*I recently saw a TV commercial that tasked people with nominating women who are role models for an award of some type.
I think most people would agree when someone is doing big things and important work, they should be acknowledged and recognized, so the commercial was not a surprise; more like right on time with how I have been thinking lately.
Our youth need to see positive images of ordinary everyday people (non-entertainers) who are making it do what it do, so they will know it can happen to them.
I want you to meet three phenomenal African American women who are inspiring, empowering and making tracks in three different arenas: The NFL, the Compton NAACP, and Miami-Date County Foster and Adoptive Parents Association.
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Linda DeYampert, a Los Angeles native, is making her mark in what has predominantly been a male dominated industry, the National Football League (NFL). She started her career with NBC in 1983 as a Production Scheduling Manager. While at NBC, she attended California State University, Dominguez Hills and earned both her Bachelor of Science and MBA degrees. She also holds a Master of Science degree from Pepperdine University.
In 2006, Linda joined the NFL Network as a Manager of Scheduling Operations, and in 2012, was promoted to Senior Manager, Scheduling Operations. Linda is the first African American woman to hold a position in management at the NFL Network. Currently, she is the Senior Manager, Studio Environmental Health and Safety for the NFL. Linda is responsible for ensuring the NFL is a safe and secure environment, which thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, includes addressing and overseeing the COVID testing procedures for NFL employees, as well as all events associated with the NFL, including the Superbowl. Linda is getting it done in a predominantly man’s world.
As if Linda’s career at NBC and the NFL has not kept her busy enough, she has also served as the President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Black MBA Association for two terms. Linda is very civic minded and has a love for children and her community. As part of the NFLs Workplace Mentoring Program, she volunteers with Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America and the Best Buddies Programs.
Linda believes in making a difference, and her work ethic, commitment and dedication has been recognized with several awards, including the 2015 Women Making a Difference Award by the Los Angeles Business Journal, the 2015 California Multicultural Leadership Award, the 2017 Woman of Diversity Award from the Los Angeles Lakers (Comerica Bank), the NFL Commissioner’s Award for Teamwork in 2018, and most recently the Sports Emmys 2021 Chairman’s Award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
To add punctuation to Linda’s impressive list of credentials, she gave the 2021 commencement address at her alma mater, Cal State Dominguez Hills, sat on the Los Angeles Unified School District’s 2021 Young Women’s Leadership Conference: “Your Time Is Now,” panel and is currently the Director of Membership, Black Sports Professionals, as well as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.
Reverend Paulette Simpson-Gipson is an ordained minister with 24 years in the ministry, as well as being the first woman President of the Compton (CA) branch of the NAACP, a position she has held since 2009, which includes being re-elected six times. She is also a VP of the NAACP CA-Hawaii State Conference.
Minister Paulette believes that God has called her to a life of service, which began with four years in the United States Air Force, through several years as a school bus driver with the Torrance Unified School district and has continued until this day as an associate minister at Greater Faith MBC, as an advocate for social justice and reform and finally as part of her activities at the helm of the Compton NAACP.
Speaking of NAACP activities, Paulette has created Court Watch, where she randomly takes a few NAACP members to court to observe cases to ensure African Americans are treated fairly. This gives Paulette and Co. firsthand knowledge of how judges are (or are not) performing their duties, which in turn will determine if the Compton NAACP supports or opposes the judge during re-election. It is no secret that the Compton NAACP is in the house because Paulette takes three business cards, one for the judge, the prosecutor, and the defense attorney.
There are a lot of positive things going on with the Compton NAACP right now. On Sunday, November 21, 2021, they had their “1st Soul Food Sunday with the Compton NAACP,” from 10 am – noon, where they had sit down hot meals with the community, and then afterwards served the homeless around the city. The activities also included wellness checks, as well as assistance with completing rental and utility assistance applications. They also had adult membership drives and free memberships for children. The Compton NAACP also is in the process of beginning a youth entrepreneurship program.
According to Paulette, prior to her becoming President of the Compton NAACP, the branch had not been in compliance with the National NAACP standards in 15 years; however, they have now been in compliance each year of her tenure as President. The Compton NAACP has won the Dr. Claude Hudson Award, which is given to small NAACP branches who excel, and Paulette has won the Lulann Sapp McGriff Award, which is the California State award given to a President. The Compton NAACP was chosen as the branch to launch the Climate Resilience Program in 2019. In addition to her usual NAACP related undertakings, Paulette has written opinion pieces on the importance of voting and works tirelessly to get Compton residents to vote. Although Paulette is a native of Los Angeles, she has lived in Compton for 26 years, is permanently planted, loves her community and is a staunch defender of it. If you would like more information on the Compton NAACP, they can be reached at (310) 763-2002, on Twitter at @NAACP_Compton or emailing [email protected].
Shamele Jenkins, a Marine veteran and transplant from New York to Miami, is what is called a master of multiple trades. Not only is she an internationally recognized spoken word artist, an actress, author, a 1992 National Poet Laureate with the National Association of North America, 2000-2001 Grand Slam Poet for the State of Florida Poets, who lends her talent when requested, her biggest contribution is to children; she has fostered or adopted over 300 children during her more than 40 years as an advocate for children.
Shamele is the Director, CEO and immediate past President of the Miami-Dade County Foster and Adoptive Parent Association, which services over 1,800 children in the Miami-Dade area. She has created several programs and undertaken numerous ventures, including her newest one taking place this month, Foster and Adoptive Parents Month, which will be recognizing everyone in Miami-Dade County who has adopted a child. Although Shamele and company are recognizing everyone who has adopted a child, she also emphasizes there are still children in need of homes, whether they are temporary or permanent, and urges people to get involved. Shamele is a master fundraiser, which is a good skill when you need to gather up 200 turkeys for Thanksgiving, or countless toys for Christmas, receive 800 masks, find resources for special trips, in addition to the day-to-day needs/support of the foster and adoptive parents. Shamele shared. “Children need normalcy,” and is happy to receive entertainment related donations, such as concerts and plays.
Not only is Shamele known in the state of Florida for her work with children, but news of her exploits reached all the way to California, where she was asked to work with Project Foster, a foster parent program in various cities throughout California.
Remember I said Shamele is a master of multiple trades? Well, she is the Founder and President of The Nubian Sistahood, a women’s organization whose primary mission is to empower women and children. Part of their activities include doing community work with foster youth, women in transition, women in prison, and girls in juvenile detention. They also travel locally, nationally, and internationally, hosting workshops on women’s empowerment.
Shamele has received several awards for her work with children, including African American Achievers, Golden Mouse (Youth Advocate Leader of the Year), and Pillars Award. If you would like more information, or to become involved in or contribute to the Miami-Dade Foster and Adoptive Parent Association, they can be reached at (305) 469-1157, on Facebook under Miami-Dade County Foster & Adoptive Parent Association or at www.mdcfapa.org.
All three of these strong, empowering, and inspiring women are using their drive and commitment to make a difference and to show our youth what ambition, hard work, commitment and dedication can accomplish. Kudos to them and may the force…well you know.
Marilyn Smith is a Los Angeles based writer/reviewer. Contact her via [email protected].
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