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I N F O R M S
Volume 9 – Number 26 MARCH / APRIL 2017
JUSTICE FOR ALL First Female African-American States Attorney, Aramis Ayala
WOMEN’S WRITES Remarkable women share their trials, tribulations, and triumphs
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WOMEN ON THE MOVE HONOREES Celebrating women who are making a difference
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DR. MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE: THE LEGENDARY WOMAN
FROM THE PUBLISHER PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Richard E. ‘Rich’ Black MANAGING EDITOR Patricia Etayo
RICHARD E. “RICH” BLACK
MARCH/APRIL 2017 In celebration of Women’s History Month, we dedicate this issue to some of the most impactful and influential women in Florida. ONYX celebrates women trailblazers who commit themselves to making a difference in the communities where we live, work and play. The inspiration for this issue was born nearly three years ago. My sibling and I were singing the praises of my late father, Reginald Alexander Maycox Black, Sr. We spoke of the awesome things he accomplished with a high school education and determination. (For the record, my father and mother were the first Blacks to own a restaurant in downtown Orlando). As we spoke, I noticed my mother had distanced herself from the conversation. Then, in a very calm voice, my mother looked up from her plate and said “Your father was a king because I was queen and a king maker. Nothing your father accomplished was done without my support and my willingness to support his dreams…our dreams.” There was complete silence in the room as my mother began eating again, then lifted her head and smiled. “Make sure you add that to the story, she said. We had not included our mother in our father’s success. My dad always said my mother was his rock. I thought ‘how inconsiderate we were to sing our father’s praises without including our mom in any of the verses.’ Never again would I be so chauvinistic to believe a woman’s contributions are not as meaningful as that of her counterpart. And so, we salute women who set positive examples for their families and who also are driving forces in their communities and professions. You are phenomenal “Women on the Move” who remain committed to making it happen every day…women just like my mom. Love you, Mom!
ASSOCIATE EDITORS Dr. Phyllis Davis Dr. Laura Dorsey Gail Andrews Sharon Fletcher Jones Kenya Woodard DESIGN DIRECTOR Jason Jones BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Matt deJager EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Marianne Eggelston
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dr. Laura Dorsey Janice Jennings Sharon Fletcher Jones
Zelda Jones Steven King Roniece Weaver
CIRCULATION DIRECTORS Eugene Leach and Alice Leach CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Nancy Brown Billy Jones John Reed ONYX ADVISORY COMMITTEE Michelle Tatom, Chair Johnny Rivers, Immediate Past Chair Bob Berryhill Dr. Lavon Bracy Byron Brooks Hon. Mable Butler Dr. Cynthia Chestnut James Clark John Crossman Tony Hill Alama Horne Rodney Hurst
Ann Jenkins Larry Lee, Jr. Zita Steglich-Ross Nancy Schwalb Margaret J. Thompson Gail Dewitt Thomas Hon. Alan Williams Carla Williams Dr. Samuel Wright Lady Dhyana Ziegler
FOUNDERS
Enjoy,
Rich
Lester and Lillian Seay ONYX is published by RBlack and Associates, LLC, Address: P.O. Box 555672, Orlando, Florida 32855-5872 Phone (407) 4512891, or (407) 298-0544. Subscription rate is $19.95 for six issues. For subscriptions and notification of address change, contact ONYX Magazine at the above address or e-mail us at info@onyxmagazine.com. Letters to the editor are encouraged. Copyright 2015 by ONYX Magazine. All rights reserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the writer or interviewee and not necessarily those of the publisher. Manuscripts, photos and art should be submitted with a self-addressed stamped envelope. The publisher does not assume responsibility for any materials not submitted in manner advised. Unsolicited materials are not subject to payment from ONYX Magazine.
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WOMEN ON THE MOVE EDUCATION
Lady Dr. Dhyana Ziegler, DCJ, Ph.D. Lady Dhyana Ziegler, DCJ, Ph.D. is the Garth C. Reeves Eminent Scholar Chair in the School of Journalism and Graphic Communication at Florida A&M University. She also has a list of impressive administrative positions at FAMU, such as, Assistant Vice President of Instructional Tech-
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nology/Academic Affairs, Acting Vice President of Research, and Director of the Office of International Education and Development. Prior to joining FAMU, she spent fourteen years at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville (UTK) where she is a Charter Inductee in the African American Hall of
EDUCATION WOMEN ON THE MOVE
Fame for being the only African American in the history of the institution to be elected President of the Faculty Senate. Dr. Ziegler is an expert and innovator in digital education, media and instructional technology. She has been from its establishment, one of the guiding architects in the growth and development of the Florida Virtual School where she currently serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees. She is a world scholar, dynamic leader, trailblazer, transformer and power broker. In 2007, Dr. Ziegler was invited to attend a knighting ceremony at Warrick Castle in England by the Sovereign Order of the Knights of Justice. “I was just excited that I was going to dine in a castle,” says Ziegler. That year she was honored for her work in education. The next year on April 12, 2008, she was knighted in Cambridge, England as a Dame of Justice. When asked about the pathway to knighthood, she simply replies, “they choose you. You don’t choose them.” Dr. Ziegler has a B.S. (Cum Laude) in Journalism and Music, an M.S. in Radio and Television, a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration, and a Post-Doctoral Certificate in Management and Leadership in Higher Education from Harvard University. Recognized for her wisdom, character and ability to motivate and guide others, she is a visionary who inspires other to dream big! Most important, she is guided by her faith and the guiding principle “to whom much is given, much is required.” Dr. Ziegler’s leadership, honors and awards are numerous and very diverse. The Girls Scouts of the Florida Panhandle honored her among the Women of Distinction in Education in 2012 and the Oasis Center for Women
and Girls honored her as a Trailblazer in 2014. She is a Fulbright-Hays Scholar, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Phi Delta Kappa, Kappa Tau Alpha, and Delta Kappa Gamma. She is a seven-time Governor’s Appointee: five-time appointee to the Florida Virtual School and a two-time appointee to the Florida Commission on the Status of Women and was recently elected Vice Chair. She also serves on the Board of Florida Tax Watch and the Advisory Committee for ONYX Magazine. When asked, what set her apart from others, her students and colleagues said that she is extraordinary at all she does.
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NON PROFIT WOMEN ON THE MOVE
Lee Bryan My vision is to build a dedicated Sickle Cell Disease Center that concentrates on whole-person care, which is a patient-centered approach, and all, at no cost to the patients. Here are the statistics: Sickle cell disease is the most common genetic disorder in the U.S., 100,000 Americans are thought to be living with sickle cell disease. 1,000 babies are born with the disease. People are born with sickle cell disease; it does not develop in adulthood; it is not contagious. Sickle cell disease is chronic but treatable. Sickle cell disease affects people of many different races. Patients with sickle cell disease require comprehensive care. No one knows these statistics better than Mrs. Lee Bryan does. She is the president of Tri-County Sickle Cell Disease Association, which serves Osceola, Orange, and Seminole Counties of Central Florida by promoting awareness of sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait. The organization participates in a variety of activities designed to lend economic, psychological, social, and emotional assistance to individuals and/or families affected by sickle cell. Mrs. Bryan is the past state president of Sickle Cell Association of Florida that oversees thirteen chapters in the state of Florida.
She also operates Mrs. B’s Closet, which is a consignment shop located in the Village Square in Orlando. The mission of the shop is to help fund assistance to Sickle Cell clients. Money raised from the sale of the items in the store is 100% donated to Tri County Sickle Cell. Lee Bryan is a very dynamic community activist logging thousands of hours of hours in public service. She is Vice President of the National Hook-Up of Black Women, an organization focused on helping women improve their health. For the past fifty years, she has been a loyal and productive member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. At Bethune Cookman University, Mrs. Bryan is the honorary assistant football coach and has been appointed as trustee emeritus. She has also received the Dr. Richard V. Moore Legacy Award and the Mary McLeod Bethune Legacy Award. As a member of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, she sings in the Mass Choir and teaches Bible Study.
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