The Forbes World’s 100 Most Powerful Women includes Five Black Women

       ILLUSTRATION BY GRACELYNN WAN FOR FORBES; PHOTOS BY MICHELE TANTUSSI

Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine was a defining moment for Europe. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen rose to the challenge. A week after the war began, she announced three major economic sanctions against Russia—banning transactions with its central bank, closing airspace to Russian plane travel and barring Kremlin-owned news agencies.

“Protecting our liberty comes at a price,” von der Leyen said. “This is our principle: freedom is priceless.”

For her leadership during the Ukraine war, as well as her handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, von der Leyen sits atop the 19th annual Forbes list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women. Her influence is unique—no one else on the list formulates policy on behalf of 450 million people—but her commitment to a free and democratic society is not. Von der Leyen is just one face of the biggest storyline of 2022: women acting as stalwarts for democracy.

American women suffered the greatest reversal of rights in the two decades of the list when the Supreme Court limited the right to an abortion. In reaction, female voters energized U.S. midterm elections. In Iran, thousands of women marched in the streets in protest against theocratic laws that treat them as second-class citizens. 

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100 Collegiate Women Celebrates 10 years

CONGRATULATIONS AND HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO THE CHARTER MEMBERS . . .

Ten years ago, 41 dynamic, daring and determined young women, coupled with others, took the road less travel and helped to launch a new movement in organizations for women at Prairie View A&M University in Texas. The result was the creation founding of The 100 Collegiate Women of America™ an international organization in August 2011. The women, along with the advisors and honorary members were inducted in September 2011.

 

The organization, not to be confused with the Collegiate 100, an organization with membership for both male and female. This organization was to set become the premier organization for women in college and college graduates. 

 

Ten years later the organization is not a dream deferred and is being reestablished because of its impact on those first 41 women who dared to be different and the future women of the world. Some of these dynamic ladies have become authors, educators, entrepreneurs, news personalities, and other individuals of great influence and power in their various communities.

 

So today we take time out to salute the women on the Tenth Anniversary . . . remember, the best is yet to come!

Harris is Vice President Elect of the United States of America

Kamala Harris is poised to become the first Black woman Vice President of the United States of America. After a long battle, herself for the presidency, Harris accepted the request from Vice President Joe Biden to become is running mate for president.

The election of 2020 will go down in history for a number of reasons one of which will be the first time that an incumbent president lost the election but refused to accept the results.  Additionally, Harris' husband Doug Emhoff will also make history as the first male to become the 2nd Gentlemen.  The attorney will also be the first Jewish spouse, of any gender, for the presidency or vice presidency.

After Joe Biden became the president-elect, based on ABC News analysis, Emhoff reacted on Twitter by posting a photo of him and Harris embracing along with the words, "So proud of you."

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Kamala Harris makes run for the Presidency

Senator Kamala Harris, a former California attorney general and San Francisco district attorney who was elected to the Senate two years ago, officially launched her campaign for president today (Monday, January 21, 2019.

Harris, the first African-American to enter the 2020 presidential race and the first black senator from California, made the announcement on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” She simultaneously released a video teasing the formal start of her campaign at a rally on January 20 in Oakland, California, Harris’ birthplace and the city that cultivated her political rise.

It appears that Harris is following the route to the presidency as did then Senator Barak Obama, who was later elected president in 2008. The 100 Collegiate Women of America predicted this move back in 2016 upon her election to the Senate.

Harris is the second Black woman to make this move since Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm launched her run for the presidency following four after her election in 1968 as the first Black woman elected to the United States Congress.  The question now is America ready for the first Black woman to become president?  Can she amass the following and the money for such an ambitious run for office.

Born in Oakland, California, Harris graduated from Howard University and the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. She began her career in the Alameda County District Attorney's Office, before being recruited to the San Francisco District Attorney's Office and later the City Attorney of San Francisco's office. In 2003, she was elected district attorney of San Francisco. She was elected Attorney General of California in 2010 and re-elected in 2014. Harris has served as the junior United States senator from California since 2017. 

Harris defeated Loretta Sanchez in the 2016 Senate election to become the second African American woman and the first South Asian American to serve in the United States Senate. As a senator, she has advocated for healthcare reform, federal descheduling of cannabis, a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, the DREAM Act, a ban on assault weapons, and progressive tax reform. She gained a national profile for her pointed questioning of Trump administration officials during Senate hearings, including Trump's second Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, who was accused of sexual assault.

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Tézya Jackson to Launch Unstuck Webseries

Tézya Jackson, member of the Collegiate 100 Women is set to Launch  Unstuck Webseries.  The project focuses on Katrina, a young lady who discovers  that looking for her dream career  while juggling work in the Corporate World is extremely difficult.  The project is a comedy that will provide insight for all aspiring career women. The film is set for release on September 3, 2018 on http://Lifestartsnowtv.com.

Tezya is a 26 year old young woman,  an aspiring film producer, writer and actress born and raised in the South-East region of Dallas, Pleasant Grove, with her parents Gregory and Lisa Jackson; she also had one younger sibling, Alexa Jackson, also an aspiring fashion designer, marketing professional and talent agent.

Inspired at a very early age, writing and directing would be her passions that she pursued from elementary to college level in advancing a career as a filmmaker. She is often consumed with multiple memberships in prestigious organizations at Prairie View A&M University including the famed Charles Gilpin Players, Club Chic, and 100 Collegiate Women of America.

Hers goals are to make an impact on the community through leadership and service by reaching out.  Her plans are to use media art as a way to demonstrate images of multifaceted perspectives that can provide understanding amongst all human stories. She is a dedicated writer, playwright and director, who hopes to encourage the world by helping the world encourage themselves; through art respectively.

Her favorite quote: “I could have freed many more if they only knew they were slaves,” Keeps her the fight for freedom! With Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through him who strengths me,” Ms. Jackson remembers through all obstacles her path is not short-driven in weakness but through Christ is captivated.   Her grandmother has be a true example of what a woman is inside and out; beautifully.  Some of her favorites are Luther Vandross, Jamie Foxx, writing and reading Getting to Happy by Terry McMillian.

Tezya is a former writer for The Panther, student newspaper at Prairie View A&M University in Texas. Her Uloop News include articles on student organizations, i.e. Club Chic promotes women empowerment and Prairie View royalty hopes to bring scholarships to the Hill for Prairie View A&M students to read and enjoy.

She holds the BA degree in Mass Communications and Theater is is ready to fulfill her career ambition of writing, producing and directing movies.  With Unstuck Webseries, Tezya hopes to maker her mark on the world.


Tezya and staff has recently launched the fundraising at Kickstarter and invite you to support their efforts.  

Go and give your support to this aspiring film-maker.

Ruth Simmons is named 8th President of Prairie View A&M University

Dr. Ruth Stubblefield Simmons is officially named the 8th President of Prairie View A&M University as of December 4, 2017.

The Board of Regents of the Texas A&M University System unanimously voted Monday to name Dr. Ruth J. Simmons, a nationally recognized leader in higher education, as the 8th president of Prairie View A&M University. Simmons will assume the presidency of Texas’ second oldest public institution becoming the first woman to lead the university in its 140-year history.

Simmons, a Houston native who served as president of Brown University from 2001 to 2012, had been the interim president at Prairie View A&M University since June. Since retiring from Brown, Dr. Simmons had turned down offers to lead other institutions of higher education, but Prairie View A&M University appealed to her because of its history, significance, and mission. Also, her brother attended the university.

Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp said he is pleased to see such a high-caliber scholar and gifted administrator leading the Prairie View campus.

“The Texas A&M University System and Prairie View A&M University are lucky to call Dr. Simmons president of Prairie View A&M,” Chancellor Sharp said. “With administrative experience at a top Ivy League university, a women’s university and a historically black college, Dr. Simmons brings a unique perspective to Prairie View A&M University.”

One of Simmons’ stated goals is to improve the representation of African-Americans in STEM fields.

Simmons taught French and Africana Studies at Brown. She holds a Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures at Harvard, and has also served in various faculty and administrative roles at the University of Southern California, Princeton University, and Spelman College. Additionally, she was president of Smith College, the largest women’s college in the United States. At Smith, she launched a number of important academic initiatives, including an engineering program, the first at an American women’s college.

Simmons is the recipient of many honors, including a Fulbright Fellowship to France, the 2001 President’s Award from the United Negro College Fund, the 2002 Fulbright Lifetime Achievement Medal, the 2004 Eleanor Roosevelt Val-Kill Medal, the Foreign Policy Association Medal, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and the Centennial Medal from Harvard University. Simmons is a member of the National Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, and the Council on Foreign Relations, and serves on the boards of Texas Instruments, Chrysler, Mondelez, and Square, as well as a number of non-profit boards. Awarded numerous honorary degrees, she received the Brown Faculty’s highest honor: the Susan Colver Rosenberger Medal in 2011. In 2012, she was named a ‘chevalier’ of the French Legion of Honor.

To learn more about Prairie View A&M University,visit www.pvamu.edu.

Media Contact: Candace Johnson Phone: 936-261-1566 or 281-746-5444 Email: cajohnson@pvamu.edu

Saluting Women in Leadership . . . Empowered for the future!

When it comes to female leadership and empowerment, modern-day icons like Malala, Hillary and even Beyoncé are quick to come to mind. (Not to mention Emma Watson, Michelle Obama, "Lean In" coach Sheryl Sandberg and Kamala Harris, 2nd Black Woman elected Senator.) Fortunately, there are a lot more female leaders out there than common knowledge may suggest; from trailblazing politicians to dedicated activists. 

 

 Click here for 21 from Harpers Bazaar Plus 1.

Kamala Harris, recently elected to the U. S. Senate.

 

Harris, California’s Attorney General, made history Tuesday night, becoming only the second black woman to be elected to the U.S. Senate.

Harris, 52, entered the Senate race after Barbara Boxer announced her intention to retire. The Democrat became an early front-runner in a crowded primary field.

While 20 African-American women currently serve in the House of Representatives, there hasn't been a black female senator since Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois served one term from 1993 to 1999.

 

Harris's win as senator has folks wondering would she follow in President Obama's footstep and seek to become president after four years as a senator.  It is possible that she could become the first female president of the united states in 2020.

Harris’s platform includes such issues as criminal justice and immigration reform, creating good-paying jobs, enacting family leave and equal pay policies, college affordability and universal pre-kindergarten for children and tackling climate change.