We are highlighting examples of Black excellence throughout the year! Feel free to send suggestions to Rachel at rstoler@frcog.org.
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Black Excellence: Elana Meyers Taylor
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elana_Meyers_Taylor Elana Meyers Taylor[1] (born Elana Alessandra Meyers; October 10, 1984) is an American Olympic bobsledder who has competed since 2007. Born in Oceanside, California, Meyers Taylor was raised in Douglasville, Georgia and is a graduate of George Washington University, where she was a member of the softball team.[2] After…
Black Excellence: Sylvia Hoffman
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylvia_Hoffman Sylvia Hoffman (born June 29, 1989, in Philadelphia[1]) is an American bobsledder who was first discovered and recruited for the national bobsled team on The Next Olympic Hopeful.[2] She is originally from Arlington, TX[3] and attended Louisiana State University Shreveport.[2] Before bobsledding she was a college basketball player and…
Black Excellence: Attorney Arnold J. Lizana III
Attorney Lizana is the great-grandson of T.J. Huddleston Sr. (featured in the photograph on the right), a prominent African American entrepreneur and community leader who is famous for having built the first black hospital in the State of Mississippi, and who is also proudly remembered as the founder of the…
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Black Excellence: Lazarus Kgasi
https://www.npr.org/2026/02/04/g-s1-107656/how-a-black-fossil-digger-became-a-superstar-in-the-very-white-world-of-paleontology Lazarus Kgasi walks with ease across a gently rolling landscape about an hour’s drive outside of Pretoria, South Africa. A few trees are sprinkled here and there but it’s mostly grass. Kgasi, a tall man with a big smile, knows the place well. “We are going to see a…
Black Excellence: Julio Gastón Ramos
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10085932/bio/?ref_=nm_ov_ql_1 Julio is known as Julito Gastón and is a percussionist and music producer. He works as Bad Bunny’s Musical Director. In April 2025 he appeared playing at the Tiny Desk with the famous Puerto Rican musician.
Black Excellence: Kaysha Love
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaysha_Love Kaysha Love (born September 24, 1997) is an American bobsledder and former collegiate sprinter. She attended and competed in track and field at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, where she was a two-time Second Team All-American (2017–2018). She was Utah’s 2016 Gatorade State Girls Track and Field Athlete of…
Black Excellence: Sabrina Wanjiku Simader
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabrina_Simader Sabrina Wanjiku Simader (born 13 April 1998[1]) is an alpine skier from Kenya. Simader was born in Kilifi, Kenya and moved to Austria when she was three years old with her Kenyan mother and Austrian step-father.[2][3] Her step-father owned a ski lift and trained Simader in skiing during her…
Black Excellence: Regie Gibson
Poet, songwriter, author, workshop facilitator, and educator Regie Gibson has performed, taught, and lectured at schools, universities, theaters and various other venues on two continents and in seven countries including Havana Cuba. Regie and his work appear in the New Line Cinema film love jones, based largely on events in…
Black Excellence: Stevenson Savart
Stevenson Savart, 25, made history Sunday as the first man to represent Haiti in cross-country skiing at the Winter Games. After serving as Haiti’s flagbearer at the Opening Ceremony, Savart caught the heart of the crowd while making his Olympic debut in the men’s skiathlon. As he crossed the finish…
Black Excellence: Tye Tribbett
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tye_Tribbett Thomas Tyrone “Tye” Tribbett (born January 26, 1976) is an American gospel music songwriter, composer, singer, and multi-instrumental musician.[1] Tye Tribbett is best known for his blending in various subgenres in Gospel Music, which each aim and vision of his music serving the specific era it is in.. He…
Black Excellence: Chanea Bond
https://www.npr.org/2026/01/28/nx-s1-5631779/ai-schools-teachers-students Stacks of worksheets sit atop desks and tables in Chanea Bond’s Fort Worth classroom. Her students all have their own school-issued laptops, but Bond has swapped computers for paper — lots of paper. Each class begins with several minutes of journaling in notebooks, and nearly all assignments must be…
Black Excellence: Lila Iké
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lila_Ik%C3%A9 Lila Iké (born Alecia Tameka Grey; January 23, 1994) is a Jamaican reggae singer and songwriter.[1] After releasing multiple singles, Iké released her debut EP The ExPerience in May 2020. Her debut album Treasure Self Love, released in August 2025, was nominated for a Grammy in the Reggae category.
Black Excellence: Alexandra Hutchinson
https://www.columbiaballetcollaborative.com/members-1/alexandra-hutchinson Alexandra Hutchinson was born in Wilmington, DE, where she began her ballet training at Wilmington Academy of Dance. She completed her pre-professional training at The Washington School of Ballet, supplementing her dance education with summer intensives with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Carolina Ballet, Ballet…
Black Excellence: Renée Watson
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9e_Watson_(author) Renée Watson (born July 29, 1978) is an American teaching artist and author of children’s books, best known for her award-winning and New York Times bestselling young adult novel Piecing Me Together,[1] for which she received the John Newbery Honor, Coretta Scott King Author Award, and Bank Street Children’s…
Black Excellence: Eleanor Holmes Norton
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleanor_Holmes_Norton Eleanor Holmes Norton (born June 13, 1937)[1][2] is an American politician, lawyer, and human rights activist.[3] Norton is a congressional delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives, where she has represented the District of Columbia since 1991 as a member of the Democratic Party.[4] She is serving her eighteenth…
Black Excellence: Ryan Speedo Green
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Speedo_Green Ryan Speedo Green (born April 1, 1986)[1][2][3] is an American bass-baritone opera singer. Life and career Green was born in Suffolk, Virginia, and grew up in low-income housing and a trailer park.[1] He has said his middle name was derived from his father: “I was born on April Fools’…
Black Excellence: Rachel Eliza Griffiths
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Eliza_Griffiths Rachel Eliza Griffiths, Lady Rushdie (born December 6, 1978),[1][2] is an American poet, novelist, photographer and visual artist who is the author of five published collections of poems. In Seeing the Body (2020), she “pairs poetry with photography, exploring memory, Black womanhood, the American landscape, and rebirth.”[3] The book…
Black Excellence: Dr. Monica O’Neal
https://www.drmonicaoneal.com Hi! I’m Dr. Monica and I am your ally in every sense of the word. I want to acknowledge the real anxiety many of you may be feeling about the incoming administration, particularly if you identify as a racial, sexual, or cultural minoritized person like I do.
Black Excellence: Robena Spangler
Robena Spangler is an innovative senior executive with over 30 years of experience in behavioral health, human services, equity and inclusion work. Most of her career has been dedicated to working within the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Robena held several leadership roles in the public and private sectors.…
Black Excellence: Vilenti Tulloch
Springfield educator Vilenti Tulloch launches ‘Engage to Excel’ on how middle schoolers can find success SPRINGFIELD — Springfield educator Vilenti Tulloch knows that the middle school experience is pivotal in shaping student success. After all, it happened to him. “I was in eighth grade, and I was really having a…
Black Excellence: Etta Moten Barnett
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etta_Moten_Barnett Etta Moten Barnett (November 5, 1901 – January 2, 2004) was an American actress and contralto vocalist, who was identified with her signature role of “Bess” in Porgy and Bess.[1] She created new roles for African-American women on stage and screen. After her performing career, Barnett was active in…
Black Excellence: Latriece Watkins
https://www.essence.com/news/money-career/latriece-watkins-sams-club-ceo Sam’s Club is seeing a changing of the guards. Latriece Watkins is the newly appointed president and CEO of Sam’s Club, the members-only wholesale chain owned by Walmart Inc.. For decades, she’s been in Walmart’s C-suite driving growth. Watkins started with Walmart as an intern in the real estate…
Black Excellence: Sanée Bell
Sanée Bell Dr. Sanée Bell is a central office administrator and former principal. She has served as an administrator since 2005 at both the elementary and secondary levels. During her tenure as an elementary principal, Sanée was recognized as the 2015 Elementary Principal of the Year in her district. Prior…
Black Excellence: Bryant Terry
https://www.bryant-terry.com/about-bryant-terry artist. publisher. author. bryant terry is a multidisciplinary artist, chef, publisher, and author. His work has earned prestigious honors, including a James Beard Award, an NAACP Image Award, and an Art of Eating Prize. San Francisco Magazine included terry among 11 Smartest People in the Bay Area Food Scene, and Fast…
Black Excellence: Gary Dourdan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Dourdan Gary Dourdan (born Gary Robert Durdin: December 11, 1966) is an American actor. He is known for portraying Warrick Brown on the television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Shazza Zulu on the television series A Different World and Mickey Monroe in crime thriller Righteous Villains.[1] J. Harrison Ghee, Joshua…
Black Excellence: James Emman Kwegyir Aggrey
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Emman_Kwegyir_Aggrey James Emman Kwegyir Aggrey (18 October 1875 – 30 July 1927) was an intellectual, missionary, and teacher. He was an influential proponent of pan-Africanism.[1] He was born in the Gold Coast, British West Africa (modern Ghana) and pursued a college education in the United States, returning to Africa after…
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Black Excellence: Theresa Kachindamoto
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theresa_Kachindamoto Theresa Kachindamoto (23 November 1958 – 13 August 2025)[2][1] was a Malawian paramount chief and activist. Primarily active in the Dedza District in central Malawi, she had informal authority over more than 900,000 people. She was known for her forceful action in dissolving child marriages and advocacy on education…
Black Excellence: Claudette Colvin
https://www.npr.org/2026/01/13/g-s1-105927/claudette-colvin-obituary-montgomery-bus-civil-rights MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Claudette Colvin, whose 1955 arrest for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated Montgomery bus helped spark the modern civil rights movement, has died. She was 86. Her death was announced Tuesday by the Claudette Colvin Legacy Foundation. Ashley D. Roseboro of the organization…
Black Excellence: Coco Jones
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coco_Jones Courtney Michaela Ann “Coco” Jones (born January 4, 1998) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Born in Columbia, South Carolina and raised in Lebanon, Tennessee, Jones began auditioning as a child to pursue a career in entertainment. She first appeared on the competition series Radio Disney’s Next Big Thing…
Black Excellence: Patrick Weaver
Patrick Weaver is global faith leader, author and mindset coach dedicated to helping people from all walks of life and backgrounds harness the power of faith to conquer in life and create fulfilling relationships. Channeling his personal experiences with abuse, failures and successes personally and professionally, his voice strikes both…
Black Excellence: Edith Renfrow Smith
https://www.npr.org/2026/01/06/g-s1-104782/edith-renfrow-smith-pioneer-and-witness-to-history-dies-at-111 Edith Renfrow Smith died Friday at her home in Chicago. She was 111. In addition to a notably long life — she was one of a very small number of “supercentenarians,” or people who live to at least 110 — she bore witness to major events and came into…
Black Excellence: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Health, Humanity, and Justice
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Health, Humanity, and Justice More than half a century ago, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. issued a warning that continues to echo with unsettling clarity: “Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and the most inhuman, because it…
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Black Excellence: Dr. Lattisha Bilbrew
https://www.drlattishabilbrew.com/about-2 Dr. Lattisha Bilbrew is an Orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in Hand and Upper Extremity surgery and the first Black women Orthopaedic Surgeon to become a partner at Resurgens Orthopaedics in Atlanta, GA. Dr. Bilbrew was born in Birmingham, England as were her parents. Her grandparents were farmers in Jamaica…
Black Excellence: KIRBY
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirby_Lauryen Kirby Lauryen Dockery, also known by the stage names Kirby (stylized as KIRBY) and Kirby Lauryen, is an American singer and songwriter. She has written pop songs such as “FourFiveSeconds” performed by Rihanna, Kanye West, and Paul McCartney. She is an independent artist and released her first album, Sis,…
Black Excellence: Donnell Whittenburg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donnell_Whittenburg Donnell Whittenburg (born August 18, 1994) is an American artistic gymnast. He is the 2025 World Champion on rings and is a member of the United States men’s national artistic gymnastics team.
Black Excellence: Daniel Caesar
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Caesar Ashton Dumar Norwill Simmonds[1][4] (born April 5, 1995),[5] known professionally as Daniel Caesar, is a Canadian singer and songwriter. After independently building a following through the release of two EPs, Praise Break (2014) and Pilgrim’s Paradise (2015), Caesar released his debut studio album, Freudian, in 2017, which received three…
Black Excellence: Dr. Alexa Canady
https://cfmedicine.nlm.nih.gov/physicians/biography_53.html Dr. Alexa Canady was the first African American woman in the United States to become a neurosurgeon. Alexa Irene Canady had almost dropped out of college as an undergraduate, but after recovering her self-confidence she went on to qualify as the first African American woman neurosurgeon in the United…
Black Excellence: john a. powell
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_A._Powell john a. powell (born 1947) is an American law professor. He leads the UC Berkeley Othering & Belonging Institute[1] (formerly known as Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society[2]) and holds the Robert D. Haas Chancellor’s Chair in Equity and Inclusion, Professor of Law and Professor of African…
Black Excellence: Dr. Stephanie Le Melle
https://www.columbiapsychiatry.org/education-and-training/clinical-fellowships/public-psychiatry-fellowship Dr. Le Melle is currently the Director of Public Psychiatry Education at Columbia University Dept of Psychiatry/ New York State Psychiatric Institute. Prior to this position, Dr Le Melle was the Associate Director of the Washington Heights Community Service and then was the Clinical Director of New York State…
Black Excellence: Frances Grey
https://www.francesgreyny.com/pages/copy-of-about-3 Frances Grey, a luxury millinery brand handcrafted in New York, specializing in custom hats designed to fit your unique head size and personal style. Founded by designer Debbie, our brand beautifully merges cultural heritage with artistic vision. Inspired by her great-grandmother, Frances Grey, a talented seamstress from Jamaica, WI.…
Black Excellence: GIVĒON
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giveon Giveon Dezmann Evans (US: /ˈɡɪviɑːn/;[4] born February 21, 1995), mononymously known as Giveon (stylized as GIVĒON), is an American R&B singer and songwriter. He rose to prominence with his 2020 song “Chicago Freestyle” (with Drake), which peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. That same year, Giveon…
Black Excellence: Alicia Graf Mack
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alicia_Graf_Mack Alicia Graf Mack (née Alicia J. Graf,[1] born 1978/1979)[2] is an American dancer, teacher, and artistic director. She was a member of Dance Theatre of Harlem and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and has performed with Beyoncé, John Legend, and Alicia Keys.[3] Mack has taught dance at Washington University…
Black Excellence: Floyd Norman
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floyd_Norman Floyd Ernest Norman (born June 22, 1935)[1] is an American animator, writer, artist and cartoonist. Over the course of his career, he has worked for various animation companies, among them Walt Disney Animation Studios, Hanna-Barbera Productions, Ruby-Spears, Film Roman and Pixar.
Black Excellence: Tyler, the Creator
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyler,_the_Creator Tyler Gregory Okonma[a] (born March 6, 1991), known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, fashion designer, and actor.[2] He has been described as an influential figure in alternative hip-hop during the 2010s and 2020s.[3] In the late 2000s he led and co-founded…
Black Excellence: Dr. Lucinda Canty
Dr. Lucinda Canty Lucinda is a mother, nurse, midwife, researcher, nurse educator, historian, a reproductive health justice activist, artist, and poet. Lucinda is deeply committed to improving the maternal health of Black women and other women of color. She has 30 years of experience providing midwifery care and works in…
Black Excellence: Desmond Richardson
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desmond_Richardson Desmond Richardson is an American dancer, actor and co-founder, and co-artistic director of Complexions Contemporary Ballet. He has mastered a wide range of dance forms including hip hop, classical, modern, classical ballet, and contemporary ballet. He remained the principal dancer at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 1987 to…
Black Excellence: Angel Gregorio
https://www.thespicesuite.com/about-1 SPICE GIRLBOSS Angel is a mommy, home cook, activist and educator with a knack for blurring the line between food and fashion. In 2015, she walked by a vacant store front with no plan or desire to be a small business owner and decided on the spot to turn…
Black Excellence: Dr. Melissa L. Gilliam
Dr. Melissa L. Gilliam became Boston University’s eleventh president on July 1, 2024. Dr. Gilliam is an esteemed and award-winning interdisciplinary researcher in medicine, public health, and the humanities. Dr. Gilliam joined Boston University from The Ohio State University, where she held the Engie-Axium chair and served as executive vice…
Black Excellence: Dr. Alena Maze
https://research.umd.edu/articles/meet-dr-maze One of the most recent graduates of the University of Maryland is Dr. Alena Maze, who is believed by members of the academic community to be among the world’s first Black Ph.D. holders in the field of Survey Methodology, if not the very first. Reflecting on the milestones she…
Black Excellence: Black Milliners
The Crown Makers: Historic and Contemporary Black-owned Milliners Kolumn Magazine On certain Sundays in Black America, a hat is not an accessory so much as an announcement. It enters the room a half-second before the wearer—wide brim first, then the ribbon’s quiet logic, then the feather that seems to have…
Black Excellence: Juan Z. Leonard “ZEEK”
https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/zeek-tiktok-musician-chinese-restaurant-delaware A Delaware musician is striking a chord with millions online. What started as a way to pass time turned into a viral sensation thanks to a lonely piano, a cellphone and the power of TikTok. In between the sizzling sounds from the kitchen and the cash register at the…
Black Excellence: Reverend Dr. Michelle Anne Simmons
https://www.why-not-prosper.org/about.html Reverend Dr. Michelle Anne Simmons, a single mother of two children, has overcome many challenges throughout her life. It is through her faith in God that she has persevered and is able to share her story. She has received a number of awards for her leadership, advocacy, heroism, and…
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Black Excellence: Kadeem Hosein
https://vocal.media/art/ballet-without-permission-from-pavlova-to-pavement Back in the winter of 2015, I laced up my pointe shoes, headed to Bushy Park near Hampton Court Palace, and asked a friend to take a few photos. That spring, to celebrate my (now inactive) YouTube channel reaching 1,000 subscribers, I posted En Pointe In Public (EPIP)—a short…
Black Excellence: La SAPE
https://www.kolumnmagazine.com/2025/12/16/before-fashion-looked-to-africa-africa-tailored-itself In Bacongo—Brazzaville’s neighborhood of narrow streets and loud afternoons—style arrives before the person. A flash of lemon-yellow sock. A jacket with shoulders as sharp as a thesis. A cane used less for balance than for punctuation. The movement has choreography: a half-turn to catch the light, a palm over…
Black Excellence: Fela Kuti
https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2025/12/19/g-s1-102766/grammy-fela-kuti-afrobeats On December 19, the first African musician ever awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award was announced. The honor goes to Fela Kuti, the Afrobeat pioneer and activist who died in 1997. He joins an elite group of legends like The Beatles, Johnny Cash, John Coltrane, Aretha Franklin, Jimi Hedrix,…
Black Excellence: India Bradley
https://www.nycballet.com/discover/meet-our-dancers/soloists/india-bradley India Bradley was born in Detroit, Michigan and began her dance training at the age of four at The Link School of the Arts in Troy, Michigan. At the age of eleven, she attended the Academy of Russian Classical Ballet in Novi, Michigan, under the direction of Sergey Rayevitskey.…
Black Excellence: Dr. ShantaQuilette Develle
https://www.supportnetwork.heart.org/s/blog-article/a1hPE000000SdODYA0/wellness-entrepreneur-improves-her-health-with-humor-and-hard-work ShantaQuilette Develle is a busy entrepreneur, inspirational speaker and wellness advocate. After facing multiple health challenges, she now believes one of her most important jobs is being CEO of her own body. “My life didn’t stop after my heart attack and stroke,” she said. “When you are in the…
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Black Excellence: Mamoudou N’Diaye
Mamoudou N’Diaye is a Mauritanian/Malian-American comedian, tv/film writer, filmmaker, creative consultant, DJ, and former 7th-grade teacher. N’Diaye has been a correspondent for digital media companies, a creative comedy consultant for social justice nonprofits.
Black Excellence: Odeal
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odeal Hillary Dennis Udanoh popularly known as Odeal[1](Born December 13, 1999), is a German-Nigerian singer-songwriter currently signed to OVMBR, and LVRN. He rose to prominence with the release of the song “Soh-Soh” which peaked at 3 on the UK Afrobeats Singles Chart, peaked at 12 on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats…
Black Excellence: National Black Growers Council
National Black Growers Council We simply love farming. We are multigenerational producers who advocate for the best interests of Black farmers locally, statewide, and nationally. We promote agriculture in the United States and abroad. OUR MISSION To improve the efficiency, productivity, and sustainability of black row crop farmers.
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Black Excellence: Dr. Janelle Frederick
Dr. Janelle Frederick, DPT, WCS Dr. Janelle Frederick, formerly Dr. Janelle Howell, was raised in Huntsville, AL, a small city in northern Alabama where she attended Oakwood University and graduated in 2013. She then got her doctorate from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA in 2015. Before starting…
Black Excellence: Barbara Rose Johns
https://www.npr.org/2025/12/16/nx-s1-5645727/barbara-rose-johns-capitol-statue Her 1951 walkout helped end school segregation. Now her statue is in the U.S. Capitol In 1951, a Black teenager led a walkout of her segregated Virginia high school. On Tuesday, her statue replaced that of a Confederate general in the U.S. Capitol. Barbara Rose Johns was 16 when…
Black Excellence: Chiene Joy Jones
https://www.growourgame.org/founder-cjj Our Founder, Chiene Joy Jones is a Native New Yorker and Queens product. Coach Jones’ energy remains unmatched as her love and passion for the game of basketball and empowering young girls is constantly worn on her sleeve! With over 20 years of coaching experience, she continues to serve…
Black Excellence: Monica McNutt
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monica_McNutt Monica McNutt (born October 24, 1989) is an American basketball analyst for ESPN and the MSG Network. She played college basketball for the Georgetown Hoyas.
Black Excellence: Airea Dee Matthews
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airea_D._Matthews Airea Dee Matthews is an American poet. She is an Associate Professor of Creative Writing and the co-director of the Creative Writing Program at Bryn Mawr College.[1] She was named the 2022–23 Poet Laureate of Philadelphia.[2]
Black Excellence: Stephanie R. Yates-Anyabwile
https://www.whatsanyamind.com/about-me Welcome! My name is Stephanie R. Yates-Anyabwile, also known as Steph Anya. I am a Licensed Associate Marriage & Family Therapist. You may know me from my YouTube channel where I share mental health content for fellow therapists, those in the process of becoming therapists, and those who are simply…
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Black Excellence: Dr. Adia Gooden
https://dradiagooden.com/meet-adia Here’s a bit more about my qualifications *note: my worthiness isn’t based on any of these things! I’m a licensed clinical psychologist. I received my B.A. from Stanford University and my Ph.D. from DePaul University. I spent 4 years working at a University Counseling Center, where I provided therapy…
Black Excellence: Gabrielle White
https://www.businessinsider.com/us-army-best-ranger-competition-gabrielle-white-photos-2025-4#first-woman-to-compete-for-best-ranger-title-1 In mid-April, US Army 1st Lt. Gabrielle White and her teammate, Capt. Seth Deltenre, competed against more than 50 two-member teams to earn the Best Ranger title. White graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 2021. Upon completing Ranger School in April 2022, she earned…
Black Excellence: Charles Coe
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/charles-coe-obituary?id=60132291 It is with a heavy heart and profound sadness that we announce that Charles Coe has died. He passed away from complications after his recent prostate cancer surgery. Charles was a wonderful human being and a multi-talented man. He was a poet, prose writer, teacher, musician (vocals and didgeridoo),…
Black Excellence: Chef Jean Smith
https://sweetmommas.net The Owner/Chef Jean Smith Jean brings in 40 years of experience to the kitchen. She is known in the area by her cooking and pastry skills. She attended The Connecticut Culinary Institute School and received her pastry certificate.
Black Excellence: Tendayi Kuumba
https://pacnyc.org/bio/tendayi-kuumba-2 Chita Rivera Outstanding Female Dancer on Broadway 2022 as Lady in Brown in the Tony Nominated Broadway Revival of for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf. Tendayi is an international dancer, choreographer, singer, & songwriter, & Spelman College grad. Additionally in recent years, Tendayi was…
Black Excellence: Deborah Willis
https://debwillisphoto.com/home.html Deborah Willis and Hank Willis Thomas give a mother/son talk at the TED WOMEN 2017 talk in New Orleans As an artist, author and curator Deb Willis’s art and pioneering research has focused on cultural histories envisioning the black body, women and gender. She is a celebrated photographer, acclaimed…
Black Excellence: Telitia “Jenice” Fountain
https://www.obama.org/programs/leaders/usa/2024-2025/telitia-fountain Telitia “Jenice” Fountain is the executive director of the Yellowhammer Fund, an abortion advocacy and reproductive rights organization serving Alabama and Mississippi. Jenice was chosen to lead the organization in 2022, against the backdrop of legal changes that impacted the organization’s ability to provide financial assistance, safe clinic transportation,…
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Black Excellence: Danielle Allen
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danielle_Allen Danielle Susan Allen (born November 3, 1971) is an American classicist and political scientist. She is the James Bryant Conant University Professor at Harvard University.[1][2] She is also the former Director of the Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard University. Prior to joining the faculty at…
Black Excellence: Kely Pinheiro
https://canvasrebel.com/life-work-with-kely-pinheiro Today we’d like to introduce you to Kely Pinheiro Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started? I began to study music when I was about 5…
Black Excellence: Jordan Dobson
https://30under30.temple.edu/2025-award-recipients/arts-culture-visionaries/jordan-dobson From Broad Street to Broadway: Jordan Dobson School/College: School of Theater, Film and Media Arts Degree: BA, theater, 2018 Hometown: Pennsauken, New Jersey Current Job Title: Professional actor Current Employer: Broadway/Hollywood While acting on the set of Oscar-nominated film Maestro, an elderly man began acting strangely around Jordan Dobson, TFM ’18. It was…
Black Excellence: Tanitoluwa Adewumi
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanitoluwa_Adewumi Tanitoluwa Emmanuel “Tani” Adewumi (born September 3, 2010) is a Nigerian-American chess player who currently holds the title of International Master (IM). A chess prodigy,[2] he won the 2019 K-3 New York State chess championship at the age of 8 after having played the game for only a year…
Black Excellence: Qualeasha Wood
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qualeasha_Wood Qualeasha Wood (born 1996) is an American textile artist. Her work often deals with representation of African-American women in internet culture.[1] https://www.houldsworth.co.uk/artists/174-qualeasha-wood/overview In her textile practice, Wood brings together traditional craft techniques and contemporary technology. Her own image acts as a point of departure for works that explore racial,…
Black Excellence: Christiana Ine-Kimba Boyle
https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/09/02/christiana-ine-kimba-boyle-gladwell-projects-harlem-pop-up Amid the recent string of large and mid-sized gallery closures, could smaller, emerging galleries step into the power vacuum? “I 100% think they are the future,” says Christiana Ine-Kimba Boyle, a New York-based dealer who has previously worked at galleries including Lehmann Maupin, Canada and Pace. “This whole idea…
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Black Excellence: Keith T. Parker
Keith T. Parker is president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Goodwill of North Georgia. One of the largest nonprofit organizations in the southeast, Goodwill spans a 45-county territory, operating 62 stores, 58 donation centers and 13 career centers. Goodwill employs nearly 3,000 people, each of whom play a direct…
Black Excellence: Nova Twins
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nova_Twins Nova Twins are an English rock duo formed in London, England, in 2014, consisting of vocalist/guitarist Amy Love and bassist Georgia South.[2] Their debut album, Who Are the Girls?, was released in February 2020. Their second album Supernova, was released in June 2022. Supernova was shortlisted for the 2022…
Black Excellence: Havoc
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havoc_(musician) Kejuan Waliek Muchita (born May 21, 1974), known professionally as Havoc, is an American rapper and record producer. He was one half of the hip-hop duo Mobb Deep with Prodigy. https://www.npr.org/2025/11/11/nx-s1-5605547/mobb-deep-havoc-infinite-interview For Mobb Deep’s Havoc, love for Queensbridge is ‘Infinite’
Black Excellence: Ulysses Owens
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulysses_Owens Ulysses Owens Jr. (born December 6, 1982) is an American drummer and percussionist. He was the drummer on vocalist Kurt Elling’s Grammy-winning album Dedicated to You: Kurt Elling Sings the Music of Coltrane and Hartman, and on bassist Christian McBride’s Grammy-winning The Good Feeling.
Black Excellence: Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindou_Oumarou_Ibrahim Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim is a Chadian environmental activist and geographer. She is the Coordinator of the Association of Peul Women and Autochthonous Peoples of Chad (AFPAT) and served as the co-director of the pavilion of the World Indigenous Peoples’ Initiative and Pavilion at COP21, COP22 and COP23.
Black Excellence: Jason Bolden
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Bolden Jason Bolden (born February 27, 1982) is an American entrepreneur, creative director and fashion stylist. Bolden is a co-founder of JSN Studio, along with his husband, interior designer Adair Curtis.[1][2][3]
Black Excellence: Jimmy Cliff
https://www.npr.org/2025/11/24/nx-s1-4526570/jimmy-cliff-obituary-reggae Jimmy Cliff, the Jamaican musician and actor who helped propel reggae into the international spotlight, has died at 81 years old. The singer-songwriter was known for hits such as “Many Rivers to Cross,” “You Can Get It if You Really Want” and the title track in the 1972 crime…
Black Excellence: Christian Happi
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Happi Christian Happi is a Distinguished Professor of Molecular Biology and Genomics in the Department of Biological Sciences and the Director of the Institute of Genomics and Global Health[1] (formerly African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases),[2][3] both at Redeemer’s University. He is known for leading the team…
Black Excellence: Florene “Flo” Wiley
https://www.spiritandimage.org/our-team The Spirit and Image Entertainment start-up staff includes a core staff of the President/Executive Producer and Director, Sponsorships & Investor Relations, operating on a full-time basis leading up to and during production and training cycles. An outreach coordinator and a workshops coordinator, working on a freelance contractor basis, complete…
Black Excellence: Dave Carlson
https://www.npr.org/2025/11/16/nx-s1-5598472/iraq-war-bond-recovery-veteran-deployment The first I saw of Dave Carlson was his back, in a prison jumpsuit on Sept. 3, 2015. Carlson had been calling me from the cellblock payphone for a few weeks for an NPR story about incarcerated combat veterans and PTSD. I just spoke to Dave Carlson last week,…
Black Excellence: Mark Ingram
https://www.markingramatelier.com/meet-mark Upon graduating from prestigious NYU with a business degree, Mark Ingram’s fashion career began at the legendary Fifth Avenue specialty stores, Bonwit Teller and Bergdorf Goodman. As a young merchandising executive at these venerable institutions in the early 80’s, Mark was exposed to the world’s top designers and arbiters…
Black Excellence: Gary Tyler
Gary Tyler is a fiber artist, living and working in Los Angeles, California. For over four decades, Tyler has been working at the intersection of art and social justice, teaching himself how to quilt to support the Angola Prison Hospice program, where he was a volunteer. For three decades, Tyler…
Black Excellence: Robert “Sput” Searight
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Searight Robert “Sput” Searight (born March 18, 1975)[1] is an American drummer, composer and producer best known for his work with jazz fusion band Snarky Puppy and as co-founder of the percussion-based band Ghost-Note. His background spans several genres including jazz, funk, hip-hop and gospel. He has toured and recorded…
Black Excellence: Elani and Enyia Johnson
https://abc7ny.com/post/gridiron-girls-twin-sisters-elani-enyia-johnson-thriving-asbury-park-high-school-football-team/15358422 ASBURY PARK, New Jersey (WABC) — This version of Hard Knocks features some football history and twin sisters Elani and Enyia Johnson. In the middle of a smashing, bashing practice is a set of twin sisters who play some of the toughest positions on the field. They are on…
Black Excellence: David Exumé
https://www.davidexume.com Telling narrative stories through audio and print. I currently work as a Story Producer for the KQED-affiliated podcast Snap Judgment. And in 2024, I served as a Series Producer for the Snap/Lemonada Media podcast Mind Your Own, hosted by Lupita Nyong’o.
Black Excellence: Nia DaCosta
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nia_DaCosta Nia DaCosta (born November 8, 1989) is an American filmmaker. She rose to prominence when she made her feature-length debut as a writer and director with the crime thriller film Little Woods (2018), winning the Nora Ephron Prize for Female Filmmakers at the Tribeca Film Festival. After working on…
Black Excellence: Braylon Browner
https://dancemagazine.com/braylon-browner/#gsc.tab=0 Since finishing in the Top 8 of “So You Think You Can Dance” Season 18, Braylon Browner has continued to carve out a dynamic presence both on and off the stage. Currently a sophomore at University of Southern California’s Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, he’s balancing teaching opportunities at…
Black Excellence: Artis Stevens
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artis_Stevens Artis Stevens is an American executive and the president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Prior to that, he was senior vice president and chief marketing officer at the National 4-H Council.
Black Excellence: Habib Koité
https://worldlisteningpost.com/2020/05/19/habib-koite-kharifa If you seek wisdom in entertainment it’s useful to look beyond the market driven universe. A good place to start is with Habib Koité, the Malian singer-songwriter, born into a griot family of 17 siblings. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habib_Koit%C3%A9 Habib Koité (Bambara: ߤߊߓߌߓ ߞߎߥߊߕߍ, romanized: Habib Kuwatɛ, born 1958 in Thiès, Senegal) is…
Black Excellence: Jack DeJohnette
https://www.npr.org/2025/10/27/nx-s1-5587549/jack-dejohnette-obituary Jack DeJohnette, one of the most daring and dynamic jazz drummers of the last 60 years, with a loose-limbed yet exacting beat that propelled a limitless range of adventurous music, died on Sunday October 26 at HealthAlliance Hospital in Kingston, N.Y. He was 83. DeJohnette had a singular voice…
Black Excellence: Dave
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_(rapper) David Orobosa Michael Omoregie (born 5 June 1998), known professionally as Dave or Santan Dave, is a British rapper and actor. He is known for his socially conscious lyricism and wordplay. Dave released his debut extended play Six Paths in 2016, after the release of several successful singles including…