#NNPA BlackPress
New A.G. Gaston Boys and Girls Clubhouse Nears Completion
BIRMINGHAM TIMES — For more than 50 years, the A.G. Gaston Boys & Girls Club has been serving youths from Bessemer and Birmingham’s west side. But now may be the most exciting time in the club’s history. Two years ago, the club launched its “Building Their Future” capital campaign to develop a new facility, adjacent to the Birmingham CrossPlex. In just a few months, club leaders will open the doors at the new Walter Howlett Jr. Clubhouse.
By Michael Sznajderman
For more than 50 years, the A.G. Gaston Boys & Girls Club has been serving youths from Bessemer and Birmingham’s west side. But now may be the most exciting time in the club’s history.
Two years ago, the club launched its “Building Their Future” capital campaign to develop a new facility, adjacent to the Birmingham CrossPlex. In just a few months, club leaders will open the doors at the new Walter Howlett Jr. Clubhouse.
The new, bigger facility, which is nearing completion, will replace the club’s aging and overcrowded Kirkwood R. Balton Clubhouse, with enough space to accommodate up to 450 children and youths – nearly twice the capacity of the old clubhouse. The A.G. Gaston Boys & Girls Club serves more than 1,000 children and teens annually at three clubhouses and provides after-school transportation from 19 schools in the Birmingham school system.
The new clubhouse is named after Howlett, the former president and CEO of A.G. Gaston Enterprises and the club’s longtime former board chairman. A well-known businessman and civic leader, Howlett died in 2017 at age 68.
“Walter Howlett Jr. was a visionary,” said Frank Adams, the club’s CEO. “He was a tireless advocate for our club’s mission, which included positively impacting young people who needed us most, regardless of their circumstances.
“Walter never forgot the power a child has to change our world, and this new clubhouse was built with his legacy of community service in mind,” Adams added.
The new, 25,000-square-foot clubhouse will offer several features not available at the old facility, including a dedicated teen center, a café with a connected teaching kitchen and a permanent performance space. A multi-sport gym, game room, music and theater room, art room and administrative offices also are included, as well as an outdoor pavilion, teaching garden and a multi-sport “Dream Court.”
Adams said the first floor of the new clubhouse will be dedicated to the developmental needs of youths ages 6-12, while the second floor will serve teens ages 13-18 – with multiple spaces for them “to learn, explore and build bright futures.”
The new club is also in a more accessible location, and directly across the street from a neighborhood branch of the Birmingham Public Library.
Club board member Jonathan Porter, a senior vice president at Alabama Power, grew up going to the club’s Bessemer location. “I witnessed firsthand what the organization does in the lives of young people,” he said.
“One of their campaign slogans is, ‘Great Futures Start Here’ and I can attribute some of my success to things I learned at the club,” Porter said. “This new clubhouse will allow the organization to not only continue its mission but grow it.”
Alabama Power Vice President Terry Smiley serves on the club’s board and chairs its Advisory Council. He’s thrilled to see the progress and what it means for the children and teens who will soon occupy the new clubhouse.
“I am so excited about the impact the new facility will have on the youth in the Birmingham community,” Smiley said. “Every aspect of the club was planned with an emphasis on maximizing the experience for the youth being served. The new location provides greater visibility for the club and will hopefully attract more participants that will reap the benefits of its programs and offerings.”
Alabama Power and the Alabama Power Foundation have been longtime supporters of the A.G. Gaston Boys & Girls Club, including the new clubhouse project. The Alabama Power Service Organization also has supported the club with volunteers.
“We have consistently supported this organization and its mission because we know the difference it makes in the community, which makes our state better,” Porter said.
Adams praised the company and its foundation for their commitment to the club.
“The dream of the Howlett Clubhouse is becoming reality that would not have occurred without partners like Alabama Power and the Alabama Power Foundation,” Adams said. “The support our club has received over the years enables us to peer into the future with great confidence and hope. Our team is excited about our continued shared vision for youth in our community.”
For more information about the Walter Howlett Jr. Clubhouse project, or to donate to the club’s Building Their Future campaign, visit www.aggbgc.org.
This article originally appeared in The Birmingham Times.
#NNPA BlackPress
PRESS ROOM: The Allen Lewis Agency Named Ally Supplier Diversity: Supplier of the Year for 2024
NNPA NEWSWIRE — “This recognition from Ally is deeply appreciated,” said Chandra Lewis, co-founder and COO of TALA. “Receiving Ally’s Supplier Diversity: Supplier of the Year award is a testament to the strength of our team, our strategic approach and our ability to use relationships to deliver meaningful business results for our clients.”
The post PRESS ROOM: The Allen Lewis Agency Named Ally Supplier Diversity: Supplier of the Year for 2024 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
DETROIT– Ally Financial has recognized The Allen Lewis Agency, a full-service marketing and communications agency, as its Supplier Diversity: Supplier of the Year for 2024. The award was given at the Ally 4th annual Supplier Diversity & Sustainability Symposium, on Feb. 29 in Charlotte, N.C.
In 2023, TALA led media outreach and marketing efforts for the fifth anniversary of Moguls in the Making, Ally’s HBCU entrepreneurial pitch competition. It also introduced the brand to new opportunities such as the American Black Film Festival (ABFF), where Ally led a panel on financial education for filmmakers, and leveraged professional connections and years of experience in multicultural marketing to amplify Ally’s partnership with UnitedMasters.
“We are honored to work with Ally and its incredible team members,” said Jocelyn (Allen) Coley, co-founder and CEO of TALA. “The work Ally is doing to bring financial education to a more diverse, multicultural audience through outreach to the creator community aligns with our own passions and priorities. We’re proud to be part of programs such as Moguls in the Making, the American Black Film Festival, and Art Basel, raising awareness within a diverse, often underrepresented audience.”
Ally, the nation’s largest all-digital bank, started its supplier diversity program in 2020 to highlight its commitment to supporting the advancement of an inclusive and sustainable marketplace. The brand strives yearly to increase its spending with diverse suppliers – creating economic value, mobility, and a sustainable future for all.
“When Ally launched its Supplier Diversity program four years ago, our goal was to build an ecosystem of partners and suppliers who truly represented our communities,” said TJ Lewis, Ally senior director of Supplier Diversity and Sustainability. “From the beginning, TALA’s success in forging connections between Ally and minority-focused media has greatly expanded the visibility of our brand to the audiences we most want to reach. Their work is worthy of recognition.”
“This recognition from Ally is deeply appreciated,” said Chandra Lewis, co-founder and COO of TALA. “Receiving Ally’s Supplier Diversity: Supplier of the Year award is a testament to the strength of our team, our strategic approach and our ability to use relationships to deliver meaningful business results for our clients.”
About The Allen Lewis Agency:
The Allen Lewis Agency (TALA) is a full-service marketing and communications agency committed to helping clients build their brands and expand their business through a range of services including strategic brand development, media relations, diversity, equity and inclusion, advertising, events and reputation management. Founders Jocelyn (Allen) Coley and Chandra S. Lewis bring more than 40 combined years of corporate experience with a breadth and depth of services that are unmatched. Now in its eighth year in business, TALA is a certified Minority Business Enterprise, Women Business Enterprise, Women-Owned Small Business and a certified Association of National Advertisers diverse supplier that has employed a national team of experts who have decades of experience servicing major brands with positive measurable results. Learn more about The Allen Lewis Agency at https://www.theallenlewisagency.com.
The post PRESS ROOM: The Allen Lewis Agency Named Ally Supplier Diversity: Supplier of the Year for 2024 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
#NNPA BlackPress
OP-ED: A Silent Killer No More
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Data from Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City shows that more than 13 percent of African American men between the ages 45 and 79 will develop prostate cancer in their lifetimes. And Black men have a 70 percent higher rate of developing prostate cancer than White men. The American Cancer Society also shockingly predicts that Black men are more than twice as likely to die from prostate cancer than their White counterparts.
The post OP-ED: A Silent Killer No More first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
By Hamil R. Harris, NNPA Contributing Writer
Political provocateurs are determined to stir up controversy over Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s failure to tell President Biden about his treatment for prostate cancer. Yet, his desire to keep the matter private—and out of the public eye—is in line with what many men, particularly men of color, have done for decades. The reticence to share details of a medical condition is understandable, but prostate cancer is a silent killer in the Black community and the time has come to give it a voice.
In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whose son Dexter recently passed from prostate cancer, I ask: How long? How long will Men of color suffer in silence and die alone? How long will too many brothers hide their plight?
When he finally commented publicly about his condition, Austin offered regrets about keeping silent and then made an important pledge. He said that by not initially disclosing his diagnosis, he “missed an opportunity to send a message on an important public health issue,” while noting the prevalence of prostate cancer, particularly among Black men. Encouraging all men to get screened, Austin promised, “You can count on me to set a better example on this issue today and for the rest of my life.”
Any cancer diagnosis is a private matter. But men like Dexter King and Austin can help so many others who are prone to prostate cancer. Keeping the surgery and treatment a secret would only have continued to add to the stigma surrounding prostate cancer. That would have been a disservice to the thousands of men of color diagnosed annually.
Indeed, data from Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City shows that more than 13 percent of African American men between the ages 45 and 79 will develop prostate cancer in their lifetimes. And Black men have a 70 percent higher rate of developing prostate cancer than White men. The American Cancer Society also shockingly predicts that Black men are more than twice as likely to die from prostate cancer than their White counterparts.
These figures are appalling when considering that prostate cancer is one of the most treatable forms of the disease with the five-year survival rate for men diagnosed with it being greater than 99 percent if the cancer is detected during the early stage.
While there are numerous reasons for why this disparity between Black and white men exists – decades of structural racism, environmental issues, certain comorbidities, different molecular pathways in the body of Black men – a great deal of the reason comes down to the fact that Black men are disproportionately not being screened for prostate cancer as early or as regularly as White men.
A recent study published in JAMA Oncology by a team at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center found that Black men get fewer PSA (prostate specific antigen) screenings; they are more likely to be diagnosed with later stage cancer; they are less likely to have health insurance; and they have less access to high-quality care and other disparities that can be linked to a lower overall socioeconomic status.
Given his platform as Secretary of Defense, I am happy that Austin recognized his duty to be open and honest about his battle with this disease. And in doing so, he now joins groups and individuals who are already working on spreading awareness for prostate screenings who can act as guideposts.
For example, Mount Sinai Medical Center recently unveiled the Robert F. Smith Mobile Prostate Cancer Screening Unit, which will visit New York City neighborhoods where men could be at a higher risk of developing prostate cancer. The mobile home sized bus is named after the African American philanthropist and venture capitalist who donated almost $4 million to launch the program. Smith, who has led many philanthropic endeavors aimed at supporting the African-American community, obviously realizes that it takes a preemptive approach to combat the scourge of prostate cancer by going directly into the communities most affected by the disease. In announcing the prostate screening initiative, Smith tied it to larger inequities in our society that leave African Americans behind. “It’s unconscionable that in our great country and at this moment of technological breakthrough, Black Americans are still subject to staggeringly worse health outcomes,” he said. “We can fix this.”
Thankfully there are individuals like Smith and now Austin to use their platforms to spread awareness for this deadly – yet very treatable – form of cancer and ensure that more people don’t die needlessly.
Hamil R. Harris is an award-winning journalist and contributing writer for the NNPA
The post OP-ED: A Silent Killer No More first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
#NNPA BlackPress
Chevrolet and National Newspaper Association Offer Summer Internship: Discover the Unexpected Fellowship
NNPA NEWSWIRE — The importance of diverse storytelling has never been more evident, and Chevrolet, in partnership with the NNPA, is committed to empowering the next generation of storytellers. By offering this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, the DTU Fellowship seeks to make a lasting impact on both the individuals selected and the media landscape. The application window for the DTU Fellowship closes on April 1, 2024.
The post Chevrolet and National Newspaper Association Offer Summer Internship: Discover the Unexpected Fellowship first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
In a bid to amplify Black voices and highlight diverse stories, Chevrolet, in collaboration with the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), invites budding journalists, content creators, and communications enthusiasts to embark on the summer internship of a lifetime through the Discover the Unexpected (DTU) Fellowship.
The DTU Fellowship is geared towards students of historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) who are passionate about storytelling and eager to contribute to the media landscape. This opportunity offers a platform for aspiring journalists and provides financial support in the form of a $10,000 scholarship and an $8,000 stipend.
One of the key aspects of the DTU Fellowship is the chance to collaborate with some of the largest and most influential Black-owned newspapers in the community. The collaboration aims to bridge the gap between emerging talents and established media outlets, fostering an environment of mentorship and shared knowledge.
The selected DTU fellows will embark on a transformative journey beyond conventional internships. This experience promises exploration, learning, and, most importantly, amplifying their voices. The fellowship recognizes the unique perspectives of HBCU students and aims to provide a platform for these voices to be heard.
What sets the DTU Fellowship apart is the hands-on guidance and mentorship provided by industry professionals who understand the power of diverse perspectives. Fellows can elevate content and gain career-building knowledge through interactions with seasoned journalists and media experts.
The importance of diverse storytelling has never been more evident, and Chevrolet, in partnership with the NNPA, is committed to empowering the next generation of storytellers. By offering this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, the DTU Fellowship seeks to make a lasting impact on both the individuals selected and the media landscape.
As the application deadline approaches, interested individuals are encouraged to take advantage of this extraordinary opportunity. The application window for the DTU Fellowship closes on April 1, 2024. The tight deadline emphasizes the urgency and exclusivity of the opportunity, urging potential applicants to act promptly.
The Discover the Unexpected Fellowship by Chevrolet and the National Newspaper Association represents a unique chance for HBCU students to receive financial support for their education and gain invaluable hands-on experience in collaboration with influential Black-owned newspapers. By taking part in this transformative journey, aspiring journalists have the opportunity to leave a lasting impact on the media industry. Don’t miss out on the chance to elevate your content and amplify your voice – apply before the April 1, 2024 deadline!
The post Chevrolet and National Newspaper Association Offer Summer Internship: Discover the Unexpected Fellowship first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
-
Bay Area3 weeks ago
Opponents of San Francisco’s Prop E Hold Rally in Front of City Hall
-
Bay Area3 weeks ago
Nigerian Bank Chief Killed in Helicopter Crash on Way to Superbowl XVIII
-
Activism3 weeks ago
Inheriting the Mantle: Who Will Carry the Legacy of John George?
-
Bay Area3 weeks ago
Who Are the Top Donors in the Alameda County District 5 Supervisor’s Race?
-
Alameda County2 weeks ago
Michael P. Johnson Garners Major Support in Run for Alameda County Superior Court Judge
-
Bay Area3 weeks ago
Berkeley Considers New Law to Help Tenants Buy Where They Rent
-
Bay Area3 weeks ago
S.F. Board of Supervisors OKs Mayor Breed’s Streamlining Legislation to Speed Up New Residential Treatment, Care Beds
-
Activism3 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of February 28 – March 5, 2024