Join Us in Honoring These Members of Our Community
Arts Advocate
Joe L. Harmon, III is a distinguished music educator, arts administrator, and civic leader based in Portsmouth, Virginia. He currently serves as the Coordinator of Secondary Performing Arts for Portsmouth Public Schools, where he champions equitable access to high-quality arts education and oversees curriculum development, community partnerships, and performance programming across the division. For over a decade, Mr. Harmon has been instrumental in transforming student experiences.
Community Builder
Liberian native Honorable Dr. Amelia Ross-Hammond is a VA Beach Council member (District 4) who has a Ph.D. in Education Leadership, Curriculum, and Instructions with a Minor in Ethnomusicology (University of Denver) and is a graduate of the Sorenson Institute for Political Leadership (University of Virginia). Along with numerous notable appointments and recognitions, the retired distinguished Norfolk State University professor is the founder of the VA African American Cultural Center.
Collegiate Advocate
African catalyst Emmanuel Ambané creates platforms to mobilize and empower African students and faculty at institutions including Old Dominion University, Norfolk State University, William & Mary, James Madison University, the University of Virginia, and Virginia Tech. Author, InterVarsity USA global speaker, former international soccer player (Cameroonian U-17 and U-20 teams; Old dominion University All-American), Emmanuel’s greatest passion lies in empowering Africans to tell their own stories
Financial Advocate
Burkina Faso native, Fullbright Scholar, and published author Dr. Kouliga Koala is the founder and Managing Director of Panga Institutions LLC, and an IRS Enrolled Agent, specializing in tax law. His company hosts conferences and training sessions to empower and inspire entrepreneurship within the diaspora community and beyond. Dr. Koala holds a PhD in Public Administration and Policy from Old Dominion University, where he teaches graduate courses in Public Procurement and Contract Management.
Medicine
Dr. Constance Okeke, MD MSCE is a nationally recognized US board-certified ophthalmologist committed to educating her patients and the community to fight glaucoma blindness. The Ivy League educated expert is currently an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Eastern Virginia Medical School and the lead glaucoma specialist at ECP - Virginia Eye Consultants in Norfolk, Virginia. She has YouTube channel and a published book,The Glaucoma Guidebook: Expert Advice on Maintaining Healthy Vision.
Mental Health Advocate
Ghana native Pastor Mary A. Banks is the founder of the annual Abundance Women Conference (AWC). With her husband, Rev. Dr. Peter Banks, she has faithfully served as pastor in churches throughout Europe, Ghana, and the United States. Deeply committed to advancing mental wellness within the Christian community, Pastor Mary co-founded and is President of Faith and Mental Health Integrated, Inc. (FMHI)—a nonprofit organization dedicated to navigating the intersection of faith and mental wellness.
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Youth Advocate
When Deirdre Love's cousin and best friend Stephen was diagnosed with and eventually lost his battle with HIV/AIDS, she set out to inspire, help and protect other youth through youth ministry at the Basilica of St. Mary’s, establishing Teens With A Purpose in 1996. It became TWP-The Youth Movement, a 501c (3) nonprofit organization centered on youth development. With a wide range of year-round programming, TWP provides the region’s only gateway to the National Youth Poet Laureate Program.
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