocking Alex Haley’s family lineage in West Africa. Manga later became Haley’s Chief Gambian Technical advisor for the novel and subsequent miniseries franchise, all of which led to a titanic shift of cultural identity by African-Americans, and of the ties between Africans, African-Americans, and the African Diaspora, according to a press release.

“The Technology Transfer initiatives are a generational gift to the people of The Gambia; an affirmation of our ‘Roots’ legacy; and the seven milestone anniversaries, which include the 55th Anniversary of my grandfather and Ebou Manga’s inaugural visit to The Gambia,” said Bill Haley, Jr. “And, it is the story of my ancestral descendant Kunta Kinteh.” Malick L. Manga reiterated, “These initiatives are a reflection of the deep yearning we have in connecting to our Roots, a celebration of our joint legacies but they are also an answered call for those of us in The Diaspora to help with the development of our ancestral homeland”

The Technology Transfer Initiatives to be discussed will be focused on Sustainable Housing, Education, Healthcare, Agriculture and Cultural Tourism; all which are critical sectors concerning the overall development for The Gambia.

Manga and Haley plan on unleashing a series of initiatives to the global public square which celebrates and inform a new generation of their Roots Legacy and the importance of the African diaspora.

Philander Smith College (PSC) has received approval from its accrediting body, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), to officially become a graduate degree-granting institution.

The College’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) program was approved by the HLC’s Institutional Actions Council in November 2022.

“On the heels of the 145th anniversary of Philander Smith College, we are elated about this milestone announcement. When our 10-Year-Long-Range Strategic Plan was implemented six years ago, one of our key goals was to establish an MBA program. Thus, I am tremendously proud that our team – led by Dr. Cedric Stone, Division of Business Administration Chair –  helped make possible the historic pivot in our status from college to university,” said Roderick L. Smothers, Sr., president of Philander Smith College.

An initial cohort of 25 students is expected to launch the 36-credit hour program when it begins in May 2023. With options for online and in-person classes, concentration areas will include project management and management, according to a press release.

“We are excited that PSC will hold the distinction as the only historically black college in Central Arkansas to offer an MBA degree,” said President Smothers. “For the busy working professional, ours is an accelerated program that will allow students to matriculate in as little as 12 months. Additionally, our project management track will be offered fully online, and for students who desire an on-campus experience, we will have a more traditional accelerated format focused on general business management.”

Applications for the new MBA program are slated to open on February 1, 2023. For more information, visit www.Philander.edu or contact PSC’s Division of Business Administration at (501) 370-5360.

South Suburban College (SSC) will commemorate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on January 16, 2023, at 10:00 am.

The celebration will occur at SSC’s Performance Arts Center in South Holland, Illinois. The event will include an array of guest speakers comprised of local community leaders, a keynote address, performances by students from Thornton Township High School District 205, and refreshments, according to a press release.

The in-person celebration on the 94th birthday of Dr. King will focus on the theme of ”Restoration of Unity and Peace”. The event will feature guest speakers Illinois State Senator Napoleon B. Harris, SSC Chairman Terry Wells, SSC President Dr. Lynette Stokes, Thornton Township High School District 205 Board of Education President Nina Graham, Thornton Township High School District 205 Superintendent Dr. Nathaniel Cunningham, Jr., Thornton Township High School District 205 Student Board of Education President Eghosa Omosigh, and Rev. Dr. Patrick Daymond of Covenant United Church of Christ. “This year, we are honored to host this celebration in person at SSC with local leaders and community members. I am honored to celebrate the legacy of Dr. King through this year’s theme, ‘Restoration of Unity and Peace.’ We invite the public to join us at this celebratory event honoring Dr. King,” said SSC Chairman Terry Wells.

This year’s Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration is in partnership with SSC, the Thornton Township High School District 205, and Event Chairperson Dr. Jerry Doss. The event is free, and doors open at 9:00 am. To learn more about the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration at SSC, please contact Zanetta Miller, Executive Director of Public Relations and Resource Development, at 708-225-5846 or via email at zmiller@ssc.edu.

iCapital, the global fintech platform driving access to alternative investments for the wealth management industry, announced the appointment of Agnes Bundy Scanlan to the company’s board of directors, effective Jan. 1, 2023.

Ms. Bundy Scanlan brings a wealth of experience from her 30-year career in regulatory risk management and compliance. Since May 2020, she has served as president of The Cambridge Group, a regulatory risk management firm that advises financial services and fintech firms. A former chief regulatory and compliance officer and global chief privacy officer at TD Bank, Ms. Bundy Scanlan also serves on the boards of AppFolio, R1 RCM, and Truist Financial. In 2021, she was recognized as one of Savoy’s Most Influential Black Corporate Directors.

“Having an active and engaged board of directors with a variety of backgrounds and experiences is vital to the success of iCapital. I’m delighted to welcome Agnes to our board,” said Lawrence Calcano, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of iCapital. “We look forward to working with her and benefiting from her wisdom and experience.”

Before joining The Cambridge Group, Ms. Bundy Scanlan worked as a senior advisor for consulting firm Treliant and northeast regional director at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. She also has held various executive roles at Bank of America and FleetBoston Financial. Earlier in her career, she was counsel at the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, according to a press release.

“I’m excited to join iCapital’s board of directors,” said Ms. Bundy Scanlan. “iCapital is a leader in making alternative investments more accessible to advisors and investors. I look forward to working with Lawrence and iCapital to continue to deliver on this mission.”

As one of her first directives after being named president and CEO of Make-A-Wish America in September 2022, Leslie Motter created the chief strategy and diversity officer position focused on integrating the organization’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts into the organizational strategy.

Some of the key responsibilities include developing strategies, driving organizational change, establishing greater transparency and building systems of accountability through the lens of DEI. This is the first position within the senior leadership team charged specifically with keeping DEI at the forefront.

After an extensive nationwide search, Make-A-Wish America has announced that Karen S. Wells will be taking on the role of chief strategy and diversity officer, effective Jan. 9, according to a press release.

With more than 20 years of experience in key leadership roles at Fortune 500 companies in addition to experience as the CEO of a nonprofit and the founder of a consulting business, Wells is uniquely qualified to serve the organization in this first-of-its-kind role.

Wells comes to Make-A-Wish after having served as CEO of Bridge Communities, a grassroots organization providing housing and supportive services to families experiencing homelessness. Prior to Bridge Communities, Wells spent 20 years at McDonald’s USA, where she advanced through regional positions to eventually serve at the vice president level in various innovation and strategy roles. She also led the McDonald’s African American Employee Network, creating the model of success for the largest affinity network within the company.

In addition to her contributions within organizations and companies, Wells founded AIW Group, a boutique consulting company focused on leadership development, philanthropy and cultural change through DEI.

“Karen has proven time and time again throughout her career that she understands what it takes to build a winning strategy that organizations and their employees can all take pride in,” Motter said. “When you look at Karen’s body of work, it’s clear that she’s incredibly passionate about strategy development and DEI, and in this role, she’ll be able to focus on both as we work to integrate strategy and DEI to drive results.”

“I am thrilled to be joining the Make-A-Wish America family and honored to lead and integrate overall strategy and DEI in tandem for the organization, which are two areas I’ve been passionate about and dedicated myself to in every role I have had,” Wells said. “It’s such an exciting opportunity for me to help Make-A-Wish get even closer to its vision of one day granting the wish of every eligible child.”

Wells holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Xavier University, an MBA from Meredith College and a DEI Certification from Cornell University.

AdeptID, a software development company with the mission to make job mobility easier for all people, regardless of educational attainment, today announced a strategic partnership with OneTen, a coalition designed to close the opportunity gap for Black talent in the United States by working with America’s leading executives, companies, and talent developers to hire and advance one million Black individuals without four-year degrees into family-sustaining roles.

By joining the coalition, AdeptID will offer OneTen smart technology solutions to provide a simplified means for OneTen to bring eligible jobs from employers’ career websites to the OneTen Career Marketplace, according to a press release. This is an important step in OneTen’s technology enablement in automation of job sourcing from employer career websites and in applying OneTen eligibility criteria.

“OneTen’s ambitious mission and their team’s desire to use technology to power advancement at scale make them an ideal partner,” said Fernando Rodriguez-Villa, CEO of AdeptID. “We are excited to see our technology enhance their technology ecosystem, further support their employers, and help to get more Black individuals into better jobs, faster.”

This partnership is more important than ever. While the job market is booming, the racial wealth gap in America remains vast, largely due to the lack of access to quality, well-paying jobs that do not require college degrees. Seventy-nine percent of jobs paying more than $50,000 require a four-year college degree, which automatically excludes the 76% of Black talent over the age of 25 with relevant experience who don’t have baccalaureate degrees. In an economy where Black people only own 1.5% of America’s wealth, we need to harness multi-stakeholder partnerships and future-forward collaboration to spearhead diversity and foster pathways to success.

“From the beginning, our focus at OneTen has been on aggregating jobs from across our different corporate partners to help Black talent get family-sustaining jobs based on their skills,” said Maurice Jones, CEO of OneTen. “Partnering with AdeptID will provide us with another crucial tool to further improve hiring outcomes for employers and talent without four-year degrees across the country.”

AdeptID and OneTen aim to empower and support the need for a diverse workforce through placement of Black talent into jobs that companies sorely need. By addressing unmet business needs, helping candidates find fulfilling employment, and allowing more individuals to transition into careers with family-sustaining wages, an inclusive work culture is within reach.

The SME Education Foundation, the philanthropic arm of SME, announced Frank W. Ervin III was elected as its 2023 board of directors’ president at its recent SME Fall Gala, with all officers and directors taking office Jan. 1. The board, comprising leaders from industry, academia, and the community, is the governing body of the Foundation.

“As the SME Education Foundation 2023 president, I’m looking forward to working with our officers and directors in executing the organization’s five-year plan focused on inspiring, preparing and supporting the next generation of manufacturing talent,” said Ervin. “We are focusing on moving forward all of our initiatives, including our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

Ervin is managing director of Ervin Policy Group, LLC, a full-service public policy and advocacy enterprise serving clients in the automotive industry. His experience also includes leadership roles with the Piston Group, Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council, and Magna International, according to a press release.

2023 SME Education Foundation Officers

The officers and directors of the SME Education Foundation board of directors act as the governing body of the Foundation with budget authority and oversight responsibility. They include:

• President ―Frank W. Ervin III, Ervin Policy Group LLC, West Bloomfield, Michigan
• Vice President ― Erica Powell Bell, Mobex Global, Southfield, Michigan
• Secretary/Treasurer ― Andrew M. “Andy” Jones, Seizert Capital Partners, Birmingham, Michigan

2023-24 Education Foundation Directors

• Adam Claytor, Coltrane Logistics, Wixom, Michigan
• Valerie I. Freeman, Washington Park High School, Racine, Wisconsin
• Robert “Robby” Komljenovic, Acieta, Waukesha, Wisconsin
• Arthur F. McClellan Jr., Lear Corp., Southfield, Michigan
• Peter Mancini, Mastercam, Somers, Connecticut
• John F. Miller, Siemens Digital Industries Software, Plano, Texas
• Christopher A. Rake, FIRST, Manchester, New Hampshire
• Kyle M. Riegel, Schunk Carbon Technology, West Des Moines, Iowa
• Marion Wells, Human Asset Management, Flossmoor, Illinois

“This group of officers and directors possess strong leadership and exceptional manufacturing acumen and experience that will help accelerate our activities in educating high-school and post-secondary students,” said Rob Luce, vice president of the SME Education Foundation. “I anticipate them building on the strong growth we’ve seen in the last few years.”

The Foundation leverages the 90-year history and thought leadership of SME in the manufacturing and engineering industry to attract and develop a skilled manufacturing workforce, inspiring students through its Bright Minds Student Summit program, preparing them via its SME PRIME program, and supporting their college education through its student scholarship program. All Foundation activities are designed to empower thousands of young people across the country to pursue careers in manufacturing and engineering.

To learn more about the SME Education Foundation Board of Directors, visit smeef.org/about-smeef/leadership/.

Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. (NASDAQ: CCRN) (the “Company” or “Cross Country”), a market-leading, tech-enabled workforce solutions platform and advisory firm, is pleased to announce that Dwayne L. Allen, 61, has been appointed to serve on the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), effective January 3, 2023.

An accomplished digital and IT executive, and an expert with more than 25 years of leadership experience in multiple global industries, Mr. Allen has a long history of evolving businesses and enhancing their future outcomes through digital innovation. His deep and successful track record in digital innovation, advanced analytics, enterprise resource planning (ERP) big data, digital and mobile offers a relevant and unique skillset to the Company’s Board.

Since April 2021, Mr. Allen has served as the Senior Vice President, Solution Innovation, Emerging Technology, Architecture, and Intellectual Property, and Chief Technology Officer of Unisys Corporation (NYSE: UIS) (“Unisys”), a global IT services and solutions company. Before Unisys, Mr. Allen was Global Digital Strategist at Microsoft Corp. from 2019 to 2021, and the Chief Information Officer at Masonite International from 2017 to 2018 where he was responsible for its global IT organization. From 2009 to 2017, Mr. Allen served as the Chief Information Officer of the Components segment at Cummins Inc., a global engine and power manufacturing company, and prior to that, he served as the Division Chief Information Officer of Wells Fargo & Co. and as Vice President of IT of Fifth Third Bancorp.

“Dwayne is an exceptional industry leader, and we are excited to welcome him to the Board,” said John A. Martins, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Dwayne’s insights and broad experience in many verticals will serve the Company well as we continue advancing our digital strategy of creating a world-class IT platform for both our professionals and clients, offering exceptional, frictionless, and seamless experiences while increasing efficiencies. We look forward to partnering with Dwayne on our journey in continuing to reshape and reimagine the way we provide services to our professionals and clients.”

Chairman of the Board, Kevin C. Clark, added, “The Board and I are honored that Dwayne will be joining us. His diverse IT experience and disruptive approach will bring a new dimension to our Board and serve as a valued asset for the Company to leverage,” according to a press release.

“I’m excited to join Cross Country and to have the opportunity to work with a respected brand and a talented group of thought leaders,” said Allen. “I look forward to serving on the Cross Country Board and help to take it to the next level of its digital and transformational journey.”

Mr. Allen holds an MBA from George Washington University and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia.

When 25-year-old Maxwell Frost of Florida takes his seat in the U.S House this month, he will be the nation’s first Gen Z member of Congress.

That — in and of itself — is a major milestone and accomplishment. And what makes it even better is that Frost is a young Black man who won on a great platform focused on ending gun violence, addressing climate change and providing universal health care.

I can’t wait to see what Frost accomplishes in Congress. And I’m equally excited about what other folks in his generational cohort will bring to Congress when they arrive. There’s just no question that young people who have formed their entire identities in the 21^st century will transform government.

These are young people who have spent their whole lives being connected, via the internet, to people and events around the globe. Studies show this gives them greater acceptance of diverse cultures, and contributes to a higher level of empathy and sensitivity toward others. Past generations grew up acutely aware of the struggles of folks in their own neighborhood; to Gen Z, the challenges people face in Asia or Central America are as real as the ones they face in Florida. This is a deeply valuable perspective to bring to a high position in government.

This is also a generation deeply motivated from their personal experiences to address the horror of gun violence and school shootings, which gives me hope that as more of them enter Congress, sensible gun safety legislation will finally win out. It’s a generation that grew up with Obamacare, creating a minimum expectation for what the government can and should do to ensure health care for people. It’s a generation that cannot afford to buy homes, and will demand changes in housing policy. And it’s a generation faced with harsh economic realities created by corporate greed and economic injustice across the board, which could play out in the push not only for a higher minimum wage but for a whole range of other economic policy changes as well.

On a personal level, harsh economic realities have already hit home for Maxwell Frost. A lot has been written about his inability to rent an apartment in Washington because he was forced to finance much of his campaign with credit cards, affecting his credit rating. I can relate. When I was 24, I left a job, cashed in my savings and my (tiny) 401K to run for mayor of Ithaca. It was a huge gamble that I’m glad to say paid off – but like Frost, I came into office without financial security.

And I want to say two things about that. The first is that yes, we need more elected officials who understand what financial insecurity is like. But second, we need to make it possible for more young people without family wealth to consider running for office in the first place. That means raising the pay for the local offices where most young public servants get their start, so they can afford to consider public service as a career. And it means finally changing campaign finance laws so candidates don’t have to come up with a small fortune just to be competitive in an election.

This is all possible, and I’d like to say probable, as more young people enter the political sphere. I love the creativity of young elected officials who are not wedded to the status quo or traditional ways of doing things. Maxwell Frost is the first Gen Z member of Congress, but he won’t be the last. Celebrating that is a great way to start the new year.

About the author

Svante Myrick is President of People For the American Way. Previously, he served as executive director of People For and led campaigns focused on transforming public safety, racial equity, voting rights, and empowering young elected officials. Myrick garnered national attention as the youngest-ever mayor in New York State history.

• Business

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

January 8, 2023

Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group Announces HBCU GO Partnership With Award-Winning Movie ‘Freedom’s Path’

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Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group (AMG) free-streaming digital platform, HBCU GO – the leading media provider for the nation’s 107 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) – announces a new promotional partnership with the award-winning indie film Freedom’s Path, opening in 200 plus theatres nationwide during Black History Month beginning February 3, 2023.

As part of the feature film release, HBCU GO will launch its community giving initiative, “HBCU GO Give 365” to inspire and engage the Black community to lean in and provide much-needed funding to HBCU higher learning institutions. HBCU GO will kick off this community-giving initiative by donating a portion of ticket sales from the movie release in February directly to HBCUs that support the arts, according to a press release.

Freedom’s Path will be released in over 50 major theatrical markets (New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle) with a specialty screening event in Atlanta to include a panel discussion with producers and celebrity cast members. HBCU GO will support the film’s theatrical release in AMC and Regal theaters across the country by inviting students, alumni, faculty and the community to attend and join the conversation.

Freedom’s Path follows the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by challenging us to look past preconceived notions and stereotypes to see people as unique individuals. The first movie to be centered around free, autonomous Black Americans living in the south during the Civil War, Freedom’s Path tells the story of a young, white Union soldier who, after deserting from battle, soon discovers the real meaning of freedom through a young heroic Black man. Centered in and around the Underground Railroad, Freedom’s Path is focused on a unique friendship forged between the soldier (‘William’ portrayed by Gerran Howell) and free man (‘Kitch’ portrayed by actor/executive producer RJ Cyler).

Freedom’s Path is written and directed by Brett Smith, Freedom’s Path was produced by AJ Winslow, Jim Pidgeon, Neko Sparks and Steven Swadling, with RJ Cyler, Dexter Braff, Jory Weitz, BK Fulton, Skip Williamson, Kerri Elder and Blake Elder executive producing. Co-executive producers include Dwayne Clark, Kelly Waller, Manish Majithia, and Matthew Goldman. The production companies involved were 1812 Films, Rocket Soul Studios, Soulidifly Productions, Rock Hill Studios, Room In The Sky Films and Chicago Media Angels. Theatrical distribution is handled by Xenon Pictures.

“We’re proud to support the movie Freedom’s Path by engaging the HBCU community to join this important conversation,” said Byron Allen, Founder/Chairman/CEO of Allen Media Group. “Our partnership with the film, and the launch of HBCU GO Give 365 aligns with Allen Media Group’s commitment to education as a path to economic inclusion.”

For more information about HBCU GO, visit HBCUGO.TV or follow on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram. Find out where to watch and how to download the free app at https://hbcugo.tv/how-to-watch.