Read the Stories of Our Local Icons Making History
It started small in 1970 at Kent State University in Ohio. Six years later, as part of our nation’s bicentennial, President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month which has become an annual, nationwide celebration.
This February, the People’s Station, Star 99.7, is honoring influential people in our community -leaders who have had a positive effect in the Lowcountry. Each weekday, all month long, we’ll introduce you to one of our ‘Star Icons.”
Star 99.7 proudly salutes the following local Black community icons:
Kim Alston-Craven
An Army Veteran, after serving our nation, Kim went to school and received her degree in photography. Her career started as a freelance photographer and today she is a mentor to others in our area and throughout the southeast. She also teaches basic photography at workshops in area schools and senior centers. Kim grew-up as the only African American photographer in Gordon Parks and believes teaching African American youth is the journey her art is taking her on. She believes photography is about storytelling and capturing memories that stir emotions. Ask Kim about the equipment she uses, and she’ll tell you – “her eyes.”
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Bertha’s Kitchen
Today’s Star Icon is Bertha’s Kitchen. Founded by the late Albertha Grant in the late 80’s at 2332 Meeting Street, North Charleston. Bertha’s kitchen was a soul food sensation and a 2017 James Beard Award winner. Like her restaurant, Albertha who was a staple in our community and her legacy continues through her daughters and granddaughters.
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Corisa Carter
The Founder and CEO of the Charleston Trucking Expo is today’s Star Icon. Corisa Carter is the Owner and Operator of CM Transportation, LLC and CM Consulting, LLC. She has over 24 years of experience in transportation and logistics, starting at Orient Overseas Container Lines where she learned the ins and outs of imports and exports. Eventually she worked up to become a terminal manager for six trucking companies, three of which she initiated. Then, in 2011, she established a logistics terminal, now servicing over 40 owner-operators pulling containerized freight from South Carolina ports. Her newest endeavor, the Charleston Trucking Expo, launched in September 2022. She’s a Charleston Motor Carriers Association member and a mentor for the Leading Ladies of Logistix. Corisa also established the Transportation Education Foundation, dedicated to providing education, resources, and opportunities within the transportation industry. Her vision is to empower those in the industry to move a step closer to achieving their goals and building generational wealth for their families.
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Mrs. Daisy Finley
Today’s Star Icon is hands-on fashion designer Mrs. Daisy Finley. After spending more than a decade as a hair stylist, Daisy’s passion for putting things together and inspiration from her aunts had her venture into the world of fashion. Her experience as a hands-on fashion designer transitioned to curating her own online boutique. Finley is a devoted wife of 25 years and a proud mother of three girls and six grandboys.
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Rep. Wendell Gillard
A Charleston native, Stra Icon Representative Gilliard has grown from humble beginnings to become one of the most prominent spokespersons for the voiceless in South Carolina. A 1973 graduate from Rivers High School, Wendell’s education journey includes studying at DeVry, Labor Organizing College at University of Tennessee, and the Political Science program of NLC University. Representative Gilliard spent 28 years as a Plant Operator at the Rhodia Chemical Company. For fifteen of those years, he was a top labor organizer for the United Steel Workers of America and served as the Union President of the local 863. In 1997, Gilliard was elected to Charleston City Council where he served for thirteen years, being voted best councilman by the Charleston city paper for a ground-breaking three consecutive years, 2006, 2007 and 2008. Rep. Gilliard was sworn into the South Carolina House in January 2008. Ever the visionary, Representative Gilliard believes that despite our current challenges, our state’s brightest days are ahead of us.
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Mayor Reggie Burgess
Star Icon Reginald “Reggie” Burgess is a native of North Charleston’s Union Heights & Liberty Hill Neighborhoods. Burgess was a star athlete in high school who moved on to become an All-American college football player at Morgan State. In 1989, he joined the North Charleston Police department. Since then, he’s broken barriers, becoming the City or North Charleston’s first African American Police Chef in 2018. In November 2023 he was elected as the first new Mayor of North Charleston in almost 30 years, and the First African American to hold that office. Most importantly, Mayor Reggie Burgess is loving husband and father.
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Councilmen Mike A. Brown & Michael Brown, Jr.
Star Icons North Charleston Councilmen Mike A. Brown of District 1 and Micheal Brown, Jr. of District 7 are father and son. Mike A. Brown is a gifted musician, Grammy nominee and successful businessman known for giving back to his community. His son, Michael Jr., is also a gifted musician. Together, they are the first father and son to serve as City Councilmen for North Charleston at the same time in the city’s history.
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Edmond Keaton Robinson, Jr.
Edmond Keaton Robinson Jr., AKA EJ, a native of Wadmalaw Island, SC, is the first Newberry College football player and only Division II player to play in the East West Shrine Game. He is also the first Division II player drafted in the 2015 NFL draft. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the 15th pick of the final round, the number 232 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. He was the first NCAA Division II player to be selected in that year’s draft, and first Newberry alumnus selected in the NFL Draft since 1974. Edmond is an American football linebacker who also played with the Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons and the Seattle Seahawks. Edmond also played with the Arlington Renegades and won the 2023 XFL Championship on May 13.
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Lisa Gonzalez Williams
Lisa Gonzalez Williams is a Navy veteran, born and raised in a Long Island suburb. She joined the US Navy out of high school, which sent her abroad and eventually brought her to South Carolina. Lisa forged a career in food and beverage management and became her own brand in bar management and club management. During this, she acquired industry knowledge and solid contacts within the music business. Now, Lisa is the proud owner of a veteran-owned business she developed from the ground up – the only one of its kind in the state of South Carolina! Diamond Law Entertainment, LLC is a company dedicated to helping independent artists gain the business skills and artist development needed to pursue a successful music career. Lisa is active in the community with events for violence prevention, feeding the homeless and mentoring teenaged children and newly-released convicts. She has over thirty years’ experience in the music business, which has earned her the monikers of “Music Business Mentor” and “Queen of the Carolinas.”
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Black Charleston Professionals
Today’s Star Icon is the Black Charleston Professionals, a501c3 organization dedicated to empowering black entrepreneurs in Charleston and throughout the Lowcountry. Black Charleton Professionals was founded by Elana Boyd Pea, President of the organization who is also the owner of Lanas Locs and Lanas Locs Organics. Her twin sister Miranda Grimmage is the organizations Membership Director. Derrick Pea is secretary of the Black Charleston Professionals and Dr. Thomas Taylor serves as their advisor. The mission of this non-profit is to provide visibility to black owned businesses and black professionals in the Charleston, SC and tri-county area through business education, networking, and community engagement.
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Howard Boyd
Star Icon Howard Boyd was born in Ridgeville and is a Goose Creek. A US Army veteran, he founded Howard’s Barber & Styling College, formerly known as Goose Creek Barber College, the first black-owned barber school in South Carolina, In 1986. Thousands of students have successfully completed the HBSC Master Hair care program under his guidance. Howard is also the founder of Howard’s Barber Shop and has maintained a 26 year contract with the disability board providing haircuts to special needs. For a dozen years he volunteered with the VA Stand Down Against Homelessness. Boyd also served 10 years as the President of Palmetto Barbers Association and under his leadership the PSBA created a safe space for professional barbers to network and provide continued education to thrive. Howard is the father of seven, and has been married for 46 years to his wife Ethel, who herself is the proud owner of Ethel’s Development Center. At age 83, Howard is recognized as a pioneer in the Goose Creek community.
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Dr. Kenosha Gleaton
Board Certified OB/GYN, Dr. Kenosha Gleaton, has passionately served the Carolinas for nearly two decades. Dr. Gleaton, founder of The Epicentre, values excellence and places top priority on her patients. She is passionate about group prenatal care, aka Centering Pregnancy, because of its ability to reduce maternal and infant mortality. This care model reduces preterm birth, the number one killer of American infants, by 40%! The success of this pregnancy model has prompted a strategic plan to offer group care for other difficult diagnoses including infertility, recurrent miscarriage, fibroids, PCOS and endometriosis. Dr. Gleaton is a member of the Charleston Medical Society, The American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology and is the immediate past president of the Charleston Medical, Dental and Pharmaceutical Association. For several years, she served on MUSC’s Committee of Diversity and Inclusion and was the Physician Champion for Roper St. Francis’ baby-friendly initiative. She also serves on the Roper St. Francis Foundation Board, engaging community supporters to fund the RSF mission to heal all people with compassion, faith and excellence. In 2020, she was named the medical director of Natalist, a company helping women achieve and navigate pregnancy. Most recently, The Epicentre has been named Best OB/GYN by Charleston City Paper in 2023.
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Dr. Douglas Gleaton
Dr. Douglas Gleaton is a native of Charleston and graduate of Burke High School. He continued his education by attending Florida A&M University and the College of Charleston, where he received his Bachelor of Science in Biology. Subsequently, he entered the Medical University of South Carolina and received his Doctorate of Medicine in 2007. He went on to complete one year of surgical training followed by three years of family medicine residency in Charlotte/Monroe, NC. After residency, he returned to Charleston and joined Roper St. Francis Physician Partners where he practiced family medicine from 2011-2018. To further the vision of making medicine easily understood, he opened the doors of Simple Medicine to provide more comprehensive customized care. He started a private practice, “Simple Medicine” in November 2018 in West Ashley Charleston, SC. Dr. Gleaton is an active member of World Overcomers Ministries, serving as a Pastoral Assistant.
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Demetria Adriane McNeil
Demetria Adriane McNeil, a native of Charleston, SC, began her dance career at the age of four, exploring various styles including ballet, African, hip hop, contemporary, lyrical and tap. From 6th grade until her junior year of college, she focused mostly on majorette band style dancing. At 19 years old, Demetria made a bold decision to transition from the marching band dance era and offer her own dance classes to the public. In 2016, she founded “Slay the Floor with Meechy,” teaching dance classes to diverse age groups, including kids, peers and older individuals. Her repertoire covered hip hop, contemporary, praise dance, majorette and her highly popular Heels dance classes. In 2020, Demetria rebranded the organization to “Move with Meechy,” expanding her services to coaching, modeling, acting, marketing and creative directing. She established the nonprofit the Poor Rich Kollective of the Poor Rich Studiozz to foster community cohesion by encouraging individuals to share their gifts, building stronger communities beyond the art sector. Demetria is recognized for her entrepreneurial spirit, ambition, compassion and versatility. She embraces her multifaceted creative nature and inspires others to break free from limitations.
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Mayor Chardale Murray
Dr. Chardale Murray is the Mayor of Hollywood, SC. She graduated from Baptist Hill High School 1994 and attended the University of South Carolina’s Social Work Master’s Program, after graduating from Talladega College in 1998. She received her honorary doctorate degree from Cannon Bible College. Chardale is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (Gamma Xi Omega Chapter) and Henrietta B. White Temple #1342. (I.B.P.O.E.W). She is also the owner of Murray’s Mortuary, which has been established for 18 years. She was the Manager of Harleston-Boags Funeral Home, Inc. for three years. In March 2000, she passed the state’s licensing test to become one of the
area’s youngest funeral directors. She is also the owner of several other businesses. Mayor Murray is invested in taking care of citizens in the rural Hollywood community area.
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Shermica “Meeky” Fabers
Shermica “Meeky” Fabers was born and raised in the Lowcountry. A graduate of Middleton high School and the Academy Hair School, Shermica is the owner and operator of Hair by Meeky and HBM Units, LLC. Twenty-seven years in the business has given Shermica the esteemed honor and pleasure to help Lowcountry women and beyond reclaim their beauty. This passion is fueled by her own struggle with alopecia since her adolescence. By the grace of God, she has been walking in her purpose; to give back to women dealing with hair loss due to alopecia and chemotherapy. Some of these services have been provided free of charge. For that she has been recognized with a prestigious Jefferson Award for multiplying good in her community. She has also been featured in several magazine publications, newspapers, and has appeared on television and been a guest on radio. In Shermica’s own words, “I’m grateful for the craft that God has blessed me with and I’m thankful for the doors He has opened for me to be able to touch so many lives.”
