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Comcast Celebrates Community

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Celebrating the African American Community with Respect, Empowerment, and Joy

What does fostering diversity and inclusion at a Fortune 50 company look like? It looks like products and services that reflect the needs and interests of the population the company serves and an employee base that is passionate about the communities they belong to.

That is the approach Comcast took during February, as the company hosted a series of events throughout Oakland to celebrate Black History Month. It  started with the launch of a specially curated collection of content on Comcast’s X1 video platform called, “For the Culture: The New Renaissance” – which includes more than 1,000 hours of TV, film and other programs  specifically focused on African-American culture.   

“For the Culture: The New Renaissance” is an on-demand collection that highlights the most iconic African-American voices and moments in entertainment, and features stories from the past that enable viewers to immerse themselves in powerfully and uniquely Black stories.

“Growing up, I remember how important my parents and TV were in helping to educate me about Black History – to hear those stories, glean pride in those stories, and find inspiration in those stories. It is exciting to help create moments of learning and growth for our consumers,” said Keesha Boyd, Executive Director of Multicultural Products for Comcast.

At a local level, Comcast, which employs nearly 5,000 people in Northern California, partnered with various organizations across the Bay Area to celebrate Black History Month with respect, empowerment and joy.

Hope & Fury: The Movement and the Media Documentary Screening at Merritt College

On the last day of Black History Month, February 28, Comcast NBCUniversal partnered with Merritt College, the home of the Black Panthers, to host the screening of the documentary “Hope & Fury: MLK, The Movement and The Media,” followed by a panel discussion with Bay Area civil rights leaders.

“Hope & Fury,” available  for free on demand for all Xfinity customers until July 2019, is a documentary film that examines how Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and leaders of the Civil Rights Movement used the power of print and visual media, especially television, to awaken America to the shame and injustice of racial inequality. The film offers a fresh look at the historic Civil Rights Movement and combines first-hand personal recollections with rare, archival footage and photographs – some of which will be broadcast on network television for the first time.

The Oakland Youth Choir performing at the Hope & Fury reception.

After the screening, panelists Belva Davis, the first African-American female TV Journalist; Dr. Amos Brown, San Francisco NAACP President  and Third Baptist Church Pastor and Jabari Gray, executive director at YR Media held a discussion moderated by NBC Bay Area Anchor Marcus Washington, in front of an audience of more than 100 students, faculty, community leaders, elected officials and Comcast employees.

When asked about the comparison that the documentary makes between the movement and the media 50 years ago with contemporary events, Gray said that “young people still have the power to make change happen. I can’t underscore enough how important it is to listen to the young people around us…At YR we are about teaching young people the proper media skills to own their own narrative and how to affect change and policy through communication.”

Black Women’s Brunch & Black Joy Parade

Photo Credit: Marcus Savage/Courtesy of Black Joy Parade.

The weekend prior to the Hope & Fury screening, Comcast NBCUniversal, in partnership with TV One Network, sponsored the 2nd annual Black Women’s Brunch, presented by Black Joy Parade.

The sold-out event attended by 75 women from near and far, took place at Kincaid’s Restaurant in Oakland, on Saturday, February 23rd. The brunch provided a guided conversation that explored themes of representation and the narratives surrounding black bodies in the media, as well as defining, creating and finding more black joy in everyday life.

While enjoying a delicious meal and sipping on craft cocktails, the group of women held a meaningful and inspiring conversation centered on identity, self-love, and reclaiming and owning one’s joy. The discussion was led by Mimo Haile of Coco Coalition, an Oakland-based collective that is dedicated to curating holistic, safe, and empowering opportunities for women of the African Diaspora to connect, grow and thrive. Some of the questions discussed during the event were: “who are the most common black role models depicted in the media?” and “what does black joy mean to you?” among many others.   

Photo Credit: Marcus Savage/Courtesy of Black Joy Parade.

“All good relationships are built on mutual respect, understanding and support, including the relationship companies have with their customers. Black Joy Parade and our brunch is something our community not only wants simply because it’s fun, but needs as a part of our healing and growth,” said Elisha Greenwell, Black Joy Parade Founder.  “Companies that invest in Black Joy Parade are declaring their respect for the Black community, a desire to truly understand our needs and a commitment to building a meaningful and lasting relationship with us beyond the products and services they provide.”

“The brunch was fantastic.  There was great energy, and authentic discussion.  The afternoon was a time to make connections, inspire one another and provide motivation,” said LaTanya Butler, VP of Marketing & Partnerships for TV One.  “TV One has a dedicated female audience and the brunch presented a perfect opportunity for us to give back to and engage with this community.” The following day, dozens of Comcast’s employees and their families led by Comcast’s Black Employee Network (BEN), in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Oakland, led a procession alongside the Comcast float in the 2nd annual Black Joy Parade. This year’s theme for the parade was “Crowning Your Joy.”  With this in mind, the Comcast Black Employee Network chose and crowned music, as the central concept of the float, and thus, the tagline “Black Joy in Music” was born.

Comcast’s presence in the parade was characterized by a music-themed float, featuring a live DJ playing beloved hits. The procession marched through the streets of Oakland, inspiring spontaneous dance-offs, sing-alongs, jubilant shout-outs from the sidelines, unplanned yet coordinated choreographic dances, countless smiles and positive energy all around.

“I loved participating in the parade because it showcased how Comcast recognizes and invests in the diversity of its workforce and appreciates, promotes and encourages the open expression of self-awareness, self-promotion and engagement with the company’s most important stakeholders, its employees and its customers,” said Mitzi Givens-Russel, Manager of Franchise Operations for Comcast California.

Employees leading the company’s diversity efforts

The Black Employee Network (BEN) at Comcast was at the forefront of the Black History Month celebrations. The organization was established in 2017 with the purpose of strengthening the African American communities in neighborhoods where Comcast employees live and work.

Not only do Comcast employees benefit from and gain inspiration and encouragement by participating in events with the community, they gain valuable career development opportunities as well.

“I learned a lot throughout the process of planning and executing Comcast’s participation in the Black Joy parade. Being able to collaborate with my colleagues and external organizations was a great career learning opportunity. These types of community outreach efforts are priceless because they bridge directly to what I love to do in my personal time. Having that intersection between my professional and personal life is the very definition of work-life balance,” said Asha Falconer, Tech-Ops Supervisor in San Francisco.

To learn more about Comcast’s diversity and inclusion initiatives, please visit https://corporate.comcast.com/values/diversity-inclusion. To learn more about Comcast’s diverse and inclusive workforce and explore career opportunities visit www.jobs.comcast.com

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Arts and Culture

Oakland Jazz Great Offers Master Class as City Declares “John Handy Day”

World-renowned jazz master saxophonist John Handy, a McClymond’s High School graduate, was presented with a Mayor of Oakland Proclamation declaring Feb. 12, as John Handy Day in the city. Handy is most notably known as the featured saxophonist for Charles Mingus on “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat” from the album “Mingus Ah Um” (1959) and on “Hard Work” from his own album “Hard Work” (1976).

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(L-R) Del Handy, John Handy, Roger Glenn, and Joe Warner celebrate John Handy Day at Geoffrey’s Inner Circle, Oakland. Photo by Lady Bianca.
(L-R) Del Handy, John Handy, Roger Glenn, and Joe Warner celebrate John Handy Day at Geoffrey’s Inner Circle, Oakland. Photo by Lady Bianca.

By Conway Jones

World-renowned jazz master saxophonist John Handy, a McClymond’s High School graduate, was presented with a Mayor of Oakland Proclamation declaring Feb. 12, as John Handy Day in the city.

Handy is most notably known as the featured saxophonist for Charles Mingus on “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat” from the album “Mingus Ah Um” (1959) and on “Hard Work” from his own album “Hard Work” (1976).

“John Handy is a jazz icon and an inspiration to musicians everywhere,” said Ayo Brame, a 16-year-old Oakland tenor saxophone player who is enrolled at the Oakland School for the Arts.

In celebration of this day, the reception in downtown Oakland at Geoffrey’s Inner Circle was a gathering of artists, young and old, coming together in his honor and celebrating his 91st birthday.

Handy presented a Saxophone Colossus free masterclass for musicians. This class afforded a rare opportunity to learn about the saxophone from an aficionado. The class was free and open to all – saxophonists, vocalists, aficionados, students, and casual listeners.

“As a longtime friend for over 60 years, and fellow musician who has had numerous opportunities to share the stage with John, it has always been a pleasure performing with him and hearing his creative interpretations of the music and his gift of ease inspiring the next generation of jazz musicians,” said Roger Glenn, a multi-instrumentalist.

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Arts and Culture

Musical Chronicling Life of Betty Reid Soskin Set for Bay Area Debut

Betty Reid Soskin’s storied 102 years includes time spent as a WWII defense worker, activist, business owner, songwriter, National Park Service park ranger and so much more. Now the Richmond icon is the subject of a musical based on her incredible life.

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Betty Reid Soskin. Photo courtesy of Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond.
Betty Reid Soskin. Photo courtesy of Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond.

The Richmond Standard

Betty Reid Soskin’s storied 102 years includes time spent as a WWII defense worker, activist, business owner, songwriter, National Park Service park ranger and so much more. Now the Richmond icon is the subject of a musical based on her incredible life.

Sign My Name to Freedom,” a San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Company (SFBATCO) production which will focus on the life, music and writing of Ms. Soskin, will premiere at San Francisco’s Z Space Friday, March 29 and continue through Saturday, April 13. Tickets range from $15–$65 and can be purchased online at https://www.sfbatco.org/smntf

The musical is directed by Elizabeth Carter, while playwright Michael Gene Sullivan integrates Ms. Soskin’s own music throughout dialogue between what SFBATCO calls “The Four Bettys” as they progress through a century of experiences of this awe-inspiring American woman.

The cast of “Sign My Name to Freedom” features Tierra Allen as Little Betty, Aidaa Peerzada as Married Betty, Lucca Troutman as Revolutionary Betty and Cathleen Riddley as Present Betty Reid Soskin, according to Artistic Director Rodney Earl Jackson Jr. and Managing Director Adam Maggio. Other casting will be announced in the future.

Jackson said that having Soskin’s blessing to steward her life’s story is an honor and career highlight for him and that her journey stands as “a beacon for Black Americans, women and people of color all across the world [and] is a testament to the strength of the human spirit.”

San Francisco’s Z Space is located at 450 Florida St. in San Francisco. Check out the trailer here at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-ap9N2XBB0

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Arts and Culture

Gov. Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom Host 2024 Hall of Fame Ceremony

Former Assembly Speaker and San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown and three other African Americans were among 10 luminaries inducted into the 2024 Class of the California Hall of Fame on Feb. 8. The 17th Annual California Hall of Fame ceremony was held at the California Museum.

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Willie Brown, Former California Assembly Speaker and San Francisco Mayor, was proud to be among the Hall of Fame inductees. CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey.
Willie Brown, Former California Assembly Speaker and San Francisco Mayor, was proud to be among the Hall of Fame inductees. CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey.

By California Black Media

Former Assembly Speaker and San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown and three other African Americans were among 10 luminaries inducted into the 2024 Class of the California Hall of Fame on Feb. 8.

The 17th Annual California Hall of Fame ceremony was held at the California Museum.

“The California Hall of Fame is one of our families’ favorite traditions as it is a time to come together to celebrate remarkable Californians as well as their loved ones because we know that it is about partnerships,” Siebel Newsom said. “The governor likes to say that California is a dream factory because it doesn’t matter what zip code or background you come from, the California dream is alive and well to everyone who calls this state home.”

The other Black honorees were filmmaker Ava DuVernay; Federal Judge and civil rights leader, the Hon. Thelton Henderson; and basketball Hall of Fame player and broadcaster Cheryl Miller.

“It’s what I’ve been waiting for and to be among a great group of individuals that also deserve the honor,” Brown told California Black Media on the event’s red carpet before the ceremony began. “No, I never thought someone from Texas would be recognized this way. But here I am, and it all happened in the great state of California. It’s a fantastic feeling.”

Other 2024 inductees are: master chef and “mother of fusion cuisine” Helene An; computer scientist and “father of the internet” Vincent A. Cerf; all-female pop punk band The Go-Gos; Chicano Rock band Los Lobos; former U.S. Secretary of Defense and Congressman Leon E. Panetta; and artistic director and choreographer Brenda Way.

This year’s honorees join a history-making club with over 150 inspirational Californians previously inducted for their groundbreaking achievements and personifying the state’s innovative spirit.

“It’s just a humbling experience. I want to thank the Governor and First Partner. Who would have thought 100 years ago (that I would be inducted?) It’s incredible,” Miller said after her induction. “I want to thank the governor and First Partner for an incredible event.”

During his acceptance speech, Henderson said he was deeply honored.

“You know, it really would have been a really big deal to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in the area where I grew up, for example, South Central Hall of Fame, or the Watts Hall of Fame, or the Straight Out of Compton Hall of Fame,” he said. “But being inducted into the California Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame of the greatest state in the country in this great nation is something else.”

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