“I was so honored when the City of Rocky Mount, NC, the city where Dr. King first gave his ‘I Have A Dream’ speech nine months before he delivered it at the March on Washington, chose me to be the Keynote Speaker for the 30th anniversary of their MLK Unity Breakfast (which was held on Monday, January 15, 2018). I was truly humbled when I received a standing ovation for my presentation.”
Synthia received her first Honorary Doctorate Degree (Doctor of Humane Letters) from Saint Augustine’s College, Raleigh, NC on May 8, 2010; the Historical Black College, where her foundation, The Synthia SAINT JAMES Fine Arts Institution is being established. Synthia, is also the recipient of the 2008 Woman of the Year Award for the 26th Senate District, and she has garnered numerous other awards, including the a Parent’s Choice Silver Honor, a Coretta Scott King Honor, and an Oppenheim Gold Award all for her books.
Kwanzaa originated from the Swahili phrase Malinda ya Kwanza, which means first fruits of the harvest. The weeklong celebration, from December 26 through January 1, uses seven candles in a candelabra symbolizing the seven principles of Kwanzaa below…
“I’ve been told that I have a golden and magnetic aura, and love that description which I hope to always live up to. I think of myself as a 68 year old petite woman with the heart and energy of a child. I’m always open and love to embrace new ideas, and creative challenges.”
A native of Los Angeles, Alexandra Dillon received her B.A. in film from UCLA, then returned to her lifelong passion for making art. Her love of Old Master painting led her to study classical realism in Florence, Italy, then New Orleans, finally settling in Venice, CA. She has since appeared in group and solo shows in Los Angeles.
…Alexander Dillon told TribeLA Magazine that she took the burned brushed home, and at first, she didn’t know what to do with them. She played with them turning them back and forth … then she began to paint and stories evolved. With all of her brushes, “They show up and tell me who they are,” she says. Working on each piece over the course of several days, she finds the emotion and personality of her characters. The results are beautiful and engaging faces, often reminiscent of Roman-Egyptian mummy portraits or Baroque painting. “I’m influenced by the art of every era”, she says.
