Wednesday's awards luncheon honors the pioneer African-American business leader Madam C.J. Walker (1867-1919) and celebrates local African-American women who stand out in their professions. The event is at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday at the San Francisco Marriott Hotel.

Madam C.J. Walker was the first female black entrepreneur in the United States, historians say. After suffering from a scalp ailment that caused her to lose her hair, she invented a scalp conditioning formula that made her a millionaire. Walker moved to New York in 1916 and became involved in anti-lynching legislation, according to the Madam C.J. Walker Web site.

New Jersey Secretary of State Regena L. Thomas will be keynote speaker, and San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris will be mistress of ceremonies at Wednesday's event.

A'Lelia Perry Bundles, Madam C.J. Walker's great-great-granddaughter, said she hopes other women look to Walker for inspiration.

"There's nothing like working for yourself," said Bundles. "(Walker) is an inspirational figure. I'm really delighted that her legacy is kept alive."

Vaneese Johnson of Oakland, owner and president of On the Move Staffing Services, will receive the Entrepreneur Award for her work in business development and her volunteer work in the African-American community.

"I feel very honored to receive this award as a small business woman," said Johnson, who lives Oakland.

Dr. Lisha Wilson of Oakland, medical director of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation-Magic Johnson Clinic in Oakland and San Francisco, will receive the Advocacy Award for her work in community forums and educating underserved men and women of color about health care.

"It's nice to know that people appreciate our work," Wilson said. Sometimes people often don't get appreciated, so this gives me an extra boost in my work."

Barbara Rodgers, a co-anchor at KPIX-TV (Channel 5), will receive the Pioneer Award for her work as co-founder of the Bay Area Black Journalist Association and her community service.

Mrytle S. Potter, Genetech executive vice president of commercial operations, will receive the Business Award. In 2003, Potter made Fortune Magazine's list of the Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Business.

For the past five years, the Oakland-Bay Area Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women has sponsored such programs as Positive Steps.

Sponsors of the awards ceremony include Nordstrom, ANG Newspapers, Genetech, Wells Fargo Bank, Hewlett Packard and KGO-TV, among other companies.

"I hope Madam C.J. Walker continues to inspire other women in key leadership roles in the Bay Area," said Bundles.

For more information or to buy tickets, contact CDA Consulting Group at (510) 653-4085 or cdagroup@aol.com.

The Oakland Tribune: Cityside
Leanne McLaughlin, Managing Editor
(510) 208-6447
(510) 208-6477 Fax
lmclaughlin@angnewspapers.com Email