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: Adrian Miller
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_Miller Adrian Miller is an American author and former attorney and policy analyst. His books have twice won the James Beard Foundation Book Award for Reference and Scholarship: Soul Food in 2014 and Black Smoke in 2022. He is also the author of The President’s Kitchen Cabinet, which was nominated…
Black Excellence: Arthur Gross
https://www.npr.org/2026/06/28/nx-s1-5843114/250-colonial-america-1776-food-anniversary ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Arthur Gross has been the chef at Middleton Tavern in Annapolis, Md., for 50 years. That’s a long time, even for a tavern that started serving food before the country’s inception. Sometimes, in between preparing food in the kitchen, “I wonder to myself what would it…
Black Excellence: Hope Boykin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hope_Boykin Hope Boykin is an American dancer, choreographer and former member of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.[1] Boykin also works as an educator, and joined the faculty of the University of Southern California (USC)’s Glorya Kaufman School of Dance as the artist in residence for the 2019-2020 academic year.[10]…
Black Excellence: African Teams in the World Cup
https://www.npr.org/2026/06/26/nx-s1-5867404/2026-world-cup-fifa-africa-cape-verde-senegal-morocco-congo It’s not just Cape Verde: African soccer is having a World Cup moment HOUSTON — Cape Verde, the surprise star of the 2026 World Cup, is having a moment. A big moment. The team has advanced to the knockout round. This is the first World Cup for the small…
Continue Reading Black Excellence: African Teams in the World Cup
Black Excellence: Robert Battle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Battle Robert Battle (born August 28, 1972) is a dancer, choreographer, and the former Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. In November 2024, Battle accepted a position as a resident choreographer with the Paul Taylor Dance Company, with duties commencing in 2025.[12][13]
Black Excellence: Ronald Damper and Damron Corporation
For more than 35 years, Damron Corporation on Chicago’s west side has manufactured and distributed tea products, sourced from the most famous tea-growing areas in the world. Companies that Damron supplies its products to include McDonald’s. In fact, Damron was the first African-American owned company to become a national supplier…
Continue Reading Black Excellence: Ronald Damper and Damron Corporation
Black Excellence: Kadi Lee
https://www.behindherempire.com/episode/kadi-lee Kadi Lee is a celebrity hair colorist and the co-founder of Highbrow Hippie, a luxury beauty and wellness brand rooted in clean ingredients, intentional rituals, and timeless beauty. Growing up in a small town outside New York, Kadi learned to care for her own textured hair at just eleven,…
Black Excellence: Kingston Flemings
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingston_Flemings Kingston Elijah Flemings (born January 3, 2007) is an American professional basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Houston Cougars.
Black Excellence: Roberta Washington
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberta_Washington Roberta Washington FAIA, NOMA, is an American architect. She founded the firm Roberta Washington Architects in 1983,[1] which, at the time, was one of very few architecture firms in the United States led by an African-American woman.[2] She was a Commissioner of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission…
Black Excellence: Dr. Wanjiru Njoya
https://mises.org/profile/wanjiru-njoya Dr. Wanjiru Njoya is the Walter E. Williams Research Fellow for the Mises Institute. She is the author of Economic Freedom and Social Justice (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021), Redressing Historical Injustice (Palgrave Macmillan, 2023, with David Gordon), “You Stole Our Land: Common Law, Private Property, and Rothbardian Principles of Justice”…
Black Excellence: Rachel Jones
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Jones_(artist) Rachel Jones (born 1991)[1] is a British visual artist. She has exhibited work in the UK at galleries and institutions including Thaddaeus Ropac, The Sunday Painter and the Royal Scottish Academy, and has been artist-in-residence at the Chinati Foundation (2019) and Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art in (2016).[2] Her…
Black Excellence: Charles Gaines
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Gaines_(artist) Charles Gaines (born 1944) is an American visual artist, whose work interrogates the discourse of aesthetics, politics, and philosophy. Taking the form of drawings, photographic series and video installations, the work consistently involves the use of systems, predominantly in the form of the grid, often in combination with photography.…
Black Excellence: Eddie Glaude
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Glaude Eddie Steven Glaude Jr. (born September 4, 1968) is an American academic, author, and pundit. He is James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor at Princeton University, where he teaches in the departments of African American studies and religion.[1][2] At Princeton, Glaude was the inaugural department chair after the Princeton…
Black Excellence: Reggie Harris
Reggie Harris is an innovative guitarist, a fearlessly creative vocalist, and an engaging storyteller whose concert performances are infused with joy. It’s clear to all that he deeply loves singing and that it is more than his work. But that’s not all. Uniquely committed to “music as a community building…
Black Excellence: Edouard Wemy
Edouard Wemy Associate Professor, Economics Clark University Dr. Wemy is originally from Burkina Faso. He received his B.A. in Economics and Mathematics at Ohio Dominican University, and his Ph.D. in Economics in 2015 from Emory University. Dr. Wemy is an active member of the American Economics Association and a fellow…
Black Excellence: Jalen Brunson
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jalen_Brunson Jalen Marquis Brunson[1] (born August 31, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The son of former NBA guard Rick Brunson, he played college basketball for the Villanova Wildcats, earning national player of the year honors as a…
Black Excellence: a’driane nieves
https://www.addyeb.com/biography a’driane nieves (b. 1982, San Antonio, Texas) is a visual artist and writer whose interdisciplinary practice explores the interior landscapes of the self. A self-taught painter for over a decade, she began painting in 2011 as a form of art therapy during recovery from postpartum depression and a subsequent…
Black Excellence: Nate Edwards-Roseney
It takes most college students a semester or two to zero in on passions, projects, and course loads. But Nate Edwards-Roseney ‘22 was a Fellow at Clark University’s Mosakowski Institute even before he began his freshman year; the Institute was part of what drew him to Clark in the first…
Black Excellence: Abdullah Ibrahim
https://www.npr.org/2026/06/15/846195598/abdullah-ibrahim-south-africa-obituary Abdullah Ibrahim, the South African jazz pianist deemed his country’s equivalent to Mozart by Nelson Mandela, died Monday in his adopted home of Germany after a short illness. He was 91 years old. “Abdullah passed away peacefully with South Africa and its people in his heart,” his partner, Marina…
Black Excellence: Dr. Kevin S. Smith
Dr. Kevin S. Smith, serving as the Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Affiliations at the Morehouse School of Medicine, brings a wealth of experience and dedication to his role in shaping the future of healthcare professionals. With a foundation laid during his residency and fellowship training at Stanford University…
Black Excellence: Gary Holness
Gary Holness Associate Professor of Computer Science, Clark University Gary gets an absolute thrill from building things; that is bringing ideas, theories, and algorithms to life! He focuses on the investigation, design, and algorithmic realization of models that endow computing machines and systems with the ability to sense, interpret and…
Black Excellence: Shari Dunn
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shari_Dunn Shari Dunn (born 1968) is an American non-profit executive, journalist, and writer. She is the author of Qualified: How Competency Checking and Race Collide at Work (2025), and is known for her work in workplace equity, media, and public policy.[1][2]
Black Excellence: Daysha Williams
STOMPing Back to Worcester Daysha Williams ’17 keeps the beat onstage on national tour Daysha Williams ’17 arrived in Worcester in February with a Nor’easter in the forecast and a table at Da-Lat awaiting her. It was like coming home. Williams was back in the city with the touring company…
Black Excellence: Cameron McCloud
https://canvasrebel.com/meet-cameron-mccloud We were lucky to catch up with Cameron McCloud recently and have shared our conversation below. Cameron, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Day to day the world can seem like a tough place, but there’s also so much kindness in the world and we think…
Black Excellence: Floetry
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floetry Floetry is an English music duo formed in 1997 by singer Marsha Ambrosius (“the Songstress”) and spoken-word poet Natalie Stewart (“the Floacist”). They are known for their diverse musical and performance style referred to as “poetic delivery with musical intent”.[1][2][3] https://www.npr.org/2026/06/02/g-s1-123334/floetry-tiny-desk-concert Floetry made its way “from London’s SE5 to…
Black Excellence: Frantzdy Pierrot
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frantzdy_Pierrot Frantzdy Pierrot (born 29 March 1995) is a Haitian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Süper Lig club Çaykur Rizespor, on loan from AEK Athens, and the Haiti national team.
Black Excellence: Sherrilyn Ifill
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherrilyn_Ifill Sherrilyn Ifill (born December 17, 1962) is an American attorney and the Vernon E. Jordan, Jr., Esq. Endowed Chair in Civil Rights (Vernon E. Jordan) at Howard University. She is a law professor and the former president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.[1] She was the seventh…
Black Excellence: Jordan Adeyemi
Clark student’s nonprofit has plenty of sole Jordan Adeyemi ’28 has been working for the last four years to channel his love of soccer into community service by co-founding and operating a nonprofit that donates new and gently used sports shoes to underserved youth. Adeyemi and his 14-year-old brother Jason…
Black Excellence: Aaron Mays
https://newplayexchange.org/users/28248/aaron-mays Playwright and director Aaron Mays is an award-winning theatre artist based in Chicago. His latest play BLACK SANTA was one of four finalists to receive its world premiere at the 2024 Obsidian Theatre Festival. The play’s Southeast premiere took place at Miami’s Adrienne Arsht Performing Arts Center and City…
Black Excellence: Ophelia DeVore
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophelia_DeVore Ophelia DeVore (August 12, 1921 – February 28, 2014) was an American businesswoman, publisher, and model.[1] She was the first model of African-American descent in the United States. In 1946, she helped establish the Grace Del Marco Agency, one of the first modeling agencies in America.[2]
Black Excellence: James Clyburn
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Clyburn James Enos Clyburn (born July 21, 1940) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for South Carolina’s 6th congressional district. First elected in 1992, Clyburn is serving his 17th term, representing a congressional district that includes most of the majority-black precincts in and around Columbia and Charleston,…
Black Excellence: Cheryl Johnson-Odim
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheryl_Johnson-Odim Cheryl Johnson-Odim is an American historian. She worked at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Northwestern University and Loyola University Chicago. She became dean at Columbia College Chicago and in 2007 was made provost of Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois. https://digitalcommons.colum.edu/cadc_caam_oralhistories/37 Dr. Cheryl Johnson-Odim is an activist and educator. She…
Black Excellence: Antawan I. Byrd
https://www.artic.edu/authors/63/antawan-i-byrd Antawan I. Byrd is associate curator, Photography and Media, at the Art Institute of Chicago. Since joining the museum in 2017, he has contributed to the exhibition Volta Photo: Starring Sanlé Sory and the People of Bobo-Dioulasso in the Small but Musically Mighty Country of Burkina Faso (2018) and curated and…
Black Excellence: Shermann “Dilla” Thomas
https://www.chicagomahogany.com/our-historian Chicago historian Dilla, as he is affectionately known, is an Emmy Award-winning modern historian, cultural worker, and brand ambassador. Dilla has become a Chicago influencer, activist and social media sensation. What began by going viral on TikTok has led into perspective shifting, publicly accessible history lessons for all. Dilla’s…
Black Excellence: Anthony Chambers
https://www.family-institute.org/therapists-locations/staff/anthony-chambers Anthony Chambers, Ph.D., ABPP, is the chief academic officer and a Board Certified Couple and Family Psychologist on staff at The Family Institute at Northwestern University. Dr. Chambers is also the director of Northwestern University’s Center for Applied Psychological and Family Studies, in addition to his clinical professorship in…
Black Excellence: Lindsay Vahl Dean
https://magazine.northwestern.edu/alumni/naa-new-leader-executive-director-lindsay-vahl-dean For Lindsay Vahl Dean, the opportunity to shape how Northwestern interacts with its global alumni community was too good to pass up. “I am thrilled by the chance to create spaces where alumni can deepen their experiences with the University and one another,” says Vahl Dean, who became assistant…
Black Excellence: The Wooten Brothers
https://www.thewootenbrothers.com/brothers For over five decades the Wooten Brothers have been recognized as some of the most innovative musicians in existence and are collectively known as one of the most talented and dynamic band of brothers the world has ever known. A self-contained unit, the band consist of (from oldest to…
Black Excellence: Booker T. Whatley
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Booker_T._Whatley Booker T. Whatley (November 5, 1915 in Calhoun County, Alabama – September 3, 2005 in Montgomery, Alabama) was an agriculture professor at Tuskegee University, Alabama, and a pioneer of sustainable agriculture in the post-World War II era. He also aimed to “generate an agrarian black middle class”.[1]
Black Excellence: Jackie Venson
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Venson Jackie Venson (born 1990) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist from Austin, Texas. She graduated from Berklee College of Music in 2011. Venson has released five studio albums, Joy (2019), Love Transcends (2021), Evolution of Joy (2023), Ghost in the Machine (2023) and The Love Anthology (2025). In addition…
Black Excellence: Annahstasia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annahstasia Annahstasia Enuke,[1] known mononymously as Annahstasia, is an American folk musician from Los Angeles.[2] https://www.npr.org/2026/05/26/g-s1-121475/annahstasia-tiny-desk-concert Take a deep breath. This is what songwriter Annahstasia tenderly instructs her band to do between songs; it’s also an apt description of what listening to her music can feel like.
Black Excellence: Vallery Lomas
https://blog.mlaglobal.com/the-legal-navigator-issue-11/5-things-you-didnt-know-vallery-lomas 5 Things You Didn’t Know: Vallery Lomas, Lawyer-Turned-Baker What started as a cooking blog turned into a career for Vallery Lomas after she won on The Great American Baking Show. From that moment, she left behind her law practice to pursue her passion for food. Here are five things you…
Black Excellence: Mallori Johnson
Mallori Johnson on Relearning Her Own Face in ‘Is God Is’ and Learning Bravery From Her Co-Stars There are roles that challenge you. And then there are roles that completely rebuild you. For Mallori Johnson, Is God Is was both. As Anaia — the quieter, more contemplative of the twin…
Black Excellence: Aleshea Harris
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleshea_Harris Aleshea Harris is an American playwright, performer, and screenwriter. Her play Is God Is won the American Playwriting Foundation’s Relentless Award in 2016. In 2023, her play On Sugarland was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.[1] Her work has been commissioned for the Denver Center for the…
Black Excellence: Rodney Carmichael
https://hutchinscenter.fas.harvard.edu/people/rodney-carmichael Rodney Carmichael is a storyteller, journalist and cultural critic, covering hip-hop at NPR Music since 2017. He often works at the intersection of race and inequality, telling stories across mediums that combine reporting and criticism to spotlight the sociopolitical significance of Black cultural production. As co-host/co-creator of NPR’s first…
Black Excellence: James Lawson
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Lawson_(activist) James Morris Lawson Jr. (September 22, 1928 – June 9, 2024) was an American activist and university professor. He was a leading theoretician and tactician of nonviolence within the Civil Rights Movement.[1] During the 1960s, he served as a mentor to the Nashville Student Movement and the Student Nonviolent…
Black Excellence: Hiplet Ballerinas
https://www.hipletballerinas.com The Hiplet Ballerinas are the professional Company of the Chicago Multi-Cultural Dance Center in the USA. Hiplet™ was created by Artistic Director Homer Hans Bryant & evolved from the “Rap Ballet” of the 1990’s. Specifically designed to make Ballet accessible to all people, Hiplet™ is a fusion between classical…
Black Excellence: Lena Waithe
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lena_Waithe Lena Waithe (/weɪθ/;[1] born May 17, 1984)[2][3] is an American actress, producer, and screenwriter. She is the creator of the Showtime drama series The Chi (2018–present) and the BET comedy series Boomerang (2019–20) and Twenties (2020–21). She also wrote and produced the crime film Queen & Slim (2019) and…
Black Excellence: Harvey Gantt
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Gantt Harvey Bernard Gantt (born January 14, 1943)[1] is an American architect and Democratic politician active in North Carolina.[2] The first African-American student admitted to Clemson University after attending Iowa State University, Gantt graduated with honors in architecture, earned a master’s at MIT, and established an architectural practice in Charlotte…
Black Excellence: Tabitha Brown and Gina Woods
https://www.donnasrecipe.com/pages/about-us Donna’s Recipe was co-founded by Tabitha Brown (@iamtabithabrown) and Gina Woods (@ginalosangeles). Together, they embarked on a mission to provide exclusively vegan, clean ingredients in their products—ones that not only deliver results but also become eagerly anticipated staples in your hair care routine. The entire line is crafted with…
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Black Excellence: William Still
William Still 1821-1902 William Still was born in Burlington County, New Jersey. His father, Levin Steel, had been enslaved, purchased his own freedom, and changed his name to Still to protect his wife, Sidney. Mrs. Still had tried to escape once before she succeeded, but could only bring two of…
Black Excellence: National Juneteenth Museum
https://nationaljuneteenthmuseum.org The National Juneteenth Museum is more than a museum — it will be an epicenter for education and celebration that is dedicated to building opportunities to advance future generations. As the epicenter for the preservation of Juneteenth history, the National Juneteenth Museum will be a collaborative space to foster…
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Black Excellence: Cape Verde World Cup Soccer Team
https://www.npr.org/2026/05/10/nx-s1-5796264/cape-verde-tiny-nation-massive-world-cup-dream PRAIA—Cape Verde may be small, but its soccer World Cup dream is huge. With just over half a million people, it’s one of the tiniest countries ever to qualify for the tournament. From the volcanic islands of the Atlantic, the team—known as the Blue Sharks—are chasing history. This summer,…
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Black Excellence: Greg Tate
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Tate Gregory Stephen Tate (October 14, 1957 – December 7, 2021) was an American writer, musician, and producer. A long-time critic for The Village Voice, Tate focused particularly on African-American music and culture, helping to establish hip-hop as a genre worthy of music criticism. Flyboy in the Buttermilk: Essays on Contemporary…
Black Excellence: Southern University’s School of Nursing
https://nursingcecentral.com/louisiana-hbcu-black-male-nurses The historically Black university and college that received a $339,000 grant from the American Nurses Foundation is making history. Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, recently announced its largest cohort of Black male nurses. Nationwide — Last year, Southern University’s School of Nursing, an HBCU in…
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Black Excellence: Mphethi Morojele
https://www.holcimfoundation.org/experts/mphethi-morojele Mphethi Morojele founded MMA Design Studio as MMA Architects in 1995 soon after the end of Apartheid. Since then, the practice has completed several award-winning projects including South Africa’s embassies in Germany (2003) and Ethiopia (2009), and the Freedom Park project in Pretoria (2010).
Black Excellence: Kunlé Adeyemi
Kunlé Adeyemi is an architect, designer and development researcher whose works are internationally recognised for originality and innovation. He is the founder and principal of NLÉ – an architecture, design and urbanism practice founded in 2010, for innovating cities and communities. Adeyemi’s notable works include ‘Makoko Floating School’, a groundbreaking,…
Black Excellence: Betty Shabazz
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Shabazz Betty Shabazz (born Betty Dean Sanders;[2] May 28, 1935[a] – June 23, 1997), also known as Betty X, was an American educator and civil rights advocate who was married to Malcolm X.
Black Excellence: Kes the Band
https://www.npr.org/2026/05/08/g-s1-118144/kestheband-tiny-desk-concert The island has come to Tiny Desk. “Representing for soca music, happy music, love music,” leader Kees “Kes” Dieffenthaller tells us, KestheBand opens with “Hello,” a warm, Caribbean welcome. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kes_(band) Kes (commonly known as Kes the Band or KTB) is a Trinidadian soca group formed in 2005, known for…
Black Excellence: Aariana Rose Philip
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aariana_Rose_Philip Aariana Rose Philip (born March 15, 2001) is an Antiguan-American model and musician. In 2018, she became the first Black, transgender, and physically disabled model to ever be represented by a major modeling agency, and has since modeled in several major high fashion photo shoots and campaigns.[2][3][4][5][6] In 2021,…
Black Excellence: Asia Jackson
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia_Jackson Asia Jackson (born May 25, 1994) is an American actress, YouTuber, and activist of African-American and Filipino descent.[1] In 2016, she created the #MagandangMorenx (literally translated to “beautiful brown skin”) movement to combat colorism in Filipino communities worldwide.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
Black Excellence: Dawit Tamiru
https://www.npr.org/2026/05/05/g-s1-119984/midwife-midwives-childbirth Dawit Tamiru knew he wanted to be a midwife when he was just about 10 years old. It started the day his mother gave birth to his younger sister. After the little girl arrived something wasn’t right: His mother had not delivered the placenta as typically happens after the…
Black Excellence: Thundercat
https://www.npr.org/2026/04/16/nx-s1-5685086/thundercat-talks-about-his-new-album-distracted The bass player known as Thundercat is cherished by fans of funk and jazz, and he recently revealed his love of “yacht rock” in a popular documentary. His new album is called “Distracted.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thundercat_(musician) Stephen Lee Bruner (born October 19, 1984),[4] better known by his stage name Thundercat, is…
Black Excellence: Bisa Butler
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisa_Butler Bisa Butler (born Mailissa Yamba Butler in 1973) is an African American fiber artist[1][2] who is credited with creating a new genre of quilting, using photographs, sketches, and vivid traditional textiles to create vibrant life-size portraits in fabric.[3][4][5] She is known for celebrating Black life and identity, portraying both…
Black Excellence: Nathaniel Harnett
https://www.npr.org/2024/01/24/1198909207/racism-minority-health-psychology Scientists know that Black people are at a greater risk for health problems like heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease than white people. A growing body of research shows that racism in health care and in daily life contributes to these long-standing health disparities for Black communities. Now, some…
Black Excellence: Edna Lewis
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edna_Lewis Edna Regina Lewis (April 13, 1916 – February 13, 2006)[1] was a renowned American chef, teacher, and author who helped refine the American view of Southern cooking.[2][3] She championed the use of fresh, in season ingredients and characterized Southern food as fried chicken (pan-, not deep-fried), pork, and fresh…
Black Excellence: Infinity Song
https://www.npr.org/2026/04/27/g-s1-118116/infinity-song-tiny-desk-concert Infinity Song, a band of siblings, has been on the road to glory for many years. And I can’t think of a better proving ground for the Tiny Desk than busking on the streets and in the subways of New York City. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinity_Song Infinity Song is an American soft…
Black Excellence: Camden Hargrove
Historic Gains: Wisconsin’s LGBTQ+ Representation Expands in Spring Election Camden Hargrove: Menomonie Common Council – District 8 One of the younger candidates in this cycle, Camden Hargrove, a transgender man, represented a new generation of LGBTQ+ leadership bringing a grassroots, community-centered campaign to local politics in Dunn County. Camden Hargrove…
Black Excellence: Charlemae Hill Rollins
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlemae_Hill_Rollins Charlemae Hill Rollins (June 20, 1897 – February 3, 1979)[1] was a pioneering librarian, writer, and storyteller in the area of African American literature. During her 31 years as head librarian of the children’s department at the Chicago Public Library as well as after her retirement, she instituted substantial…
Black Excellence: Selena Harris-Miranda
This season, Florida gymnastics clinched its 13th SEC Championship, and its first since 2023. Undoubtedly, the Gators have been a team to be reckoned with, going 20-2 and 6-2 in the SEC. But they had a not-so-secret weapon. Senior Selena Harris-Miranda, a UCLA transfer, came to Florida before her junior…
Black Excellence: Wanda Irving
https://www.tedmed.com/person/wanda-irving Wanda Irving is a dedicated advocate for health equity, driven by the tragic loss of her daughter, Dr. Shalon Irving. Her mission is to create a healthcare system that includes and supports everyone, regardless of their background. For nearly three decades, Wanda worked in various sectors, including federal and…
Black Excellence: Charles Langford
https://www.charleslangfordmusic.com Charles Langford has been writing music since his teenage years. This Springfield, Massachusetts jazz man does it all…tenor, alto, soprano sax, clarinet and flute. Mr. Langford came to the Northeast United States after attending the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and the New School for Social Research in New…
Black Excellence: Jo Sallins
The Jo Sallins Experience The Jo Sallins Experience: A Soul-Funk-Jazz Odyssey Igniting Legends and Originals The Jo Sallins Experience will deliver a high-energy set featuring one original composition, followed by dynamic renditions from the songbooks of Nina Simone, Erykah Badu, Hubert Laws, Marcus Miller, and Bill Withers. Leading the ensemble…
Black Excellence: Leon Smith
https://www.binnews.com/content/2026-04-22-black-high-school-teacher-named-2026-national-teacher-of-the-year A Black high school history teacher in Pennsylvania was named the 2026 National Teacher of the Year. Leon Smith, 46, who has taught Advanced Placement classes in U.S. history and African American Studies at Haverford High School for 25 years, was awarded the distinction by the Council of Chief…
Black Excellence: L. Louise Lucas
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L._Louise_Lucas Lillie Louise Lucas (née Boone; born January 22, 1944) is an American politician serving as a Virginia state senator, representing the 18th District in the southeast region of the state since 1992.[1] Democrats won a majority of seats in the 2019 Virginia Senate election, so Lucas succeeded Republican Stephen…
Black Excellence: Thebe Magugu
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thebe_Magugu Thebetsile “Thebe” Magugu[1] (born 1 September 1993)[2] is a South African fashion designer. Born in Kimberley and based in Johannesburg, he rose to prominence as the winner of the 2019 LVMH Young Fashion Designer Prize, and a finalist in the 2021 International Woolmark Prize. Magugu has released eleven solo…
Black Excellence: Massamba Diop
https://www.massambadiop.com/bio Perhaps best known for his collaboration on Marvel’s groundbreaking Black Panther soundtrack, where his drumming served as the heartbeat of King Tchalla’s theme music, Massamba’s influence extends far beyond the silver screen. His rhythmic prowess has graced stages across the world, from joining Mumford and Sons on their 2016…
Black Excellence: Peter Mutabazi
https://petermutabazi.com/about As a child, I ran away from an abusive home and was helped by the kindness of strangers. As an adult, I found myself in a position to be able to help foster children, so I began taking children into my home years ago to give back what was…
Black Excellence: Terrace Martin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrace_Martin Terrace Jamahl Martin (born December 28, 1978) is an American musician, rapper, singer, and record producer. He is perhaps best known for producing records for several prominent artists in the music industry, including Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, the Game, Busta Rhymes, Stevie Wonder, Charlie Wilson, Raphael Saadiq and YG,…
Black Excellence: Courtney Mays
https://www.essence.com/fashion/courtney-mays-on-style-size-diversity-in-the-wnba For Courtney Mays, sports and fashion are inextricably linked. As the daughter of a former NFL player, the Ohio native has always understood why and how the two industries converge. From WNBA legends Sue Bird and Tina Charles to Brittney Griner, Breanna Stewart, Chris Paul, and more, Mays, 41,…
Black Excellence: Black Maternal Health Week
https://blkmaternalhealthweek.com Black Maternal Health Week is more than a campaign; it’s a call to action! This Resolution Guide gives advocates, community members, and elected officials everything they need to introduce and champion a Black Maternal Health Week resolution in their state. Download your copy and help us take the movement…
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Black Excellence: Bob McNeil
https://www.pw.org/node/1164487 Bob McNeil, writer, editor, cartoonist, and spoken word artist, is the author of Verses of Realness (https://tinylink.net/muF6C). Hal Sirowitz, a former Queens, NY Poet Laureate, called the book “a fantastic trip through the mind of a poet who doesn’t flinch at the truth.” Poem of the Week By Bob…
Black Excellence: Leon Thomas
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Thomas Leon George Thomas III (born August 1, 1993)[1] is an American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer and actor. He began his career as a child actor on Broadway, appearing in the musicals The Lion King, Caroline, or Change and The Color Purple across the 2000s. He gained wide recognition…
Black Excellence: Dr. Jalil A. Johnson
https://www.bhninc.org/dr-jalil-johnson Behavioral Health Network, Inc. (BHN) has announced that Dr. Jalil A. Johnson has joined the organization as Senior Vice President, bringing more than 20 years of experience in healthcare leadership, program development, and clinical operations to the organization. Dr. Johnson’s extensive background spans behavioral health, integrated care, primary care,…
Black Excellence: Dr. Latoya Bosworth
https://www.brendaschild.com Dr. Boz is “your favorite life coach” who holistically supports you in creating space for yourself and your joy. She specializies in helping you connect with yourself in ways that support you connecting with community and with your work. While Got HE.R.S Get More Coaching was established in 2020, Dr. Boz …
Black Excellence: Lakiesha Hawkins
Lakiesha Hawkins Acting Deputy Associate Administrator, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate Lakiesha Hawkins is the acting deputy associate administrator for NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD). In this role, she assists the ESDMD associate administrator in leading and managing human spaceflight development and operations for the agency’s Artemis campaign,…
Black Excellence: Michelle and Jonathan Ballard
https://www.michebeauty.com/pages/about-us MICHE Beauty, pronounced MEE-SH, is a clean, curl-focused haircare brand redefining textured hair routines through science-backed, moisture-first formulations. Founded in 2016 by Michelle and Jonathan Ballard, MICHE is rooted in community, education, and ingredient transparency.
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Black Excellence: Maïmouna Diouf
https://www.npr.org/2026/03/14/g-s1-113432/prisoners-women-jails-senegal Released in 2025, Diouf now volunteers to help female inmates in Senegal. The conditions that women in prison face were highlighted in events held in Senegal on International Women’s Day this past week — including the distribution of free, reusable menstrual products, which aren’t readily available to prisoners. Diouf…
Black Excellence: Jayla Jackson
https://www.jaylajackson.com/about Jayla Jackson is an Atlanta-based producer and activist whose impressive journey began in 2021. She gained national recognition as one-half of the first Black girl duo to win Harvard’s International Debate Competition, making history twice as the youngest Black female to achieve this feat. In honor of her accomplishments,…
Black Excellence: Maeva Heim
Bread Beauty Supply Makes Frizzy Hair Aspirational Ahead of the brand’s launch at Sephora, founder Maeva Heim chatted with Allure about creating products that are formulated to help people with 4C textures embrace “lazy girl” hair. https://breadbeautysupply.com/pages/about?srsltid=AfmBOoq6oeeXlUTg-EkJkcecW2RbHD8xARReglW1GziPPqH8hD7uvX_o Our founder, Maeva, spent a lot of time hanging around her Mum’s braiding…
Black Excellence: Aura V and Fyütch
https://www.npr.org/2026/03/27/nx-s1-5742754/grammy-aura-fyutch-youngest-winner Aura and her dad, Harold Simmons II, who uses the stage name Fyütch, won music’s biggest prize in February. Their album, Harmony, won the Grammy for best children’s music album. Before Aura’s win, Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s daughter Blue Ivy Carter had been the youngest individual Grammy winner.
Black Excellence: Jorja Smith
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorja_Smith Jorja Alice Smith (born 11 June 1997) is an English singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Walsall, West Midlands, she has been writing songs since the age of 11. In 2012, Smith’s friend uploaded her cover of Labrinth’s “Earthquake” to YouTube,[2] which led to her discovery by record…
Black Excellence: Black Reconstruction Collective
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Reconstruction_Collective The Black Reconstruction Collective (BRC) is an American architecture collective. The BRC was formed by participants in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Reconstructions: Architecture and Blackness in America project which was exhibited in the spring of 2021.[1] https://www.blackreconstructioncollective.org/about Mission The Black Reconstruction Collective (BRC) provides funding, design, and…
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Black Excellence: Joshy Soul
https://www.onestowatch.com/en/blog/joshy-soul-new-lover The Long Beach-based artist is recognizable for his magnetic music soaked in vibrant instrumentation and smoldering confidence. Soul is proficient in a myriad of creative talents. A performer, writer, producer, art director, stylist and model, he accomplishes each with effortless flair. That skillful sense of ease can be heard…
Black Excellence: Victor J. Glover
https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/astronauts/victor-j-glover Victor J. Glover was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2013 and is currently assigned as the pilot of NASA’s Artemis II mission to the moon. He has previously served as the pilot of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 mission to the International Space Station as part of Expedition 64. Victor…
Black Excellence: Dupe Oloyede
https://news.famu.edu/2025/from-the-hill-to-hollywood-famu-drum-major-dupe-oloyede-takes-the-oscar-stage.php Oluwamodupe “Dupe” Oloyede, a senior theater major at Florida A&M University, found herself in awe of the magnitude of what was unfolding in her life. The first female head drum major of the legendary Marching 100 has spent the year commanding attention on fields, stages and screens across the…
Black Excellence: Kelly Chibale
https://www.npr.org/2026/03/22/g-s1-114038/new-drugs-health-medicine-africa-tuberculosis-measles Kelly Chibale says that the hunt for new drugs is kind of like a fairy-tale quest. And it takes a lot of time and patience. “It doesn’t mean that there aren’t surprises or miracles,” he says. “They do happen, but you have to kiss many frogs before you meet…
Black Excellence: Leven Kali
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leven_Kali Leven Kali Simon-Seay, known as Leven Kali, is a Dutch-born American singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist best known for his work on Beyoncé’s Renaissance, Drake’s More Life and Playboi Carti’s self titled mixtape Playboi Carti.[2]
Black Excellence: Sherisse Kenerson
https://www.npr.org/2026/03/19/nx-s1-5669426/cursive-handwriting-school-controversy In Sherisse Kenerson’s after-school classroom, Sandi takes out a piece of paper and fills up a whole line to spell the word that describes a type of lung disease. The word allows her to practice cursive — her new favorite method of writing. When she becomes a doctor, Sandi,…
Black Excellence: Shamel Pitts
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamel_Pitts Shamel Pitts is an American artist, choreographer, performer and teacher. He is the founder and artistic director at TRIBE which is a New York-based multidisciplinary arts collective.[1] He is best known for his creation of a triptych of multidisciplinary performance art works entitled Black Series[2] and as a cast…
Black Excellence: Master KG
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_KG Kgaogelo Moagi (born 31 January 1996),[1] professionally known as Masker KG is a South African DJ, singer and record producer. Born and raised in Tzaneen, his debut studio album Skeleton Move achieved acclaim including an AFRIMA Award for Best Artist/Group in the African Electro category.[2] He is also known…