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Byron Donalds Challenges Rep. Jasmine Crockett to a Public Debate Over Policy and Personal Attacks

DAMON K JONES
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Byron Donalds Challenges Rep. Jasmine Crockett to a Public Debate Over Policy and Personal Attacks

In a bold and unapologetic response to recent attacks, Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL) has not only challenged Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) to a public debate over policy—but also made headlines by officially announcing his run to become the first Black Governor of Florida.

The clash began after Rep. Crockett took aim at Donalds during a public appearance on the Breakfast Club, questioning his grasp of Black history and making personal remarks about his interracial marriage. “The fact that you sitting around talking about life was better under Jim Crow—like, is this because you don’t understand history?” Crockett asked. “Or literally because you married a white woman and so you think that that whitewashed you?”

Donalds fired back without hesitation, denouncing the comments as both personal and racially divisive. “First and foremost—don’t talk about my wife. Keep my wife out of this. Ain’t got nothing to do with her,” he said. “You can talk to me about policy anytime you want to.”

But Donalds didn’t stop there. In the same statement, he called out Crockett for dodging previous opportunities to debate him directly. “There were a couple of times on the campaign trail last year where I was booked to be on stage or to be in a debate with Jasmine—and all of a sudden her schedule changed,” he said. “If she wants to do this, I’m easy to find. I’m 6’2”—you can’t miss me.”

Highlighting what he sees as racial double standards within the Democratic Party, Donalds continued:
“They don’t have a problem when Kamala Harris is married to a white man or when Ketanji Brown Jackson is married to a white man—as long as they follow the script of the political left. But if you’re a conservative, and your spouse is of another race, then suddenly it’s an issue. That’s the kind of racism that hides inside the Democrat Party—and I’m sick of it.”

Donalds also emphasized that he doesn’t rely on scripted rhetoric or political handlers. “I don’t use talking points. Nobody tells me what to say,” he stated. “I come with facts, I use logic, and I bring economic analysis to the table. If you’ve got an issue with my views, let’s settle it publicly—any show, any stage. I’m ready.”.

“I’m not just here to clap back. I’m here to lead,” Donalds declared. “Florida deserves strong, principled leadership that’s rooted in faith, family, and freedom—and I’m stepping forward to deliver just that. I’m running to be the next Governor of Florida.”

Donalds’ announcement instantly shifted the conversation, signaling that he’s ready to take his political vision beyond Congress and into the executive leadership of one of the most influential states in the nation. If elected, he would make history—while continuing to challenge both political parties on issues of race, conservatism, and the future of Black leadership in America.

Now the question remains: Will Jasmine Crockett accept the debate? And how will Florida—and the nation—respond to Donalds’ bold new move?

Don’t Just Boycott Pepsi for DEI — Boycott It for Poisoning Black Communities

DAMON K JONES
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Don’t Just Boycott Pepsi for DEI — Boycott It for Poisoning Black Communities

Rev. Al Sharpton recently called for a 21-day boycott of PepsiCo in protest of the company’s decision to roll back its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. While I understand the sentiment, the focus is misplaced. The real issue isn’t just the elimination of DEI jobs — it’s the fact that PepsiCo, like many corporations, has been harming Black communities for decades through exploitative business practices and toxic products.

Before we demand that Pepsi reinstate its DEI commitments, we must ask: who actually benefited from those initiatives in the first place?

A 2020 report from Catalyst exposed what many already knew: white women have been the primary beneficiaries of DEI, leveraging their proximity to white men in corporate and social spaces to climb the ladder. Meanwhile, the very communities DEI was supposedly created to uplift — Black Americans — have seen little to no systemic change.

Numerous studies and articles confirm this trend. Black Enterprise published a 2019 piece titled “How White Women Benefited From ‘Standing on the Backs of Women of Color,’” detailing the historical pattern of white women advancing their careers at the expense of Black and brown women. A 2023 Forbes report found that white women hold nearly 19% of all C-suite roles, while women of color collectively occupy just 4%. Articles from Workers World Today and Mediumfurther emphasize how DEI has often served as performative symbolism — reinforcing white dominance in leadership rather than transforming structures of power.

Read: The Failure of DEI: It Did Not Equate to Black Progress, So Why Keep Fighting for It

So why is Al Sharpton boycotting Pepsi in defense of DEI?

We shouldn’t just boycott Pepsi for abandoning DEI. We should boycott them for flooding our neighborhoods with sugar, sickness, and aggressive marketing campaigns that turn Black culture into profit while undermining Black health.

Let’s be clear: soda isn’t just unhealthy — it’s a slow killer. PepsiCo has long targeted Black communities with highly processed, sugar-loaded products, contributing directly to widespread health crises like diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. These aren’t abstract numbers. They are the lived realities of too many Black families.

And none of it is accidental. Big Soda has deeply embedded itself in our communities by sponsoring schools, sports teams, and cultural events — using our own platforms to market the very products that harm us. They call it “brand partnership.” We call it exploitation.

Read: Did the Target Boycott Work, or Did It Hamper Black Brands from National Distribution

The most disturbing part is what Pepsi does to our children. Through aggressive advertising and strategic placement in schools and youth-centered media, PepsiCo conditions Black children to crave sugar-laced sodas and junk food from an early age. This addiction is not a coincidence — it’s by design. The result is rising childhood obesity rates, early-onset diabetes, and a generation of young people hooked on products that damage their bodies before they reach adulthood. While Pepsi sponsors youth programs and puts Black celebrities in commercials, it silently profits off the long-term illness and dependency it helps create.

Let’s be clear: soda isn’t just unhealthy — it’s a slow killer. PepsiCo and other Big Soda giants have aggressively marketed sugary, chemical-laden drinks in Black communities for decades, fueling a public health crisis that’s become generational. Regular soda consumption is directly linked to type 2 diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, fatty liver disease, kidney disease, and tooth decay — all of which disproportionately affect Black Americans. Studies also show that excessive sugar intake can contribute to cognitive decline, inflammation, and even certain cancers over time. These aren’t random outcomes — they are the predictable result of profit-driven campaigns that treat Black bodies as disposable. And while PepsiCo publicly celebrates diversity, it continues to profit from products that are literally shortening our lives.

We don’t need more partnerships — we need protection. It’s time to divest from corporations that use Black faces to sell us sickness. At this point, it feels like we’re fighting for representation in systems designed to destroy us.

Read: Big Soda Pushes Back: Governor Morrisey’s Health Reforms Face Corporate Resistance

This can’t be a 21-day performance. It must become a permanent shift in how we engage with corporations that exploit our communities.

We must divest from Big Soda, invest in Black-owned health brands, demand fresh food, clean water, and real nutrition in our communities, and push for reparative economic policies — not symbolic diversity statements.

Black people have the moral clarity and the purchasing power to lead transformative change. But we shouldn’t waste that power defending corporate initiatives that never centered us to begin with. We should wield it to protect our health, our children, and our future.

Pepsi isn’t just failing Black communities on diversity. It’s profiting from our destruction. That alone is reason enough to boycott — and never look back.

Black Power Demands Black Excellence—Anything Less Is a Lie

DAMON K JONES
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Black Power Demands Black Excellence—Anything Less Is a Lie

I recently came across a disturbing quote from a Black male influencer. He said something along the lines of:

“Black excellence is a way to dumb down Black people to fit into the white man’s world instead of focusing on Black power.”

Now, I’m not going to call out the brother by name—because who he is isn’t the issue.
I’m writing this because of the many comments under that post—young people, and even some older ones—who co-signed that message. In a time where artificial intelligence, automation, and rising costs are changing the future of work and wealth, Black communities can’t afford to drift. We need direction, not distraction. We need blueprints, not buzzwords.

Misled by what I call the “Black intelligentsia word salad.” Long, poetic statements that sound deep but lack grounding in truth, strategy, or historical context.

The Scriptures warned us about this: false prophets, smooth talkers, and magicians who mislead the people while sounding righteous.

So let me make it plain:

Black excellence is not a tool of white supremacy. It’s the very foundation of Black power.

We can’t demand power while we reject the discipline it takes to build it.
We aren’t owed power just because we’ve been oppressed—we have to organize, strategize, and excel to reclaim it. Yes, the system is rigged. Yes, access has been denied. But that’s exactly why we can’t afford to be average. Oppression doesn’t excuse mediocrity—it demands mastery.

How can we talk about Black power when we lack Black excellence?

We’re not walking in strategic, institutional, economic, moral, community, family, or political excellence—and that’s the real issue. There are those that will disagree because of the circles they might be in, but look at the Black community as a whole. Study the reports done by Black think tanks. Like it or not, we have yet to step up to the excellence that our Black scholars advised us to embrace in order to achieve full independence as a people at every level of our economic endeavors. We also can’t overlook cultural excellence—because media, music, and entertainment shape how we see ourselves. If we don’t take control of our narratives, someone else will continue defining us.

We celebrate visibility but reject structure. We’re loud online but quiet in real life.
But real power isn’t given. It’s built. It’s protected. And it’s earned through excellence.

Let’s be clear—Black excellence isn’t new. We’ve just become a generation raised on clips and reels, addicted to quick takes, and too distracted to read or study.

If we did, we’d know the blueprint has already been laid.

Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, Marcus Garvey, Elijah Muhammad, Dr. Claude Anderson, Dr. Amos Wilson—they all said the same thing in different ways:

When Black people commit to being our best—intellectually, economically, spiritually, and institutionally—that’s how we build real Black power.

And nobody articulated that better than Adam Clayton Powell Jr., who is often overlooked as the man who actually coined the term “Black Power.” Before it became a chant in the streets, Powell used it to define a political and cultural vision rooted in self-determination, dignity, and justice.

He once said:

“Black is beautiful. That is beautiful. Black power means dignity. It means we gotta walk side by side with you or through y’all. We’re gonna be with dignity and integrity. We don’t want any more than you have. And we’re not gonna accept any less than you have.”

That’s not assimilation—that’s sovereignty. That’s not performance—that’s purpose.
That’s not fitting in—it’s standing firm.

If you really want to understand Black Power beyond slogans, you must turn to the work of Dr. Amos N. Wilson, whose Blueprint for Black Power clearly and courageously lays it out.

Wilson wrote:

“Power is the ability to define reality and to have other people respond to your definition as if it were their own.”

For Wilson, Black Power is not symbolic—it’s structural, institutional, economic, and psychological. It’s the power to produce, protect, and provide. It’s the authority to define your reality and control the systems that shape your people’s lives.

But here’s the catch—and Wilson was clear about this:

In order to achieve that kind of power, you must carry out your program, your vision, your agenda with excellence.
No ignorant, disorganized, undisciplined group can pull that off.

Black Power requires discipline in its highest form. It demands precision. Strategy. Patience. Sacrifice.
That’s what excellence really is—not perfection, but commitment to mastery.

And that’s exactly what many of these so-called influencers miss. They downplay excellence as assimilation, when in fact, it’s the only path to sovereignty.

So to those being misled by this false idea that excellence is a trap or a white standard—understand this:

Anyone telling you we don’t need to be excellent in everything we do to achieve power is either confused or working for the white power structure, whether they realize it or not.

Because the system doesn’t fear our hashtags—it fears our standards.
It fears Black people who are disciplined, organized, and unapologetically excellent.

Black power begins when excellence becomes the norm, not the exception.
If we don’t raise the bar, we’ll continue to fall for lies that lower our potential.

It’s time to stop performing. It’s time to build.
Because without excellence, Black power is just a slogan.

#BlackExcellence #BlackPower #SovereigntyMindset #AdamClaytonPowell #AmosWilson #WeAreTheStandard #NoMoreWordSalad

Brenda L. Crump On Importance Of Serving Healthier Food At Events In Our Community

AJ Woodson
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Brenda L. Crump On Importance Of Serving Healthier Food At Events In Our Community

In this powerful episode of People Before Politics, we sit down with wellness advocate Brenda L. Cump to talk about the importance of serving healthier food at events in our community. From local gatherings to political functions, Brenda breaks down why our food choices matter — especially in Black and Brown communities disproportionately impacted by chronic illnesses.

Ms. Crump shares her personal journey as a vegan and how hard it is to find nutritious, plant-based options at community events. If we’re serious about public health, self-determination, and building stronger communities, we have to start with what’s on our plates. I’ve gone to several events with Damon and Brenda L. Crump, who are both vegan, and often there was nothing being served at the event that they could eat.

One of the most concerning challenges still facing Black Americans is the disproportional high rates of cancer and chronic diseases. With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting that half of all African American adults have some form of cardiovascular disease, and that Black men and women have the highest rates of dying from cancer, we need to start offering healthier food choices at events in our community. So we invited Brenda to discuss the need for healthier food options at events.

For Black Americans, specifically those who are the descendants of enslaved Africans, soul food is more than just cuisine, it’s a cornerstone of culture and community. In many Black families, recipes are passed down the way old wives’ tales, cars, or cast-iron skillets are. For many Black Americans, soul food is the meeting place, where, regardless of the occasion, family and friends can find common ground. However, there’s an ongoing and growing concern about the impact of the traditional soul food diet on health outcomes in Black communities.

While soul food boasts delicious dishes like fried chicken, mac and cheese, and sweet potato pie, these meals often rely heavily on fried foods, added sodium and sugars, and processed meats. This alignment with the broader Standard American Diet (SAD) has been linked to a higher risk of chronic health conditions like obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes in the Black community.

To bridge the gap between soul food’s cultural relevance and its impact on health, we need our Black chefs, politicians, community leaders, and organizations to reimagine soul food classics with a focus on wellness, creating cuisine that nourishes both body and soul—and that’s REAL TALK!

TRUMP’S TARIFFS EXPLAINED: Impact on Your Wallet, Opportunities, Recession Warning & Market Crash [Earn Your Leisure]

AJ Woodson
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TRUMP’S TARIFFS EXPLAINED: Impact on Your Wallet, Opportunities, Recession Warning & Market Crash [Earn Your Leisure]

Thursday night on a special episode of Earn Your Leisure, Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings were joined by CNBC’s Frank Holland and Investopedia’s Editor-in-Chief Caleb Silver to break down one of the most significant economic moves of the year: Trump’s tariffs. With new tariffs set to take effect and talk of a “State of Emergency” on trade, they explore what this means for the U.S. economy, small businesses, manufacturers, the stock market, global supply chains, and you—the everyday consumer. They unpacked the real impact of these tariffs, how they could drive inflation, shift jobs, and affect the price of everything from cars to electronics. Are these moves really about protecting American jobs, or is America entering a costly trade war? What opportunities and risks lie ahead, and how should investors and entrepreneurs prepare?

Earn Your Leisure is a revolutionary media platform that gives rise to emerging and established content creators from the world of business, finance, and entrepreneurship whose perspective, expertise, and in-depth insight have been undervalued and overlooked. At its core, Earn Your Leisure’s ultimate purpose is to build, as we climb as a community, by highlighting collaboration over competition.

Watch the Earn Your Leisure podcast on their YouTube channel and follow on IG, Twitter (X) & Facebook.

Case Closed: Mayor Adams Vindicated and Taking Aim at the Deep State

DAMON K JONES
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Case Closed: Mayor Adams Vindicated and Taking Aim at the Deep State

In a resolute and heartfelt address, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the dismissal of the legal case against him, emphasizing that justice has prevailed and the city’s focus can now return to progress and unity.​

Before a supportive audience, Adams expressed profound gratitude to his legal team, particularly lead counsel Alex Spiro. He acknowledged Spiro’s reputation as a trusted defender, noting, “Now I clearly understand why those from Jay-Z to Baldwin call on him during difficult times.”​

The mayor reiterated his longstanding position on the case: “This case should have never been brought. I did nothing wrong.” He emphasized that the court’s decision to dismiss the case with prejudice ensures it cannot be refiled, allowing the city to “finally close the book on this and focus solely on the future.”​

Adams apologized to New Yorkers for the ordeal, condemning the “false leaks” and “sensational headlines” surrounding the case. He assured residents that his dedication remained unwavering throughout: “I never stopped working for you—not for one day, not for one hour, not for one minute.”​

Highlighting the administration’s achievements during this challenging period, Adams noted reductions in crime to record lows, the creation of a record number of jobs, and the development of affordable housing for everyday New Yorkers. He emphasized, “We did not let the noise stop our progress.”​

In a notable moment, Adams referenced the book Government Gangsters: The Deep State, the Truth, and the Battle for Our Democracy by Kash Patel, the current FBI Director appointed by President Donald Trump. Holding up the book, Adams shared, “Many of you stop me on the street trying to understand what really happened. Why did this happen? I found the answer in this book.” He encouraged all New Yorkers to read it, suggesting it offers insight into the forces that targeted him and poses a broader warning: “We must never allow this to happen to another innocent American.”​

Patel’s book delves into the concept of a “Deep State,” describing a clandestine network of government officials allegedly working against elected leaders. His appointment as FBI Director has been met with both support and controversy, reflecting the polarized views on his perspectives and past actions. ​

Concluding his address, Adams anchored his remarks in faith, stating, “When all that came at me, Jesus stepped in.” He expressed gratitude for the resilience and unity of New Yorkers and looked ahead with optimism: “Today, we turn the page. We move forward together. Because the real story of New York City isn’t about me or this case. It’s about you—and the bright future we’re building together.”​

With determination, he ended, “God bless you, New York City. God bless what we’ve accomplished. And you know what? I’m going to win.”​

Saying Farewell To A Westchester Arts Icon – Paul Kwame Johnson

AJ Woodson
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Saying Farewell To A Westchester Arts Icon – Paul Kwame Johnson

On February 15th, friends and family gathered at Sarah Lawrence College to celebrate Black History Month and pay tribute to actor, director, and Westchester Arts icon, Paul Kwame Johnson, who passed away on January 19, 2025. Johnson, an SLC graduate (BA’74 MFA’77) and William H. Danforth Scholar, leaves behind a 50-year legacy of creating youth theatre programs that elevated Black voices and empowered youth of color to express themselves through the arts. The event included a performance from the Little Blue Room Theater Company, of which he was founder and director, and the Theodore D. Young Community Center’s Falcons Dance Team. At the show’s conclusion, Johnson’s students shared their memories and appreciation for his outstanding leadership and paid recognition to the passion and vision that inspired generations of youth to embrace the arts, foster empathy and understanding, and pursue positive change in their communities.

Johnson’s unwavering dedication to community work began during his undergraduate days at Sarah Lawrence College, where he was taught and inspired by faculty member Emerita Shirley Kaplan and the Theatre Outreach Program, one of the first community arts programs of its kind in the nation. He began teaching mime to teens on a basketball court in Yonkers and, in 1971, established Youth Theatre Interactions, an institution that has enriched Yonkers’ cultural landscape by providing after-school performing arts education for the youth. Today, fifty years later, ‘YTI’  is widely recognized as a cultural institution that continues to thrive. Most recently, Johnson shared his passion for creativity and theatre with the Theodore D. Young Community Center Adult Acting Workshop, where he founded the Little Blue Room Theatre Company in Greenburgh, NY, recognized as the signature multi-cultural theatre ensemble in Westchester County. 

“Paul Kwame Johnson brought a creative vision to our Arts, Dance, and Culture programs that captured the hearts and minds of any audience. His work had a tremendous impact on all who had the opportunity to learn from him, from Elementary School children to Senior Citizens. We are honored that he chose to be a part of TDYCC, and that we are a part of his 50-year legacy in performance arts.” – Terrance V. Jackson, Town of Greenburgh, Commissioner Department of Community Resources.

Colleague and SLC Director of Theater Outreach & Civic Engagement Allen Lang, dubbed Johnson “a beacon of excellence”…

“With an illustrious career spanning over fifty years, Paul Kwame Johnson was a beacon of excellence in teaching, acting, directing, and playwriting in Yonkers and throughout Westchester County and beyond. Deeply committed to social justice, Kwame believed passionately that the arts belong to everyone, and his work embodied this conviction. He committed his life to creating transformative theatre that changed lives and enriched communities. He championed the arts as a tool for expression, personal growth, and social change with an extraordinary gift for recognizing and nurturing the hidden talents within others, empowering them to awaken and share their stories. His contributions, spirit, and love for the community and the arts will be dearly missed.”

A 50-Year Legacy and Commitment to Excellence in Theatre.

Johnson co-founded Youth Theater Interactions, Inc., with James P. Hill and Turhan von Brandon in December of 1973 and served as its founding artistic director until 2003. He was a five-time Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts director including directing productions at Alice Tully Hall and Lincoln Center Out of Doors all of which were productions presented by Youth Theatre Interactions, Inc. Mr. Johnson was the Head Scriptwriter for “Scoops Place” a segment of the PBS and NBC television series “Infinity Factory”. He has also been published in “Ebony Jr.” magazine.

Mr. Johnson has been awarded the Keys to the City of Detroit and a High Commendation from the city of Los Angeles for his work in theater in those cities. Founder and artistic director of The YTI Mime Time Players (1976-1992), Mr. Johnson’s company was the first professional mime company composed entirely of African-American and Latino mime artists ever to perform in concert at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and conduct national tours.

In 1988, the YTI Mime Time Players were admitted into the Mid-Atlantic States Touring Consortium of the National Endowment for the Arts, becoming the first African-American Mime company to be so honored. Mr. Johnson has taught theater and mime in South Africa, the Caribbean (Jamaica and Barbados), and in Hong Kong.

In 1989, he founded the “Intimate Realities” Teen Touring Drama Company of YTI, which has produced touring presentations for the past thirty years. In 2015 he directed the New York premier of “American Moor” written and performed by Keith Hamilton Cobb who won the 2015 Audelco award for “outstanding solo performance” for his role in this production. In 2016, the City of Peekskill’s board of education inducted Mr. Johnson as “A Living Legend in the Arts” for his work in drama with the city’s student population.

For the last thirty years, Johnson served as the Elementary, Adult, and Teen Theatre Director for The Theodore D. Young Community Center in Greenburgh, New York, where he oversaw the TDYCC Adult Acting Company and the TDYCC Teen Acting Company, The New York State Council of the Arts Independent Review biography states of Mr. Johnson, “… Mr. Johnson is One of the most highly sought-after teachers of theater in the Hudson Valley region of New York State.” (https://ytiyonkers.org/)

It is with sadness that Kwame’s life was cut short after an extended illness on January 18, 2025. He will be missed. Black Westchester proudly celebrates the life and legacy of Paul Kwame Johnson – a true Black Westchester Legend!

Thomas P. Brook Became First Black Officer in Yonkers PD, April 1, 1925

AJ Woodson
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Thomas P. Brook Became First Black Officer in Yonkers PD, April 1, 1925

Today, 100 years ago, Wednesday, April 1, 1925, the Yonkers Police Department appointed its first Black Officer, Thomas P. Brooks. He was the first African-American to serve as a police officer in Yonkers and Westchester County.

P.O. Brooks never had the opportunity to retire; he died in May 1959. Even though appointed, he was almost blackballed by the department’s PBA.

In December 1925, he foiled a $10,000.00 fur heist at 10 Main Street, while walking a foot post at 1 AM. Brooks and his backup apprehended one of the four suspects. Allegedly, a shot was fired in the air.

In January of 1928, PO Brooks and Edward Smith, the city’s first Black dog catcher, worked a case at 404 Prescott Street. The killing of 18 chickens.

PO Brooks’ first felony assault case happened in July of 1931. During a footpost assignment at Walnut St. and Ashburton Ave., PO Brooks observed four persons standing near a semi-conscious man bleeding from his head. Upon further investigation and the arrival of backup, the four were arrested and charged with felony assault.

In December of 1947, while walking a footpost, PO Brooks apprehended two suspects at 254 New Main Street. During this incident, one off-duty police officer, Ray Carozza, was seriously wounded, and an off-duty fireman, Anthony Polito, was murdered. 

Back in the day, Thomas P. Brooks symbolized the true Yonkers Guardian and was a true Black Westchester Legend.

On Tuesday, February 26, 2025, Yonkers native and veteran Yonkers Police Detective Ken Davis gave a presentation celebrating the History of African-Americans patrolmen serving the City of Yonkers and the Yonkers Police Department at Yonkers Riverfront Library. The presentation titled ‘Long Rangers” celebrated the first three African-American Thomas P. Brooks, James Martin, the second Black Cop in Yonkers, and Stewart Freeman, the first Black Detective in the YPD.

Forty years after P.O. Brooks broke the color barrier in 1965, Rita Gross Nelson became the first woman of color to serve as a patrol cop in Westchester County. She became the first Black policewoman in Yonkers, blazing a trail for others, including Fredricka Hreyo, the second Black woman to join the force. 

We celebrate these Black Westchester Legends in Law Enforcement!

Unsung Heroes – Kim Knotts

AJ Woodson
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Unsung Heroes – Kim Knotts

From time to time, Black Westchester celebrates unsung heroes in the community. An “unsung hero” is someone who performs heroic acts or makes significant contributions, often quietly and without seeking or receiving recognition or praise for their actions. Unsung heroes often operate behind the scenes, focusing on their work rather than seeking personal glory. They are motivated by a desire to help others or make a positive impact, rather than personal gain or recognition. Despite their lack of recognition, their actions have a meaningful impact on individuals, communities, or society. This month’s unsung hero is Kim Knotts.

Kim Knotts is a native Mount Vernonite, graduating from Mount Vernon High School in 1985, and a mother of one daughter. She began her career in the private sector as a Computer/Database Analyst; she embarked on her career with the City of Mount Vernon in 2014. Starting in the Board of Water Supply as a part-time Secretary in 2014; before moving on to become the Executive Secretary in the Mayor’s Office in 2016; then transferred to the Department of Buildings (DOB) as a Building Clerk; she then moved to the Parking Bureau as a Secretary and before finding a home in the Department Of Buildings as a permanent Building Clerk before being promoted to a Housing Inspector in 2019.

As a Housing Inspector for the City of Mount Vernon, she has a thorough knowledge of state laws, guidelines, and the dire needs of the residents. She has led task-force inspections on some of the worst slumlords within the city to improve the overall quality of life for her community. She is dedicated to leaving her community better than she found it.

She has always had a passion for community service, as she loves giving and helping others to believe in themselves. It was always important to her to lend a helping hand to guide others, as was done for her in the past. She often taught resume writing, computer skills, and credit repair to those in need, and did midnight runs in NYC to provide toiletries, blankets, and food, as well as helping to feed the homeless.  She was a District Leader with the City of Mount Vernon Democratic City Committee from 2012-2016; a volunteer for MV4U, a non-profit organization that provided food, toys, and coats during the holiday seasons, from 2011-2017; an Auxiliary Police Officer in the City of Mount Vernon from 2014-2019 and a Co-Leader of Girl Scout’s Daisy Troop2983.

Kim is a firm believer in one’s ability to change one’s own circumstances, as one is never too old to learn. She strives hard to be the best that she can be. As her mother would often say, “If you choose to be anything in this world, choose to be amazing.” These are the very words she tries to live by.

This doesn’t begin to describe Kim’s unselflessness and dedication to serving her community, but we wanted to give her her flowers because Ms. Knotts is the epitome of what it means to be an unsung hero!

Elevation Nation With Tasha Young – Monday, March 31, 2025

AJ Woodson
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Elevation Nation With Tasha Young – Monday, March 31, 2025

Welcome to another episode of Black Westchester presents Elevation Nation with Tasha Young. Join Tasha Young every Monday at a new time, now on 6 PM ET, for transformative conversations about elevating our relationships with ourselves and others. Through powerful discussions, expert interviews, and real-world insights, Elevation Nation explores the journey of personal growth and authentic connection. Simulcasting live on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter (X).

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