Prestigious Honor Awarded at the Transformative 2-Day Black Student Leadership Summit at Alabama’s Oldest HBCU.
Dated October 21-22
SELMA, AL (October 2025) — Valerie Shaw, President of Royal Rainn Corporation, Dr. Dominica McBride, Founder & CEO of Chicago nonprofit BECOME and Dr. Dina Danielle Anderson were honored with Keys to the City of Selma.
We are honored to express our heartfelt gratitude to Mayor James Perkins Jr. for presenting the 'Key to the City' to Royal Rainn and BECOME, in recognition of our collaborative partnership with Selma University. This esteemed acknowledgment highlights our shared commitment to empowering emerging leaders and promoting healing within our communities.
Our recent summit, themed “Preparing Procreant Servant Leaders from Our Communities for Our Communities,” brought together high school students for transformative workshops, motivational sessions, and leadership seminars. Grounded in the Becoming Change Makers framework, the program equipped emerging leaders with tools for leadership excellence and purposeful community engagement.
The summit featured inspiring speakers whose expertise, stories, and mentorship left a lasting impression on students:
Dr. Dina Danielle Anderson, Founder, Sacred Place. Sacred Space; Catrena Norris Carter, Cofounder and CEO, SALUTE SELMA Inc; Marcia L. Dyson, Founder, Women's Global Institute Trade Bureau; Kendarius Floyd; Rev. Dr. Patrick Hatcherson, 23rd Street Baptist Church; Dr. Dominica McBride, CEO & Founder, BECOME; Ezekiel Pettway, Sr., Senior Pastor, Maggie Street Missionary Baptist Church; Alan M. Reese, CEO, F.D. Reese Foundation; Shanelle Walker, aka Madam Prezident & Social Commentator; The Honorable Vernetta Perkins Walker, District Judge in Dallas County, Alabama. Each perspective sparked dialogue and motivated participants to pursue leadership within their schools and communities.
We proudly recognize the individuals and organizations whose contributions made the summit possible:
Jori A. Lacy, CEO of Soar Couture and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, provided inspirational gifts and curated swag bags for student participants. Council members Lesia James, Adkin Jemison, Michael Johnson, Samuel Randolph, and Judge Collins Pettaway, offered generous financial support for student participation and logistics. Volunteers including Amina Brooks, Shirley Shaw Crum, Egan Daley, Malik Daley, Bailey Dawson, Jerrell Effinger, Tiffany Jones, Natasha Mitchell, Candice Pettaway, Collins Pettaway Jr., Jamarcus Saulsberry, Jailyn Whitt, and Chelsey Wilson exemplified excellence through their dedicated service.
President Dr. Stanford Angion and the Selma University staff for their leadership, hospitality, and partnership in bringing this vision to life. Outstanding citizens Synethia Pettaway and Elizabeth Rutledge for their continued advocacy and commitment to empowering youth and strengthening community engagement.
We sincerely thank Superintendent Dr. David Scott for his leadership in supporting student participation districtwide, as well as the principals and teachers who guided students throughout this experience—their dedication reflects true educational excellence and community partnership.
We are also deeply honored to have received the official endorsement of the Black Student Leadership Summit (BSLS) from The Honorable Jesse White, 37th Secretary of State of Illinois (1999–2023) and Chairman of The Jesse White Foundation, whose support reinforces the importance of nurturing servant leadership among the next generation.
Royal Rainn expresses sincere gratitude to our sponsors—Walmart Supercenter #700, Girls Set Go, Christelle Lilliane Success Academy, and Dr. Gale Frazier—and to our exhibitors, speakers, volunteers, and private donors. Your time, resources, and generosity made a meaningful experience possible for all participants.
Together, we are building a legacy of leadership and opportunity for future generations.
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Photo Shown, pictured (left): Dr. Dina Anderson, Valerie Shaw, Mayor James Perkins, Jr., and Dr. Dominica McBride