2024 HBCU Award
A call to action
Dr. Alvin C. Lomax
Dr. Lomax is a graduate of Hampton University and holds a Doctor of Education degree from the College of William and Mary. After graduating from Hampton, Dr. Lomax was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. After completing two years of active duty, he continued to serve in the Army Reserves for eighteen years, while concurrently beginning his civilian professional career as a teacher with a focus on the natural sciences and chemistry and completing his graduate education. Dr. Lomax was a founding member of the Tri-County Veterans Association.
Dr. Lomax returned to his native King William County in 1992, after thirty-one years on the faculty of Norfolk State University where he was a Professor of Education and Assistant Vice President. There he had a broad range of teaching and administrative responsibilities.
His contribution to Norfolk State University should not be forgotten. He served under three presidents: Dr. Lyman Beecher Brooks, Dr. Harrison Wilson and Dr. Marie V. McDemmond. He also served with distinction to ensure students had resources to become successful. He was the president of the Virginia Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. He worked with others in the community to provide support to students who needed housing, familial support and other resources to be successful in college.
Dr. Lomax was a founding member of the Norfolk State University Retirees Association. Founded on July 12, 2000, the association was formed to give structure and official voice to the University’s retirees. The goal of the Association includes “activities that enhance the image, support the programs, and promote the advancement of the University.” The Association continues to serve the university.
Dr. Lomax was also active in the public education community in the city of Norfolk prior to retiring to King William County, where he continues to reside. He was the founder, president, and treasurer of Hamilton-Holmes High School Alumni Association, King William, Virginia.
2024 Constance Ferebee Jones Award
Women’s Healthcare & Wellness
Annie M. Williams, MD
Dr. Annie L. Williams is a notable healthcare physician in the city of Norfolk. She has decades of experience in women’s healthcare and public health. She has over 45 years of experience as a medical practitioner. She is the Deputy District Health Director in the City of Norfolk, with the Virginia Department of Health.
She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, earning a BA in psychology; Eastern Virginia Medical School earning a doctorate in medicine in 1979; and was a resident in obstetrics and gynecology from 1979-1983. She is board certified with the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She is affiliated with Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.
Dr. Williams has a long and distinguished career in the medical field. She has partnered with WAVY-TV - (News Channel) Department of Community Affairs serving as a panelist on Domestic Violence Special; partnered with Sentara as panelist for seminar Balancing the Demands of the Decade; partnered with Speaking of Women's Health project as speaker for workshop sessions on topics including Premenstrual Syndrome, Women's Health – What you need to know, and Menopause; partnered with 757 Health (community organization) as speaker for the event, Breast Cancer: Surviving Then Thriving. She was a leading voice in the city of Norfolk during the COVID 19 pandemic.
2024 Carla Perry Award
Economic Legacy
Black BRAND - Mrs. Blair Durham
Black BRAND (Business Research Analytics Networking and Development) is the Regional Black Chamber of Commerce for Hampton Roads, Virginia. CEO and Co-founder, Blair Durham, states that the organization was founded to promote group economics through professional development and community empowerment. The organization has a strong commitment to uplifting the Black community by supporting business owners and fostering economic growth.
Black BRAND's mission is to create scalable businesses that can compete on a global level while anchoring the community in strong values. Their approach includes unity, education, access, and opportunity, aiming to build a self-sufficient and thriving Black community.
Black BRAND’s core programs and initiatives include the B-Force Accelerator, a 12-week program designed to help Black and Latinx businesses become more fundable and access capital. It includes dynamic workshops, technical assistance, and connections to a powerful network of partners and resources. Since its inception, the program has had a significant economic impact, providing $1.6 million in capital access and supporting over 480 businesses. Black BRAND actively addresses the systemic barriers faced by Black entrepreneurs, such as limited access to capital and networks. SURGE is a program aimed at helping seed-stage companies become more profitable, serving as a prerequisite for the B-Force Accelerator. Black Diamond Weekend is an annual event that brings together successful business owners, community leaders, and entrepreneurs for empowerment, networking, and development. These events foster a sense of unity and collaboration, crucial for the collective growth of the Black community.
Black BRAND operates on the principles of winning, innovation, integrity, humility, and community. These values guide their mission to transform the local, regional, and national Black community through unity and development. The organization has consistently demonstrated its ability to create meaningful impact through a variety of initiatives that address the specific needs of Black entrepreneurs and businesses.
2024 Joyce Gilliam Brown Award
Cultural Educational Enrichment
Mr. Dudley Colbert
Norfolk native, Mr. Dudley Colbert, has contributed immensely to the Black community and city of Norfolk. His love for culture, history and the arts can be found in his leadership in the historic institution of the Blyden Branch Library, the oldest public library for African Americans in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The library opened in 1921. Mr. Colbert worked to ensure that not only does the library provide traditional books, but it has e-books, videos, meeting space, a computer lab and other services for the community.
He is a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School and Norfolk State University. Mr. Colbert served as the head librarian for the historic Blyden Branch, the first public library for Black people in the Commonwealth of Virginia for over 20 years. Mr. Colbert also served as chairman of the Multicultural Committee, City of Norfolk Public Library.
In 2017, Mr. Colbert hosted the inaugural African American History Month event to recognize young Black leaders in the Norfolk community at the library. The library has routinely sponsored cultural programming in the arts, featuring African dancing and storytelling. As a head librarian, Mr. Colbert continues a tradition of celebrating our rich cultural heritage through education, literature, cultural expression and the arts.
2024 Lillian Brinkley Award
Global Educational Impact
Ms. Trista Pope
Trista Pope has nearly 30 years of experience in public administration. As Deputy City Manager for the City of Norfolk, Ms. Pope oversees the Community Affairs portfolio which includes departments such as the Norfolk Public Libraries, Human Services, Neighborhood Services, Housing and Community Development and Office of Citizen Services, the Slover and Cultural Facilities Arts and Entertainment.
Ms. Pope has served the City of Norfolk in various leadership positions for the past 17 years including Acting Director of Real Estate, Senior Assistant to the City Manager, and the Assistant Director for the Department of Public Works. She has served on the Southeastern Public Services Authority Board of Directors, Downtown Norfolk Council Board, the Norfolk Invocation Corridor Board, and the Elizabeth River Trail Foundation on behalf of the City of Norfolk.
Ms. Pope holds a bachelor’s degree from Old Dominion University, and a Master of Public Administration from Troy State University. She is also a graduate of the 10th anniversary class of the Project Inclusion Leadership Development Program and the Leading Educating and Developing Program from the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service.
Ms. Pope has been a member of APWA, ICMA and has served as an Adjunct Professor at Tidewater Community College. She has also received numerous awards and accolades throughout her tenure as a Public Servant. She was awarded the 2023 Women’s International Vanguard Award by the Norfolk Chapter of The Links Incorporated. She is also a member of Women United and African American Leadership Society with the United Way of South Hampton Roads.
She is a past president of a Norfolk chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, where she received the Mid-Atlantic Region’s 2020 Alumni President of the Year award. Ms. Pope serves as a life member of the sorority and is an active member of The Mount, Chesapeake campus. She is the proud mother of two adult children.