February is Black History Month! Each year during the month of February, Americans set aside a few weeks to focus their historical hindsight on the contributions made by people of African descent.  Typically, we hear about famous leaders, authors, civil rights icons, and other African Americans whose efforts and sacrifices shaped our country and the world at-large. However, it’s also important to recognize those who affect our day-to-day lives. So for this year’s Black History Month, we are celebrating some of our African American employees who demonstrate excellence and exemplify the best characteristics of public service.

In order to do so, we asked employees and the City and County Professionals of Color Employee Resource Group to nominate those who are: “Providing effective and efficient government our citizens can trust and/or delivering services with a commitment to excellence, integrity, and teamwork.”

Based on those submissions, the four employees who received the most nominations were selected to be recognized with a profile. We hope this feature shows the importance of honoring diversity while exploring, learning, and discussing differences among peer groups, races, traditions, and life experiences.

Congratulations to this year’s honorees: Marcus Cunningham, Tisha Dickson, Keith Green, Shea Johnson.

Marcus Cunningham

Job title and department: Income Maintenance Caseworker II, Economic Services/Food and Nutrition Services.

Where were you born and raised?

Born in Asheville, NC, but raised in Columbia, SC and Clermont, FL

If you met one African American hero from the past or present, who would it be and why?

There are so many heroes from the past that I’d love to meet just to pick their mind, too many to list, but one African American hero I would like to meet that is still alive would be Ron Simmons, also know by his ring name of Faarooq. He’s renowned as the first black world champion in professional wrestling history. At that time, and even still today, the world of professional wrestling is a “good ol’ boy” traditional environment. He was crowned champion at a time when black people were hardly in the main events, and certainly never winning the most prestigious titles at the time.

I would ask him how he was able to navigate in a system that had traditionally undermined, down played, and marginalized the role of black men to become not only a well-respected wrestler but a champion who later created a dominating group/team/faction called the Nation of Domination, loosely based on the Nation of Islam and the Black Panther Party. Being one of the first ever pro-black factions at the time.

It amazes me thinking of the backlash that he must have gone through to even pitch this idea and the resentment that he had to deal with from some of his colleagues.

Name one guiding principle that helps to inform your work within our agency and/or the community.

The guiding principle that helps me when working within our agency is that: “I am our clients.” It may sound cliché, and some of my coworkers have heard it before, but I was homeless multiple times before I was out of high school. I remember the days coming home from school not having electricity and the day my parents had to sell my Xbox so my family of six could stay in an extended stay hotel, and the days that I had to eat breakfast, do homework, and eat dinner all in the same seat in my mom’s van. I connect with our clients on a different level.

I understand the struggle, I lived the struggle, and because of that, I know how important the work I do is for our clients and their children.

What are you most proud of in your personal and/or professional life?

In my personal and professional life, I am most proud I am able to live out my dreams of being a musician and a professional wrestler along with being employed full time with the County, IMC II, and also being a full-time father. I want to be able to show my son that there is no ceiling to what you can accomplish. With planning and determination you can do it all. Who says you can only be one thing? I’m a devoted father that’s a wrestling, rapping case worker. I’ve been featured in many newspapers, online articles/blogs, and interviews. And I think that’s pretty cool.

What brings you joy in life (favorite activity, holiday, meal etc.)?

I get joy from seeing my son smile. Even though I’m able to wrestle and rap and am very grateful for my job here at the County, sometimes everything comes to a head, and it all feels like a never-ending job. But the one thing that never feels like a job is being a dad; I get so much enjoyment out of the time I spend with my Slim-Slam (that’s what I call him). Whether we are wrestling, reading up on his favorite topic (which happens to be space, specifically the dwarf planets at the moment), or acting out his favorite scene from a movie. There are days I feel like I could give something up, but being a dad is never one of them. So ultimately even though sometimes it’s a thankless job and men these days, especially black men, don’t get the credit they deserve, I greatly enjoy being a father.

Also, I’m not sure who nominated me, but I just want to say, “Thank you!” to the person(s) that thought enough about me to nominate me for this spotlight.

Tisha Dickson

Job title and department: IMC II Economic Services

Where were you born and raised?

Born in Scotland County, NC. Raised in Kings County, NY and Robeson County, NC

If you met one African American hero from the past or present, who would it be and why?

The hero I would most like to meet has to be the African American mothers from the time of slavery through the Civil Rights movement. It would be amazing to seek guidance in raising strong children in a time where harassment, discrimination, and death still exist due to the color of your skin and ethnicity.

Name one guiding principle that helps to inform your work within our agency and/or the community.

Integrity above everything. It helps me to stay true to my roots, honor my ancestors, and value others. It is the foundation for gaining trust from our clients and the community.

What are you most proud of in your personal and/or professional life?

Being a mother, and when I was a high school teacher! There’s nothing better than touching the lives of children, they bring me joy and inspiration and give me hope for a better world.

What brings you joy in life (favorite activity, holiday, meal etc.)?

Being a cheer mom, dance mom, theater mom, karate mom, and soon-to-be basketball mom. I relish in living young through my children.

Shea Drummond-Johnson

Job title and department: Administrative Support Associate III, HHS-DSS-CPS and APS

Where were you born and raised?

Native of Asheville, born and raised

If you met one African American hero from the past or present, who would it be and why?

My black American hero is Coretta Scott King. She had to endure and went through so much along with her husband during the civil rights movement. Those events made her a strong and uplifting black woman that stood by her husband’s side no matter what obstacles came their way. She watched so many black Americans struggle and get to the other side, which was then considered striving toward freedom. 

Name one guiding principle that helps to inform your work within our agency and/or the community.

My principle is to help impact someone’s life today because tomorrow is not promised to us. Be a light to someone’s darkness, then your life will become better; and at the end of the day, God can say, “Well done, my servant!”

What are you most proud of in your personal and/or professional life?

I am proud that I know God, who is first in my life, and to continue to helping people along the way in this lovely journey of ours.

What brings you joy in life (favorite activity, holiday, meal etc.)?

God, family, and friends is what brings joy in my life every day. Fellowship and networking is a joy as well. And I appreciate working in an environment where I can be expressive.

Keith Green

Job title and department: Supervisor, Register of Deeds

Where were you born and raised?

I was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Asheville has been my home since 1983. 

 If you met one African American hero from the past or present, who would it be and why?

There are so many great leaders that I would like to meet. But if I had to narrow it down to one, it would be W.E.B.  DuBois. I would first like to tell him how appreciative I am for him authoring the Souls of Black Folk, an essential read. Secondly, I’d be interested to hear more about his views on how African Americans can continue to advance in leadership, education, and equality in 2020 to ultimately eradicate racism. 

Name one guiding principle that helps to inform your work within our agency and/or the community.

It’s difficult to name just one principle. However, I believe that dedication, professionalism, and diligence in serving the community help facilitate the integrity of work in our office. 

What are you most proud of in your personal and/or professional life?

I am most proud of being able to be present and active in assisting my wife in raising our two children.  I’m so grateful to be able to watch them develop into young adults and discover who they are. Not to mention the gratifying reward of the fruits of our labor.  

What brings you joy in life (favorite activity, holiday, meal, etc.)?

Traveling and relaxing with my family brings me great joy!