Van Tate a Gentle Giant in a Media Forest New Mexico Office of African American Affairs
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
NEW MEXICO OFFICE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN AFFAIRS FOCUS VOLUME 7 ISSUE 2 SUMMER 2016 Van Tate a Gentle Giant in a Media Forest New Mexico Office of African American Affairs Staff Directory Yvette Kaufman-Bell Executive Director Office: (505) 383-6221 Cell: (505) 690-4990 [email protected] Nicole Byrd Deputy Director Office staff members from (l-r), Beverly Jordan, Office: (505) 383-6219 Yvette Kaufman-Bell, Nicole Byrd, and Caleb Crump Cell: (505) 221-9171 [email protected] Beverly Jordan Education Outreach Coordinator Contact us: Office: (505) 383-6220 Cell: (505) 221-9016 New Mexico Office of [email protected] African American Affairs Caleb Crump Economics Outreach Coordinator Office: (505) 383-6216 310 San Pedro Dr. NE Suite 230 Cell: (505) 205-0797 [email protected] Albuquerque, NM 87108 1-866-747-6935 Toll-Free (505) 383-6222 (OAAA) (505) 383-6214 Fax website: www.oaaa.state.nm.us www.oaaa.state.nm.us 2 Table of Contents Director’s Message•••4 Black History Challenging the Landscape of Local Publication Staff Theaters to Recognize Talents in the Black Community•••5 2016 Women’s Empowerment Summit•••6 Publish Layout & Design Van Tate a Gentle Giant in a Media Forest•••8 Ron Wallace OAAA Recognizes Santa Fe’s Heroes•••10 Dominance, Surprise, and Courage Highlights 2016 Editor State Track and Field Competition•••12 Delphine Dallas Conrad James Retires After a Committed Time of Service•••14 Menaul School Recognizes a Shining Example of Success•••15 Contributors of Articles and Naomi Germain Made the State of New Mexico Proud•••15 Photos for this issue OAAA 90-Day Healthy Body Challenge•••16 New Mexico Senior Olympics Star’s New Beginning at Age 88•••18 Carolyn Peeler, Alamogordo, NM Three Tiers of Success: Travel, Family, Passion•••19 Elizabeth Sanchez, Albuquerque, NM Ariel, Your Word to Spell is ‘Numismatics’•••20 Erica Crump, Albuquerque, NM A New Mexico Icon•••21 Eugene Byerly, Albuquerque, NM Congratulations Mrs. Hobbs•••22 Niecy Taylor•••23 Shalane Malveaux, Albuquerque, NM A Young Lady Stepping into Greatness•••24 Sandi Kay Shelby, Albuquerque, NM A Journey of Fulfillment•••25 Torri Farrow, Albuquerque, NM Oscar Robinson, New Chairperson of the Wanda Ross Padilla, Santa Fe, NM Martin Luther King, Jr. State Commission•••26 George Geder, Santa Fe, NM Three Times A Champion•••27 Lorraine Price, Santa Fe School Board’s Cover Photo provided by KRQE Channel 13 First Elected African American•••28 The Best You: How to Present Your Best For Business Success! Professional Presentation and Networking Skills Workshop The OAAA held a workshop entitled, The Best You: How to Present Your Best, For Business Success! The session focused on professional presentation and networking skills needed to be successful in today’s business environment. The workshop was held on Saturday, May 14, and conducted by noted personality, professional emcee, Bonnie Greathouse, who returned to Albuquerque from Las Vegas, Nevada. Bonnie Bonnie Greathouse is known in the New Mexico Community for her work as a host and producer on public Greathouse access television Channel 27. Some knowledge that attendees gained: How to project themselves successfully in one-on-one business settings; Etiquette in various professional and business settings that impact successful outcomes; Public speaking to groups and individuals best practices in how to be effective; Developing rapport and comradery when networking and interacting in group settings; Hands-on practice of implementing the strategies discussed in the workshop. Each participant received a certificate of completion. The Open Door Ministry’s Event Space was made possible by Pastor Betty Engram, who hosted the workshop and went above and beyond with hospitality. Thank you Pastor Engram, Bonnie Greathouse, and all who attended. 3 Statewide Focus Magazine display all readily available census, education, health, and economic data as it relates to African Americans Director’s Message throughout the state of New Mexico. The data will be displayed using maps, graphs, and tables to be used in reports and presentations to help strengthen OAAA’s capacity for advocacy, accountability, policy development and effective decision-making. Since 2012, OAAA has worked with CEPR to produce reports, currently on the agency’s website at www.OAAA.state.nm.us, which allowed for very insightful discussions during community town halls in Hobbs, Santa Fe, Clovis, Roswell, and Albuquerque. Our goal is to work with leaders around the state, to once again organize meaningful town halls to discuss the state of Black New Mexico and assist communities in organizing collaborative efforts which strengthen their work. Yvette Kaufman-Bell, Executive Director The chart below is an example of the type of Education information available on the data hub: T h e S t a t e o f B l a c k N e w M e x i c o Web-Based Data Hub COMING FALL 2016 In order to accomplish lasting systematic change, which reduces disproportionate disparity affecting our community, we must not only study the effects they have on our population, but also identify where the disparity is occurring. Once identified, strategic, targeted efforts are needed. Through existing data sets, we are able to gain a sense of where Black New Mexico fares in education, economics and health care. Because more targeted work is needed to decrease these disparities, the agency has partnered with UNM’s Center for Education Policy Research (CEPR) to design an on-line data hub. The data hub will be housed on the agency website and made available in the Fall of 2016 to all direct service providers, community organizations, state agencies and departments, legislators and the governor’s administration. The hope is that the data hub would serve as a one-stop online resource to assist with strategically targeted interventions. The purpose of this work is to gather, analyze, and disseminate currently available data on the status and disparities of African Americans, particularly as compared to other ethnic and racial groups, at the state and county levels across New Mexico. The primary objective for CEPR will be to collect, compile, and www.oaaa.state.nm.us 4 Black History Challenging the Landscape of Local Theaters to Recognize Talents in the Black Community By Sandi Kay Shelby Cathryn McGill and her cast of stars Cathryn McGill, founder of the New Mexico Black years ago and are generally age 8 – 16. These amazing History Month Celebration Committee, has called New kids perform at venues and events all over the City and Mexico home for several decades. In 2010, McGill State – they’ve been featured at the Roundhouse, PopeJoy noticed the lack of professional organizations in New Hall, and the Albuquerque Convention Center. Mexico that focused on presenting and preserving Black Out of the Rainbow Studio Theater group, the theater and literature. Additionally, there were no outlets Roots Summer Leadership Academy was born. It is a for established and emerging Black artists to develop multicultural arts program that teaches leadership using and practice their craft. This prompted her to start the the arts as a tool. McGill is very proud of the uniqueness Rainbow Studio Theater. McGill explained, “The Theater of this camp experience. “We work directly with the provides support for the youth not found in traditional entire family; not just the students. The program has education systems. The program is designed to teach a Clinical Psychologist who works directly with us to the students to use deductive and inductive reasoning meet with students and their parents/guardians to identify to solve complex problems. Not all of our students challenges and strengths of each student and to offer will become professional artists, but providing a safe clinical guidance on how students can excel in school space for students to learn about themselves and their and in life.” culture is a vital part of the program. The productions Recognizing the need for an organization that worked are designed to appeal to everyone.” to bring the Black community together to strengthen it In addition to music and theater, the “WizKidz” as from the inside out, the New Mexico Black History Month they are affectionately called, are trained by professional Organizing Committee (NMBHOC) was formed. Shortly artists in the areas of dance, spoken word, and visual thereafter it began operating year round. “The goal is to arts. This training has proved invaluable for the youth. build and coalesce the Black community in the areas of They are recognized as leaders as opposed to being often arts and culture, education, positive youth development, overlooked in traditional school and community settings. The children started working with the organization five Continued on page 29 5 Statewide Focus Magazine 2016 Women’s Empowerment Summit Leadership Panel Discussion hosted by Tamara Thorpe with panelists, Dr. Sandra Taylor-Sawyer, Dr. Wanda Ross Padilla, Dr. Julia T. Brown, Esq., and Shawna Brown. The luncheon speaker was Dr. Avis Jones-DeWeever, a Career Reinvention Strategist, International Speaker, Political Commentator, and author of “How Exceptional Black Women Lead”. In her speech she shared these words, “We need to know how to move Black women forward, so that we can have our fair share of leadership opportunities throughout the nation. As Black women we need to be unapologetic in pursuit of our own leadership and ambitions. We need to work together collectively, as well as work strategically individually, to get to where we belong professionally and personally.” Outstanding entertainment was provided by the ensemble of McGill and friends. Another highlight was the awards ceremony that Pictured from left to right, Beverly Jordan, featured presentations to some very special women who Yvette Kaufman-Bell, special guest speaker have made a difference in our communities. Dr.