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Dr. Dawnt\u00e9 Early<\/p>\nThey come from pulpits and policy rooms, classrooms and courtrooms, boardrooms and creative studios. Together, Sacramento\u2019s ONYX 25 represent the pulse of modern Black leadership \u2014 a dynamic, interwoven tapestry of visionaries who are redefining what influence means in their city.<\/p>\n
Each honoree carries a distinct story, but when you listen closely, a pattern emerges: service before self, integrity above convenience, unity over division, resilience in adversity, and an unshakable commitment to the next generation.<\/p>\n
These are not just titles and r\u00e9sum\u00e9s. They\u2019re blueprints for transformation \u2014 and the ONYX 25 are drafting Sacramento\u2019s future in real time.<\/p>\n
Service As Power<\/p>\n
Dr. Dawnt\u00e9 Early<\/p>\n
For many of the ONYX 25, leadership starts not with ambition but with service. Bishop Parnell M. Lovelace Jr., often called \u201cThe People\u2019s Bishop,\u201d leads by a principle as old as it is radical: power means serving others with care and respect.<\/p>\n
Dr. Dawnt\u00e9 Early, President and CEO of United Way California Capital Region, shares that belief. \u201cLeadership,\u201d she says, \u201cisn\u2019t about being in charge \u2014 it\u2019s about taking responsibility for others\u2019 well-being.\u201d Jay King, who heads the California Black Chamber of Commerce, puts it simply: his mission is to always think \u201ccommunity-first.\u201d<\/p>\n
Whether they\u2019re shepherding congregations, advocating for equity, or creating economic pathways, these leaders see service not as charity, but as duty \u2014 the engine that moves collective progress forward.<\/p>\n
The Integrity Imperative<\/p>\n
Integrity is the quiet force behind the ONYX 25\u2019s influence. It\u2019s not flashy, but it\u2019s everything.<\/p>\n
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Lynette Hall<\/p>\n
For Lynette Hall, Community Engagement Manager for the City of Sacramento, integrity means staying grounded in truth \u2014 especially when the easy route is the wrong one. \u201cAccountability,\u201d she says, \u201chas to guide every decision, even when it costs you something.\u201d<\/p>\n
Myesha Jackson, Policy Director in the State Assembly Speaker\u2019s Office, adds another layer: humility. \u201cIf you can\u2019t meet people where they are,\u201d she says, \u201cyou can\u2019t move them anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
And Regina Brown Wilson, Executive Director of California Black Media, reminds us that leadership is as much about what\u2019s unseen as what\u2019s public. \u201cDo what\u2019s right,\u201d she says, \u201ceven when no one\u2019s watching.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s this moral clarity that has built a foundation of trust strong enough to sustain change that lasts.<\/p>\n
Bridge Builders And Barrier Breakers<\/p>\n
Every one of the ONYX 25 understands that progress is a team effort. Influence, they say, is not about holding the mic \u2014 it\u2019s about sharing it.<\/p>\n
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Hon. Bunmi O. Awoniyi<\/p>\n
Hon. Bunmi O. Awoniyi, Presiding Judge of the Sacramento Superior Court, calls it \u201ccreating visibility and opportunity\u201d \u2014 ensuring that the Black community not only has a seat at the table but also a say in the conversation.<\/p>\n
James \u201cJay\u201d Robinson III, Senior Vice President at Kaiser Foundation Hospitals\/Health Plan, uses his platform to connect worlds that rarely intersect: corporate, civic, and grassroots. And for Teri Holoman, Associate Executive Director of the California Teachers Association, empowerment is a relay, not a race. \u201cThe mission,\u201d she says, \u201chas to continue long after you\u2019re gone.\u201d<\/p>\n
Their message is clear: unity doesn\u2019t mean sameness. It means building bridges strong enough to carry everyone across.<\/p>\n
The Fire That Doesn\u2019t Fade<\/p>\n
No journey toward justice and equity is without resistance \u2014 and yet, the ONYX 25 wear resilience like armor.<\/p>\n
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Kevin Johnson<\/p>\n
Kevin Johnson, CEO of Seven Management Inc., has faced his share of critics, but he believes pushback is proof of purpose. \u201cIf you\u2019re not meeting opposition,\u201d he says, \u201cyou\u2019re probably not changing anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
Margaret Fortune, President and CEO of Fortune School, knows that transformation takes time. Her fight for educational justice has been years in the making, fueled by discipline and an unrelenting belief in what\u2019s possible. \u201cConsistency and persistence,\u201d she says, \u201cthat\u2019s how you build a legacy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Through their persistence, these leaders remind us that resilience isn\u2019t just surviving the storm \u2014 it\u2019s learning to build in the rain.<\/p>\n
Lifting As They Climb<\/p>\n
If there\u2019s one thread that ties the ONYX 25 together most tightly, it\u2019s this: none of them walk alone.<\/p>\n
Thomas Donaldson, Owner of Donaldson Properties and Florin Square Plaza, sees mentorship as a sacred responsibility. \u201cThe people who poured into me,\u201d he says, \u201cdeserve to see that investment multiply.\u201d<\/p>\n
California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber has built her life\u2019s work around that same idea \u2014 championing scholars, organizers, and truth-tellers across the country.<\/p>\n
And for Faith J. McKinnie, Founding Director of the Black Artist Foundry, mentorship means access. \u201cI don\u2019t believe in gatekeeping,\u201d she says. \u201cWe open doors \u2014 that\u2019s how culture grows.\u201d<\/p>\n
For the ONYX 25, leadership isn\u2019t complete until it\u2019s shared.<\/p>\n
A Living Blueprint For Change<\/p>\n
Together, the ONYX 25 are more than honorees; they are architects \u2014 drafting a more just, inclusive, and inspired Sacramento.<\/p>\n
They lead not from ego, but from purpose. They measure success not in accolades, but in impact. And they move with a collective understanding that the truest mark of leadership is what \u2014 and who \u2014 comes after you.<\/p>\n
In their voices, we hear not just the story of Black excellence, but a call to action for every generation to come.<\/p>\n
\n\tRelated<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"They come from pulpits and policy rooms, classrooms and courtrooms, boardrooms and creative studios. Together, Sacramento\u2019s ONYX 25…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":53102,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[912,33544,29761,9465,1441,33545,33546,33547,121,123,122,33548,33549],"class_list":["post-53101","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sacramento","tag-carousel","tag-james-jay-robinson-iii","tag-jay-king","tag-kevin-johnson","tag-lynette-hall","tag-margaret-fortune","tag-myesha-jackson","tag-onyx-25","tag-sacramento","tag-sacramento-headlines","tag-sacramento-news","tag-teri-holoman","tag-thomas-donaldson"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53101","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53101"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53101\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/53102"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53101"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53101"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53101"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}