which had caused significant inconvenience to road users and businesses The road was closed in 2019 after the department discovered a sinkhole forming along the R50/Delmas Road during routine maintenance Due to immense pressure by the DA the road has now been We launched a petition in 2022 demanding the road be fixed and reopened so that road users and businesses can have financial relief Without the pressure we applied to the department this road would likely have remained closed motorists in the area would have had to use a detour specifically a gravel route that connects the R50 road to the R25 route This is yet another shining example of the DA actively working across the available platforms to guarantee that the residents of Gauteng receive the high-quality service they deserve by holding the Gauteng government accountable A DA-led Gauteng Provincial Government would prioritise road maintenance to reduce the risk of potholes and sinkholes forming This would be informed by the understanding that road infrastructure failures have a significant impact on our economy registered non profit organisation in South AfricaReg No: 011-895 NPO by | Aug 26, 2024 | Motorcycles | 0 comments What GXCC Cross Country Race ReportWhere Delmas MpumalangaWhen Saturday 24 August 2024Community Gauteng Regional Pepson Plastics Kawasaki Factory Racing with Michelin Bikewise and Scottish Cables enjoyed another strong outing at the sixth round GXCC Gauteng Cross Country Motorcycle championship race at Delmas on Saturday “The guys rode brilliantly in Delmas today,” Pepson Plastics Kawasaki Factory Racing with Michelin Bikewise and Scottish Cables team boss Ian Pepper reported Cameron Becker rode the race of the year to come home third overall as he took a dominant 250 cc OR3 Pro class win Pieter Holl ticked off yet another Masters victory Geoff Den and Jake Pretorius added two more podiums in Veterans and OR4 respectively Jayden Boyce ended fourth in OR3 Pro Am and Stuart Billingham came home sixth in OR3 Pro too.” Cameron Becker was delighted to storm to a great OR2 class victory aboard his Pepson Plastics Kawasaki KX 250 X: “That was a brilliant day at the races,” Cameron beamed “I had to work hard today but my Kawasaki was perfect I got out of gate eighth and worked my way up to second at the end of lap one I made my move for the lead on lap four and held on to win but to come home third overall made it all that much sweeter “Thanks to everyone who contributed to this victory to Iain and the team for the incredible support sublime pitstops and a perfect bike in an awesome race put together by the GXCC team It was an absolute honour to race and be amongst the best guys in the country having battles throughout the day Pepson Plastics Kawasaki Masters champion Pieter Holl still remains unbeaten in the 2024 GXCC “All the Masters big guns were out today so it was most exciting,” Pieter admitted “But I dropped my clutch too quick at the start I soon fought back to fourth and knowing it was so dusty I realised that I had to pass them as quickly My incredible team was quick to refuel and the route was well marked safe and exciting so I really enjoyed myself today Thanks to my Pepson Plastics Kawasaki family for another great result!” but he came home feeling a little unlucky with only second at Delmas “I pulled the holeshot and led for a while but the rivers were tricky today and I managed to wet the electrics in a deep crossing So the bike misfired and cost me a lot of time until the lap 1 refuel The team sorted the problem very quickly and my Pepson Plastics Kawasaki ran like a dream again I chased hard from there and it was so close I ended up a few seconds behind the winner it was so much fun and I felt good on the bike all day Thanks to my great team for all the support!” “We came home from Delmas with a couple of class wins a bunch of podiums and a special overall top three today so all I can do is praise this incredible team of ours!” Iain Pepper concluded Bikewise and Scottish Cables returns to GXCC Cross Country Racing action on Saturday 5 October Pepson Plastics Kawasaki races with Michelin tyres Issued on behalf of Pepson Plastics Kawasaki MSA Publishes media releases from a host of different sources on our website as a service to the sport It is not practically possible to vet/approve every release that is published Some news items and articles are written by correspondents and do not necessarily represent MSA’s views Weekends and South African Public Holidays MSA Website Terms and Conditions msa@motorsport.co.za | website queries: jaco@motorsport.co.za Please note that all transactions on the MSA Online Licence Portal is in South African Rand (ZAR) MSA Return and Refund Policy © 2023 | Motorsport South Africa AVBOB celebrates a milestone by rewarding its members on a large scale Ten people have died in a crash on the R42 near Delmas in Mpumalanga.  JOHANNESBURG - Ten people have died in a crash on the R42 near Delmas in Mpumalanga About 24 people sustained serious injuries and have been taken to hospitals Reports indicate that a minibus taxi travelling towards Emalahleni and a bus-truck headed to Bronkhorstspruit collided Moeti Mmusi explains in the video below.  Home | South Africa The National Council of SPCAs has embarked on a large-scale programme to educate children and adults about animals This comes after the gruesome killing of Raygun the baboon, at Botleng High School in Delmas. It is alleged that learners attacked the baboon and then set it alight. NSPCA spokesperson Samanta Stelli, “We will go to areas where people may encounter wildlife to provide some education and awareness on the steps to take if they do feel threated by wildlife and how they can respond. There was a male Chacma baboon that had been seen in the Pretoria area. Unfortunately, he found himself at the school in Delmas and the learners or the children at the school saw him and what happened next is that he was attacked and set alight.” Cultural expert and traditional healer, Sofani Ndala says the stereotype associated with baboons and witchcraft, may have been the cause for the killing. “We will go to areas where people may have encountered wildlife to provide some education and awareness on the steps to take if they do feel threated by wildlife and how they can respond.” An accident that occurred on the R42 road near Delmas in the early hours of this morning, has claimed the lives of 10 people. The Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison says 24 people sustained serious injuries in the side-swipe collision involving a minibus taxi and a bus truck. Spokesperson for the department Moeti Mmusi says 8 of the deceased were occupants in the minibus taxi, while two people were occupants in the bus truck. He says the injured have been transported to nearby hospitals. Mmusi says the cause of the crash is unknown at this stage and an investigation is already underway. Copyright © 2022Capricorn FM.All rights reserved Police in Mpumalanga have launched an investigation into what appears to be a calculated assassination of Nkosinathi Louis Theledi Theledi is the former general secretary of the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) The lifeless body of Theledi was discovered in the early hours of July 31 at a remote farm area near Delmas in Mpumalanga law-enforcement authorities were uncertain about the cause of his death they have since confirmed that Theledi was murdered “We can confirm that the police are investigating a case of murder following the discovery of the former Popcru general secretary’s body in Delmas,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Donald Mdhluli “Investigators suspect that there was foul play the case has been changed from inquest to murder.” Mdhluli refrained from disclosing whether Theledi had suffered gunshot wounds saying a post-mortem report is yet to be shared with his office “We will share more information later the police are still working to establish the motive for the murder,” he said Theledi’s family declared the incident an assassination We cannot believe that somebody’s life can be taken just like that,” said Tshepo Theledi indications are that he was assassinated.” The family’s suspicions were aroused the moment it learnt of Theledi’s body being found far from his Gauteng residence “He was a happy and lively person who had no comorbidities We hope the police will get to the bottom of those behind this heinous crime.” Theledi’s illustrious career began in 1992 when he joined Popcru after serving as a correctional officer culminating in his role as general secretary As the family finalises funeral arrangements including a memorial service in Kempton Park Popcru has expressed its condolences and pledged to release a detailed statement in due course we want to send our condolences to the family,” said Popcru spokesperson Richard Mamabolo the details of what happened have been sketchy but we will release a statement when we have enough details.” Visit SW YouTube Channel for our video content Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Tel: +27 11 268 6300 Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms & conditions and privacy policy James Coleman assistant professor of Italian in Pitt’s Kenneth P has won the Giles Constable Award from the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation applicant to the foundation’s Venetian Research Program is selected for the year each year Coleman works on the literature and culture of Italy between the 14th and 18th centuries The grant will support his latest book project “Reading Archipelagos: Italian Humanism and Early Modern Books of Islands,” which will focus on the category of books known as “isolari.” His last book, “A Sudden Frenzy,” won a 2023 American Association of Teachers of Italian Book Award and an honorable mention from the American Association of Italian Studies Book Prize. Mongezi Koko24 June 2024 | 14:00Delmas collision death toll rises to 11The latest victim succumbed to their injuries in hospital while dozens of others are recovering at various health care facilities.Picture: © Antonio Diaz/ 123rf.com JOHANNESBURG - The death toll from the Delmas car crash has now climbed to 11.  The latest victim succumbed to their injuries in hospital while dozens of others are recovering at various health care facilities. Police are probing the exact cause of the accident but it's understood that a taxi and truck were involved in the crash on the R42 earlier on Monday. Many of the victims were passengers in the taxi and were travelling from Johannesburg. Sections © 2010 - 2025 | iAfrica.com LLC. All rights reserved. but there were reports of several people being killed or shot at and several houses set on fire."According to the information we've received They attack several areas at the same time and it's always the same modus operandi: murder and so on," Ducena said."Each time the victims try to flee and find refuge in often unlikely places," she added.In Delmas 30 residents fled the scene carrying mattresses and other goods on their heads One man pushed a corpse in a wheelbarrow.A local resident said the area had been facing deadly attacks since 1 a.m a former policeman who leads the Viv Ansanm gang coalition that is looking to become a political party."The population is fleeing they don't know where to go," the person said "What have we done to you?"Reporting by Steven Aristil Mickenson Duverger and Harold Isaac; Writing by Sarah Morland; Editing by Lincoln Feast Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved « Back This report is an update of the one published on 23 October (ETT 51.1) While people who were displaced by attacks in Tabarre 27 have returned to their residences the number of those displaced by the attacks in and around Solino has increased significantly A total of 12,619 people have been displaced following these attacks in Solino and its surroundings and the majority of them (58%) took refuge in 14 sites including 7 that already existed before these incidents and 7 newly created following these incidents It should be noted that 4 other sites have been closed IDPs who were hosted there have fled to take refuge in other sites (for more details see the map below and tables on the next page) This information was collected following the armed attacks that have occurred since 17 October 2024 in the bordering areas of the municipalities of Port-au-Prince and Delmas on the one hand particularly in the neighborhoods of Solino and Cité Numéro 2 and on the other hand in the municipality of Tabarre precisely in the neighborhood of Tabarre 27 A total of 4,201 people were displaced following these attacks including 3,487 following the attacks in Port-au-Prince and Delmas and 714 following those in Tabarre including 6 sites that already existed before these incidents and 3 sites newly created following these incidents The rest of the people (39%) took refuge with host families Delmas graduated from Walton High School in West Virgina he spent his younger years employed for Dupont Chemical Company as a chemical engineer He enjoyed the great outdoors with the love and passion for hunting and fishing Delmas is survived by his fur baby dog Jasper; his former wife of 43 years Brenda Lowers of Lakewood; a son Patricia (Scott) Jastrzab of Gerry; son Delmas D Raven Young of Jamestown; six grandchildren A celebration will be held 12 to 3 pm Saturday at the Falcon’s Nest 2001 E Friends and Family are welcome to come and share a memory of Delmas Visit our website www.falconerfuneralhome.net to send a message of condolence Copyright © 2025 Ogden Newspapers of New York | https://www.post-journal.com | PO Box 3386 Gangs launched a new attack on Haiti’s capital early Tuesday killing an unknown number of civilians in what used to be a peaceful neighborhood People transport the body of a man who died during a gang attack in the Delmas neighborhood of Port-au-Prince Residents flee their homes to escape gang violence in the Delmas neighborhood of Port-au-Prince Kenyan police vehicles patrol a street as residents flee their homes to escape gang violence in the Delmas neighborhood of Port-au-Prince Police patrol a corner during an anti-gang operation in the Delmas neighborhood of Port-au-Prince Residents from the Solino neighborhood block a street to demand government action against gang violence in Port-au-Prince Haiti (AP) — Gangs launched a new attack on Haiti’s capital early Tuesday with gunfire echoing through the streets as people fled their homes in panic some cradling babies or carrying elderly people on their back “The country is suffering,” said 27-year-old Moricette Cedric Christian He blamed the attack on the Viv Ansanm gang coalition which has claimed responsibility for other recent attacks “(They) don’t want us to survive,” Christian said Local media reported that two Haitian soldiers were among the victims Police and army spokespeople did not immediately return messages for comment A man who declined to give his name recovered the body of a relative killed in the attack and placed it inside a wheelbarrow adding that it’s difficult to find refuge from a gang attack “Entire families were brutally wiped out in their homes were shot dead as they tried to escape,” the U.N said of the other attacks that occurred before Tuesday Lindokuhle Sobekwa’s new book with collaborator Cyprien Clément-Delmas portrays a primarily white working-class South African neighborhood over five years and tells a story of race and healing—on a personal and universal scale Lindokuhle Sobekwa Lindokuhle Sobekwa and his collaborator Cyprien Clément-Delmas have released a collaborative book project documenting the stories of the residents of Daleside a post-industrial town on the outskirts of Johannesburg a photography publication in print which champions authentic visual stories told by African creatives Here she speaks to the pair about probing the divisions prevalent in the country the unique aspects of working collaboratively on a photographic project and how they got to know a small community over a period of years Daleside: Static Dreams a book by South African Magnum photographer Lindokuhle Sobekwa and French filmmaker and photographer reflects on how life is for the residents of a working-class town on the sidelines of South Africa which serves as a wider metaphor for the deeply rooted racial divide that persists within the country which was initially borne out of Sobekwa’s curiosity to return to the place where his mother worked as a domestic worker resulted in the uncovering of a side of white South Africa that the world hardly sees at all Works from Daleside are on view at the Magnum Gallery in London until April 6 as part of Sobekwa’s first UK solo exhibition. Find out more here A small town located in South Africa’s Gauteng Province Daleside was historically home to a population of white Afrikaner mineworkers and artisans who gained their wealth from the success of the adjacent state-owned dolomite mine in the 1960s and ‘70s processes of privatization and globalization disrupted an economy that had been insulating white communities Residents who could afford to pack up and leave while those that could not afford to leave stayed behind in the increasingly desolate town one of the first people who introduced Sobekwa to photography and who continues to serve as a companion and friend on his creative journey which resulted in a five-year period of going back and forth to Daleside photographing the community and forming relationships with some of the families that were featured in their book Speaking to Sobekwa and Clément-Delmas about their work and experiences whilst shooting helped to add further depth and understanding of the significance of the project The book is filled with images that somehow transcend time itself their stillness both fascinating and disturbing alluding to the limbo and somewhat static state that the residents of Daleside have found themselves in The conversation with the two photographers revealed the understandings they gained while photographing the Daleside community over five years The following interviews have been edited for brevity and clarity Sobekwa: “I’ve always wanted to go to that place I realized that going back to Daleside was completely different from what I saw as a child and what I experienced there.” the project was also initiated by curiosity Curiosity for those Europeans who left during the 17th and 18th century to settle in this place I felt we were related but also very different I felt similarities but also strangeness.” Daleside was more than a spontaneous body of work it was a place he had unresolved issues with leaving the photographer with enormous curiosities and unanswered questions one notices a gaze that many subjects of his images direct towards the lens It is a glare that alludes to the underlying racial issues that remain in South Africa — the remnants of segregation The sometimes fierce stares of some subjects create a distance between the photographer and the photographed They uncover Sobekwa’s conflicting relationship with Daleside I really felt those hints of racism in Daleside and obviously it did affect me: being seen in a negative way many people thought I was either Cyprien’s assistant I constantly had to prove them wrong and show them what I was there for my mother was always there helping their children Our mothers came home tired and never gave us the same attention that we witnessed them giving to the white kids I am not that good at expressing myself with words so I try to do so through images.” Clément-Delmas: “I spoke with Lindokuhle about being insiders and outsiders The fact that I am white meant that I was instantly seen as an insider and it was easier for them to relate to me — but in fact I was the outsider coming from over 10,000 kilometers away who was coming from about 10 kilometers away It shows how people are segregated and demonstrates that there is still a lot of work to do.” Clément-Delmas’ use of the warm glow caused by golden hour creates an angelic — almost supernatural — feeling His approach to photographing the community also gives the viewer a sense of the stillness in Daleside: the use of a medium-format camera contributes to this The almost-statue-like state of his subjects not only translates to a sensation of time standing still but also conveys another thematic concern of the project: one of religion and spirituality Clément-Delmas: “What really struck me in the beginning There was one led by a repentant ex-white-supremacist a priest who allowed everyone to come to his church I really think that religion was a crucial part of the community We gained access to a lot of families through the church because the priest introduced us to the whole community ‘Daleside is blessed with the blood of Jesus Christ’.” The intimacy that is evident through the photographs in this book resulted from the level of access that Sobekwa and Clément-Delmas were able to get a privilege which took a lot of time and effort to secure After persevering through knocking on doors and not giving up over the five-year period they were able to achieve the level of trust amongst the community that they did and produce the special quality of work that they have Sobekwa: “The first year of photographing was not that great because people didn’t trust us taking photos of them We responded to this by becoming consistent in our efforts to talk to and photograph them Cyprien and I supported each other by feeding off one another’s energy we came up with different strategies to gain the trust of the community We hung around a shopping center asking people if we could photograph them in their homes There were moments I would go alone and it was quite difficult because I was no longer ‘with the white guy’ I was a black guy walking in a white neighborhood and had to carry the camera around my neck as my justification for being there I also had my press card from when I first joined Magnum too It was a good experience just being there: I learnt a lot and I hope people from Daleside learnt as well Cléement-Delmas: “It took a few years to gain the trust of those we photographed I think the last three sessions were when we really felt like we were a part of the community so we were always seeing the same families every year We would come with prints from the last session and those who were in them really loved it and would invite us to come and take more photos But it takes time to get to know everybody and gain their trust come!’ We took pictures of the same people for four years Some of the people you see in the book— I have around 30 pictures of them that I have made through the years It is really interesting doing a long-term project in a small community narrating much deeper stories: of playfulness of the spirit of the young adults who feature Sobekwa and Clément-Delmas share a few anecdotes of conflict that they witnessed first-hand Sobekwa: “When I returned to Daleside as a photographer I realized that it was a community where I created a certain picture in my mind There is a photograph that I took of two brothers fighting which reminded me of things that also happen in my township —Thokoza which has been affected by issues such as drugs and violence That fight happened during a party for one of the brothers’ children and it was quite brutal The two of them almost killed each other that day one of the brothers left and then the other one came up to me and asked Clément-Delmas: “We had a strong relationship with some families and really liked them There was one family in particular that got separated during this project Welfare took the kids away because the parents were on drugs and were accused of being violent I remember Lindokuhle and I spoke a lot with the parents in regards to what they were going through Both parents suffered abuse when they were younger This visual display of the disenfrachisement of a community as a result of poverty reflects the catastrophic consequences that the lack of investment and attention from the government has caused The rare depiction of white people in an impoverished state has been considered a ‘taboo subject’: Clément-Delmas notes that the existence of white poverty has been a difficult pill to swallow for certain South Africans Despite the difficulties and blockages faced due to race and class there are sparks of hope at the end of the destructive cycle This is seen through Clément-Delmas’ image of a white child and black child sitting together on their bicycles This symbolic image suggests something of the possibility of unison irregardless of race and class together in the mere appreciation of one’s humanity Clément-Delmas: “People recognized us in the street because we were a white and a black guy walking together and we were very proud of that It is also a lesson to the community — communities in South Africa and other regions where whites and blacks don’t mix at all We were the exception because we were friends.” Sobekwa and Clément-Delmas’ five-year photo project transcended a simple photo book: it was a documentation of history a photographic record of a white enclave where dreams were stuck in limbo Photography is so much more than a freezing of a moment in time: it is a tool to create social change by bringing to light issues that have been overlooked or ignored outright By bringing these wounds out into the open a healing process for the families featured in the book and a healing process that the viewers themselves have now been invited to be a part of Several copies of Daleside are now available to purchase from the Magnum Shop This information was collected following armed clashes that took place in the lower part of the municipality of Delmas in the Metropolitan Area of Port-au-Prince the United States has celebrated Black History Month in the month of February due to Carter G Woodson’s establishment of Negro History Week in 1926 This month draws attention to the significant contributions and achievements of African Americans throughout history The Port of Seattle has benefitted from the brilliant minds and tremendous efforts of the many Black people who have worked for the Port One of those brilliant minds is that of Delmas Whittaker Delmas is a committed advocate of diverse and small businesses. You may recognize him from his time speaking on a panel with our Business Accelerator cohort or at many of the PortGen training and networking events he attends Learn more below about his journey to becoming a director at the Port I’ve been a proud member of the Port family for over 17 years and am currently the director of Marine Maintenance I have the pleasure of managing about 154 skilled laborers and non-represented staff that provide maintenance for all our maritime properties along our 19 miles of waterfront- including our industrial parks along the Duwamish waterway I also oversee a mighty fleet team that takes care of about 600 pieces of equipment that supports the Port’s corporate I landed at the Port after retiring from 25 years of service in the United States Navy My first job at the Port was as the Logistics Manager of Aviation Maintenance which is one of the largest departments at the Port I worked as the small works manager and even wore a third hat as the interim manager for the planning department I moved over to the Maritime Division where I served 3.5 years as the Senior Manager for Fishing and Commercial Services Salmon Bay Marina (our newest Port property) and the Maritime Industrial Center which is one of our older properties I’m thankful the Port has awarded me with many diverse experiences which allows me to lead with knowledge from a multitude of angles.  I noticed it was a very diverse group of people working in various capacities is that we have more representation in higher leadership than before Mian Rice - someone that looks like you that has risen to the top is inspiring.  I worked for a very wonderful and powerful woman by the name of Jennifer Mims who was my senior manager when I was in my logistics position at the airport She always encouraged us to put in the hours at the Port so we could strive and compete for higher level opportunities it’s incumbent on me to emphasize that leadership roles like mine are for those who work hard and include those who look like me too.  I think representation provides courage to employees letting them know they too can be leaders here and elsewhere Ten to fifteen years ago there may have been Black people and people of color that may have not thought they could be at the C-Suite level at our agency because of the make up of our leadership for the last 100 years It also serves as a great reminder to our agency that there are more than enough qualified people of color for these jobs.  which has been around since 1975 to promote inclusion I once served as the president of the Port of Seattle’s Chapter of BIG and I still attend their national networking events.  When I go to a national Blacks in Government conference and see Black people with various titles holding their doctorate degrees working GS13 jobs and who are open to opportunities around the country I know we have no excuse to not have Black representation at the top no one is asking anyone to lower their standards What we’re asking is to find more opportunities for those who are incredibly qualified and to think beyond our preconceptions of what it looks like to be qualified The way we did it in the past didn’t encourage enough young Black people to be part of our prestigious group which is the Port We have a responsibility to those we serve to remind anyone that has had doors shut in their face that they too can work here I’m thankful the Port allowed me to have discussions around the way we recruit our talent and I know the Port has done a lot to increase diverse representation at our agency.  People both in and outside of the Port have played a huge role in our support of diverse and Black business owners I would be remiss if I didn’t shoutout Director Mian Rice for the work he and his team have done in Diversity in Contracting to support more women and minorities get contracts at the Port I remember being at the airport when some of the first PortGen events were being launched to encourage businesses to bid on different contracts and provide them with the resources and connections to help them understand the projects so they were in better position to get a slice of the pie These events have really helped opportunities blossom through the Port I also give credit to the former Managing Director of Economic Development who was a champion for women and minority owned firms He helped the Port make certain investments in outreach around the region that weren’t immediately on our radar but have helped expand contracting opportunities He’s also the person that built the Port of Seattle’s Diversity in Contracting department!  There are also those outside the Port like Eddie Rye that came in from the community and worked hard to make it clear where we should be working harder to afford opportunities to businesses in the Black community while also educating us on the challenges they face community partnerships were formed over the years and we’ve been able to find more opportunities for women and Black-owned businesses.  I’m proud the Port has been proactive in casting a wide net by exposing underserved communities to the maritime industry. We have other investments like the South King County Fund, and the Youth Maritime Career Launch so young people can investigate pathways to living wage jobs in our industry We’ve had so many great launches over the years that have continued to make us a presence in the community and made us put our money where our mouth is How could we not work with the people that have a rich history in the central district and around the region that have been here since our city really started coming alive Seattle is a port city that has a rich and vibrant Black history and we’ve missed opportunities to make that relationship better Why look elsewhere when there are capable hands in our own community?  I remember speaking with a captain of a fishing vessel and I remember him saying But as a 17-year-old kid that could barely swim when I went to the Navy I rose to the rank of lieutenant commander navigating a 96,000-ton displacement aircraft carrier because someone led the way for me I’m thankful I wasn’t seen as someone that wasn’t “built” to do the work that I did We need to make sure we don’t do the same thing to Black and diverse business owners because they are very capable of doing our jobs well.  We’re a very diverse group that has a lot of different parts and pieces to it When I think about how small businesses owners and WMBE firms can be a part of the business we do there are multiple ways to get connected with us.  A unique opportunity we have to offer is that we have some capacity to help small businesses find a home There is office space at our Fishermen’s Terminal and at the Maritime Industrial Center for firms looking to find a place of settlement please don’t hesitate to connect with me if you see me I try to make it to PortGen events or at the very least have marine maintenance representatives there I always welcome an opportunity to exchange business cards and have a conversation I also have no problem being a connecting point for people too I do my best to lead by example. The Port’s values of respect, anti-racism and equity, integrity, stewardship, and excellence (RAISE) is something I base all my work on and use as a foundation And because I believe so much in these values I encourage my peers and team to adhere to them as well I need to demonstrate the same values our Port preaches to its employees and be the first to humble myself and be willing to get educated in the struggles of our contemporaries.  I had a friend by the name of Lindsay Pulsifer who was the general manager of marine maintenance at the time and would go on to be the managing director of the Maritime Division She and I connected a lot through our work She was on the forefront of supporting women in their maritime career pursuits and became a voice for those who didn’t feel they could openly express themselves due to their sexual orientation She is not only a Charles Blood Award recipient but was also recognized with the Pat Davis Women’s Outstanding Achievement award at the Port because of her exceptional contributions Her example and the example of others at the Port remind me to continue their legacies of inclusivity I’m extremely honored to be in the small group of recipients of the Charles Blood Champion of Diversity Award and I’m proud others within my department that are also recipients and several colleagues in my department have also been nominees for that award since its inception but my team is dedicated to building a culture of inclusion in the place we call the maintenance department For me I want to recommit to being a leader that continues to shed light on our community so we won’t be forgotten or shoved to the side I was proud of the work our country has done in recent history because it kept us honest and reminded us that there’s a struggle Black people are forced to fight on many fronts and many Black businesses and people will be displaced by certain policies or the lack thereof We still have a lot to do around equity and I want to do my best to lift people and our firms up to stay the course and continue the journey.  Read about the journey of a Black business owner who has contracted with the Port: Samuel Obunike, O’Bunco Engineering  by Omie Drawhorn by Kate Hudson See All Port of Seattle Blog Posts Women’s History Month Port Spotlight with Alltrus Clean Industry Erectors Inc. and Native American Heritage Month Salinas Construction and Hispanic Heritage Month Business Spotlight Celebrating O’Bunco Engineering for Black Business Month Congratulations to the 2023 Accelerator Program Graduates! Lights Inc and National Hispanic American Heritage Month Making Moves at 2023 Aviation Industry Day Lessons from Pacific Rim Environmental and the Port Accelerator Program Port Accelerator Cohort's Plans to Grow Summer Workshops Help Firms Get Certified 2025 Aviation Industry Day See All Related Content Email: [email protected]