tHE bENEFIT GALA SPEAKERS

Dr. Leon Wright Bey earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Health and Physical Education from Virginia State University (VSU) in 1975. He also received a Master’s Degree in Physical Education (Elementary Physical Education Concentration) from Indiana University in 1976 and a Doctoral Degree in Physical Education (Sports Administration Concentration) from Temple University in 1985.

He was a Physical Education Instructor and the Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Penn State-Behrend College from 1976-1978. During the next 40 years (1978-2018) he served VSU in various capacities. Within the Health, Physical Education, and Recreation (HPER) Department, he taught courses in the Sport Management Graduate Program and various classes on the undergraduate level.

Following his retirement in 2018, he earned “Professor Emeritus” status and in 2019, had a student-centered professional development room in Daniel Gymnasium (Bey’s Business Lounge) named in his honor.

In addition to his teaching roles, he also served as the: Dean of the School of Liberal Arts and Education; Chair of the HPER Department; Athletic Director; Sports Information Director; Head Women’s Basketball Coach; Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach; and in other capacities.

Last year, he was the first recipient of the “CITY OF PETERSBURG DONAMATRIX 2023 ICON AWARD.” Additional accolades that he has garnered include, but are not limited to the: Spencer and Ruth Timm Outstanding Faculty Award; the VAHPERD Presidential Award; and the Tri-Cities Association of Educational Office Professionals Educational Administrator of the Year Award.

Moreover, he: was inducted into the VSU Sports Hall of Fame as a Coach/Athletic Director; served as Vice President for the Northern Division of the CIAA; and received the CIAA “BIG JEFF” (Athletic Director of the Year-1987-88) Award. He was also the recipient of the CIAA Tournament Outstanding Coach (Women’s Basketball) Award in 1988 after his team won the CIAA Championship that year and of a similar award (CIAA Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year) after his team won the 1980 CIAA Women’s Basketball Championship. 

In 1981, he received the NAIA District 19 Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year Award after his team won the NAIA District 19 Championship. That year, his team was among eight squads that participated in the first NAIA National Women’s Basketball Tournament in Kansas City, Missouri. 

Dr. Bey is married to his VSU college sweetheart, Orissa. They have three children and three grandchildren.

Born and raised in Petersburg, Virginia, Samuel Parham is a dedicated public servant and business professional who has significantly contributed to his community. A 1993 graduate of Petersburg High School, Parham furthered his education at Richard Bland College, where he earned an Associate of Science degree in 1996. During his time there, he demonstrated his leadership abilities by founding the Multi-Cultural Alliance, co-founding the Rotaract Club, and participating in the College Players drama club.

Parham continued his academic journey at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, graduating in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management.

In the corporate world, Parham holds the position of Director of Business Operations at Colonial Cleaning Service, a family-owned enterprise that has been serving Petersburg since 1981.

Parham's political career began with his election to the Petersburg City Council in November 2014. His peers on the council recognized his leadership skills and elected him Vice Mayor in January 2015. Two years later, in January 2017, he was elected Mayor by the City Council, a position he continues to hold due to repeated re-elections by the council.

In addition to his mayoral duties, Parham has held numerous leadership roles in the community. Among them are the Governor of the Petersburg Breakfast and Lunch Rotary Clubs, the Colonial Heights Rotary Club, and the President of the Petersburg Breakfast Rotary Club. He is also a board member of the Alliance for Building Better Medicine, the Richard Bland College Foundation, the Virginia Gateway Region, the Battersea Foundation, and the VCU Alumni Association. He is the Vice Chair of the Crater Planning District Commission. In August 2023, Governor Glenn Youngkin appointed Mayor Parham to the Virginia Advisory Board on Service and Volunteerism.

Parham is married to Maytee Parham, Petersburg Clerk of Court, and has two children.

Lashrecse Aird grew up experiencing first-hand every harsh reality of income inequality, the

deprivation of living in impoverished communities, and the reverberating hardships of relocating

frequently. But, she also witnessed her mother and father working multiple jobs while pursuing

their education no matter how long it took, instilling in her the work ethic, perseverance and grit

that are evident in every facet of Lashrecse Aird’s life today.

Elected as the youngest woman ever elected to the Virginia House of Delegates, lessons

learned through the adversity of childhood informed Lashrecse Aird’s legislative career. During

her tenure in the House (2016-2022), Lashrecse Aird earned a reputation as a courageous and

indefatigable champion for social, racial, economic and environmental justice issues.

An effective coalition builder, Lashrecse Aird has been recognized by the Virginia Chamber of

Commerce, repeatedly, for her work to incentivize job creation in distressed communities. She

was named Legislator of the Year in 2021 by the Virginia Education Association in recognition of

her bold education legislation.

Lashrecse Aird helped Virginia make history with the passage of Breonna’s Law, prohibiting the

use of no-knock search warrants. Her legislation also led Virginia to become the first southern

state to declare racism a public health crisis, to declare access to water a human right, and to

impose a ban on the use of facial recognition technology. Lashrecse was also a staunch

advocate in securing the state’s first certification and reimbursement policy for doulas, to combat

maternal and infant mortality.

In January of 2024, Lashrecse Aird made her comeback to the Virginia Legislature after a long

fought battle and strenuous campaign, but returned this time as Senator Lashrecse Aird.

Lashrecse earned her undergraduate degree and was awarded an honorary Doctorate of

Humane Letters, from Virginia State University. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia’s

Sorensen Political Leadership Program, and a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University’s

Minority Political Leadership Institute.

A tireless and trusted community leader, Lashrecse Aird is actively engaged in numerous civic

boards and organizations. She is the Virginia State Social Action Coordinator for Delta Sigma

Theta Sorority, Inc. She serves on the boards for Chippenham Johnston-Willis Hospital, the

Sorensen Political Leadership Institute, Sports Backers, and the Virginia League of Planned

Parenthood. She is also a member of the Petersburg Lunch Rotary and the Responsible

Leaders Network for the BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt. She is the immediate past chair of

the Fourth Congressional District Committee for the Democratic Party of Virginia.

Lashrecse Aird has been recognized with numerous awards and honors; including being named

Woman of the Year by USA Today (2021), a recipient of the University of Virginia’s Emerging

Leader Award and the recipient of Virginia State University’s Presidential Medallion.

Professionally, Lashrecse serves as Executive Director of the Virginia State University &

Richard Bland College of William & Mary Joint School of Professional and Technical Studies.

Lashrecse resides in Petersburg with her husband Blaine Aird and her two young boys, Blaine and Blake.

Early Life

Rozia “J.R.” Henson Jr. is a resident born and raised in Woodbridge, Virginia. Born to a teenage mother, who raised him alongside his stepfather, Rozia became the second child for the couple. To provide a stable foundation for her children, his mother joined the United States Army. Rozia grew up with two sisters, but over the years, his family grew. He is an adopted brother to two younger Latino siblings, a foster brother to three foster brothers of different nationalities, and an uncle to two nephews and one niece. Rozia’s love for family is important to him, as he continually advocates and takes an active role in the lives of his adopted brothers, foster brothers, nephews, and niece.

A Virginia Story

Rozia is a product of Prince William and Spotsylvania County schools. In first grade, he struggled to learn how to read and was retained in the first grade and placed in the Individualized Education Program (IEP). However, he did not allow that to define him; determined, he graduated early from Massaponax High School. He attended and graduated from Virginia State University, receiving his bachelor’s degree in Political Science, and later attended and graduated from the University of Maryland University College to receive his Master of Business Administration degree. Today, he is a successful federal contractor and Program Manager for the Department of Homeland Security while maintaining his Small Business as a consultant.

Calling to Serve

While studying at Virginia State University, Rozia served as a Legislative Aid in 2014 to Senator Henry L. Marsh, the first elected African American mayor of Richmond, Virginia. Rozia was raised to serve by his parents, and he embodies service in every area of his life. It was not until after he served as a Legislative Aid, serving local and national activist groups, constituents, and leaders in the Commonwealth, he felt that he could do more for the people by serving where laws and legislations are established for the state of Virginia.

Rozia realized it is his duty and calling to be a voice to those who feel as if they are voiceless. To do the work of ensuring that the underrepresented, marginalized voices are heard and that they feel supported by their local leaders and community. Working alongside constituents to let them know that their vote matters.

At Virginia State, Rozia wrote and defended his unpublished graduation thesis on “Minority Voting During Off-Year Elections.” Highlighting some of the disparities people of color faced because of reduced media coverage and limited communications to constituents. His thesis paper was well received by his student colleagues and professors.

After graduating from Virginia State University in 2016, he returned to Woodbridge, VA, and became an involved and active member of the Prince William County Democratic Committee.

Answering the Call

In 2020, former Delegate Jennifer Carroll Foy stepped down to run for Governor, allowing Rozia the opportunity to run in the special election for the Virginia General Assembly. Rozia put forth his best effort to represent the former House of Delegates 2nd District seat, which represents parts of Prince William County (Woodbridge) and Stafford County.

Unfortunately, he was unsuccessful in the five-day special primary, but his heart for service did not waiver. Rozia won the hearts of the Woodbridge community, local and federal leaders, and the local Democratic Party, and he became even more active and dedicated towards serving the community.

I am Rasheedah A. Farid. 

 Petersburg H.S. - Coach, Athletic Director, Kidney Recipient

As an Athletic Director, one’s work and personal schedules must have structure and work together.  Personally, I have had to do more scheduling than the average Athletic Director.

Before becoming the Athletic Director at Petersburg High School, I was a physical education teacher and the Head Boys Basketball Coach.  During my tenure as the basketball coach, I was fortunate to have some great players in my program.  These players stood out on the court in their high school career, which allowed them to move on to college and beyond.  Some of the players include two NFL players (Kendall Langford and Quinton Spain), one NBA player (Frank Mason, III), and three playing professionally overseas (DuVaughn Maxwell, Chris Evans, and Cadarian Raines).

After nine years of coaching, I finished with a career coaching record of 189 wins and 58 loses (76% winning total).  Additionally, my teams had made it to the VHSL State Tournament 4 consecutive times.  

In (2008) my last 3 years of coaching, I was diagnosed with kidney disease, forcing me to start dialysis treatment. When you talk about scheduling, teaching, coaching, and having a family it was tough.  I had treatment days on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 12:30pm until 4:30 pm.  On those days, I would start my day teaching P.E. classes, and then I would head to treatment. Later, I would return to school for either team practice or a game.  Juggling the schedules of my various aspects of life required me to have some structure to make it all work.

In 2010, I applied to fill the position as Athletic Director at Petersburg High School because I wanted to serve all of the athletes at the school.  Even though it has been a rough road learning the different aspects of the job and my treatments were time consuming, I had found a balance between my family, my work, and my treatment.

In order to manage the structure in my life, I had to alter my dialysis treatment schedule.  I started going in on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday nights, checking in at 9:30 pm and staying until 5:00 am the next morning.  This was a challenge for my family as I would have to attend all of the home games for each sport, as well as, each of the football games.  

Being an Athletic Director at Petersburg High is a slightly different from being an Athletic Director at larger schools.  Because of our small size, I have a lot more on my plate as I do not have an assigned assistant like some schools.  Despite the many tasks that I have to tackle, I have vowed to help our community through athletics because we have a great group of hard-working, scholar student- athletes. 

Because Petersburg is often under a negative light, people on the outside do not get to experience the greatness that is Petersburg.  To help shine the positive light on our great student-athletes, past and present, I try to plan various activities throughout the year.  These activities include the Petersburg Athletic Hall of Fame, Athletic Leadership Council, Athletics Website, and a Basketball Invitational with nationally ranked teams. 

On May 29, 2018, my life changed for the better when I received a call that I was eligible for a kidney.  After a long road of nine years on dialysis, I was grateful to accept the much-needed kidney.  After the procedure, I no longer had to be hooked up to a machine for the better portion of my day; I had more free time for things that I had not had time for before.  I was extremely grateful for the American Kidney Fund for their generosity in providing the kidney.  Just like I have gone above and beyond for Petersburg, I felt that I had to do the same for the American Kidney Fund for changing my life.  

Not only was I going above and beyond for Petersburg, now I needed to do the same for the American Kidney Fund by starting a fundraiser.  I discovered a way to mesh together my two passions: basketball and fundraising.  After hours of hard work, I was able to host the Alumni All- Star Basketball game.  Once word was put out, forty-six players committed to playing.  This allowed us to showcase two alumni games.  In addition, we scheduled an All-Star game that featured college and professional players that I had either coached or my teams had played against.  This event was an unforgettable night for so many, and it was an enjoyable night for all who attended.

After the event, I was able to donate $4500 to the American Kidney Fund.  I was eager to give back and pay it forward to the next person in need of a life- saving kidney.  Because of the combined efforts of the community, the players, and me, the American Kidney Fund honored me with the National Award “Hero of Hope” award on October 7, 2020.

This is my life, and I am honored and privileged to serve so many who have different needs.       

Pastor Shawn Brooks is a native of Petersburg, Virginia. He graduated from Petersburg High School and entered the United States Marine Corps at 18 years old. While away he accepted the gift of salvation and heard the call to preach the gospel.

Pastor Brooks remembers sharing the news of accepting the call with family and friends. Particularly their reaction of thinking he had met up with religious fanatics because of the very intent and passionate way this very young man, from the tough neighborhood of “Bunker Hill”, spoke about Jesus Christ.
A retired Marine with over twenty years in service, Pastor Brooks began his military career as most service men and women do, in humble beginnings. At his first duty station, Camp Pendleton California, Pastor Brooks was a supply clerk. His migration to California would prove transformative for Pastor Brooks. Having served more than half his military career there; rising through the ranks to Gunnery Sergeant and on to a successful role as a field commander and recruiter, Pastor Brooks’ anointed journey as God’s servant began in Southern California when he had the opportunity to join a ministry that recently opened its doors.

Faithful and eager to serve, Pastor Brooks worked in many areas of the church for 16 years. This was a season of tremendous spiritual growth. He was ordained, licensed and served as the first assistant under the tutelage of Dr. Steve Cooper of Nu Way International Christian Ministries. Before leaving California, passionate about education, he received a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. In his last duty position on the west coast, he served as a United States Marine Corps recruiter and earned the distinguished honor of Recruiter of the Year.

Today, Pastor Brooks is recruiting for Christ. His experience in the Marines has placed a profound vision within him to provide both spiritual and natural resources to retiring veterans, those returning from war, and their families. “Many of our men and women spend years in service and their needs, upon entering into civilian life are great,” shared Pastor Brooks. “I purpose, through this ministry to offer a little hope and a lot of love through faith, programs that help them to transition and gain the strength they need to live the life God has purposed for us all. A life destined for greater works.”

Pastor Brooks is excited about the move of God in his new season as the senior pastor of Greater Works Christian Fellowship.

More than  anything his desire is to restore relationships and families. By faith and as an example, he lives to build, empower, strengthen, and teach God’s people to do Greater Works without limitations.