In a year when nearly 300,000 Black women in the United States were pushed out of the labor force by federal budget cuts, DEI rollbacks, and an uncertain economy, the message at the 24th annual Business and Community Awards Luncheon organized by the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Inc., Sacramento chapter, felt extremely urgent and timely.
“Black women are the backbone of our families and communities. We own about 2.1 million businesses in the country, and 69% of Black mothers are the primary breadwinners in their households,” said keynote speaker Keisha Lance Bottoms, former mayor of Atlanta and 2026 candidate for Georgia governor. “For some Black women, resting is not a luxury they can afford,” added Bottoms, who is also the former director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.
The event Nov. 15 at the Sheraton Grand was under the theme “Together we rise and empower to enhance the future.”
“When I saw this year’s theme, I immediately thought of Dr. Maya Angelou. She taught us that no matter what tries to push us down, still, like dust, we rise,” Bottoms said. “I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise. I rise. I rise.”
“We are still living in a time of firsts, and that tells us clearly that our work is not done,” honoree Keisha “Agent Kee” Mathews told luncheon attendees. Roberta Alvarado, OBSERVER
The National Coalition of 100 Black Women Inc. was founded in New York City in 1981 to address systemic discrimination and the root causes of opportunity inequity for African Americans. The Sacramento chapter is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit chartered in 2001 and is one of 63 chapters in 26 states, including six in California.
“Our goal as an organization is to showcase and honor women in health, education, economic empowerment, and public policy,” said Evelyn Frazier, co-chair and past president of the Sacramento NCBW chapter. “We also want to mentor the next generation so they can see these ladies as role models.”
Chapter President Jennifer L. Willis shares the organization’s hope for Black women and girls across the country.
“Through our efforts, we strive to fulfill our bold dream and vision that Black women and girls will live in a world where socioeconomic inequity does not exist,” Willis said.
This year’s honorees span public policy, health, education, nonprofit leadership, and rising stars. The awards, as Frazier explained, are given based on leadership, community involvement, and impact across Sacramento.
Honoree Dr. Colette Harris-Mathews, a retired educator with more than 25 years of experience, expressed her gratitude to NCBW Sacramento and spoke on her role as an educator.
“I can tell you the rooms that I am in don’t look like this. The work in education never leaves you. It is a calling to be an educator,” Harris-Mathews said. “We are all educators. We all have a responsibility to continue in education.”
Dr. Colette Harris-Mathews, honored for her work in education, delivers her acceptance speech. Roberta Alvarado, OBSERVER
Fellow honorees Keisha “Agent Kee” Mathews and Donna Berry expanded on the idea that representation matters where decisions are made.
“We are still living in a time of firsts, and that tells us clearly that our work is not done. We are watching laws and policies that protect our access to home ownership and democracy come under attack,” said Mathews, who is the broker/owner of Mathews and Co. Realty Group and Founder of Sac Club 100. “Homeownership is more unaffordable across the country. While all communities are feeling this pressure, ours always carries a deeper impact. We can’t mortgage our way into higher wages.”
Said Berry, who is the deputy director for project delivery and chief engineer at Caltrans: “I want Black girls who look like me to understand it’s possible to be a civil engineer. We need more of us at the table.”
Attendee Veronica Nelson, president of the Sacramento Realtist Association, said, “It’s important for Black women to see each other and lift each other up. Many of us are the first in the room — the first person of color in the job and the first to open the door. So we have to pull the next person forward and let them know there is space here.”
Since its inception, NCBW Sacramento has provided more than 100 scholarships to young women to attend college. It also has mentored several hundred young women through its Fostering Hope Program and helped college-bound students reach their goals through college preparation and entrance exam preparation programs.
LIST OF HONOREES
Keisha “Agent Kee” Mathews — Economic Empowerment
Dr. Colette Harris-Mathews — Education
Rhonda M. Smith — Health
Donna Berry, P.E. — Public Policy
Co-founders Dr. Gina Warren and Marilyn Woods, Neighborhood Wellness Foundation — Nonprofit Organization
Adiyah Obolu, Yale University junior— Trailblazer
Kennedy Lindsay, Christian Brothers graduate — Rising Star
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