Showing posts with label andgo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label andgo. Show all posts
Monday, August 22, 2016
Saturday, April 9, 2016
Out On The Town: Michael Eric Dyson | Diann Valentine | Soledad O'Brien and more...
On
April 8, 2016 the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Oakland/Bay Area
Chapter hosted their 18th Annual Madam CJ Walker Scholarship Luncheon at the SF
Marriott Marquis Hotel in downtown San Francisco. Their keynote speaker and special guest was Debra Martin Chase, an Emmy nominated and Peabody Award winning television and motion
picture producer whose has been affiliated with the Walt Disney Company since
2001. Ms. Imani Brown, 17 year old high
school student and recipient of the Essay Contest Award, gave an outstanding
speech that celebrated her father for raising her to be a phenomenal young
woman who aspires to study biochemical medicine in college. She chose this major because of her interest
in how DNA works and her interest in finding a cure for cancer. See photos of this event HERE - Glass House
Communications Facebook page and for more information about this organization
visit www.onehundredblackwomen.com for more information.
On
April 7, 2016 ColorComm launched the San Francisco Chapter with an Inaugural Luncheon
at the Rotunda Restaurant inside Neiman Marcus.
The room was filled with excitement as everyone was over-the-moon to see
so many women of color who work in the communications industry. Keynote speaker, Daisy M. Auger-Dominguez, Global
Head of Diversity Staffing at GOOGLE, delivered such an empowering and
impactful message that everyone in the room connected became even more excited
about their own journey in the profession.
The 2016 ColorComm annual conference takes place July 20-22 in Miami, FL and you can find more HERE. {Photo: Y'Anad Burrell, Netta Haynes, Lauren Wesley Wilson, President Colorcom and Collette Luckie}
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On April 2,
2016 Celebrity Wedding Planner Diann Valentine showcased her signature Bridal
Cuff at I Do! Bridal Boutique in Oakland, CA.
Some of the best diamonds in a rough come out of Oakland, despite the
negative vibe media gives The Town. From giant tech companies like Pandora to
social impact trailblazers like the Kapor Center, Oakland is, by far, one of
the most sought after places to live right now.
When you're home-grown here and your life does not resemble what many
have heard about this city, we then applaud and celebrate those who have made
Oakland proud. Who would have thought that
a #1 Celebrity Wedding Planners would come out of East Oakland? Ms. Diann Valentine left Oakland at the age
of 26 to live in Los Angeles and pursue her 'love of love' and to this day her
portfolio includes planning Toni Braxton's wedding to being a TV Host. Ms. Valentine was recently in Oakland at the
I Do! Bridal Boutique for a trunk show featuring her signature Bridal Cuffs. Check out her video HERE - Glass House
Communications Facebook Page.
In
March 2016 Heart and Soul Center of Light in Oakland, CA hosted Michael Eric
Dyson as he talked about his book, The Black
Presidency. I have never been
disappointed when hearing Mr. Dyson speak.
His perspectives, insights and overall knowledge continues to intriguing,
engaging and constantly capturing my attention.
The renown Davey D moderated this event and from the beginning he dived
right into reminding Mr. Dyson of his remarks about President Obama that were
not so favorable during his first term as President and those views that remain
today. See a snippet of that
conversation HERE - Glass House Communications Facebook Page.
On February
24, 2016 UCSF's Office of Diversity and Outreach hosted a Teach-in with CNN
Correspondent Soledad O'Brien - Injustice and Health. Many of us are familiar with Mrs. O'Brien's
productions, "Black in America" and "Hispanic in America",
and in the conversation UCSF she talked about how there are widespread
healthcare injustices taking place towards African Americans, from the lack of
a grocery store with fresh vegetables in their neighborhoods to the long period
of time between the moment an African American is checked into an hospital to
the time they will see a physician. See
my Twitter page @glasshousecomm for several video snippets from the event.
Diversity in
Tech/Blacks in Tech. The conversation
has been heated for the last year or so, the lack of diversity in technology,
which focused on African Americans, Hispanics and women. While many corporations are yet still trying
to 'figure it out', let's take a moment to celebrate those African Americans
who are making waves in technology and doing it well. Recently KQED did an article highlighting
those trailblazers in tech saying, "Here, in
the San Francisco Bay Area, there are a number of black engineers who
are dedicated to increasing diversity in engineering. So we want to
recognize some of those engineers—past and present—that have advanced, and
continue to advance, diversity in STEM fields.
Read more HERE.
See you these upcoming event...
April 21 - May 5, 2016 - SF International Film Festival
April 23, 2016 - African Americans Making Connections - FREE
April 30, 2016 - MoAD Vanguard - It's Afropolitan
For more events, visit theREGISTRYBayArea.com
Tuesday, January 5, 2016
City of Oakland Pays $12K+ per month - Race & Equity Consultant
"Dante
James, who heads the Office of Equity and Human Rights in Portland, Ore., will
steer the City of Oakland's new department on Race & Equity until permanent
employees can be found, with a salary of $12,250 a month. The Oakland City Council voted unanimously in
June to grant the new agency $467,000 each year in perpetuity, approving an
ordinance to ensure its annual funding. The city is kicking in another $150,000
to get it started. Eventually a director and program analyst designated for the
agency will be hired and they will be expected to train other city employees to
understand how racism is entrenched in government and society.."
Read more
here - City
of Oakland's New Race & Equity Department
Saturday, September 26, 2015
ColorComm (C2) Splashes into San Francisco - Women of Color in Communications Are Thrilled!
C2
(short for ColorComm Conference) is the ultimate business conference and
retreat for women of color in communications. Unlike many conferences with
thousands in attendance, C2 is an intimate group of approximately 300
multicultural, professional women. With innovative programs and topics
presented by the industry’s top practitioners and thought leaders, this
conference provides a safe place to address relevant issues from like-minded
women.
See photo
here! And go!
Thursday, August 13, 2015
ColorComm 2015 - Women of Color in Communications - Epic
ColorComm 2015 - July 30th - Aug. 1st - Miami,
FL. ColorComm 2015 was one of the most
engaging, thought provoking and enlightening communications conferences I've
ever experienced. I attended at least
80% of the sessions and events during the 3-days of workshops/seminars and each
one gave up-to-the minute and real-time information and tools that can be
applied to both fledging and seasoned professionals. Above all, the networking was taken to the
next level where speakers and fellow attendees did not just exchange business cards
as a matter of habit, but there was high level, one-on-one engagement that
moved the dial on relationships and new connections. One of my most memorial experiences at the
ColorComm was Linda Clemons' session, "It's What You Don't Say That Speaks
Volumes". Linda, CEO,
Sisterpreneur, Inc., Sales & Body Language Expert, is an extraordinary
speaker who delivers with energy that you know is authentic and comes from a
genuine place. Understanding how your very stance during a presentation to your
hand movements while answering questions was an eye opening revelation. I am positive every attendee in the
standing-room-only session, walked away with information to improve
their skills the public relations and communications
profession.
Friday, June 12, 2015
Out On The Town - Ebony Magazine | Oakland Ballet | Academy of Art University Fashion and more....
On June 4, 2015, The Clorox Company in Oakland, CA, hosted Ebony
Speaks Innovation, a conversation about the Impact of Culture on Innovation -
How Technology Can Be Inclusive. Ebony
Magazine, founded in 1945 by John H. Johnson, reaches 10M readers each month
between their online audience and subscribers and they remain a strong voice in
Black media. Cheryl Mayberry McKissack, COO
- Johnson Publishing Company, President - JPC Digital, shared that while there
is skepticism about the future of Ebony Magazine, the company is committed to
creating content and building their audience base to remain innovative and
competitive. Clorox is committed to
Diversity & Inclusion efforts on all levels and Erby Foster, Director of
Diversity & Inclusion at Clorox is the leading the efforts in this arena
for the corporation. From my lens it was
a good collaboration for Clorox to host Ebony Speaks on this topic.
Ben Jealous, Partner - Kapor Capital, moderated a panel of
speaking including Aisha Bowe, Co-Founder & CEO - STEM Board, Troy Katcher,
VP - Customer Capability Development & Sport Marketing, Clorox, Erica
Douglas, CEO - mSeed | Sister Scientist.
Also, Todd Brown, former EVP & CRO - Johnson Publishing Company
moderated a panel of speakers as well who included, Kimberly Bryant, Founder
& Executive Director - Black Girls CODE, Kamilah Priforce, VP Qeyno Labs,
Jason Towns, Director - CODE 2040 Residency.
The ongoing theme during these discussions stemmed around ensuring that
the pipeline of talent is strong where recruiters can find students and adults
of color to fill corporate technology opportunities and also starting the technology
education in pre-school grades for boys and girls of color.
On May 23rd at the Paramount Theater in Oakland, CA, the Oakland
Ballet Company celebrated its 50th Anniversary Season with a weekend of
programs that honor the company’s tradition of presenting iconic ballet
masterworks alongside innovative commissions; strengthen its ties to area
choreographers; and continue its commitment to community engagement in the East
Bay. It was my first time attending
an Oakland Ballet performance and I was simply delighted and very much enjoyed
the performances. The liveliness of the
music selections allowed me to have more of an engagement and interest in the
talented dancers and my favorite move by one of the ballerinas was watching her
'glide across the stage on point backwards'.
That was everything. Artistic Director Graham Lustig has
created Oakland Ballet’s spring season, Five Decades of Dance, to
celebrate the past through works that built the company’s reputation under
founding Artistic Director Ronn Guidi, and look to the future with a series of
newly-commissioned dances by alumni and choreographers close to the company.
The historical portion of Five Decades of Dance will
include selections from the lavish Diaghilev-era ballets that built Oakland
Ballet’s reputation internationally: Petrouchka and Scheherazade
by Mikhail Fokine; La Boutique Fantasque by Léonide Massine; and Le
Train Bleu and Les Biches by Bronislava Nijinska. Vaslav
Nijinsky’s boldly innovative L'Après-midi d'un Faune, the first Nijinsky
work to be added to Oakland Ballet’s repertoire, was presented in its
entirety. In addition, the company remounts excerpts of modern
masterpieces from the 1930s through the 1990s, including Billy the Kid
by Eugene Loring; Love Dogs by Alonzo King; and Ronn Guidi’s The
Secret Garden. Green by Carlos Carvajal will also be presented
in its entirety.
The spring 50th Anniversary season concluded with East Bay
DANCES, a showcase of East Bay dance organizations curated by Graham Lustig
with two performances on Sunday, May 24 in the Laney College Theater.
The Academy of Art University staged its Graduation Fashion Show May 14 with a vivid and highly original selection of 135 looks. Clothes and accessories were created by 39 students graduating with degrees in fashion design, jewelry and metal arts, textile design, knitwear design and men’s wear design. The show opened with a dozen polished and retail-ready looks, a series of collaborations between the school’s textile, jewelry and knitwear designers. The concept was to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Hervé Léger for the BCBG Max Azria Group, and move the legacy of Leger forward into the future. At a ceremony earlier, Academy of Art University awards were given to industry leaders and an alumna of the school, and scholarships and internships were announced. The Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Fashion Industry and Fashion Education was given to the CFDA, represented by Lisa Smilor, executive director, and Sara Kozlowski, senior manager.
The Distinguished Alumni Award went to fashion designer Ryan Roche, who is currently producing her own line in New York and she has also produced her luxurious handcrafted cashmere knitwear with women’s collectives in Katmandu for the last decade.
On May 9, 2015 at the Hyatt Regency Santa Clara the Silicon Valley Black Chamber of Commerce (SVBCC) hosted its first annual event recognizing and honoring the significant achievements of African Americans in the fields of business and technology in Silicon Valley. The keynote address was given by Carol H. Williams, President and CEO of Carol H. Williams Advertising Agency. With over 500 attendees in the room, we were thrilled to see Ms. Williams, stunning as usual, and anxious to hear her share pearls of wisdom about the journey that continues for her as a entrepreneur in the 21st Century. I believe many were inspired by Ms. Williams' speech and some shared how they will 'hang in there and not give up' after hearing her speak. The award honorees were: Roy Clay Sr., Silicon Valley computer engineering pioneer; Ken Coleman, Chairman of the Board, Saama Technologies. Jerry Lawson, Co-inventor of modern video game console (posthumous) and Wayne Sutton, General Partner, BUILDUP.vc.
Read more about the SV Black Chamber...
Monday, May 18, 2015
Did he REALLY just ask me that question? A Board President who has no filter!
The
Glass House journey is constantly full of surprises, challenges and most of all, opportunities. Whether
I am presenting before a group, delivering a keynote
address or teaching, I can honestly say it's been years since I've been nervous
or unsure. Indeed I get butterflies here and there, but that's good
because it keeps my creative juices flowing.
I never want to get to a point of
being too self-assured.
I
was fairly excited to meet with a particular arts organization in Walnut Creek
for a leadership opportunity. The
meeting was about two weeks ago and I was told in advance that I would be
meeting with the Board President and three Board
Members, and there would be twelve questions prepared for me to answer during this
meeting. This was all very familiar given my experience before groups
over the years.
The
first 15 minutes of the meeting went smooth, at least for me, and then
something very strange happened. Let's just say, it was very strange to
me. The Board President struggled with his next question --- one that was
'not' on the pre-prepared list, and he admitted to
struggling because he
prefaced his statement by saying: "I don't want it to sound racial".
At
that moment, I used my peripheral vision to scan the faces of the other Board
Members who clearly were uncomfortable
and on edge about what their Board President was leading up to. He
continued to struggle and then said, "Walnut
Creek looks like me....older white people. Would you have a challenge with
that?"
I
had about two seconds to have an out-of-body
experience before responding and I never took my eyes off of him since he
started that particular question. The first words out of my mouth were, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing
over and over again and expecting a different result. It is my belief
that this organization has been stagnated with doing the same thing so you have
chosen to take an innovative approach, coupled with the experience you knew I
brought to the table, and hence I am here. So, I think this is a question
for you because clearly you knew who I was before I arrived. Do you have
a challenge with who I am?"
It
would take a thesis statement to tell you the details of the discussion that
followed this extremely disappointing, off-putting, egregious and disrespectful
question from the Board President of this arts organization.
Really? Seriously? Let's not talk about the very obvious -
this man knew that I was a Commissioner for Contra
Costa County Arts & Culture, Board VP for the SF/Oakland Chapter of the
California Diversity Council, and yet he appeared very comfortable in his behavior,
withstanding his 'struggle for words'.
The
next day I received an email requesting a follow-up telephone conversation with
two of the Board Members. On that call,
I was extended an offer to continue the selection process and meet other team
members. After declining that offer, I
suggested they consider governance training for their entire Board and I would
deliver those services, for a fee, given my Board Source Certification in that
area of training. I further shared that I
could tell by the body language and conversation that followed the Board
President's discriminating question to me, that they were aware of the
legalities that could ensue. Proper
governance training may have avoided
such questioning. However, the elephant
in the room is the culture and dated
thinking of the Board President that has been accepted by the group is really
the most damaging to the arts field and it speaks completely against the
milestones that have been in the area of Diversity & Inclusion.
In
2015...the 21st Century....Imagine that!
And go!
Glass House Communications www.glasshousepr.com
Fashion On The Square www.fashiononthesquare.com
Who moved the dial on diversity at Rev. Jesse Jackson's PUSHTECH2020 Conference?
While there is certainly a reason to
continue the conversation about the diversity gap in technology, Lisa Jackson, Apple's VP
Environmental Initiatives, said in her keynote address to not discredit the
non-tech jobs (which are 60% of the
jobs in SV), that are held by a diverse population at Apple because these jobs
do feed families. In Apple's effort to
show their movement to divide their resources among diverse communities, Ms.
Jackson further stated that Apple has donated $10M to NCWIIT (National Center
for Women in Information Technology) and extended more than $3B to diverse
suppliers. Those are indeed impressive
numbers, however Mr. Butch
Graves, President & CEO of Black Enterprise called it 'window dressing' because Apple, along
with several other tech industry companies represented at the conference, do
not have 'one' person of color on their Board of Directors. Particularly, during the Leading from the
Top: Minority Board of Directors on Advancing the Diversity & Inclusion
Agenda panel, Mr. Graves stated that Apple's idea of a 'diverse supplier' is
women and many of those women-owned companies who receive contracts from Apple
are not from a diverse populations. Desiree Johnson,
CEO, Johnson Publishing, who was also on this panel, stated that attention
must be paid to ad buys in Black media.
That while many of the tech firms represented at this conference buy
millions of dollars in advertisement, those ads are not seen in Black media.
Lastly, Lisa Jackson wanted
attendees to know that Williams Capital Group, manages Apple's bond
investments, where Christopher J. Williams, Chairman and CEO is an African
American.
Who put money on the table and moved the dial at the conference? Who took a first step in showing a monetary investment right here in Oakland? Intel! Brian Krzanich, Intel's CEO announced they will invest $5 million over the next five years in a new pilot program to teach computer science to high school students in the
Several comments during Rev. Jesse Jackson's
keynote address reigned true and received applauds. Rev. Jackson stated, "Let’s turn pain to
power by hiring youth and not shooting them down", "Diversity &
Inclusion is not the cost of doing business, it’s doing good
business", and "Let's move the
conversation from diversity to equality".
For more BUZZ visit theREGISTRYBayArea
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Ken Coleman's Perspective on Diversity in Technology - 4 Myths
Ken Coleman, Board Chairman for Saama Technology, is one of the most celebrated African Americans in technology here in the Bay Area and when he speaks many ears are listening. Mr. Coleman points out four myths about the state of Blacks in technology in Silicon Valley, two of which are: (1) media has treated the SV area like the 'left coast' and given far more attention and coverage to diversity in technology happening on the East Coast; and (2) given the success and contributions that West Indians and Asians have made to technology, little to no attention has been given to women, Hispanics or Blacks. While I agree with these myths, moving towards solutions and/or strategies to dealing with these issues is at the top of my list.
See Ken
Coleman's interview and read more here: Silicon
Valley Insider Pinpoints Common Myths Around Diversity In Tech
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Tech Talk: 91 Year Old Tech Designer | CODE 2040 | Toddler Tech | Pandora's Diversity Program
Toddler Tech: YouTube. Can you image your 3 year
child being memorized for hours and hours by a bright screen with vibrant
colors and lots of movement dancing across the screen? Have we considered what this does from an educational
learning perspective or even more importantly from a physical one? When it comes to marketing, dollars and
corporate brand, these questions, I would imagine, are nowhere close to the top
of the list. Google jumped into the
world of toddler tech when it introduced YouTube Kids late last month, marking
Silicon Valley's first big step in appealing to a lucrative and largely
untapped demographic of mobile device users: kids under 5. Amazon launched a
kid-safe tablet in the fall, and other companies are likely to follow. YouTube Kids offers a solution to the problem
of uncontrolled viewing with a timer parents can set. And by giving parents
more control over what children watch, Google and other tech companies are
trying to earn the keys to a well-protected kingdom. Educators and healthcare professionals are
chiming in on this conversation and I am sure we will be hearing more from
these industries. What in the world will
happen to programs such as First 5 or Head Start? Details at 11.
Founded in 2012, CODE2040 has a simple mission that dovetails with the
growing and resounding message pressing Silicon Valley to use its significant
brainpower to make tech less of an ivory tower.
CODE2040 provides college-age African-American and Latino students who
have shown an interest in computer science with both an encouraging network of
peers and, more pointedly, a summer internship program aimed at placing them at
tech companies whose narrowly focused recruiting efforts often overlook them. Tristan Walker,
Co-Founder of CODE2040 and CEO of Walker & Company
Brands, is quoted in USA
Today saying "If you're a smart company, you'll want an ethnically diverse team
empathetic about the needs of your diverse consumers. What we're doing at
CODE2040 isn't charity work. We're trying to help tech organizations because
there is a real business imperative here."
Pandora's Diversity Program. Last year, Pandora, located in downtown
Oakland, joined a wave of Silicon Valley companies that revealed the makeup of
their workforces. The music streaming site said that about 70% of its U.S.
employees are white, and 3% are African-American.. More recently the numbers have shown that nearly half of Pandora employees are women, a
far better gender balance than most tech companies have achieved, but the
majority of them are White. This
diversity in tech conversation will go on for many years, but it's important to
track certain companies and their efforts in, at least, working on more
diversity in the field. When
Lisa Lee, Diversity Program Manager, joined the company last spring, she spent
her first month simply listening and learning about what people were already
doing. “She asked them about some of the things they were proud of that had
happened in the past and what else they would like to see in the future.
Instead of instructing employees on what they should do, Lisa incorporated
their opinions and insights as she drafted the company’s diversity
strategy. The strategy of empowering
different employee groups so they can have a voice in the diversity dialogue,
both in the company’s culture and the way it conducts business is critical to
inviting employees to drive diversity initiatives.
As a young girl, Barbara Beskind dreamed of becoming
an inventor. Now, at 91 years old, she's seeing it through. Beskind works as a tech designer for IDEO, a
Silicon Valley design firm. Two years ago, she read an article about IDEO,
which is famous for creating the first mouse for Apple, and decided to apply
for a job, saying: Beskind primarily works on projects pertaining to aging. She
feels like her coworkers can't always put themselves in the shoes of the
elderly.
And go!
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Dr. Sonia Bell, Owner of Avanti Sports Medicine & Fitness, Expands Services to the Theater and Music Industries
Dr. Sonia Bell, Owner of Avanti
Sports Medicine & Fitness, is a San Francisco based sports medicine network
of practitioners who provide performing arts medicine and therapy to the entertainment,
theatrical and dance communities throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Avanti opened its doors in 1994 and is owned
and run by Dr. Sonia Bell, who has 13 years experience studying and dancing
with the renowned San Francisco Ballet.
For more
than 14 years, Dr. Bell, owner of Avanti, has remained the go-to physician in the sports industry. Dr. Bell understands, first hand, the
challenges the talent and production companies face in identifying practitioners
that are able to service the unique needs of their performers, musicians and
production staff while on the road.
Dr. Bell
is a Stanford Hospital trained sports medicine and performing arts physician
with a stellar reputation for providing the industry with its medical and
therapeutic needs.
Avanti's team has provided services to members of: Dance and Theater: Alonzo
King LINES Ballet, Cirque de Soleil, Dance Theater of Harlem, Dreamgirls, Metro
Park Ballet, Motown the Musical, ODC Dance Collective, San Francisco Ballet, Scottsborough
Boys and Smuin Ballet
Sports Industry: ProCamp International Youth Camps sponsored by-49ERS-Colin Kaepernick
and Patrick Willis, Giants- Buster Posey, Warriors- Stephen Curry and New York
Yankee-CC Sabathia, USA Olympics, USA Track and Field, USA Gymnastics, US
national Figure Skating League, Special Olympics, NCAA Track and Field,
Stanford University Track and Field, UC Davis Rugby and AVP Pro Volleyball.
Avanti
Sports Medicine & Fitness can bring its team to you or allot time within
the clinic schedule to accommodate your needs.
They are committed to keeping the performer healthy while on tour.
Medical
and Therapeutic Services:
·
Sports
Medicine - Orthopedic and Non-Surgical Performing Arts Medicine
·
On-Call
performing Medical Coverage
·
On-Call
Chiropractic Therapy
·
On-Call
Physical Therapy
·
On-Call
Massage Physical Therapy
·
Personal
Trainers and Athletic Trainers
What
makes Avanti Sports Medicine & Fitness the ideal company to provide these
services? The Avanti physicians and
therapists have all been former athletes, dancers, and/or performers
themselves. Many of the providers are the appointed physicians or the
therapists for the local dance and theater companies.
For more
information visit www.avantifitsportsmed.com.
For media relations contact Y'Anad
Burrell, Glass House Communications, yanad@glasshousepr.com, (510) 691-8687
Sunday, February 8, 2015
19th Annual Art of Living Black - Over 75 Artists Featured - Exhibiting in Richmond and Oakland, CA
The Art of Living
Black (TAOLB) Exhibiting at the Richmond Art Center. TAOLB was founded 19 years ago by the late
sculptor Jan Hart-Schuyers and late painter Rae Louise Hayward after their
realization that black artists were not being represented by galleries in any
significant way. This year’s exhibition at the Richmond Art Center (RAC), located
at 2540 Barrett Avenue, Richmond, CA, will showcase a broad range of works by
more than 75 artists from throughout the Bay Area.
Artist Talks Sat, Feb 14, noon – 1:30 pm: Artists: Dania
Frink, Alix Magloire, James Knox, Julee Richardson, Hilda Robinson, Arthur
Norcome. Moderated by Raymond L. Haywood
Several artists will
also be exhibiting at Oasis Gallery @ American Steel Studios, 1960 Mandela Parkway,
Oakland (enter on 20th Street) on the follow days and times: Feb. 28th &
Mar. 1st, 11 am - 6 pm, Mar. 6th - 6 pm - 9 pm and Mar. 7th, 11 am - 6 pm
Artists
featured in the 19th Annual The Art of Living Black: Dana King, Latisha Baker, Doug Blanc, Timothy Bluitt, Lorraine Bonner, Cedric
Brown, Marguerite T. Browne, Stephen Bruce, Lawrence Buford, Melanin Buford,
Sydney “Sage” Cain, Claude Lockhart Clark, Duane M. Conliffe, Courageous,
Kelvin Curry, Bill Dallas, Paula de Joie, Jim Dennis, Cheryl Patrice
Derricotte, Gene Dominique, Ann Edwards, Jimi Evins, Dania W. Frink, Anjuelle
D. Floyd, Naomi Floyd, Donna Gatson, Delores Gray, Renata E. Gray, Nannette Y.
Harris-Jones, and many many more.
About The Richmond Art Center
(RAC)
RAC is the largest visual arts center in the East
Bay. Their four galleries and sculpture courtyard allow them to mount rotating
exhibitions that display the works of emerging and established Bay Area
artists. Throughout their long history they have showcased artists such as
Richard Diebenkorn, Jasper Johns, Jay DeFeo, Wanxin Zhang, Hung Liu, Ed
Rossbach and Peter Voulkos.Saturday, January 24, 2015
Judy Smith - The REAL Olivia Pope of ABC7 Scandal
I
have been a fan of ABC7's Scandal and the lovely Kerry Washington since the
season started. However, meeting the real
Olivia Pope, that would be JUDY SMITH, made the excitement much for
enticing. I met Ms. Smith about 5 months ago at an event and was so happy to
see how engaging, unassuming, delightful and unapologetic she was about her wit
and intelligence.
On Jan. 20th, Ken Coleman, technology giant and Special Advisor to Andreesen Horowitz, hosted a fireside chat with Judy Smith in their Menlo Park, CA office. The chemistry between Ms. Smith and Ben Horowitz during the Q&A was the best I've seen in a long time. When asked about how her career started, Judy shared that she had to be reminded by her childhood friend, affectionately known as 'beanhead', that her conflict resolution skills began at the age of 15 as she was always the neighborhood 'we can all work this out' negotiator.
Judy's career in conflict resolution went through the roof right after her tenure as special assistant to the press secretary during President George H.W. Bush administration in 1991. During her time with President Bush, some of her major work included PR guidance during the Clarence Thomas nomination, PR consulting during the Gulf War and dealing with US Kuwaiti relations.
While many saw the writing on the wall that President Bush would not be reelected, Judy stayed the course until the very end instead of leaving and looking for employment like many. It was that tenacity, dedication and loyalty that lead to President Bush making several phone calls to key influentials in the political arena, sharing the stellar work Judy performed under his administration, that her phone began to ring constantly with requests for her services. Since that time, Smith & Associates has been the most sought after crises management firm in the nation and beyond.
Judy's most fascinating client was former Mayor Marion Barry. According to Judy, even in light of his indiscretions and 6-month federal prison sentence for drug possession and use, Mr. Barry remained a 'people' person and very much connected to the community. Despite his history of political and legal controversies, Barry was a popular and influential figure in the local political scene. After his release, he was elected to the Council of the District of Columbia in 1992, and ultimately returned to the mayoralty in 1994, serving from 1995 to 1999.
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