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Vanessa T. Reed named External Affairs Manager

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “Vanessa’s increasing responsibilities in external affairs and the strong community relationships she’s built over the years, coupled with her banking background has prepared her for this opportunity,” said Mr. Ashford. “Under Vanessa’s leadership, her team is well-positioned to deliver on Comerica’s Promise of raising expectations in the communities we serve.”

Published

5 years ago

March 9, 2020

Oakland Post

A graduate of the University of New Orleans, Vanessa T. Reed holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management with a concentration in accounting.

Staff Reports, Texas Metro News, Garland Journal

Comerica Inc. has promoted Vanessa T. Reed to Regional External Affairs Manager reporting to Chief Community Officer Irvin Ashford Jr. In this role, Reed oversees external affairs operations in Arizona, Florida, Michigan, and Texas.

Her team of six will continue to work closely with the bank’s nonprofit partners and other key stakeholders in the respective markets Comerica Bank serves; with a primary focus on financial education initiatives and programs for children and adults as well as economic/ community development for programs that promote and enhance opportunities for low-and moderate-income families and communities through job creation training, readiness, and retention; neighborhood/community revitalization and business development; small business training and development; and affordable housing advocacy and development.

“Vanessa’s increasing responsibilities in external affairs and the strong community relationships she’s built over the years, coupled with her banking background has prepared her for this opportunity,” said Mr. Ashford. “Under Vanessa’s leadership, her team is well-positioned to deliver on Comerica’s Promise of raising expectations in the communities we serve.”

Ms. Reed joined Comerica Bank in 2000 as a credit specialist in the commercial real estate division and most recently served as the Texas External Affairs Manager, which included the bank’s corporate headquarters market of Dallas as well as Austin, Fort Worth, Kerrville, Houston, and San Antonio.

She has served as Chair of the Board of Directors for Change Happens and Fort Bend Church’s Accounting Team Ministry. In addition, Ms. Reed is a member of the leadership advisory committee for Houston Money Week and the Houston Metropolitan Continental Societies, Inc. board.

Ms. Reed is a recognized leader and serves as a subject matter expert on community development and engagement in both Texas and her home state Louisiana. She’s received several honors since beginning her career at Comerica Bank, including being named to D-mar Business Journal’s Top 30 Influential Women of Houston list, the Chatman Women’s Foundation 2017 Inaugural PowHer Play Award and This Woman’s Work 2018 Community Advocate Award.

A graduate of the University of New Orleans, Ms. Reed holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management with a concentration in accounting.

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Tiguan’s AI Touchscreen & Gear Shift: VW Just Changed the Game! #2

Explore the Tiguan’s cutting-edge 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen featuring wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, voice control, and a new AI assistant. See how VW innovatively moved the gear shifter to the steering column, enhancing the center console and navigation system! #AutoNetwork #Tiguan #Infotainment #AppleCarPlay #AndroidAuto #AISystem #NavigationSystem #CarTech #TechReview #CarInnovation #Automotive

Published

3 days ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

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IN MEMORIAM: Legendary Funk Pioneer Sly Stone Dies at 82

Sly Stone’s musical approach radically reshaped popular music. He transcended genre boundaries and empowered a new generation of artists. The band’s socially conscious message and infectious rhythms sparked a wave of influence, reaching artists as diverse as Miles Davis, George Clinton, Prince, Dr. Dre, and the Roots.

Published

3 days ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

Sly and the Family Stone play the Opera House in Bournemouth. Mojo review. Photo by Simon Fernandez.

By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Newswire

Sylvester “Sly” Stewart—known to the world as Sly Stone, frontman of the groundbreaking band Sly and the Family Stone—has died at the age of 82.

His family confirmed that he passed away peacefully at his Los Angeles home surrounded by loved ones, after battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other health complications.

Born March 15, 1943, in Denton, Texas, Stone moved with his family to Vallejo, California, as a child. He began recording gospel music at age 8 with his siblings in a group called the Stewart Four. By his teenage years, he had mastered multiple instruments and was already pioneering racial integration in music—an ethos that would define his career.

In 1966, Sly and his brother Freddie merged their bands to form Sly and the Family Stone, complete with a revolutionary interracial, mixed-gender lineup.

The band quickly became a commercial and cultural force with hits such as “Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People,” and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—all penned by Stone himself.

Their album “Stand!” (1969) and live performances—most notably at Woodstock—cemented their reputation, blending soul, funk, rock, gospel, and psychedelia to reflect the optimism and turmoil of their era.

As the 1970s progressed, Stone confronted personal demons. His desire to use music as a response to war, racism, and societal change culminated in the intense album “There’s a Riot Goin’ On” (1971). But drug dependency began to undermine both his health and professional life, leading to erratic behavior and band decline through the early 1980s.

Withdrawn from the public eye for much of the 1990s and early 2000s, Stone staged occasional comebacks. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys in 2017, and captured public attention following the 2023 release of his memoir “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—published under Questlove’s imprint. He also completed a biographical screenplay and was featured in Questlove’s documentary “Sly Lives!” earlier this year.

His influence endured across generations. Critics and historians repeatedly credit him with perfecting funk and creating a “progressive soul,” shaping a path for racial integration both onstage and in the broader culture.

“Rest in beats Sly Stone,” legendary Public Enemy frontman Chuck D posted on social media with an illustrative drawing of the artist. “We should thank Questlove of the Roots for keeping his fire blazing in this century.”

Emmy-winning entertainment publicist Danny Deraney also paid homage. “Rest easy Sly Stone,” Deraney posted. “You changed music (and me) forever. The time he won over Ed Sullivan’s audience in 1968. Simply magical. Freelance music publicist and Sirius XM host Eric Alper also offered a tribute.

“The funk pioneer who made the world dance, think, and get higher,” Alper wrote of Sly Stone. “His music changed everything—and it still does.”

Sly Stone is survived by three children.

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PRESS ROOM: Clyburn on 10th Anniversary of Mother Emanuel AME Church Shooting in Charleston

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.

Published

3 days ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

By Congressman James E. Clyburn

WATCH HERE

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10^th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.

“Over 6 years ago, the House first passed my Enhanced Background Checks Act to close the Charleston Loophole that allowed a white supremacist to obtain the gun he used to murder nine worshipers at Emanuel AME Church on June 17, 2015.

“I’ll never stop fighting to pass this law.”