HAMPTON, Va. — Local nonprofit Black BRAND is celebrating its 10 year anniversary by honoring three Black women with ties to Hampton Roads who broke barriers in their trailblazing careers.
The following women are the recipients of the nonprofit's inaugural Hidden Figures Honors:
- Charvalla West, the first female and first Black CEO in the more than 80-year history of United Way of the Virginia Peninsula
- Tiffany Richardson-Harrell, the first African-American female racecar driver at Langley Speedway in Hampton
- Mayor Jessie M. Rattley, the first African-American female mayor to serve a four-year term in Virginia history and the first woman to lead the City of Newport News
The name of the honor pays homage to Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson — the Black female mathematicians at NASA's Langley Research Center whose contributions helped launch the first Americans into space. Their story is highlighted in the book "Hidden Figures," which was later adapted into an Oscar-nominated film.
Black BRAND says the honors highlight how West, Richardson-Harrell and Rattley — much like the women behind Hidden Figures — have made groundbreaking contributions right here in Hampton Roads.
“For ten years, Black BRAND has championed the builders and innovators of our Black economy,” said Blair Durham, CEO and Co-Founder of Black BRAND. “As we celebrate this milestone in the city that inspired ‘Hidden Figures,’ we honor the women whose courage, brilliance, and leadership continue to shape Virginia’s story.”
The Hidden Figures Honors will be presented during Black Diamond Weekend’s 10th Anniversary Celebration, which runs from Nov. 13- 15.
For more information on Black BRAND and the upcoming honors, click here.
