30 leaders of the future

Ebony, April, 2005

THEY are young, gifted and Black. And while they have dedicated time and effort to get a solid educational foundation, they also have demonstrated a strong and focused mission to give back to their communities and especially to those less fortunate. In keeping with our tradition, EBONY canvassed the U.S. in search of young people age 30 and younger who have established themselves as leaders or who are demonstrating that they have what it takes to be a good leader. We found a wealth of young people who are excelling in academia, medicine, religion, the arts and community service. On these pages we present a sampling of talented young African-Americans who are excelling and giving back. Here are EBONY's 2005 Young Leaders of the Future.

Jasmine Brett Stringer, 25, Atlanta, corporate account manager, Bakeries and Foodservice Division, General Mills; responsible for a $100 million account; first African-American and youngest person ever to hold this position; studied at the Euro-American Institute of Technology and worked for Lucent Technologies in France; president, Atlanta Chapter of American University Alumni Association; member, advisory board of After School Classe; volunteer, Dress for Success Atlanta and INROADS Atlanta.

Farrah Gray, 20, New York, author who became a millionaire at age 15 when he sold his Farr-Out Foods for more than a million dollars; at 15, was asked by U.S. Dept. of Commerce to consult with an entrepreneurial institute; at 15, became youngest board member of United Way of Southern Nevada; businesses have included Kidztel prepaid phone cards, NE2W Venture Capital Fund, and Teenscope interactive talk show; recently published Reallionaire: Nine Steps to Becoming Rich from the Inside Out.

Richard E. Anderson, 29, Bridgeport, Conn., men's accessory designer who founded and is president of REA by Design; created patented men's necktie that buttons onto shirt to stay in place and allow for various stylish looks; clientele includes numerous celebrities and other well-known men; volunteer aide to Bishop Kenneth H. Moales Sr., pastor of Prayer Tabernacle Church in Bridgeport; extensive volunteer work with the Cardinal Shehan Center, a nonprofit center that offers various programs for inner-city youth,

The Rev. Roslyn Satchel, 30, Atlanta, minister, attorney and community activist; executive director, National Center for Human Rights Education; associate minister, Big Bethel A.M.E. Church; advisory board member, Southern Rural Black Women's Initiative for Economic & Social Justice; Soros Postgraduate Justice Fellow; recipient, Herman Dooyewerd Prize in Law & Religion, the Children's Justice Act Award, and the National Association of Black Social Workers Harambee Award.

Samira L. Brown, 26, Boston, student, Harvard Medical School, where she was 2003 Patti LaBelle Emerging Scholar Awardee and Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellow; for Student National Medical Association, she is regional director to the Executive Committee, chair of the National Internal Affairs Committee, and Region VII Director; at Xavier University, she was homecoming chairperson, class president, homecoming court member and presidential cabinet member.

Father Ricardo X.-Z. Bailey, 30, Marietta, Ga., parochial vicar (assistant pastor), St. Joseph's Catholic Church; assistant master of ceremonies to Atlanta Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory; district chaplain, Knights & Ladies Auxiliary of St. Peter Claver (Gulf Coast District); chaplain, Northwest Atlanta Metro Serra Club; member, Vocations Board, Archdiocese of Atlanta; police chaplain in training, Fulton County Police Department.

Ba-Shen Bacon Welch, Ph.D., 29, Jacksonville, N.C., professor, government/history programs, Campbell University; co-founder, Mentorship in Marriage, which facilitates mentorships for newly married couples; former instructor, Virginia Commonwealth University; graduate fellow, Howard University.

Myron B. Labat Jr., Ph.D., 29, Kiln, Miss., assistant principal, Pass Christian High School; Junior Knights Commander, Knights of Peter Claver Pierre Blanc No. 6; youth minister, St. Rose de Lima Catholic Church Christian Youth Organization; former board member, Boys and Girls Club.

Nicholas M. Bassey, 29, Washington, D.C., deputy director Ella Baker coordinator, Children's Defense Fund Freedom Schools program; former assistant program manager, Emma and Joe Adams Public Service Institute, Morehouse College; recipient, Benjamin E. Mays Award for Outstanding Community Service, presented by Morehouse College Office of Community Service.

Tracy Williamson, 27, Indianapolis, label director, Tyscot Records and gospel music producer and songwriter founded the still-thriving Early Growth Productions at age 12; wrote and produced songs for artists, including the Rance Allen Group, DeAndre Patterson, Chicago Mass Choir, and two Gospel Kids compilations for Tyscot.

Elmore Patterson III, 29, Montgomery, Ala., medical administration specialist, Department of Veterans Affairs. Veterans Health Administration; Second Lieutenant U.S. Army Reserve; volunteer, St. Joseph's/Candler Health Care System.