Celebrating Black
History Month With Our Communities.

Tamara Wimberly

Propane Clerk

Florida Public Utilities Company
5 Years of Service

What does Black History Month mean to you?
Black History month is very important to my family and me because it allows us to take the time to celebrate the achievements of many African Americans and those of African descent worldwide. Each year my family and I do our best to learn about someone new; it reinforces a sense of pride with the many accomplishments that we’ve made as a collective group and continue to make each and every day.

What Black leader or influencer has inspired you?
The great American poet Maya Angelou has inspired me the most. As a child, I took a liking to books, but when I got a hold of her book “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” I fell in love. The strength and depth of the characters were amazing, which helped her to overcome trauma and racism. My 5th-grade teacher Ms. Jackson gifted the book to me, and I’m forever grateful. Throughout the years, her poems, books and posed continued to inspire the person I am today.

Michelle Napier

Manager, Regulatory Affairs

Florida Public Utilities Company
33 Years of Service

What does Black History Month mean to you?
Black History Month is a time to Reflect and not forget those who have pioneered and championed the cause for our basic civil rights as citizens of this country. It allows us to Celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of Blacks to this country in the form of civil rights, politics, science, sports and the arts to name a few. This month gives us the opportunity to Educate everyone, especially our black youth, on their ancestors, heritage and culture since these people and facts are not taught in the public school systems.

What Black leader or influencer has inspired you?
The person who has inspired me is not a Black leader anyone would know, but she has been very instrumental in leading and developing me as a person. She instilled in me the importance of faith, integrity, morals, work ethic and understanding the sacrifice of others that allows me to have the freedoms I now enjoy, including her. This person is my Mom!

Teirra Williams

Customer Service Rep II

Sharp Energy
3 Years of Service

What does Black History Month mean to you?
Black History Month to me is a celebration of what African Americans have overcome, endured and achieved. However, being a mother has made this so much more significant in my life. While I have the lifelong responsibility of making sure my son has the tools needed to thrive and be successful, Black History Month is a time of reflection in which he can see the manifestation of dreams and what happens when individuals are determined and have unstoppable courage no matter the odds.

Jason Bennett

AVP Operation Services

Chesapeake Utilities Corporation
0.25 Years of Service

What does Black History Month mean to you?
Acknowledging the struggles and recognizing the accomplishments of black people in America and the world, famous and obscure.

What Black leader or influencer has inspired you?
Martin Luther King and Prince Hall.

Lula Lynn-Aladuge

Senior Operations Analyst

Chesapeake Utilities Corporation
5 Years of Service

What does Black History Month mean to you?
Black History month to me is love, respect, education and empowerment. Black History month serves as an avenue to highlight the great voices, minds, spirits, struggles, strength and ingenuity of the black community, past, present and future.

Vivian Gyening

Marketing Analyst

Chesapeake Utilities
4 Years of Service

What does Black History Month mean to you?
To me Black History Month is a time of rejoicing, celebrating, and reflecting back to the heritage of African in the whole, how far African-Americans have come and see what the people before us has thought us and fought for us. Finally Black History isn’t just about all the bad times but also where America is now, It’s all about integrity, leadership, togetherness and determination.
Is a life lesson that we now have to educate our children and is about showing our true character, knowing all about the roots and is time for us to hold on to unity and peace.

What Black leader of influencer has inspired you?
Nelson Mandela

Arnell Willis

Process & Training Manager

Florida Public Utilities
25 Years of Service

What does Black History Month mean to you?
It is a time to reflect on the contributions that Black people have made to our country.

What Black leader of influencer has inspired you?
Harriet Tubman – she escaped slavery and led hundreds of enslaved people to freedom using the Underground Railroad. She wanted everyone to be free and have a better life despite the danger that was in every journey. She was selfless, brave, and strong-willed.

Melissa Stamper

HR Experience Coordinator

Chesapeake Utilities Corporation
7 Years of Service

What does Black History Month mean to you?
Black History month to me means taking a moment to reflect on our heritage. Some may say we don’t need a designated month to do that and we don’t. However, Black History month serves as a time of reflection, acknowledgement and recognition our ancestors accomplishments. From the struggles to the sacrifices to the achievements to the ground breaking inventions, it matters! It all matters! It’s a time to be thankful for those who came before us, reflect on the shoulders of whom we stand on and the reminder of why we are proud to be. Black History month to me is a reminder of my why!

What Black leader of influencer has inspired you?
There are many who have been an influence in my life. From my single mother, who raised three children on her own, to the women who continue to make their mark as the minority in areas such as politics, medicine as well as education. I am surrounded by women who are fearfully and wonderfully made, no nonsense nurturers whom impact lives daily. If I had to choose just one it would be Congresswoman Maxine Waters. Congresswoman Waters life is a testament that no matter how many times they tell you no, you can’t, you’re not supposed to, it pushes you to say I can, I will, I must. She continues to be a tenacious and influential representative of the people. It’s not about proving others wrong it’s about the affirmation within yourself that you can.

Michele Piper-Afriyie

Pipeline Transmission Analyst

Eastern Shore Gas
10 Years of Service

What does Black History Month mean to you?
Black History Month is important to me because it celebrates the history of so many Black Trailblazers and we all collectively get the opportunity to appreciate the accomplishments of black people that many may not have learned in school or been exposed to. Black History Month celebrates our tenacity, our resilience, our triumphs and our struggles. We are all connected and all share the similar problems and know that we can all work together to find solutions. Covid-19 has particularly highlighted that! Black History Month celebrates our will to push through adversity and our continued effort to do better, be better and be united.

What Black leader of influencer has inspired you?
We recently lost the iconic Cicely Tyson. Ms. Tyson was a Black Trailblazer. Over her lifetime, she received many accolades including a Tony Award for her portrayal as a sharecropper’s wife in “Sounder”, two Emmy’s for her portrayal as Miss Jane Pitman and she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama in 2016. She was discerning over the roles she played and her commitment to her craft was unparalleled. Not only did she do all this, Ms. Tyson also showed so many black girls and women how beautiful our own naturalness is, our skin and our hair and that we as black people can wear our hair the way we choose without the need to conform to any other standards of beauty. She made us realize our beauty inside and outside. Ms. Tyson was born on December 19, 1924 and passed away on January 28, 2021. She was 96 and will be greatly missed.

Debbie Smith

Community Engagement Manager

Chesapeake Utilities Corporation
9 Years of Service

What does Black History Month mean to you?
Black History Month to me is about celebrating the rich heritage and culture of Blacks & African Americans and the achievements and contributions that they have made to our country and our world. I am always inspired and in awe at our rich culture and history. As I think about all the contributions that have been made to our society, my mind can’t help but ponder to the Black & African Diaspora that entails all the sacrifices, challenges and struggles that my ancestors overcame and how they were able to push forward and contribute to society in meaningful ways. To pay homage to them, I will always strive to be the best person that I can be so that I can leave this world a better place than I inherited it.

What Black leader of influencer has inspired you?
The Black leader that inspired me the most was my maternal grandmother. She was the matriarch of our family and always preached that faith, family and education were the keys to living a successful life. These three values motivate me each day to be a better person.