And the OSCAR goes to…

March 29, 2026 — Leave a comment

The 98th annual Academy Awards ceremony was held on March 15, 2026 at the Dolby Theatre in sunny Hollywood, California hosted by Conan O’Brien. The Oscars is a glorious star-studded event filled with the hottest stars in film and cinema. Despite ongoing audiences waiting for the announcement to predict best film or best actor, most love to watch this highly anticiapted night for the fashion.

This was a night of “firsts” for many, including film director, Ryan Coogler, who took home his first Oscar win for Best Original Screenplay – for his box office hit, “Sinners” along with the movie also accepting 3 others, 4 in total, being nominated for a record breaking 16! Making the film, the most nominated film in cinematic history. Amazing!

Not too far behind was another fan-favorite movie, “One Battle After Another,” which was nominated for 13. This was also director, Paul Thomas Anderson’s first Oscar win as Best Director, also winning Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture.

Another first time nominee and winner which made history around the world especially during Women’s History month was, Autumn Durald Arkapaw who was the first black woman to win the academy award for Best Cinematogaphry. Other first time female winners include actress, Jessie Buckley for best actress in the film “Hamnet,” Amy Madigan for “Weapons” and Cassandra Kulukundis for best casting for “One Battle After Another.”

And the most edge of your seat award of the night WIN FOR BEST ACTOR goes to…first time nominee and winner adding to the list of six African American male actors to have won in this category, Michael B. Jordan for his role in “Sinners.” Others include, Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Jamie Foxx, Forest Whitaker, and Will Smith.

Let’s take a gander to Michael B. Jordan’s acceptance speech:

Congratulations to all the nominees and winners:

Best picture

WINNER: One Battle After Another

Bugonia
Frankenstein
F1
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Train Dreams

Best actress

WINNER: Jessie Buckley – Hamnet
Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Kate Hudson – Song Sung Blue
Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value
Emma Stone – Bugonia

Best actor

WINNER: Michael B Jordan – Sinners
Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme
Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another
Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon
Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent

Best supporting actress

WINNER: Amy Madigan – Weapons
Elle Fanning – Sentimental Value
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value
Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners
Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another

Best supporting actor

WINNER: Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
Benicio del Toro – One Battle After Another
Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein
Delroy Lindo – Sinners
Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value

Best director

WINNER: Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
Ryan Coogler – Sinners
Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme
Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value
Chloé Zhao – Hamnet

Best animated feature

WINNER: KPop Demon Hunters
Arco
Elio
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
Zootopia 2

Best international feature

WINNER: Sentimental Value
It Was Just an Accident
Sirât
The Secret Agent
The Voice of Hind Rajab

Best documentary feature

WINNER: Mr Nobody Against Putin
Come See Me in the Good Light
Cutting Through the Rocks
The Alabama Solution
The Perfect Neighbor

Best original screenplay

WINNER: Sinners – Ryan Coogler
Blue Moon – Robert Kaplow
It Was Just an Accident – Jafar Panahi
Marty Supreme – Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie
Sentimental Value – Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier

Best adapted screenplay

WINNER: One Battle After Another – Paul Thomas Anderson
Bugonia – Will Tracy
Frankenstein – Guillermo del Toro
Hamnet – Chloé Zhao and Maggie O’Farrell
Train Dreams – Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar

Best original song

WINNER: Golden – KPop Demon Hunters (by EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo and Teddy Park)
Dear Me – Diane Warren: Relentless
I Lied to You – Sinners
Sweet Dreams of Joy – Viva Verdi!
Train Dreams – Train Dreams

Best original score

WINNER: Sinners – Ludwig Goransson
Bugonia – Jerskin Fendrix
Frankenstein – Alexandre Desplat
Hamnet – Max Richter
One Battle After Another – Jonny Greenwood

Best cinematography

WINNER: Sinners – Autumn Durald Arkapaw
Frankenstein – Dan Laustsen
Marty Supreme – Darius Khondji
One Battle After Another – Michael Bauman
Train Dreams – Adolpho Veloso

Best film editing

WINNER: One Battle After Another – Andy Jurgensen
F1 – Stephen Mirrione
Marty Supreme – Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie
Sentimental Value – Olivier Bugge Coutté
Sinners – Michael P Shawver

Best sound

WINNER: F1 – Gareth John, Al Nelson, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Gary A Rizzo and Juan Peralta
Frankenstein – Greg Chapman, Nathan Robitaille, Nelson Ferreira, Christian Cooke and Brad Zoern
One Battle After Another – José Antonio García, Christopher Scarabosio and Tony Villaflor
Sinners – Chris Welcker, Benjamin A Burtt, Felipe Pacheco, Brandon Proctor and Steve Boeddeker
Sirât – Amanda Villavieja, Laia Casanovas and Yasmina Praderas

Best visual effects

WINNER: Avatar: Fire and Ash – Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett
F1 – Ryan Tudhope, Nicolas Chevallier, Robert Harrington and Keith Dawson
Jurassic World Rebirth – David Vickery, Stephen Aplin, Charmaine Chan and Neil Corbould
Sinners – Michael Ralla, Espen Nordahl, Guido Wolter and Donnie Dean
The Lost Bus – Charlie Noble, David Zaretti, Russell Bowen and Brandon K McLaughlin

Best production design

WINNER: Frankenstein – Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau
Hamnet – Fiona Crombie and Alice Felton
Marty Supreme – Jack Fisk and Adam Willis
One Battle After Another – Florencia Martin and Anthony Carlino
Sinners – Hannah Beachler and Monique Champagne

Best casting

WINNER: One Battle After Another – Cassandra Kulukundis
Hamnet – Nina Gold
Marty Supreme – Jennifer Venditti
Sinners – Francine Maisler
The Secret Agent – Gabriel Domingues

Best make-up and hairstyling

WINNER: Frankenstein – Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel and Cliona Furey
Kokuho – Kyoko Toyokawa, Naomi Hibino and Tadashi Nishimatsu
Sinners – Ken Diaz, Mike Fontaine and Shunika Terry
The Smashing Machine – Kazu Hiro, Glen Griffin and Bjoern Rehbein
The Ugly Stepsister – Thomas Foldberg and Anne Cathrine Sauerberg

Best costume design

WINNER: Frankenstein – Kate Hawley
Avatar: Fire and Ash – Deborah L Scott
Hamnet – Malgosia Turzanska
Marty Supreme – Miyako Bellizz
Sinners – Ruth E Carter

Best animated short

WINNER: The Girl Who Cried Pearls
Butterfly
Forevergreen
Retirement Plan
The Three Sisters

Best live action short

WINNER (TIED): The Singers
WINNER (TIED): Two People Exchanging Saliva
A Friend of Dorothy
Butcher’s Stain
Jane Austen’s Period Drama

Best documentary short

WINNER: All the Empty Rooms
Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud
Children No More: Were and Are Gone
The Devil Is Busy
Perfectly a Strangeness

*Enjoy a gallery of the some the best looks of the night:

Teyana Taylor
Chase Infiniti
Arden Cho
Amy Madigan
Anne Hathaway
Nick Jonas
Ryan and Zinzi Coogler
Zoe Saldana
Nicole Kidman
Marsai Martin
Demi Moore
Delroy Lindo
Regina Hall
Leonardo DiCaprio
Zendaya
Kathy Bates
Wunmi Mosaku
Autumn Durald Arkapaw
Ava DuVernay
Jessie Buckley

Breaking Barriers: Greater Cleveland Association of Black Journalists makes HISTORY with First-Ever Hall of Fame Induction

March 19, 2025 — Leave a comment

The Greater Cleveland Association of Black Journalists hosted it’s first-ever Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony last month on Feb 22, 2025 located at the Cleveland History Center. VIP guests in attendance gathered for such a historical and momumentous night of recognizable talent for their achievements in print, radio, broadcast, digital, media and storytelling.

The inauguaral red carpet celebration marked an exciting turning point for Cleveland, Ohio. Actor, playwright and former politician, Peter Lawson Jones was the MC for the night. And, accompanying him as the presenter to each prestigious recipient was the President of The Greater Cleveland Association, Rhonda Crowder. “This has been a long time in the making, but unfortunately was put off due to the everlasting effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Being that the upcoming event with the National Association of Black of Journalists (NABJ) is hosting their 50th Anniversary right here in Cleveland this year, it was no better time than the present than to implement this new idea,” says Crowder.

Left- Nakia Key, Rhonda Crowder, President of Greater Cleveland Association of Black Journalists (middle), Right-Brian Wherry

In addition, the chapter also recognized those emerging leaders in the entertainment and media industry making an impact over the last year. Congratulations to all the honorees. It was a remarkable night. You just had to be there!

Hall of Fame Recipients include:

*Print Category

Constance D. Harper- Call & Post

Dick Peery – The Plain Dealer

*Radio Category

Lynn Toliver- 93FM WZAK

Mansfield Frazier- Newsradio WTAM 1100AM

James “Jimmy” Malone- Newsradio WTAM 1100 AM

*Broadcast Category

Ernest “Pete” Cary- FOX 8/WJW

Leon Bibb – News 5 CLEVELAND WEWS & WKYC STUDIO 3 NEWS

*Photojournalist/Visual Category

Herb G. Thomas – FOX 8/ WJW

Richard “Zoom” Scott- FOX 8/WJW

*Digital Category

Nate Paige- Cleveland.com

*MEDIA/PR Category

Dargan J. Burns- Karamu House/Burns Public Relations Services

Alexandria Johnson Boone- GAP Communications

Montessori Life Pre-school: Your Child’s Journey Begins Here

July 25, 2024 — Leave a comment

Ever wanted to put your child in a school that promotes one-on-one attention, is hands on and fast learning? Well look no further than Montessori Life Pre-school located in Macedonia, Ohio. It is surrounded by a beautiful pond, garden and play area allowing children a chance to further develop their skill knowledge all while having fun. Getting a fresh jumpstart!

Lydia Stephens is the Owner and Director of Montessori Life Preschool. The school is deeply rooted in values of the Montessori philosophy and believes that it lends itself to the way that God intended for children to learn. Although, it does not encourage or force children to adopt the Christian faith. It is known for it’s diverse lifestyle, independence and teaching children responsibility . Stephens, currently a mother of four, wanted her children to receive the best education, but knew that Montessori school systems were known for being expensive. Coming from a prior military lifestyle as her husband expanded his career, Stephens had been in conversation with other military wives at that time whose children were also enrolled in a Montessori school teaching, she too decided to give it a try.

Stephens eldest daughter attended her first preschool which was a Montessori school growing up, making her appear “more confident and independent in nature,” says Stephens. This sparked the idea of wanting more of this for her other children. It was at that moment Stephens knew that Montessori was the right choice!

Montessori Life Preschool’s mission is based soley on values of diversity, creativity, and individuality. Focusing on child development and adaptation to an environment that teaches different ages from 2-5 years old at the same time. Depending on which learning program style package is chosen, children in attendance can learn as a joint venture or independently.

Listen here as Stephens details the culture, background and what made her interested in becoming CEO of her own school since 2020.

She is also active in the classroom along with her helpful staff of employees who work extra hard throughout the week. “It was an act of faith and trusting in where God was truly leading me,” says Stephens.

So, is your son or daughter ready for pre-school? Why not start here at Montessori Life? Just click the link www.thatmontessorilife.org to schedule a visit and find out how to enroll today.

Tours are available virtually or by appointment. While you’re at it, tell them Nakia Key sent you!

Kerry Washington Visits Tabernacle to Discuss: Thicker than Water

October 23, 2023 — Leave a comment

Kerry Washington is best known as an award winning actor, director, producer and tv star, in her iconic role as Olivia Pope on her hit show, Scandal. Now, Washington is facing some hard truths of her own, as she was hit with a bombshell in 2018. As her book opens, Washington receives a startling text from her mom as she is on her way home. The text reads: “We need to talk.” She then starts to detail the many disturbing scenarios in her mind as to why her mom is insisting on talking, but the “we” insinuating at her father being included in the conversation as well. For Washington, she writes how that is unsual behavior from her mom, and knew something serious must be going on.

It was on that day that a deep dark secret is revealed to Washington that her father whom she has known to have raised her all of her life, is not her biological father. That significant detail is just a synopsis to other subjects pertaining to the unraveling stories of Washington’s life in her New York Times #1 best seller, Memoir: Thicker than Water.

Like most celebrities in the public eye, it takes alot of strength to have your most public lives on display in front of the world. But, for Washington, this has been something up until now that she has been so discreet and great at staying low-key about. However, in this new book, she goes all out discussing her trauma, addictions, abortion and so much more.

It was a pleasure to do a spotlight on Washington’s accolades, and to see her blossom into the impactful woman she is today. She is currently on a 8-city worldwide tour to promote her new book, and I had the opportunity to be in the room as I listened to Tyler Perry moderate the event at Tabernacle in Atlanta, Georgia.

There were several gems to takeaway. One of the main ones that stood out to me was, whatever you do in your career to become successful, and stay successful is to “find your people,” Washington says. She acknowleged to the audience that Tyler Perry fills the gap when she speaks of finding your people. That is a significant factor in today’s society… when the world can be faced with so many challenges. But, with the right people by your side, the sky is the limit.

Meet Fox 8 News Co-Anchor Wayne Dawson: The Seeds of Greatness are Within You

July 8, 2023 — Leave a comment

Wayne Dawson just made his 16th stop on his incredible book tour: “The Seeds of Greatness are Within You” at the Fairview Park Public Library Branch. Dawson is the lead co-anchor on Cleveland’s #1 morning show, Fox 8 News in the Morning on WJW-TV seen weekdays from 4am-10am. Suprised on the set by his morning crew and family, Dawson celebrated 43 years at Fox 8 which is detailed in his memoir!

Dawson hosted a book signing and Q&A with his publicist Deante Young. Joined by special guest appearance, co-anchor of Fox 8 News in the Morning, Todd Meany. The public were able to meet and greet the host, take photos and enjoy themselves with getting an up close and personal view of the newcaster outside of work.

In his earlier life, Dawson graduated from Kent State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism. He went on to win so many awards including 11 Emmy awards and is a member of the Broadcasters Hall of Fame. Other awards include the Chuck Heaton Award for the Cleveland Press Club which was presented in 2014 and his induction into the NATAS Silver Circle. In additon, Dawson was named “Outstanding Young Men of America.” And also was selcted as “Outstanding TV News Reporter” and “Man of the Year.” Dawson is a member of the NAACP, the National Association of Black Journalists and the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.

Dawson is pastor to Grace Tabernacle Baptist Church and the co-founder of the Dawson Foundation alongside his brother, Judge William Dawson in special memory to honor their late mother, Annie L. Dawson.

Other Links: 43 year celebration Fox 8 https://www.dawsonfoundation.org/

It’s a Celebration: Cavs and City of Cleveland Join Forces for the Ribbon Cutting of their 13th Renovation in NorthEast Ohio

June 8, 2023 — Leave a comment

On Wednesday May 10th, 2023, the Cleveland Cavaliers foundation in collaboration with the City of Cleveland joined forces to create another milestone. Both organizations led the red-ribbon cutting and unveiling of the newly renovated Gunning Park Resource and Recreation Center. This is the 13th refurbished resource center that the Cleveland Cavaliers in partnership with the City of Cleveland have renovated since 2018.

The event brought together the community, families and our youth as an opportunity to give back to the neighborhood and have a fun space to visit just in time for the summer months ahead.

Cleveland Cavaliers in-court host and emcee Ahmaad Crump led the opening festivites as he spoke to the community with an important message about how significant this celebratory experience is to our youth. In addition, there was music from Cleveland’s own DJ Steph Floss, performances by 216 Stix, the Scream Team and PowerHouse. Followed by opening remarks from Cavs Ceo Nic Barlage, a Cavs Legend Campy Russell, City Council President Blaine Griffin, Ward 16 Councilman Brian Kazy, Ward 17 Councilman Charles Slife, Director of Public Works Frank Williams, Commissioner of Parks and Recreation Sam Gissentaner and Gunning Center Manager Carlitos Torres.

See full coverge here:

To continue to show appreciation to the city and our youth, the Cleveland Cavaliers and City of Cleveland also held fun-filled events after the unveiling. There was a basketball clinic led by Cavs Academy coaches with neighborhood youth and a kickboxing class.

Watching the commuinty leaders and youth enjoy themselves was fun to watch.

A local voluteer at the Gunning Park Resource and Recreation Center, Donnell Stephenson stated, “I enjoy working and keeping these young kids off the street. This gym is a way to keep these kids focused and it gives them an extracurricular activity to look forward to.”

The refurbished multi-purpose gynasium features two full-sized basketball courts, a full-sized volleyball court and pickleball courts. Visit: https://www.clevelandohio.gov/node/166758 to see more.

Thank you Cleveland Cavs for this wonderful opportunity, was great to be a part of it.

More photos here: