2021 John R. Larkins Award Honoree Presented to NCDHHS’ April Parker
Honor annually recognizes state employees for commitment to equity and public service.
Raleigh
Jan 15, 2021
April Parker, a social worker and program coordinator with the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services’ Central Regional Hospital, was honored today as the recipient of the 2021 John R. Larkins Award.
The award recognizes commitment to justice and equality in the workplace and in the community and was announced during the state’s annual North Carolina State Employee’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Observance Program.
“April Parker is one of those unique individuals who has the charisma, passion and leadership abilities to inspire others to engage in impactful change,” said nominator Robyn Carr, CEO of Central Regional Hospital in NCDHHS. “This is evident through her volunteer activities, accomplishments in her career, and most recently in her work to make diversity, equity and inclusion a priority at Central Regional Hospital.”
Parker, who is the head of the hospital’s Diversity and Inclusion Council, worked to provide a “Safe Space” at the hospital, where staff and patients gathered to share experiences, provide support and safely express emotions of pain, loss, frustration and hope in the wake of the many protests during the summer of 2020.
“April organized another team of individuals to initiate monthly ‘Conversation Circles’ where staff from across the hospital discussed topics around racism, injustice, diversity,” said Carr. “This exercise resulted in staff playing a meaningful part in creating a truly inclusive, equitable and educated workforce that embraces diversity.”
When asked why she has dedicated countless hours and invested so much emotionally and mentally to these efforts, April always says that she wants to be able to tell her son that she did everything she could to make the world a better place, no matter the personal sacrifice.
“I am extremely proud that one of our very own NCDHHS employees was chosen from the list of all the incredible nominees for the prestigious 2021 John R. Larkins Award,” said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen, who presented the award. “April has helped create a workplace culture where we listen to one another and share experiences, creating a sense of trust. Thank you to April for living out the values of Dr. John R. Larkins and our core values at DHHS.”
In addition to her work to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace, Parker works as a private therapist to women experiencing maternal mental health issues. She also volunteers as a professional advisor to the Moms Supporting Moms support group, a peer-led free support group for women struggling with issues related to pregnancy, delivery and early motherhood.
Dr. John R. Larkins was born in Wilmington in 1913 and devoted his life to improving human and race relations. He served state government through the Departments of Public Welfare (now NCDHHS) and Corrections, with the State Probation Commission and as a Special Assistant to the Governor on Minority Affairs until his death in 1980. Dr. Larkins wrote a collection of articles that explore race, community, leadership, and sociology.
The John R. Larkins Award was established in 1998 to recognize human service, and it is presented annually at the North Carolina State Employees’ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Observance Program.
Other 2021 nominees for the Larkins Award included:
* Corey Alford, Department of Health and Human Services
* Ashley Bizzell, Department of Health and Human Services
* Joal Broun, Department of the Secretary of State
* Cherlyene Bruton, Department of Health and Human Services
* Dr. Shaunda Cooper, Department of Public Instruction
* Tonia Cutchin, North Carolina Judicial Branch
* Clay Fielding, Department of Public Safety
* James Fuller, Department of Transportation
* Elizabeth Harrington, Department of Public Safety
* Jedediah Harris, Department of Public Safety
* Rhonda Hendricks, Department of Public Safety
* Miroslava “Myra” Hernandez, Department of Commerce
* Lisa Johnson-Tonkins, North Carolina Judicial Branch
* Omeshanda Kirksey-Green, Department of Transportation
* Steve McKinney, Department of Public Safety
* Thomas Nevels, Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
* Olive Ratley, Department of Public Safety
* Michael “Mike” Reese, Department of Transportation
* David Sellers, Department of Transportation
* Dr. Sarah Sexton, Department of Health and Human Services
* Dr. Hina Sharma, Durham Public Schools
* Kwame Stringfield, Department of Health and Human Services
Sharon Bowen Becomes First Black Woman Named Board Chair of New York Stock Exchange
By Rashad Grove
December 20, 2021
Intercontinental Exchange Inc. named Sharon Bowen as the next chair of the New York Stock Exchange, the first Black woman to hold the position, Market Watch reports.
According to TRT World, the Wall Street Exchange has 2,400 listed companies, with a capitalization of $36 trillion.
Previously, she made history as the first African American to serve as the Commissioner of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
Currently, Bowen is a finance and securities lawyer. Since 2017, she’s been a member of the board of directors of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc., NYSE’s parent company.
n April, Bowen was appointed to the board of directors of Akamai Technologies, Inc.
“Akamai is pleased to welcome such a distinguished financial and legal expert to its board of directors,” Dr. Tom Leighton, Akamai chief executive officer, and co-founder said at the announcement. “In an environment with evolving regulatory developments and market risks, we look forward to benefiting from Sharon’s vast experience and expertise.”
Born in Chesapeake, Virginia, Bowen holds a Bachelor of Arts with distinction in economics from the University of Virginia. She obtained a Master of Business Administration from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and earned a Juris Doctor from Northwestern University’s Pritzker School of Law.
Bowen has over 30 years of experience in business law as a partner, and associate in several law firms.
In 2010, Bowen was handpicked by former President Barack Obama to serve as vice-chair and acting chair of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation.
Award-Winning Author, Educator, and 4th Great-Grandson of William Graham Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham
Jason Mott is an acclaimed American novelist, poet, educator, and National Book Award-winning author whose roots run deep in southeastern North Carolina. A native of Bolton, North Carolina, in Columbus County, Mott has risen from the rural communities of the Cape Fear region to become one of North Carolina's most celebrated contemporary writers.
Mott is also the fourth great-grandson of William Graham Sr. (b. 1790) and Sarah Jacobs-Graham (b. 1794), an ancestral couple whose descendants established numerous branches throughout Bladen, Columbus, Brunswick, Robeson, and surrounding counties. His accomplishments represent another distinguished chapter in the continuing legacy of the Graham-Jacobs family.
Early Life and Education
Raised in Bolton, Mott developed an interest in storytelling and literature that eventually led him to pursue writing professionally. He attended Cape Fear Community College before continuing his education at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW).
At UNCW, Mott earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fiction in 2006 and a Master of Fine Arts in Poetry in 2008. He later returned to the university as a member of its faculty and currently serves as an associate professor in the Department of Creative Writing.
Literary Career
Mott began his literary career as a poet, publishing the poetry collections We Call This Thing Between Us Love and “…hide behind me…”. He later turned his attention to novels and achieved national recognition with his debut novel, The Returned.
The Returned became a New York Times bestseller and was adapted for television as the ABC series Resurrection, bringing Mott's storytelling to an international audience.
He followed The Returned with several novels, including The Wonder of All Things, The Crossing, and the critically acclaimed Hell of a Book. His fifth novel, People Like Us, further established his reputation as an important voice in contemporary American literature.
National Book Award
Mott achieved one of the highest honors in American literature when Hell of a Book won the 2021 National Book Award for Fiction.
The novel explores race, identity, family, violence, grief, and the experience of being Black in America while blending realism, humor, tragedy, and imaginative storytelling. The book also received the Sir Walter Raleigh Award for Fiction and earned recognition from several other major literary awards and organizations.
His accomplishments continued when he received a prestigious 2024 Creative Writing Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. He was one of only 35 writers selected from more than 2,100 applicants.
North Carolina's Highest Civilian Honor
In 2026, Mott was selected to receive the North Carolina Award for Literature, part of the state's highest civilian honor. The award recognizes individuals whose achievements have made exceptional contributions to North Carolina and beyond.
Governor Josh Stein announced Mott among the 2026 recipients. The award places him among a distinguished group of North Carolinians recognized for extraordinary achievement in literature, science, fine arts, and public service.
The Graham-Jacobs Family Legacy
Beyond his literary accomplishments, Jason Mott holds an important place within the history of the Graham-Jacobs family of southeastern North Carolina.
Through his family lineage, Mott is a fourth great-grandson of William Graham Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham, whose family became established in southeastern North Carolina during the early nineteenth century.
Sarah Jacobs-Graham was a daughter of Zachariah Jacobs (Holmes), the Revolutionary War patriot and free-born man of color who served in the Brunswick County Militia and Continental forces during the American Revolution. His documented military service included participation in the Battle of Brier Creek in 1779 and the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in 1781, where he was wounded and taken prisoner.
Through this ancestry, Jason Mott's story is connected not only to the literary history of North Carolina but also to a much older family history stretching from the American Revolutionary era through generations of Graham and Jacobs descendants in southeastern North Carolina.
From William Graham Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham came generations of descendants who became educators, military veterans, community leaders, entrepreneurs, professionals, artists, and public servants. Jason Mott's achievements in American literature continue that remarkable family tradition.
His journey from Bolton, North Carolina, to winning the National Book Award demonstrates the enduring influence of family, place, history, and storytelling. As a nationally recognized author, university professor, and descendant of the Graham-Jacobs family, Jason Mott represents a distinguished modern chapter in a family story spanning more than two centuries of North Carolina history.
Sharon Bowen
Cape Fear Indians ties to North Carolina
Marvin and Gail Graham, second great-grandchildren of William Graham Sr. and Sarah Jacobs, have reaffirmed their Native American claim to the ancestral lands their people inhabited for thousands of years. Dedicated to preserving and honoring their heritage, they have worked tirelessly to educate their family, community, and the broader public about the true history of their ancestors—one that has often been misrepresented in mainstream narratives.
As proud descendants of the Cape Fear Indians, Marvin Graham remains unwavering in his mission to ensure that his family and community recognize and honor the legacy of those who came before them. Through his efforts, the Grahams continue to shed light on the rich cultural heritage of the original inhabitants of this continent and their lasting contributions.
Following Gail Graham’s passing from breast cancer on March 7, 2017, Marvin has carried forward the work they began together. His commitment to advocating for his people remains steadfast, as he travels extensively, delivering speeches and lectures that challenge misconceptions and bring greater awareness to the true history of Native Americans. With every endeavor, Marvin seeks to uplift and empower his community, ensuring that the voices of his ancestors are heard, and their legacy endures for generations to come.
Wilmington Star-News Photo
The Descendants of William Graham Sr. and Sarah Jacobs
NeCall Wilson is in the News: This Week at HSOP - April 7, 2021
NeCall Wilson, MBA
PhD Student and Instructional Design Assistant
Graduate School Ambassador
Harrison School of Pharmacy
Health Outcomes Research and Policy (HORP)Auburn University
It's time for another Student Spotlight! Meet Necall Wilson, the 3rd great granddaughter of William Graham Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham. She is working towards a Ph.D. in Health Outcomes and Policy in the Harrison School of Pharmacy. Let's hear about her experience:
"I am involved in the following organizations on campus: Graduate Ambassador for the AU Graduate School; International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes (ISPOR) Member; First Year Experience (FYE) Graduate Mentor; Black Graduate Professional Student Association (BGPSA) Member; National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity Member; Black Student Union (BSU) Member; National GEMS Consortium Associate Member; Auburn Online Graduate Assistant (GA); 3 Minute Thesis (3MT) Presenter / Competitor 2019.
My career goals are to continue my research and advance my career in Higher Education while actively mentoring others to do the same. Doing what I enjoy, including what I excel at while helping others in a supportive and collaborative environment, helps me to enjoy life and look forward to a career
Wilson presents at Rx Summit
NeCall Wilson, a Ph.D. student pursuing the Health Outcomes Research and Policy option, presented this week at the 10th Annual Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit. President Joe Biden delivered the opening address on April 5. Wilson co-presented a panel session titled, "Overcoming Barriers to Naloxone Access in Rural Community Pharmacies." She was joined on the panel by faculty from the University of Kansas and the University of North Carolina. The objective of the panel was to provide participants with new evidence-based information about challenges, opportunities, and innovative strategies for expanding rural naloxone access via community pharmacies. Learn more at www.rx-summit.com.
HORP students published
A pair of graduate students pursuing the Health Outcomes Research and Policy option recently had manuscripts accepted to be published. NeCall Wilson, along with Dr. Salisa Westrick, is a part of a group that authored “Lessons Learned Recruiting A Diverse Sample of Rural Study Participants During the COVID-19 Pandemic,” in the International Journal of Drug Policy.
Additionally, Yi Zhao was first author on “Participation in emergency preparedness and response: A national survey of pharmacists and pharmacist extenders,” in the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association. Co-authors on the article include Pharm.D. student Kavon Diggs and Westrick.
NeCall Wilson
Chef Keith Rhodes
Award-Winning Chef, Restaurateur, Entrepreneur, and 5th Great-Grandson of William Graham Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham
Chef Keith Rhodes is an award-winning chef, restaurateur, businessman, and community advocate whose career has helped shape the culinary identity of Wilmington and coastal North Carolina. A Wilmington native with deep family roots in southeastern North Carolina, Rhodes has earned regional and national recognition for his innovative approach to seafood, Southern cuisine, and locally sourced ingredients.
Rhodes’s interest in food and hospitality was influenced at an early age by his grandfather, who operated a private bartending service. Rhodes has recalled learning through those experiences how food could bring people together. His first restaurant work included washing dishes, and he eventually developed his skills as a largely self-taught chef. Before becoming a restaurant owner, he served as executive chef at Deluxe, once one of Wilmington’s prominent restaurants.
In 2006, Rhodes and his wife and business partner, Angela Rhodes, opened Catch, a restaurant devoted to modern seafood cuisine and the products of North Carolina fishermen and farmers. Catch became known for combining fresh coastal seafood with seasonal vegetables, herbs, and other locally sourced ingredients. Rhodes was practicing a farm-to-table philosophy in Wilmington well before the concept became as widely embraced as it is today.
His work brought him national recognition. Rhodes was named a James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Best Chef: Southeast and was voted Wilmington's best chef for three consecutive years. He gained an even wider audience when he competed on Season 9 of Bravo's Top Chef. His television appearance introduced viewers across the country to his interpretation of Lowcountry and coastal Carolina cooking.
Rhodes's accomplishments are particularly significant in the history of Black entrepreneurship and culinary achievement in southeastern North Carolina. Catch was recognized as an African American family-owned restaurant, while Rhodes and his family expanded their business interests beyond the original restaurant into food trucks and other culinary ventures. His work has demonstrated that food can serve not only as a business but also as a vehicle for preserving culture, strengthening communities, and supporting local farmers and fishermen.
After nearly two decades associated with Catch, Rhodes entered another chapter of his career with VOYCE, a downtown Wilmington restaurant that opened in 2026. The restaurant draws inspiration from the African diaspora, Rhodes's travels, and his own family history. Its name carries a particularly personal meaning: Rhodes explained that it honors his grandmother Virgie and grandfather Royce, while also representing the family's desire to express its own "voice" through food.
His entrepreneurial work also includes Catch the Food Truck, Tackle Box Kitchen at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, and the Tackle Box Kitchen Food Trailer. Throughout these ventures, Rhodes has remained committed to supporting local seafood producers, farmers, and other North Carolina food purveyors.
Rhodes's contributions extend well beyond his restaurants. He has participated in outreach programs for children, visited schools to discuss nutrition and food culture, mentored aspiring chefs, and spoken about sustainability, food deserts, and responsible food policies. His willingness to share his knowledge with younger generations has made mentorship and community service important parts of his professional legacy.
Graham Family Heritage
Beyond his distinguished culinary and business career, Keith Rhodes is a fifth great-grandson of William Graham Sr. (b. 1790) and Sarah Jacobs-Graham (b. 1794), an important ancestral couple whose descendants established deep roots throughout southeastern North Carolina.
Through this family connection, Rhodes represents another accomplished branch of the descendants of William Graham Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham. Their descendants have gone on to make contributions in business, education, public service, medicine, athletics, the military, the arts, and many other professions.
Chef Keith Rhodes's story therefore represents more than individual culinary success. It is also part of the continuing story of a southeastern North Carolina family whose descendants have carried their heritage forward for generations. From the Graham and Jacobs family roots of the nineteenth century to the kitchens and businesses of modern Wilmington, Rhodes has built a legacy centered on family, entrepreneurship, community, culture, and food.
Today, Chef Keith Rhodes stands among Wilmington's most recognizable culinary figures. His achievements as a chef, businessman, mentor, and community advocate have helped bring national attention to the food traditions of the Cape Fear region while adding another distinguished chapter to the legacy of the descendants of William Graham Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham.
Tymain Freeman-Robbins
Hip-Hop Artist and Sixth Great-Grandson of William Graham Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham
Tymain D. Freeman-Robbins, professionally known as Tymain Robbins, is a North Carolina hip-hop artist, songwriter, and college graduate whose music reflects his life experiences, Southern roots, and passion for storytelling. Born on September 19, 1996, he has roots in Bolton, Columbus County, North Carolina, an area with deep ties to generations of his family.
Tymain developed an interest in music at an early age. He has recalled entering a recording studio for the first time at approximately nine years old. By age eleven, he was performing his own music at a school talent show, and by thirteen, he was recording and selling his own CDs. These early experiences helped establish the foundation for a musical career built around creativity, determination, and personal expression.
As he matured as an artist, Tymain drew inspiration from some of hip-hop's most respected lyricists and storytellers, including Jay-Z, Nas, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Drake. His own work combines thoughtful lyrics with personal experiences and observations about life, relationships, ambition, and the challenges of pursuing one's goals.
Alongside his musical ambitions, Tymain pursued higher education. He attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), where university records list Tymain D. Freeman Robbins among the 2018 candidates for baccalaureate degrees. His achievement demonstrated his commitment to education while continuing to develop his identity and career as an artist.
Over the years, Tymain has steadily expanded his body of recorded music. His projects include Don't Trip, There's More 4 U (2018), Thanks In Advance EP (2020), Fashionably Late (2023), and What If It All Works Out? (2024). He has continued releasing music and developing his presence as an independent North Carolina artist.
Tymain's story also represents another chapter in the long history of the Graham family of southeastern North Carolina. He is the sixth great-grandson of William Graham Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham, an ancestral couple whose descendants spread throughout Bladen, Columbus, Brunswick, and surrounding counties and over subsequent generations, far beyond southeastern North Carolina.
Through Sarah Jacobs-Graham, Tymain belongs to a family line with roots extending back to the Revolutionary War era. Sarah was a daughter of Zachariah Jacobs (Holmes), a free-born man of color who served during the American Revolutionary War and whose life and military service have become an important part of the documented history of the Graham family's ancestry.
More than two centuries after the generation of William Graham Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham, Tymain Freeman-Robbins carries their legacy into a new era. Through education, creativity, music, and storytelling, he represents a younger generation of Graham descendants who continue to build upon a remarkable family history while establishing accomplishments and identities of their own.
Washington, DC Ward 6 Committeewoman
Dorinda White
4th Great-Granddaughter of William Graham Sr. & Sarah Jacobs-Graham
Dorinda “Rindi” White is a Washington, D.C. public servant, communications professional, community leader, and longtime Democratic Party activist whose career has included service in federal and District government as well as leadership at the local and national levels.
White currently serves as a Ward 6 Committeewoman on the DC Democratic State Committee and as First Vice President of the Ward 6 Democrats. Her work has focused on strengthening civic participation, expanding community engagement, encouraging voter involvement, and developing opportunities for residents to become more active in the democratic process.
Her leadership experience extends beyond Ward 6. White previously served as President of the DC Federation of Democratic Women and as an Executive Board Member and Treasurer of the National Federation of Democratic Women. She has also held several leadership positions within the DC Democratic State Committee, including roles in communications and as an At-Large and Add-On Committeewoman.
White has extensive professional experience in government, communications, and public affairs. Her career has included service as a Communications Director and Senior Legislative Aide to a member of the United States Congress, as well as work as a Communications and Public Affairs Officer in the District of Columbia government. She has also worked in the public health sector, continuing her commitment to serving residents of the District of Columbia.
Her political experience has reached the national level as well. White served on the Democratic National Committee Temporary Standing Rules Committee, contributing her knowledge of party rules, governance, communications, and political organization.
A longtime resident of Washington's Southwest Waterfront community in Ward 6, White has built a record of public and community service centered on civic engagement, leadership development, voter participation, and expanding opportunities for women and underrepresented communities to participate in the political process.
Dorinda White is also a descendant of the historic Graham-Jacobs family of southeastern North Carolina. She is the 4th great-granddaughter of William Graham Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham, connecting her public-service legacy to a family whose roots extend deeply into the history of Bladen, Columbus, and surrounding counties in North Carolina.
Through her career in government, communications, community advocacy, and political leadership, Dorinda White continues the Graham family's long tradition of leadership, public service, and commitment to community.
Dr. Jalisha Charmaine Pone, M.P.A., CFRM, is a North Carolina higher-education advancement professional and fundraising leader whose career has been devoted to philanthropy, education, institutional development, and community engagement. A native of Cumberland County, North Carolina, she has built a distinguished career working with universities and nonprofit organizations throughout the state.
In August 2026, Fayetteville State University (FSU) named Pone Associate Vice Chancellor for Development in the Division of University Advancement, effective August 17, 2026. In this senior leadership position, she oversees major gifts, annual giving, campaign planning, and corporate and foundation relations. She also works with university leadership to develop fundraising strategies and cultivate relationships with major and principal gift prospects.
Pone brought more than a decade of fundraising and development experience to the position. Her appointment also represented a return to Fayetteville State University, where she had previously served as Associate Director of Development from 2016 to 2020. During her earlier tenure at FSU, she managed prospective donor relationships, exceeded annual portfolio goals, developed donor stewardship initiatives, led corporate and foundation relations efforts, and successfully closed a $500,000 individual gift.
Before returning to Fayetteville State, Pone served as Senior Director of Development at Methodist University in Fayetteville. There, she was responsible for donor engagement and fundraising strategies supporting the university's institutional priorities, including the development efforts associated with the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine.
Her professional experience also includes important leadership roles at North Carolina Central University (NCCU). She served as Director of Development for the School of Business and as Director of Development for Student Affairs. During fiscal year 2022, Pone raised more than $3 million and developed a $12 million fundraising strategic plan for NCCU's School of Business. Earlier in her career, she also worked in development and fundraising with the American Cancer Society.
Pone's educational background reflects her commitment to leadership and public service. She earned dual bachelor’s degrees in hospitality and Tourism Management and Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She later earned a Master of Public Administration from North Carolina Central University. She has continued her education at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, pursuing a doctorate in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Higher Education.
Her professional development also includes a Certificate in Fund Raising Management (CFRM) from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Her community involvement has included service with Fayetteville Young Professionals, the Junior League of Fayetteville, and the Boys & Girls Clubs. In 2017, she was recognized among The Fayetteville Observer's 40 Under 40.
Pone is the daughter of Gerald and Broxie Pone, both members of Methodist University's Class of 1982. Her Cumberland County roots and family's tradition of community involvement have remained an important part of her connection to southeastern North Carolina.
Graham Family Heritage
Jalisha Charmaine Pone is a fourth great-granddaughter of William Graham, Sr. (born circa 1790) and Sarah Jacobs-Graham (born circa 1794), an ancestral couple whose family established deep roots in southeastern North Carolina during the nineteenth century.
Through Sarah Jacobs-Graham, Jalisha is also connected to the larger Jacobs-Graham family heritage, a family story spanning generation of North Carolina history. Her accomplishments in higher education, philanthropy, fundraising, and community leadership continue the family's long tradition of education, public service, and advancement.
Today, as Associate Vice Chancellor for Development at Fayetteville State University, Jalisha Pone occupies an influential leadership position in North Carolina higher education. Her professional journey—from university development work to multimillion-dollar fundraising initiatives and executive leadership—represents another noteworthy chapter in the continuing legacy of the descendants of William Graham, Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham.
Dr. Tiese Roxbury is a Wilmington, North Carolina native, accomplished educator, researcher, higher-education administrator, and entrepreneur whose career has been dedicated to expanding educational opportunities and helping students achieve academic and personal success.
A graduate of E.A. Laney High School in Wilmington, Roxbury continued her education at Salem College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics. She later pursued graduate studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, earning advanced degrees in educational research methodology, including a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.).
Throughout her professional career, Dr. Roxbury has combined research, education, and student advocacy. She served with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as Assistant Director of Research, Assessment and Academic Success. In that capacity, she contributed to initiatives designed to strengthen academic achievement, career development, and educational opportunities for collegiate student-athletes.
Dr. Roxbury later joined the University of Michigan-Flint, where she led Educational Opportunity Initiatives. Her work focused on increasing access to higher education and developing programs that supported students academically, professionally, and personally.
She returned to North Carolina to continue her commitment to higher education and student advancement. Dr. Roxbury currently serves as Executive Director of Student Success & Retention at Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina. In this leadership role, she works to advance student achievement, persistence, retention, and overall success.
Beyond higher education, Dr. Roxbury has demonstrated an entrepreneurial and creative spirit. In 2021, she opened The Self-Love Museum in Wilmington, an interactive photography and creative space centered on self-expression, encouragement, confidence, and positive experiences.
Dr. Roxbury's accomplishments also represent another chapter in a family legacy deeply rooted in southeastern North Carolina. She is a sixth-great-granddaughter of William Graham Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham, an ancestral couple whose descendants have established generations of families throughout southeastern North Carolina and beyond.
Through her achievements in education, research, leadership, entrepreneurship, and service to students, Dr. Tiese Roxbury continues the enduring legacy of the descendants of William Graham Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham, demonstrating how the family's story continues to be carried forward through achievement, education, leadership, and service to others.
Dr. Jalisha Pone
Dr. Tiese Roxbury
Dr. James Jesse Freeman
Dr. James J. Freeman (1933–1993)
Physician, Educator, Researcher, Inventor, and Descendant of William Graham Sr. and Sarah Jacobs
Dr. James J. Freeman was born on April 17, 1933, in Hallsboro, Columbus County, North Carolina, to Esther and Monroe Freeman. His remarkable story is also part of the history of the Graham, Jacobs, and Freeman families of southeastern North Carolina.
Dr. Freeman was a descendant of William Graham Sr. (born 1790) and Sarah Jacobs (born 1794), who were his fourth-great-grandparents. This ancestral connection places Dr. Freeman within the extended Graham family whose roots reach deeply into Bladen and Columbus counties.
Sarah Jacobs was the daughter of Zachariah Jacobs (Holmes), a free-born man of color and Revolutionary War veteran who served from Brunswick County, North Carolina. Through Sarah, Dr. Freeman's ancestry therefore connects him to a family whose documented history reaches back to the American Revolutionary era.
Dr. Freeman's own journey began humbly. His early education took place in a rural one-room schoolhouse. Although his father had completed only the third grade, Freeman continued his education through Williston High School and later attended Morehouse College, Long Island University, and Georgetown University, where he earned a doctorate in physiology.
He subsequently taught zoology at Howard University before entering medical school at the University at Buffalo.
In 1974, Freeman earned his medical degree, becoming the University at Buffalo's first Black student who already held a doctorate to also earn an M.D. At the time, he was reportedly one of only about 40 African Americans in the United States to possess both distinctions.
His graduation produced one of the most memorable stories of his life. His 101-year-old grandmother, Susan Freeman, sent him a shirt that she had purchased for $2.98 from a country store in North Carolina. Dr. Freeman proudly wore his grandmother's gift at his medical school graduation—a simple but powerful reminder of the family and community from which he came.
Dr. Freeman went on to become an obstetrician and gynecologist. He published 33 papers on women's health and served as medical director for Buffalo's Division of Drug Abuse.
He was also an inventor. After his wife complained about the lack of privacy offered by conventional hospital gowns, Dr. Freeman designed a patient garment that provided greater modesty while still allowing medical professionals appropriate access for examinations and treatment. His invention was awarded U.S. Patent No. 4,570,268 in 1986.
Dr. James J. Freeman died on April 18, 1993, just one day after his 60th birthday.
His accomplishments take on additional meaning when viewed within the history of his ancestors. From William Graham Sr. and Sarah Jacobs in early nineteenth-century southeastern North Carolina came generations of descendants who established families throughout Bladen, Columbus, and surrounding counties and far beyond.
Dr. Freeman's life represents one remarkable branch of that legacy. From a one-room rural schoolhouse in Columbus County, he rose to become a professor, physiologist, physician, researcher, public-health administrator, and patented inventor.
His story demonstrates how the legacy of the Graham-Jacobs family continued through succeeding generations—not simply through the preservation of family names and genealogy, but through education, achievement, service, and perseverance.
Member
Member
Member
Dr. Thomas Wendell Point, Ph.D.
(1964-2020)
Dr. Thomas Wendell Point was an accomplished businessman, scholar, public-policy expert, and advocate for small and disadvantaged businesses. A native of Hopewell, Virginia, was born on June 22, 1964, to Thomas Point and Leathia Mae Point. He was also a fourth great-grandson of William Graham Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham, connecting his distinguished life and career to the historic Graham-Jacobs family of southeastern North Carolina. Known to family and friends as “Wendell” and affectionately as “Bubby,” Point received his early education at West End Christian School and graduated from Hopewell High School in 1982. A talented athlete, he excelled in football and went on to play collegiately at both Hampton Institute, now Hampton University, and the College of William & Mary.
Dr. Point ultimately earned his undergraduate degree in Business Administration and Economics from the College of William & Mary in 1987. His commitment to education continued throughout his adult life. In 1992, he earned a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Financial Management from Virginia Commonwealth University. Twenty years later, in 2012, he completed his Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration, specializing in Urban Policy, at Virginia Commonwealth University. He continued his professional education at Boston University, graduating from an enterprise professional master's program in 2017.
Professionally, Dr. Point spent several years working for the Virginia Department of Transportation before pursuing entrepreneurship and consulting. In 1996, he became President and CEO of Point Management Group. Through his leadership and consulting work, he helped empower thousands of small and disadvantaged businesses throughout the United States. His expertise in business development and public policy earned him recognition among federal, state, and local government executives.
His professional and civic accomplishments included recognition in Who's Who Among International Business Professionals and service on the Hulon Willis Alumni Board at the College of William & Mary. Dr. Point was also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., through the Petersburg Alumni Chapter.
Dr. Point married Valerie Murphy-Point, whom he met during his years at William & Mary. His family connections extend back to southeastern North Carolina.
Dr. Thomas Wendell Point passed away on May 7, 2020, at the age of 55. The College of William & Mary later memorialized Thomas “Wendell” Point, Class of 1987, among its deceased alumni.
As a fourth great-grandson of William Graham Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham, Dr. Point represents another accomplished branch of the Graham family legacy. His achievements in higher education, entrepreneurship, government, public policy, and advocacy for disadvantaged businesses demonstrate the continuing impact of the descendants of William and Sarah. His life stands as an important chapter in the broader story of a family whose roots extend deep into southeastern North Carolina and whose descendants have made contributions across the United States.
Dr. Thomas Wendell Point
Member
Talise Young is a business professional, entrepreneur, longtime basketball official, and dedicated advocate for youth athletics whose accomplishments reflect a strong tradition of leadership, service, and community involvement. She is the fourth great-granddaughter of William Graham Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham, connecting her achievements to the enduring legacy of the Graham family.
Talise has built an impressive professional career in finance and business. Her background includes many years of experience in finance and accounting, including work with GlaxoSmithKline. She pursued higher education at North Carolina Central University and Meredith College, strengthening a professional foundation that has allowed her to serve in a variety of leadership roles.
Basketball has also played an important role in Talise's life. She became deeply involved with the North Carolina Amateur Athletic Union (NC AAU), beginning as a team parent before taking on increasingly important responsibilities in youth basketball. She helped coordinate fundraisers and tournament volunteers and served as a host for Regional, Super-Regional, and National Girls' Basketball events.
Her leadership continued to grow. Talise was elected North Carolina AAU Girls Basketball Chair in 2010 and served on the National Executive Committee for Girls Basketball. She was also elected Secretary of the North Carolina AAU in 2006, a leadership position she continues to hold according to the organization's current officer listing. Her years of service earned her induction into the North Carolina AAU Hall of Fame in 2018 as a basketball volunteer.
Talise has also served the sport from the court itself as a basketball official, working high school, college, and AAU games. Her officiating experience includes collegiate competition, demonstrating another dimension of her longstanding commitment to basketball.
Beyond athletics and finance, Talise is an entrepreneur and the founder of TM Travel Dreams, where she works as a certified group and destination travel expert. Her travel business specializes in cruises, international destinations, family vacations, group travel, and other customized travel experiences.
Talise Young's journey represents a combination of education, entrepreneurship, athletics, leadership, and service. As a fourth great-granddaughter of William Graham Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham, she adds another chapter to a family history whose descendants have distinguished themselves in business, education, athletics, public service, and their communities.
Talise Young
TM Travel Dream
Member
Voyce Bistro
Natalie Rodriguez
Natalie Rodriguez, M.A., is a North Carolina public historian and heritage professional who serves as Associate Director of the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission, a division of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. She was appointed to the position in March 2024, continuing a career devoted to preserving, interpreting, and sharing the diverse history of North Carolina.
A North Carolina native raised in Durham; Natalie has family roots in Eastern North Carolina as well as Puerto Rico. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in History, with a minor in Education, from North Carolina Central University, one of the nation's historically Black colleges and universities. She later earned a Master of Arts degree in Public History from North Carolina State University.
Natalie's professional development included internships with the National Park Service, the Greening Youth Foundation, North Carolina Historic Sites, and the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission. During her work with the Commission's North Carolina Green Book Project, she helped collect historical and contemporary images associated with Green Book sites, contributing to the documentation and preservation of places important to African American travel and history.
Before becoming Associate Director, Natalie spent approximately five years as Tour Coordinator at the North Carolina State Capitol and the North Carolina Executive Mansion through the Division of State Historic Sites. In that role, she planned and implemented educational programming for visitors and volunteers and helped make North Carolina history accessible to students and the public.
Natalie also became a contributing public historian and researcher for “From Naming to Knowing: Uncovering Slavery at the North Carolina State Capitol,” a major digital humanities project documenting the enslaved men who helped construct and maintain the State Capitol during the nineteenth century. Natalie worked on the project with public historians Kara Deadmon and Terra Schramm. In 2025, the project received an Award of Excellence from the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH), a significant national recognition in the field of state and local history.
As Associate Director of the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission, Natalie helps advance the Commission's work of identifying, preserving, promoting, and sharing North Carolina's African American history and cultural heritage. Her work includes educational initiatives, historical research, public programming, community partnerships, and projects that bring greater recognition to people and places whose contributions have sometimes been overlooked in traditional historical narratives.
Natalie Rodriguez is also the 4th great-granddaughter of William Graham, Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham, connecting her professional commitment to history and preservation with a family legacy deeply rooted in southeastern North Carolina. Through her work as a historian, educator, and cultural heritage professional, Natalie represents another generation of the Graham family contributing to the preservation of North Carolina's history and ensuring that important stories are documented and passed forward to future generations.
Public Historian • Educator • Preservationist
Peter Grear
Attorney, Publisher, Community Advocate
Peter Grear of Wilmington, North Carolina, is an attorney, publisher, businessman, and longtime community advocate whose life and career reflect a commitment to law, civil rights, economic opportunity, and the advancement of the African American community. He is a fourth great-grandson of William Graham, Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham.
Grear established a lengthy career in the legal profession in Wilmington, serving individuals and families in the Cape Fear region. His work as an attorney has also intersected with his interest in civil rights and racial equality. In 2009, for example, Grear publicly challenged the decision to hold a New Hanover County Bar Association-related event at the Cape Fear Country Club because of concerns he raised regarding the institution's history of racial exclusion. His position became part of a broader public discussion about race, inclusion, and the responsibilities of professional organizations.
Beyond his legal career, Grear became closely associated with Greater Diversity News, a Wilmington-based publication established in 1987. He has served as a co-publisher of the newspaper alongside his wife, Kathy Grear. The publication has focused on issues affecting African American communities, historically underutilized businesses, employment, education, economic development, civil rights, and public affairs.
The North Carolina Department of Administration has also identified Peter Grear with Greater Diversity News, describing the publication as having statewide coverage and historically serving as a resource for minority and historically underutilized businesses.
Grear has continued to write extensively on civil rights, economic opportunity, historically Black colleges and universities, minority business participation, voting rights, and issues affecting African Americans in North Carolina and across the nation. His published work demonstrates his continuing involvement in conversations concerning political participation, economic development, and racial equality.
His accomplishments also carry special meaning within the history of the William Graham, Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham family. From the family's nineteenth-century roots in southeastern North Carolina emerged generations of descendants who entered education, law, public service, business, athletics, medicine, the military, and community leadership.
As a fourth great-grandson of William Graham, Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham, Peter Grear represents another branch of that continuing family legacy. His decades of work in law, publishing, civil-rights advocacy, and community affairs have made him a recognizable figure in Wilmington and southeastern North Carolina and add another chapter to the remarkable story of the descendants of William Graham, Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham.
Member
Reginald “Reggie” T. Shuford
Civil-Rights Attorney, Advocate
Reginald “Reggie” T. Shuford is a nationally recognized civil-rights attorney and nonprofit leader from Wilmington, North Carolina. A fifth great-grandson of William Graham, Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham, Shuford represents another generation of their descendants whose achievements have extended well beyond southeastern North Carolina.
Raised in Wilmington as the third of five children by a single mother, Shuford has spoken openly about how the racial and economic inequalities he witnessed while growing up helped shape his decision to pursue civil-rights law. He attended Cape Fear Academy, where he became the school's first Black graduate and graduated as salutatorian. He later attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, earning both his undergraduate degree and law degree.
Following law school, Shuford served as a judicial law clerk to Justice Henry E. Frye, who became the first African American justice and later the first African American chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court. Shuford then practiced education law in North Carolina before moving to New York City in 1995 to join the national American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
During approximately fifteen years with the national ACLU, Shuford became a leading attorney in its Racial Justice Program. He helped pioneer legal challenges to racial profiling and led litigation involving discriminatory traffic stops, airport profiling and other racial-justice issues. He also became the ACLU's first Attorneys of Color Recruitment and Retention Officer.
After serving as Director of Law and Policy for the Equal Justice Society, Shuford was selected in 2011 as Executive Director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania. He led the organization for eleven years. During his tenure, the organization participated in major litigation and advocacy involving voting rights, marriage equality, criminal justice, racial justice, free speech and other civil-liberties issues.
In February 2023, Shuford returned to his home state to become Executive Director of the North Carolina Justice Center, continuing his work on racial, economic and social-justice issues in North Carolina.
His career has brought numerous professional honors. Among them are the UNC School of Law Distinguished Alumnus Award, recognition as a Harvard Law School Wasserstein Public Interest Fellow, and the Philadelphia Bar Association's Justice Sonia Sotomayor Diversity Award. He has also been recognized multiple times among influential African American leaders in Philadelphia.
Shuford's family story also has a remarkable connection to Wilmington attorney Peter Grear. Shuford has publicly discussed discovering later in life that Grear was his biological father—a man he had already known and whose Wilmington law office he had worked in while he was a college student. The discovery added another dimension to Shuford's personal and professional connection to Wilmington and its legal community.
As the fifth great-grandson of William Graham, Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham, Reggie Shuford carries forward a family legacy deeply rooted in southeastern North Carolina. From his childhood in Wilmington to courtrooms and civil-rights organizations across the country, his career has been devoted to questions of equality, constitutional rights and access to justice.
Reginald “Reggie” T. Shuford's life and career stand as an important chapter in the continuing history of the descendants of William Graham, Sr. and Sarah Jacobs-Graham.
