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Dr. Cheeks A National ‘GEM’ In STEAM
ARIZONA INFORMANT — Since starting her career journey in the chemical industry while at Southern University and A&M College, Dr. Loretta H. Cheeks has defiled many odds for what is possible for a lifelong career doing what she loves and being who she is. She wears her overcoming many odds success stories as a badge of honor considering the struggles her ancestors bared to make it possible for her to be here today.
The post Dr. Cheeks A National ‘GEM’ In STEAM first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
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By Darnell Hill | Special to the Arizona Informant
Few Black women engineers have enjoyed as successful a career in multiple arenas as much as the woman Dr. Loretta H. Cheeks. She unapologetically accepts the challenge to stand out and stand loud in being first to many life goals and career pursuits.
A National Science and Technology Medals Foundation Expert Connect, an Onyx Pillar of Innovation, a United State of Women Changemaker are among the many honors presented to the National GEM Consortium Alumni award recipient who has been engaging in engineering, research and business for more than three decades.
Since starting her career journey in the chemical industry while at Southern University and A&M College, she has defiled many odds for what is possible for a lifelong career doing what she loves and being who she is. She wears her overcoming many odds success stories as a badge of honor considering the struggles her ancestors bared to make it possible for her to be here today.
Through struggle and grit in a more than 90 percent White male tech industry, Dr. Cheeks fulfilled a lifelong goal to earn a Ph.D. in computer science. This leap from industry into being a full-time student would come with many bends, twists and turns and shifting priorities. But the difference maker came when she became a National GEM Consortium GEM Fellow at Arizona State University.
The National GEM Consortium GEM Fellows is among very few programs in the U.S. designed to pay tuition and stipend for underrepresented groups (i.e., African Americans, American Indians, and Hispanic Americans) who are often excluded from opportunities to advance.
When Dr. Cheeks was awarded the GEM Fellowship, this did two things. It made it easier for research advisors to accept her into their lab, because they were gaining a student at no cost and it relieved her financial barrier. It’s been said, the GEM Fellowship come with no strings attached.
GEM’s vision, that began in response to the 1960s civil rights advocacy, is a U.S. STEM workforce, where all are valued and empowered to realize their fullest potential through parity of access to senior levels, leading to scientific advancement that drives global innovation and maximizes social and economic impact. GEM prepare technical leaders for advanced careers in industry, academia, and government agencies by identifying and selecting highly qualified GEM Fellows to complete a program of graduate study and internships. Through their university, corporate members, and other strategic partners, GEM develops funding to award fellowships and builds mentor networks to support Fellows in achieving academic and professional success.
Dr. Cheeks will receive the Alumni Leadership Award at The National GEM Consortium’s (GEM’s) 46th Annual Conference and Gala, which recognizes and celebrates her role as an influential leader, with a deep commitment and passion for public service, and dedication to creating better opportunities for members of underrepresented groups in STEM-related fields.
This year’s gala will convene some of the most accomplished diverse senior executives from across the STEM arena in downtown Phoenix, Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022. More importantly though, it will convene the next generation of leaders and Dr. Cheeks involvement will allow them to recognize the heights that they can achieve, after all you can’t be what you can’t see.
Dr. Loretta Cheeks, Ph.D., is a senior executive leader, an entrepreneur, a speaker, and a recognized expert in artificial intelligence, computing and technology. She has three decades of leadership experience, developing and deploying large-scale systems and leading various teams within the ground and satellite communications, avionics, energy systems instrumentation and control and chemical industries for Fortune 500 corporations. Dr. Cheeks is founder and CEO of DS Innovation, a small business founded in 2018 and based in Arizona. Dr. Cheeks also is committed to improving science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) secondary and higher education for underserved and underrepresented groups to follow in her scientific footsteps. To do that, Dr. Cheeks founded “Strong TIES,” a nonprofit established in 2014.
For more information about GEM Consortium, visit gemfellowship.org.
The post Dr. Cheeks A National ‘GEM’ In STEAM appeared first on Arizona Informant.
The post Dr. Cheeks A National ‘GEM’ In STEAM first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
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#LET IT BE KNOWN — LIVE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION
#LET IT BE KNOWN — LIVE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION
#NNPA BlackPress
Democrats Call for Fierce Defense of Democracy and Working-Class Values
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Democrats from all political backgrounds came together to honor President Biden’s legacy, which includes unwavering efforts to reduce costs for middle-class Americans, repair a deteriorating infrastructure, and defend democracy from unprecedented threats.
![](https://www.postnewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/DNC-2024.jpg)
By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
In an electrifying moment at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) that likely set the tone for the party’s campaign, Vice President Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance on the opening night, seizing the stage to the triumphant anthem of Beyoncé’s “Freedom.” The crowd erupted with fire in her voice as Harris declared, “I want to kick us off by celebrating our incredible president, Joe Biden. Thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nation, and for all you will continue to do. We are forever grateful to you.” The first night of the DNC was more than a celebration; it was a battle cry. Democrats from all political backgrounds came together to honor President Biden’s legacy, which includes unwavering efforts to reduce costs for middle-class Americans, repair a deteriorating infrastructure, and defend democracy from unprecedented threats. The message was clear: Biden’s work is not done, and Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz are ready to continue that fight.
Speakers who are most familiar with Biden, such as Senators Raphael Warnock and Chris Coons, as well as Dr. Jill Biden and Ashley Biden, shared stories that painted a picture of a president who is unwaveringly dedicated to the American people. “In public and in private, President Biden never backed down from his vision for an America where everyone has a fair shot,” Warnock emphasized. Dr. Biden and Ashley Biden gave heartfelt tributes to the man who led the nation and his family with steadfast devotion. The emotional high point of the evening came when Biden, introduced by his daughter Ashley, took the stage to a thunderous ovation as “Your Love Has Lifted Me Higher” filled the arena. The crowd’s response was deafening, with chants of “We love Joe” and “Thank You, Joe” reverberating throughout the hall, a powerful testament to Biden’s connection with the American people.
In a speech that was as much a rallying cry as it was a reflection on his presidency, Biden delivered a stark reminder of what’s at stake. “Let me ask you… Are you ready to vote for freedom? Are you ready to vote for democracy and America? Are you ready to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz?” Biden’s words resonated as he recalled the perilous moment of his inauguration, just weeks after supporters of the twice-impeached former president stormed the U.S. Capitol. “You cannot say I love my country only when you win,” Biden asserted. “The winter of peril and possibility has passed, and with a grateful heart, I stand before you to report that democracy has prevailed. But now, democracy must be preserved.” Biden highlighted the progress made under his administration, pointing to economic recovery, healthcare expansion, and the battle against corporate greed. He singled out Harris’s critical role in these achievements. “We’ve gone from economic crisis to the strongest economy in the world… More Americans have health insurance than at any time in American history. And we finally beat big pharma. Guess who cast the tie-breaking vote? Vice President and soon-to-be President Kamala Harris. Now it’s the law of the land—$35 a month for insulin.”
The evening was charged with passionate speeches that struck the heart of the nation’s issues. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delivered a searing indictment of Donald Trump, contrasting Harris’s steadfast dedication to American values with Trump’s chaotic legacy. “Kamala won’t disrespect our military and our veterans,” Clinton declared to thunderous applause. “She will defend democracy and our Constitution and will protect America from enemies foreign and domestic. Donald Trump fell asleep at his own trial, and when he woke up, he made history as the first person to run for president with 34 felony convictions.” Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez delivered a fiery endorsement of Harris, framing her as the champion of the middle-class needs. “In Kamala Harris, we have a chance to elect a president who is for the middle class because she is from the middle class,” Ocasio-Cortez proclaimed. “She understands the urgency of rent checks, groceries, and prescriptions. She is as committed to our reproductive and civil rights as she is to taking on corporate greed. She is working tirelessly to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and bring hostages home.”
Ocasio-Cortez didn’t hold back in her critique of Trump, accusing him of being a self-serving demagogue. “Donald Trump would sell this country for a dollar if it meant lining his own pockets and greasing the palms of his Wall Street friends,” she said. “I, for one, am tired of hearing about how a two-bit union buster thinks of himself as more of a patriot than the woman who fights every single day to lift working people out from under the boots of greed trampling on our way of life.” The night was filled with moments that galvanized the crowd. Golden State Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr, invoking the words of Steph Curry, declared, “After the results are tallied that night, we can tell Donald Trump, ‘Night, night.’“UAW President Shawn Fain tore off his jacket to reveal a shirt emblazoned with the words “TRUMP IS A SCAB,” igniting the crowd into a fervent chant of “Trump’s a scab! Trump’s a scab!”
In one of the night’s most pointed moments, Rep. Jasmine Crockett drew a stark contrast between Harris and Trump: “She became a career prosecutor while he became a career criminal. Who would you hire? Donald Trump or Kamala Harris? Kamala Harris has a resume, and Donald Trump has a rap sheet with 34 felonies, 2 impeachments, and 1 porn star to prove it.” The NAACP President Derrick Johnson and Melanie Campbell, the President and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, led a standing ovation for civil rights icon Rev. Jesse Jackson during the celebration.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also delivered a powerful message that resonated deeply with the audience. “I know that my daughter will see not only a reflection of herself in the White House, but she will experience the deepest part of American values… Kamala Harris—she’s got us.” Harris’s words from earlier in the night echoed as the event ended: “We are at a pivotal moment. The choices we make now will determine the future of our nation. Together, we will fight for the soul of America and build a future where everyone has a fair shot. Our best days are still ahead, and we are ready to lead.”
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L#LET IT BE KNOWN — LIVE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION — DAY 2
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