As Tallahassee Community College unveils its 23rd annual Cherry Hall Alexander Black History Calendar, local honorees are noted for their recognizable work in the community.
For the first time since 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the presentation was held in person Monday night at TCC’s Turner Auditorium.
With the theme of this year’s calendar as “Freedom, Justice, Equality,” the university will recognize Black people in León and surrounding counties who show a commitment to making a difference through areas such as advocacy, education, health and wellness. , athletics and social services.
Past tracks include “Black Heath and Wellness” in 2022 and “The Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity” in 2021.
Honorees of the previous annual calendar:TCC Announces Cherry Hall Alexander Black History Calendar Honorees
More:TCC Presents 2021 Cherry Hall Alexander Black History Calendar Honorees
The initiative was renamed in honor of its founder, Cherry Hall Alexander, a former director of TCC Library Services who spearheaded the university’s Black History Month activities following her retirement from the university in 2009.
Since the beginning of the annual calendar in 2001, a community leader has been honored for each month of the year, along with a President’s Award honoree and outstanding students.
The calendars are free and will be available at TCC’s Hinson Administration Building Tuesday beginning at noon. Almanacs can also be picked up in bulk by contacting the Black History Calendar Committee at AAHMC@tcc.fl.edu.
Other TCC news:TCC President Signs Statement Rejecting Critical Race Theory and Related Diversity Programs
This year’s honorees are:
Althemese Pemberton Barnes (President’s Award): Barnes is the founder and former CEO of the John G. Riley Center and Museum, which is the first community-based African-American museum in Tallahassee. He also founded the Florida African American Heritage Preservation Network.
Pastor Lucius K. Wade, Sr. (February): Wade, senior pastor of the Apostolic Outreach Ministry of God’s House of Refuge at Monticello, has served in the ministry for more than 30 years. He also previously served as assistant pastor of the city’s Holy Revival Center.
Lashawn Gordon (March): Gordon serves as the director of strategic initiatives for United Partners for Human Services, where she supports more than 200 nonprofit human service organizations.
Keshia M. Jenkins (April): Jenkins is the community engagement manager for The Children’s Movement of Florida, and is also the chapter president of the Florida Children’s Mental Health Association Capital Area Chapter.
Dr. Inika P. Williams (May): Williams, the former state director of the College Reach-Out Program, is the associate director for policy at the national nonprofit think tank Attendance Works.
Pastor Deshone D. Hedrington (June): Hedrington is Assistant Director of Attendance at Leon High and serves as Executive Pastor for The Father’s House Unlimited Ministries, Inc. She also founded the non-profit organization About My Father’s business, which helps underprivileged families and the homeless.
Dr. Andrea Oliver (July): Oliver, a member of the TCC History faculty, is the author of history books used in middle school classrooms across the country.
Dr. Bruce W. Strouble (August): A professional sustainability advocate and anti-racism educator, Strouble is the Senior Manager of Equitable Climate Resilience Projects at GroundWork USA.
Charles E. “Chuck” Hobbs, II (September): Pulitzer-nominated lawyer and journalist, Hobbs has published columns and editorials in such publications as Capital Outlook, Tallahassee Democrat, New York Times, and Florida Times-Union.
Dr. Bryan K. Hooper, Jr. (October): Hooper, TCC’s Dean of Social Sciences, serves as an advisor to Black Male Achievers, which is a program that provides academic and personal support to minority men. He also played a major role in reestablishing the university’s Black Student Union.
McKinney-Williams Opal (November): McKinney-Williams, a senior attorney with Pittman Law Group, is also a Florida Bar Certified Specialist in Education Law and a member of the Florida School Board Bar Association.
Mary Bush Smith (December): Smith, a retired Florida Department of Revenue worker, spends her time spreading the gospel through her love of music every Sunday morning during the Mary Bush Smith Gospel Hour on radio station 93.3 WVFT- FM.
Sharon Ofuani (January 2024): Ofuani, the retired director of Equity and Workforce Development for the city of Tallahassee, is the executive director of Big Bend Crime Stoppers.
Frank Brown (honored student): A US Army veteran and TCC graduate pursuing a bachelor’s degree in journalism at Florida A&M University, Brown previously worked at the Richard W. and Karen B. Moore Veterans Success Center on the campus of CBT.
Katreva Yvette Cox (student honoree): A first-generation college student in TCC’s Honors Program, Cox spent 19 years working at a financial institution before attending TCC, where she is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business finance.
Contact Tarah Jean at tjean@tallahassee.com or follow her on twitter @tarahjean_.
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