A night of honor

AAIM Awards celebrate Blacks in local media

By St. Clair Murraine
Outlook Staff Writer

Ten individuals who work in local media were recognized Monday night as African American in Media Award recipients. All of them use traditional and other platforms to get information to their audiences. 

They included an editor of a daily newspaper, a monthly magazine owner, a television news anchor, a public relations specialist, a television station manager, three talk show hosts and a production technician. 

It was the second year that the event was presented by Live Communications, which includes Hallelujah 95.3 and the Capital Outlook.  

Early in the program at the Old West Enrichment Center, Taralisha Sanders, general manager of Live Communications, described the honorees as being “some of the most dynamic, humble individuals you will ever come across.” 

She added: “Regardless of their areas, these honorees have one thing in common; they love their jobs and they do their best to serve the community. Tonight we honor the innovation and leadership that they have displayed throughout their careers.”

Before the night was over, the audience heard a snippet of a love story, the tragedy that one recipient had to overcome and witnessed how being honored could become emotional.

Ava Van Valen, evening news anchor at ABC 27, could not hold back her emotions as she shed tears near the end of her acceptance speech.

Judge Nina Richardson went deep in her presentation of Dr. Michelle Mitcham, publisher of the Tallahassee Woman magazine. She told of the tragedy and challenges that Mitcham had to overcome from her father’s death in an auto accident to losing a sibling to gun violence.

But clearly, pastor Judy Mandrell and her husband, Gerald, who presented her, stole the show.

He roused up the crowd when the said, “When I saw her tonight, my heart just began to sink. You all have to understand I celebrate her every day.”

Following his presentation, she came to the stage and said ‘After an introduction like that, I just about told you all good night.” 

The crowd burst into laughter. 

There was a moment when Sanders and the audience were surprised, too. Darius “Doc D” Baker, program director at 95.3, presented her the Byron Allen Trailblazer Award. The surprise was completed with a bouquet of roses that was presented by Ronterious Green, a Gadsden County Commissioner.

Dionne Williams and Adrian Morris performed musical tributes.

The AAIM Awards is the brainchild of Rev. RB Holmes. Baker and Sanders brought the idea to fruition in 2020 for the first event before the pandemic forced cancelation of last year’s event. 

It is now an event that the community can look forward to annually, Baker said.

“If it doesn’t serves as nothing but a conglomerate of media professionals, both young and old, who blazed the trail for others, then we’ve done our job,” Baker said.

QUOTABLES

Byron Dobson (Tallahassee Democrat community editor): “I’m especially honored to be awarded the award in the name of Roosevelt Wilson, someone I’ve always considered a giant in this community. A giant in journalism, a great entrepreneur, a great opinion writer and someone who is just well-admired in the community.”

Ava Van Valen (ABC 27 evening news anchor): “It’s truly my honor to be in the unique position to be able to tell the stories of our community, giving life to our positivity, humanity and the love that is the backbone of Tallahassee.”

Dr. Michelle A. Mitcham (Owner Tallahassee Women magazine): “I am honored. I am humbled. It is only because of God that I am here… Thank you from the bottom of my heart and I am honored.”

Jeff Walker (Owner JQUAD Media production company): “Being in the community; we see each other and we take each other for granted. But it’s my absolute pleasure to be a part of this community. ”

Judy Mandrell (Host Real Talk with Judy): “One of the things that God has gifted me with is to serve people and I do it from my heart. … My motto is; ‘If I can help somebody as I pass along. If I can cheer somebody with a word or song, if I could show somebody as they travel the road, then my living should not be in vain. That’s what I live for.’ ”

Kaylin Mikaiya Jean-Louis (Host Inspiring Moments with Kaylin Jean-Louis): “I just thank God for putting me in this position to speak to other people; to lead and to be able to just help those in my community. I live by I don’t want to be famous; I just want to make a difference.”

Pam Saulsby (Public Information Specialist for the DOH  Leon County): “I’m still in disbelief because I didn’t see this coming. I was completely blindsided. When I received the email from Mr. Baker that I was the recipient of this award, I was in the throes of another stressful day at work. Just knee-deep in writing, answering media inquiries, media releases and calls from concerned citizens. It went on and on and on.”

Nicole Everett (Host Conversation with Nicole): “I am honored to be honored by my community in this way. You all blessed me. I love talking to you. I love hearing your stories. I am of the mindset that we all have gifts and talent. I am of the mindset that we have gifts and we need not sit on those but share them with the world. Conversation with Nicole is a platform for folks to do that.”

Melvin Beal (General Manager at WVUP-TV): “I am honored to be connected with this award and this man (Robert Abbott). It is huge.”