By Trinity Brown (RLH Unlimited Pageants Alumna)

To be the first can be daunting. It takes a certain caliber of person to execute this feat and create the standard. As we embark on the 45th Miss Black Cincinnati and 35th Miss Black Teen Cincinnati pageants, let’s take some time to step back and shed light on one of the firsts. Ms Vicky “Vee” McWorther.

Vicky was crowned Miss Black Teenage America in the first Miss Black Teenage America Pageant in Cincinnati, Ohio. During her reign, she was bestowed the key to the city and received the Ms. Positivity Award, along with the title Ms. Dream Girl.

Not only is she a pageant queen, but she is a woman of many talents, from singing to acting. Her acting debut took place right here in the city, at the beloved Playhouse in the Park. In her own words:

“I will cherish those memories forever, because those days (and the people I worked with back home), helped me grow into the woman I am today!”

Her career skyrocketed to Broadway (and off Broadway) she even graced television screens in a variety of shows.

While doing all these things, this multifaceted mogul also worked in music.

At the age of 12, she was given the Musican of the Year award. This award propelled her into a music career. Her first stateside release was with Fraternity Records called “How I Wish You Were Here,” featuring Larry Holston. She had several other releases; two specifically were major CD releases in Japan, “We all Need Love” and “Y2k/ Save the World”. During her career, she’s had the opportunity to work with greats such as Jeffery Daniels (Shalamar), Baby Face, Bootsy Collins, The Deel, LA Reid, and many more.

To this day she continues to do what it is she loves: singing, traveling, and spreading her wisdom to others. She gives all the glory to God for her success and the opportunities she’s been afforded. “I was Blessed, and I Thank God Almighty for it all,” says Vicky.

This year she will have a full circle moment and the chance to pour into young women as a special guest at the Miss Black Cincinnati and Miss Black Teen Cincinnati pageants that will be held on Saturday April 5th at Corinthinan Baptist Church

The post The first of many: Setting the standard for queens to come appeared first on The Cincinnati Herald .

In honor of Women’s History Month in March, the Hamilton County Commission on Women & Girls  invited every elected woman in Hamilton County to gather on the Courthouse steps on March 11for a bi-partisan group picture. 

Did you know that as of 2024:

• Women hold a majority of Hamilton County-wide elected seats (8 out of the 11 administrative offices) and over half of the judicial seats are held by women.
• Over 160 women hold public office county-wide.
• We have an unprecedented number of women in local office – mayors, councilmembers, commissioners, trustees  and judges.

The post Women’s History Month: Celebrating local elected women appeared first on The Cincinnati Herald .

Contributed by Black Lawyers Association of Cincinnati

The Black Lawyers Association of Cincinnati (BLAC) announces Adreanne Stuckey as its new President. With a deep commitment to service, equity, and justice, Stuckey steps into this leadership role with a vision of increasing engagement among legal professionals and uplifting the greater Cincinnati community. Stuckey has been involved with the BLAC since 2016 and brings years of legal expertise and advocacy, emphasizing the importance of mentorship, professional development, and community outreach.    

Under her leadership, BLAC aims to foster stronger connections among Black attorneys, enhance resources for aspiring legal professionals, and expand initiatives that support underrepresented communities. During a time when justice and equality are being attacked on all sides, it is important to take a stand, strengthen our network, and provide opportunities for growth.    

Stuckey’s tenure will focus on collaborative partnerships, mentorship, and advocacy efforts that address key issues affecting Black professionals and marginalized communities in Cincinnati. She invites all members, allies, and supporters to join in this mission of progress and unity.

The new Executive Board includes Vice President Jada Colon; Corresponding Secretary Jordan McSayles; Recording Secretary Whitney Glover; Parliamentarian Brandon Craig; Community Service Chair Angela White; Law School Liaison Ihsan Walker; Membership Chair Jeremy D’Abreau; Banquet Chair Saria Lattimore.

The association’s Scholarship & Awards Banquet Gala is Saturday April 26 in downtown Cincinnati.        

For more information on BLAC’s upcoming initiatives and ways to get involved, email cincyblac@gmail.com.

The post BLAC president Adreanne Stuckey aims to enhance engagement appeared first on The Cincinnati Herald .

By Sheri Hager , Communications Director

Paul Haffner, president and chief executive officer of Lighthouse Youth & Family Services, will retire on Dec. 31, 2025. Haffner has served in his role since 2016. 

Under his leadership, Lighthouse Youth & Family Services (Lighthouse) created and implemented programs aimed at ending youth homelessness, opened the Lighthouse Clinic as part of an effort to advance health equity, and increased capacity for youth in its shelters and residential treatment programs through renovation and construction.

Plus, every Lighthouse location underwent improvements and upgrades, including trauma-informed design to create a sense of safety, community, respect and dignity. 

“Paul is a champion of building communities where every young person has the opportunity to thrive,” said Debbie White Richardson, chair of the Lighthouse board of trustees. “He is a strong leader who remains focused on doing what’s best for those Lighthouse serves, no matter the challenge — including successfully leading the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic, always putting safety first and ensuring Lighthouse’s doors stayed open.” 

Also, under Haffner’s leadership, Lighthouse Youth & Family Services has become a beacon of diversity, equity and inclusion, principles embedded in its practices and services. The effort includes continual learning, courageous conversations, closing gender-and race-based wage gaps, and evaluating policies and hiring practices. 

“My time at Lighthouse has been the most rewarding of my career,” said Haffner. “It has been a privilege to lead the organization and an honor to work with a team that is passionate about our mission and delivers excellence every day.” 

The search for Haffner’s successor begins immediately. 

Haffner joined Lighthouse after a 22-year career as a corporate lawyer and business manager with prominent Cincinnati law firms and the Great American Insurance Group. A member of Leadership Cincinnati Class 39, he previously served as board chair of the Cincinnati Nature Center and on the boards of directors of Hamilton County Developmental Disabilities Services, Ronald McDonald House of Greater Cincinnati and the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation, Ohio Chapter. He currently serves as board secretary for the Ohio Children’s Alliance. 

The post Paul Haffner to retire as CEO of Lighthouse Youth & Family Services appeared first on The Cincinnati Herald .

By Marita Salkowski, Marita.salkowski@redcross.org

The Greater Cincinnati Tri-State Chapter of the American Red Cross has announced that Delores Hargrove-Young has been named the recipient of the prestigious Clara Barton Award for Humanitarian Service. The award will be presented at a special breakfast event held April 3, at 8:30 a.m. at Cincinnati’s Music Hall.

The Clara Barton Award is named after the remarkable founder and first leader of the American Red Cross and is given annually by the Cincinnati chapter to an individual, group of individuals, or corporation which exemplifies Barton’s humanitarian spirit. 

Hargrove-Young has been selected as this year’s recipient because of her life-long commitment to humanitarian service in the Cincinnati community. As the vice chair of d.e. Foxx & Associates, one of Greater Cincinnati’s largest minority-owned businesses, Hargrove-Young has been a prominent member of many non-profit organization boards including the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Artswave, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the American Red Cross. In 2024, she was named as a Great Living Cincinnatian by the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce.

Hargrove-Young served as the chair of the Greater Cincinnati Tri-State board from 2016 to 2018.  She is the first African American woman to serve as chair of the local Red Cross board of directors. During her time as both a member and chair of the Cincinnati Board, she was instrumental in the establishment and growth of the Sound the Alarm Campaign, which aims to reduce deaths and injuries due to home fires through the installation of free smoke alarms.  The concept born in the Cincinnati Chapter has now become a national campaign.  

“Delores has had a lasting impact on the greater Cincinnati community,” said Stephanie Byrd, regional executive for the American Red Cross Central & Southern Ohio Region. “She is a remarkable businesswoman, a prominent community leader, and a staunch supporter of diversity and empowerment of women. I am in awe of her strength, yet kindly resolve to make all aspects of our community better.”

The Clara Baron Award for Humanitarian Service event gives the Red Cross an opportunity to recognize community leaders for their service, as well as highlight the work of the Greater Cincinnati Tri-State Chapter.

The funds generated serve as an important source of revenue in supporting the life-saving Red Cross programs in Hamilton, Butler, Warren, Brown, Clermont, Dearborn, Ohio, Boone, Kenton, Campbell, and Grant counties. Individuals, corporations or organizations seeking sponsorship opportunities for this event should contact Laura.Shepherd@redcross.org,  for more information on the event.

The post Delores Hargrove-Young earns Clara Barton Award for humanitarian service appeared first on The Cincinnati Herald .

By Mark Szymanski, mark.szymanski@evocatillc.com

In honor of National Nutrition Month, the national nonprofit Soldiers’ Angels announced Cincinnati as its newest Military and Veteran Food Distribution (MVFD) site. The organization, recognized as the largest provider of food exclusively to veterans in the country, provided food assistance to more than 49,000 Service Members and Veterans in 2024 alone.

“With inflation continuing to pressure our community, Soldiers’ Angels is fighting back by doubling our efforts to fight Military and Veteran hunger in 2025,” said Soldiers’ Angels President and CEO Amy Palmer. “This new Cincinnati food distribution site will provide vital support to Veterans and Service Members in the area and is one of many new initiatives we’ve created to combat food insecurity across the country.”

Now in its tenth year, Soldiers’ Angels’ monthly food distributions now serve veterans, active duty Military, Guardsmen, and Reservists in seven cities: Atlanta, Charleston, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Orlando, and San Antonio, with a new location opening in Washington, D.C. later this year.  

Soldiers’ Angels has taken over the monthly events in Cincinnati from the VA Medical Center, which had previously hosted them since 2022. The organization aims to enhance the quality of food provided at the Cincinnati event, improve the distribution infrastructure, and raise awareness about food insecurity within the military-connected community.

“We are very excited to partner with Soldier’s Angels to expand our monthly mobile food drive addressing food insecurity among Veterans who may be struggling financially or facing homelessness,” said Nicole Comer, U.S. Air Force Veteran, Chief, Voluntary Service, Cincinnati VA Medical Center. “To date, we have provided relief for over 4,600 households. The additional support of nutritious meals and groceries will promote better health outcomes for Veterans in a more private and dignified way of receiving assistance.”

Soldiers’ Angels MVFD events in Cincinnati will take place on the fourth Friday of every month, providing 175 Veteran and Military families with, on average, 75 lbs. of groceries. Veterans and volunteers must pre-register at SoldiersAngels.org/Cincinnati each month to attend or support the event. 

NEXT EVENT:  Friday, March 28, 2025

WHO:  Hosted by Soldiers’ Angels

WHERE:  Cincinnati VA Medical Center – 3200 Vine St. Cincinnati, OH 45220 

REGISTER FOR SUPPORT: Register for notifications for all future events at SoldiersAngels.org/Cincinnati. Recipients must pre-register each month.

The post Soldiers’ Angels expands food distribution for military, veteran families appeared first on The Cincinnati Herald .

By Marla Hurston Fuller & Joe Wessel, Cincinnati Public Schools

The Office of Human Relations (OHR) and Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) together hosted students in grades kindergarten through 12 for the Ohio Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Statewide Oratorical Contest. The citywide contest was held February 27 at the Mary A. Ronan Education Center (2651 Burnet Avenue) for students who recited their memorized essay in front of a panel of judges.

This year’s contest, “Honoring the Legacy, Uniting for the Future,” asks contestants to reflect on where society would be without Dr. King, and to provide solutions for moving forward. The contest was held in four divisions: Primary (grades K-2), Intermediate (grades 3-5), Junior (Grades 6-8) and Senior (grades 9-12). Thirty-four students from nine different CPS schools participated in this year’s contest.

This year’s winners include:

Primary Division

• 1^st Place: Zaniyah Browning, Taft Elementary – Grade 2
• 2^nd Place: Austin Cox, North Elementary – Grade 2
• 3^rd Place: Liam Bauer, Taft Elementary – Grade 2

Intermediate Division

• 1^st Place: Lauren Brown, Taft Elementary – Grade 5
• 2^nd Place: London Brwon, Taft Elementary – Grade 4
• 3^rd Place: Daman Houston, Taft Elementary – Grade 4

Junior Division

• 1^st Place: A’June’t Carson, Walnut Hills High School: Grade 7
• 2^nd Place: Zyon Bolden, Chase Elementary: Grade 6
• 3^rd Place: Serayah Yisreal: Taft Elementary: Grade 6

Senior Division

• 1^st Place: Gavin Foster, Shroder High School: Grade 12
• 2^nd Place: Elena Kochanowski, Shroder High School: Grade 9

“The Oratorical Contest exists to develop deeper knowledge and appreciation for Dr. King among students. Since its inception, the program has presented participants with an academic speaking challenge that teaches important leadership qualities, the history of our nation’s plight for civil rights, the ability to think and speak clearly, and an understanding of the duties, responsibilities, rights and privileges of American citizenship,” stated Paul M. Booth, Division Manager, OHR.

The contest provides students an opportunity to gain confidence in their speaking and presentation skills, while enhancing skills in language arts. Participants were judged on delivery (poise, self-confidence and audience appeal), vocal delivery (audibility, articulation, inflection of voice), creativity, physical (gestures and engagement) and presentation style. Students met State Common Core requirements in Language Arts as they prepared for the contest. Students in grades 4-5 learned how to summarize information, students in grades 6-10 learned how to give an objective summary and students in grades 11-12 learned how to provide an abbreviated version of the most significant points of a text. 

“The Oratorical Contest offers students a meaningful way to honor Dr. King’s legacy by expressing his ideals through their own words and actions. This competition encourages them to think deeply and creatively as they develop and present their speeches. Our goal is for students to feel empowered by their voices, grow in confidence and become advocates for positive change in their communities, following Dr. King’s principles of nonviolent social justice. Supporting them in this journey is both an honor and a privilege,” said Pam Cocklin, Cincinnati Public Schools interim English Language Arts Curriculum Manager.

The top three winners in each division will go on to compete in the State Oratorical Contest in Columbus this spring. Selected Statewide winners will be invited to participate in the annual Ohio Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Celebration in January 2024.

The post Cincinnati students excel in Ohio MLK Oratorical Contest appeared first on The Cincinnati Herald .

By Maya Bere, Communications Specialist

On February 27, Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Greater Cincinnati (HOME) was notified that one of its major fair housing grants was terminated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), effective immediately.  

The Private Enforcement Initiative (PEI) grant is a multi-year grant supporting fair housing counseling, investigation, education and enforcement. HOME is currently in Year 2 of the 3-year grant. The annual grant award is $425,000. This represents approximately 30% of HOME’s annual funding. Across the country, other fair housing groups also received grant termination notices. 

The sudden and immediate termination of the PEI grant will limit HOME’s ability to investigate, request Reasonable Accommodations or Modifications, mediate cases with housing providers and clients, and assist clients with filing fair housing complaints. 

Specifically, HOME is forced to:

• Reduce fair housing counseling impacting roughly 350 clients per year. In the last two years of the grant to date, HOME counseled 612 clients and resolved 160 cases with benefits to clients.  

Last year, HOME assisted a client with avoiding eviction and negotiated a change to their rent payment date to when they receive Social Security Disability Income. The client was forced to pay late fees and was facing an eviction. HOME requested a reasonable accommodation to the property manager and reached a resolution where the client’s eviction was dismissed, they were reimbursed the late fees, and successfully moved the rent payment date to when they receive SSDI payments so they could remain in their home.

• Reduce investigations of illegal housing discrimination in the rental, sales, and lending markets. This includes investigations to ensure accessibility standards are met in housing, as well investigations into mortgage lenders following our recent report findings that people of color still face discrimination and unfair lending practices when applying for a mortgage loan.
• Reduce the number of trainings provided to both consumers and housing providers on fair housing rights and responsibilities. 

“Fair housing and Civil Rights laws are unequivocal. Those laws haven’t changed in the last month,” says Elisabeth Risch, Executive Director. “HOME and other fair housing organizations are the critical frontline defenders, providing counseling and ensuring every individual can access housing free from discrimination. Our investigations show that significant discrimination is still happening in Cincinnati based on race, disability status, family status, and other protected classes. The sudden and immediate termination of this grant is a failure of the federal government to enforce fair housing laws and ensure all people have access to housing.”

The post HUD terminates major grant to Cincinnati fair housing organization appeared first on The Cincinnati Herald .

By press@spotlightpr.org 

Congressman Greg Landsman (D-OH-01) joined a bipartisan congressional delegation in Selma, Alabama, this weekend to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, honoring the 600 marchers attacked on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965.  

Landsman joined the bipartisan pilgrimage from Selma to Montgomery, led by Congressman James Clyburn (D-SC-06), to honor Civil Rights icons and reflect on our nation’s history. 

Paul Booth Sr., a Cincinnati community leader and public servant, joined Landsman on the Congressional Civil Rights Pilgrimage.

During the 60th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, when the threats to our multi-racial democracy are unyielding, Race Forward released the following statement:

“On this day 60 years ago, our ancestors endured brute physical violence,” said Glenn Harris, president, Race Forward. “Civil Rights activists were beaten for no reason other than having the audacity to demand the right to vote. While those who opposed voting rights assaulted the bodies of brave freedom fighters, they could never extinguish our ancestors’ yearning for the ballot box. In the same way our ancestors persisted, we must persist today in our fight against those determined to turn back not only the progress of the past decades, but the very notion that everyone deserves the right to thrive in this country’.

Many state legislatures have proposed or enacted restrictive voting laws. The Brennan Center for Justice reported that “ in 2024, between January 1 to December 31, 10 states enacted 19 restrictive voting laws, 3 states enacted 3 election interference laws, and at least 21 states enacted 32 expansive voting laws. Between 2021 and 2024 the number of restrictive voting laws has nearly tripled the amount passed between 2017 and 2020.” 

“While our struggle may look different from that of our ancestors, make no mistake that we are indeed in the same struggle,” Harris added. “The good news is that the fight of our ancestors shows us how to organize and prepare for this moment.  We have the persistence, stamina, and hope needed to continue our righteous organizing for justice.”

“Our job in this moment is to harness the courage, the tenacity and the drive of people like Martin Luther King Jr., Amelia Boynton Robinson, John Lewis, and so many others. We don’t need to be perfect, but we do need to be tenacious.”  

“Regardless of how dire the circumstances may appear, we must never give up,” Harris concluded. “We will win if we remain in the struggle. This is not a battle we fight alone, but together in solidarity. Our collective power is what will carry us through these times and toward the just, multiracial democracy we all deserve.”

The post Landsman and Booth Sr. join 60th anniversary of Bloody Sunday appeared first on The Cincinnati Herald .

Contributed by Amy Fitzgibbons, Vice President of Marketing & Communications, Cincinnati Regional Chamber

At its Annual Dinner last Thursday, the Cincinnati Regional Chamber held its “passing of the gavel” ceremony to welcome its new Board Chair. Per Chamber governance policy, at the end of 2024, former CVG CEO Candace McGraw, now Immediate Past Chair of the Chamber board, completed her two-year tenure as Chair. James Watkins, CEO of Triversity Construction, assumed the role of Chair after serving for the last two years as Vice Chair of the Board. 

“Over the past decade, Jim has made Cincinnati his home. He has lent his passion, expertise and leadership to numerous initiatives in our region, including affordable housing policy, the caps on Fort Washington Way, and economic development—all in support of our vision of building a growing, thriving region where everyone belongs,” said Brendon Cull, President & CEO of the Cincinnati Regional Chamber. “I’m grateful for his service to our organization and looking forward to his contributions as Board Chair.” 

James Watkins serves as Triversity’s President and Chief Executive Officer with more than 30 years’ experience leading all business phases of construction management, general contracting, and its craft force division. Serving as its President for 11 years, Watkins guided Triversity toward all-time high growth and built its new headquarters, a $4 million development, in Walnut Hills.  

Watkins is responsible for leading the company’s day-to-day business operations and executing the company’s annual business plan giving him oversight of profit and loss company wide.  In addition to the Chamber Board, Watkins serves as a board member for ACI (Allied Construction Industries), Spirit of Construction, Truist Community Advisory Board and Cincinnati Housing Advisory Board. Watkins played a major role in several corporate construction management training programs and was an active member of the ACE Mentor program. He has been named “Who’s Who in Detroit” and is a past NOMA (National Organization of Minority Architects) board member. He is also a graduate of the Cincinnati Chamber’s Leadership Cincinnati, class 37 and an active Vistage member. 

The following individuals also joined as Board Members at the end of 2024: 

• Katrina English, SVP & Chief Administrative Officer, UC Health 
• Holly H. Mazzocca, CFP®, President, Wealth Advisor, Principal, Bartlett 
• Lisa Vannis, Audit & Assurance Partner, Deloitte 
• Andrew E. Worrell, General Counsel and Secretary, Fischer Homes 

To learn more about the Chamber’s Board of Directors, please visit: https://cincinnatichamber.com/board-of-directors/ 

About the Cincinnati Regional Chamber  

The Cincinnati Regional Chamber is the premier business and civic organization dedicated to growing the vibrancy and economic prosperity of the Cincinnati region. To achieve its vision that Cincinnati is a growing, thriving region where everyone belongs, the Chamber seeks to grow our economy, grow our population, and grow our cultural vibrancy – with the foundation of a strong business community – to foster a welcoming environment for all. The Chamber’s membership offerings, signature leadership programs, government and regional advocacy efforts, community events such as BLINK and Oktoberfest as well as key partnerships with organizations like Cincinnati Experience, Cincinnati Compass, Cincinnati Minority Business Accelerator, and the Workforce Innovation Center lead the way in making that vision a reality. For more information, visit www.cincinnatichamber.com. 

The post Cincinnati Regional Chamber welcomes new Board Chair, James Watkins appeared first on The Cincinnati Herald .