Clarence Avant, lovingly known as “The Black Godfather,” was called home to rest on August 13, at the age of 92. One of Black music’s most extraordinary executives, Avant was renowned for his business acumen, industry expertise, philanthropist efforts and social justice advocacy.
Earl “Skip” Cooper, a longtime advocate for Black business and social justice, has launched the Earl “Skip” Cooper Foundation (ESCF) that will offer a range of resources to serve humanity. According to Cooper, ESCF aims to enhance the quality of life for people through business creation, spiritual enrichment and “pivotal advantages that lead to future success.”
The Right Rev. William H. Graves, the 42nd Bishop of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, passed away Nov. 30, in Tennessee, according to a Facebook post by his brother-in-law, Ken Bentley. Graves was well known to the Southern California community as an outstanding pastors of Phillips Temple CME Church in L.A. Under his leadership, Phillips Temple completed a total renovation and restoration of its worship facility and Graves earned a reputation as an unusual leader in stewardship motivation of local congregations. In addition, Graves was an acclaimed representative of Christian Methodism as a youth and he remained committed throughout his