Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing: 2/2/2024

Below is Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing:

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Generally, institutional support is enough to win a primary in New Jersey. With Murphy down, this election is a test of whether county organizations still have the power to choose a candidate.” – FDU Polling Director Dan Cassino

TOP STORY: Groundhog Day in N.J.

Insider NJ's Morning Intelligence Briefing

Download and read Insider NJ’s 2023 Retrospective publication.

Governor Murphy and AG Platkin announced the state filed a SCOTUS brief to protect access to reproductive medications.

The backlash over NJ Transit fare hikes and toll increases is growing, according to NJ Spotlight.

The Port Authority Bus Terminal makeover could happen this year, according to the Bergen Record.

The NJDEP scheduled a series of forums on flood buyouts, according to the Bergen Record.

The NJDHS awarded contracts to offer outpatient services for older adults with serious mental illnesses. The NJDHS expanded income eligibility limits for prescription drug assistance programs.

A Monmouth University poll shows Nikki Haley trailing former President Trump in her home state of South Carolina.

2023 was the biggest year ever for NJ area airports, according to NJ Biz.

Mercer County will distribute harm reduction kits as part of a new drug overdose awareness campaign, according to Planet Princeton.

Kean University launched a new ‘Center for Africana Studies’.

Patrick Dunican announced his departure from Gibbons PC.

ICYMI: Rutgers poll on state outlook; Kuch family suing schools; funeral details for the late Sheriff Berdnik; Gottheimer voiced opposition phony pregnancy centers; Murphy signed liquor law overhaul; 9/11 community mourning Zadroga

Insider NJ's Morning Intelligence Briefing

A FDU poll shows Andy Kim with a large lead over Tammy Murphy in the Democratic Senate primary, with incumbent Senator Menendez in distant third.

Former Perth Amboy Mayor Wilda Diaz endorsed Patricia Campos Medina for Senate.

Rep. Kim formed the Black Clergy Advisory Committee for his Senate campaign.

In CD8, Rep Menendez and Mayor Bhalla derided each other’s ethics in a social media back-and-forth, according to TAPinto.

A judge unfroze the bank account of the Jersey Freedom group, according to the Press of Atlantic City.

ICYMI: DNC member Burgos resigned; Bashaw launched his candidacy; Bramnick charting guv middle course; Justin Murphy announced GOP Senate bid; in CD7, Vartan suspended campaign; Malinowski endorsed Kim, Murphy fired back; in CD8, Bhalla unveiled campaign team; Christie, Singh received votes, in NH primary; Castro Ciattarelli bowed out of Senate; Bramnick gubernatorial bid sets up showdown; Ciattarelli Castro, mulling bid in growing field, slammed Murphy; Jones, Schaffer re-elected to NJDSC; Kim doesn’t think he’s ‘being given a fair shot’

Insider NJ's Morning Intelligence Briefing

Insider NJ's Morning Intelligence Briefing

Insider NJ's Morning Intelligence Briefing

In Atlantic City, operative Craig Callaway was arrested for allegedly submitting fraudulent vote-by-mail ballots.

In Edison, a warehouse battle ended with a township land purchase, according to MyCentralJersey.

In Flemington, the town seeks funds for alcohol abuse awareness programs, according to TAPinto.

In Jersey City, the city says armed cops can’t use cannabis, but the union calls it ‘pure hogwash’, according to NJ Monitor.

In Lakewood, the town needs to borrow $100M for a improvement plan, according to the Asbury Park Press.

In Montville, Changebridge Road flooding will be examined, according to TAPinto.

In Newark, residents are outraged over a teen novel removal as the BOE changes policy for controversial books, according to NJ Spotlight.

In North Bergen, a new police chief was sworn-in, according to Hudson County View.

In North Wildwood, the state told the town it can’t save a disappearing beach with an emergency fix, according to NJ.com.

In Princeton, the town and university agreed on a new five-year PILOT deal, according to Planet Princeton.

In Ramapo, a swastika graffiti incident investigation at the high school got a late start, according to the Bergen Record.

In Raritan, the town is looking to expand its cultural and historic committee, according to TAPinto.

In Ridgewood, the council heard a presentation on possible uses for the Zabriskie-Schedler property, according to TAPinto.

In Scotch Plains, a controversial book dominated a BOE meeting, according to UC Hawk.

In Stafford, Henken was sworn-in as mayor, according to TAPinto.

In Teaneck, Rep. Gottheimer blasted the school district for a CAIR invitation, according to NJ Spotlight.

In Toms River, a meeting on cop jobs cuts was cut short by glitches and anti-Semitism, according to the Asbury Park Press.

In Wenonah, the BOE president passed away, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

In Vineland, the Reserve golf course project returned to planners, according to the Press of Atlantic City.

ICYMI: In Annandale, the continued battle over books; in Annandale, librarian at center of book controversy; in Newark, historic step lowering voting age for BOE elections; in Montville, intra-community legal battle; in Dover, Dodd sworn-in as mayor; in Parsippany, Hernandez sworn-in to the council

AROUND THE WEB:

Memo to Republicans: These legal actions facing Donald Trump should scare you | Kelly

Mike Kelly, NorthJersey.com

  • Dear Republicans: Last week, I wrote a “Dear Democrats” column to your political adversaries. This week, it’s the Republicans’ turn. As I noted in my previous column, Democrats need to face five uncomfortable realities about themselves and President Joe Biden if they expect to reelect him in November. I could have named more realities. But I figured five was enough punishment — for now.

Op-Ed: How big is New Jersey’s budget?

Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff, NJ Spotlight

  • In a few weeks Gov. Phil Murphy will unveil his proposed budget for the next state fiscal year. Although we’ll have to wait for details, it’s reasonable to anticipate that Murphy’s 2025 budget will top his $53.1 billion proposal for 2024.

Atlantic Health, Saint Peter’s Healthcare announce merger plans

Susan Loyer, MyCentralJersey.com

  • Saint Peter’s Healthcare and Atlantic Health have signed an agreement to integrate the two health care systems, the institutions announced Wednesday. The announcement comes less than 20 months after Saint Peter’s, faced with anti-trust action from the federal government, abandoned similar plans to partner with RWJBarnabas Health.

Trenton’s poverty rate is one of the highest in New Jersey

LA Parker, The Trentonian

  • Approximately 35 million people live in poverty in the United States and 28,000 of them reside in Trenton. In this column, Trenton pitches as a city with a population of 100,000, including a low-ball count of 10,000 undocumented residents. A list of estimated poverty rates for Mercer County municipalities.

South Jersey had multiple stops on the Underground Railroad. Where are they?

Celeste E. Whittaker, Cherry Hill Courier-Post

  • Many people know the story of Harriet Tubman, a fugitive slave who was a conductor of the Underground Railroad and made dozens of trips from South to North, leading hundreds of slaves to freedom.

13 remarkable places where you can see Black history come alive in Monmouth County

Jerry Carino, Asbury Park Press

  • From the site of a lynching to a gym where Martin Luther King Jr. spoke, Monmouth County is loaded with landmarks that tell the African American story in New Jersey. Now there is a Monmouth County Black History Trail to spotlight them in compact yet comprehensive fashion.

Sen. Menendez raised additional $195K for defense fund. See who made contributions

Ashley Balcerzak, NorthJersey.com

  • Sen. Bob Menendez has raised an additional $195,000 from executives, real estate developers and others for his legal defense fund, bringing the total to $469,500 that he can use to cover legal expenses related to federal bribery charges he and his wife face.

N.J. corrections officer denied time off after MS diagnosis deserves $10M, judges rule

evin Shea, For NJ.com

  • An appeals court on Tuesday upheld the $10 million in damages a Mercer County jury awarded to a former corrections officer whose state bosses did not grant her leave to deal with a Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis. Shelley Pritchett, who worked for the Juvenile Justice Commission, won the award following a jury trial in mid 2017, and state lawyers have been fighting it ever since in the state’s three court levels.

My brother, a proud New Jerseyan, is being held hostage by Hamas. It’s time to bring him home. | Opinion

Mika Alexander

  • My family’s entire world changed on October 7, 2023, when my big brother, Edan, was kidnapped and taken hostage by Hamas terrorists. It’s been almost four months since we last heard anything from my brother.

Alone, autistic and afraid

Susan K. Livio, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

  • Leah is an autistic young woman who cannot speak. But through her tears, her desperate gestures in sign language and rapid weight loss, she had been pleading for help for months in 2021, her mother said.

Judge Rules in TAPinto Newark OPRA Suit, Orders District to ‘Remove all Redactions’

Matt Kadosh, TAPinto.net

  • The public should soon know the full taxpayer cost anticipated for the planned redevelopment of a dilapidated and historic school building in New Jersey’s largest city following a state Superior Court judge’s decision in a New Jersey Open Public Records Act case filed by TAPinto Newark.

Everyone in this year’s N.J. Democrat Senate primary is a professional victim

Matt Rooney, Save Jersey

  • This country was built predominantly by people who were mistreated somewhere else but decided to make a fresh start here, Save Jerseyans. Immigrants from all of the world who refused to be lifelong victims, opting instead for taking the reins of their own respective destinies and reaching for the stars in the United States. There’s nothing more American.

Jim McGreevey will host 1st Town Hall next week as part of bid for Jersey City mayor

John Heinis, Hudson County View

  • Former Gov. Jim McGreevey will host his first Town Hall next week as part of his bid for Jersey City mayor in what is scheduled for a two-hour event.

Superfund tax is back, and chemical industry is seeing red

Benjamin J. Hulac, NJ Spotlight

  • Facing a new tax to fund a toxic waste cleanup program, the American chemical industry spent a near-record sum lobbying the federal government last year. Chemical companies and their primary trade group, the American Chemistry Council, which represents the industry before Congress and federal departments, spent $65.73 million on lobbying in 2023, nearly matching the $66.68 million the industry spent in 2022, according to the nonpartisan political watchdog group OpenSecrets.

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24 Nashville Black leaders to know in 2024

In the heart of Nashville, a city pulsating with rich, cultural tapestry, the influence of Black leaders resonates more powerfully than ever in 2024. These trailblazers of today embody resilience, innovation and a commitment to fostering community change. Men and women that ensure our children are safe; prepared for future careers; emboldened to sound off in the face of injustice; inspired to dream.

Some are familiar and others less well-known, but their impact extends beyond respective sectors; journeys and dynamic narratives that elevate our collective aspirations. Founders, first responders and faith leaders. Entrepreneurs and executives. An architect and artists.

This list, curated with support from Tennessean staffers and community stakeholders, represents 24 influential community leaders to follow during Black History Month 2024. Of course, there are many others, but we believe this account gives a clear snapshot of Nashville’s best and brightest.

In honing the lineup, The Tennessean decided to focus on community leaders not already serving in elected political office. This decision was not made to discount the impact and achievements of Nashville’s Black lawmakers and thought leaders. Indeed, many are making a profound impact from the halls of the state Capitol to the corridors of the Metro Courthouse and beyond.

Let’s celebrate these 24 leaders making a difference in Nashville.

Sports

Cathy Bender

Cathy Bender, pictured outside her Nashville, Tenn., office on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024, has transitioned from playing college basketball at Vanderbilt University to managing Nashville’s largest professional sports facilities as chair of the Metro Nashville Sports Authority.

As chair of the Metro Nashville Sports Authority, Cathy Bender manages the city’s largest real-estate deals for its sporting venues.

And that’s not even her day job. Bender is a senior financial adviser for Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. Throughout her academic and professional careers, she has proven that she can excel in varied environments.

Former Mt. Juliet and Vanderbilt basketball star Cathy Bender was a 2021 inductee into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.

She is the first Black woman to lead the influential Sports Authority. Bender was also the first Black woman to receive an athletic scholarship at Vanderbilt University, where she set records for assists as a basketball player. In 2021, Bender was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.

She’s supported others through mentoring and sponsoring student athletes as co-chair of the Vanderbilt Black & Gold Club and the Endowed Scholarship Fund for the Association of Vanderbilt Black Alumni, among other nonprofits. She was also co-chair of the Baron’s Society fundraising initiative for the National Museum of African American Music.

Corrinne Tarver

Fisk gymnastics coach Corrinne Tarver, right, congratulates Alyssa Wiggins on her balance beam routine during a quad meet in Gainesville, FL., on Friday, January 12, 2024. In 2023, Fisk debuted the nation’s first HBCU gymnastics program.

At the University of Georgia in 1989, she summersaulted her way to becoming the first Black gymnast to win an NCAA all-around title.

Flip forward to today. Corrinne Tarver is an accomplished coach guiding the nation’s first historically Black college gymnastics program through its inaugural season. Under her leadership, the Fisk University Lady Bulldogs — or Gymdogs — earned national recognition on Good Morning America, ABC News and the Jennifer Hudson Show while securing sponsorship with SheaMoisture.

Fisk coach Corrinne Tarver watches her gymnasts warm up before the balance beam competition at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center in Gainesville, FL., on Friday, January 12, 2024. Now in its second season of competition, Fisk is nationally ranked in Division III.

The Gymdogs are dazzling fans and inspiring girls during a time of increasing diversity in the historically white-dominated sport.

During its second year, which started in January, Fisk gymnastics ranks second in Division III. Last season, Gymdogs Morgan Price and Liberty Mora won bronze medals in floor and beam, respectively, at the 2023 USA Gymnastics Women’s Collegiate National Championships.

Adolpho Birch III

Adolpho Birch III of the Tennessee Titans has been at the forefront of navigating a $2.1 billion Nissan Stadium deal with Metro and league officials.

Adolpho Birch III, senior vice president and chief external and league affairs officer for the Tennessee Titans, played a pivotal role in facilitating stadium negotiations between the NFL and the Nashville community.

Having joined the Titans in 2020, Birch brought with him 24 years of experience with the NFL. During his tenure with the league, he held the position of senior vice president of labor policy and league affairs, playing a critical role in developing and enforcing game-integrity policies related to drugs, gambling and personal conduct.

In his current role in Nashville, Birch has been at the forefront of navigating the intricate, $2.1 billion Nissan Stadium deal via extensive negotiations with Metro and league officials. He has been instrumental in the development of a comprehensive community-benefits package that provides education, workforce development and sponsorship opportunities with a deliberate focus on fostering diversity, equity and inclusion in hiring.

Birch’s leadership exemplies a commitment not only to securing a state-of-the-art facility, but also enriching the broader Nashville community.

Faith

Bishop Joseph Warren Walker III

Bishop Joseph Walker III, senior pastor of Nashville's Mt. Zion Baptist Church, speaks to his congregation during a morning service on Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023. The Nashville megachurch celebrated its annual College Sunday, which included awarding college scholarships.

For three decades, Bishop Joseph Warren Walker III has held the esteemed position of pastor of the historic Mt. Zion Baptist Church, overseeing its remarkable expansion from a congregation of hundreds to more than 30,000 members in three locations.

Beyond his pastoral duties, Walker has published 14 books that have transformed him into a sought-after media commentator and public speaker. He also presently holds the distinguished position of international presiding bishop of the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship.

Walker extends his influence as a dedicated board member at the nation’s oldest Black-owned bank, Citizens Savings Bank & Trust. His commitment to education and community service is further evident in his positions as board member at the Greater Nashville Chapter of the United Negro College Fund and Tennessee State University.

Emilie Townes

Emilie Townes, the former dean of the Vanderbilt University Divinity School, left a deep impression during her 10-year tenure.

As Vanderbilt University Divinity School’s first African American dean, Emilie Townes has fostered a progressive atmosphere in a region known for traditional values. Queer studies, global ethnic conflicts and racial justice are some of the social issues added to the curriculum under Townes’ leadership.

A womanist ethicist and American Baptist minister, she helped develop the school’s new James Lawson Institute for the Research and Study of Nonviolent Movements. She is also Vanderbilt’s E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Professor of womanist ethics and society, and in 2008 was named the first African American woman elected president of the American Academy of Religion. Townes served as president of the Society for the Study of Black Religion (2012-16) and was elected as president of the Society of Christian Ethics (2024-25).

Though she stepped down from leading the Vanderbilt’s Divinity School in 2023, Townes left a deep impression during her 10-year tenure.

John Faison

Pastor John Faison, shown Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024, at Watson Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Nashville, Tenn., was called to serve after a career in the military.

John Faison has expanded the congregation as senior pastor at Watson Grove Baptist Church in the historically Black Edgehill neighborhood and provided leadership on social issues in the larger community and as a national speaker.

He joined Watson Grove in 2012 and has invested in the community with a food pantry, healthcare services and scholarships.

Faison, a former U.S. Army officer, is an ambassador for the NAACP on HIV and AIDS, and Watson Grove supports the effort by hosting free HIV testing. Watson also serves as assistant to the bishop of social action for the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship and president of the Grover Community Development Corp., as well as a board member at Belmont University and Leadership Nashville.

He is a co-chair of Imagine Nashville, a community-wide survey and coalition to increase public engagement and influence the city’s planning and growth.

Business

Don Hardin

Under his firm, Don Hardin has served as the project manager for the National Museum of African American Music, while also managing key projects by Nissan North America, Vanderbilt University and HCA.

To spot Don Hardin’s handywork, look up.

The architectural engineer established the Don Hardin Group in 2001 and has since played a pivotal role in constructing part of Nashville’s skyline.

Most recently, Don Hardin Group served as the project manager for the National Museum of African American Music. Other notable buildings include the Music City Center, the 45-story 505 Church Street and First Horizon Park, Nashville’s minor-league baseball stadium. The firm has also managed key projects by Nissan North America, Vanderbilt University and HCA.

Joycelen Stephenson

Joycelyn Stevenson guided the Metro Nashville Airport Authority Board of Commissioners through a tumultuous 2023 as state officials sought to take control of airport leadership appointments.

An attorney and chair of the Metro Nashville Airport Authority board of commissioners, Joycelyn Stevenson guided the leadership team through a tumultuous 2023 as state officials sought to take over appointments of airport leadership from Metro leaders.

Stevenson and four other board members were displaced for several months by appointments imposed by a new state law — until the legislation was overturned in court. Since returning to the board, Stevenson has led a smooth transition that allowed airport operations to continue without interruption.

Her legal expertise and investment in the community has been established over many years of service.

Stevenson is the office managing shareholder at Littler Mendelson, an employment and labor law firm. From 2013-17, she served as executive director of the Tennessee Bar Association. She has also held positions as president elect of the National Association of Bar Executives and past president of National Bar Association and the Lawyers’ Association for Women.

Derrick Moore, E.J. Reed and Clint Gray

Businessman Darrell Freeman, left, poses with the owners of Slim & Husky's in March 2020 outside a new location in Atlanta. They are, from left, Freeman, E.J. Reed, Derrick "Moe" Moore and Clint Gray.

Three Tennessee State University roommates — Derrick Moore, E.J. Reed and Clint Gray — struck cheese when they founded a new pizzeria concept on North Nashville’s Buchanan Street, part of the city’s original African American business district.

Their restaurant, Slim & Husky’s, opened in 2017 to hourlong lines and expanded later that year with a neighboring cinnamon bun concept. Slim & Husky’s has since grown into a thriving chain of restaurants and helped to reinvigorate Buchanan Street. The chain now has 13 locations, including one in California and three in Georgia.

In 2021, Slim & Husky’s became the first Black-owned business to open on Nashville’s famed Broadway strip in the Fifth + Broadway development. Two years later, Slim & Husky’s was a semifinalist for a James Beard Foundation’s Restaurant and Chef “outstanding restaurateur” award.

Andre Prince Jeffries

Andre Prince Jeffries has transformed her family’s Nashville-famous hot chicken into an internationally recognized brand.

Since becoming matriarch in the 1980s, Andre Prince Jeffries has transformed her family’s famous fried and fiery eatery into an internationally recognized brand.

Founded in North Nashville in the 1940s, the Prince family restaurant now known as Prince’s Hot Chicken is the creator of Nashville’s only original dish. “Nashville hot chicken” recipes like Prince’s are now served in restaurants around the world.

The crispy, cayenne pepper-infused chicken was developed by accident a century ago, according to Prince family lore. The story is that Thornton Prince III’s girlfriend, in a jealous rage, sabotaged his fried chicken seasoning with hot peppers. But the recipe turned out to be delicious, fueling the restaurant’s local popularity.

The James Beard Foundation culinary award-winning eatery was named one of America’s 38 essential restaurants by Eater in 2018. Under Jeffries’ leadership, Prince’s Hot Chicken has grown to nine locations with two more opening soon — at the Nashville airport and on North Nashville’s Jefferson Street — near the original location of what was then called BBQ Chicken Shack.

In 2022, she was inducted into the Nashville Entrepreneur Center’s Entrepreneurs’ Hall of Fame.

Richard Manson

Richard Manson participates in a December meeting at Nashville General Hospital on Dec. 21, 2017.

Attorney Richard Manson’s storied career includes representing Rosa L. Parks, as well as Grammy-winning artists.

He is currently president of SourceMark, a medical products and services supplier, and a founding partner of law firm Manson Johnson Conner. A regular speaker at conferences and chairman of the Tennessee Minority Supplier Development Council, Manson serves as a board member for the Healthcare Supplier Diversity Alliance.

For decades, Manson has served on the board of Citizens Savings Bank & Trust, the nation’s oldest continuously owned Black-owned bank; he was named chairman in 2018. He also served as chair of the Nashville General Hospital board (2022-23).

Jacky Akbari

Jacky Akbari is photographed during a tour of the Alcove building under construction on Church Street Wednesday Sep 7, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn.,

Jacky Akbari, founder and managing principal of Worthington Advisory, has been a key figure in major business growth in Nashville for decades — often behind the scenes.

A longtime economic-development officer in the Nashville mayor’s office, Akbari has touched nearly every major new deal in town in the past 20 years. She is a global workforce engagement strategist who works with companies to engage and diversify their workforces, consult with governments and promote their products and services.

Her deep knowledge of the Nashville region has made her a trusted adviser for Nissan North America, UBS, Alliance Bernstein, Amazon, Oracle, Microsoft, Asurion, Vanderbilt University and other enterprise organizations.

Beyond working with the business world on creative solutions, Akbari gives back to the community as an active member of the Downtown Nashville Rotary Club and a YMCA of Middle Tennessee board member. She hosts Diversity Nashville bus tours, among other events, to introduce residents and visitors alike to the city’s varied cultural, religious and historic landmarks.

Marcus Whitney

Marcus Whitney, health-tech entrepreneur and cofounder of Nashville SC.

Health-tech entrepreneur Marcus Whitney founded the first U.S. venture fund to exclusively invest in Black-owned businesses. He routinely speaks at influential business conferences. He’s also a blue belt in Brazilian jujitsu who was instrumental to bringing Major League Soccer to Nashville.

And it all started when Whitney taught himself software engineering while waiting tables in Nashville.

Whitney co-founded Jumpstart Health Investors in 2013 to support promising Black-owned health care firms. In 2022, the organization launched the $55 million Jumpstart Nova venture fund for health IT, diagnostic equipment, biotech, medical device manufacturing and other Black-led health-related businesses.

Among other activities, Whitney co-founded and is a minority owner of MLS’s Nashville Soccer Club, and he serves on the boards of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp., the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and Launch Tennessee.

In 2020, he authored “Create and Orchestrate,” his first book on entrepreneurship.

Lee Molette II

Lee Molette II has championed making Nashville a more inclusive city for minority business owners.

Lee Molette II wears many hats — investment adviser, developer, philanthropist, sales manager — but his community service is as well-known as his outsized impact on the Nashville business world.

Originally from Detroit, Molette has championed making Nashville a more inclusive city for minority business owners for decades. He founded Molette Investment Services and Frank Stanton Developers — named for his grandfather. Meanwhile, he has been active in leading community groups Nashville Business Alliance Political Action Committee, Inroads and the Nashville Business Incubation Center.

In 2020, he co-founded the Table Action mentoring and networking organization dedicated to growing successful minority-owned businesses through mentorship. In 2023, he was named chair of 100 Black Men of Middle Tennessee, a nonprofit focused on developing social and educational opportunities for young Black men. Molette’s commitment to creating a more inclusive business community has helped countless young companies while influencing other leaders to do the same.

Nonprofit and public service

John Drake

Metro Police Chief John Drake delivers remarks during the Nashville Remembers candlelight vigil at Public Square Park to mourn and honor victims of The Covenant School mass shooting on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn.

Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake has steered the city through some of its most tumultuous years while expanding public-safety services.

He became Davidson County’s eighth police chief in November 2020 — one month before a man detonated a homemade bomb in a camper downtown on Christmas morning. From the scene, Drake led the initial emergency response and investigation, while fielding community concerns.

His leadership further extended to managing security during numerous community protests surrounding police brutality and gun laws, skillfully implementing enhanced police presence without escalating political tensions.

In 2022, Drake responded to increased crime reports on Broadway’s world-famous tourist strip by establishing an Entertainment District Unit, tasked to police downtown Nashville as it absorbed the brunt of demand from an average of 200,000 tourists a day.

Challenges continued in 2023, with Drake leading the response to a tragic mass shooting at The Covenant School on March 27, 2023. Police responded to the school eight minutes after getting the call and swiftly subdued the shooter, who killed three students and three staff members. Throughout the response, Drake communicated with the public, providing reassurance and updates.

Drake’s journey in law enforcement began in 1988 with the MNPD. He steadily worked his way up the ranks, from patrol to narcotics, internal affairs and commander of the Central Precinct, before securing the top spot.

On Oct. 24, the public witnessed Drake’s personal grief as news broke that his estranged son, John C. Drake Jr., was found dead amid a massive police search following his alleged shooting of two police officers.

The chief’s dedication to professional responsibilities and personal challenges underscores his resilience and commitment to public service and family.

William Swann

William Swann, the director chief of the Nashville Fire Department and Office of Emergency, speaks to the media concerning the upcoming 2023 Nashville Dense Urban Terrain Exercise at the Nashville Office of Emergency Management, Emergency Communications Center on Monday, Aug. 7, 2023.

As the first Black director chief of the Nashville Fire Department, William Swann spent decades climbing the ranks after leaving the U.S. Army.

In 2018, he was promoted to the top job by then-Mayor David Briley, overseeing fire, medical and rescue emergency response for the county. He has since managed disaster response during numerous devastating tornadoes, The Covenant School mass shooting and the downtown bombing on December 25, 2020.

Swann also supports the community, teaching adult leadership and life-support classes, as well as participating in Leadership Nashville.

A graduate of Trevecca Nazarene University, Swann was called to work in public service by a tragic family event. His uncle, John Branner, was murdered in a lynching by a white mob in the 1940s.

Sharon Roberson

At YWCA, Sharon Roberson, shown in Nashville, Tenn., on Monday, Jan. 29, 2024, launched Abbie’s Safe Home, a pet-shelter program for families fleeing domestic abusers.

YWCA Nashville and Middle Tennessee President Sharon Roberson has built a strong domestic-violence response network during a period of increased abuse reports in the community, while also expanding the nonprofit’s educational and social-justice programs.

She implemented YWCA’s Amend Together program, in partnership with the Nashville Predators hockey team, to help prevent domestic violence through education in the public school system. Roberson also instituted Abbie’s Safe Home, a pet-shelter program for families fleeing domestic abusers.

Prior to leading YWCA, Roberson worked as a senior vice president and general counsel in the insurance industry. There, she also made a lasting impact. She was the first Black female president of the Tennessee Association of Life Insurance Cos. and the first Black woman to chair the Tennessee Life & Health Insurance Guaranty Association.

She has served on boards of the Nashville Symphony and Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee.

Marshall Crawford

At the Housing Fund, Marshall Crawford stretches about $30 million annually in private and public affordable-housing funds to create as much new and preserved low-cost housing as possible. Under Marshall Crawford’s leadership, the Housing Fund in 2023 developed 608 new affordable units and preserved 715 homes.

As CEO of the Housing Fund, Marshall Crawford is on the front lines of Nashville’s growing affordable housing crisis.

Crawford stretches about $30 million annually in private and public affordable-housing funds to create as much new and preserved low-cost housing as possible. In 2023, the Housing Fund developed 608 new affordable units and preserved 715 homes, while increasing housing loans to underserved groups.

He brought expertise to the position from prior roles as president of development for Community Ventures Corp., senior director for NeighborWorks America’s southern region and an examiner with the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Thrift Supervision.

Crawford is on the board of directors for the Nashville branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, My Brother’s Keeper and the African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs Nashville.

Education

Adrienne Battle

In Nashville, schools director Adrienne Battle leads one of the nation’s largest public school systems, managing 150 schools, 80,000 students and 11,000 employees.

Metro Nashville Public Schools Director Adrienne Battle manages a vast network of 150 schools with 80,000 students and 11,000 employees as the leader of one of the nation’s largest school districts.

Since her 2019 appointment as the first Black woman to be president of MNPS, she has led the city through the COVID-19 pandemic and the aftermath of the deadly 2020 tornadoes, while adding teacher pay increases, six new schools and many new facilities and programs.

Battle oversaw the launch of Gear Up senior-college tracker and a joint venture called Better Together with Nashville State Community College to increase post-secondary opportunies for students and provide needed scholarships.

Her Metro Schools ReimaginED program also seeks creative ways to maximize resources by analyzing district data.

James Hildreth

James Hildreth, president and CEO of Meharry Medical College, speaks during a press briefing held at the Titans mural on Korean Veterans Blvd. to update the public on Metro’s response to COVID-19 on Thursday, September 17, 2020.

Meharry Medical College President James Hildreth is an infectious disease expert who helped lead Nashville’s COVID-19 response. He was also a national figure during the pandemic.

He was appointed to President Joe Biden’s Health Equity Task Force and to the Food and Drug Administration’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee to consider COVID-19 vaccine candidates in 2020.

Hildreth is a Rhodes scholar elected to the National Academy of Medicine. He’s served on the advisory council to the National Institutes of Health and is chair of St. Jude’s Research Hospital Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. He also serves on the boards of the Nashville Healthcare Council, the Boy Scouts of America and the United Methodist Church’s General Board of Higher Education.

Glenda Glover

Under the leadership of president Glenda Glover, Tennessee State University has experienced significant increases in enrollment, fundraising and academic offerings.

As president of Tennessee State University since 2012, Glenda Glover has orchestrated substantial growth in grant funding and endowments, while elevating the institution’s national profile.

President Joe Biden recognized Glover’s leadership prowess in 2021 by appointing her to his board of advisers for historically Black colleges and universities. She helped secure Vice President Kamala Harris as commencement speaker (May 7, 2022); TSU alumna Oprah Winfrey followed (May 6, 2023).

With a rich academic background, Glover is a certified public accountant and attorney with extensive investment in community service. She serves as lead director of Pinnacle Financial Partners and is a Metro Nashville Airport Authority board member.

The arts

Allison Russell

Allison Russell’s first two solo albums garnered eight Grammy nominations, including Best Americana Album for "The Returner."

Self-taught singer, songwriter and social activist Allison Russell is one of Nashville’s most promising up-and-coming artists. Her combination of musical talent, storytelling prowess and social activism makes her a standout figure in the contemporary music landscape.

Russell’s music effortlessely weaves folk, soul and Americana styles into a unique sound with highly personal lyrics that resound with emotional depth.

Her first two solo albums garnered eight Grammy nominations, including Best Americana Album for “The Returner.” She has leveraged her rising star to advocate for inclusivity across platforms and held benefit concerts such as “Love Rising,” which supported LGBTQ+ organizations in Tennessee.

A member of Our Native Daughters collaboration featuring artists from diverse backgrounds, she speaks out about her personal struggles, including an abusive childhood. Russell’s influence has been recognized with the 2022 Americana Music Association Album of the Year award and the Spirit of Americana/Free Speech in Music Award.

Shannon Sanders

Shannon Sanders, shown at his Nashville, Tenn., office on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024, has worked with John Legend, India.Arie and other artists. He currently serves as BMI Nashville’s executive director of creative.

Shannon Sanders, BMI Nashville’s executive director of creative, is an award-winning producer and leading music executive in Nashville.

Sanders has garnered two Grammy awards, two Emmys and one Dove Award in a career working with John Legend, Jonny Lang, the Fisk Jubilee Singers and other artists. He was India.Arie’s musical director for 20 years.

He not only boasts an impressive array of awards and accomplishments, but dedicates himself to nurturing the artistic community and shaping the future of Nashville’s future entertainment scene.

Sanders founded radio station 102.1 FM The Ville, and is a Recording Academy trustee, a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame’s education committee and a tourism commissioner for the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. Most recently, he joined the board of the newly formed Nashville Music, Film & Entertainment Commission.

Jamaal B. Sheats

Jamaal Sheats, the director of the Van Vechten Art Gallery, is in charge of Fisk University’s vast art collection.

Jamaal B. Sheats, director and curator of Fisk University Galleries, has shepherded the institution’s world-class collections and curated celebrated exhibitions since taking the helm in 2016.

Not only is Fisk a historically crucial educational home for African Americans amid historic racial inequality, but its art galleries include Alfred Stieglitz’s Collection of Modern Art, donated by Georgia O’Keeffe in 1949.

Fisk sold a portion of its rights to the collection to keep the school afloat during financial troubles in 2012. Since then, Sheats has helped to draw in record numbers of visitors with a series of acclaimed exhibitions, including African Modernism in America.

Sheats, an artist himself who specializes in a style of metal relief sculpture, also established a museum leadership program focused on diversity.

Sandy Mazza can be reached via email at smazza@tennessean.com, by calling 615-726-5962, or on Twitter @SandyMazza.

African American Vernacular English (AAVE): The Dialect We Call Our Own

No, it’s not TikTok slang.

via GIPHY

In the melting pot of American dialects, African American Vernacular English (AAVE) stands out as a vibrant and culturally significant linguistic variety. Formerly referred to as Ebonics, a term coined by Black psychologist Robert Williams–who is also a co-founder of the Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi)–AAVE has evolved over time and plays a substantial role in shaping American language.

According to the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission, The origins of African American dialects can be traced back to the forced migration of African people during the transatlantic slave trade. Separated from their homelands, enslaved Africans developed unique linguistic forms, blending elements from their native languages with those of other African tribes and European colonizers. The Gullah Geechee language, originating in the Sea Islands of South Carolina and Georgia, represents a vibrant example of this amalgamation. Similarly, Tutnese, spoken by African Americans in Tutwiler, Mississippi, showcases the adaptability of language, blending African roots with the linguistic influence of the American South.

The term “Ebonics,” emerged in the 1990s as a linguistic identifier for African American speech. Williams, also a founding member of the Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi), aimed to challenge the prevailing notion that African American Vernacular English (AAVE) was mere slang or improper English. However, the term became a source of controversy, leading to a shift in nomenclature to AAVE. This change reflected a desire to move away from the negative connotations associated with “Ebonics” and assert the legitimacy of AAVE as a distinct linguistic system.

The age-old debate surrounding the incorporation of AAVE in educational settings often involves concerns from some parents who prefer their children to adhere to Standard American English. Critics argue that parents, educators, and policymakers should advocate for a practice known as code-switching, where individuals alternate between AAVE and Standard English based on the context. Proponents of code-switching suggest that it prepares students for success in diverse linguistic environments, including academic and professional settings. However, this approach has also faced criticism, with some arguing that it perpetuates linguistic biases and implies that AAVE is inherently inferior.

AAVE influences American society across various areas. Its impact spans cultural expressions like music and literature, shaping genres such as hip-hop and influencing renowned authors. AAVE’s presence is notable in social media, contributing to internet slang, memes, and viral content. It has influenced everyday communication, introducing phrases like “cap” and the now-co-opted “woke” into mainstream English. AAVE serves as a marker of cultural identity and empowerment for African Americans, challenging linguistic norms and fostering inclusivity.

AAVE stands as a treasure, sharing the rich history, creativity, and enduring spirit of Black American communities across generations. Most importantly, it’s ours.

Cover Photo: African American Vernacular English plays a substantial role in shaping American language / Design by Madison Echlin

Seizing the Moment: How Museum Outreach and Programming Can Champion Overlooked Communities

Multiple books and magazines on a wooden table
Right to left: The covers of an NGA brochure designed for Black churches and a Branford Marsalis Quartet CD feature Romare Bearden art from the exhibition.

Sometimes, instead of waiting for an invitation, overlooked communities will come knocking at your door. If so, is your museum ready to be fearless, seize the moment, collaborate, share narratives, and maybe even have some fun?

One such case happened at the National Gallery of Art (NGA) some twenty years ago, before our sector had fully embraced diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion. Now that the ambition to center and celebrate marginalized communities is more widespread, I wanted to write this post to share some of the lessons staff learned in the process, as inspiration to those doing the work now.


1. Trust your intuition, be fearless, and seize the moment.

“Look out the window, you can still see the thick smoke,” said Sheila Rohan of the Romare Bearden Foundation in New York City. NGA curator Ruth Fine and I peered out the window behind her desk. In the weeks following 9/11, darkness hovered over Manhattan, but at that moment sunlight pierced the ash-filled clouds. We smiled and looked at each other, knowingly.

A few years earlier, Fine had received a visit in Washington, DC, from the widow of artist Romare Bearden, Nanette Rohan Bearden, and her nephew, Tallal I. ELBoushi, to discuss how to care for Bearden’s art. That meeting set Fine on a path of discovery, leading to what would become the NGA’s first monographic exhibition of work by an African American artist and the most comprehensive show of Bearden’s work to date.

Four people standing in front of two paintings
Left to right: Tallal I. ELBoushi, Romare Bearden’s nephew; Deborah Ziska, Chief of Press and Public information, and Ruth Fine, Curator, National Gallery of Art, and musician Branford Marsalis in the The Art of Romare Bearden exhibition.

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In addition to an artist, Bearden (1911-1988) was also a writer and a supporter of the civil rights movement and young artists of color. His collages, paintings, drawings, watercolors, prints, sculptures, quilts, and murals—all of which were to be represented in the exhibition—exemplified the art of creative reinvention, or as he once called it, “[an attempt] to redefine the image of man in terms of the [Black] experience.”

Armed with promises of loans and funding, and the support of the Bearden family and Foundation, Fine was ready to move on with the show. As a native Washingtonian and the NGA’s Chief of Press and Public Information, I knew intuitively that the exhibition would be a long overdue move for the museum in terms of furthering its mission as the nation’s gallery and celebrating an underserved community in its own backyard. Following a coffee break, I seized the moment and asked our director Earl “Rusty” A. Powell III what he thought about Romare Bearden’s art. His characteristically succinct response was, “Pretty good artist.”

Those conversations sparked a chain of events that fast-tracked the NGA’s approval process. Ultimately, The Art of Romare Bearden was scheduled for September 14, 2003, through January 4, 2004, followed by a national tour including stops at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Dallas Museum of Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, and High Museum of Art.

2. Expand your network, collaborate, and share the narrative.

To my mind, showcasing Bearden’s art was an opportunity to jumpstart new conversations at the NGA. Not only had the museum never dedicated a show to an African American artist’s career at that point, but its permanent collection contained significant gaps in the narrative of American art history, including the contributions and stories of African American artists.

As we set out to maximize the impact of the event, Fine shared the news about the exhibition’s approval with the Bearden Foundation, as well as with African American art collectors and scholars, who would contribute to the success of the exhibition. Meanwhile, I proposed a citywide celebration of African American culture to Vicki Isley, Head of Marketing for Destination DC, the city’s official tourism and convention organization, and Kathryn Smith, head of Cultural Tourism DC.

Tourism had declined since 9/11, and Isley was working to attract Black tourists to DC in particular. Smith recalled that the nearby Textile Museum was also planning an exhibition of African American artists, called African-American Quilts from the Robert and Helen Cargo Foundation and suggested them as a partner.

Isley, Smith, Fine, and I concurred and we decided to invite cultural and hospitality colleagues from across metropolitan DC to coffee at the NGA, where we proposed the collaborative citywide celebration.

As it turned out, welcoming these partners would significantly expand the scope and significance of the event. For instance, Smith decided it would be the perfect time for Cultural Tourism DC to unveil the Shaw Heritage Trail it had been designing in DC’s neighborhood named for Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, who commanded the Fifty-Fourth Massachusetts, one of the first Black volunteer infantry regiments to fight in the Civil War. The Shaw neighborhood—where I had moved in 2000 partly for its proximity to the NGA—is the home of Howard University, a historically Black research university, and U Street, historically referred to as DC’s Black Broadway. To cap it off, we realized that 2003, the year of the exhibition, would also be the fortieth anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington when Martin Luther King Jr. gave his memorable “I Have a Dream” speech.

Enthusiasm was contagious as we brainstormed what to call the event. Jennifer Cover Payne, President of the Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington offered the winner: Blues and Dreams: Celebrating the African American Experience in Washington, DC

With the help of Destination DC, Cultural Tourism DC, and the Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington, word spread fast about the event. Within weeks, ninety-five cultural programs, twenty-five hotel packages, and seventeen themed restaurant experiences across the Washington region had officially joined the celebration. Blues and Dreams would also be promoted free of charge in several publications, including a brochure and map distributed to thousands of Metrorail and Metrobus riders and Museums Washington, a publication by The Art Knowledge Corporation targeting museumgoers.

Magazines and brochures on top of a metro system map
Bearden’s art from the exhibition featured prominently on all promotional material including the cover of Museums Washington magazine and the Metro System map published for the citywide celebration.

3. Keep an open mind, be spontaneous, and have fun.

The range of programming that emerged from the event was beyond what we could have imagined. Culinary offerings included “Red, White, and Blues” cupcakes at CakeLove bakery, a “Blues & Dreams Mainstreet” menu at The Ritz-Carlton, “Blues & Drinks” at McCormick & Schmick’s, and a “Blue Note Martini” at Bar Rouge. Dance and music programs included the premiere performance of “Come Sunday: Duke Ellington’s Sacred Music with Dance,” choreographed by the legendary DC-born musician’s granddaughter Mercedes Ellington, and concerts at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts by Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra under the direction of Wynton Marsalis, himself a Bearden collector who lent works to the show.

The Black Fashion Museum celebrated the pioneering spirit of Sojourner Truth, while the Capital Children’s Museum offered programs for children to “step into” Bearden’s newly published book, Li’l Dan the Drummer Boy: A Civil War Story. A collage mural made by DC schoolchildren inspired by Bearden’s art went on display in the museum’s galleries, while photographer Frank Stewart’s portrait of Bearden went up at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in downtown DC.

During the opening week of the exhibition, some two hundred representatives of the Bearden family and Foundation, the NGA, and the citywide Blues and Dreams celebration—including the renowned Black-owned restaurant Ben’s Chili Bowl—showed up with only twelve hours’ notice at sunrise on the front plaza of NGA’s East Building under the exhibition banner. By the time we went live on national television, there was a party going on—cooking, eating, cheering, and dancing to live jazz—with hometown celebrity and national weather forecaster Tony Perkins on ABC-TV’s Good Morning America.

Two people standing next to a van with a camera
Colleagues Vicki Isley, Head of Marketing for the Washington Convention and Visitors Bureau (WCTC, also known as Destination DC), and Deborah Ziska, Chief of Press and Public information for the National Gallery of Art, on the set of ABC-TV’s Good Morning America, which went live from the front plaza of the NGA’s East Building during the opening week of the exhibition, The Art of Romare Bearden.

NGA publicist Sarah Holley, who secured the network television coverage, worked tirelessly to distribute flyers about the show and related programs to dozens of Black church congregations. For one of these programs, on a typical Sunday morning, an atypical and diverse stream of visitors to the East Building was greeted by the sounds and aromas of the Restaurant Associates’ Weekend Jazz Brunch, featuring local musicians and culinary creations inspired by What Mrs. Fisher Knows About Old Southern Cooking (Applewood Books, 1995). First published in 1881, it was believed to be the first cookbook by an African American, and maybe the only one by a former enslaved person.

A crowd of people in line outside of a museum
Visitors, representing an atypical demographic, line up on a rainy Sunday to see the The Art of Romare Bearden exhibition in 2003. Photographs by Deborah Ziska

After viewing the show, visitors enjoyed family programs, lectures, concerts, and films, all free of charge. They could purchase a copy of Romare Bearden Revealed, the Branford Marsalis Quartet’s CD produced in time for the exhibition, or the NGA’s videocassette about Bearden’s art narrated by Morgan Freeman with readings by Danny Glover, among many items in the Gallery Shops.

Press coverage and cross promotion between Blues and Dreams stakeholders was in high gear. For example, Branford Marsalis’ friend, actor and producer George Clooney, featured a fictionalized version of the opening celebration of the Bearden exhibition across the first two episodes of K Street, his HBO series about Washington lobbyists starring political commentators James Carville and Mary Matalin. DC-based Blues and Dreams media sponsor Black Entertainment Television (BET) produced two related half-hour specials, one about the exhibition and one about Blues & Dreams.

4. Don’t stop: Keep the relationships and conversations going.

As Smith later wrote for Global Urban Development Magazine, “It was the first time that African American history and culture in Washington, a majority black city since 1957, had been the focus of a major tourism promotion of any kind. And it was the first time a major, federally supported museum on the Mall had partnered so fully with cultural attractions across the city.”

NGA staff continued to build on relationships that developed during this period. For example, it was the start of our popular public conversations with African American artists, historians, and collectors, which have since grown in frequency. Moreover, it was the beginning of a slow but steady drumbeat toward a new era, set in motion more than twenty years ago by the gutsy gallery visit of the widow and nephew of Romare Bearden, who finally had the national spotlight he deserved for his legacy to flourish in the twenty-first century.

RankTribe™ Black Business Directory News – Arts & Entertainment

Things to do around Cincinnati this weekend: Feb. 2-4

The weekend is here, and there’s plenty to do around Cincinnati.Check out our full list of events below.The 16th Annual Cincy Winter Beerfest Returns to Duke Energy Center this weekend.The event will feature over 350 local, regional and hard-to-find craft beers from more than 100 breweries that will be ready to sample. There will also be live music, karaoke, silent disco, games and more.Tickets can be purchased at cincybeerfest.com. A new restaurant and lounge is opening in downtown Cincinnati this week.Court Street Kitchen will join the newest group of restaurants along Court Street Plaza, including Mid-City Restaurant and Onolicious Hawaii. The concept, created by restauranteur Braheam Shteiwi, will host a grand opening Friday at 4 p.m.The restaurant will be located at 9 E. Court Street in Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC)’s $7.9 million Court Street South Condos project. The restaurant will be one of the development company’s largest spaces.Cincinnati Zoo’s penguin days are back, but this year will be the last, the zoo announced.The penguin parades will start on Jan. 8 and go until March 8 on Saturdays and Sundays at 11 a.m. There will also be parades happening on holiday Mondays through the end of February. The zoo said this year will be the last for these parades.“I’m sad to see the Penguin Parades end, but our flock is aging and ready to retire. Marching has always been voluntary, and the birds that consistently want to walk will still do so this year,” Cincinnati Zoo director Thane Maynard said.Along with the parades, the zoo is also doing special animal encounters on weekends withIn addition to Penguin Parades, there will be special animal encounters on the weekends with otters, insects, wolves, keas, and African-painted dogs from the keepers that care for them. The zoo opens daily at 10 a.m. Starting Monday, closing time will be 5 p.m. For more information, visit cincinnatizoo.org.The Cincinnati Cyclones are raising awareness for all types of cancer during their game against the Fort Wayne Komets on Saturday.Specialty jerseys that will be auctioned off after the game.The game starts at 7:30 p.m. at Heritage Bank Center. Get tickets here. The Cincinnati Art Museum is hosting a Charles White exhibition through the end of February.The exhibition, titled “Charles White: A Little Higher,” features nearly 50 drawings, prints, and paintings by the African American artist.White’s art focuses almost primarily on Black subjects, demonstrating interpretations of the Black experience.The displayed artwork spans from his early work to some of his most famous pieces. It also features 12 oil-wash illustrations never before displayed in public.Admission is free. The exhibition is open now through Feb. 25.For more information, visit cincinnatiartmuseum.org.The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is offering free admission on certain days.Through the support of the Fifth-Third Foundation, the museum is providing free admission on every third and fifth Sunday of each month. Juneteenth will also be free for guests.This offer also includes free programming, public activities and more.According to the museum, by providing free admission, they are “equipping a new generation of freedom seekers and advocates with the education and resources needed to make positive personal and collective impact.”Tickets can be reserved online or in person.For more information, visit freedomcenter.org.The Kennedy Heights Art Center is opening a new exhibition titled “Déjà Vu: Creativity Repeats Itself” in February.The arts center is teaming up with Juneteenth Cincinnati for the fourth year as part of their “Voices of Freedom” series. The series examines Black history through a contemporary lens.The centerpiece of this project is “Déjà Vu: Creativity Repeats Itself.” It will feature 10 new works by local Black artists. Five young artists were paired with five older artists to create art symbolizing the past and the future.There will be an opening reception from 6-8 p.m. on Feb. 3 and an artist discussion panel from 3-4:30 p.m. on Feb. 17. Both will be held at the Kennedy Heights Art Center Lindner Annex. The exhibit will be open through April 13.More information can be found at kennedyarts.org.The Over-the-Rhine International Film Festival is hosting a screening of the documentary “Is That Black Enough for You?!?”The screening will be held on Feb. 2 at the Harriet Tubman Theater in the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.Filmmaker Elvis Mitchell will be joined by Cincinnati resident Emilio Estévez and OTR Film Festival artistic director TT Stern Enzi for a discussion following the documentary.The film explores Black representation in cinema. It was released in 2022 and has since been met with praise from critics, earning a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.Tickets to the screening are free for Freedom Center members, and $10 for non-members.For more information, visit freedomcenter.org.

The weekend is here, and there’s plenty to do around Cincinnati.

Check out our full list of events below.

Advertisement


The 16th Annual Cincy Winter Beerfest Returns to Duke Energy Center this weekend.

The event will feature over 350 local, regional and hard-to-find craft beers from more than 100 breweries that will be ready to sample.

There will also be live music, karaoke, silent disco, games and more.

Tickets can be purchased at cincybeerfest.com.


A new restaurant and lounge is opening in downtown Cincinnati this week.

Court Street Kitchen will join the newest group of restaurants along Court Street Plaza, including Mid-City Restaurant and Onolicious Hawaii.

The concept, created by restauranteur Braheam Shteiwi, will host a grand opening Friday at 4 p.m.

The restaurant will be located at 9 E. Court Street in Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC)’s $7.9 million Court Street South Condos project. The restaurant will be one of the development company’s largest spaces.


Cincinnati Zoo’s penguin days are back, but this year will be the last, the zoo announced.

The penguin parades will start on Jan. 8 and go until March 8 on Saturdays and Sundays at 11 a.m. There will also be parades happening on holiday Mondays through the end of February.

The zoo said this year will be the last for these parades.

“I’m sad to see the Penguin Parades end, but our flock is aging and ready to retire. Marching has always been voluntary, and the birds that consistently want to walk will still do so this year,” Cincinnati Zoo director Thane Maynard said.

Along with the parades, the zoo is also doing special animal encounters on weekends with

In addition to Penguin Parades, there will be special animal encounters on the weekends with otters, insects, wolves, keas, and African-painted dogs from the keepers that care for them.

The zoo opens daily at 10 a.m. Starting Monday, closing time will be 5 p.m. For more information, visit cincinnatizoo.org.


The Cincinnati Cyclones are raising awareness for all types of cancer during their game against the Fort Wayne Komets on Saturday.

Specialty jerseys that will be auctioned off after the game.

The game starts at 7:30 p.m. at Heritage Bank Center.

Get tickets here.


The Cincinnati Art Museum is hosting a Charles White exhibition through the end of February.

The exhibition, titled “Charles White: A Little Higher,” features nearly 50 drawings, prints, and paintings by the African American artist.

White’s art focuses almost primarily on Black subjects, demonstrating interpretations of the Black experience.

The displayed artwork spans from his early work to some of his most famous pieces. It also features 12 oil-wash illustrations never before displayed in public.

Admission is free. The exhibition is open now through Feb. 25.

For more information, visit cincinnatiartmuseum.org.


The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is offering free admission on certain days.

Through the support of the Fifth-Third Foundation, the museum is providing free admission on every third and fifth Sunday of each month. Juneteenth will also be free for guests.

This offer also includes free programming, public activities and more.

According to the museum, by providing free admission, they are “equipping a new generation of freedom seekers and advocates with the education and resources needed to make positive personal and collective impact.”

Tickets can be reserved online or in person.

For more information, visit freedomcenter.org.


The Kennedy Heights Art Center is opening a new exhibition titled “Déjà Vu: Creativity Repeats Itself” in February.

The arts center is teaming up with Juneteenth Cincinnati for the fourth year as part of their “Voices of Freedom” series. The series examines Black history through a contemporary lens.

The centerpiece of this project is “Déjà Vu: Creativity Repeats Itself.” It will feature 10 new works by local Black artists. Five young artists were paired with five older artists to create art symbolizing the past and the future.

There will be an opening reception from 6-8 p.m. on Feb. 3 and an artist discussion panel from 3-4:30 p.m. on Feb. 17. Both will be held at the Kennedy Heights Art Center Lindner Annex. The exhibit will be open through April 13.

More information can be found at kennedyarts.org.


The Over-the-Rhine International Film Festival is hosting a screening of the documentary “Is That Black Enough for You?!?”

The screening will be held on Feb. 2 at the Harriet Tubman Theater in the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

Filmmaker Elvis Mitchell will be joined by Cincinnati resident Emilio Estévez and OTR Film Festival artistic director TT Stern Enzi for a discussion following the documentary.

The film explores Black representation in cinema. It was released in 2022 and has since been met with praise from critics, earning a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Tickets to the screening are free for Freedom Center members, and $10 for non-members.

For more information, visit freedomcenter.org.

RankTribe™ Black Business Directory News – Arts & Entertainment

DBusiness Daily Update: Livonia’s Roush Performance Launches New eCommerce Website, and More

Roush website
Roush Performance’s new website is designed to improve security and reduce overhead maintenance on the site. // Photo courtesy of Roush Performance

Our roundup of the latest news from metro Detroit and Michigan businesses as well as announcements from government agencies. To share a business or nonprofit story, please send us a message.

Livonia’s Roush Performance Launches New eCommerce Website

Human Element Inc. in Ann Arbor and Roush Performance in Livonia have launched a newly designed and re-platformed website for Roush Performance — roushperformance.com.

The site was built by the team at Human Element on Shopify Plus, an eCommerce platform that in part is engineered to get sites up and running in a short time frame and also promotes customer conversion.

In late 2023, the Roush Performance team was looking to upgrade its legacy eCommerce platform with one that better suited its current needs. The priorities were to refresh the site design, improve security (PCI Compliance), and reduce overhead maintenance on the site. Roush Performance also was looking for an intuitive interface for internal staff to perform regular updates, so they could more quickly bring their lifestyle brand message to customers.

With these goals in mind, the Human Element and Roush Performance teams selected Shopify Plus for the new site.

Roush Performance now can perform product and page updates quickly and easily with its own team, reducing the need for outside help. The platform also takes care of PCI compliance out-of-the-box and any updates are handled via the software as a service (SaaS) business model, which means fewer development services for maintenance and updates and more time to dedicate to improving the customer experience, brand presentation, business strategy, and ultimately order conversion.

“Everything is running smoothly,” says Jack Roush Jr., vice president of marketing at Roush Performance. “Our site speed has increased, and our mobile and desktop experiences have vastly improved. We’re thrilled to deliver a better shopping experience to our customers.”

Future plans for the site include incorporating more lifestyle content and branding, implementing business automation, and improving customer experience with site personalization and outreach.

Dave & Buster’s Launches Reimagined Store in Livonia on Feb. 9

Dave & Buster’s is opening its reimagined location in Livonia at 19375 Victor Parkway on Feb. 9.

The first 200 people in line at the grand opening will receive free games for a year. Doors open at 11 a.m.

Guests at the re-opened Dave & Busters can expect:

  • The Arena.
  • Interactive social bays.
  • Immersive sports watching.
  • An evolved menu.
  • New design inside and out.
  • Midway and prizes.

“We can’t wait to reveal this Dave & Buster’s as a Livonia entertainment destination,” says Chuck Weclowski, general manager. “We’re thrilled for our neighbors to experience this incredible transformation for themselves.”

For more information, visit daveandbusters.com.

State Awards $17.5M Grant to Prepare West Michigan Business Park for Development

The Right Place Inc., and project partners Franklin Partners and Lowell Charter Township in west Michigan have received $17.5 million from the Michigan Economic Development Corp.’s (MEDC) new Strategic Site Readiness Program (SSRP) to help prepare the 237-acre Covenant Business Park in Lowell Township for industrial and commercial use.

The Lowell site is one of 18 statewide projects announced as recipients of the funds at the most recent Michigan Strategic Fund board meeting.

The funds awarded represent 50 percent of the $35 million needed to get the site “shovel-ready” for development. Most work will center on infrastructure efforts, primarily sewer extension and connection.

The parcel is located at the southwest corner of Cascade Road and Alden Nash, just north of I-96; with its proximity to a major highway and minutes from an international airport, Covenant Business Park is considered by some to be the “finest parcel available in greater Grand Rapids.”

WCCCD to Host Jim Crow Museum Exhibit Starting Feb. 5

Wayne County Community College District (WCCCD) will host a new exhibit from Ferris State University’s Jim Crow Museum of Racist Imagery beginning Feb. 5 at the Curtis L. Ivery Downtown Campus.

Titled “Overcoming Hateful Things: Stories from the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Imagery,” the exhibit explores the Jim Crow system, the African American experience during that era, and its legacy in contemporary society through hundreds of objects from the period.

The museum at Ferris in Big Rapids houses the nation’s largest publicly accessible collection of artifacts and uses them to teach tolerance and to promote a more just society. The exhibit was created to tell similar stories in ways that encourage dialogue and understanding about painful histories and issues.

For more information, visit wcccd.edu.

Spirit Airlines Celebrates 20th Anniversary with Lower Fares to Mexico

Spirit Airlines is celebrating two decades of flying travelers between Cancun International Airport (CUN) in Mexico and the United States by offering limited-time fares on flights to Cancun from Feb. 7-March 6.

“For 20 years, we’ve been pleased to offer our guests affordable, nonstop service to Cancun, making the popular beach destination more accessible and affordable with the opportunity to save on airfare while enjoying more of Cancun’s tourist attractions,” says John Kirby, vice president of Network Planning at Spirit Airlines. “We’re grateful to Cancun International Airport and our guests in southeast Mexico for embracing our business model and trusting us with their travels for the past two decades.”

The airline also is offering members of its Free Spirit loyalty program 1,500 bonus points on roundtrip flights and 750 points on one-way flights to and from Cancun.Travel must be booked by March 15 at 11: 59 p.m. and flown by April 30. To earn even more bonus points, guests can book their Cancun hotel or car rental through Spirit Vacations and earn an additional 500 points.

For more information, visit spirit.com.

MiCare Assistant Platform Gets Toyota Way Forward Fund Grant

The MiCare Assistant Platform at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor has received an unspecified grant from Toyota Motor North America’s Way Forward Fund, a multi-year initiative aimed at strengthening access to care and injury recovery support for individuals and their families, with an initial focus on children with traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

“The organizations represented in this year’s grantees, illustrates the variety of ways our communities can care for the health of children,” says Tellis Bethel, group vice president of social innovation atToyota. “The Way Forward Fund helps the company realize its vision of creating mobility for all by implementing the Toyota Way values of continuous improvement and respect for people.”

Michigan School Advisors Group Picks Varsity Tutors for Back on Track Program

The Michigan Association of Intermediate School Advisors (MAISA) announced Varsity Tutors for Schools, a St. Louis-based platform for high-impact live online tutoring, was selected as a provider for school districts pursuing funding through the 23g MI Kids Back on Track Grant Program.

Districts that use state grant funds administered by MAISA to select Varsity Tutors as their vendor will have access to multiple implementation models that enable school districts to implement large-scale, best-in-class high-dosage tutoring that adhere to MI Kids Back on Track objectives.

Varsity Tutors’ centrally administered tutoring, via its District Assigned model, connects students with live, video-based, tutoring sessions with a subject matter expert tutor and can accommodate up to four students per session.

School districts can here for more information and to apply to participate.

Roadrunner Announces Largest Expansion of Service to Canada via Detroit

Chicago-based trucking company Roadrunner has launched Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) service to Toronto and Montreal via Detroit as well as other destinations.

Roadrunner also added an additional 135 lanes to its network, building on recent new market openings in Kansas City, Denver, Richmond, and Las Vegas.

Roadrunner’s new international service gives shippers ease of access to Canada’s largest metro markets and, coupled with other network expansion, marks its most extensive new market openings in five years. This network growth aligns with the company’s strategy of providing premium LTL long-haul carrier service.

Michigan Science Center Launches After Hours Series Feb. 10

The Michigan Science Center (Mi-Sci) in Detroit is launching the 2024 season of its After Dark series, designed exclusively for adults, with its first event — “Lights Out!” — taking place from 6-11 p.m. on Feb. 10.

This 21-and-over event offers an evening filled with entertainment and education, focusing on the science of light and darkness. Attendees can look forward to cocktails, live music, science activities, and food.

Mi-Sci’s special feature for the evening is “Laser Dark Side of the Moon,” a light and sound show set to the complete soundtrack of Pink Floyd’s 1973 masterpiece.

Also open for exploration is Mi-Sci’s newest exhibit, “Above and Beyond,” where guests can race at the speed of sound, enjoy a 360-degree view of Earth from orbit, and embark on a journey to Mars.

Tickets for “After Dark: Lights Out!” are priced at $45 for nonmembers, with a discount available for Mi-Sci members. Each ticket includes access to all activities and one drink ticket. Special discounted tickets are available for college students and designated drivers, purchasable onsite at Mi-Sci.

Washtenaw Community College Offers Career Exploration Workshops, Job Fair

Washtenaw Community College (WCC) in Ann Arbor will offer a series of in-person and virtual events in February designed to highlight Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways for current and prospective students.

CTE Month kicks off at WCC the week of Feb. 7 with a career decision-making workshop and a movie screening about the nursing profession. The month’s activities culminate on Feb. 28 with the annual Winter Career and Internship Fair, which is open to the public and will feature more than 70 employers looking to fill jobs.

CTE offers students hands-on training that can be applied to real-world, in-demand education training and career pathways, impacting a wide variety of fields including health care, business and information technology, advanced manufacturing, construction, transportation, and more.

For a full list of CTE Month activities at WCC, visit here.

Building bridges of support at MCCC How Nancy Lucero-Altamirano is giving back to the community

Nancy Lucero-Altamirano’s journey to America was tough.

Lucero-Altamirano came to the United States at a young age with her family, facing language barriers and new culture.

Nancy Lucero-Altamirano. (Photo by Destiny Gallina.)

As a first generation, undocumented college student, Lucero-Altamirano attended MCCC then transferred to U of M, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in ethnic studies and a master’s degree in social work. Lucero-Altamirano is now MCCC’s new assistant director of multicultural and community engagement.

Her experience helped inspire her to open a nonprofit organization called Puente, meaning bridge in Spanish. Understanding the complexity of immigration firsthand, she said she was motivated to create a platform that aids both undocumented individuals and those who may not have access to certain resources.

Through Puente, Lucero-Altamirano said she and her team offer a wide range of essential services. These include transportation support, translation assistance, cultural promotion, community advocacy and guidance in navigating resources.

“Everyone has a story, and we should be mindful of that,” she said.

Sumary Hernandez-Pinero, Puente co-founder, said she and Lucero-Altamirano saw a need in the community and were ready to help.

“I knew Nancy from church. We saw the community and the work that needed to be done and we wanted to make it better,” Hernandez-Pinero said. “We decided to open Puente as a nonprofit to give us access to other resources in the community.”

After 17 years of service, Lucero-Altamirano and Hernandez-Pinero continue to help people who face language barriers.

One of their key initiatives is scheduling doctor appointments for those who can’t speak English and providing translation during these appointments. They also assist with special education evaluations, parent-teacher conferences, housing and apartment application processes, as well as naturalization and citizenship journeys.

The program also offers an extensive variety of assistance, including employment support, help with accessing state benefits through programs such as MI Bridges, immigration and law related guidance, access to health care, educational support and food.

Emily Hernandez-Pinero, the daughter of Sumary, a volunteer at Puente, said she benefited from the program.

Nancy Lucero-Altamirano sits with a group of students. (Photo by Destiny Gallina.)

“Puente is one of the best things to happen to the community,” Hernandez-Pinero said.

Lucero-Altamirano isn’t stopping at Puente. She also plans to start groups for students at MCCC that will begin during the winter semester.

She said the groups will provide a safe, supportive community for students who identify as African American or Hispanic and those who are first generation college students or single parents.

The multicultural groups are scheduled to meet on Wednesdays in the S Building.

“I plan to make safe spaces for all of our students, so they know they aren’t going through this journey alone,” she said.

She said the idea is to offer a platform to connect students, share experiences and uplift one another on their educational journeys.

“I hope that anyone who hears my story, it sheds light on the bigger picture of immigration,” Lucero-Altamirano said.

Annapolis Kicks off Black History Month on Tuesday!

The Office of Mayor Gavin Buckley, in collaboration with the Michael E. Busch Public Library in Annapolis, will present a four-part Black History Month series throughout the month of February. The events will take place between 5:30 and 8 p.m. each Tuesday at the Busch Library on West Street and are aimed at honoring and exploring the rich cultural heritage of the African American community and experience in Annapolis. The events are free and open to the public and will include a variety of speakers and perspectives as well as refreshments and a complimentary gift bag, courtesy of Chesapeake Crossroads Heritage Area. 

“Each February, we take the time to recognize the powerful histories and cultures of African American residents of Annapolis,” said Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley. “Through insightful and enriching events, we hope to foster unity and understanding. I hope to see everyone at one – or all – of these events.” 

Event Details:

  • Tuesday, February 6: Protecting and Promoting Black Culture and History, with a focus on African American Preservation and Tourism in Annapolis. At this panel discussion, featuring African American historians and local tourism industry experts, participants will delve into the significance of African American preservation and tourism in Annapolis.
  • Tuesday, February 13: Black Art Matters in Annapolis, with a focus on African American artists and creators who will discuss the art community in Annapolis. Explore the vibrant Annapolis arts scene with local African American artists and creatives from various genres. This deep dive into the art community promises insights and discussions about the crucial role of black art in shaping the cultural landscape.
  • Tuesday, February 20: The Future Black of Annapolis, where young Black Annapolitans discuss the future of Annapolis. A curated discussion by African American teens on the future of Annapolis through the unique lens of young Black voices. Gain valuable perspectives on the aspirations, challenges, and visions for the future of our City.
  • February 27: Black Business Legacy.  Conclude the series with a celebratory event honoring Black businesses that have served Annapolis for more than 50 years. Hosted by Alderwoman Rhonda Pindell-Charles, this event recognizes the lasting impact of black-owned businesses on families, communities, and the city-at-large.

Additional details: 

  • Complimentary refreshments and small plate cuisines by a local African American chef or catering company.
  • Special gift bags for each guest, courtesy of event sponsor Chesapeake Crossroads Heritage Area.

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