David L. Robbins, the son of WWII veterans, went through boyhood with the feeling of otherness. This resulted in a profound sense of him wanting to do good by others. Growing up in the small town of Sandston, Virginia, David was tall and talkative but ethically and culturally different than his peers. He and his family were the only Jews in town. “My skin’s white, as white as theirs, but I was different,” he recalls. Read More . . .

Lance Lemon and Kristen Gardner Beal are Central Virginia natives who came together to create RichWine RVA, an online wine delivery service based in Richmond, Virginia. “I have a knack for turning ideas into concepts that later become a unique, fun, profitable business,” Kristen says. “I find joy in helping people turn entrepreneurial dreams into a sustainable reality.” Lance simply describes himself as an “actor who loves wine.” Read More . . .

Italian native Pietro Tomajer is the founder of The Limited Edition, an online platform aimed at promoting independent watchmaking. “My dream was to turn one of my passions into my main activity,” he says. “I was inspired to create The Limited Edition in 2015 in the UK.” With a focus on contemporary watchmakers and independent artisan brands, the platform serves over 1000 collectors from all over the world and gives watch collectors a look into the stories that are coming out of the world of unique watchmaking. Read More . . .

Bruce Nahin is a veteran in the film industry. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Bruce is involved with more than thirty films in all genres and platforms each year. He is an executive in charge of production and does business affairs in film and TV.  He is also an active member of the Producers Guild of America and SAG/AFTRA. “We are working on several films in pre-production. That means we are casting, setting up crew, and finding locations.” Read More . . .

Nic King has always seen himself as being an innovator and disruptor. During the 2020 summer of unrest, Nic King came up with an idea: create a cereal that would not only be a healthier option but would also have a positive impact on black and brown youth. After doing some research, he realized there were no black-owned cereal companies, so he created the Legacy Cereal Company, the first black-owned cereal company in the U.S. Read More . . .

Lobster Shrimp and Grits

“A beautiful blend of seafood, creamy grits, and fresh tomatoes in a fragrant cream sauce.” 

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The Black Violin Foundation, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was created by Kev Marcus and Wil B, instrumentalists of the hip-hop and classical music fusion duo Black Violin, to “empower youth by working with them in their communities to provide access to quality music programs that encourage creativity.” Read More . . .

Jay Jaxon was a trailblazing black fashion designer. He was born and raised in Queens, New York, and earned his degree from FIT, the Fashion Institute of Technology. He began his career in Paris in 1968. Jaxon studied under some of the most renowned creators in the industry: Jean-Louis Scherrer, Yves Saint Laurent, and Marc Bohan for Christian Dior. Read More . . . 

In the phenomenal blues song – “Baby What You Want Me To Do?” –  the great bluesman Jimmy Reed sings about how his lady has him doing whatever she needs him to. It’s classic blues, and there is a lot of truth in ” . . . you got me doin’ what you want me to do.” My Queen has me cooking and the practice has made me quite good at it, if I must say so myself. In fact, she talked me into my first celebrity cooking appearance just a few weeks ago. Read More . . .