SUMMER 2021 FEATURING LATINO NEWS PAGE 10 BLACK MAYORS PAGE 14 MON-VALLEY CHAMBER PAGE 19 The Business & Career Issue Kerry J. Kirkland David Dix Tiffany L. LaVetteFALL 2020 INSIDE TALK PENNSYLVANIA AFRICAN AMERICAN MAYORS LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF COVID THE GOALS OF CARE—IS THERE A (BLACK) DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE? NAVIGATING TOWARDS OUR FUTURE NAVIGATING TOWARDS OUR FUTURE WINTER 2021 INSIDE TALK BLACK WOMEN RUNNING FOR OFFICE PROFILE OF ALMA SPEED FOX AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN PIONEERS Homer Floyd Harrisburg Jesse J. McLean Pittsburgh Lisa RhodesPhiladelphia Randal Taylor Pittsburgh 2021 Black History Makers 2021 Black History Makers Clifton P. Pitts Mon-Valley2 | TALK MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 INSIDE TALK PUBLISHER’S NOTES As a black-owned business of 60 years, we can say it was hard but rewarding. We are finding that companies are asking for black and minority employees but are not hiring them. Why do corporations, companies and organizations say they off er diversity and inclusion but employment with equity is illusive? Results off er false hope and no action. Employers must be truthful about their HR department, they tell the public they have a diversity and inclusion, and their HR department has an executive directive to step up inclusive hiring practices and outreach. To develop equity, employers must be willing to employ black Americans, as well as assist in their development, and growth after employment. We need to watch what is done throughout Pennsylvania with the millions of dollars that will be received from the American Rescue Plan. Research details on contracts received by African American and Latinx owned businesses. Th e City of Pittsburgh will receive $335 million dollars, how will they spend it? Here are some of the plans: • $21 million for OwnPGH, which promotes aff ordable homeownership in Pittsburgh. • $19 million to improve CitiParks Recreation Centers. • $10 million to create a program with the Urban Redevelopment Authority to help low-to-moderate income homeowners aff ord to make home improvements, including weatherization. For a complete list, please visit : https://pittsburghpa.gov/press-releases/press-releases/5053. It is critically important that we VOTE in every election. Th ere is no “off year election.” Elections are held every typically every few months. Remember the election in May was the Primary, now you must Vote again on November 2 in the General. Th e General Election is the final election, and it will determine the actual Winner. Vote November 2, 2021, it is critical. Please be safe and get vaccinated. It is critically important that we VOTE in every election. Remember the election on May 18 was the Primary, now you must Vote again in the General Election on November 2. Th e General Election is the final election, and it will determine the actual Winner. Voting November 2, 2021 is most important. Please be safe and get vaccinated. Th e LJS Group / Talk Magazine / TMAG Luther J. Sewell, Jr. / Publisher Roxanne N. Sewell / President & Editor theLULAdesigns / Graphic Design & Layout Fiordaliza White / Contributing Writer Rev. Evelyn Morrison / Contributing Writer PO Box 143 Monroeville, PA 15146-0143 (P) 412.823.4007 info@talkmagazineonline.com www.talkmagazineonline.com 04College News 06Talk Across PA 10Latino News 16 Health News Summer 2021 Kerry L. Kirkland pg 20 David Dix pg 22 Local Foundations Changing pg 264 | TALK MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 COLLEGE NEWS LINCOLN The Historically Black Colleges & Universi- ties Community Development Action Coalition (HBCU CDAC) is proud to announce the launch of a comprehensive financial wellness initiative, Our Money Matters (OMM) for college students of color. This new $5.6 million initiative, funded exclusively by the Wells Fargo Foundation, is taking a more holistic approach to helping students who may be facing food and housing insecurity, college debt and other financial hardships to increase opportunities for financial inclusion and future economic success. HBCU CDAC is launching OMM on the campus of Lincoln University. Over the next three years, OMM will expand to 25 HBCU and Minority Serving Institution (MSI) campuses across the U.S., equipping roughly 40,000 students of color and the ex- tended community with much needed financial capability skills, personalized tools for managing finances and student loans, and access to support services like career closets and emergency finan- cial assistance. Over the long term, this initiative aims to accelerate opportunities for building generational wealth within communities of color to help to close the racial wealth divide. “The initiation of the OMM program is espe- cially timely as the economic burden of COVID-19 is projected to have a devastating impact on HBCUs, MSIs, and surrounding communities. The OMM program is a proactive solution positioned to address these issues and generational wealth dispar- ities within communities of color. Our partnership with the Wells Fargo Foundation demonstrates our aligned interest in equipping our partner institu- tions and their surrounding communities with the financial tools needed to create wealth for genera- tions to come”, said Ron Butler, CEO of HBCU CDAC. “As a financial institution, we believe we have a responsibility to do even more to accelerate financial inclusion for people of color,” said Darlene Goins, head of Financial Health Philanthropy at Wells Fargo. “HBCUs and MSIs are known for helping generations of Black youth and other students of color achieve academic and professional success. Working with HBCU CDAC, we hope to support students who may be navigating complex financial challenges and give them a stronger foundation for future success and opportunities for wealth genera- tion.” PITT At its June 2021 meeting, three alumni joined the University of Pittsburgh Board of Trustees. The group also recognized Kathy Humphrey, outgoing senior vice chancellor for engagement and board secretary, for her contributions to Pitt’s success. Chair Thomas E. Richards was re-elected, several trustees will serve additional terms on the board and former chair Eva Tansky Blum was appointed the university director to the UPMC Board of Directors. In its tribute to Humphrey, the board recog- nized her extraordinary career in student affairs, community engagement, teaching and service to the Board of Trustees and the University, which began in 2005, when she was chosen to serve as vice provost, dean of students, and associate professor of education. Humphrey will assume the presidency of Carlow University this summer. The trustees also elected Humphrey’s succes- sor as board secretary, Rosalyn Jones, who will hold the title of vice chancellor and secretary of the Board of Trustees. LINCOLN by HBCU Sports Lincoln University Director of Athletics and Recreational Services Harry Stinson III announces the hiring of former Daytona State College head coach Janice Washington as its head women’s basketball coach. Washington, who will be the eighth wom- en’s basketball coach in school history, replaces Darrell Mosley – who took an assistant coaching position at the University of Delaware. “I am extremely excited to welcome Janice Washington as our next Head Women’s Basketball Coach,” said Stinson. Throughout this process Coach Washington stood out as someone who was committed to the holistic development of the student-athlete and prepare them for academ- ic and athletic success. “Her background of being a former student-ath- lete and playing at an elite level, being a head coach at all levels of the game, her ability to identify and develop talent, win championships, and lead young women to reach their maximum potential on and off the court propelled her to the top of our list,” Stinson continued. “Her energy, passion, commit- ment to excellence, style of play, and connection to the CIAA are an ideal fit to continue the champi- onship culture that has been created at Lincoln Uni- versity. We are looking forward to coach carrying the torch and leading us to many CIAA Championships and becoming a perennial NCAA Championship contender.” CCAC The Community College of Allegheny County’s West Hills Center has been selected by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to administer The Recreational Unmanned Aircraft Systems Safety Test (TRUST). The online test was developed to provide recreational drone flyers with aeronautical safety knowledge and an overview of the rules for operating drones in the National Airspace System. After passing the test, recreational drone flyers will be issued a comple- tion certificate, which they are required to show if asked by FAA or law enforcement personnel. Congress required the development of the testing program in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018. CCAC is the only organization in Pennsylvania and one of only 16 nationwide that has been approved to administer the free test. College officials worked closely with the FAA for several months to get the testing platform designed and approved. According to Dr. Lori Paluti, an FAA-certified unmanned aircraft systems pilot and an instructor at CCAC South Campus, the college received a very good review by the FAA. SLIPPERY ROCK by Andrew Goldstein As a first-generation college graduate who’s now on her way to earning a doctoral degree, Kenya Johns is ready to be a pioneer for her community, not just her family. Johns is set to become the first Black woman elected mayor of her hometown of Beaver Falls in the city’s 153-year history. A 2014 graduate of Slippery Rock Universi- ty with a degree in psychology, Johns won the city’s Democratic primary election in May and will run unopposed in the November general election, which means she’ll become mayor next year, unless a write-in candidate wins, which hasn’t happened in at least 50 years, according to the city clerk. But Johns is not seeking status, a historical Janice WashingtonWWW.TALKMAGAZINEONLINE.COM | 5 COLLEGE NEWS feat or even a noteworthy entry on her resume — she’s building community and allowing voices to be heard, that aren’t just her own. Johns is also currently working toward com- pleting her doctoral degree in counseling educa- tion and supervision from Duquesne University and does diversity and equity consulting work for organizations from a variety of sectors. She chose SRU for her undergraduate studies because of the psychology and counseling pro- gram and for the opportunities to stay close to home and be involved with people’s lives. “Th e best way for me to do work with people was to go into psychology and counseling,” Johns said. “(SRU) is a close-knit community and that was something that I looked for and is still import- ant to me.” TEMPLE Temple University announced that it has selected Dr. Jason Wingard, former dean and professor of the School of Professional Studies at Columbia University, as its next president. Following a unanimous vote of confirmation by the Temple Board of Trustees today, Dr. Wingard will become the university’s 12th president, and began serving on July 1. A proven senior administrator, executive and thought leader, Dr. Wingard was selected following a 10-month nationwide search led by an 18-member Presidential Search Committee appointed by the university’s Board of Trustees. Temple was assisted in the process by Storbeck Search, a member of the Diversified Search Group. Dr. Wingard will succeed the retiring pres- ident, Dr. Richard M. Englert, as leader of an institution nationally recognized as a center of excellence in teaching, research and healthcare with more than 17 schools across eight campus- es, 600 academic programs, 37,000 students, 8,700 faculty and staff , 340,000 living alumni, and 1,000 physicians. “Dr. Wingard is a dynamic and innovative leader who is extraordinarily qualified to lead our university in the 21st century,” said Mitchell L. Morgan, chair of the Temple University Board of Trustees, in making the announcement. “Like many of Temple’s faculty, Dr. Wingard combines academic accomplishments with real-world experi- ence. Th at’s been a hallmark of Temple’s education for generations.” “At the same time, Dr. Wingard recognizes that higher education is changing, and his unique com- bination of academic and business success, together with his skills in the fields of leadership develop- ment, organizational strategy, and the future of work, make him a compelling choice to lead Temple into an exciting future filled with promise and new opportunity.” Morgan noted that Dr. Wingard also brings a deep appreciation of Philadelphia to the role. A native of West Chester, Pennsylvania, Dr. Wingard’s academic career includes teaching and senior leadership posts at Stanford University, the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia Uni- versity. In addition, he served as chief learning officer of Goldman Sachs and as founder and chairman of Th e Education Board, Inc., a man- agement consultancy specializing in executive coaching and corporate advisory services. “I am honored by the board’s selection and excit- ed to lead one of the nation’s premier urban research universities,” Dr. Wingard said. “Temple will con- tinue to provide its diverse and talented community of learners an unparalleled, accessible opportunity to leverage a best-in-class network of faculty and aca- demic resources in support of dynamic and lifelong professional goals." Kenya JohnsJason WingardTALK ACROSS PA 6 | TALK MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2021 BEAVER VALLEY by Timothy Cox Every award-winning, chart-topping album Rex Rideout has been involved in likely can be traced to his time in Beaver Falls. Rideout is a Grammy-nominated producer, songwriter, and record label executive. A music industry veteran for more than 20 years, he has worked with iconic artists ranging from Luther Vandross, Kem and Ledisi to current hip-hop star Kendrick Lamar. His songwriting and produc- tion work has garnered him multiple Billboard No. 1 albums and more than 20 Top-Ten Adult Urban Radio singles. His overall development as a producer has landed him in upper-echelon circles with the likes of Quincy Jones, David Foster, Stevie Won- der and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds. Rideout’s career started on the South Side section of Pittsburgh called Beltzhoover. For reasons mainly related to seeking a less urban environ- ment for their children, his parents, Stanley Rideout and Bina (Crable) Rideout, relocated the family (Suzanne, Rex and Jim) to the bedroom community of Sewickley in the early 1970s. After finishing Geneva College, he said, “At the time, I had no idea that my adult life would center around music as a career.” "I always had an interest in playing the keyboards, but never really took many formal piano lessons.” Rideout credits his dad’s youngest brother for sharing his piano skills with him when he was a tike. “Uncle Buddy (Arthur Rideout Jr.) was a great player who played by ear. He taught me so much. But, I was also blessed with a good ear and a fan- tastic memory,” said Rex Rideout recently while reflecting from his family home in Southern California. His grandfather, Arthur Rideout Sr., was a Pittsburgh big band leader. "Next thing, I was playing gospel music as part of the Friends of Beaver County gospel troupe.” Rideout eventually became associated with internationally acclaimed recording gospel artist Richard Smallwood. “I moved to D.C. to study with him, and his knowledge certainly enhanced my knack for vocal harmony and my production skills.” He credits the late Darrell McMillion and Marpressa Mobley, both of Tabernacle Baptist Church, Beaver Falls, for his development as a gospel player and for his connection to Smallwood. After trying out another corporate job in Lexington, KY, Rideout took his music career to another plateau by moving to New York City. There, he landed a job writing jingles for corporations such as Coca-Cola, General Motors, and the WNBA. Word quickly spread about the talented, new keyboardist in the Big Apple. Through good “word of mouth,” he landed a gig with jazz vibraphonist legend Roy Ayers, who had longtime ties with Pittsburgh’s jazz scene, including musicians like the late trumpeter John “Squirrel Mosley and saxman Tony Campbell. “It’s been a very rewarding career, one that I never envisioned would’ve ever occurred,” Rideout said. This spring, he appeared on the nationally televised TV One network production “Unsung,” while in the studio as a producer of vocalist Ledisi. Rideout is currently a partner at the Bench- mark Entertainment management company and is co-head of 4/4 Sound, a joint venture label with eOne Entertainment. He is an active member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and the American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers. Rideout resides in Los Angeles with his wife of 28 years, Joi (Huckaby) Rideout. They have two children, a daughter, Kendall, who’s a 21-year- old Harvard student, and Matthew, a 16-year-old high school basketball player and guitarist. PITTSBURGH The New Pittsburgh Courier learned that the Howard Hanna Children’s Free Care Fund Board of Directors recently announced the election of Dr. Howard B. Slaughter Jr. as the new Chair- man of the Board of Directors. Dr. Slaughter has served as a member of the Board since 2012 and is committed to furthering the mission of the Children’s Free Care Fund. “I am honored to be named Chairman of a phenomenally well-run Foundation that supports 15 children’s hospitals around the country,” said Dr. Slaughter in a statement. “With millions already donated, our goal is to increase our commitment and encourage others to give so children don’t get denied quality care for those who need hospitaliza- tion. Money should not be the differentiating factor for a child receiving medical care, and the Howard Hanna Children’s Free Care Fund Foundation’s goal is to maintain this posture of giving for years to come.” Dr. Slaughter, who currently serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh, is a leader in both business and philanthropy. With a long his- tory in the financial and real estate service indus- tries, Dr. Slaughter has held various leadership roles such as Christian Management Enterprises, LLC. He also served as a vice president at Dollar Bank, was a member of the Board of Directors at The Pittsburgh Foundation, and served as Regional Director of Fannie Mae’s Southwestern Pennsylvania Business Center. PHILADELPHIA by Denise Clay-Murray For weeks, Mayor Jim Kenney and Philadel- phia City Council had been going back and forth to try and come up with a Fiscal Year 2022 budget that would make everyone as happy as possible. Council passed a $5.2 billion spending plan that includes more money for violence preven- tion, affordable housing, police reform and even the arts. The vote was 17-0. Unlike budgets past, this spending pact almost led to Council having to start its summer recess later than planned due to a disagreement on how the city should spend the $1.4 billion it received in federal American Rescue Plan monies, especially as it pertains to the city’s gun violence problem and its seemingly intractable poverty rate. Kenney wanted to add $18 million to the city’s anti-violence efforts. The original budget also included reductions in the city’s wage tax, and other tax cuts designed to attract suburbanites working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic back to Philadelphia. But Council had other ideas. “We promised at the start of this budget process that whatever we did collectively would be focused on investing in the people of Philadelphia and dealing with the significant racial and economic disparities revealed by the pandemic,” Council President Darrell Clarke said. And thanks to $400 million in funds set aside for preserving neighborhoods, job creation and creating affordable housing and $155 million to- ward what’s being called the Philly Peace Budget, there’s light at the end of both tunnels, Clarke said. “We have much more work to do, but this budget agreement keeps that promise,” he said. The issue about which Council spoke the loudest — and with a force that included a letter to the Mayor’s Rex Readout, courtesy of Rex Readout Archives Council President Darrell Clarke, Kenyatta Johnson, Maria Quinones Sanchez TALK ACROSS PA WWW.TALKMAGAZINEONLINE.COM | 7 office from a veto-proof majority of council members — was the Philly Peace Budget. Under this budget, $49 million would go to community groups that provide such services as trauma coun- seling and children’s services. About $500,000 of that money would also be made available to groups in the form of targeted grants. OP-ED: HARRISBURG by Taylor Tosheff PA House Democratic Leader Rep. Joanna McClinton Recently, the state of New Jersey invested $235 million in American Rescue Plan funds to help small community businesses like bars and restau- rants and startups bounce back from COVID-19 and keep their doors open. Th e Garden State added $100 million to help create and expand childcare programs, because working parents deserve peace of mind while on the job. Th e Republican governor and GOP-controlled legislature in Ohio invested $155 million in American Rescue Plan funds to help small com- munity businesses hit hard by COVID-19 in the Buckeye State. Here in Pennsylvania? It was back in February – before the American Rescue Plan even existed – when we fought and won to create a $145 million program to help the hospitality industry but since then, the Republicans in charge of the legislature looked at every chance to truly rebuild our economy from the community on up and they cut and ran. In a year when we had a budget surplus of more than $3 billion, in addition to more than $7 billion in American Rescue Plan money, the Republican majority decided to lock most of it away in a government vault for some “rainy day” in the future -- as if the virus hasn’t been the most vicious storm battering our workers and business owners in more than a hundred years. While our economy is bouncing back, the facts are clear: according to a PA Budget & Policy Center study, small business revenue is still down 28% in Pennsylvania from pre-pandemic earnings and, tragically, nearly one in four of the businesses that were up and running before the pandemic are now shut down. Th ese are the businesses that create the jobs and support our communities; the money spent at these local businesses is reinvested at home – and we didn’t do enough. Th e fight is far from over. We will keep working for our Pennsylvania Rescue Plan and to make sure these federal dollars go where they’ll do the most good. We need to help the business- es on Main Street and the working families living on Elm Street. Our plan—including measures supported by some of the most pro-business groups in the state like the PA Chamber of Business & Industry— would invest in the small, local businesses that have struggled the hardest to keep their doors open during the pandemic -- the mom-and-pop businesses that create the jobs that support their community. Here are some examples of how we’ll do it without raising taxes by investing more than a billion dollars to do things like: • Support businesses like theaters, gyms and social organizations that couldn’t stay open or work remotely. continued on page 28 State Representative Joanna McClintonNext >