Newark NJ's Shakur Stevenson defeats Oscar Valdez to win second title

Newark New Jersey native, Shakur Stevenson dominated Oscar Valdez on the way to a unanimous decision victory Saturday to add the World Boxing Council super featherweight title to his own World Boxing Organization belt.

Stevenson improved to 18-0 as he handed Mexico's Valdez his first defeat in 31 professional fights.

Stevenson sent Valdez to the canvas with a left to the head in the sixth round on the way to his first defense of the WBO title he won with a 10th-round technical knockout of Jamel Herring in October.

On the scorecards Stevenson earned one score of 117-110 and two of 118-109 to unify Valdez's WBC world championship with his own WBO world title.

"I'm a superstar in this sport," said Stevenson, 24. "I want to collect all the belts at 130 and become undisputed. I deserve to be a superstar, so that's what I gotta do."

Valdez acknowledged that Stevenson was the better fighter on the night.>

"He was just the better fighter this night," said Valdez, 31. "He did what he had to do to win the fight. He's a great fighter. His speed is there, power is there."

Watch Stevenson's knockdown of Valdez below

Coronation complete🌹@BoostMobile x #ValdezStevenson pic.twitter.com/rUxzgwAzRj

— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) May 1, 2022

Rutgers women’s basketball coach C. Vivian Stringer retires

C. Vivian Stringer, Rutgers’ legendary Hall of Fame women’s basketball coach, announced her retirement on Saturday.

The move will become effective on September 1, 2022, according to a Rutgers press release. As part of the retirement agreement, Stringer will be paid $872,988. Rutgers is honoring her legacy by naming the court at Jersey Mike’s Arena — Rutgers basketball’s home venue — C. Vivian Stringer Court, the school announced, with a formal dedication ceremony planned for the upcoming women’s basketball season.

“I am officially announcing my retirement,” Stringer said in a press release. “.... I love Rutgers University for the incredible opportunity they offered me and the tremendous victories we achieved together.”

Stringer had not been with the team since April 2021, taking a leave of absence through the 2021-22 season shortly after she signed a new five-year, $5.5 million contract. Stringer accumulated at least $235,000 in bonuses on top of her $1 million annual salary during her absence.

Stringer, 74, ends her career with 1,055 wins, four Final Four appearances, and 28 berths in the NCAA Tournament in 50 seasons as a head coach. None of her victories came in the past year.

[SOURCE: NJ.COM]

A century after his death, the first Black US Army colonel is promoted to general

On Friday, Col. Charles Young, West Point Class of 1889, was posthumously promoted to the rank of Brig. Gen. by Secretary Army Honorable Christine Wormuth. The promotion took part during Inspiration Week and was hosted by the U.S. Military Academy to mark the dedication of its cadets’ and the greater communities’ commitment to service.

Charles Young was born in Mays Lick, Kentucky, to enslaved parents in 1864. He valued education throughout his life and graduated with honors from high school in Ohio, where his parents escaped slavery.

Young taught elementary school and eventually entered the United States Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., where he was its third Black graduate.

He went on to become the first Black military attaché to a foreign country and served in various assignments from Haiti and Liberia, to Mexico and Nigeria. When he was medically discharged from active duty, Young was the highest-ranking Black officer in the military, having been promoted to Colonel.

Following his death, Young was given full military honors and burial in Arlington National Cemetery, a reminder to Americans of his legacy as a leader, his perseverance despite obstacles and his heroic example to others.

Black clergy claim Sen. Tim Scott refused to meet on Ketanji Brown Jackson confirmation

NORTH CHARLESTON S.C. - Members of the Black clergy in the Lowcountry are voicing concerns that U.S. Sen. Tim Scott refused to meet with them about their concerns over the confirmation process of the first Black woman on the U.S. Supreme Court.

The National Action Network and members of clergy held a news conference Friday morning at noon at North Charleston City Hall to address their concerns. In a news release, the group says Scott would not meet with them to discuss the “despicable treatment” of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, who was eventually confirmed for the nation’s highest court.

“Sen. Scott’s vote against the most qualified judge to be nominated to the Supreme Court in modern times, not my opinion, but consensus, placed him on the wrong side of history,” the Rev. Nelson B. Rivers III, the vice president of the National Action Network, said. “As the first Black U.S. senator appointed and elected from the state of South Carolina in modern times, and frankly, the first senator of his race to serve since Reconstruction in the United States Senate, gave him a unique opportunity to do something that our ancestors our work has waited for and look forward to for hundreds of years, he had an opportunity to put principle love of family love of community by party and above nonsense. Sen. Scott had a historic opportunity, and I believe a solemn obligation to vote yes.”

Rivers said he was “troubled and frankly hurt” that Scott “did not defend Jackson’s character against the assassinations and the most outrageous and disgraceful treatment any nominee has faced during his time in the Senate.”

Rivers said the group requested a meeting with Scott, but Scott eventually responded to the request, stating in an email, “I will not be able to meet with y’all,” and that the group could meet with Scott’s staff.

“I wrote back to tell the senator, ‘We didn’t vote for your staff and the staff were not on the ballot,’” Rivers said.

He said Scott never got back to them about an alternative date and time.

“Members of the clergy wanted to share with Sen. Scott their concerns and disgust with the treatment of Judge Brown Jackson and Sen. Scott’s vote against her historic nomination,” the release states. “Sen. Scott has refused to meet with Black clergy to discuss our concerns, so tomorrow, many members of the clergy will make their concerns known publicly to Sen. Scott.”

[SOURCE WMBF]

Spelman College Names Helene Gayle as its 11th President

The Spelman College Board of Trustees unanimously voted today to appoint Helene Gayle, MD its 11th president. Spelman College has a long, proud history of excellence and global leadership in the education of women of African descent and is committed to addressing racial inequities in education ensuring equitable opportunities for students of all economic backgrounds. Dr. Gayle’s presidency will begin on July 1, 2022.

Dr. Gayle currently serves as president and CEO of The Chicago Community Trust, one of the nation's oldest and largest community foundations. Under her leadership, the Trust grew its assets from roughly $2.8B to $4.7 billion and adopted a strategic plan aimed at closing the racial and ethnic wealth gap. A public health leader and humanitarian, Dr. Gayle spent nearly a decade as president and CEO of Atlanta-based CARE, one of the largest international humanitarian organizations, with approximately 11,000 staff and poverty fighting programs that reached 82 million people in 2010 in 87 countries. Under Dr. Gayle’s leadership, CARE reinforced its commitment to empowering girls and women to bring lasting change to communities living in poverty.  

“Our success for more than a century and a half has been built by an engaged student body and alumnae, committed faculty and staff, and a history of exemplary presidents, “said Rosalind G. Brewer, Board Chair of Spelman College. “I’m excited about Dr. Gayle’s appointment and confident that her demonstrated ability to address complex issues in communities of color many of which involve the strength of Black females and her success factors, coupled with her commitment to equity, will further build on Spelman’s legacy and propel the College into the future.”

In the months-long search, the Presidential Search Committee sought a leader who embodies the Spelman mission of academic excellence and global leadership, and whose experience and expertise would build on the College’s momentum in key areas, including affordability, entrepreneurship and innovation, and the Arts. In considering the Search Committee’s recommendation, the Board of Trustees considered key priorities for Spelman’s 11th president, some of which included increasing or improving the student experience, such as safety and housing, building on Spelman’s fiscal strength and maintaining the college’s attraction to diverse and talented students, faculty and staff. 

“I am an honored and look forward to being a part of a long, proud legacy committed to the education of women of African descent. This is a moment where HBCUs are once again being recognized for the importance that they bring to every sector of this country,” said Dr. Gayle. “Spelman has a strong history of changing lives for people who will change lives. The idea of giving back to generations of students through cutting-edge academic programs and facilities, increasing college affordability, raising financial aid support and increasing the endowment, and developing new career pathways and opportunities is what invigorates and excites me about this new role.”

As Spelman’s 11th president, Dr. Gayle will assume the presidency at a time when the college is thriving. Spelman was named U.S. News and World Report’s #1 Historically Black College or University for 15 years in a row in 2022, the National Science Foundation’s #1 baccalaureate institution of Black or African American science and engineering doctorate recipients and is a top producer of Fulbright Scholars.

Dr. Gayle is an epidemiologist who also spent 20 years at the Centers for Disease Control, working primarily on HIV/AIDS and at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation with a focus on global public health. Dr. Gayle holds a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, in Psychology from Barnard College -Columbia University a M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and a M.P.H. from Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health. Dr. Gayle serves on several public and nonprofit boards, including The Coca-Cola Company, Organon & Co  a women’s health care company,  Palo Alto Networks a cybersecurity company, and the Brookings Institution. She is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.


HONORARY DEGREES:
Emory University, Doctor of Humane Letters, 2019
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Doctor of Science 2019
American University, Doctor of Science, 2018
Xavier University, Doctor of Science, 2016
University of Buffalo, Doctor of Science, 2016
University of Miami, Doctor of Science, 2013
Oberlin College, Doctor of Science, 2011
Colby College, Doctor of Humane Letters, 2010
Columbia University, Doctor of Laws, 2009
Agnes Scott College, Doctor of Science, 2009
Brandeis University, Doctor of Humane Letters, 2008
Morehouse School of Medicine, Doctor of Science, 2008
Mount Sinai School of Medicine of New York University, Doctor of Humane Letters, 2008
Duke University, Doctor of Science, 2008
Meharry Medical College, Doctor of Science, 2007
Smith College, Doctorate, 2007
Pennsylvania State University, Doctor of Science, 2004
Jackson State University, Doctor of Humane Letters, 2004

Academic Affiliations:
Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Global Health, University of Washington, School of Public Health, Seattle, WA, 2008 -
Adjunct Professor, Hubert Department of Global Health, Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, 2009 - 2020
Clinical Assistant Professor of Community Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, 2006 
Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Health Services, University of Washington, School of Public Health, Seattle, WA, 2002