1. What inspired you to publish Social Sightings?
The way I see it is that African American have the one of the worst PR of any
group of people when it comes to printing positive news. So, I am trying to
give the children something positive because there’s so much negative media
coverage. I know I cannot totally reverse everything but I want our children to
know that we, as African Americans are a proud group of people who have many
positive accomplishments. We need to focus on these accomplishments and I want
to focus positive news. The way it is just not being told. I hope to motivate
children to focus on their education and to get involved in their community.

2. When you cover an event, what is your approach in getting media coverage?
I focus on publishing the full story as to who attended and what and who received awards at these social and civic events. I concentrate on blending and including all races and ethnic groups who have participated in making many of the events or galas a success. Two years ago, I attended the Meridian Ball and saw the Surgeon General, Dr. Regina Benjamin, who is African American, and no one from the press approached her because they did not know who she was. I smiled and walked over to her and said, “I know who you are, may I take your picture?” I want to focus on the purpose of the event. If the purpose is to give awards, I want to cover each of the awardees. I also want to focus on those of color who have made contributions to the city and to the guests attending the event. Of course, I focus on the sponsors who are gracious enough to support these events. It’s a way of saying “Thank You.”

3. How will you know if the publication is successful in impacting social change within Washington DC?
I know it’s being successful because I first published “Social Sightings”, as a column, 10 years ago. It got started in the Washington Afro-American newspaper and I got the publisher, Jake Oliver, to run my column and publish it in color. It became very, very popular. And although, I am no longer publishing with them — they publish a similar column using the Social Sightings initial format with the full page of color photos.  Since they say that imitation is highest form of flattery and it has became a feature within the African American community and still focuses on positive events, I simply consider it a badge of honor to be copied this way.

4. Tell me about the magazine and the issues.
Each issue has 60 photos on the cover.  Not only does it show photos from civic and social galas/ parties, dinner dances, fund raisers and awards dinners, it has regular features such as: Home Grown, Executive Spotlight, Legends, Living Legends, Dollars & Common Sense, a Fashion page, Authors/ Artist of the Month and a piece that highlights the Black Stamp Series. Each of the 10 issues is dedicate to a group or cause: “The CBC Issue” covers the Congressional Black Caucus, the October issue “Recognizes Leadership”, the November Issue “Salutes the Veterans.” As a veteran myself, I realize that we no longer seem to honor our veterans as we once did. December is “The Holiday Issue,” February is “Black History Month,” March celebrates “Sororities and Fraternities,” “April focuses on “Judges, Lawyers, & Bar Associations,” May is the “Mothers Tribute Issue,” June is the “Fathers Tribute Issue” and in July, we celebrate “Praising the Graduates”. We must let these kids know that they have done a great job on taking steps towards receiving their degrees.

5. Your magazine also features role models within the African-American community. Who have been your role models?
I have had many role models and many people I admire. But first there is family– my mom and dad stressed education and my older sister and brothers have taught school and all seven of us kids went to college. We all know and understand hard work and doing a full days work. But outside of family, I admire people like my late husband Judge William “Turk” Thompson, Dr. Charles Drew, the former Congresswoman Cardiss Collins, Beverly Perry & Debbie Jarvis of Pepco and Gina Adams from FedEx, Dr Roselyn Payne Epps, Dr. Marilyn Brown a retired educator, and my home town girl – Atty. Elaine Jones; I admire President Obama, First Lady Michelle, I admire men like Earl Stafford, the business man in Virginia who paid over $2 million to make sure that disadvantaged people would be able to go to the Inaugural Ball. I admire my fiancé, Dr. Charles Vincent, who has a PhD from Harvard University and is Deputy Executive Director of Options Public Charter School. I admire Dr. Donna Montgomery, the school’s Executive Director and Dr. David Cranford – Options Clinical Director. Together they understand and have help disadvantaged children from high risk areas all over the city. I also admire Dr.JC Hayward, who has been an icon in Washington, DC for 39 years and still has thetop ratings for her time slot; I admire other news media journalist like Andrea Roane , Barbara Harris, & Maureen Bunyan. I admire Madame JC Walker, Dr. Dorothy Height, and of course Oprah. These are people have done or are still doing things and making contributions – they are those who just don’t sit on the sidelines. I also admire good mothers whether they still at home or are out in the work force. I admire those parents who teach their children good manners and who love them. It is so important that children feel safe and loved and I admire good fathers who work and help educate and love their children. Fathers too are important to the proper development of children.

6. Today in this global world, especially among our younger adults who grew up with the Internet, they often do not see skin color as a differentiator. So,
how do we ensure that media that focuses on one group of people may not be
separating our communities rather than bringing them together?
I think that’s wonderful that younger people may not see color as much but I
still think we still need to acknowledge and showcase our accomplishments as
African-Americans. I am simply trying to level the playing field. It’s not to
be a division but more a spotlight on things that we are doing and to beat the
drums to show the positive things. To blend and showcase the total story as to what or who really are receiving the honors or awards at the events that I attend. There will always be a need to remind our children that we are the descendants of king and queens. We are a people who have many accomplishments that we must celebrate and acknowledge. Social Sightings is not a magazine to showcase just African Americans, It’s to show we are people of different colors and how we can all fit together in this world. Indeed at times it can be a bit thankless but I love this job and I am determined to make a difference.