On January 7, 2017, I introduced a feature on my Enigma In Black blog, Shadow Warriors. The intent was to shine a light on those putting in serious work on behalf of their respective causes, that might not have gotten the recognition (yet) they deserve. This year there were eleven individuals or groups I was blessed to have been able to highlight and thought I’d end the year by letting you know what’s been going on with these Warriors since I wrote about them. I’ve appreciated learning about all of them and their work and being able to support them in some small way. If any of you are inclined, I hope you can do the same.
Sevgi Fernandez
Sevgi Fernandez was the first Shadow Warrior and exemplifies the type of person we want to recognize. She said, “My goal is to bring people together across racial, religious and cultural lines to combat the system of racism and oppression in the country. As long as we are divided, our voices and impact are weakened.”
The President of “Together We Stand,” she and they get involved in cases others often pass by. One of those we mentioned in Sevgi Fernandez: Shadow Warrior, was the death of Marcus (Marc) Anthony Merritt in Leonville, LA. According to officials, no crime scene photo’s were taken, no toxicology reports, no autopsy, and the coroner never even saw the body. His death was classified as a suicide. The TWS team and others have made great strides in uncovering new information that will change the narrative. Watch this space!
In another case involving Ryan Turk, a 15-year old black male was arrested over a 65 cent carton of milk that he was entitled to free. The case was eventually dismissed, in no small part due to the pro bono efforts of Attorney Emmitt Robinson.
TWS was active in rallies opposing the Alt-Right in Charlottesville, VA and Berkeley, CA and is involved in the planning of a major rally in San Francisco on December 16, 2017. They’re also actively working on the development of a Youth Social Justice Center in Northern California in 2018. Sevgi was the first Shadow Warrior and is still very much in the battle!
The Wilson Academy
When I wrote about The Wilson Academy: Shadow Warriors, in February, the Georgia Independent Christian Athletic Association (GICAA was threatening to dismiss them from the league, during the State Boy’s Basketball playoffs. Because the Wilson Academy Warriors chose to kneel during the National Anthem in response to police shootings and the lack of justice when it came to people who looked like them. After a tremendous response from parents, friends, and strangers. The League relented and let Wilson Academy play. They lost their next game but won a battle the students will learn from forever.
Later in the spring, the school took the trip they were raising money for to Capetown, South Africa where they visited Nelson Mandella’s first and last home, and the jail cell where he spent 18 of his 27 years in prison.
During the summer, the league revised the contract with the schools, requiring them to stand for the National Anthem. Wilson Academy thought they might have to pay a fine which they were prepared to pay but later learned if they violated the prohibition, they would be kicked out of the league. This message was sent to Wilson Academy just before a road game which happened in Alabama. The Warriors and their cheerleaders did what they have done for the last several months. They took a knee. They also won the game.
Prior to the next game, the Commissioner called the headmaster, Byron Wilson, prepared to kick Wilson Academy out of the league. For whatever reason, the Commissioner changed his mind, allowing them to stay in the locker room during the Anthem which they were always willing to do.
At the time of this writing, The Wilson Academy put out a call for all alumni to attend the next basketball game wearing all black. It wasn’t a protest, they were simply playing a tough opponent and wanted all the support they could get. But you never know because… Wilson Academy.
Kelly Hurst
Kelly Hurst: Shadow Warrior, is first and foremost an educator. When asked why she wanted to be an administrator, she responded, “Leadership found me, and I wasn’t going to shy away from it any longer.” She spoke out when students, in particular students of color, were receiving disparate treatment in the schools. Over time Kelly has developed a significant online presence, becoming nationally known as an educator and blogger. When her School Board tried to move her to a position where she could help fewer students. She stepped out on faith, leaving what others viewed as a comfortable job and started Being Black At School, so she could do more. She would not be silenced!
Since the profile piece on Kelly was written, she was awarded cohort status for the Advancing the Development of Minority Entrepreneurship in Illinois (ADME). She’s one of 35 applicants accepted into the program, developed to strengthen start-up and small businesses from underrepresented communities.
Immediately after the founding of BBAS, Donald Trump was elected President and Betsy DeVos was soon installed as Secretary of Education. This has made the need for BBAS ever greater, while traditional funding sources are drying up. More than ever they could use your support. Please Donate Now, your children’s future may depend on it.
Dr. Crystal A. deGregory
In looking for a way, to sum up why “Dr. DE” was chosen for a Shadow Warrior in a single paragraph, I gave up. She’s a historian, educator, been a radio-show host and supported many great causes. Three things that had to be mentioned is her founding in 2012 of HBCUstory, her Bahamian heritage and her love of alma mater, Fisk University.
Since writing about Dr. deGregory in April, she’s been named the inaugural Director of the Atwood Institute for Race, Education and the Democratic Ideal at Kentucky State University. She also serves there as an Associate Professor of History.
She’s been published in the New York Times, USA Today, and The Tennessean among others. She wrote an epilogue for, The Athletic Experience at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, written chapters in several books and reportedly has her own book in the works.
Named, “Young, sister, leader” by Spelman College and Bennett College for Women President Emerita Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole. Dr. deGregory has already been recognized as someone on the move and the only direction she knows is up.
Aramis Ayala
We were introduced to Aramis Ayala: Shadow Warrior, in May when she was in the middle of a struggle with Florida Governor Rick Scott, and many in law enforcement and the State Legislature over her decision to refuse to ask for the death penalty in her role as Orange/Osceola County State Attorney.
Newly elected, she defeated Jeff Ashton, one of the losing Prosecutors in the Casey Anthony trial. When she ran for office, the death penalty did not exist in Florida, having been declared unconstitutional. Approximately two months after she assumed office, a constitutional death penalty statute was enacted. Shortly afterward, Ayala announced she would not request it in any case because it was unfair. She said, “What has become abundantly clear through this process is while I currently do have the discretion to pursue death sentences, I have determined that doing so is not in the best interests of this community, or in the best interest of justice.” She added, “After review and consideration of the new statute, under my administration, I will not be seeking the death penalty in cases handled in my office.”
All hell broke loose, especially because the first case where the death penalty was to be considered involved an alleged killer of a pregnant woman and female police officer in separate incidents. All involved were black. The Governor removed all potential death penalty cases from Aramis and appointed another prosecutor to oversee them, one not elected by the voters of Orange and Osceola counties. Aramis Ayala filed a lawsuit against the Governor which she ultimately lost. She agreed to institute a panel that would consider death penalty cases and make a recommendation which she would agree to follow.
Her struggle with the Governor continues as the panel recommended death for a recent case but a filing deadline was missed by the State Attorney’s office making the ability to seek the death penalty in that case unclear. Ayala blamed the Governor who had indicated he wanted to review all death penalty cases from the jurisdiction. Governor Scott has demanded records from the State Attorney’s panel, including meeting times and dates. To be continued…
Glory Edim
Glory is the founder of Well Read Black Girl, a Brooklynn based book club with over 25,000 members worldwide. When we wrote about her in June.She was preparing to host the first annual WRBG Writer’s Conference and Festival. WRBG had a Kickstarter campaign where they sought $15,000 and raised significantly more in just a few days, enough to host a celebratory concert. This is what I wrote then, Glory Edim: Shadow Warrior.
WRBG went on to hold that literary conference and concert. The culmination of a celebration of black female writers and readers. WRBG continues to grow both its online presence along with in-person meetings where black female authors across the diaspora are elevated.
George (Geo) Cooper
A high percentage of the profile, George (GEO) Cooper: Shadow Warrior, didn’t come from research and interviews. I just spoke from the heart about the man I watched arrive at Fisk University with the big ‘fro, big smile, and serious focus. I didn’t know then of his musical history as a teenager and participation in the All-City Choir in Chicago. I was aware he was a Jubilee Singer at Fisk but I knew him better from talking trash about sports and being friends with literally everybody. There were those who settled into cliques if they pledged a fraternity or sorority but GEO crossed every line counting everyone the same.
Being Facebook friends with George gave me a chance to watch him continually impart history about Fisk, African-American history and the Jubilee Singers. One of his sons was a big winner on the Jeopardy show and I knew he got it from his daddy. As a musician, George has performed with legends like the Isley Brothers, Peabo Bryson, and Natalie Cole yet carved out a niche for himself on piano whether recording instructional video’s on Chopin’s etudes or playing with Chaka Khan. Fiskites won’t forgive me if I don’t mention the group Autumn of which George was a founding member.
He formed the Ella Sheppard School of Music in his native Chicago and serves as Minister of Music for Congregational Church of Park Manor and Assistant Minister of Music for St.Mark AME Zion.
Since I wrote about George in July, he helped pull off the successful Fisk Jubilee Singers Alumni Heritage Awards where they honored Patti Austin and made her an honorary Jubilee singer, along with posthumously honoring Mahalia Jackson and Sarah Vaughn. George serves as President of the FJSA which he will do well as he does all things. He made the time to accompany singer Amber Nicole Johnson in her debut concert and is currently working on a Martin Luther King Celebration at his church in January. I’m just proud to know him.
Zain Jacobs
Zain Jacobs if fiercely passionate about education. Her own education, her children’s, and thankfully your children as well. I don’t know where she finds the time to do all she does. She founded the Blooming Lotuses Rites of Passage Group and has maintained some iteration of it for several years. Some of the young women she mentored are now grown, some married with children of their own. All of them went on to college, none had teen pregnancies and most are still in touch on a regular basis.
She launched, P.I.L.L.A.R.S. 4 Success, LLC which stands for Power In Life Learning And Resilience Strategies. Pillars offers organizational support, community education such as G.E.D./Post Secondary Prep, parenting support and mentoring. She provides workshops on Cultural Competence. Zain works with trafficked youth, addicted youth, many on probation or otherwise involved with the justice system.
Since her profile in Zain Jacobs: Shadow Warrior, Zain has been writing, speaking, and planning her next move. One of her children graduates in May and her “secret plan” goes into effect the next day. Whatever she does next, she’ll give it her all.
The Dreamers (DACA Recipients)
The Dreamers then as now, are in a precarious position where they have declared who they are, in a country where some want them gone. When we wrote about them in September, The Dreamers (DACA Recipients): Shadow Warriors, Donald Trump had just announced the formal end of DACA while suggesting Congress could address the issue before a 6-month deadline when DACA would be dead.
In the three months since then, Congress has done nothing. Democrats are trying to include a plan to save DACA as part of a spending bill to keep the government open while Republicans want to wait until the last moment, seemingly desiring to appease their base and let DACA go away. A two-week extension was just signed to keep things open, Nancy Pelosi says they “won’t leave town without a deal on DACA.” The question is, will Democrats stay strong and risk the government being shut down, or will they cave in? To be continued…
Harry T Moore
The story of Harry T Moore: Shadow Warrior, was not known to many of my readers. Even those familiar with the Civil Rights movement. Harry T Moore was active in the NAACP and worked with Thurgood Marshall to help get justice for the “Groveland Boy’s” which many speculate led to his death. Moore and his wife Harriette were killed in a Christmas night bombing in their home in 1951.
Learn about his legacy by visiting the Harry T and Harriette V Moore Cultural Center in Brevard County, FL or attend the Annual NAACP Florida State Conference annual memorial event. Dates to be included later.
Babz Rawls Ivy
It’s perhaps unfair to write Babz Rawls Ivy: Shadow Warrior, in November and come back in December and ask, “what have you done for me lately?” Yet Babz being Babz is always up to something and this month is no different.
As Editor-in-Chief of the Inner-City News with the largest circulation of any Black newspaper in New England, host of the Love Babz Love TalkRadio Show, head of both the Seed & Source Literary Group and Earth Seed Publishing. You’d think she’d be too busy to take the time she does, encouraging others, pushing them to reach their goals, all the while pursuing her own.
Since November she’s launched the Criminal Justice Insider radio show on WNHH Community Radio. She and her co-hosts discuss all aspects of the justice system, including the effects of incarceration and the challenges faced by ex-offenders. She can’t possibly do everything in a 24-hour day and yet she does. Sleep is apparently overrated!
Shadow Warriors will be back in January 2018, introducing a new set of Shadow Warriors for your consideration. As always, I encourage any suggestions of deserving candidates that their work might be better known. Follow this page so as not to miss any future “Warriors” and please share so that others might know them as well. Peace!
ENIGMA IN BLACK 