Black Power 2018: Wisconsin’s 42 Most Influential Black Leaders, Part 5

    0

    This is the fifth of a five-part series. Part 1 is available here, part 2 is available here, part 3 is available here and part 4 is available here.

    Dr. Roxie Hentz is the founder of Madison-based CEOs of Tomorrow, where she fosters creativity and passion in young children and teaches them how to get their business off the ground. CEOs of Tomorrow, LLC develops hands-on, interactive, and vibrant entrepreneurship education curriculum aligned to math, literacy, entrepreneurship, and 21st century standards. Hentz has over 25 years of experience in the education field, including service as a state education consultant, culturally responsive teacher leader, district-wide teacher mentor, university teacher-in-residence, adjunct professor, and classroom teacher. For 17 years, she served as the Founding Executive Director of a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization offering empowering youth programs including financial literacy, job-readiness skills and entrepreneurship. Among her many awards and recognitions for her dedication to urban education and community leadership are the Fulbright Distinguished Teacher Award, Sr. Kliebhan Graduate Student of the Year Award for Service, Achievement, & Leadership, Jammin’ 98.3 Black History Maker Award, V100 Radio’s Positively People, and Channel 18’s Inside/Outside Milwaukee.

    Daisy Frazier is the president of Ebony Visions, a non-profit organization with the goal of educating and enhancing the African American culture through united efforts in Fond du Lac and surrounding areas. The organization works with the Fond du Lac Police Department for outreach in to the city’s distressed areas. Ebony Visions also works in collaboration with the UW Fond du Lac for the Juneteenth & All About Kids events. Frazier, who also works with The Humanity Project, once said, “We have to go find diversity and meet it. It isn’t going to come to us.” Daisy was also honored with a Sistah Power Award from African Heritage Inc for 2018, and she’s the namesake of the Daisy Frazier Social Justice award, given each year by FIT Oshkosh to recognize a Fox Valley resident who has championed racial equality and empowered others to do the same.

    Antoiwana Williams is Director of the Office of Multicultural Student Services at UW-Lacrosse, where she has been a member of the family since she started her undergraduate career at UWL as an Academic Success Summer Institute (ASI) participant in the early 1990s. Since fall of 2000 she has served in many roles on the UW-La Crosse campus, such as a Precollege Site Supervisor, ASI Program Director, and the Director of Upward Bound. She moved into her current role in 2010. In this role Antoiwana strives for the retention, persistence, and graduation of all multicultural students. Under her leadership, the office has narrowed its focus to a comprehensive support model, which features academics, finances, and community outreach at its core.

    Jordan Roman is president of the Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals and an operations manager at Trustmark Insurance. He has held leadership positions in both public and private arenas, non-profit management, and corporate private insurance. As MULYP President he is excited and committed to bringing his passions for Community Advocacy, Civic Engagement, Professional and Personal Empowerment to the organization. His focus is raising awareness of National and Local UL missions, engaging the community and developing dynamic leaders. He looks forward to continued service to the Milwaukee Urban community and moving forward in the movement together. Jordan is a native of Milwaukee. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota- Morris where he received his Bachelors of Science in Sociology and Spanish Language Studies. He has a Master’s degree in Urban Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he is also currently working on completing his Master’s in Public Administration.

    Cedric Johnson is Community Services Manager for Madison Gas and Electric, where he works to engages with MGE’s diverse residential and multifamily customers and community in culturally and linguistically relevant ways. His team seeks to understand and responsibly meet customer energy needs and identify issues facing customers and community. He also works to make sure MGE’s philanthropic dollars work for the community through organizations and efforts like the Black Women’s Leadership Conference. Prior to joining MGE, Cedric served as Development and Communications Director at Briarpatch Youth Services, supporting the mission to provide housing, job training, and programmatic support for runaway, at-risk, and homeless youth and their families in Dane County. He’s also served as President of the Madison chapter of OPEN, the Out Professional Engagement Network, and was honored on Our Lives Magazine’s first QPOC Pride list in 2017.

    Amanda Porterfield is a reporter and anchor with Milwaukee’s CBS affiliate, an award-winning journalist who has covered four states throughout her 10-year career. Porterfield started 2005, beginning in Indiana as an intern at WNDU while completing her bachelor’s degree at Saint Mary’s College. One of her passions is investigative journalism, and expanding on stories that highlight social issues in the community. The Illinois Broadcasters Association awarded Porterfield with “Best Hard News Story” for her coverage of a woman addicted to heroin and her attempt to get help. The NAACP honored Porterfield with the “Social Justice” award for her unbiased reporting about social justice issues and honoring a culture of diversity in the community. She also worked closely with the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office on creating more opportunities for those with mental and behavioral issues. Amanda is an unusual journalist, covering community stories with a depth and authenticity not often found in mainstream media — just like we try to do here at Madison365.

    Selika Ducksworth-Lawton is a professor of history at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, a specialist in Twentieth-Century African American Military, National Security, and Civil Rights History. She is Vice President of Uniting Bridges of Chippewa County, which organizes the Juneteenth and Martin Luther King celebrations in Eau Claire, and serves on the Executive Board of the Chippewa Valley Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin. Selika also advises the Eau Claire Police Department on how to handle cases involving race, as well as in training the force against racial biases. Her book, Honorable Men: Armed Self Defense and the Deacons for Defense and Justice, is under contract with University Press of Mississippi and expected in press early next year.

    Tony Shields serves as CEO of the Brookfield-based Wisconsin Philanthropy Network (WPN), leading all aspects of strategy and operations for membership, staff, programs, fundraising, expansion and execution of its mission. The Wisconsin Philanthropy Network is the state’s only organization devoted exclusively to the profession and practice of philanthropy. As WPN’s leader, Tony serves a growing network of 130 member organizations contributing over $600 million annually to non-profits locally, regionally, nationally and globally. WPN’s mission is to support and promote effective philanthropy through education and research, best practices, enhanced partnerships and thought leadership. Prior to joining WPN, Tony served as Executive Director of United Neighborhood Centers of Milwaukee (UNCOM) and before that led Community Relations efforts for Harley-Davidson, and held executive roles with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Boys and Girls Clubs. Over the years, Tony has served on various community boards and volunteered for several initiatives including community involvement serving on the Leadership Council for Milwaukee Succeeds, the Milwaukee Child Welfare Partnership Council, AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin and Cardinal Stritch University College of Business and Management Deans Advisory Board and Board of Directors.