Black History Month Spotlight

Sherlett Hendy Newbill is a member of the Board of Education representing District 1 for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). A native of Los Angeles, she attended LAUSD schools and graduated from Dorsey High School. Accepted to Xavier University of Louisiana, she received an athletic scholarship and graduated in 1994. Upon her return to Los Angeles, armed with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, she taught at local schools before accepting a teaching position in 1998 at her alma mater, Dorsey High. During her tenure, she served in a variety of capacities, rising from athletic coach to classroom teacher and holding several administrative positions over her 25-year career.

Black History Month is especially important to me because I hold the women who have come before me in high regard as the example that I look up to. As an educator, coach, and former athlete, I want to uplift the Black women who paved the way in sports for me and the young girls and women who will come behind me.  We are at a tipping point in women's sports where we will only continue to see greater opportunities in the profession on and off the court.

CHARISSE BREMOND-WEAVER is a passionate, dedicated leader in the not-for-profit sector. Her focus and desire are to serve her community and create a better environment for everyone she touches and those they touch. Charisse leads the Brotherhood Crusade, founded by her late father, Walter Bremond, in 1968, and mentored by Danny J. Bakewell Sr., who led the organization for 35 years. She has served as President and CEO of the Brotherhood Crusade for over 20 years. During her leadership, she has greatly expanded the organization’s reach, profile, and partnerships. Charisse Bremond’s talent for building corporate and community relationships has been her defining trait over the years. She has established long-term relationships with government officials, corporate leaders, and community figures, and collaborates on public policy issues that promote equity and social justice for our youth.

Black history is not limited to one month—it is a lived experience and a daily responsibility. As a former point guard on a basketball scholarship at Utah State, I stand on the shoulders of Black women athletes who have consistently led the fight for equality, social justice, and equity. Their courage and sacrifice continue to open doors and create opportunities for the generations that will follow, just as our ancestors did for us.