My passion for Our Legacies Foundation is personal as well as my desire to help other folks of African descent that may be experiencing the same pain of not knowing their family’s lineage. I truly believe that Legacy is about learning from the past, living in the present, and building for the future. As stewards of this world, each of us has a calling on our lives to leave it better than how we found it.
"Our Legacies must be fought for, protected and handed on to the next generation for them to do the same."
Chairperson
Treasurer
Race Relations & History Advisor
Our Emeritus Board members have provided outstanding service to Our Legacies Foundation, completing the terms for which they were appointed. They have held important leadership roles and have made significant contributions to Our Legacies Foundation. The Emeritus Board members continue to support the mission of Our Legacies Foundation in an advisory capacity and will be acknowledged as Founding Executive Board Members in Emeritus status.
Emeritus
Sr. Legal Advisor
Emeritus
Vice-Chairperson
Emeritus
Legal Secretary
Kim Smith is a Customer Service, Sales and Marketing expert with over 30 years of experience serving companies such as General Motors, IBM and Smart Care Solutions formally Ecolab. Kim is skilled at building relationships and securing new business while delivering excellent customer service. With her positive attitude and passion of delivering solutions to complex customer problems are some of her most memorable accomplishments. Over the years, she has demonstrated her effective management skills of leading by example and teamwork to drive successful business results. Throughout her journey there has always been change, ups and downs as she found opportunities to continue to learn and grow in other careers such as real estate sales, restaurant ownership, and apparel sales.
Helping people of African descent become intentional about documenting, digitizing and preserving their family stories.
Dr. Robyn Joppy
Dr. Robyn S. Joppy is a graduate of Drexel University, Syracuse University, Pennsylvania State University, and George Washington University. With over 20 years of combined experience in corporate and regulatory compliance, best-selling published author of “Integrity Matters. Be Your Word: Building a Sustainable Compliance & Integrity Program That Works” and a award-winning international speaker, she is an expert in her field. In addition, she worked as the vice president of corporate compliance and integrity at an international human services organization, served as an integrity consultant for faith-based organizations, trade associations and more. Dr. Robyn S. Joppy currently serves on the Executive Board of Directors at Our Legacies Foundation.
Mr. Tony Jackson is a graudate of Western Michigan University specilaizing in Accounting. As a Financial Services Professional, he has experienced great success including various state, regional, and national awards including Chairman’s Circle and President’s Club. He is a highly sought-after presenter, educator, trainer and author of Increase, Protect, and Dominate Your Money, a practical guide for money management and wealth planning. Over his 20+ year career, he is truly a client-focused advisor with a track record of success as an expert in financial Iteracy. He is also a licensed and ordained Minister and has over 20 years of ministry leadership experience. Mr. Tony Jackson currently serves on the Executive Board of Directors at Our Legacies Foundation.
Mr. Lafayette G. Jones
Mr. Lafayette G. Jones received his B.A. degree from Fisk University and went on to attend executive management programs at Dartmouth College’s Amos Tuck School of Business and Stanford University’s School of Business. Mr. Jones experience includes Senior Marketing and Sales Executive roles at Lever Brothers, Pillsbury Company, General Foods, Hunt-Wesson, Johnson Products/Publishing Companies and Segmented Marketing Services, Inc. (SMSi). Mr. Jones founded and served as executive director of the American Health and Beauty Aids Institute (AHBAI). He also founded Smith-Jones & Associates, an association management firm and publisher of the (SMSi) Urban Call magazine. Mr. Jones has authored articles for numerous publications including Sophisticate’s Black Hair Styles, OTC Beauty Magazine, ShopTalk magazine and the Beauty Industry Report. Mr. Jones currently serves on the Executive Board of Directors at Our Legacies Foundation.
Adelaide “Addi” Banks earned an undergraduate degree in Sociology at Northern Michigan University and master’s degree at North Carolina State University. She applied her knowledge in the field of Sociology by teaching at several colleges. Ms. Addi founded ASB Marketing LLC, creating training materials and teaching classes on Black American history. She also created Understanding Race Relations in America workshops and presentations. Her You Tube channels include ASB History, Every Homeland, and Let’s Talk Race Now. Ms. Addi authored Homeland, My Place Called Downhome, from an ADOS–American Descendants of Slavery perspective. She founded Read Seed, Inc. to give books to low-income children, understanding the significance of book ownership for early childhood education and academic achievement. Ms. Addi’s career involves a lifetime of community service. Ms. Addi currently serves as Race Relations and History Advisor on the Executive Board of Directors for Our Legacies Foundation.
Dr. Herbert (H. J.) Harris, a graduate of Columbia University in New York City, is a retired attorney who has written numerous books including: How To Make Money In Music, a highly popular guide book to the music industry, and The Twelve Universal Laws of Success a best-selling personal development book with over 800,000 copies in print, that has been translated into Chinese, French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Saudi Arabian, and Spanish. He is also CEO of the LifeSkill Institute, Inc., an international personal and leadership development corporation. He currently serves as the Senior Legal Advisor on the Executive Board of Directors at Our Legacies Foundation.
Apostle Ollie (OLIA) Alexander is an International Marketplace Expert, Marketing Consultant, Fashion Designer/ Manufacturer, TV/Radio Producer/Director , TV/Radio Host and Lifestyle Coach. Her Entrepreneurships include; Olia International Jewel, OLIA Investment Beyond Global and International Partnership Summits. She is the award recipient of the Mayoral Proclamation Ambassadorship, Keys/Pen to City of Columbia SC & Charlotte, NC, and the AKA Businesswoman. Apostle Ollie (OLIA) currently serves on the Executive Board of Directors at Our Legacies Foundation.
