CityFlight Media Network™ Announces The "10 Most Influential African Americans in the Bay Area" for 2003

SAN JOSE, CA April 6, 2004 -– During its history-making fifth annual awards gala on Saturday, April 3, 2004, CityFlight Media Network and co-event presenters 102.9-FM KBLX radio and NBC11/KNTV rolled out the red carpet for 30 people who were nominated for their respective contributions to the Bay Area African American community in 2003. In the Forum at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, CityFlight and its partners announced the "10 Most Influential African Americans in the Bay Area" for 2003. Several prestigious community and professional organizations partnered with CityFlight to comprise the nominating committee. The committee selected the award recipients from among 30 nominees based largely on the biographical data the nominees supplied to CityFlight, with special consideration given to their respective accomplishments and/or contributions during 2003.

The "10 Most Influential African Americans in the Bay Area" for 2003 are:

Arts & Entertainment- Goapele – Recording Artist and Performer

Community Service- Cheryl Smith - Exec. Dir., Bayview Hunter's Point YMCA

Corporate- Brenda Wright - Sr. V.P./Dir. Community Dev., Wells Fargo Bank

Education- Margaret Matson Norris - Academic Dir., Omega Boys Club

Entrepreneur/Small Business- Cheryl D. Broussard - CEO, Cheryl Broussard & Co., Inc.

Healthcare- Gloria Brown - African Am. Community Health Advisory Committee

Media- Dori J. Maynard - Pres. & CEO, Robert C. Maynard Inst. for Journalism Ed.

Political/Public Service- Kamala Harris - District Attorney, City of San Francisco

Sports- Dr. Fitzgerald Hill – Head Football Coach, San Jose State Univ.

Youth- Rosalyn R. Reed - Senior, Holy Names High School

The gala, which was a sold-out success for the fifth consecutive year, was co-presented by the program's media sponsors 102.9-FM KBLX radio, the leader in adult contemporary music, and NBC11/KNTV, the fastest growing news station in the Bay Area. Nikki Thomas (KBLX) and Janice Edwards (NBC11) were the evening's charming and capable mistresses of ceremony.

The very generous corporations that contributed to the gala fundraiser to benefit the "Take Flight™" Continuing Education Scholarship Program included AARP, Bank of America, Citibank, Crown Royal, Hewlett-Packard Company, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Sun Microsystems, Inc., Union Bank of California and Wells Fargo Bank.

The history-making affair was strewn with excitement throughout. Presented in a standing reception-style format, the gala consisted of intermittent award presentations, acceptance remarks, and videos of nominees. "A Taste of Soul" hors d'oeuvre and dessert samplings were provided by Charlene's Confections, D&M Concessions, Hutcherson Catering, Nottie's Place Catering, Sue's Indian Cuisine and Zo's Catering.

Poet Ise Lyfe, the Oakland Ballet, gospel vocalist Noel Patillo, and Rashida Knox & Nairobi treated attendees to soulful and urbane entertainment.

CityFlight Media Network president and CEO John Hilton presented special President's Awards to Toni Beckham, Tim Hilton and Vikki Williams in consideration of their respective contributors to all five of the CityFlight award celebrations since the program's conception.

Award presenters included sponsor representatives, nomination committee representatives, CityFlight staff and dignitaries San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom; San Francisco Chronicle executive vice president and editor Phil Bronstein; San Jose city councilmember Cindy Chavez; Oakland Visitor's Bureau executive director Manette Beliveau; and San Francisco Visitor's Bureau president John Marks.

CityFlight proudly partnered with several community and professional organizations that comprised the nomination committee:

100 Black Men of Silicon Valley, Inc.
100 Black Men of the Bay Area, Inc.
Bay Area Black Journalists Association
Bay Area Black United Fund
First Fridays of the Bay Area
Charles Houston Bar Association
Diablo Black Men's Group
San Francisco Black Chamber of Commerce
Silicon Valley Black Chamber of Commerce
National Assoc. of Black Accountants
National Black MBA Association
Nat'l Coalition of 100 Black Women Bay Area
National Society of Black Engineers
San Francisco Black Film Festival
Urban Financial Services Coalition
Women of Color Action Network (WCAN)

About CityFlight Media Network:
Founded in 1995, CityFlight Media Network was created to educate, entertain and inspire its audience in order to uplift the community, support business successes, and offer positive guidance for youth.

The Network encompasses its flagship division CityFlight Newsmagazine™, the award winning African American news publication; CityFlight Online™, which is represented by its premier website for African American news, events and search directories; and CityFlight Events™, the division that produces some of the Bay Area's most highly-praised special events.

CityFlight Media Network operates under 501(c)3 non-profit status. CityFlight is produced in print, online and in person by a dedicated operations team and an incomparable all-volunteer editorial staff of nearly 90 individuals.




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