TV producer, screenwriter, and media mogul Shonda Rhimes may have popularized the surname Grey because of her hit show Grey’s Anatomy (2005-present). But there is a real-life Grey family, who for three generations has continued to make a difference in real estate in Harlem, New York.

Maurice Russell Grey is the current Chief Executive Officer of Esra Realty. He is part of the third generation of real estate brokers. Maurice, a tall man with a cordial presence, welcomed me into the meeting room. It was warm. Rays of sun light beamed through the withdrawn shades, exuding an essence of regality. As I listened to Maurice’s story, I realized it was a remarkable recount of historical permanence, family legacy, and a Caribbean-American perspective on the makings of the American Dream.

Maurice is a Harlemite; he was born in Harlem Hospital and raised on its most notable streets. However, his background is Caribbean. His mother was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and immigrated to the United States for college. His father, Maurice Edward Grey was born in Harlem, and his maternal family originated from Guyana. We bonded on the fact that both our families are Guyanese.

Maurice could not converse about the family’s successes without first delving into its history. His grandmother, Sarah Edwards was one of the founders of Esra Realty, which is an acronym for Edwards Sisters Realty Associates. Sarah and her older sisters, Millicent and Lucille immigrated from what was then British Guiana in the 1920s. Millicent embarked on the journey first and sent for her sisters. They opened the real estate business in 1925 to help Caribbeans find housing. “Three ladies who had a vision that Harlem was about to change,” Maurice says. They also had an employment business called Edwards-Bowen Employment Agency to help Caribbeans find jobs.

The company name was changed from Edwards Sisters Realty Associates to Esra by Maurice and his cousin Aden Seraile—co-owner whose grandmother is also Sarah Edwards—because during public gatherings people expected to see three sisters. Two grown men did not fit the image. However, they kept the legacy of these accomplished Guyanese women. Sarah’s sister Lucille became the fourth Black woman to graduate from NYU law and the first Black woman barred in New York State. Until their sister Millicent’s untimely death, Lucille was the real estate attorney and Sarah was the real estate manager. Together they bought and sold several homes in Harlem in the 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s.

In awe of Esra Realty’s legacy, I asked Maurice what it was about this firm that drew him in. “I backed my way back in. I had these grand dreams of my own,” he said, to my surprise. “Wall Street was big, and everyone was going to Wall Street making all of this money.” At that time, in the late 90s, Maurice mentioned the recession and how difficult it was to find jobs unless you had a finance degree or IVY league background. “If you were Black and you were coming out without one of those things, it was very tough to crack that circle,” he said. The circle is a reference to a predominately white Wall Street environment. It was a rude awakening for Maurice who graduated from Rutgers University in 1996, majoring in political science and African-American Studies; he values his undergrad experience because of how much it helped him “build his character and self-worth,” but he wondered what he wanted to do.

Even growing up in a real estate family, Maurice remarks how he “didn’t fully understand the power of real estate.” He likens this notion to human nature, saying “When you grow up with something, you don’t appreciate it.” Especially, in the 70s and 80s, Maurice let me know that Harlem was not “booming” like it is now. There were “a lot of abandoned buildings, degradation, no one was eager to move to Harlem at those times.” He recalls his father struggling to “keep the business afloat for many years because the perception of Harlem is not what it is now. More people were moving out than moving in.” I continue to listen to Maurice as he shares: “I remember going to sitings with him as he showed Brownstones in the 80s; he was pretty much begging people to buy $200,000 and sometimes less than that.”

Maurice not only understood the challenges his father faced but also the struggles of those aiming for homeownership. There were a lot of obstacles: the down payment, high-interest rates, redlining, and discriminatory lending practices. Maurice adds, “specifically in Harlem.” Harlem didn’t grow the way it should have. With redlining, Maurice gives a fictional example that sheds light on the reality of marketing homes in certain communities. He says “Suppose Harlem starts on 110 street. A brownstone on 105 Street or 98 Street with the same dimensions as something in Harlem, you’re able to finance that. However, once you cross over, your financing criteria change. They are asking for a higher down payment or saying you have a higher likelihood of foreclosure.” With this example, Maurice makes the case that perception has always mattered. It is what creates generational wealth.

According to Maurice, the practices of red-lining and predatory lending weren’t confined to Harlem but occurred in most Black neighborhoods, and when talking about the wealth gap in real estate, he says it isn’t “accidental.” He admits part of the wealth gap is because of a lack of financial education, but a lot has to do with discriminatory practices and even deed restrictions. 

Maurice says, there are some places in New York State where if you were “Black or Latina you were not legally allowed to buy the property.” He cites the Ridgway vs. Cockburn case (1937) that occurred in Edgemont Hills, New York. A light-skinned Caribbean woman, Pauline T. Cockburn, was sued by her white neighbor Mrs. Marion R. Ridgway because of a racial deed covenant attached to neighborhood properties. The racial deed covenant stated, “No parcels shall ever be leased, sold, rented, conveyed or given to Negroes or any persons of the Negro race or blood, except that colored servants may be maintained on the premises.” In short, if you were a person of color, you were only welcomed into the neighborhood as domestic servants. Unaware of the deed a year prior, the Cockburns, Pauline and her husband Joshua, both of Caribbean descent, bought and built their home in Edgemont for $20,000. Although the Cockburns had an excellent defense team, Arthur Garfield Hays and Thurgood Marshall—who was destined to become a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court—they lost the case.

Racial deed restrictions were not the only barriers. Maurice recalls how his own Caribbean immigrant family also faced challenges in purchasing homes from homeowners who used de facto discriminatory practices. The first-generation family eventually achieved success, at one point owning a brownstone on Strivers Row, an enclave of brownstones famous for housing Harlem’s elite politicians and successful artists. They then looked to acquire property in Westchester. They “bought” a home in a town called Hasting-On Hudson. They had a cross burned on their front lawn. Maurice recalled how his family was able to buy properties by fronting white buyers “because if you showed up as Black buyer that was it.”

The powerful impact of his family buying in once exclusively white neighborhoods is that it allowed other Black families to be the first to move there. They influenced neighborhoods in Westchester and Southampton, and Maurice says “Some of these families are still there today.”

During our interview Maurice’s aunt, Ramona Grey-Harris, comes into the meeting room. He introduces me to this beautiful, medium-height woman with short-cropped hair and glasses. Maurice says she is part of the second-generation family and their historian. Ramona reminded Maurice of business, and it was great to witness two generations together. It felt like a historic moment in my eyes. She’d just retired in January 2023. The second-generation was Ramona, Juliette, Maurice Edward Grey, and his cousin Aden’s mother, Janette. Ramona is the lone survivor.

I finally asked Maurice what was the turning point that allowed him to accept his family business as his own. He recalls a time he interviewed with a bank. When asked where he saw himself in five years, he said branch manager. Maurice received feedback that stated, “he doesn’t want to start at the bottom; he may not be one to follow directions.” These statements made him realize that if being ambitious was perceived as bad, then he didn’t need to be in that room. He noted the interviewer was Black, which I interpreted that experience as internalized racial gatekeeping– this belief that there can “only be one of us.” Maurice says, “Don’t let someone determine where you should be or that you shouldn’t ask for anything; you should rather strike out on your own.” This experience allowed him to see that his family’s business is a vehicle through which he can flex his entrepreneurial skills. This was the opportunity.

Interestingly, his father did not openly encourage him to follow in his footsteps. His father did not see huge profits in the ’70s and ’80s but was grateful he had enough to keep afloat. “The focus went away from growing to just sustaining to survive,” Maurice said. Yet his father and family always preached about Harlem’s potential and the wisdom of buying there. Maurice noted that the location is perfect – right by Jersey, Queens, Westchester, and Downtown Manhattan. But, socially—the drug crisis, the violence characteristic of impoverished communities with limited opportunities, buildings falling due to lack of maintenance—made it incredibly difficult to market Harlem as a place for a family to live. “Mentioning Harlem during those times was not met with positivity,” he said. However, the firm’s potential to not just survive, but also grow and sustain itself, came during the beginnings of a Harlem turnaround.

Bill Clinton moving into an office space in Harlem was a “big deal,” from a marketing perspective Maurice says. 

It helped transform the negative perception of Harlem. Maurice recalls showing homes and everyone wanting to know where Clinton’s office was located. The Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone, New York’s version of programs to spur urban growth in depressed communities around the country, was also helpful. For Maurice, it took taking seminar classes, joining The Greater Harlem Estate Real Estate Board, and seeing people look like him buying and selling property, to get him excited about a Harlem turnaround.

In 2023 this Harlem turnaround made someone like me, a true Brooklynite, venture to Harlem for The Apollo’s annual Festival of Arts & Ideas. The event, “[at] The Intersection” was curated by Ta-Nehesi Coates. It featured many speakers, authors, artists, and chefs talking about their experiences. Maurice told me that his wife, Tasha Lily Grey, was also in attendance. Perhaps we brushed shoulders without realizing it. 

Maurice tells me that Harlem has always attracted people from all walks of life. His buyer’s clientele leans more toward white, Asian, mixed-race couples, and nonheteronormative couples. He believes it shows a more diverse and accepting attitude of Harlem, a “Renaissance” that is happening, rather than “gentrification,” a word he is intentional about not using because, from his lens, it is very complicated. Ultimately, Maurice wants to see more Black home ownership and developing Black intergenerational wealth, two topics he is very passionate about. “I know how important they are,” he said. However, Maurice states that there is “diversity value, there is value not growing up in a bubble.”

Maurice’s vision for Esra Realty includes teaching people the value of owning—and one avenue is through real estate. “Ninety percent of millionaires are created through real estate,” he said, emphasizing the need to educate people about owning, building and developing. 

Maurice discusses the importance of networking and attending events because “you never know whom you might meet and what information you may get.” 

He notes that Black people were “conditioned to rent,” and there is a reason for these setbacks. Historically, Black people in the United States were not allowed to own or be educated.

When Black homeowners want to sell their homes race plays a role. Maurice offers a stark example–when a Black homeowner removed all signs of Black art or photography, the appraisal of the property went up by $400,000. Another person in Brooklyn did the same thing to his brownstone and his appraisal went up $1 million. These are “game-changing numbers.” This perception speaks to the society we live in; that a Black person has less value than a white person. “A Black person makes 80 percent less than a white person with the same credentials,” Maurice says, and adds that women face the same discrimination. “So what does that mean? They are saying that women and Black people are worth less than a white man.”

Maurice believes the recipe for change goes beyond hard work alone. Successful people rely on someone to help them get through barriers. Maurice wants to make sure that Esra Realty is there, breaking barriers and “holding the door for as many people as possible.” Currently, the company’s business includes property management, development, and private lending. He says real estate is a viable option for achieving the American Dream.

Maurice is a brilliant, well-resourced, and ambitious man who knows his African-American and his family’s Caribbean history. They inform his leadership, which began three generations ago from Guyanese sisters Millicent, Lucille, and Sarah who had a vision.

The post Maurice Russell Grey: Esra Realty Firm’s Third-generation leader  appeared first on Sunday Best Magazine.

Far too often the ingenuity and contributions of Black Americans are erased, hidden, or simply never acknowledged in the history of the United States.

The legacy of exploited labor and the subjugation of enslaved Africans in this country has sustained a marginalized view of Black humanity and abilities. Not only did the enslaved have to survive unimaginable adversity, the accomplishments of their descendants are largely unsung.

Cheryl McKissack Daniel embodies the innovation, talents, and faithful spirit that has enabled Black Americans to persevere.

Cheryl McKissack Daniel is the President and CEO of McKissack & McKissack, the oldest Black owned—and woman led—professional design and construction firm in the United States. For 118 years this family-owned business has been a pillar in the construction and design community, carrying on a legacy that was birthed in bondage. McKissack today has 150 employees with annual revenues of $50 million. Next year’s projection is $60 million.

When you walk into the McKissack office in midtown Manhattan, it’s hard not to be in awe. Not simply because of the lush, grassy accent wall, donning the bright red McKissack emblem, or the gentle silence and cool air of the lobby, but of the history that made it all possible. The legacy wall provides a glimpse of the McKissack family members that passed the baton each generation, expanding their expertise and scope to amass more than 6,000 planning, design, and construction projects to date.

This five generation succession requires vision, focus, and a commitment to family. McKissack Daniel’s great-great-grandfather, Moses McKissack I, was born of the West African Ashanti empire and sold into slavery to William Mckissack of North Carolina. While enslaved Moses was taught brick making. This skill would change the trajectory of the Mckissack family for years to come. McKissack Daniel states, “He had to overcome slavery and the mentality of being enslaved, to have the foresight that he wanted something better. And to have something better he needed a craft.” Moses passed on the trade of brick making to his son Moses II, a free man, who went on to become a master builder, who specialized in spiral staircases and gingerbread finishes, most notably for the Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville, TN.

The early post-emancipation era allowed craftsmen and artisans like the first two Mckissack men to sell their bricks and start businesses, as the labor and skills of freed Blacks were still in high demand. Moses III followed in the footsteps of the first two, learning the art of building from his father Moses II, and becoming an accomplished carpenter. He received his formal education in segregated Pulaski public schools and established the McKissack & McKissack firm in 1905 in Nashville. Eventually teaming up with his brother Calvin L. McKissack, the firm’s first major commission was to design the Carnegie Library on the Fisk University campus.

By the 1920s it was unpopular for Blacks to work side by side with whites and do business. While working throughout the South in Black institutions, schools, churches, and universities, it was not safe for Moses III and his crew to travel at night because Blacks were being killed and they couldn’t patronize hotels and restaurants. They navigated this time staying with friends and relatives, splitting the day time between traveling and construction.

Racism always required the McKissack family to pivot and recalibrate. They encountered another stumbling block when Tennessee instituted a registration law for architects in 1922 and the McKissack Brothers were initially denied. But after petitioning the state and acquiring architectural degrees, Moses Mckissack III became the first Black licensed architect in the United States, on May 27th 1922, with certificate number 117. He was followed by his brother Calvin with certificate number 118 on the same day.

In the late 1930s McKissack & McKissack received several federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) contracts. The WPA was a U.S.-backed jobs program to help lift the economy out of the depression. In 1942 the company received a $5.7 million contract—the equivalence of about $107 million in 2023 dollars—for construction of the Ninety-ninth Pursuit Squadron Air Base for the African American combat air unit in Tuskegee, Alabama. This World War II contract was the largest ever granted by the federal government to an African American company. The McKissacks also designed several federal housing projects and Moses McKissack III received an appointment to the White House Conference on Housing Problems during President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s administration.

Following the death of his brother, Calvin L. McKissack became president and general manager of the firm until his own death in 1968. The reins were passed to Moses III’s son, William D. McKissack, Cheryl McKissack Daniel’s father. The family described William as a “Good ole’ Boy” having business associates in Black and white communities. He developed strong relationships with politicians and other contractors, collaborating on joint ventures all across Nashville, and led construction on twenty historically Black colleges. Unfortunately William D. McKissack suffered a stroke that would require a change in leadership. And though the family was under pressure to sell their blossoming business, it was McKissack Daniel’s mother, Leatrice Mckissack, a long time stay-at-home mom, who rose to the occasion.

“Now when my Mother took over, they were not ready for that,” McKissack Daniel recalls. Many people were not accustomed to having a woman in a powerful leadership role. She had to clean house and “change her senior management team at the office, so they could appreciate the fact that she was running the business and not my father,” McKissack Daniel adds.

The matriarchal McKissack may have been an unexpected CEO but she was ready for the challenge. McKissack Daniel says, “Yet when she had to make a business decision on a dime, not only did Mom’s education and prior experience in the workforce kick in, coupled with her family’s prominence in the community and the McKissack’s legacy as builders surviving enslavement, filled within her the fortitude to keep the business in the family for the sake of her daughters. I am grateful that she groomed and prepared me to become the 5th generation president and CEO of the family’s original business.” Her mother had a Master’s in Psychology.

When it was time for McKissack Daniel to start her collegiate journey her father said, “You can attend any college in the world, but I’m only paying for Howard University”. And he meant it. “He was a Howard University alumnus and proud of his alma mater,” McKissack Daniel says. “And while it may be a risky move today, Howard was the only school I applied to and thank goodness, I got in! In hindsight, I realize just why Howard was so important to my father.”

In addition to her parents always stressing the importance of education, the HBCUs were and are “the epitome of Black excellence in every facet,” she adds. “It prepared me for the real world. If you can navigate Howard’s registration and bursar’s office, you can accomplish anything. No task is too hard, it only takes a little finesse. That’s a priceless life lesson for all seasons.”

Cheryl McKissack Daniel received her bachelor’s and master’s degree in civil engineering from Howard University. And while she valued her on-the-job training from her mother and the Southern roots that built the company, she always had her sights set on New York City. But bringing the McKissack business to the Big Apple was uncharted territory. Though McKissack Daniel possessed an impressive portfolio of work, supported by her family’s outstanding reputation in the South, that didn’t hold weight in New York City. Coming to New York meant starting over.

In order to get over the hump and make an impact in New York she committed to a razor focused strategy. “I chased the money,” McKissack Daniel says. She went after the construction, finance, and project management agencies that had the highest amount in their budget for capital programs. Agencies such as the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) and the New York City School Construction Authority (NYCSCA). “Every event that they had, every opportunity for me to speak to a board member, a president, a CFO, a procurement officer, or a secretary, I developed relationships with them. I pursued business relationships and made alliances with large construction managers such as Turner Construction, Skanska Construction, and Lend Lease construction. I knew they were going to need a M/WBE to put on their team to go after these contracts once the legislation passed. I made sure I was that preferred person.”

M/WBE refers to Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise.

The M/WBE legislation was a helpful tool to create opportunities for minority business owners, but the field of access was still narrow, as minority meant all non-white ethnicities and women of all cultures and races could fill that M/WBE quota. But McKissack Daniel’s networking abilities and shrewd tactics worked in her favor. Her strategy was “Learn the client, develop relationships with the client, learn how to build in New York City with my strategic alliances, and steal their people.” (Here we shared a big laugh). This was the formula that would allow her to become independent. She states, “Building staff, building reputation, and building relationships was for the purpose of becoming a prime contractor.”

A prime contractor is a contractor without a partner. There is often an assumption that minority companies are not up to the task or will need the backing and partnership of other firms. The process of becoming a prime contractor is an arduous one. McKissack Daniel states, “It’s a constant proving of yourself, taking itty bitty steps and not being able to leap frog. Because when people look at minority companies they look to eliminate. They look to throw a road block. They don’t look at what the potential is, like we do when we bring on our minority contractors.”

Much like her great-great-grandfather she banks on the capability and skills of her people, that have been historically shut out, no matter how challenging the landscape. She advises, “You have to be thick-skinned, self-motivated, and deliver on your promise. That’s just good business.”

As a result, under her leadership, the Mckissack & Mckissack firm is responsible for $50 billion worth of construction projects, including the new Terminal One at JFK International Airport, the LaGuardia Airport Central Terminal building redevelopment and the Coney Island Hospital campus renovation. McKissack Daniel also credits being the independent engineer for the MTA for fourteen years as a cornerstone in her career. Winning the MTA contract set them up for transit work across the country in addition to moving the Atlantic Yards rail to make way for the Barclay Center in Brooklyn. She states, “This really moved the needle for Mckissack & McKissack.”

A legacy like this does not occur by happenstance. Education has been key to their advancement. McKissack Daniel says, “Construction now is not like trade school.” A degree in architecture, engineering, and construction management are essential to be a part of technical teams to manage construction work. Entering into this field requires guidance and engaging with students at a young age helps expose them to the possibilities of this industry.

McKissack Daniel is paying it forward as a national board member of ACE Mentor Program of America. ACE goes into high schools once a week and mentors in the field of architecture, construction, and engineering. The program culminates with the students building their own project, based on a McKissack job. She explains, “If we have a project in Brooklyn the whole team working on that project, from the architect, to the engineer, to the contractor will put together the curriculum for that school. The kids also get to come to the construction site. I love ACE.”

She also works with The National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC) and they are looking to build an entrepreneur/training center. The entrepreneur outreach will bring in individuals that want to start their business and guide them in the right direction with their business plan and give them access to resources, while the training facility will focus on trades. She is the chair of the New York Building Congress Foundation whose charity event she was whisking away to that evening as soon as our interview concluded. In cooperation with New York City Schools Chancellor David C. Banks, McKissack & McKissack is adopting a school focusing on vocation/trades and bringing in union leaders to help facilitate this effort.

As the future continues to unfold McKissack Daniel says, “I look forward to the next venture while growing our construction business.” She and John Rice founded Legacy Engineers in 2019. Though the pandemic was looming it didn’t hurt their business because there were so few Black-owned mechanical, electrical, and plumbing/fire protection engineering firms. It’s grown from the two founders to fifteen people, an office in Atlanta, and they are looking to open all along the east coast. Her goal is to have a thriving pool of Black engineers to turn the business over to and continue to create Black business owners.

To stay ready for the next chapter McKissack Daniel finds inspiration in many texts. She sites, “The Ideal Team Player,” and “The Five Dysfunctions of A Team,” by Patrick Lencioni; “Good to Great,” by Jim Collins, and “The Alchemist,” by Paulo Coelho just to name a few. She says, “We have used all these books in our strategic planning over the years.” And for her spiritual grounding she relies on the Bible and “Jesus CEO” by Laurie Beth Jones. “Jesus CEO,” offers five Ps that McKissack Daniel has used every step of the way: Perseverance; persistence; preparedness; productivity, and prayer.

Chandra McQueen, President of Moona Media & Management who works closely with the company, often says McKissack Daniel and her family are “The Hidden Figures of construction,” a reference to the three brilliant Black scientists—Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson—who played a critical role in NASA during the development of the U.S. space program and were subjects of the 2016 feature film “Hidden Figures.”

Indeed. They are a revolutionary Black American institution that should be celebrated.

This extraordinary family exemplifies a dedication to craft and community. They invested in skills that couldn’t be taken away, constructing their destiny brick by brick.

www.mckissack.com

The post Cheryl McKissack Daniel—The “Hidden Figure” Of Construction Industry appeared first on Sunday Best Magazine.

How we dress correlates to how we relate to the world.

I learned this lesson first-hand from my mother Gwen Glasco. She took pride in her appearance for all occasions.

She always found the most glamorous pieces on a budget or could jump behind a sewing machine and bang out her own creation, as she did as a teen. When I was growing up my mother would say, “Why would you want to look like everybody else? I had a different outfit almost every day because I was sewing my own clothes.”

My mother’s knack for sporting a stylish ensemble is her trademark. As a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. for 47 years, you will often find her sporting crimson and cream. Her devotion to her sisterhood has always been a priority and she was awarded “Delta of The Year” for exceptional service by The Little Rock Alumnae Chapter in 2014. She radiates confidence and grace everywhere she goes. This is most evident when she wears her Sunday Best.

The regalia of Sunday Best isn’t just about bright colors, ribbons, and rhinestones; it’s about tradition. Coming into the Sanctuary is a sacred experience. Giving honor to God in service and in fellowship is the fundamental practice of worship, and for many, dressing in your Sunday Best is the reflection of your divine spirit and purpose. As my mother describes, “Church has been a beacon of light in the community.” It was a place Black people could lay their burdens down, be expressive, and beautiful. Witnessing her mother, Melva Moore, adorned in her Sunday Best—always donning a hat—not only guided her spiritually but professionally.

My mother often quotes Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go…” This became her life’s mission; she taught kindergarten for almost 40 years and was awarded “Teacher of the Year” in the Little Rock, Arkansas School District for her service at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary school in 2016.

My Mother says, “School is supposed to be a connection to home and the community.” She was firm, effective, and always dressed with dignity. My Grandmother told her, “Your first impression is your lasting impression.” She took that to heart saying, “I wore a suit everyday I taught school. I wanted to set a good example for the children.” There was Sunday Best and there was School Best.

My mother didn’t take the opportunity to be an educator lightly. She wanted to be sharp and inspiring in all ways. She reminded me that my grandmother worked at a plant called General Dynamics and then later a Piggly Wiggly. She didn’t have the luxury to wear clothes outside of a uniform, but when it was time to go to church she could show up as her full self.

My mother has carried on the tradition of wearing her Sunday Best to stay connected to her mother who is no longer with us. “I don’t dress in my Sunday best to be different or set a trend, it was bred in me,” she says.

The elaborate clothes are not just for a perfect pew look, but to honor the women who came before her and share in this spiritual practice that has served her in many ways.

The pandemic hit in 2020 and required Churches to only offer livestream services. My mother still put on her Sunday Best and watched

online. She called it “Table-Side Baptist.” As time went on and the lock-down was showing no signs of stopping, she started taking photos of her Sunday Best outfits and texting them to my sister and I. This became part of her Sunday ritual, I thought she looked so fabulous I started posting them on Facebook. She was a hit. Countless people told me her photos lifted their spirits and made them smile. And rightly so. She has worn some of the most gorgeous and daring garments I have ever seen. I’ve been proud to show her off.

Oddly enough I never asked her why she kept dressing up for Sunday service when she couldn’t physically go to church. I was touched to find that she was taking the pictures to stay connected to my sister and I. It was her way to share her spiritual practice and spread joy in those difficult times and beyond. It certainly became a highlight of my week until this day.

Sunday Best is the physical representation of the love and jubilation we strive to have in our relationship with God and with each other. Presenting ourselves in our best light gives us an opportunity to shine from the inside out and share that warmth with others. I’m so fortunate that my mother has been a radiant example of that.

Note to readers: Send a picture of yourself or your mama, papa, grandmama or grandpapa dressed in their “Sunday Best” to [email protected] and we will pick a winning photo to be published in magazine and on the website.

The post Her “Sunday Best”: Meet Mama Gwen Glasco of Little Rock appeared first on Sunday Best Magazine.

Welcome to this pioneer issue of Sunday Best Magazine, a monthly publication geared toward professionals in the Africana world. How did I come up with the publication’s name and what is the main objective of Sunday Best Magazine?

Many years ago I was jogging in Harlem, New York City, when I glanced toward a church building—I can’t recall which one—right at the moment that the congregation was letting out. The doors opened and the congregants, well-dressed sisters and brothers, flowed out in a display of spectacular colors. I was so captivated that I stopped running. The words “Sunday Best” echoed in my mind. That’s the origin of the name.

The main mission is to create an editorial platform where professionals in the Africana World—African Americans, Caribbean and African immigrants, especially those eager to give back to their communities—can congregate each month to “ground” with each other. Some of them are eager to also don their “Sunday Bests.” They don’t all have to do so.

Their professions range from: business, the church, politics, education, law, medicine, finance, engineering, real estate development, arts and entertainment, and other fields.

They’ll be able to share their stories; they’ll explain how they became successful—or how they’re working toward success, in their respective professions, and how they plan to lower the ladder so that others can also climb and enjoy success. They’ll educate readers of Sunday Best Magazine and learn from peers; they’ll communicate with and network with innovative, creative, and ambitious folk; and they’ll have opportunities to collaborate with others in building and growing socio-political and economic assets and power in the Africana World.

This inaugural issue of Sunday Best Magazine features Cheryl McKissack Daniel on the cover of the physical version of the magazine. She’s CEO of McKissack & Mckissack, a legacy Black-owned design and construction company founded by her ancestors in 1905. It’s also the oldest and largest Black-owned construction firm in the U.S. The brilliant story is written by the Gillian Glasco. This issue also features a Brooklyn pastor, Vivian Grubb, who’s a builder in his own right. Alarmed by the shortage of affordable housing in his community, Pastor Grubb partnered with the City of New York, the State, and a private real estate developer and used the vertical space above his church to construct affordable housing for low-income residents. Although there were only 67 units available there were 35,000 applications submitted highlighting the urgency of affordable housing. This important story was written by Arnelle Williams.

In this issue, we also learn about the dangers of asymptomatic hypertension from a leading researcher in that field, Dr. Kim Souffront, Associate Director, Center for Nursing Research at the Mount Sinai Health System. She’s also an Assistant Professor of emergency medicine and a nurse practitioner. Many people with the condition are unaware of the related ailments that they already have including heart diseases—meaning there are many potential “Walking Deads” in our communities. Dr. Souffrant hopes her pioneering discoveries can be timely-translated into impactful life-saving interventions. This highly informative interview was conducted by Kemi Gbohunmi.

These are just a few of the well-researched, eye-opening, and well-written articles you’ll enjoy in this first issue of Sunday Best Magazine. In upcoming issues we’ll introduce new sections as well as Sunday Best events, including financial literacy, home-ownership, and health-and-wellness seminars.

We hope you’ll subscribe to the physical version and spread the word.

Advertisers and event sponsors can reach out to me via [email protected] or Vernon Verdree via [email protected]

Milton Allimadi

IG: milton allimadi

X: @allimadi

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The pandemic could not have come at a more inopportune time for Justine and Juliette Masters, the sisters who own and operate Edge Harlem the popular community-oriented restaurant uptown. 

Their business had just celebrated five-years, the magical number by which the viability and survivability of most enterprises are judged, when the disease struck the nation and the world. “We more than broke even by then,” Juliette says, in an interview at the restaurant with Sunday Best Magazine. “The year before the pandemic, 2019, was out best year.” 

Suddenly the sisters—like hundreds of thousands of other business establishments in New York City, the State, and the nation—had to contend with the stay-at-home protocol that was declared in most states to help contain the spread of the covid-19 disease. 

For a business that relies on people coming out to eat—including on festive occasions, which now became rare—the sisters now had to deal with a customer drought. “Thankfully we were able to keep our business open. We didn’t want to let go of any of our hard-working employees,” says Justine. 

The sisters were able to retain their employees through funding from the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) the SBA program that covered workers’ wages during the pandemic. 

You can tell how close these siblings are by the way each finishes the other’s thoughts, completing or complementing sentences during the conversation. It’s almost like interviewing one person. 

A major life-saver for restaurants also came when New York City waived zoning restrictions—now Edge Harlem was also able to serve food outdoors. “This really made a difference in the survival of our business,” Juliette says. 

Edge Harlem was able to boost revenue by starting food-delivery. “People heard that we were still open and wanted to show us their support,” Justine recalls. The delivery service continues and it’s become a reliable part of the restaurant’s revenue stream. 

The Harlem-residing sisters—their father is Jamaican and mother British—wanted the restaurant’s menu to include some of the foods they grew up eating. Not surprisingly, the menu features well-known staples like jerk-chicken and ackee and salt-fish; the latter served only on weekends. Other favorite menu items are: shrimp and grits; jerk chicken and waffle; salmon burger; fish and chips; coconut fish burger; coconut fish tacos; cod fritters; and mini crab-cakes.

Edge Harlem started as a coffee shop, with light fare, pastries and bakeries. However the sisters, both advocates of creating inclusive socially-conscious communities, didn’t like seeing people glued to their computer screens all days with no interaction. So they started broadening the menu, adding actual meals. This, naturally, meant more work in addition to managing Edge Harlem. “In the beginning I was doing the cooking as well,” Juliette, who has the culinary background, says with a laugh. It soon became obvious that the workload was overbearing. 

The sisters hired a chef who hails from the Ivory Coast, West Africa. “He took my menu and added his touch to it,” Juliette says. “We collaborate on some dinner specials together.”

The sisters say the capital to launch came from their savings and money from two private investors who were both paid back within 18 months. 

Juliet says the restaurant’s new customers come courtesy of word-of-mouth praise from satisfied customers and “having consistently good service and food.” The restaurant has also been featured in several publications and the sisters have appeared on Chef Marcus Samuelsson’s “Eat Up!” show on ABC7 TV. Edge Harlem was also included in the National Geographic documentary “Black Travel Across America.” The The restaurant has 4.5 stars on Yelp and Google. 

The restaurant is nestled on an ideal spot; 101 Edgecombe Avenue in Harlem, on a block close to some of Harlem’s loveliest brownstones on tree-lined streets. 

It takes only eight minutes to walk from a major subway station—where the A, C, D, and B lines pull up—on 145th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue to Edge Harlem. 

So what’s next for the sister duo? Together with a business partner, Lesly Bernard, they opened a new eatery, The Good Good, on 119 Street and Park Avenue on March 2023. The new restaurant’s website says, it’s creative “bistro” menu “is inspired by the trio’s shared international and Caribbean heritage and features modern takes on comforting dishes of their childhood Sunday dinners.”

What role does faith play in their lives? Justine says: “Juliet and I are spiritual. We are people who believe in doing the right thing and that’s where we operate from; that’s how we operate with our staff, that’s how we operate with each other. We know that our great-grand mother and grand mother and grand father helped us to get where we are.”

Find out more about Edge Harlem by visiting www.theedgeharlem.com and www.thegoodgoodnyc.com

The post Head Over to The Edge Harlem For Taste of Jamaica and Britain appeared first on Sunday Best Magazine.

For a mid-September Tuesday afternoon, the weather was still warm. I was on Atlantic Avenue heading towards Eastern Parkway and wasn’t sure when I’d stumble upon the church.

There was no visible sign: an awning or church van, but a tall man stood across the street, near the corner of one of Brooklyn’s busiest intersections. He was the only person on the sidewalk and his demeanor was characteristic of someone who was expecting a guest. I waved, assuming it was Pastor Vivian Grubb, waiting for me outside. He smiled back, and I crossed the street, watching him utter my name with glee.

Pastor Grubb was dressed in a black hoodie that reads “1619” in white letters, black joggers, and comfortable-looking sneakers. I took note of his outfit because in previous Google searches, he wore a suit. But of course, Pastors are everyday people. It was in this vain, I followed Pastor Grubb down a bright hallway into a large, open space. I noticed sheetrock leaning against the wall, construction materials, and two folding chairs at a makeshift table. Long papers covered the table like a tablecloth.

I realized these were construction blueprints. The blueprints to a new sanctuary. Seeing the designs felt like a piece to a puzzle; they made me wonder about the full picture of Pastor Grubb’s life and his deep-seated commitment to serving his community.

“I pastor a church that I’ve been going to since I was five years old.”: With this statement, Pastor Grubb made it clear that he was no stranger to Faith Forward, once called True Holy Church. He grew up in the church when its doors were located on 1981 Fulton Street in Brooklyn and his father was an Assistant Pastor. As a young teen Grubb remembers the congregation being multigenerational, with many young people. At 17, he and his peers decided to make what he says “a commitment to faith”; that is, accepting God to be their savior. Doing so “fell in line with what I already sensed within myself,” he recalled. Pastor Grubb knew he would be a preacher because of his ability to understand passages in the bible. Although he recognized his gift, he still didn’t know exactly what God wanted him to do with his life. Like anyone who is trying to figure out one’s purpose, he dabbled in different things. Pastor Grubb “ran the gamut,” serving as an usher, musician, and national youth leader. But it was one particular year that proved to be a pivotal moment in Grubb’s understanding of God’s calling for his life.

That year was 2001 when a terrorist attack on New York City and other locations in the U.S. upended his life—just as it did the lives of most Americans. “ 9/11 was a turning point in my life because I almost died,” he said. He was working on Wall Street as a senior accountant for a well-known brokerage, located in the World Trade Center. “On my way to work that morning, if I’d looked up I would have seen the plane hit the building because I was underneath it,” he added. For Pastor Grubb, this near-death experience made him more sensitive to God’s will.

After the attacks, Pastor Grubb lost his job of 13 years. The market fell and being the “last ones in, first ones out,” for Merill-Lynch (they bought his employer Herzog, Heine, and Geduld, Inc.), his keycard didn’t work; neither did keycards of 30,000 employees. Despite unemployment, Pastor Grubb said the job “was a blessing from God, but it had an expiration date.” A date he kept extending because of the paycheck, the new house, and his young family. Adding insult to injury, he also contracted Meningitis and does not know how he ever did. This sickness, coupled with the loss of his job, left him not knowing what to do. He was unemployed from 2001-2005. One could look at Pastor Grubb’s life and say he had everything going for him, the American Dream and to be cut short from that because of unforeseen circumstances is unfortunate. However, Pastor Grubb’s attitude spoke volumes to how big his faith in God was. He noted that God still gave him “wisdom and provision.” He had savings, continued working as a national youth leader for United Church of Jesus Christ Organization, and began working on Faith Forward’s first construction project – turning it from a former Sand-paper Mill Factory to a building up to code.

It wasn’t until 2005 when Pastor Grubb found another job, as a pastor in the prison ministry with the New York City Department of Correction (DOC). By 2010, Grubb was called to lead Faith Forward as the senior pastor. His call was identifiable by the second Pastor Harry T. Nance (1978-2005), and now he is the third. The first Pastor (1952-1978) was Sally Steele who also founded the church. Pastor Grubb said “there’s nothing more beautiful as a pastor than to hear someone who is so senior to you call you pastor and honor you.”

Pastor Grubb’s leadership also teaches an important lesson to not be afraid of being unconventional during times of adversity. I finally asked him why a pastor would partner with real estate developers as he had done. He paused and I got a strong sense that everything Pastor Grubb did was connected to a personal story. Grubb told me about one Faith Forward member who was forced to leave the church. Her landlord slapped new paint on the walls and increased the rent, causing her to relocate to the Bronx. How many more members were in a similar predicament?

This was in 2015. So a few years later, when the developers approached Grubb, that church member’s ordeal was on his mind. His conviction forced him to assess the needs of his community, the challenge of affordable housing that all New Yorkers face, and meet people at a “common place.” That meant partnering with the developers and community leaders to offer 67 affordable housing units, on top of his church, extending it to a seven-story building.

To push forward with this proposal, the community board rezoned the block and lot. Pastor Grubb did not sell; instead, he agreed to a ground-lease for developers to make use of commercial space. It’s a “long process,” Pastor Grubb recalled, but he’s very grateful that he was part of it and made “sure that affordable means affordable and reflects the income of the neighborhood.”

The fruits of his labor paid off when construction was finally completed in October 2021. By the Spring of 2022, the place was filled. There were 35,000 applicants for the 67 units in the development called the Harry T. Nance Apartments, named after the previous pastor. The partnership included the church, Riseboro Community Partnership, the New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), and the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). The total cost of the project was estimated at about $36 million, with housing eligibility set at incomes of $21,930 for an individual and up to $75,120 for a household of three, according to a press release announcing the agreements for the development in 2018. Pastor Grubb posed the rhetorical question: “How do 85 people come together to make something like this happen?” His arms are open wide to emphasize the size of the building. The 85 people is a reference to the church’s small membership.

Pastor Grubb answered his own question by telling me another story; this time about the role of the chicken and the pig in the preparation of breakfast: “The Pig asks the chicken, ‘What’s your contribution to breakfast?’ The chicken replies, ‘I laid two eggs.’ As the chicken was speaking, the pig had tears in his eyes. The Pig says, ‘For me to make a contribution to breakfast, it’s a total sacrifice.’” Pastor Grubb makes the point that God will use people whose hearts are devoted and of any size to make impactful change. Faith Forward may be small, but they are making mighty contributions to the community.

Pastor Grubb said the ministry’s food pantry, operating since 2005 from another church-owned storefront in the neighborhood, serves more than 400 people. The pantry is the “best in the area,” he said.

The church’s doors are also open for graduation ceremonies, community board meetings, and shelter for those in need. During the pandemic, they pooled resources with another church to hold service online and in person.

The new name, Faith Forward, is tailored to reach young people and to reflect the church season they are in—truly moving forward by faith. Pastor Grubb is grateful for his three daughters and wife who support his leadership and his journey. What’s next for Pastor Grubb? Completion of the church’s new sanctuary, fellowship hall, and a recreational room for children; the reason for the blueprints on the table.

Pastor Grubb walked me back to my car. We crossed the busy intersection on Atlantic Avenue and Eastern Parkway. He enthusiastically greeted a group of teens passing by. When they left I asked if he knew them; he did not. I chuckled. It’s this friendly, community-driven approach that made Pastor Grubb live out his values loud and proud.

Faith Forward Church

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Dr. Kimberly Souffront is Associate Director of the Center for Nursing Research and Innovation at the Mount  Sinai Health System and Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine and Core Faculty at the Institute for Health Equity Research at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS).  She is pioneering research on asymptomatic hypertension. Her clinical experience has been as an emergency nurse practitioner for more than 20 years, focusing on health strategies to better manage patients with asymptomatic hypertension in the emergency department to achieve health equity. She joined ISMMS in 2014 after finishing her PhD and post-doctorate studies at New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing. She recently had a conversation with Sunday Best Magazine’s Kemi Gbohunmi. The interview was slightly abbreviated for space considerations.

HER PATH TO NURSING

In my journey to nursing, the influence of my family’s legacy in healthcare—my mother, grandmother, and godmother, all nurses—instilled in me a deep understanding of the nuances of patient care. Despite having siblings and many cousins who are physicians, I made the deliberate choice to pursue nursing as my career path—and I’d say it’s probably one of the best decisions of my life, the other marrying my husband and having my four children of course.

During my undergraduate studies in a unique five-year program at Northeastern University in Boston, I had the privilege of gaining real-world clinical experience alongside my academic curriculum. Opting for the emergency department for these clinical experiences, where I had been working since the age of 17, allowed me to witness firsthand the disparities so apparent in health and healthcare.

After nursing school, I pursued a master’s in nursing science to become a family nurse practitioner, expanding my scope of practice and deepening my commitment to addressing healthcare disparities. My academic journey further led me to obtain a PhD and a postdoctoral degree, propelling me into a research career. Today, as I continue my practice in emergency care, my dedication extends beyond the clinical setting. Through ongoing research endeavors, I aim to contribute to a comprehensive understanding of healthcare disparities and work towards meaningful improvements in patient outcomes.

DR. SOUFFRONT ON THE DANGERS OF HYPERTENSION AND ASYMPTOMATIC HYPERTENSION

In addressing the dangers of hypertension and asymptomatic hypertension, my focus has been on demystifying common misconceptions, even among clinicians. In emergency departments, there’s often a belief that high blood pressure is related to pain, anxiety, or the chaotic environment of the visit. However, my recent study at Mount Sinai Hospital’s emergency department revealed a crucial finding: 100% of patients with asymptomatic hypertension had early signs of heart failure and did not know it.

Contrary to the misconception that high blood pressure in the emergency department is situational, my research emphasizes that it is a chronic issue. While the emergency department provides acute care, many patients seek care for non-urgent issues. This study allows us to consider the potential for brief targeted interventions to ensure our patients are connected to primary care. This is also something very important for minoritized patients, who may be frequent users of the emergency department, for a variety of reasons, and face the highest risks associated with hypertension, leading to increased morbidity and mortality.

For patients seeking to understand their blood pressure readings, I often explain that the top number reflects the heart working, while the bottom number indicates the heart resting. If the top number is too high, it means that the heart is working too hard. So I tell my patients that blood pressure control can address this so that your heart is not working so hard—and its important to be connected to care after this emergency visit.

But there are so many layers that involve the patient and their blood pressure—it involves the clinician too, and all the structural factors embedded in our healthcare system. A patient I see in the emergency department may not have blood pressure control for many reasons. This could be access to healthcare resources, socioeconomic determinants, or even the systemic biases that can significantly impact the quality of care received and health outcomes. So it’s more than just telling a patient that it’s important to be connected to care. It’s about telling them about their risks for not being connected and addressing the structural factors that may be preventing them from being connected. Patients are at the core of this effort. We need to create a more inclusive healthcare environment where everyone has the opportunity to achieve optimal health, even if it’s at the emergency department.

THE DANGERS OF HYPERTENSION

High blood pressure isn’t just a numbers game—it comes with serious risks. Imagine your heart as a balloon. If you blow it up too much, too often, it stretches out, causing potential problems. This is similar to what happens with hypertension—your heart works too hard, and it can lead to issues like having more severe heart trouble. It can also lead to stroke, kidney problems, and eye complications. And this is all preventable with blood pressure control.

But it’s not just about the numbers on the blood pressure cuff; social determinants of health play a huge role. Where you live, your income, your support system, and a number of other life factors play a big role. We know that your zip code is more predictive of your health outcomes than your genetic code, which means there is a much larger picture to blood pressure control that needs attention.

DR. SOUFFRONT ON WHAT PEOPLE WHO LACK ACCESS TO EQUITABLE HEALTHCARE CAN DO

Advocate for yourself! Don’t be afraid to communicate openly with healthcare providers about your financial situation and seek their guidance on achieving blood pressure control. They may be able to suggest alternative treatments such as adding or changing your medicine, or suggesting generic medications or other resources to help manage costs such as prescription assistance programs. You could also explore community health resources and even telehealth options if you are not able to get to an appointment. At the institution that I work at, we have a great conditions-management program for patients with chronic high blood pressure to ensure that they have all the resources that they need, whether it’s a social worker or a nutritionist or help with their insurance to ensure they achieve blood pressure control. This program also uses remote monitoring, but in a way that you don’t even need Wi-Fi to be included in the program. There’s some really fascinating stuff going on here at Mount Sinai. I think if patients are seeking care at Mount Sinai, they’re fortunate.

DR. SOUFFRONT ON WHY MORE CLINICIANS AREN’T USING THE AVAILABLE RESOURCES

I think it’s translational research. There is a bench-to-bedside delay, which stems from a lack of efficient sharing and application of new findings. While brilliant scientists may learn what works best for how to care for patients, there’s a tendency for these insights to stay within their isolated areas of expertise or to not be translated into actual practice fast enough. By no fault of their own, many scientists also work in silos and do not collaborate enough with other disciplines to share ideas. So for example, a nurse can work with a pharmacist on designing a better way to care for patients together.

DR. SOUFFRONT ON BIOMARKERS AND TELEHEALTH IN DEALING WITH ASYMPTOMATIC HYPERTENSION

Since we know that a large majority of emergency patients with asymptomatic hypertension have signs of early heart failure, we are exploring the use of a point-of-care blood biomarker to detect this in the fast-paced environment of the emergency department. We are also investigating whether communicating this risk at the point of emergency care by a nurse would improve blood pressure control and primary care engagement after leaving the emergency department. [Editor’s note: Examples of biomarkers are blood pressure, body temperature, and body mass index]. I’ve also done some work around telehealth. I conducted a pilot study to determine the feasibility of using telehealth for emergency department patients who had asymptomatic hypertension. Patients loved it. They were very accepting of it. They wanted to focus in the emergency department on the issue that brought them there, and address their hypertension in a less chaotic environment. So we were able to support their needs by getting them to their visit, providing whatever resources they needed, and coordinating their care. That small pilot study is really important for me because it really helps guide a future larger clinical trial that I’m designing.

DR. SOUFFRONT ON FOLLOWING UP WITH PATIENTS AFTER EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS

Imagine leaving the emergency department after getting treated for an ankle injury. It turns out, during your visit, that we notice your blood pressure was higher than it should be. Even though you weren’t there for blood pressure concerns, my work aims to make sure that patients like you don’t slip through the cracks.

So we send you home with a blood pressure cuff and a few days later, you receive a text or a video call from a registered nurse. They want to check in on you, see how you’re doing after the emergency department visit. The nurse then connects you with your primary care provider, making sure you have ongoing support and care. It’s not just about fixing the immediate issue; it’s about keeping tabs on your overall health, making sure everything is in check even if it wasn’t the main reason for your trip to the emergency department. That’s the kind of care I want to deliver in the emergency department—but in a way that doesn’t compromise the workflow of quick emergency care delivered by the nurse or provider.

DR. SOUFFRONT ON PATIENTS BEING UNAWARE OF THEIR ASYMPTOMATIC HYPERTENSION IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

An emergency care visit may be the only place and time an individual interacts with a health system, so it can be a crucial moment, since many patients are unaware that they have hypertension. This critical time presents an opportunity to maximize the impact of healthcare interventions. The goal is for timely hypertension diagnosis and improved access to healthcare resources directly from the emergency department, regardless of the reason for the visit. Understanding the best way to do that, given the time constraints often experienced by clinicians, is what I am trying to figure out.

DR. SOUFFRONT ON THE DANGERS OF UNCONTROLLED HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

With high blood pressure, most people are not aware of its presence until symptoms like chest pain or shortness of breath emerge or it is formally diagnosed. Because it is silent, it can go on for years if someone isn’t regularly seeing their primary care provider, so it can eventually affect your heart and kidneys or lead to other issues like stroke or heart failure, which is when your heart has trouble pumping effectively.

What I tell patients who I see in the emergency department is what their risk is now and what their risk over time is with blood pressure control. I tell them that connecting with your primary care provider after the emergency department visit is important—because their risks are essentially eliminated with blood pressure control. This may mean their medication needs titration or they may need confirmation of hypertension and treatment. This is sometimes hard because many patients are focused on the reason for their emergency department visit. However, I know that doing this at the point of emergency care heightens a patient’s perception of their risk and likelihood of follow up with a primary care provider, leading patients on the right trajectory to better health.

DR. SOUFFRONT ON WHY SHE CHOSE TO BE A NURSE PRACTITIONER AND SCIENTIST 

I think the approach for me was having diversity in my career, knowing that care delivery is patient-centered and holistic. That really just aligned well with a nursing career for me and I wouldn’t change anything. I don’t know one emergency nurse practitioner who’s doing research on asymptomatic hypertension at all. If you find that person send them my way because I would love to collaborate and work on a project! I don’t know anyone. That in itself is unique and I appreciate that. I can really just chart my own path and make an impact. Thankfully, I have had great mentors along the way. Some are nurses. Many are physicians. But they all encouraged me and have been instrumental in shaping my career and getting me to the place I am in now, and where I want to be in the future. I’m so grateful for the mentors I’ve had over my career, because without them I wouldn’t be here at all.

DR. SOUFFRONT ON HER ADDITIONAL RESEARCH INTERESTS

I am also committed to building research capacity among nurses and workforce diversity. My colleague and I were recently awarded a five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health to do just this, which we are really excited about. This grant will help support underrepresented minority nurses who are pursuing a clinical doctorate in nursing, called a Doctorate of Nursing Practice. Over 12 weeks, these students will learn the skills necessary to carry out translational research in their clinical practice, so that they are empowered to drive equity through practice improvement. My personal leadership and research vision is to achieve health and healthcare equity. For me, this is for patients who visit the emergency department who have uncontrolled hypertension—but my goal is to bring it all together, so that this work aligns with my efforts for building workforce diversity in the nursing community.

DR. SOUFFRONT ON HER FAITH AND SPIRITUALITY

I grew up Seventh Day Adventist. My faith taught me the value of holistic wellbeing; including the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of health. This perspective has influenced how I care for my patients, encouraging me to really consider the person. I recognize the complexity of every individual circumstance, and so my approach reflects this commitment to understanding and addressing the diverse elements that surround each person. In the context of my area of research, I wouldn’t only say to a patient “follow up with your primary provider” or “take your medicine as you were prescribed.” I may consider also asking “Do you have transportation to get your medication? Do you have money to pay for your medication?” Some of those beliefs emphasize empathy and how I care for others. There are many different circumstances that impact a person’s wellbeing aside from their immediate health concerns.

www.mountsinai.org

The post Q & A: Dr. Kimberly Souffront’s Frontline Battles With Hypertension appeared first on Sunday Best Magazine.

Music sustains us in many ways. It’s the melodic connection to spirit. It gives us a lift on low days, rhythm to activate our bodies, and harmonies to express our complexities when we don’t have the words. 

The enchanting jazz duo, Acute Inflections, provides an exquisite offering of music’s delicate yet complex storytelling. 

Acute Inflections is made up of vocalist Elasea Douglas and upright bassist Sadiki Pierre. Their name speaks to their instrumentation. They invite you to become curious about this new experience, blending styles that elevate 

the subtleties and intricate nature of their duality. They were initially discouraged about their musical approach. 

They were told “bass and voice are too opposite.” They’ve beautifully proved those critics wrong.

Many couples have said their “I Do’s” and raised a glass to Acute Inflections’ tunes at hundreds of weddings and private events across the country. 

They have shared the stage with Jennifer Hudson, Sting, and DJ Jazzy Jeff to name a few. Their 2017 debut EP, “Brave”, was in the Top-10 RMR Top 50 Jazz Chart for five weeks, with their cover of Prince’s “Kiss” at number one, for eight weeks. 

Their music is romantic, warm, and alluring. There is familiarity with layers of nuance. They give covers a new jolt and their original music is on a horizon all its own. As they celebrate a decade of collaboration it’s clear that their connection is kismet. Elasea is a first generation Jamaican-American New York City native. She started singing in church and continued to develop her talents throughout middle school, high school, and went on to study at Hunter College. She landed a role in Broadway’s 2009 phenomenal production of “Fela.” 

As a vocalist Elasea Douglas’ greatest influences are Whitney Houston for her storytelling; Sade for her subtlety; Nina Simone because she told it like it is and didn’t mind being un-pretty; and Billie Holiday because she was carefree. 

With all those powers combined Elasea gracefully bends every note with pizzazz and charm.

Sadiki Pierre’s family is from Dominica but he was born in Trinidad, and moved to the United States when he was eight. Everyone sang and played an instrument in his family. But he admits he actually got into music as a joke. Seizing the opportunity to leave his sixth grade class for an extracurricular activity. Following the music students he chose the upright bass because there was no competition for it. This haphazard decision would unlock a talent that would enrich his life for years to come. 

Sadiki was introduced to classical music and jazz, then got an infusion of hip hop after moving to the United States. For him music “is all about the groove.” His greatest influences are James Brown and Michael Jackson for how tightly they embody the groove, with every breath. Ron Carter, Marcus Miller, and Charles Mingus have also given him great inspiration.

Elasea and Sadiki are a musical duo and a romantic couple. It heightens their synergy as artists and it has become the grounding center of their lives. They covered “I Will Always Love You” on their 2019 album “Electric Psychology”. In the introduction Elasea says, “Whitney Houston was one of my idols. Her music made me feel powerful enough to achieve things that I could not have imagined. When she passed away on February 11th, 2012, I was heartbroken. But the very next day I met Sadiki and I believe the timing was not a coincidence.” 

Elasea was slated to perform at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn on the night Whitney Houston passed away. She was devastated and was going to cancel. Ultimately she decided to honor Whitney’s legacy and go forward with the show. Sadiki was at that performance as a wing-man for a friend who was entertaining a potential date. They met after the show and the rest is history. 

At the time of their meeting Sadiki hadn’t played bass in 10 years. He calls the bass a “Cinderella instrument. It gets no love but is so necessary. It bridges rhythmic and melodic worlds. Bass is foundational, you have to know your role, and can be in a box. I didn’t want to just do that, I can express more fully in other ways.” 

Fortunately Elasea encouraged him to get back into it. Sadiki found a renewed inspiration and started filling in for bassists that flaked out on gigs. A year after their meeting they started working together. Blending your talents with the person you love is a blessing. 

“The best thing that has happened to me, us, it’s the most fulfilling, well-rounded experience, to grow as a whole person. It’s a lifestyle, a movement,” Elasea says. They believe they are a divine collaboration, put together for a purpose. They are in tune to what the spirit wants them to be doing by “staying open and risky. Intentionally being the universe’s playground.” 

Sadiki adds, referring to artificial intelligence, “Especially in the time of AI we recognize we are the bridge to humanity in a loving way.”

Elasea asserts that it’s important “staying in connection to spirit, thanking the ancestors that opened the doors and suffered the abuses just to give us the opportunity to walk through a front door of a theatre.” For Sadiki it’s an honor “returning to the craft and the discipline and being successful.”  

Being a collaborating couple can be challenging. You don’t get a break from each other. All the roles and responsibilities are fluid and happening at the same time; but that is a reflection of their music. Sadiki says they hope they are “inspiring people to love in spite of their differences. Stick together. And remember to be kind, gracious, and humble.” 

When I was listening to their 2022 album “Let Go” I was deeply moved by track seven “Only Together.” Elasea’s voice wafts through the air punctuated by Sadiki’s gentle tempo. “In times like these, we need each other, our love creates strength, but only together.” 

It is true tranquility and a necessary message. Their mission is to unify and inspire. When you attend an Acute Inflections performance you will get an organic show. They engage with the audience, improvise, give birthday shout-outs, and rib on each other with playful banter. Elasea believes, “We are co-creators with The Creator so let’s have fun. Nothing is impossible.”

Acute Inflections makes music that dares you to take a chance on love, take a chance on your expression, take a chance on how beautiful life can be. 

Sadiki says, “Say no to things that aren’t a good fit and don’t inspire you and your community. We have been hijacked. Our self-destruction has long been for profit. We need to start saying ‘no that’ and say ‘yes’ to our higher selves.” 

Find out more about Acute Inflections at www.acuteinflections.com for show information, mailing list, music, discounts and more. 

The post Acute Inflections: Musical Duo Says “Love Without Fear”  appeared first on Sunday Best Magazine.