Page 383 – HBCU Buzz

David Blatt Fired as Cavaliers Coach; Tyronn Lue to Take Over Team

Posted on Jan 22, 2016

ESPN

David Blatt’s second NBA season seemed to be going better than his first. Now, it’s over.

Blatt was fired Friday by the title-chasing Cleveland Cavaliers and replaced by top assistant Tyronn Lue, according to general manager David Griffin.

Blatt had guided Cleveland to the NBA Finals last year, and the Cavs had the Eastern Conference’s best record (30-11) midway through this season, but in discussing the coaching change during a news conference late Friday afternoon, Griffin cited “a lack of fit with our personnel and our vision.”

“What I see is that we need to build a collective spirit, a strength of spirit, a collective will,” Griffin said. “Elite teams always have that, and you see it everywhere. To be truly elite, we have to buy into a set of values and principles that we believe in. That becomes our identity.”

While acknowledging his 24 years spent working in the NBA in varying capacities, Griffin said of the Cavaliers: “I have never seen a locker room not be as connected after wins as they need to be. We’ve only been galvanized when expectations were not high.”

Griffin confirmed that Lue will not have an interim tag and will be the full-time coach of the reigning Eastern Conference champions. Yahoo! Sports reported that Lue agreed to a three-year deal, although Griffin said the reported terms were not accurate.

“I am more than confident that he has the pulse of our team and that he can generate the buy-in required to start to refine the habits and culture that we’ve yet to build,” Griffin said.

Blatt thanked the Cavaliers in a statement released by his agency earlier Friday.

“I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to serve as the Head Coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers,” Blatt said in the statement. “I’d like to thank (owner) Dan Gilbert and David Griffin for giving me this opportunity and am honored to have worked with an amazing group of players from LeBron James, Kyrie Irvingand Kevin Lovethrough our entire roster. I’d also like to express my extreme gratitude to my coaching staff. I am indebted to them for their professionalism, hard work, loyalty and friendship. I am proud of what we have accomplished since I have been the Head Coach and wish the Cavaliers nothing but the best this season and beyond.”

Gilbert credited Blatt for helping the Cavaliers complete their turnaround from the depths they fell to between James’ tenures in Cleveland. He also said that Lue can guide the Cavs to a title.

“We would like to thank David Blatt for his work over these past two seasons where the Cavaliers transformed into a playoff team after a rebuilding phase,” Gilbert said in a statement. “We believe Tyronn Lue is the right coach at the right time to put us in the best position to take the last but most challenging step to complete our mission to deliver Cleveland an NBA Championship.”

NBA coaching sources told ESPN’s Marc Stein that Blatt is intent on coaching in the league again as opposed to immediately returning to the European game, where he was one of the most successful coaches in its history.

James, meanwhile, was informed of the team’s decision to fire Blatt on Friday, sources told ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. Although James’ fondness for Lue and his desire to be coached by a former player were well-known throughout Cleveland’s organization, James was not directly consulted Friday on the Cavs’ decision to fire Blatt, sources said.

Griffin confirmed that the decision was his alone.

“I didn’t talk to any of the players before this decision,” Griffin said. “It’s really critical to me for everybody to understand this is my decision. This is our basketball staff’s decision. … I’m not taking a poll.”

A team source told ESPN that Lue was a natural choice for the position because his influence within the Cavs was already pronounced from his assistant position. Lue is the highest-paid assistant coach in the league.

“I think it was pretty evident,” the source said. “All the guys went to him for everything anyway.”

A former assistant coach with the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers, Lue played 11 seasons in the NBA after being a first-round pick of the Denver Nuggets. Griffin noted the history of great coaches whom Lue played under, including Phil Jackson, Doc Rivers, Stan Van Gundy and Jeff Van Gundy.

Read more here.

Buzzing News

My Sister’s Keeper Helps HBCU Women Find Their Voices

HBCU Editors

Posted on Jan 22, 2016

NBC News

When you hear the words reproductive justice, combined with college campus, you might think it is a move to make affordable birth control and abortion services available. But at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and Spelman College in Atlanta, thanks to the Black Women’s Health Imperative’s My Sister’s Keeper, it means so much more.

Linda Blount, the president and CEO of the Washington, D.C. based, Black Women’s Health Imperative, says that she has been working to expand the view of reproductive justice as a movement. She says that starting My Sister’s Keeper on college campuses made sense.

“The data shows that sexual violence, unintended pregnancy and the consequences of risky sexual behavior, are among the leading causes of college dropouts among women and that number is even higher among black female college students,” According to Blount the health care choices black women make are directly linked to social conditions such as socio-economic status, where they live, their education level and access to affordable, quality health services.

Ayana Evans, 25, is a graduating senior at Howard. Evans started to explore what reproductive justice meant to her and other young women of color when she went to one of the first My Sister’s Keeper workshops on campus earlier this year.

Kadijah Ndoye, 21, has just completed her junior year at Spelman College in Atlanta. She is excited about the work that is just beginning to happen on campus. “We are working on building the programming for My Sister’s Keeper at Spelman,” Ndoye says.

According to Ndoye, there are a lot of misconceptions about what reproductive justice means, especially for black women. “We have to educate women on what it is before they can begin to address it,” she says.

“It is also about a woman’s right to education, wellness and safety. It is about how we see the world,” Evans says. “The more I learned about it, the more it became clear that so many problems that face black women are interconnected.”

“Black women cannot wait for someone to save us and include our needs. We have to be our own voice. We have to fight our own fight,” Blount says. “We have an obligation to elevate the conversations that will keep women of color healthy, safe and steadfast in their resolve to lead self directed and empowered lives.” Blount says that My Sisters Keeper was born out of a need that the Imperative saw. “We have an obligation to help our young women find their voices on the things that matter to them and their futures.”

By combining the concepts of reproductive and social justice, young black women are beginning to advocate for reproductive justice recognizing that the health care choices black women make are directly linked to social conditions: socio-economic status, where they live, education level and access to affordable, quality health services.

Ndoye says that for some of the young women on campus it is much more than a political movement. “My Sister’s Keeper has really opened up some conversations for us to talk about self love, self care and owning our beauty.”Ndoye says. “It is important to love yourself and take care of your body. As a part of the reproductive justice conversation, Ndoye says it has been important to talk about sexual expression and still being safe. Evans agrees, and says “the more you know the less you will fall for.”

Read more here.

News

Fired Police Chief and 2 Others Sue, Charging Racial Bias in Maryland

HBCU Editors

Posted on Jan 22, 2016

New York Times

A fired black police chief and two black officers on Maryland’s Eastern Shore filed a civil rights lawsuit in federal court in Baltimore on Thursday, alleging the kind of Jim Crow-era racial discrimination that “most Americans would have believed unthinkable in the second decade of the 21st century.”

The suit grows out of the firing of Kelvin Sewell, the former chief of the 16-member police department in Pocomoke City, a racially mixed community of 4,000 people that bills itself as “the friendliest town on the Eastern Shore.” Mr. Sewell has called his firing in June, by a mostly white City Council, “racially motivated” payback for his refusal to fire the other two officers, also plaintiffs in the case, after they complained of discrimination.

The suit, filed Thursday morning in United States District Court for the District of Maryland, alleges an openly hostile climate in which Chief Sewell and the two black officers — one of whom was also fired — were subjected to “racial mockery, epithets, threats, humiliation and discrimination” by the law enforcement community in Pocomoke and its surrounding county, Worcester, on the lower Eastern Shore.

The suit names a string of defendants, including Pocomoke City, the state’s attorney in Worcester County and several law enforcement departments: the Pocomoke City Police Department, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Department and the Maryland State Police. Officials from Pocomoke City and the Worcester County Sheriff’s Department declined to comment on the complaint, as did the Maryland attorney general, who represents the state police.

Mr. Sewell’s firing ripped apart Pocomoke City, forcing lifelong friends and neighbors to confront how differently they viewed issues of race and policing. According to the complaint, the chain of events that ultimately led to his dismissal began with another plaintiff in the suit, Franklin Savage, a Pocomoke officer who had been assigned to work with a regional drug task force.

Over a two-year period, the suit alleges, members of the task force repeatedly subjected Officer Savage to harassment, including using racial epithets in his presence, taking him to a street they called “KKK Lane,” placing a fake food stamp with a superimposed picture of President Obama on his desk drawer, and putting a bloody deer’s tail on the windshield of his car.

When Officer Savage complained, the suit says, he was “railroaded out of law enforcement in Worcester County,” his duties were restricted and he was “blackballed from testifying in criminal cases” by Worcester County’s state’s attorney, who is white. Chief Sewell, the complaint says, was pressured by Pocomoke City officials to fire Officer Savage but refused; the officer was fired anyway.

The third officer, Lt. Lynell Green, remains with the Pocomoke City Police Department but has experienced “repeated acts of retaliation,” the suit says, for attending a mediation hearing regarding a discrimination claim that Officer Savage filed with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Because federal employment complaints involving the officers are pending, and have been filed under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the lawsuit filed Thursday is being brought under a Reconstruction-era civil rights law, according to Andrew McBride of the law firm Wiley Rein, who represents the three officers, along with the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland and the Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs.

Read more here.

News

Alpha Kappa Alpha Charters Its First Middle Eastern Chapter

HBCU Editors

Posted on Jan 22, 2016

Chicago, Illinois – January 22, 2016 – Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® made history today when it chartered its first chapter, Omega Theta Omega, in the Middle East. The chapter’s 37 women, located in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and throughout the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are business executives, attorneys, educators and physicians, among other accomplished professionals. Dr. Sherrish Holloman, an Education Advisor in Abu Dhabi, is the chapter’s first president.To commemorate the chartering, a delegation of 600 dignitaries, family and friends journeyed to Dubai for the celebration, led by International President Dorothy Buckhanan Wilson, L.H.D. and International Regional Director Gizette L. Thomas.

“Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority is excited to welcome its first chapter in the Middle East as we look to further extend our service mission around the globe,” said International President Dorothy Buckhanan Wilson. “Our service mission has consistently been focused on uplifting those most in need in our community. I am confident that the members of Omega Theta Omega Chapter will bring this spirit of service, scholarship, and sisterly love to Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority continues to have a global impact as we Launch New Dimensions of Service internationally.”

Chartering members include Talima Andrews-Harris, Kia Beguesse, Sarah Boswell, Laurie Bryant, Misti-Dawn Curry, Donica Cuspard, Dionna Davis- Taylor, Tiffany Dill, Nicole Ferguson, Tanesha Fisher, Dinisa Hardley Folmar, Roxanna Gario, Jia Gay, Kimberly Glaspie, Tamika Gordon, D’ Yana Hardaway, Terra Hassell, Tanisha Hickman, Tamara Jackson-Crues, Pamela Johnson, Shelia Johnson, Tangela Johnson, Cassandra Jones, Mellissa Miller, Verna Morton, Ayoluwa Parham, Janise Phillips, Vonzia Phillips, Princess Powe, Natosha Roberts-Jones, Lisa Robinson-Holness, Jacqueline Rudd, Nneka Russell, LaTonya SmithBennett, Brittni West-Ware, and Kim Williams. While the members represent a diverse cross-section of professionals, they are all bound by their allegiance to the sorority’s mission to be of “Service to All Mankind.”

The journey to chartering the Sorority’s inaugural chapter in the Middle East began several years ago when Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority women located in the UAE expressed a desire to establish an Alpha Kappa Alpha presence focused on providing services to women and children in need. After much research, the women narrowed their focus area to the Emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Cognizant of Alpha Kappa Alpha’s charge of service, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s International Regional Director Thomas worked with local leaders to identify additional members in the area, build the foundational elements of a chapter, and launch programs of service within the two emirates.

“I am truly delighted to welcome the newest chapter of the International Region and our first in the Middle East,” Said Regional Director Thomas. “I congratulate all 37 members who have worked cooperatively on this journey to achieve the expansion of our sorority. I had the opportunity to interact with this dynamic and progressive group of women, and I know firsthand that they are ready to make an indelible imprint on Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and the surrounding Emirates through their service projects and community efforts.”

Over the past few years, Omega Theta Omega, formerly known as the Pearls of Arabia Interest Group, has provided strategic and meaningful programs in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Programs of service include donating backpacks and other resources to the Special Care Centre, which provides support for special needs children from 14 countries, participating in the annual Diabetes Walk and joining with other community-based organizations to provide service to the Abu Dhabi and Dubai communities. Also, Omega Theta Omega is partnering with the Special Care Centre in Abu Dhabi to build a school for special needs children.

The chapter’s newly-elected president, Dr. Sherrish Holloman, shared her sentiments on the influence Omega Theta Omega, would have on the region, the country and the world.

“Our members represent various levels of professional, educational and social backgrounds and extend the sorority’s legacy of sisterhood and service to the UAE. The journey from envisioning to chartering a chapter in the UAE has been richly rewarding for both us and the communities we serve. I remain honored and humbled by this experience and hope that we will continue the sorority’s lasting principle of ‘Service to all Mankind’ in the UAE through impactful program delivery,” said Dr. Sherrish Holloman, President, Omega Theta Omega Chapter.

Buzzing News

Miss America 2015 to Bring ‘Love Shouldn’t Hurt’ Message to UVI

HBCU Editors

Posted on Jan 22, 2016

UVI Newsroom

Love Shouldn’t Hurt,” is the message that Kira Kazantsev, Miss America 2015, will impart at the University of the Virgin Islands on Friday, Jan. 22. Kazantsev, an advocate for women, will share her personal story of survival and raise awareness of domestic violence. Her goal is to reinforce the message that it’s time to end domestic violence. The event will be held from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., in Business Building, room 110, on the St. Thomas Campus. Kazantsev’s address will be teleconferenced to the Melvin Evans Center, room 401, on the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix. The community is invited to attend.

The Family Resource Center, Inc. (FRC) invited Miss America to the territory as part of their annual Peacemaker Gala and have partnered with UVI to bring Kazantsev to the University’s campuses.

“Ms. Kira Kazantsev, Miss America 2015, is a powerful advocate for those who are the victims of domestic violence, and her reign enlightened the world about the consequences of this pervasive and crippling crime against humanity,” UVI President David Hall said. “In a year where UVI has launched an awareness program about the dangers of sexual misconduct, it is very appropriate to have Miss America share this special message with our students, faculty and staff.”

“Family Resource Center board, staff and volunteers, along with the Peacemaker Committee, is thrilled to have Kira Kazantsev, Miss America 2015 in our territory,” said Vivian St. Juste, Family Resource Center, Inc. executive director. “We applaud her for sharing her experiences and for encouraging others to seek help as victims of domestic violence.” She continued, “We believe that sharing this opportunity with area schools and the University of the Virgin Islands further expands our community partnerships and awareness.”

“In the Virgin Islands there are organizations and individuals who care for our most vulnerable people,” said President Hall. “The Family Resource Center is a haven for those who have been abused, neglected and marginalized by forces not of their making. Through the visionary leadership of Vivian St. Juste, FRC’s light is shining more brightly and caring for those who find themselves in the dark clutches of domestic violence.”

The University of the Virgin Islands is honored to partner with FRC in its mission, and we are thankful that Vivian and her staff has allowed us to work with them to improve their Serenity Garden and thus their outstanding service to our community, said President Hall.

Kazantsev, who won the Miss America 2015 title on Sept. 14, 2014, ran on the platform “Love Shouldn’t Hurt” and as Miss America she launched this domestic violence campaign. One in four women and one in seven men fall victim to domestic violence each year, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

Kazantsev has been a long-time partner with Safe Horizon, the largest provider of domestic violence services in the country. She recently received their “Voice of Empowerment” award. She worked with Safe Horizon to create the “Put The Nail In It” #PutTheNailInIt campaign, which has reached over 20 million people, encouraging them to show their support against domestic violence.

Read more here.

Buzzing News

Why Doesn’t Silicon Valley Hire Black Coders?

HBCU Editors

Posted on Jan 22, 2016

Bloomberg Business

Howard University fights to join the tech boom.

In the fall of 2013 a young software engineer named Charles Pratt arrived on Howard University’s campus in Washington. His employer, Google, had sent him there to cultivate future Silicon Valley programmers. It represented a warming of the Valley’s attitude toward Howard, where more than 8 out of 10 students are black. The chair of the computer science department, Legand Burge, had spent almost a decade inviting tech companies to hire his graduates, but they’d mostly ignored him. Pratt began teaching computer science classes, helping to revamp the department’s curriculum, and preparing students for Google’s idiosyncratic application process. It was one of several initiatives meant to get the school to churn out large numbers of engineers. Two and a half years later, that hasn’t happened. The slow progress reflects the knottiness of one of Silicon Valley’s most persistent problems: It’s too white.

Howard, founded in 1867, has long been one of the country’s most eminent historically black colleges and universities. Thurgood Marshall went there, as did Toni Morrison; the writer Ta-Nehisi Coates, who attended Howard, called it the Mecca—the place where he realized the black world “was more than a photo negative of that of the people who believe they’re white.” Still, it’s not among the elite science-oriented universities where tech companies have focused recruitment—places like Stanford, MIT, and Carnegie Mellon. Pratt arrived in Washington as traditional hiring practices were being scrutinized.

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Pressured by employees and the press, companies began disclosing the demographics of their workforces. One figure stood out: African Americans, about 13 percent of the U.S. population, made up no more than 1 percent of technical employees at Google, Facebook, and other prominent Silicon Valley companies. This was at least partly because of the way companies recruited: From 2001 to 2009, more than 20 percent of all black computer science graduates attended an historically black school, according to federal statistics—yet the Valley wasn’t looking for candidates at these institutions.

As the companies revealed their data, Burge says, recruiters began to get in touch. Early in 2014, Google’s senior vice president for “people operations” blogged about Pratt’s stint at Howard. That fall, Facebook’s director of diversity, Maxine Williams, traveled to the school for a public chat with the university’s president and a meeting with students. Dropbox made its first recruiting trip that fall; a year later, Pinterest joined the list.

Despite the apparent progress, Burge was circumspect when I called in September 2015 to ask about the companies that had started approaching Howard: “ ‘Started’ could mean many things,” he said. Howard was showing up in tech companies’ news releases, but it wasn’t yet clear how Burge’s students would benefit. Facebook, Dropbox, and Pinterest hadn’t yet hired any graduating seniors for a full-time position. In 2015, Google hired just one. This year, out of the 28 seniors in his department, Burge knows of only two who’ve lined up a Silicon Valley job: one at Google—its second Howard hire—and another at Pandora. “There’s a big disconnect,” Burge said.

Burge teaches martial arts in his spare time, which is fitting. He has the dry, reserved demeanor of a techie but runs the computer science department like a devoted coach. “When there are companies coming to recruit, he’ll be like, ‘Go get in there! Go meet so-and-so!’ ” says Lena Alston, who graduated in December. Some of his students have nicknamed him Uncle Burge. In 2005, a year before he became department chair, Google invited him to interview for an engineering position. He wasn’t particularly interested in working there, but he saw a different opening: Maybe he’d meet some people who’d help his students. It paid off, eventually. Eight years later, the company created the Google in Residence program. Pratt had some teaching experience, from his college years at Carnegie Mellon, and he was disenchanted with his programming position at the time; plus, as a black engineer, he’d long been troubled by Silicon Valley’s lack of diversity. He packed his bags.

Silicon Valley is rife with Stanford and MIT graduates who started coding during childhood, won programming competitions in their spare time, and spent their summers interning at startups. At Howard, few of Pratt’s students fit that profile. They’d begun studying computer science in college, and many had never visited the Bay Area. One senior, Sarah Jones, says she’d assumed for years that Silicon Valley was the name of a city. When she finally visited during college, it struck her as a startlingly homogeneous culture, made up of white and Asian people who “like Star Wars and stuff like Pokémon.” When companies began to visit Howard, they’d boast about having on-site playground equipment and volleyball courts—not the kind of thing Jones or her friends got excited about. “Slides are not really appealing,” she says. “There are not a lot of people of color in the Valley—and that, by itself, makes it kind of unwelcoming.”

Read more here.

Buzzing News

Dr. Robert Dixon Takes Over as Interim Provost & VP of Academic Affairs at Cheyney University

HBCU Editors

Posted on Jan 22, 2016

Cheyney University Newsroom

Dr. Robert M. Dixon, an educator with more than four decades of experience in management, research and teaching, is Cheyney University’s new Interim Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. He took over today during the President’s Executive Council meeting right after Dr. Frank G. Pogue, Interim President, pinned Dr. Dixon with the Cheyney family shield, welcoming him to the nation’s first HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities).

“I am a product of an HBCU and I know a great deal about the history of this institution,” Dr. Dixon later shared. “I am committed to seeing that HBCUs make the transition in this country to be more competitive. I think there’s still a great role for these institutions to play because of their quality of education and commitment to teaching and to student development. Cheyney places the development of students first. Teaching these students is fundamental and most important.”

Dr. Dixon received his B.S. in Physics and Mathematics with high honors from Morehouse College, his M.S. in Nuclear Physics from Rutgers University and his Ph.D. in Theoretical Nuclear Physics from the University of Maryland. He comes to Cheyney from University of Maine at Fort Kent where he served as Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs and Deputy to the President from January 2014 to December 2015. Prior to that, Dr. Dixon served as Dean of Academic Affairs at Medgar Eyers College, Dean of the School of Science at Hampton University, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Deputy to the President at Grambling State University, where he served under Dr. Pogue, and at Bishop College. He served a number of colleges as professor and chair of the physics department. He is widely published, has engaged actively in research in nuclear reactions, and has maintained an active interest and involvement in the field of teacher education through his consulting work with various public school systems in different parts of the country.

He comes to Cheyney ready to face new challenges, set goals and attain them.

“I hope to increase enrollment, increase the revenue stream and bring in new programs that will resonate with the interests and the needs of the larger society. I would love to see science and mathematics become very strong at this institution.”

Read more here.

Buzzing News

Hampton University President Dr. William R. Harvey Tops $3 million in cash donations to ‘Home By the Sea’

HBCU Editors

Posted on Jan 22, 2016

Hampton Newsroom

With Dr. and Mrs. William R. Harvey’s latest $100,000 gift to the William R. Harvey Leadership Institute, HU’s University President has given more than $3 million to the institution of higher learning that has grown exponentially under his leadership. That personal donation dollar amount is $3,066,327. The gift speaks to the couple’s heartfelt commitment to the “Standard of Excellence” that is Hampton University. Dr. William R. Harvey and Mrs. Norma B. Harvey are more than President and First Lady of the Hampton University community. They have dedicated their lives to the success of the university.

All university presidents are called upon to enhance the quality of the university’s student population, academic programs, faculty, physical facilities and financial base. That’s the job. What Dr. Harvey has done extends beyond any official expectation. His giving is best described as ‘not just talking the talk, but walking the walk.’ He has done all that is in his power to support the historic institution, from the Emancipation Oak to the shoreline that hugs the campus on three sides.

As a visionary, Dr. Harvey, has embraced HU founder General Samuel Chapman Armstrong’s mission to have everything at Hampton University excel. And excel it has under Dr. Harvey’s leadership. The Harvey years, 38 and counting, will grace the record books as an unparalleled accounting of mega success, not just for the HU students, faculty and staff whose lives give testimony to the results of his labor; but for the global community of stakeholders who will continually reap the benefits of his astute leadership for generations to come.

Dr. Harvey has introduced innovations, which have solidified Hampton University’s stellar position among the nation’s colleges and universities. Seventy-six new academic programs, satellites on active missions in space, the largest free-standing proton therapy cancer treatment center in the world, all of what Dr. Harvey has accomplished speaks to his desire to leave the world better than he found it.

The Brewton, Alabama native is a servant leader who faces each day determined to enrich the lives of others. His blessed path led him from a small town in Alabama to the coveted classrooms of Harvard University. With his Ivy League degree in hand, Dr. Harvey could have taken any one of so many prestigious university offers. However, Dr. Harvey, the true educator, chose to lead at an HBCU where he could make a real difference in the academic worlds of young people who yearned for better lives. Dr. Harvey, the businessman, put his acumen to work placing Hampton on the fast track for growth and development as a world-class university.

Dr. Harvey has reached into his own pocket several times to help members of the university community. He has covered salary increases during the lean financial periods. For example in 2011, Dr. and Mrs. Harvey gave a gift of $1 million to be utilized as incentives to increase faculty salaries. In 2011 and again in 2014, the Harveys gave donations of $166,000 and $108,403 respectively, to support wage increases for full-time permanent HU staff. The Harveys also made a generous donation to scholarships in 2001. That year they gave a gift of $1 million to fund scholarships for students interested in becoming K-12 teachers.

“My parents were my first role models,” Harvey said. “Establishing the W.D.C. Harvey Endowed Scholarships in my father’s name is my way of honoring all of the life lessons they shared. They taught my sister Anne and me the benefit of giving and sharing to improve the world we live in. The scholarships will assist in making it possible for the next generation of leaders to emerge.

This latest gift of $100,000 will provide an endowment of at least $3,000,000 in scholarships for students to attend the William R. Harvey Leadership Institute (WRHLI). The students will become “Harvey Scholars” after a rigorous selection process. Upon completion of the program, the fellows receive an 18-hour-minor in leadership studies.

The WRHLI was the brainchild of Dr. Harvey who convened several of his closest academic advisors with the clear purpose of creating an institute with a curriculum focused on character development, critical thinking, leadership theory and application, ethics and policy development.

Dr. and Mrs. Harvey’s most recent personal contribution of $100,000 will support scholarships for 25 “Harvey Scholars” each year over a period of four years for a total of 100 scholarships. The Institute provides an impressive curriculum designed to teach Dr. Harvey’s ten-point leadership model–vision, work ethic, academic excellence, team building, innovation, courage, management, fairness, fiscal conservatism, and results.

The proof of performance for the William R. Harvey Leadership Model is in the career stories of executives who have studied the model under Dr. Harvey’s mentorship and as a result reached the height of their careers. An unprecedented 17 executives attribute their positions as President or C-E-O of a university or institution, to Dr. Harvey and the effectiveness of his leadership model.

Read more here.

News

President Obama Gives Michigan $80M

HBCU Editors

Posted on Jan 22, 2016

Washington — President Barack Obama said Thursday his administration is giving $80 million in aid to Michigan mostly to help repair Flint’s water infrastructure and make the drinking water safe.

Speaking to a gathering of mayors at the White House, the president called the lead contamination of drinking water in Flint an “inexcusable” situation. He noted money recently secured in the bipartisan budget agreement helps cities build water infrastructure.

“We’re going to have that funding available to you by the end of next week, and that includes $80 million for the state of Michigan,” Obama said.

“Our children should not have to be worried about the water that they’re drinking in American cities. That’s not something that we should accept.”

A White House official later said the revolving fund money would be made immediately available. The state will decide how much of the $80 million will be directed to Flint.

In a six-hour Wednesday visit to Detroit, the president pledged that “we will have the backs of Flint’s people.”

“It was encouraging to hear President Obama say that $80 million will be coming to Michigan to help local governments, like the City of Flint, improve their water systems,” Flint Mayor Karen Weaver said in a statement from Washington, D.C. “The residents of Flint could benefit greatly from that type of money. We are waiting to see how much of the $80 million will be allocated to the City of Flint and how much of it will go elsewhere, but it’s a step in the right direction.” read more

Entertainment

9 Oscar Contenders That the Academy Missed

Mike Hamilton

Posted on Jan 21, 2016

Ever since the nominations were announced for the 88th Annual Academy Awards on January 14, there has been much debate over the lack of minority nominees—primarily because there was a sizable amount of contenders from which to pick this year. The backlash has been swift, while many have been divided on the issue: actress Jada Pinkett-Smith and recent honorary Academy Award recipient Spike Lee both called for a boycott of this year’s ceremony (with Pinkett-Smith stating that she will neither attend nor watch, but sends her blessings to host Chris Rock); Snoop Dogg simply stated, “f*ck the Oscars,” while John Singleton, Whoopi Goldberg, George Clooney, Dustin Hoffman, Stacey Dash, and a host of others have chimed in with their stances on the controversy.

Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences President Cheryl Boone Isaacs (a Black woman) even issued a statement expressing her dismay over the lack of diversity and vowed to take a closer look at the Academy’s voting body, planning to take this into consideration when inviting its next class of newly-minted Oscar voters. While the debate is sure to rage on between now and the February 28th telecast, we’ve found nine ways that the Academy could have avoided this mayhem for yet the second consecutive year. #OscarsSoWhite

Creed (Best Picture)

One of the year’s most moving films, the omission of Creed in the Best Picture category is quite the head-scratcher. It was critically-hailed across the board, as well as a huge box office smash—one that many believed to be the best film of the Rocky franchise in many years. The film’s lone nomination, a Best Supporting Actor nod for Sylvester Stallone, was well-deserved, but one can make a strong argument for why it also should be competing for the night’s top prize.

Straight Outta Compton (Best Picture)

Few films in 2015 dominated the box office quite like Straight Outta Compton. The N.W.A. biopic has grossed over $200 million worldwide and received massive critical acclaim. One of the film’s producers, FAMU alum Will Packer, took to Facebook to voice his outrage over this year’s nominees; it’s possible that he believes his film was snubbed, and there are many who would agree. The movie’s sole nomination is for Best Original Screenplay, which (ironically) was written by four white screenwriters.

Michael B. Jordan in Creed (Best Actor)

Many were hopeful last year that Jordan would receive a nomination for his breakout turn on the big screen in Fruitvale Station. As he did in Fruitvale, Ryan Coogler directed him yet again in Creed, a performance that wowed both audiences and critics alike. He delivered an outstanding portrayal once more, and it would have been great to see the Academy recognize him.

Will Smith in Concussion (Best Actor)

The Black community hasn’t exactly been fully on board with Smith’s turn as Dr. Bennett Omalu, the doctor who fought against the NFL’s efforts to hide his research on the brain damage suffered by professional football players. The primary reason for this divide on Smith’s performance is that many Nigerian natives didn’t find his accent to be “authentic.” Taking into consideration that most actors don’t exactly nail foreign accents, it is his overall performance that should be taken into account. And this was certainly a stunner that should have landed Will Smith his third Oscar nomination.

Idris Elba in Beasts of No Nation (Best Supporting Actor)

Idris Elba’s performance in Netflix’s Beasts of No Nation has been regarded by many critics as the film’s highlight. He received nominations for the Golden Globe and SAG Awards, but missed the Oscar nod. If there was only one slot for diversity to be displayed among this year’s 20 acting nominees, many would make a case for Elba.

Jason Mitchell in Straight Outta Compton (Best Supporting Actor)

Straight Outta Compton has been widely revered as one of the year’s top ensemble flicks. But if there was one performance that critics and audiences both couldn’t stop talking about from the film, it was breakout star Jason Mitchell’s role as the late Eazy-E. Mitchell played every aspect and emotion of his character as closely to perfection as possible and would have been more than deserving of a nomination.

F. Gary Gray for Straight Outta Compton (Best Director)

Few will debate that Straight Outta Compton wasn’t outstanding across the board; yes, it attempted to downplay N.W.A.’s not-so-admirable views and actions against women and events related to such, but the film was expertly crafted: great acting, great writing (which was recognized with an Original Screenplay nod), and yes, great directing. F. Gary Gray delivered some of his career best work with this film, and it’s a shame that the Academy overlooked him.

Ryan Coogler & Aaron Covington for Creed (Best Original Screenplay)

It’s not very often that two Black screenwriters pen a film as successful as Creed, but that’s exactly the case with Coogler and Covington. They expertly maintained the integrity of the Rocky franchise, while making their film relevant for that audience and their own. They were meticulous about authentically portraying the city of Philadelphia. And (arguably) most impressively, they developed Rocky (the character) in a way that compelled Stallone to deliver one of the best performances of his career and landed him his first Oscar nomination since the original Rocky film. Talk about a snub.

Wiz Khalifa’s “See You Again” from Furious 7 (Best Original Song)

No, it’s not an acting or directing category, but (quiet as it may have been kept) the omission of Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth’s “See You Again” from Furious 7 in the Best Original Song category has left some people, well…furious. Aside from being nominated for virtually every other film award, the song’s video became the first by a rap artist to reach over a billion YouTube views, tied Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” as the longest-running #1 rap hit in U.S. history (12 weeks), and earned 3 Grammy nominations. I’m not sure what bias came into play here, but of all the “minority snubs” that the Oscars committed this year, this might be the most glaring one.

[td_smart_list_end]

The 88th Annual Academy Awards, hosted by Chris Rock, will air on Sunday, February 28, 2016 at 5:30pm PST/8:30pm EST on ABC.

Editorial

4 Things Stacey Dash Must Learn to Regain Our Respect

Sonia Montalvo

Posted on Jan 21, 2016

It’s fair to say we’ve established that there are some African-American celebrities who have reached such a level of success, that they’re just completely ignorant to the problems that people in the Black community face.

We’ve took it upon ourselves in the culture to add so many of those same Black celebrities to our nationally recognized “(explotive) list” within the past few years, that it’s almost second nature to want to revoke their “Black cards” when they open their mouths. We’ve bashed Raven-Symone for her hate and ignorance towards multisyllabic names, and we’ve dragged Rza for telling our Black men that if they dressed in a properly “refined manner”, that they wouldn’t invoke fear in the police to want to bruatlize them (rolls eyes as hard as possible).

While a majority of us have nominated and voted to add these melanin rich folks to the “(expletive),” I nominate that we bypass voting, and add Stacey Dash to the top of the list for all of the ridiculousness that spews out of her mouth as well! How many times does Dash have to be read to filth is my question?

Recently on Fox News, Stacey Dash commented on the uproar around the Oscars and people’s feelings towards the event’s lack of diversity. Also known as #oscarssowhite. “We have to make up our minds. Either we want to have segregation or integration, and if we don’t want segregation, then we have to get rid of channels like BET and the BET Awards and the Image Awards, where you’re only awarded if you’re black,” she continued. “If it were the other way around, we’d be up in arms. It’s a double standard. There shouldn’t be a black history month. We’re Americans, period.”

Sitting in your own ignorance has to be the nastiest feeling ever. There are multiple reasons why Stacey Dash’s comments are not only ignorant, but also completely invalid; for today I’ll settle for speaking on four.

Girl, shut up, we can be mad if we want to.

News flash Ms. Dash, People of color have the right to be infuriated with a platform that year after year that doesn’t acknowledge our existence in the world of film. This year like many others, quality films, that have received critical acclaim, have been box office and online streaming smashes with people of color as the lead; all extremely thought provoking and well put together, Concussion, Beasts of No nation; movies that are equally as good as the movies that were nominated for award night, yet still no nod from an institution that’s supposed to recognize great films? If that’s not complete disrespect, I don’t know what is. Straight Outta Compton and Creed were nominated this year, but not in a manner that makes sense. Paul Giamatti received a nod for his portrayal as Jerry Heller. Only Sylvester Stallone received a nod from the Oscar’s this year for his performance in Creed, not Michael B. Jordan as the Lead Character, or Ryan Coogler for his directorial skills in the film. There’s no way around the fact that each film listed and it’s actual lead actors are just as much a contenders for those awards as the ones that were chosen.

Stacey Dash is apparently unclear on why Black people have their own award shows and networks.

Does anyone remember when the live version of The Wiz aired? Wasn’t too far back to remember some the idiotic posts from white people condemning the all Black cast. Numerous posts were made via social media stating that the broadcast was racist and if there were an all white version, that black people would be up in arms about it. It’s also not hard to remember how hard we laughed at them when they realized that The Wiz is a remake of the Wizard of Oz, which hosts an all white cast, even down to the green witch! Creating award shows and networks geared towards showcasing black people, is the same thing only 10 times bigger.

For years, prior to the inception of BET, BET Awards, NAACP Image Awards, or anything else geared towards blacks, we begged and pleaded to be accepted into white platforms. Everything under the sun was done to be accepted into a society that didn’t understand us. The few times African Americans took home academy awards, it was because Black Actors played roles like mammies, sex crazed abusive women, and crooked drug dealing cops. What other choice was there?

With Stacey Dash’s statement, she’s implying that Black people should have just taken the mistreatment from Hollywood and waited at the door until they decided to throw us scraps. Black networks and award shows were created simply for no other reason than to acknowledge our contributions to entertainment as a whole. Obviously, no one else was going to do it so we did it ourselves. Stacey dash would rather African Americans to still beg to be acknowledged, meanwhile current day, white entertainment platforms send Iggy Azalea and Macklemore home with Best Rapper superlatives? I think not. It’s impossible to choose between segregation and integration regarding being recognized. Black entertainment platforms weren’t created to ostracize us from the rest of the world, they were created because white entertainment awards shows and networks ostracized us from the get go.

If Black History Month Was Disbanded, You’d never learn Black History.

While reading this I want you to imagine your time in school between first and twelfth grade. Think back to how many times in your 180 day school year, you actually learned about the contributions Black people have made to society. If your answer was only during Black History Month or when your teachers taught you about slavery, then I rest my case. Honestly it’s sad that we’ve been reduced by the masses to a 28 day month to talk about Black excellence. In school most of us we’re taught that our history started on a boat ride to America to make it “great.” If we were represented in day to day conversations about our place in history, then we wouldn’t have sought out to combat with a Black History month in the first place. Someone please tell Stacey Dash that there is absolutely no need to have a white history month because it’s been White History Year, every year for as long as Black people can remember. Double standards can’t exist here, sorry.

Stacey needs a hug and a history lesson no matter how you look at it.

I honestly feel bad for lost and bewildered Stacey. She’s so oblivious to the fact that Black people are an underrepresented race in all aspects. Her fame has caused her to have such skewed bias to the way life actually works. I’m not sure if I’m mad with her, or that I just feel sorry for her. In order to understand the plight of African Americans, and our struggle to be noticed Stacey Dash, you have to bring you head out of that tiny little bubble it rests in and open your eyes. If you see this, ask yourself if you’ve took the time to understand that the world isn’t only white, there are shades of Black too.

Football

NCCU Football’s Quest for Historic Three-peat has Similar Path

HBCU Editors

Posted on Jan 21, 2016

NCCU Newsroom

North Carolina Central University’s quest for a historic three-peat as Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champions will travel down a similar path during the upcoming football campaign.

After repeating as conference co-champions and posting the most wins as a Division I-FCS program with an 8-3 record last season, NCCU’s 11-game 2016 football schedule is nearly identical to last year’s line-up. The Eagles have non-conference rematches with Triangle foes Duke and Saint Augustine’s, and face the same MEAC opponents as they did when achieving a 7-1 league mark in 2015 under the leadership of Jerry Mack, who became the first head coach in school history to win 15 games in his first two seasons.

With consecutive league titles in hand, this year’s Eagles squad will attempt to do something that no NCCU team has been able to do – win a third straight conference championship.

NCCU kicks off the 2016 season on Sept. 3 against Durham neighbor Duke University in the Bull City Gridiron Classic. The Blue Devils are coming off an 8-5 season that included a win over Indiana in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl. Duke has won all four contests in the series with the Eagles that started in 2009.

The lone newcomer to NCCU’s schedule is Western Michigan of the Mid-American Conference (FBS) on Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. in Kalamazoo, Michigan, for the first gridiron meeting between the two universities. The Broncos closed out last season with a win over nationally-ranked Toledo to claim a share of the MAC West title, followed by a victory against Middle Tennessee in the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl for the program’s first bowl triumph to finish with an 8-5 record.

The Eagles’ first home game is on Sept. 17 versus Saint Augustine’s, a former Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association foe, at 6 p.m. inside O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium. This will be the 32nd meeting between the Falcons and Eagles, with NCCU holding a 28-2-1 advantage in the series.

NCCU begins MEAC play on the road at Norfolk State on Sept. 24. The Eagles celebrated homecoming last season with their third straight win over the Spartans to improve their series advantage to 8-5 over NSU.

On Oct. 1, NCCU will face fellow back-to-back conference co-champions Bethune-Cookman in Daytona Beach, Florida. The Eagles defeated the Wildcats in the first meeting back in 1994, but B-CU has beaten NCCU in each of the last six contests since 2010, including last year’s heart-breaking two-point setback that was the Eagles’ lone league loss.

After playing on the road in four of the first five weeks, NCCU returns home to O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium for four of its last six regular-season games.

The Eagles host the Rattlers of Florida A&M on Oct. 8 at 4 p.m. Last year in Tallahassee, Florida, NCCU used a late field goal to edge the Rattlers for the first of seven consecutive victories. FAMU leads the series 6-2-1.

NCCU stays in Durham to celebrate homecoming on Oct. 15 versus Savannah State at 2 p.m. The Eagles have won the last four meetings with SSU to push the series advantage to 8-2-1. The Eagles also boast a record of 61-19-2 (.756 winning percentage) on homecoming since 1931.

The Eagles hit the road to play Morgan State on Oct. 22 in Baltimore, Maryland. The last two matchups at Hughes Stadium have been decided by a touchdown in the final minute of the game. NCCU triumphed in 2015, but the Bears have won seven of the last 10 meetings with the Eagles to extend their series cushion to 24-14-2.

After an open week on Oct. 29, NCCU travels to “The First State” for the first time since 2011 to face Delaware State on Nov. 5. The Eagles have won seven of the last eight meetings against the Hornets, including three in-a-row, to improve their series lead over DSU to 16-6.

On Nov. 12, NCCU comes back to Durham to host Howard at 2 p.m. The Eagles have downed the Bison in four straight contests to take a 10-9-1 edge in the series. Howard’s last victory at NCCU was on Oct. 15, 1994.

The Eagles close out the 2016 regular season with the 88th meeting against rival North Carolina A&T on Nov. 19 at 2 p.m. inside O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium. In each of the last two seasons, NCCU wrapped up the campaign with wins over the nationally-ranked Aggies to earn a share of the conference title.

While aiming to make NCCU history with a third straight league championship, the Eagles will also be vying to represent the MEAC in the second annual Celebration Bowl against the champion from the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

Read more here.

Football

Michael Haywood Should Bring a Lot to TSU Football Program This Year

HBCU Editors

Posted on Jan 21, 2016

Houston Forward Times

Texas Southern’s search for a new football coach didn’t last long. Michael Haywood will be Texas Southern’s new head football coach. Athletic director Charles McClelland states, “With his background and extensive experience we were lucky to get someone of Haywood’s caliber.”

Dr. John Rudley, President of Texas Southern University, agreed with McClelland’s assessment of Haywood.

“We are very excited to have Mike take over the helm of our football program,” said Rudley. “We’ve always had the vision of getting the program to the next level and it started several years ago when we looked to bring a first class facility to our fans, student-athletes, and supporters. Now for us the next step in reaching our goals centers around putting together a championship quality product on the field. We feel without a doubt the individual that will help us reach that next goal is Coach Haywood as proven by his success as both an assistant and head coach.”

He replaces Darrell Asberry, who stepped down on Sunday after Texas Southern went 3-7.

Haywood most recently was the coach at Miami of Ohio. Haywood, 51, has been out of coaching since early 2011 when he was arrested on felony domestic violence charges two weeks after accepting the Pittsburgh head coaching job. He was fired shortly afterward. The charges were dismissed in 2012 after Haywood completed pre-trial diversion requirements, counseling, and public service. He interviewed for the Tulane head coaching job in 2011.

“I apologized for this terrible mistake that I made,” Haywood told the television station. “It was wrong what I did. I have learned from this situation. It has gone through the legal situation and I have been cleared. I am thankful that I am able to continue my coaching career.”

He has worked in private business for the last five years. He doesn’t believe his time away from coaching will hurt him.

“I really don’t think it affects me at all,” Haywood said. “I’ve spent a significant amount of time consulting other universities and high schools in the area. At the same time I’ve done pregame and postgame shows for the University of Notre Dame. So I’ve been heavily involved in football over the last five years.”

Haywood orchestrated a major turnaround while at Miami of Ohio. In 2009 the team was 1-11 and 1-7 in Mid-American Conference play. The following season Haywood won MAC Coach of the Year honors after leading the team to an 11-1 record with an 8-1 mark in conference play.

Read more here.

Buzz Killer

One Charged in Shooting on St. Augustine’s University Campus

HBCU Editors

Posted on Jan 21, 2016

The News & Observer

An 18-year-old Raleigh man was charged with assault Wednesday in connection with a shooting that wounded a 20-year-old man who sought help on the campus of St. Augustine’s University.

Omari Fujah Williams, whose address was listed as 10810 Oliver Road, was charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury and booked into the Wake County Detention Center on $250,000 bail.

Police said Williams shot Damarian Henderson, who was taken to WakeMed Raleigh hospital with what they said were non-life-threatening injuries.

A St. Augustine’s University employee called 911 at 1:06 a.m. to say that a young man had walked up to the information booth and said he had been shot. The caller, whose name was not released, said the man had been shot in the back of the head but was alert and walking around.

The man told the St. Aug’s employee that he had been shot on State Street, across from the school gymnasium, and that he didn’t know where the shot had come from, according to a recording of the 911 call released Wednesday.

School officials would not say if Henderson was a St. Aug’s student.

Raleigh police said later that the shooting resulted from a dispute among “people who know each other” and was not a random attack.

The school was put on lockdown from the time campus officials learned about the incident until about 4:30 a.m., a spokeswoman said.

Police also charged Nicholas Braxton Dennis, 19, of 13200 Townfield Drive with misdemeanor larceny. That charge stemmed from information detectives got while investigating the shooting, police spokeswoman Laura Hourigan said.

Read more here.

News

Bill Cosby No Longer on Hampton Univ. Board of Trustees

HBCU Editors

Posted on Jan 21, 2016

13 News Now

Following the rise of dozens of sexual assault allegations against entertainment mogul Bill Cosby, it has come to light that he no longer serves on Hampton University’s board of trustees.

The historically black university released a statement to 13News Now on Wednesday: “For decades, Bill Cosby supported Hampton University as an institution of higher education, including serving on its board of trustees. He no longer serves on the board.”

The actor and stand-up comedian currently faces three felony counts of sexual-related assault. He was charged, arraigned and booked on Dec. 30 on charges he drugged and assaulted Andrea Constand at his suburban Philadephia home 12 years ago. His first court date in the case has been set for Feb. 2.

Read more here.

News

7 Questions with Hawks’ Nzinga Shaw: We are a Better Franchise Today

HBCU Editors

Posted on Jan 21, 2016

The Atlanta Journal Constitution

Nzinga Shaw doesn’t own a watch. She has never owned an alarm clock.

Yet, she has never missed a 6 a.m. red-eye. Never been late for a meeting. Never overslept.

“It is the craziest thing in the world and I don’t know how to describe it. Somehow my body knows to get up at 4 a.m. to get ready. Everybody has something that is a little strange or weird about them. This is mine,” Shaw said. “It plays into who I am because I am determined and focused and I am never going to slack. I am never going to use another device or another person as a reason to why I didn’t meet a deadline or a reason to not be able to fulfill something that I said I would be able to do. So to me an alarm clock is an excuse that can take you off its path if it is not working. I am not someone who lets little things take me off my path.”

The current path that Shaw is on is a daunting one.

A little more than a year ago, the Spelman College graduate was named Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer for the Atlanta Hawks, which at the time was reeling over racist comments made by team officials.

The veteran public relations executive — who had crisis management under her belt, as well as stints with other professional sports teams — was brought in to “continue to rebuild trust and partnership in the Atlanta community,” Shaw said upon being hired.

The Hawks are still the only team in the NBA with a diversity executive.

On Thursday, Shaw will embark on perhaps her biggest program yet, launching the Model Of Shaping Atlanta through Inclusive Conversations (MOSAIC), which will be an ongoing way for the Hawks to facilitate dialogue about diversity and inclusion in the city. The inaugural MOSAIC: Race & Gender in Sports event from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Center for Civil and Human Rights will feature Grant Hill and his mother, Janet Hill; Hawks CEO Steve Koonin; and keynote speaker Kevin Powell, among others.

Shaw sat down at Philips Arena with the AJC to talk about her year with the Hawks.

What is MOSAIC?

It is a vehicle and dialogue that is going to take place between various stakeholders within the sports industry and beyond to look at diversity and inclusion — specifically race and gender in sports. How it plays out. But then really looking at a macro level at multidimensional diversity and how the many facets that people bring to the table shapes what we do as organization and business leaders. We have branded M so that it can live. We don’t want these conversations to start and stop. We want them to be ongoing because who knows what is going to come out of the conversations. I am optimistic that we will be able to change perceptions in Atlanta through consistent dialogue. We hope that M will be an annual event.

This is a job that was created for you that didn’t exist in the NBA. How did you catch your breath? What did you do the first 90 days?

I recognized that I could not do this alone. There were so many different obstacles and challenges, but there was also great opportunity. I knew that creating a diversity and inclusion council would be very important because there were so many different dynamics that were playing out all at once. I needed to hear different voices of different stakeholders within and outside of the organization.

You also hit the community and went on a listening tour. What was the most recurring thing that people talked about?

Change. They wanted to know that we cared about them. They wanted to know that our organization was not only in it to make money, but that we were a community asset and that we can be a community partner. People just wanted to see authenticity and to know that they mattered.

What have been challenges?

When I first got here it was to get people to understand why diversity and inclusion should be a function and why it mattered. A lot of people thought it was punitive. That I would be the police and watching their every move. And looking at demographics and numbers and making decisions based on those things. So my greatest challenge was connecting with people in a personal and organic way so that they could realize it is not about representation, it is really about being able to nurture an organization and nurture individuals so that they can reach their maximum potential.

Before the racial comments incident, it seemed as if the Hawks were embraced by Atlanta’s black community. Is that a correct assessment?

Atlanta is the home of Dr. (Martin Luther) King (Jr.) and the home of civil rights. So yes, there are lots of African-Americans in this city that care about the Atlanta Hawks and are true fans. Was that demographic hurt and upset? Absolutely, 100 percent. They were impacted. But the Atlanta Hawks, because we know how important African-Americans are in this city and country, we wrapped our arms around that demographic, and we have been making great strides to connect organically with the community. But everybody was disappointed. White people were disappointed. Asian people were disappointed. Anybody who lives in this city and loved the Hawks wanted to believe that we were being led by great, strong and prolific leaders. So when they found out we had challenges in that space, everyone was hurt.

Are the Atlanta Hawks a better franchise today than they were a year ago?

Absolutely. When I got here, we were in a place of crisis. In a place of trying to show our deep regret for all the things that happened internally. Now, we are not an apologetic team. We are excited and proud about what we are bringing to the table. We have certainly made great strides to diversify our employee base and our fan base. It is all real. It is not window dressing or a bandage to cover up a wound. It is the organic fiber of what the organization is made of. We have a great leader in Steve Koonin; he is a visionary and very open to diversity and inclusion. When your leader embraces diversity and inclusion it all sprinkles down.

You went to Spelman. As a student, were the Hawks on your radar at all?

Believe it or not, no. I am a native New Yorker. Anybody who knows New Yorkers know we were brought up to be die-hard fans (of the Knicks). So I didn’t pay attention to the Hawks when I was in college. I also didn’t have money to go to any Hawks games. But I am certainly glad that I ended up here.

Read more here.