Community Leaders
We thank our many community leaders for lending their voice at a roundtable discussions. Our youth participants and their families have greatly benefited from your wealth of personal and professional challenges, and successes.
Alisha Morgan, 39th District GA House Representative, Cobb County
Alisha Thomas Morgan made history at age 23, by becoming the first African-American to represent Cobb County in the Georgia House of Representatives (District 39). Now 33, she is serving in her fifth term and remains one of the youngest and most vocal female members of the entire Georgia General Assembly. An author, powerful political voice, inspirational speaker and empowering trainer, Morgan is poised to be one of the most influential women of the 21st century.
She has been featured in national publications and media outlets including Ebony Magazine’s “Nation’s 30 Leaders who are under 30”, AOL Black Voices’ “America’s Young Civil Rights Heroes” list, and Essence Magazine’s fifteen women of the “New Power Generation.” Other media clips include a feature article in Marie Claire magazine called “I Made it By 30 and You Can Too!” and quotations in the New York Times, The Washington Post, and on CSPAN and BET.
Morgan is a graduate of Spelman College in Atlanta, GA where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in both Sociology and Drama. She resides in Austell, GA with husband David, a member of the Cobb County School Board, and daughter Lailah. She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority
Incorporated, and serves on several boards in the metro Atlanta area including the Cobb County CASA Advisory Board, the Joseph E. Lowery Institute for Human Rights and the Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda.
Alisha Thomas Morgan is a new-age renaissance woman and an authority on many subjects. Topics include: Motherhood, Politics, Leadership, Public Service, Philanthropy, Women’s Issues, and Bridging the Generation Gap. Learn more at www.alishamorgan.com.
She has been featured in national publications and media outlets including Ebony Magazine’s “Nation’s 30 Leaders who are under 30”, AOL Black Voices’ “America’s Young Civil Rights Heroes” list, and Essence Magazine’s fifteen women of the “New Power Generation.” Other media clips include a feature article in Marie Claire magazine called “I Made it By 30 and You Can Too!” and quotations in the New York Times, The Washington Post, and on CSPAN and BET.
Morgan is a graduate of Spelman College in Atlanta, GA where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in both Sociology and Drama. She resides in Austell, GA with husband David, a member of the Cobb County School Board, and daughter Lailah. She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority
Incorporated, and serves on several boards in the metro Atlanta area including the Cobb County CASA Advisory Board, the Joseph E. Lowery Institute for Human Rights and the Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda.
Alisha Thomas Morgan is a new-age renaissance woman and an authority on many subjects. Topics include: Motherhood, Politics, Leadership, Public Service, Philanthropy, Women’s Issues, and Bridging the Generation Gap. Learn more at www.alishamorgan.com.
Twanda Black, Radio Personality 104.1 Kiss
Twanda Black is a proven, seasoned and dynamic radio industry professional with over 20 years of experience. This down to earth Tampa native is a graduate of Berry College and has made Atlanta her home for over 30 years.
Twanda has consistently set a standard of excellence in every position she has held including, asst. music director, promotions director, traffic manager and public affairs.
Committed to giving back to her community, Twanda hosts awards shows, concerts and charity
events. She is a sought after speaker and a strong advocate for women and children, a board member of Proverbial Peace Revived Ministries where the focus is helping broken women heal and move into their God given destiny and See Your Kid, Inc. focusing on military families.
Twanda has been named one of the “Top 100 Black Women” by the Atlanta Business League 2010 and 2011, The Gospel Choice 2010 “Best in Media” and has received many other awards. She is an avid reader, published writer and photographer, ordained minister and her most notable blessings are her two adult sons. Learn more at http://www.twandablack.com/.
Twanda has consistently set a standard of excellence in every position she has held including, asst. music director, promotions director, traffic manager and public affairs.
Committed to giving back to her community, Twanda hosts awards shows, concerts and charity
events. She is a sought after speaker and a strong advocate for women and children, a board member of Proverbial Peace Revived Ministries where the focus is helping broken women heal and move into their God given destiny and See Your Kid, Inc. focusing on military families.
Twanda has been named one of the “Top 100 Black Women” by the Atlanta Business League 2010 and 2011, The Gospel Choice 2010 “Best in Media” and has received many other awards. She is an avid reader, published writer and photographer, ordained minister and her most notable blessings are her two adult sons. Learn more at http://www.twandablack.com/.
Lee May, 5th District Commissioner, Dekalb County
Commissioner Lee May is the youngest person in the history of DeKalb County (GA) Government to be elected to serve on the Board of Commissioners. DeKalb County voters elected him to the Board of Commissioners in July of 2006. As a Commissioner, May oversees a $1 Billion budget. May serves as the voice for nearly 160,000 residents located in the heart of one of the most affluent African-American communities in the country. May campaigned on a platform to address the concerns of the people and he stands on a promise to make a positive impact in his community.
He currently serves as the Deputy Presiding Officer of the Board of Commissioners, Chairman of the Budget & Finance Committee and a member on the Public Safety and General Safety Committee. May is the Chairman of the National Association of Counties (NACO) Community and Economic Development Steering Committee. He is a proud member and leader within the Georgia Democratic Party, Leadership Georgia, Leadership DeKalb, and Young Elected Officials Network (YEO). He is also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
May, the son of a pastor, is a graduate from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology holding a Masters of Divinity Degree and of the Historic Clark Atlanta University. He is married to his college sweetheart Robin, who is a counselor, mental health therapist, and public speaker.Robin and Lee are the proud parents of two beautiful daughters; Ryann Kimberly and Reagan Leanne.
You can find Commissioner May as a weekly political contributor on CNN’s Weekend Morning Show, every Saturday morning at 6:30am Eastern Standard Time. Learn more at http://web.co.dekalb.ga.us/lmay/bio.asp.
He currently serves as the Deputy Presiding Officer of the Board of Commissioners, Chairman of the Budget & Finance Committee and a member on the Public Safety and General Safety Committee. May is the Chairman of the National Association of Counties (NACO) Community and Economic Development Steering Committee. He is a proud member and leader within the Georgia Democratic Party, Leadership Georgia, Leadership DeKalb, and Young Elected Officials Network (YEO). He is also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
May, the son of a pastor, is a graduate from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology holding a Masters of Divinity Degree and of the Historic Clark Atlanta University. He is married to his college sweetheart Robin, who is a counselor, mental health therapist, and public speaker.Robin and Lee are the proud parents of two beautiful daughters; Ryann Kimberly and Reagan Leanne.
You can find Commissioner May as a weekly political contributor on CNN’s Weekend Morning Show, every Saturday morning at 6:30am Eastern Standard Time. Learn more at http://web.co.dekalb.ga.us/lmay/bio.asp.
Don Lemon, CNN Anchor
Don Lemon anchors CNN Newsroom during weekend prime-time and serves as a correspondent across CNN/U.S. programming. Based in the network's world headquarters in Atlanta, Lemon joined CNN in September 2006. This year, Ebony named him as one of the Ebony Power 150: the most influential blacks in America.
A news veteran of Chicago, Lemon reported from Chicago in the days leading up
to the 2008 presidential election; and included an interview with then-Rep. Rahm
Emanuel on the day he accepted the position of Chief of Staff for President-elect Barack Obama. He also interviewed Anne Cooper, the 106-year old voter President-elect Obama highlighted in his election night acceptance speech after he had seen Lemon’s interview with Cooper on CNN.
Lemon reports and anchors on-the-scene for CNN from many breaking news stories, including the Inaugural of the 44th President in Washington, D.C., Hurricane Gustav in Louisiana (2008) and the Minneapolis bridge collapse (2007).
Lemon serves as an adjunct professor at Brooklyn College, teaching and participating in curriculum designed around new media. He has won an Edward R. Murrow award for his coverage of the capture of the Washington, D.C. snipers. He won an Emmy for a special report on real estate in Chicagoland and various other awards for his reporting on the AIDS epidemic in Africa and Hurricane Katrina. In 2006, he won three more local Emmys for his reporting in Africa and a business feature about Craigslist, an online community.Learn more at http://www.cnn.com/CNN/anchors_reporters/lemon.don.html.
A news veteran of Chicago, Lemon reported from Chicago in the days leading up
to the 2008 presidential election; and included an interview with then-Rep. Rahm
Emanuel on the day he accepted the position of Chief of Staff for President-elect Barack Obama. He also interviewed Anne Cooper, the 106-year old voter President-elect Obama highlighted in his election night acceptance speech after he had seen Lemon’s interview with Cooper on CNN.
Lemon reports and anchors on-the-scene for CNN from many breaking news stories, including the Inaugural of the 44th President in Washington, D.C., Hurricane Gustav in Louisiana (2008) and the Minneapolis bridge collapse (2007).
Lemon serves as an adjunct professor at Brooklyn College, teaching and participating in curriculum designed around new media. He has won an Edward R. Murrow award for his coverage of the capture of the Washington, D.C. snipers. He won an Emmy for a special report on real estate in Chicagoland and various other awards for his reporting on the AIDS epidemic in Africa and Hurricane Katrina. In 2006, he won three more local Emmys for his reporting in Africa and a business feature about Craigslist, an online community.Learn more at http://www.cnn.com/CNN/anchors_reporters/lemon.don.html.