What began as a violin lesson from a private teacher and later with endless hours of listening to Red Seal recordings led to William Grant Still (1895–1978) not only becoming the first African American to conduct a professional symphony orchestra in the U.S. but a prolific composer of operas, ballets, symphonies and other works.
Image Source: By Carl Van Vechten – This image is available from the United States Library of Congress’s Prints and Photographs division under the digital ID van.5a52662.
Raised in Little Rock, Ark., by his mother, a school teacher, and his grandmother, Still studied medicine at Wilberforce University. This decision was on the advice of his mother, whose concern was for “the societal limitations for Black composers.” But Still’s love for music was so deep that he changed his major as well as the university.
Still first studied composition at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, then the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, and later studied under Edgard Varèse.
He would perform in orchestras, working in particular with the violin, cello and oboe. This diversity in exposure would lead him to work for the likes of W.C. Handy, Don Voorhees, Sophie Tucker, Paul Whiteman, Willard Robison and Artie Shaw.
Reflected in much of Still’s works were the daily challenges Blacks in U.S. society faced, notably in one of his orchestral works “Darker America” (1924).
In composing this piece, Still’s desire was to expose the serious side of Black music and “the triumph of a people over their sorrows through fervent prayer.”
Musically, this work “marks a middle path between the lighter symphonic jazz arrangements of contemporaries like Gershwin or Whiteman and the dissonant experiments of white modernist composers of the time,” according to critics.
Despite the fact that it gained him recognition and was a major step in finding his own musical perspective, Still later reflected on Darker America, viewing it as an “immature work.”
Another musical milestone for Still was the first symphony by a Black composer to be performed by a major orchestra: “Afro-American Symphony” (1930). This work blends jazz, blues and spirituals into a traditional classical form. While many were giving jazz respect and a place in the concert hall, blues was seen as low-class and vulgar music.
Combined in this piece are spirituals he heard his grandmother sing to him as a child; the Realist influence of mentor George Chadwick, who sought to portray the lives of down-to-earth, common people; and the pride and cultural activism of the Harlem Renaissance.
Still’s career and his musical experiences witnessed many ‘firsts.’ He was the first Black man to conduct a major American orchestra, the first to have a symphony performed by a major American orchestra, the first to have an opera performed by a major company as well as the first to have an opera performed on national television. His having been dubbed “Dean of African-American Classical Composers” was a title earned.
Still’s legacy remains remarkable both for the barriers he broke and the inventive works he wrote that blended European art music with African-rooted popular and folk music. He died of congestive heart failure in 1978.
Tamara Shiloh has published the first two books in her historical fiction chapter book series, Just Imagine…What If There Were No Black People in the World is about African American inventors, scientists and other notable Black people in history. The two books are Jaxon’s Magical Adventure with Black Inventors and Scientistsand Jaxon and Kevin’s Black History Trip Downtown. Tamara Shiloh has also written a book a picture book for Scholastic, Cameron Teaches Black History, that will be available in June, 2022.
Tamara Shiloh’s other writing experiences include: writing the Black History column for the Post Newspaper in the Bay area, Creator and Instruction of the black History Class for Educators a professional development class for teachers and her non-profit offers a free Black History literacy/STEM/Podcast class for kids 3d – 8th grade which also includes the Let’s Go Learn Reading and Essence and tutorial program. She is also the owner of the Multicultural Bookstore and Gifts, in Richmond, California,
Previously in her early life she was the /Editor-in-Chief of Desert Diamonds Magazine, highlighting the accomplishments of minority women in Nevada; assisting with the creation, design and writing of a Los Angeles-based, herbal magazine entitled Herbal Essence; editorial contribution to Homes of Color; Editor-in-Chief of Black Insight Magazine, the first digital, interactive magazine for African Americans; profile creations for sports figures on the now defunct PublicFigure.com; newsletters for various businesses and organizations; and her own Las Vegas community newsletter, Tween Time News, a monthly publication highlighting music entertainment in the various venues of Las Vegas.
She is a member of:
Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI)
Richmond Chamber of Commerce
Point Richmond Business Association
National Association of Professional Women (NAPW)
Independent Book Publishers Association (IPBA)
California Writers Club-Berkeley & Marin
Richmond CA Kiwanis
Richmond CA Rotary
Bay Area Girls Club
Tamara Shiloh, a native of Northern California, has two adult children, one grandson and four great-grand sons. She resides in Point Richmond, CA with her husband, Ernest.
Tamara Shiloh has published the first two books in her historical fiction chapter book series, Just Imagine…What If There Were No Black People in the World is about African American inventors, scientists and other notable Black people in history. The two books are Jaxon’s Magical Adventure with Black Inventors and Scientistsand Jaxon and Kevin’s Black History Trip Downtown. Tamara Shiloh has also written a book a picture book for Scholastic, Cameron Teaches Black History, that will be available in June, 2022.
Tamara Shiloh’s other writing experiences include: writing the Black History column for the Post Newspaper in the Bay area, Creator and Instruction of the black History Class for Educators a professional development class for teachers and her non-profit offers a free Black History literacy/STEM/Podcast class for kids 3d – 8th grade which also includes the Let’s Go Learn Reading and Essence and tutorial program. She is also the owner of the Multicultural Bookstore and Gifts, in Richmond, California,
Previously in her early life she was the /Editor-in-Chief of Desert Diamonds Magazine, highlighting the accomplishments of minority women in Nevada; assisting with the creation, design and writing of a Los Angeles-based, herbal magazine entitled Herbal Essence; editorial contribution to Homes of Color; Editor-in-Chief of Black Insight Magazine, the first digital, interactive magazine for African Americans; profile creations for sports figures on the now defunct PublicFigure.com; newsletters for various businesses and organizations; and her own Las Vegas community newsletter, Tween Time News, a monthly publication highlighting music entertainment in the various venues of Las Vegas.
She is a member of:
Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI)
Richmond Chamber of Commerce
Point Richmond Business Association
National Association of Professional Women (NAPW)
Independent Book Publishers Association (IPBA)
California Writers Club-Berkeley & Marin
Richmond CA Kiwanis
Richmond CA Rotary
Bay Area Girls Club
Tamara Shiloh, a native of Northern California, has two adult children, one grandson and four great-grand sons. She resides in Point Richmond, CA with her husband, Ernest.
www.multiculturalbookstore.com
AI Is Reshaping Black Healthcare: Promise, Peril, and the Push for Improved Results in California
Black Californians experience some of the worst health outcomes in the state due to systemic inequities, limited healthcare access, and exclusion from medical research. 16.7% of Black adults report fair or poor health, versus 11.5% of Whites. Black adults have the highest death rates from prostate, breast, colorectal, and lung cancer. Statewide, diabetes affects 13.6% of Black adults versus 9.1% of Whites, and 27% of Black adults over 65 have heart disease, compared to 22% of Whites. Life expectancy for Black Californians is about five years shorter than the state average.
(Left to right:) Dr. Akilah Weber Pierson. CBM file photo. Dr. Timnit Gebru is DAIR’s founder and executive director. Photo courtesy of Dr. Gebru. Judy Wawira Gichoya, MD, MS, is an associate professor in the Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Gichoya serves as co-director in leading the Healthcare AI Innovation and Translational Informatics (HITI) Lab. Trained as both an informatician and an interventional radiologist, Dr. Gichoya’s work is centered around using data science to study health equity. Photo provided by the Emory University Winship Cancer Institute.
Joe W. Bowers Jr.
California Black Media
Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing how Californians receive medical care – diagnosing diseases, predicting patient needs, streamlining treatments, and even generating medical notes for doctors.
While AI holds promise, it also poses risks, particularly for Black patients. It can provide faster diagnoses and expand access to care, but it may also misdiagnose conditions, delay treatment, or overlook patient’s critical needs. AI’s impact on Black patients depends on how biases in medical data and algorithms are addressed in its development.
“As we progress toward a society with increased use of AI technology, it is critical that the biases and stereotypes that Black Americans have faced are not perpetuated in our future innovations,” said Dr. Akilah Weber Pierson (D – San Diego), a physician and state senator spearheading legislative efforts to address AI bias in healthcare.
Why AI Matters for Black Californians
Black Californians experience some of the worst health outcomes in the state due to systemic inequities, limited healthcare access, and exclusion from medical research. 16.7% of Black adults report fair or poor health, versus 11.5% of Whites. Black adults have the highest death rates from prostate, breast, colorectal, and lung cancer. Statewide, diabetes affects 13.6% of Black adults versus 9.1% of Whites, and 27% of Black adults over 65 have heart disease, compared to 22% of Whites. Life expectancy for Black Californians is about five years shorter than the state average.
AI processes vast amounts of medical data using computer algorithms designed to identify patient health patterns, helping doctors to diagnose diseases, recommend treatment, and increase patient care efficiency. By analyzing scans, lab results, and patient history, AI can detect diseases
earlier, giving it the potential to improve care for Black patients, who face higher risks of prostate cancer, diabetes, heart disease and hypertension.
Dr. Judy Gichoya, an Interventional radiologist at the Emory University Winship Cancer Institute and AI researcher at Emory’s Healthcare AI Innovation and Translational Informatics (HITI) Lab, sees AI as a tool with great potential but cautions that its effectiveness depends on the diversity of the data it is trained on. She says, “Without diverse datasets, AI could overlook critical signs of diseases, especially in underrepresented populations like Black patients.”
Dr. Timnit Gebru, a computer scientist and AI ethics expert, is the founder and Executive Director of DAIR (Distributed AI Research Institute) in Oakland. She has extensively studied bias in AI systems and their impact on marginalized groups.
Gebru acknowledges that AI has the potential to improve healthcare by enhancing efficiency and expanding access to medical resources. But, like Gichoya she strongly stresses that for AI to be effective and equitable it needs to be subject to rigorous oversight.
AI is already helping doctors personalize cancer treatment by identifying biomarkers and genetic mutations. UCSF and Stanford Health use AI to analyze tumor DNA to match patients with the most effective chemotherapy or immunotherapy.
In diabetes care, AI predicts blood sugar fluctuations, helping doctors adjust treatment. It helps radiologists in early disease detection and identifies sepsis sooner, reducing hospital deaths. In cardiology, AI detects early signs of heart disease, spotting plaque buildup or abnormal heart rhythms before symptoms appear. It also helps predict strokes by analyzing brain scans to determine risk and guide intervention.
Kaiser Permanente uses AI scribes to reduce paperwork and improve patient interactions. Covered California has partnered with Google
Cloud to use AI to streamline document verification and eligibility decisions.
Despite these advancements, AI systems trained on biased medical data can perpetuate inequities for Black patients.
Gebru explains, “If AI learns from historically discriminatory medical decisions—such as undertreating Black patients—it will scale those biases.”
A notable example is in dermatology, where AI frequently misdiagnoses conditions in Black patients because most training datasets are based on lighter-skinned individuals. “Melanoma looks very different on darker skin,” Gebru notes. “It’s not just darker—it often appears differently, like under toenails, a pattern AI trained mostly on lighter skin won’t detect.”
Another risk of AI in healthcare is automation bias, where healthcare providers over-rely on AI, even when it contradicts medical expertise. “Doctors who would have prescribed medications accurately without AI sometimes make mistakes while using automated tools because they over-trust these systems,” Gebru adds.
AI-driven health insurance claim denials are a growing concern. UnitedHealthcare faces a class-action lawsuit for allegedly using an unregulated AI algorithm to deny rehabilitation coverage to elderly and disabled patients.
Beyond bias, AI also poses an environmental threat. AI systems require enormous amounts of energy for computing and massive amounts of water to cool data centers, which exacerbates climate change, an issue that already disproportionately impacts Black communities.
Trump Administration and DEI Impact
The Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) threatens funding for AI bias research in healthcare.
Less federal support could stall progress in making AI systems fairer and more accurate, increasing discrimination risks for Black patients.
California’s Legislative and Regulatory Response
Recognizing AI’s risks in healthcare, California lawmakers and state officials are implementing regulations. Weber Pierson introduced Senate Bill (SB) 503 to ensure that AI algorithms used in healthcare are tested for racial bias before implementation.
“We’ve already seen how biased medical devices like pulse oximeters can fail Black patients,” Weber Pierson explains. “If algorithms used in patient care aren’t inclusive, they’re not going to accurately serve melanated individuals.”
At a press conference introducing SB 503, Weber Pierson stressed that AI must be held accountable. “This bill focuses on ensuring that software used as an accessory to healthcare staff delivers sound, nondiscriminatory decisions that promote equitable outcomes.”
Other legislative efforts include Senate Bill (SB) 1120, by Sen. Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park), which stops insurance companies from using AI alone to deny or delay care and Assembly Bill (AB) 3030, by Assemblymember Lisa Calderon (D-Whittier), which requires healthcare providers to inform patients when AI is used in their care.
Attorney General Rob Bonta has issued a legal advisory barring AI from unfairly denying healthcare claims, falsifying records, or restricting access to care based on medical history. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s 2023 executive order directs state agencies to assess AI’s impact and establish consumer protections, particularly in healthcare.
Actions Black Patients and Families Can Take
As AI becomes more common in healthcare, Black Californians can ensure fair treatment by asking if AI is used, seeking second opinions, and supporting groups addressing algorithmic bias.
They can:
Ask their healthcare providers whether AI played a role in their diagnosis or treatment.
Request second opinions if an AI-generated diagnosis seems questionable.
Advocate for AI policies and legislation promoting fairness and accountability. · Engage with community health organizations like the California Black Health Network (CBHN) that is engaged in ensuring AI is developed in ways to improve health outcomes for Black patients.
Rhonda Smith, CBHN’s executive director, says bias in medical algorithms must be eliminated. “There should never be any race-based adjustment in delivering patient care,” she said.
CBHN supports inclusive research and legislation like SB 503 to ensure AI promotes equity.
Ensuring AI Benefits All Communities
As a legislator, Weber Pierson is pushing for stronger safeguards to ensure AI serves all patients equitably. She says, “Innovation and technology are good, but new challenges arise if we don’t move in a direction inclusive and thoughtful of all people who utilize the healthcare space.”
AI has the potential to revolutionize healthcare, but experts warn it must be developed and regulated with transparency, accountability, and fairness – ensuring it reduces rather than worsens, racial health disparities.
Carletta Jackson-Lane, 21st Western District governor of the National Association of the Business and Professional Women’s Club, Inc. sits with honoree Carol E. Tatum the 2025 Sojourner Truth Award recipient of the NAB&PW, Inc. Photo courtesy of Sheryl Smith.
By Rev. Dr. Rochelle Frazier Special to The Post
On Saturday, April 19, the San Francisco Business and Professional Women’s Club (SFBPWC) held its sold-out 44th Annual Sojourner Truth Awards and Scholarship Luncheon at the Southeast Community Center at 1550 Evans Ave. in San Francisco.
The luncheon’s theme was “Moving Forward with a Purpose: From Trailblazers to Game Changers.”
This year’s well-deserved award recipients were women who graciously and continuously have served and empowered the Bayview community and beyond.
Carol Evora Tatum received the National Sojourner Truth Meritorious Service Award for her decades of leadership and dedicated community service.
Brittany Doyle, founder and CEO of WISE Health SF, was honored as the Businesswoman of the Year because of her insightful and innovative business acumen regarding community-centered health programs.
La Shon A. Walker was recognized as the Professional Woman of the Year for her community empowerment and leadership work as the vice president of Community Affairs at FivePoint.
The luncheon also provides an opportunity to present scholarships to well-deserving students. The scholarship awardees were Jayana Harbor and Zari Moore, both graduating from Immaculate Conception Academy, and London Robinson, who is graduating from Raoul Wallenberg Traditional High School.
Harbor plans to attend Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland; Moore will attend Loyola University in New Orleans, and Robinson will attend Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
“The 44th Annual Sojourner Truth Awards and Scholarship Luncheon is more than a celebration,” said Cheryl Smith, president of SFBPWC. “It’s a tribute to the legacy of Black women who have paved the way and made a commitment to uplifting future generations. We are proud to honor extraordinary leaders in our community and invest in the bright minds who will carry us into the future.”
In 30 Years, Supporters of Swim A Mile | Move A Mile for Women with Cancer Raised $8 Million
Over the last 30 years, participants have raised over $8 million and moved more than 14,000 miles—the equivalent of crossing the United States more than five times. All in support of WCRC’s free cancer services in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
Supporters of the Swim A Mile | Move A Mile campaign over the years. At left are swimmers from 2023 and from 2001 (?) at right. Courtesy photos.
By Kate Eaneman Special to The Post
When staff at the Women’s Cancer Resource Center started a fundraiser in 1995, they weren’t trying to create a high-profile event. They just wanted something meaningful: something that could bring people together to raise funds for East Bay women facing cancer.
They called it the Swim A Mile for Women with Cancer. There were no rankings, no competition, no stopwatch at the end of the lane. Just people swimming a mile at their own pace, in honor or memory of someone they cared about, and raising what they could to support WCRC’s work.
In the years since, the event has shifted and stretched. It’s been held at several pools across the East Bay, including Holy Names and its current home at Northeastern University in Oakland, formerly Mills College. For a few years, a second swim was held in Marin.
And in 2020, the event changed again — this time, out of necessity. With the pandemic forcing large gatherings to stop. It also meant, however, that opportunities were opened. People were invited to swim, walk, or move a mile however and wherever they could. That year, the event became the Swim A Mile | Move A Mile for Women with Cancer, and the name has stuck.
Some participants now ‘move their mile’ from neighborhood parks or home treadmills. Others return to the pool each spring. Whichever they take part, everyone fundraises. That money makes up more than a quarter of WCRC’s annual budget.
Over the last 30 years, participants have raised over $8 million and moved more than 14,000 miles—the equivalent of crossing the United States more than five times. All in support of WCRC’s free cancer services in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
WCRC was founded in 1986 to serve people facing cancer who were often left out of traditional systems of care. Most clients today are low-income, and the majority are women of color over the age of 50.
The organization provides free therapy, support groups, wellness classes, and patient navigation, all rooted in cultural humility and community connection.
What has kept the event going isn’t marketing or corporate backing. It’s people, many of whom come back year after year. Some swim to honor a friend or family member. Others move in memory of someone they lost. For some, it’s a tradition that’s lasted across generations.
Janet started participating in 1997. At the time, she swam with her children. Now, her grandchildren take part, too. “Yes—it’s my very loving and supportive family,” she said.
She continues to participate each year because she believes in the work. “Raising money to support the services offered by the WCRC keeps me feeling good.” When asked what has stayed with her over the years, she answered simply: “Resiliency and community.”
That’s what Swim A Mile | Move A Mile has represented for 30 years. Not a race. Not a performance. Just people moving together for something that matters.
The 30th annual Swim A Mile | Move A Mile for Women with Cancer will be held May 3–4 at Northeastern University in Oakland (formerly Mills College).
To register, volunteer, or learn more, visit: wcrc.org/swim.
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