Black Success Stories Of 2018, Stories You May Of Missed

 

At 27, Hanif Johnson Is The Youngest District Judge In Pennsylvania

Johnson won the seat in the general election for the Dauphin County Magisterial District in Pennsylvania on Election Day last year, becoming the youngest Magisterial District Judge in the state at 27 years old. The Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, native began his term in January and will preside over cases within the predominately black state capital. 

“When you sit back, and you see Donald Trump become president, and you hear about all of these things we are being affected by, it seems like everything happens through the court system,” Johnson told HuffPost, explaining why he decided to run for the seat. “Everybody always says, well, we complain about stuff, but we never get up and do anything. This is me getting up and doing something.”

Johnson is no stranger to the other side of the law. He has been to jail three times and ran through the streets as a teenager before he discovered his passion: track and field. “One day, I decided this ain’t the way I want to live my life, so I started running track. Track actually saved my life,” Johnson said, later becoming a state champion. Johnson currently coaches track and field at Harrisburg High School.

As a student at Penn State University, Johnson ran afoul of the law again, this time as a member of his fraternity, Omega Psi Phi. While he was president of the fraternity, he was charged in connection with hazing allegations. “I went to jail for two weeks, then I went to trial. Thank God I won,” Johnson recalled. “That was one of the happiest days; I just felt like my life was going to be taken from me.”

“It’s crazy because I know how it feels sitting across from that judge and that jury when you’re innocent,” he said. 

The young judge said people closed the door in his face while he was on the campaign trail. Residents were hesitant to cast their vote for someone so young. “They laughed at me in my face,” Johnson They said, ‘Boy, if you don’t get away from my house saying you want to be a judge. You are too young!’ But after the fourth or fifth conversation, I would ask them who they are voting for, and they would say me.”

“I guess I’m not a joke anymore,” he said.

You can read the full and complete story by clicking here.

 

Maryland Man Becomes Success Installing Weaves For Men.

Wade Menendez, known around the world as, “Wade the Barber,” is a master barber who has been in the barber field for over 13 years. With an impressive celebrity clientele, Wade is notoriously known for his impressive cuts that exemplify his distinct attention to detail to help his clients achieve their desired look. Wade received his license in 2004 from Avara’s Academy of Hair Design in Baltimore, MD. What started off as a hobby for him at age 12 grew to be his career that has landed him the opportunity to travel all over the world doing what he loves.

In March of 2011, Wade opened his first barbershop, “The W Hair Loft,” located in downtown Glen Burnie, MD. Through much hard work, dedication, and support from his clients, he was able to open a second location in the Washington, DC (Hyattsville) area in the summer of 2004. Both shops are successfully operating with a team of barbers who work closely together to bring the best male grooming services to those in DC, MD, and the surrounding areas.

Due to the many years he has spent perfecting his craft, Wade is able to produce unique styles as his skillset is second to none, guaranteeing total satisfaction every time. Wade’s commitment to be one of the best barbers is the driving force behind his dedication to growing his brand. As a certified Hair Loss Specialist, he is one of the first barbers to offer custom hair units for men—a service that allows men who are thinning or balding due to alopecia be able to regain their confidence by having hair.

Wade is also launching his own line of products, “Ultimate Essentials,” teaching classes and offering training to other barbers who are interested in growing their businesses, and he is the proud founder of The Wade H. Menendez Foundation which launched in 2017. Growing up with a solid Christian background, Wade inspires others by reminding others that they succeed at anything they put their minds to.

You can learn more about Wade by clicking here. 

 

 Mellody Hobson Will Become Starbucks Vice Chair After Howard Schultz Departure

Mellody Hobson, president of Chicago-based investment firm Ariel Investments, will be moving into a role as Starbucks’s vice chair following Executive Chairman Howard Schultz‘s departure on June 26. 

A Chicago native, Hobson worked her way up after joining Ariel as a college intern in the 1990s, going on to become the company’s vice president of marketing, then a senior vice president, and eventually president at the firm. Ariel’s holdings include MSG Networks, Northern Institutional Treasury Portfolio, First American Financial Corp., and Kennametal, among others.

A member of Starbucks’ board of directors since 2005, Hobson has also served on the boards of Estée Lauder, DreamWorks Animation, and Groupon.

Throughout her career, Hobson has made financial literacy and community outreach a priority. Currently, she serves as chair on the board of directors of The Economic Club of Chicago, as well as chair of After School Matters, a Chicago nonprofit that provides teens with out-of-school time programs.

You can read the full and complete story by clicking here. 

There are so many more stories out there that it's amazing and such a wonderful feeling to see our people making big moves. All of us can be successful if we put our minds to it no matter what. In the end we all have to start from somewhere.