50 leaders of the future - Special Issue - The New Generation of the '90s

Ebony, August, 1990 by Lynn Norment

50 LEADERS OF THE FUTURE

THEY are bright, they are talented, and they know where they are going and what they want to accomplish in life. They also know how important it is to give something back to the community, to make a contribution to society. They are the young leaders of the new generation of the '90s.

During recent months, Ebony canvassed the country in search of Black men and women age 30 and younger who are in leadership positions or who have the potential for leadership. What we found is inspiring.

Despite the general perception that young people are primarily concerned with drugs, crime and materialistic gains, a sizeable portion of today's youth is devoted to more constructive endeavors. They have worked hard to earn their college degrees, some fighting to overcome substantial financial or social hardships. And some have landed good jobs or have established themselves as professionals or entrepreneurs. But most importantly, this group of young people devotes much of their would-be leisure time helping to improve society and the plight of Black people in particular.

Since EBONY published its first "young leaders" feature in 1983, we have gotten overwhelmingly positive response to this effort to highlight young movers and shakers. Among the leaders we have discovered are Spike Lee, who is now a major force in the film industry; the Rev. Tyrone Crider, now national executive director of Operation PUSH; Joe Watkins, who is now with the White House Office of Public Liaison; and John Rogers, whose Ariel Capital Management is among the top Black-owned financial concerns.

Featured on the following pages are 50 of the best and brightest young Black leaders of 1990. This list is by no means all inclusive, for there are hundreds of young people who are at the vanguard of Black America's struggle for equality. But these 50 represent the wealth of talent and potential that is embodied in Black America's youth.

PHOTO : Shawn G. Hopwood, (above) 24, New York City, associate publisher, Macintosh-Aided Design

PHOTO : Magazine, a publication for design and engineering professionals; former

PHOTO : publisher/editor-in-chief, The CAD/CAM Journal, which he founded in 1986; founded

PHOTO : computer-aided design group in N.Y. Macintosh User's Group; currently organizing Micro

PHOTO : CAD chapter of National Computer Graphics Association.

PHOTO : Camille Hamilton, 29, San Francisco, deputy city attorney; member, advisory board of

PHOTO : directors, Japan Pacific Resources Network; former vice president, Public Interest Law

PHOTO : Foundation, UCLA Law School Chapter; named "outstanding oral advocate," Frederick

PHOTO : Douglass Moot Court (1984); extensive travel in Asia; speaks fluent Japanese.

PHOTO : Rev. Bernice A. King, 27, Atlanta, recent graduate of Emory University with joint Juris

PHOTO : Doctor-Master of Divinity degree; chair, National College Student's Conference, annual

PHOTO : program of the King Center; former intern, Atlanta City Attorney's Office; former

PHOTO : chaplain, Georgia Baptist Hospital.

PHOTO : Jesse L. Jackson Jr., 25, Chicago, youngest appointed member of the Democratic National

PHOTO : Committee; vice president-at-large, Operation PUSH; president, Keep Hope Alive Political

PHOTO : Action Committee; recent graduate, Chicago Theological Seminary; will enter law school

PHOTO : this fall.

PHOTO : Cheryl Jones, 26, Los Angeles, head women's tennis coach, University of Southern

PHOTO : California, the only Black woman to coach an NCAA Division I tennis team; led team to

PHOTO : 1989 12-0 match record and third place PAC-10 finish; member, USC's 1983 national

PHOTO : championship women's tennis team.

PHOTO : Daniel E. Martin Jr., 27, Charleston, S.C., magistrate for County of Charleston;

PHOTO : practicing attorney with Martin, Gailliard & Martin Law Offices; senior trustee,

PHOTO : Emmanuel A. M. E. Church; financial secretary, Beta Kappa Lambda Chapter, Alpha Phi

PHOTO : Alpha fraternity.

PHOTO : Richard E. Banks, 30, St. Louis, Mo., managing partner, Banks & Lohse Law Firm; board

PHOTO : member, The Forrestine Institute, which operates drug rehabilitation and adult day-care

PHOTO : facilities; active big brother, St. Louis Big Brothers/Big Sisters; magazine columnist.

PHOTO : Justin F. Beckett, 27, Durham, N.C., senior vice president, NCM Capital, a subsidiary of

PHOTO : North Carolina Mutual Life Ins. Co.; adj. prof., Southern Univ.; sect./treas., Natl.

PHOTO : Investment Managers Assoc.; member, advocacy com., Natl. Minority Suppliers Dev. Council.

PHOTO : Mark A. Brown, 29, Knoxville, Tenn., president, Knoxville Urban League; v. p.,

PHOTO : President's Advisory Board, Pellissippi State Tech. Com. College; board member, Univ. of

PHOTO : Tenn. Knox Co. Alumni Chapter, Private Industry Council, Museum of Art, Housing

PHOTO : Partnership.

PHOTO : Debra A. Carr, 30, Beaumont, Texas, exec. asst. U.S. attorney, eastern district of Texas;

PHOTO : board member, OIC of S. E. Texas and United Way of Beaumont and N. Jefferson Co.;

PHOTO : graduate, Leadership Beaumont (1988); guest lecturer, Lamar University Para-Legal