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Beverly Robertson chooses ‘now’ to move on from Greater Memphis Chamber

NEW TRI-STATE DEFENDER — “This was both a mission and a job for me because I wanted to make sure different voices were heard and different people were brought to the table,” said Beverly Robertson, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Memphis Chamber. “Now because I have done those things and seeded that foundation. I have done what I came to do. I know when to say when.”
The post Beverly Robertson chooses ‘now’ to move on from Greater Memphis Chamber first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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4 years ago

July 5, 2022

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By Erica R. Williams | New Tri-State Defender

Beverly Robertson, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Memphis Chamber, knows “when it’s time to say when.”

And for the first Black female president of the 184-year-old organization, that time is now.

Robertson recently announced she would be stepping down from her role as head of the chamber in December to focus on TRUST Marketing, the communications firm she founded with her husband, Howard Robertson.

“I knew that this wouldn’t be a National Civil Rights Museum tenure,” said Robertson, who previously served as the president of the National Civil Rights Museum for 17 years. “But I wanted to get in and get some dynamic and transformative things done at the chamber and put a lot of things in place. I believe that those things are now in place.”

Robertson took the helm in 2018 after the chamber’s then-president and CEO Phil Trenary was shot and killed Downtown.

Born and bred in Orange Mound, Beverly Robertson considers her upbringing one that was “spiritually rooted,” crediting her family for laying a solid foundation. (Photo: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises/The New Tri-State Defender)

“I’d never thought that this would be an opportunity for me because historically, no Black woman had ever held the position,” she said.

In four years, Robertson has proven she is the woman for the job — her leadership withstanding uncertain times amid the COVID-19 pandemic, national social unrest, and political division.

“This was both a mission and a job for me because I wanted to make sure different voices were heard and different people were brought to the table,” she said. “Now because I have done those things and seeded that foundation. I have done what I came to do. I know when to say when.”

Her list of chamber accomplishments includes stabilizing the chamber’s finances despite the pandemic, weaving ‘prosperity for all’ into its DNA, and leading the creation of the Small Business Resiliency Playbook to help local businesses navigate crises like COVID-19.

In 2021, the Greater Memphis Chamber celebrated the best year in its history for economic development and the best fiscal year ever due to Robertson’s extensive fundraising efforts.

While these are significant accomplishments, Robertson said her proudest moments include the launch of ‘From Protest to Progress’ to bring together businesses, activists, and clergy to solve issues impacting Memphis.

It’s a city that is dear to Robertson, who was born and bred in Orange Mound. She considers her upbringing one that was “spiritually rooted,” crediting her family for laying a solid foundation.

She also acknowledged the educators in her life who were instrumental in her success — their impact extending beyond academics.

“Education was our way up and out,” Robertson said. “I had parents who anchored me before I got to school, but I had loving educators who instilled those values in me as well.”

Robertson graduated from Melrose High School and then attended the Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis).

After graduating, she began a career in education before moving to Holiday Inn Worldwide, where she worked for 19 years, eventually becoming acting vice president of marketing communications.

“You know, my father used to always tell me that there is nothing that I couldn’t do,” Robertson recalled. “As a result, I’ve always had high expectations for myself and what I could do.”

Beverly Robertson is moving on from the Greater Memphis Chamber, where she has served as president and chief executive officer since 2018. (Photo: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises/The New Tri-State Defender)

The evidence of this belief has been shown in her list of achievements, and the respect garnered along the way.

Ted Townsend, the chamber’s chief economic development officer, who will succeed Robertson after steps down, acknowledged her impact.

“Greater Memphis, the Chamber, and I all owe Beverly a debt of gratitude for the work she has done to put inclusion and diversity at the heart of the chamber’s work,” Townsend said. “Memphis has momentum and it’s about to get even better.”

Robertson, who expressed her confidence in Townsend to lead the organization, agreed that excitement surrounding Memphis is growing, bringing in more people and businesses to propel economic growth.

“You can see the energy in Memphis if you just look at who’s coming and where they are coming from,” Robertson said. “This shows you the capacity, excitement, and enthusiasm of people looking at Memphis and seeing it as an option. The growth of Memphis is here.”

Robertson, who considers it her duty to pour in younger generations of professionals, said it’s time to let them thrive.

“All too often we don’t know when to say when and allow the next generation to get on board and get engaged,” she said. “We have to prepare them.”

The Greater Memphis Chamber launched a data-centric center to aid in career preparation. The center also will seek to make the region more competitive for transformational projects, like Ford’s Blue Oval City, which anticipates bringing more than 6,000 jobs to the West Tennessee area.

The electrical vehicle manufacturing plant will be in Haywood County, about 45 miles east of Downtown.

To fund economic development work that includes career prep, Robertson plans to spend her remaining time at the chamber raising $10 million to $15 million to dedicate to the efforts.

As she leaves behind a legacy of impactful work, the next chapter for the wife and mother of three still will include contributing to the city’s growth, but this time with more flexibility to her schedule and through Trust Marketing, alongside her husband.

Robertson said seeing the city thrive will always be a priority, even if she’s working in a different capacity.

Asked about her love for the city she calls home, Robertson credits its residents.

“The beauty of Memphis is its people. Memphis has the best people in the world, who expect you to do great things. And when that expectation is there, you can’t help but to live up to it.”

With decades of work through the National Civil Rights Museum and most recently at the Chamber, many who have worked with Robertson or noted her list of contributions would agree that she has done more than live up to the expectations. She has exceeded them.

This article originally appeared in the New Tri-State Defender.

The post Beverly Robertson chooses ‘now’ to move on from Greater Memphis Chamber first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Jovita Moore Mural Still Has Not Been Repainted in Grant Park

ATLANTA VOICE — A mural depicting late journalist Jovita Moore, painted on the exterior wall of a building now occupied by Bellwood Coffee in Grant Park, was painted over in April. Moore passed away in 2021 after decades of working in Atlanta television news. Bellwood Coffee owners stated in May they were unaware of Moore’s identity or significance to the community before painting over the mural.
The post Jovita Moore Mural Still Has Not Been Repainted in Grant Park appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

July 8, 2026

Oakland Post

At the corner of Boulevard, SE. and Rosalia St., SE., directly across the street from an abandoned home and a Methodist Church, is Bellwood Coffee. One of hundreds of coffee shops in Atlanta, this place of business would not be worth a solitary discussion if not for the way its exterior walls are currently painted. There was once a mural depicting the late Jovita Moore, a beloved journalist who worked in Atlanta for decades. Moore, who passed away in 2021, mentored many of the people you see on television newscasts today. Though her legacy will never be forgotten, it was the mural of her image that was erased.

In April, members of the Grant Park community voiced their disgust at the mural, which graced a side wall of the building now occupied by Bellwood Coffee’s Grant Park location, before it was painted over. In its place are the words “Bellwood Coffee; Cocktails, Biscuits, Dry Goods, Air Conditioning. *Heat Too”. In May, the business owners responded to the community pushback on social media by acknowledging they did not know who Moore was before painting over her image. And later admitted that they did not attempt to find out what she meant to the community.

On May 21, the Bellwood Coffee Instagram account had a post about being “in close contact with Jovita’s family and are actively working on next steps in this process.” Two months later, the mural has not been replaced, repainted, or repositioned on the property. Nothing has been done. Black history is often erased, most recently by the current Presidential administration, but oftentimes on a smaller, quieter scale. The mural was originally painted by muralist Tommy Bronx, who had been in contact with the business owners about repainting it. As of July 6, Tommy Bronx had responded to a direct message via his Instagram account from The Atlanta Voice about any updates on his plans to repaint the mural.

“We’re currently working on it. You should see some movement in the weeks to come,” he wrote in a response.

On Monday, July 6, the business had several patrons inside and was running smoothly with three employees manning the counter. The Atlanta Voice dropped by Bellwood Coffee to get a look at the exterior wall where the mural once stood as a memorial to a journalist and mother who lost her life to brain cancer at the young age of 54. Moore’s image added some color to the block. The grey wall in its place does not.

A direct message was sent to the Bellwood Coffee Instagram account, and there hasn’t been a response as of 7 p.m. on Monday.

The post Jovita Moore Mural Still Has Not Been Repainted in Grant Park appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.

Based on reporting by Atlanta Voice.

The post Jovita Moore Mural Still Has Not Been Repainted in Grant Park appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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‘Proud to Hang Her from a Tree’: Man Arrested for Threatening Black Senator

ATLANTA DAILY WORLD — A New York man faces felony hate crime charges for allegedly posting a threat against New York State Senator Lea Webb. James A. Crosby, 49, of Binghamton, was arrested by New York State Police after investigators determined he posted a threatening comment on a social media news post about a Juneteenth celebration.
The post ‘Proud to Hang Her from a Tree’: Man Arrested for Threatening Black Senator appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

July 8, 2026

Oakland Post

A New York man is facing felony hate crime charges after allegedly posting that he’d be “proud to hang” New York State Senator Lea Webb from a tree in response to a news story about a Juneteenth celebration.

James A. Crosby, 49, of Binghamton, was arrested June 23 by New York State Police after investigators determined he posted a threatening comment on a WBNG 12 News Facebook post. “I’d be proud to hang her from a tree,” Crosby wrote, according to WBNG.

Crosby was charged with making a terroristic threat as a hate crime, a class C felony, per the New York State Police. He is currently being held at Broome County Jail.

During the subsequent investigation, state police found Crosby was in illegal possession of firearms despite being prohibited from owning them due to a prior felony conviction. Investigators recovered a rifle, a large-capacity ammunition feeding device, and a firearm suppressor — all prohibited under New York state law, per the NYSP.

Crosby was charged with four additional counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, all class D felonies.

Webb, who represents New York’s 52nd Senate District, had been a featured speaker at a Juneteenth flag-raising ceremony at Binghamton City Hall, where the celebration included prayers and the singing of the Black national anthem.

Police said Crosby’s comment was posted in response to a WBNG news story covering the event.

The day before his arrest, Crosby posted a Facebook apology claiming the comment “was not intended to be racial in any way” and was made in reference to what he described as a “criminal,” citing criticism of Webb over her use of nonprofit legal aid in a foreclosure case — a matter state watchdogs said created an appearance of a conflict of interest, per the Ithaca Voice. He was arrested the following day.

Webb issued a public statement June 25 condemning the threat.

“It was extremely disappointing and hurtful to see the now-deleted threat and attacks on my life in response to a story about Juneteenth, a national holiday that recognizes the ending of slavery in America,” she said. “Feedback and thoughts on policy are one thing, but to make a public call for lethal violence is absolutely unacceptable and dangerous. We must recognize our shared humanity and reject violence in all forms.”

She thanked Gov. Kathy Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and law enforcement for their “swift response.”

Following Crosby’s comments, social media users called for a boycott of his contracting business, Crosby Home Improvements.

The Binghamton City Democratic Committee also called for an investigation into the incident before his arrest.

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The post ‘Proud to hang her from a tree’: Man arrested for threatening Black Senator appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

Based on reporting by Atlanta Daily World.

The post ‘Proud to Hang Her from a Tree’: Man Arrested for Threatening Black Senator appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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CARICOM: Strengthen Integration for Future Generations

NEW YORK CARIB NEWS — Outgoing CARICOM Chairman Terrance Drew called on regional leaders to build a stronger and more effective Caribbean Community that benefits future generations. Speaking at the 51st Regular Meeting, Drew urged modernization of governance structures and improved implementation of Community decisions to make CARICOM safer and more prosperous.
The post CARICOM: Strengthen Integration for Future Generations appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

July 8, 2026

Oakland Post

Speaking Sunday at the opening of the 51st Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government in Saint Lucia, Dr. Terrance Drew said the region must modernize its governance structures, improve the implementation of Community decisions, and ensure CARICOM becomes safer, more prosperous, and more relevant to the lives of its citizens.

The meeting, being held under the theme “CARICOM: From Resilience to Renewal in a Changing World,” coincides with the Community’s 53rd anniversary. During the ceremony, Dr. Drew formally handed over the rotating CARICOM chairmanship to Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister, Philip J. Pierre.

Reflecting on his six-month tenure as chairman, Drew praised fellow regional leaders for maintaining their commitment to democracy, good governance, unity, and the rule of law despite mounting global economic and geopolitical challenges.

“Throughout these challenges, CARICOM chose engagement over isolation. Together, we reaffirmed our commitment to a fair and rules-based international trading system and ensured that the interests of small developing states continued to be heard.”
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He highlighted progress made in strengthening the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, including deeper trade cooperation, expanded labour mobility, and efforts to lay the foundation for long-term economic growth. Drew also noted the Community’s growing partnerships beyond the Caribbean, particularly with the African Union, while stressing that every international partnership should advance the interests of all parties involved.

The outgoing chairman also expressed appreciation to Dr. Carla Barnett and the CARICOM Secretariat for their professionalism and unwavering support during his tenure.

“Whenever I called, you answered. Whenever support was required, you and your team responded with diligence, competence, and excellence.”

Dr. Drew urged the Secretariat to continue preserving its impartiality while faithfully implementing decisions made by Heads of Government, saying that balance has helped strengthen the regional integration movement.

The conference continues in Saint Lucia with regional leaders expected to deliberate on key issues including regional security, climate resilience, trade, economic integration, food security, Haiti, reparations, and strengthening the CSME.

Based on reporting by New York Carib News.

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