Having reached his 36th birthday in September, Brandon Pendarvis Brown is a testament to the old adage that age is just a number, based on the many accomplishments Brown has garnered in such a relatively short period.

He’s about to add one more accolade to the long list of achievements. In good company, Brown, along with CNN Anchor Soledad O’Brien and other distinguished individuals, will receive the national Legacy Award for outstanding service to higher education during the UNCF NAC/PAC Leadership Conference, Friday, February 3, 2012 in Orlando, Florida. The Conference, held annually, features college presidents, educators, alumni, students and philanthropists who gather to learn how to better render support to UNCF institutions and Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

When the South Carolina native was named Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Paine College in 2008, the job appointment could have been hypothetically titled, “The Return,” if speaking of Brown’s matriculation where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in History in 2000. He would later go on to earn a Master’s degree in Human Resources from Webster University of St. Louis.

For Brown, the Paine experience is personal and significant, considering that he is following the legacy footsteps of his father, Bennie F. Brown Jr., a chemistry major who graduated from Paine College in 1969. The older Brown would go on to enjoy a successful career as a high school math and science teacher, in addition to continuing the family funeral home business in the Brown homestead of Greenville, S.C. The Browns are also proprietors of Brown Rentals and Properties. The younger Brown has also provided his expertise to ensure both family businesses have continued to remain viable.

Brown says he is honored to have the opportunity to return to his alma mater. “It’s a special privilege to work with Dr. Bradley to move my alma mater forward,” he said. Dr. George Cleveland Bradley was named President of Paine College in October 2007.

As Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Brown is charged with raising in excess of $14 million for the institution’s Health Education Activities Learning Complex (HEAL), which is currently under construction on the Paine campus. The new facility will in part replace the historic Randall A. Carter Gymnasium which has been part of the Paine campus for the past 60 years. “The HEAL will also include classrooms, laboratories and a 2,400-seat arena with new amenities Paine athletes have gone without for way too long,” Brown said

He is responsible for fostering scholarships, endowments, furthering the institution’s strategic plan and helping to move the Campus Master Plan forward.  Of particular note, the College has witnessed an upsurge in capital improvements and support.

Fundraising and friend raising are comfort zones for Brown, considering his 2006 experience as State Deputy Political Director for Senator Joe Biden’s Presidential campaign. Biden would go on to become Vice President of the United States in President Barack Obama’s administration. Brown continues to cherish a warm relationship with VP Biden and his staff.

Brown’s commitment to making higher education accessible to students is unparallel. He served as a recruitment officer at Claflin University, in Orangeburg, South Carolina for 3 years and went on to create the Greenville HBCU Basketball Classic in 2003. The HBCU Classic was one of a kind in the Upstate and is credited with spurring enrollment at several HBCUs throughout the country. Later, in 2004, he founded the HBCU Football Classic in the Upstate and brought the Battle of the Bands to half-time that was a sidebar to the College Fairs and Recruiting sessions that were forefront.

Brown comments that the Greenville HBCU sports classics were born out of his desire to make college affordable and accessible to his community.  “I wanted to give young people access to a quality education at valuable institutions that are credited with producing many of the nation’s leaders today,” said Brown.

Having caught the political bug, Brown became the first African-American South Carolina candidate for U.S. Congress (age 28) in the Fourth Congressional District and won the Democratic nomination.  Needless to say, Brown leads the Governmental Relations initiatives at Paine College and as a result, the College is witnessing an increase in federal and state funding and support.

Constantly at the forefront of social justice issues, Brown was an organizing member of the Greenville Technical College Multi-cultural Diversity Board that was formed after a senior member of the Greenville Tech Administration made insensitive statements about Katrina Evacuees. Brown contributed heavily to the healing process and went on to serve as an advocate on many fronts.

Rooted in community service, he served as Executive Director of the Allen Temple Community Development Center that catered to at-risk children; and co-founded the Upstate (S.C.) Black Family Reunion, which promotes community unity.  He remains active in civic and social organizations in both Georgia and South Carolina and has served on the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce Advocacy Committee; the Augusta Symphony Board of Directors; and the Greer,
SC Hospital Advisory Board. He is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and a member of the John Wesley United Methodist Church, Greenville, Ssouth Carolina.

The fall of 2011 marked a personal milestone in Brown’s life who had been a longtime committed bachelor. On October 29, 2011, Brown and Augusta TV news anchor/personality Kimberely Scott of WJBF-TV, exchanged marriage vows during distinguished ceremonies that attracted well-wishers from near and far.

“Obviously, this is an exciting time of my life in more ways than one,” said Brown.

“I fully believe in the vision and leadership of our president and feel absolutely certain that Paine College will continue to evoke positive changes locally and nationally — from now and into the future.

“Frankly, I’m having the time of my life,” he added with a smile.

Helene Carter, Assistant Vice President at Paine College and long-time associate of Brown said, “I’ve watched Brandon mature into an exceptional servant leader who is committed to higher education and he’s just beginning to reap some of the benefits of his dedication to servant leadership and his conviction to social justice.  He is a walking testament of the power of exercising positive vision and anyone who is in his company is inspired to reach for greatness.”

Three organizations have joined forces for one common mission: to decrease the number of babies born prematurely in Harlem, New York. Harlem Hospital Center, March of Dimes and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. will launch the Stork’s Nest Program at Harlem Hospital Center auditorium on Tuesday, February 7, 2012 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Stork’s Nest is a national program of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and is sponsored by March of Dimes, a leader in the fight to ensure that all babies are born healthy. The program educates pregnant women about the link between prenatal care and delivering a healthy, full-term baby. It focuses on the importance of keeping monthly medical checkups, following the most up-to-date nutritional information and the benefits of taking pregnancy supplements such as vitamins and folic acid. Participants earn points that they can trade in at the program’s culmination for useful baby products.

A Stork’s Nest will reduce the number of premature births in Harlem, which has the highest rate in Manhattan, according to a 2009 New York City Department of Health study. East Harlem has a 12.7% rate of premature births, which is the highest in Manhattan. Central Harlem has the second highest rate of premature births at 11.4%, according to the same study.

Secondly, a Stork’s Nest will strengthen Harlem Hospital’s ties to the community as a trusted, medical provider. According to Dr. Edgar Mandeville, M.D., Harlem Hospital Center Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology, “Harlem Hospital is the hospital of choice for most Harlem residents, including women from neighboring shelters and temporary housing situations.” In addition, Harlem Hospital Center has provided a wide range of medical, surgical, diagnostic, therapeutic and family support services to the residents of Central Harlem, West Harlem, Washington Heights and Inwood since 1887. Hence, Harlem Hospital Center is the ideal location for a Stork’s Nest.

Lastly, a Stork’s Nest at Harlem Hospital Center will help to maintain Harlem’s position by serving as a model program to demonstrate how credible organizations can pool their resources to create an even stronger entity. The Harlem community is respected as a groundbreaking, thriving community and is thus an ideal location for a partnership between the three institutions that creates a new community-focused entity. Harlem Hospital Center is currently a 286-bed acute care facility and a designated Level I Trauma Center, with a full spectrum of specialty services, including a burn unit, an adult intensive care unit, a neonatal intensive care unit, a pediatric intensive care unit and a cardiac care unit. Harlem Hospital Center’s website is www.nychhc.org.

March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide, and its premier event, March for Babies, March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com/ny or nacersano.org.

Founded January 16, 1920 at Howard University, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. is one of the nine historically black Greek letter service organizations. A non-profit organization, its principles are Scholarship, Sisterly Love, Service and Finer Womanhood. It has also chartered sorority chapters in the Caribbean and Africa. To learn more about the sorority visit www.zphib1920.org. The Sigma Nu Zeta chapter’s website is www.zphibsnz.org.

Kencle Satchell-McKoy, 212-939-1372, kencle.satchell-mckoy@nychhc.org

Ruby Wint, 212-353-8365, RWint@marchofdimes.org

Kim Green, 347-763-6327, kimgreen@kimgeepr.com

Earl G. Graves is a philanthropist, author, publisher and founder ofBlack Enterprise Magazine.

Earl G. Graves was born on January 9, 1935, in Brooklyn and raised in Bedford Stuyvesant, where he learned hard work and perseverance from his parents, Earl Goodwin and Winnaford Colette Sealy Graves.

Graves attended Morgan State University, where he became a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics in 1958. After writing a letter to the Democratic National Committee, he became a volunteer for the 1964 presidential campaign of Lyndon B. Johnson.

His work with the party gave Graves the opportunity to serve as administrative assistant to newly elected Senator Robert F. Kennedy in 1965. Following the assassination of the senator, Graves landed a seat on the advisory board of the Small Business Administration in 1968.

In 1970, he founded Black Enterprise Magazine–a business-service publication targeted to black professionals, executives, entrepreneurs and policy makers in the public and private sector.

It has been profitable since its tenth issue and yearly sales (currently over $53 million) are steadily increasing. BLACK ENTERPRISE has a paid circulation of 475,000 with a readership of more than 4.1 million. It is carried on board most major airlines, and can be found on newsstands nationwide.

In 1972, he was named one of the ten most outstanding minority businessmen in the country by the President of the United States, and received the National Award of Excellence in recognition of his achievements in minority business enterprise.

He is also listed in Who’s Who in America, and in 1974, was named one of Time Magazine’s “200 Future Leaders” of the country.

Graves served as a Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the U.S. Army from 1978 to 1980. He attended Airborne and Ranger School and finished his Army Career (in the rank of Captain) as a member to the 19th Special Forces Group, the Green Berets. He is also the recipient of the U.S. Army Commendation Award.

Earl G. Graves also served as Chairman and CEO of Pepsi-Cola of Washington, D.C., L.P., the largest minority-controlled Pepsi-Cola franchise in the United States. He acquired the $60 million franchise in July of 1990.

The company covers a franchise territory of over 400 square miles including Washington, D.C. and Prince George’s County, Maryland. At year-end 1998, he sold the franchise back to the parent company where he continues to be a significant stockholder and is Chairman of Pepsi’s Customer Advisory and Ethnic Marketing Committee.

In 1997, he authored a book entitled, “How to Succeed in Business Without Being White.” It chronicles the success strategies of America’s premier African-American businessman. Published by HarperBusiness Publications, the book made the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal Business Best Sellers lists.

The book was also selected as a finalist for the 1997 Financial Times/Booz-Allen & Hamilton Global Business Book Award.

In 2002, Graves was named by Fortune Magazine as one of the 50 most powerful and influential African Americans in corporate America. He also serves on the Board of Selectors of the American Institute for Public Service, the Advisory Council of the Character Education Partnership, The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and the National Advisory Board of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

In addition, Graves is a trustee of Howard University, the Committee for Economic Development, the Special Contributions Fund of the NAACP and the New York Economic Club.

During the span of his business and professional careers, Graves has received numerous awards and honors for his outstanding business leadership and community service, including (but not limited to) the Ronald H. Brown Leadership Award from the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Dow Jones & Company Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence in 1992.

In 1999, he received the 84th NAACP Spingarn Medal, the highest achievement award for African Americans and was named one of the Top 100 Business News Luminaries of the Century by TJFR, a publication that covers business journalism.

In 1995, he was named New York City Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young, and was also inducted into the National Sales Hall of Fame by the Association of Sales and Marketing Executives.

Graves is a member of the National Black College Hall of Fame and has received honorary degrees from 53 colleges and universities, including his alma mater.

Today, he continues to serve as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Earl G. Graves, Ltd., parent company for the Earl G. Graves Publishing Company, publisher of Black Enterprise Magazine

In his 50-year career span, Graves has become one of the most powerful and influential businessmen in the country and clearly a champion of community service and philanthropy.

Currently resides in Westchester County with his wife, Barbara, of 42 years. Mr. and Mrs. Graves have three married sons, all successful professionals who work in the family’s businesses.

Earl G. Graves, we acknolwedge your lifelong service to your community, and we honor your tireless efforts toward developing leadership in black businesses.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. partner with Delaware Valley Baptist Church to raise heart health awareness

Leading Ladies: “Go Red & Think Pink”

The “Leading Ladies Go Red & Think Pink” campaign is an initiative sponsored by the American Heart Association, American Stroke Association, American Cancer Society, and the Cancer Coalition of Burlington County.  Locally, the women of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Theta Pi Omega, Pi Mu Omega, and Epsilon Upsilon Omega chapters; have partnered along with the Rancocas Valley Alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and Delaware Valley Baptist Church to bring this worthwhile program to the African-American community on Friday, February 24, 2012 at Delaware Valley Baptist Church, located at 493 Beverly-Rancocas Road, Willingboro, NJ 08060.  This event is free and open to the public.

This is a collaborative event to share information about the importance of living life in healthy ways while sampling of “Healthy Food Recipes for the Soul” prepared by local chefs and food specialists. The goal of this collaborative is to share information with the hope of raising awareness about the importance of living life in healthy ways to prevent heart disease, stroke, and breast cancer among African-Americans.

The highlights of the evening will be health information workshops on heart health and breast cancer awareness. In addition, participants will be provided a sampling of heart healthy foods prepared by local chefs and food specialist. Further, there will be a video on display, which will feature women who will share their testimonies about living with or having overcome heart health issues and breast cancer.

Heart disease is still the No. 1 killer of women, taking the life of one in three women each year, and this is especially important for African-American women, who are at increased risk due to factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and diabetes.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among African-American women. It is also the second leading cause of cancer death among African-American women, exceeded only by lung cancer.

We hope that you will join us on February 24th for a casual evening of caring, sharing, and fun.

iPad/Tablet users, click HERE to download the magazine

On January 15, 2012, graduate and undergraduate Alpha Kappa Alpha women along with the men of the Jericho Lodge #20, Free and Accepted Masons, Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of PA partnered to celebrate the life Martin Luther King Jr.  The event was held at Barack Obama Academy of International Studies.

The event opened with a welcome to over 100 members and guests, followed by dinner and song by Brady and Brana Hill.  Mr. Andre’ McGee, Past Master followed by presenting the audience with a powerful video entitled “Keepers of the Dream” to the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Event co-chair Jackie Blakey led the group discussion on how the guests in attendance and young people continue to keep the dream of Martin Luther King.

In addition to paying a tribute to Martin Luther King Jr., military families were honored and recognized for their service and sacrifices to our country.  With the assistance of the Students Ambassadors at Pittsburgh Dilworth PK-5^th grade, the two organizations were able to present over 50 food baskets to veterans transitioning back into civilian living through a program sponsored by the Veteran’s Affairs Hospital.  Event co-chair, Dr. Monica Lamar is the principal of Pittsburgh Dilworth PK-5^th Grade.

On Monday, January 16, 2012 the Sorors of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Phi Tau Omega chapter along with family and friends partnered with Hands On Atlanta for their annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service at Renaissance Elementary School in Fairburn, GA. Volunteering in this event supports Alpha Kappa Alpha’s Initiative V: Social Justice and Human Rights. The day was filled with fun activities for the entire family! Participants worked in various areas including landscaping, arts/crafts and mural painting. Mrs. Saletria Cail, Phi Tau Omega’s Basileus stressed the importance of remembering Dr. King’s legacy of cooperation and working together. She stated, “Phi Tau Omega is proud to be of service to Renaissance Elementary and City of Fairburn on this historic holiday!”

Actress Tonya Lee Williams will receive the Martin Luther King, Jr. Achievement Award at the Black Theatre Workshop (BTW)’s 26th Annual Vision Celebration Gala a week from Saturday in Montreal for her contribution in the Black performing arts.

Williams remains best known as fan favorite Dr. Olivia Williams on the top-rated daytime soap, The Young and the Restless. Her other notable roles includes Octovia Jones on the CBC drama The Border, and most recently as Maxine Williams on the VisionTV sitcom She’s The Mayor.

Tonya made her debut as the host of the children show Polka Dot Door, which led to guest spots on What’s Happening Now!, Gimme a Break!, Hill Street Blues, Falcon Crest, and Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future.

Her role as Linda Dukes on the groundbreaking African-American NBC soap Generations led Tonya to her highest-profiling role to date: Dr. Olivia Winters as Y&R, earning her two Daytime Emmy nominations and two NAACP Awards.

In 2001, Tonya created and founded Reelworld (www.reelworld.ca), a film festival celebrating cultural diversity with the screening of films, documentaries, music videos, and shorts to both Canadian and international audiences.

The Vision Celebration begins with cocktails at 5:30pm, followed by dinner, dancing and entertainment an hour later at 6:30pm.

For tickets, call the Box Office at 514-932-1104 (ext. 226); more information on the Black Theatre Workshop can be found at www.blacktheatreworkshop.ca

Wake services will be held at 6 p.m. Friday and funeral services will be held at noon Saturday at St. John AME Church in Marion.

Samuel was born on June 2, 1921, in Bishopville, a son and one of nine children of Robert Sr. and Mary Margaret Samuel Bradley. The Bradley home, in the Red Hill community, strongly emphasized learning wisdom from both Christian and formal education. Samuel’s parents required regular family attendance at New Zion AME Church to learn that, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” among other religious instruction.

Samuel’s formal education included Cooper Mill, Rosenwall School, and Lincoln High in Sumter. He started his freshman college year at Morris College in Sumter before going to Allen University on a football scholarship. He began a more than 65 year membership with Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity during his undergraduate years. Before graduating in 1947 with a bachelor’s degree from Allen University, he served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Samuel often said that, “The best thing I got from Allen University was meeting and marrying Beulah Mae Taylor,” his wife of 62 years. She passed away in March of 2009.

Samuel and Beulah were blessed with two daughters, Deloris Bradley Harris and Cathy Bradley Page, both of whom had successful public school teaching careers like their father and mother. Residing in Marion, Samuel abundantly provided for his family via a 38-year distinguished public school teaching career involving Terrell’s Bay High School, Centenary; Lincoln High School, Sumter; and Poynor Middle School and Wilson High School in Florence. He was a faithful longtime member of St. John AME Church in Marion and served many times as a delegate to important AME church lay organizations and general conferences. Similarly, Samuel provided many years of loyal service by helping to recruit new college students to his beloved alma mater, Allen University. In 2010, he was inducted into the Allen University Athletic Hall Of Fame.

In addition to Deloris of Durham, N.C., and Cathy of Columbia, Samuel is survived and loved by his brother, Robert (Lottie) Bradley Jr. of Bishopville; his sisters, Blanche (Isaac Sr.) Joe and Lillie Mae Mickens, both of Bishopville; his grandchildren, Sonya Harris of Durham, Charles Harris II of Chicago, Ill., Samuel Murphy of Columbia, and Jennifer Harris of Durham; his great-grandson, Zion Murphy; his brother-in-law, Seabrook (Willie Mae) Taylor; his sisters-in-law, Merlene Montgomery, Lucille Taylor and Jessie Bradley; and a host of wonderful nephews, nieces, cousins, relatives and friends.

Interment will be at New Zion AME Church Memorial Garden, Bishopville.

Professional services entrusted to New Life Funeral Services LLC of Bishopville.

Techno pioneer Saunderson recently relaunched influential US techno outfit Inner City, whose first two albums had combined sales of more than six million, for a new album due early next year. We find out more about the 47-year-old New York DJ.

He really wasn’t cut out to be a pop star.
‘It was a bit bizarre, because I had no intentions in that direction. I just wanted to produce music. I didn’t want to be on Top of the Pops. I didn’t see myself as any kind of typical band, but all of a sudden I was being looked on as typical because I had commercial success. I made it very clear in the beginning to my managers that I didn’t wanna do this, and they were like, “You’ve got to do this, this is important to the record, and this is how it works.” So even now, I’m not gonna be on every tour with Inner City. I’m gonna be at home making music, while they might be out performing. I’ve grown, and if we can’t do it this way, I won’t do it. That’s the difference between then and now. I was young, a little naïve.’

He hasn’t updated his equipment much since the old days.
‘I might work with two or three plugins, until I wear them out. It’s easy to say, well, that sound doesn’t work, let me try that one, or this one. That’s the more conservative approach. It’s not easy – it takes time, but when it comes you appreciate it. Some people never experience that, so they never know that.’

He doesn’t listen to music much any more.
‘People would be surprised, but I don’t listen to music like I used to. I play a lot of music, because I’m DJing, but I don’t sit at home and put on my favourite tracks. That’s not to say there’s something wrong with the quality of what’s out there, it’s just not my thing. If I run into a track I love, I’ll ask who it is, but I don’t generally follow music.’

Britain’s early-’90s acid house revolution blew his mind.
‘I saw things move so quickly, coming to the UK in the early part of 1988 and then later that year: it transformed. It blew me away. It was like a virus! Truthfully. This big phenomenon started happening around it. It was very special. That’s something that just doesn’t happen. You can’t just go out and say, I’m going to make something like this happen!’

He doesn’t think that could happen again unless something else happens first.
‘We would have to have some massive thing happen. If half the world got blown up and society was recreated, that’s what it would take for us to come up with something like that, because your experience was so deep that you were on another level of recreating humanity and yourself through creativity. That’s the only way something like that’s gonna happen. I ain’t saying it’s not going to happen, but we should hope that it ain’t happening, ha ha!’

He thinks black people have been deleted from house history.
‘Definitely. I don’t know how much it was remembered in the first place! Because when this music was first created, it was all black people dancing to it. A black people. It’s amazing how it went from all black people to no black people. I was in a college fraternity called Phi Beta Sigma, we did these parties, a thousand black kids on campus partying. They were all progressive. They weren’t into what was on the radio, they were getting it! All these black kids, smoking these German cigarettes, calling themselves preppy, dressing all cool. Between when I released “Big Fun” [in 1988], and about ’92, it totally flipped. And now on the college circuit, all the white fraternities, they’re booking Tiësto and David Guetta!’