Today's Leaders

SankofaLook to the Future

Greenville is a thriving city with a rich and diverse community. While it's essential to recognize the Black leaders throughout the City's history, it's also important to acknowledge the accomplished and inspiring Black leaders of today who are making a significant impact in various industries and fields. From healthcare professionals and therapists to business owners and entrepreneurs, they are paving the way to the future. 

Health

Mental Health in the Black Community

One in three Black adults with mental illness receives treatment. “Oftentimes these individuals are suffering in silence when there are actually evidence-based treatments to help,” says Dr. Asa Briggs, owner of Briggs Psychiatry. Most of the hesitation associated with mental health in the Black community deals will the stigma surrounding getting help. Speaking up about mental health in the Black community and educating yourself on the benefits of therapy can help remove that stigma. Learn more about how local mental health professionals are working to spread the word on mental health.

Resources

Arts

Nationally-Acclaimed Poet Calls Greenville Home

Meet Glenis Redmond, a renowned performance poet and teaching artist. Redmond is the founder of the Greenville Poetry Slam, the former poet-in-residence for the Peace Center and is the city of Greenville’s first Poet Laureate.

Glenis has been a Kennedy Center teaching artist for 17 years and has created and facilitated poetry workshops for school districts across the country. Since 2014, she has served as the mentor poet for the National Student Poets Program, the nation’s highest honor for students creating original work, and during that time, has prepared young poets to read at the Library of Congress, the U.S. Department of Education and the White House. In 2020, Glenis received the Governor’s Award for the Arts, the highest honor the state of South Carolina gives in the arts. 

Redmond has graced audiences with her words during events all around the city, including the city of Greenville’s inaugural Juneteenth celebration and the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Breakfast.