Penny Dickerson is an independent journalist with a passion for cool people, extraordinary places, and good sushi.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from Temple University (Philadelphia, PA) and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing from Lesley University (Cambridge, MA).
Passionate about words and writing, Penny has augmented her freelance writing life by working as an adjunct English professor at Florida State College at Jacksonville where she taught English composition and Humanities courses including Writing for Non-Fiction, Introduction to Literature & Film and Literature.
Media contributions include: Orlando Arts Magazine, Jacksonville Arts & Business Magazine (ARBUS), EBONY.com, New America Media, Equal Voice, Miami Times,Mosaic Literary Magazine, Onyx Magazine, The News-Leader, Florida Times-Union, Florida Courier, Philadelphia Stories, Daytona Times, Tallahassee Women’s Magazine and others.
Journalism fellowships awarded include the New America Media Four Freedoms Fund Fellowship (2013); Henry Frank Guggenheim Fellowship (2015); Marguerite Casey Equal Voice Fellowship (2015); Journalists in Aging Fellows Program (2016) Measures for Justice/John Jay College Continue Reading »
Florida Courier writer Penny Dickerson, a cancer survivor, reflects on her personal challenges and blessings during this year’s holiday season.
BY PENNY DICKERSON The Florida Courier
Cancer and Christmas share a confounding irony for me this year.
On Dec. 1, I was admitted to Shands Hospital in Jacksonville for a CT-guided kidney biopsy. One month prior, a definitely solid renal mass was found resting leisurely on the outer pole of my right kidney.
The remainder of the month, I’ve endured holiday grandeur, including “Jingle Bells” carols; and pine and spruce trees lit with bright, multicolored bulbs and layered with elaborately wrapped presents topped by ornate bows.
It’s the season to be jolly – if you don’t have to deal with a health woe like cancer.
Instead of cheerfully speaking catch phrases like “joy,” “peace,” and “hope,” my seasonal vocabulary sounds like it’s taken from pages of the “Physicians’ Desk Reference:” “peripherally inserted catheters,” “renal cell carcinoma,” “cryoablation,” and “cancer surveillance.”
ONYX Magazine celebrates the accomplishments and contributions of African-Americans and those of the African diaspora.
Andrew Gillum is a winner. He proved his leadership savvy prior to launching a remarkable campaign to become the state of Florida’s next governor and the first democrat in two decades. In a razor-thin race towards victory, Gillum fell less than 80,000 votes short and ultimately conceded defeat by his opponent. But his winning spirit, his tenacity and grassroots approach, altered the political landscape of the southern peninsula and ignited an inspirational movement to both “Bring it Home” and turn Florida blue.
Gillum was a winner when he garnered votes to win mayor of Tallahassee in the state’s capital and before that, an eager pioneer who became the youngest person in history elected to the Tallahassee City Commission. Public service is a life Gillum knows well. It’s an existence he’s remained dedicated to for 15-years and one that ultimately designated him the architect of his destined, gubernatorial triumph.
Every funk band has a front man. It’s an old-school law obeyed by Maurice White, whose vocals reigned supreme as Earth, Wind and Fire’s fourth element, and Sugarfoot, who kept the Ohio Players roller-coastin’. Frankie Beverly is every bit as iconic—a raw soul master.
He’s the sing-and-sweat powerhouse who personified all-white sexy before Diddy anointed the Hamptons. He’s the stylin’ lady magnet who catapulted the baseball cap as much as the hip-hop movement. And he’s amazing—world-renowned and still selling out world venues with the Maze sextet right behind him.
An inside glimpse reveals a man whose conversation feels familiar without flirtation, save for an occasional “honey” or “sweetie” to segue thoughts. But Frankie Beverly is California cool, a tempered spirit; just an ordinary guy from Philadelphia who turned a “doo-wop” dream into a mind-blowing career.
Beverly’s Beginnings
Born Howard Beverly, the future Frankie Beverly harbored so much love for heartthrob Frankie Lymon that he jacked his name. “I was Frankie Lymon crazy when he came on the scene,” he admits. “People would call me ‘Little Frankie.’ I used to sing Frankie Lymon songs on street corners and people use to throw me money.”
The labyrinth to stardom is a story told over and over, and shared by many in Beverly’s era. In Frankie’s case, church singing transitioned to a teen group called The Butlers, which musically morphed into Frankie Beverly’s Raw Soul. The big break came when the one and only Marvin Gaye made the band his opening act with a single stipulation: change the name. That nudge originated the moniker that stuck: Maze.
Now Beverly is 67, and the Maze’s “raw soul” identity is more frequently marketed as urban contemporary soul. Their loyal fan base is trained to expect timeless music, as Frankie leads “Joy and Pain” and “The Morning After” jam sessions. Both tunes are legendary for making grown women (and some men) straight scream.
Gratitude, God, but no Grammy
Gratitude and humility seem to precede any and all Frankie Beverly motives, and no one is more surprised by his career than the man who made “Happy Feelings” an anthem long before Bobby McFerrin or Pharrell Williams whistled hits.
“I am most amazed by the success of our longevity,” says Beverly. “I never, ever, ever thought it would be like this. I’m laid back, and I know music is a gift given to me to initiate, and I take that serious. I thank God I have people around me I can trust, they’ve been with me for 30 to 40 years. It’s a real blessing.”
Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, ‘Joy and Pain’
Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, ‘Joy and Pain’
Despite an amassed catalogue of classics, the Maze featuring Frankie Beverly Grammy Award remains elusive, but it’s an industry snub Beverly takes in stride. “The love the people give us is most amazing,” he offers. “I don’t care about no Grammys. It’s about the reward, not the award. I walk around on my knees I’m so thankful.”
Sam Cooke—Still His Main Man
Does Frankie Beverly meditate? Yes. Does he work out to stay in shape? Negative. He claims no special fitness regime and cites the stage as his ultimate workout. Beverly also hasn’t eaten red meat in 35 years—occasionally chicken, and fish “for protein.”
A high-octane schedule defines Beverly’s existence, so what (if anything) does he listen to for slowing down his internal metronome?
“I don’t really play a lot of music, believe it or not. And when I do, I prefer jazz,” said Beverly, who reiterated a preference for the standards. “I like smooth jazz too, but Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, those guys really still do it for me. At this time in my life, jazz does it. I tell you who I really like is Chris Botti. His music is very nice. But I still like listening to Sam Cooke.”
The late Cooke remains Beverly’s lifelong inspiration. “We were at Philly’s Uptown Theatre trying to get his autograph. [I] said, ‘Mr. Cooke, Mr. Cooke, can you sign mine?’ He said, ‘Have you guys ever been backstage? Well, come on!’ ” The story is credited for Beverly’s own generosity. “I don’t turn people down. I always think of Sam Cooke and how kind and patient he was. He didn’t have to do that for us.”
Beverly on Beyoncé
Frankie Beverly has a simple message for today’s musicians: get back to basics.
“You have to still go back. It’s hard for today’s industry. Studios can’t get business; people are using machines. No matter how much money is at stake, people still want the ‘real deal.’ I want today’s music acts to return to the real deal. No mixing, no machines.”
Black women nationwide owe Beverly a bevy of thanks for time-honored respect. But for the music industry’s hardest working and wealthiest woman, he offers a profitable prediction: “I think Beyoncé is ready to take her next step, and I tell you what I mean by that. She can really sing, but I would like to see her show her skills. I mean, she’s a mom and a wife now. So I’d love to hear her record Christmas carols or perform live with an orchestra… just sing.”
New Music from Maze
A wisdom grin and goatee with gray sprouts are a welcome presence for Beverly, who resides in California’s Bay Area and is “grandpa swaggadocious” to three precocious grand fans he insists “use and abuse him.” Mention retirement and he balks.
“I hope not,” he says. “Something would have to be wrong [with me]. I just want to keep on doing this until I can’t do it anymore.” And he doesn’t plan to stop. But will the eternal performer’s career be complemented by new music?
“I’ve been thinking about it, but ya know, we are a working act,” he says. “It’s not like I can tour and come home. I can’t make great music that way. Back when it was the Kool Jazz and Budweiser Festivals, we could work three months and then take time off to go into the studio. But we aren’t going to piecemeal making music.”
Beverly vows the new music will still be love music—life music— and that he and Maze aren’t going to stray from what they’ve been doing.
“I’m tickled about a new piece on the album titled ‘The Jam of My Life’,” Beverly shared with a sinister snicker. “You meet someone, but you’re already with someone. I know about that all too well, and athletes and these young musicians—or the average person who just has a lot to do—they know these situations all well too.”
We Are One
Maze featuring Frankie Beverly has unified the masses with a legion of hits, but the single closest to Beverly’s heart is 1983’s “We Are One.” No explanation is needed. Still, he offers this: “It’s true. If you are lucky enough to travel around the world, you’ll find we’re all the same and want the same thing: love! People for the most part are good. If not, we would have torn the world apart by now. I’ve learned to not be racist in my life. Our White brothers are our brothers too, and I’m not trying to be some kind of love guru or anything. We are the same.”
Penny Dickerson is a Florida-based journalist whose work can be viewed at pennydickersonwrites.com.
Bishop Vaughn McLaughlin of The Potter’s House International Ministries in Jacksonville continues to serve parishioners and patrons through the church’s thriving mall and academy.
BY PENNY DICKERSON
SPECIAL TO THE COURIER
Bishop Vaughn McLaughlin keeps it real. He is the founder and senior pastor of The Potter’s House International Ministries and approaches evangelism with a Bible-based, down-to-earth approach.
A people-person who welcomes smart phones in the pulpit to capture baptismal moments, he is an ad-hoc comic with a servant’s heart. Moreover, he is an agent of change focused on economic empowerment – a multimillion-dollar community epicenter is his testament. Continue Reading »
Nine Florida students part of this year’s Disney Dreamers Academy with Steve Harvey and Essence
BY PENNY DICKERSON FLORIDA COURIER
Nine Florida teens were among 100 high school students selected to participate in the ninth annual Disney Dreamers Academy with Steve Harvey and Essence magazine. Selected from an applicant pool of thousands, the blessed nine participated in a four-day, all-expense paid, hands-on educational and mentoring opportunity held March 3-6 at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista.
Students from Florida and around the country gain specific information about their areas of interest at a Deep Dive class during the Disney Dreamers Academy.
(PHOTOS BY GREGG NEWTON)
Representing four separate quadrants of the state were Tyrah Rumph (Orlando); Maurice Morrison (Ocala); Steshawna Thomas (Middleburg); Alex Gregory (Port Charlotte); and Victoria Tinney (Zephyrhills). From the Miami area: Kirby Gilmore, Justin Gonzalez, K’deja Correa and Valeria Hansen.
Harvey on dreams
The student’s dreams and collegiate goals were as diverse as their ethnicities, which contributed to the Class of 2016 comprising one of the academy’s most diverse groups. Continue Reading »
Orlando Arts Magazine is United Arts’ bi-monthly magazine and is produced in partnership with Visit Orlando.
The magazine covers Central Florida arts and cultural happenings, featuring a cultural calendar primarily highlighting events
in our four-county region. The magazine currently enjoys a pass-on rate of 75,000 with 54 distribution partnerships.
Judson Allen died of a heart attack earlier this year ( May 2018). May he rest in peace.
Judson Todd Allen is a winner who loves to lose.
He has won a battle with weight, losing more than 135 pounds. He auditioned for the “Next Food Network Star’’ four times before joining the 2012 cast. He again, lost but recalibrated
Now he’s the personal chef to comedian/entertainer/radio/television personality/author Steve Harvey. How Allen landed the gig is the kind of stuff dreams are made of.
“I heard on the radio Steve Harvey was looking for a chef in Chicago,” said Allen. “I was in Tennessee when my business manager called and told me to fly home. I prepared my classic pecan encrusted Chilean sea bass served atop roasted garlic, sautéed spinach infused with lemon and herbs.” Harvey finished the meal and told Allen, “I’ll see you on Monday!”
Launched hot sauce
A background in food science helps the Chicago native mirror Harvey’s varied weight loss and muscle mass goals and says his boss is very well rounded in both diet and nutrition. Continue Reading »
Contact: pennydickersonwrites@gmail.com
Passionate about words and writing, Penny has augmented her freelance writing life by working as an adjunct English professor at Florida State College at Jacksonville where she taught English composition and Humanities courses including Writing for Non-Fiction, Introduction to Literature & Film and Literature.
Andrew Gillum is a winner. He proved his leadership savvy prior to launching a remarkable campaign to become the state of Florida’s next governor and the first democrat in two decades. In a razor-thin race towards victory, Gillum fell less than 80,000 votes short and ultimately conceded defeat by his opponent. But his winning spirit, his tenacity and grassroots approach, altered the political landscape of the southern peninsula and ignited an inspirational movement to both “Bring it Home” and turn Florida blue.
