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’ Day, and my father, who considers himself quite a funny man, thought he would name me – he’s a bodybuilder – after his favorite sporting brand. I’ve kind of embraced it and made it my own.”^[2] He was sent to juvenile detention at the age of 12 after he threatened to stab his mother and brother.^[1][3]

Green earned a Bachelor of Music degree at the Hartt School of Music^[4] and a Master of Music at Florida State University.^[3] He won several singing competitions. In March 2011, he was one of the five winners of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.^[2] Following an article by Daniel Bergner in The New York Times about Green and his win in that competition, HarperCollins expressed interest in publishing his biography.^[1] It was published in October 2016 with the title Sing for Your Life: A Story of Race, Music, and Family.^[5] In 2014 he received the George London Foundation Award, won first prize of the Gerda Lissner Foundation, was a finalist in Palm Beach Opera‘s singing competition, and graduated from the Metropolitan Opera‘s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program.^[6][7]

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 was a nominee for the 2021 NAACP Image Award in Poetry.^[4]

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. 

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. She has provided professional coaching nationally for Children’s System of Care leaders and supports organizations nationally. She holds a BA in Sociology/Human Services and a MS in Leadership and Professional Advancement.

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 hard time. I was misbehaving, I had my pants sagging down and my shirts were big, and I thought I was playing this role, this cool role,” said Tulloch, who recalls being a student at Glenbrook Middle School in the primarily white suburban district of Longmeadow.

It was in that middle school where he met his first educator of color — a substitute teacher who connected with him.

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 Chicago as a major philanthropist and civic activist, raising funds for and supporting cultural, social, and church institutions.^[2] She also hosted a radio program in Chicago and represented the United States in several official delegations to nations in Africa.^[3][4]

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 division in 1997. She then worked her way up in the company, leading merchandising across snacks, beverages, beauty, and more, as well as store operations over the years. She became its chief merchant in 2023, where she led choosing approximately $500 billion worth of products sold by the American brand annually. 

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 to becoming an administrator, Sanée taught middle school and high school English and also coached girls basketball.

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 Company named him one of 9 People Who Are Changing the Future of Food. In regard to his work, terry’s mentor Alice Waters says, “bryant terry knows that good food should be an everyday right and not a privilege.”

In the spring of 2025, terry completed a degree in the MFA Program in Art Practice at UC Berkeley. He was subsequently awarded a 2025–2026 Graduate Fellowship at Headlands Center for the Arts, a prestigious yearlong residency supporting promising emerging artists.

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 Colley, Jordan Tyson, Gary Dourdan, Gaby Moreno to Join Hadestown on Broadway

The international hit musical Hadestown, the 2019 Tony winner for Best Musical, will welcome an all-new principal cast to the Walter Kerr Theatre later this winter.

Beginning March 3, the Broadway cast will feature Tony and Grammy winner J. Harrison Ghee (Some Like It Hot, Saturday Church, Accused) as Hermes, Disney Channel and Broadway actor Joshua Colley (Descendants: The Rise of Red, Sex Appeal, Newsies) as Orpheus, The Notebook and Gypsy star Jordan Tyson as Eurydice, TV and film star Gary Dourdan (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, A Different World, The Weekend) in his Broadway debut as Hades, and Grammy and Latin Grammy winner Gaby Moreno (X Mí (Vol. 1), Alegoría, Illusion) in her Broadway debut as Persephone.