Sept. 21, 2012
By Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.
(TriceEdneyWire.com) —Each year, immediately following the Congressional Black Caucus, the National Congress of Black Women, Inc. honors some of our own for their service to our communities and our nation every day. Some of them hold really significant jobs and positions; yet, many don’t make the evening news. Why? Well, somehow a lot of folks in mainstream media tend to overlook them no matter what they do, but we never forget our high achievers because they serve as an inspiration to young people who come after them.
Even though we don’t always draw the attention of cameras and reporters that come into the living rooms of the greatest number of people daily, we believe we still have an obligation to find the good in our communities and praise it. We thank God for Black press and media because we can rely on them to show up not just when the news is bad, but also when it’s good.
One of our honorees this year is Hazel Trice Edney who is president and CEO of Trice Edney Communications and Editor-in-Chief of Trice Edney News Wire. She is an award-winning journalist and we are very proud of her. I first met her when she was with the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service. She was always willing to give back by coming out to talk with our young 9-12 year old College for Kids students in order to help them understand what the job of a journalist is.
She serves as president of the Capital Press Club, and holds the distinction of being the first Black woman inducted into the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame. She was one of the journalists awarded an exclusive interview with then-President-elect Barack Obama during his historic Whistle Stop Train. She has done so many highly significant things in her work, but she has never forgotten to lift up others who are doing significant things.
At the 28th Anniversary Brunch of NCBW, included among Hazel’s co-honorees are Dr. Frances Cress Welsing, world renowned psychiatrist and author of The Isis Papers; Dr. Sakiliba Mines, Washington, DC integrative medicine specialist and owner of TIMMED Spa; Paula Reid, Secret Service Special Agent in Charge, who masterfully handled a major event surrounding the safety of President Barack Obama in Columbia the past year; the late Mildred Hemmons Carter, an accomplished pilot with the Tuskegee Airmen; and Dr. John Hope Bryant, recipient of NCBW’s Good Brother Award.
Every week, Hazel spreads the good news about others, so I thought it was important to let her know how much we in the African-American community appreciate her for all she does to bring us the good news in the African- American community by highlighting the voices of so many of our great leaders.
I am proud to be a regular contributor for the Trice Edney News Wire. But for the invitation nearly two years ago from Hazel, I would never have published my latest book entitled “THE TRUTH Shall Set You Free”. It’s a compilation of articles I’ve written for Trice Edney News Wire over nearly a two year period and it covers a variety of subjects.
My salute this week is to Hazel and her accomplishments thus far, for succeeding in her chosen field, but never forgetting to look back to those who influenced her, while acknowledging their help. For young aspiring journalists in search of a role model, look no further than Hazel Trice Edney who dared to do something few others have ever done—launch a news wire service to ensure that our communities have access to the truth!
(Dr. E. Faye Williams is Chair of the National Congress of Black Women, Inc. www.nationalcongressbw.org. 202/678-6788, and Board Chair for the Black Leadership Forum.)