The 2024 Black Achievers Awards Recognizes Local Leaders for their Remarkable Contributions to South Florida

During the October 29 Ceremony at The Parker, Four Outstanding Change-Makers and One Student will be Honored

The Black Achievers Awards, formerly known as the African-American Achievers Awards, has announced its 2024 honorees, each recognized for their impactful contributions to the South Florida community.

The Awards celebrate four community trailblazers who are making a positive impact and paving the way for a better future in four categories: Arts & Culture; Business & Entrepreneurism; Community Service; and Education. JM Family Enterprises, Southeast Toyota Distributors, and JM Lexus are honored to present the program for the 29th year. They will contribute $15,000 in each Achiever’s name to the South Florida charities of their choice.

In addition, an outstanding high school senior who has applied and received admission to Florida State University is named the Jerome Edmund Gray Youth Achiever, receiving a four-year, needs-based scholarship to FSU.

Since the program’s inception in 1992, more than 185 individuals have been recognized and over $750,000 has been donated to nonprofit organizations on the honorees’ behalf, in addition to more than 40 scholarships awarded.

The 2024 honorees are:

Arts & Culture:
Tanisha Cidel | Magnet Program Director, Norland Middle School (Broward County)
Tanisha Cidel is a trailblazing force in the South Florida arts community, dedicating her life to nurturing the next generation of innovative and inspirational artists. As the director of the magnet theater program at Norland Middle School, Cidel inspires countless talented middle schoolers to discover their own creative voices. Cidel’s commitment to the arts goes beyond the classroom. She co-founded the prestigious performing arts academy, Evolutionary Arts Life Foundation, and developed a diverse career in the entertainment industry. She contributed to the Oscar-winning film “Moonlight” and Peabody award-winning TV series “David Makes Man” on OWN and HBO Max. Through her work, she uses the power of arts to tell underrepresented stories, fostering understanding, empathy, and unity among the next generation.

Business & Entrepreneurism:
Ronald E. Frazier | Chairman & CEO, BAC Funding Corporation (Miami-Dade County)
Guided by the motto “perseverance, endurance, and achievements against the odds,” Ronald E. Frazier built a remarkable career as the second Black registered architect in Florida. He founded one of the largest Black architectural firms in the 1970s, becoming a symbol of success in a challenging environment. Frazier’s work integrates West African Adinkra and Kente Cloth symbols to tell African American stories through architecture across historic buildings in South Florida. Today, Frazier is preserving the heritage of Black communities facing gentrification. His leadership on community boards ensures Black businesses participate and benefit from public projects. As Chairman/CEO of BAC Funding Corporation, he’s proudly overseen more than $65 million in loans for Black-owned businesses, awarded $250,000 in grants to nonprofits, and helped create more than 5,000 jobs for Black citizens in Miami-Dade County.

Community Service:
Brother Lyle Muhammad | Executive Director, The Circle of Brotherhood (Broward County)
Brother Lyle Muhammad has been devoted to empowering underserved youth and adults for over 35 years. As an education and human development specialist, he has pioneered national initiatives aimed at transforming lives and communities. His impactful work has earned national recognition, particularly related to gun violence prevention when he was invited to attend President Biden’s address at the White House to launch the Office of Gun Violence Prevention. As Executive Director of The Circle of Brotherhood (COB), Brother Lyle is committed to empowering Black men to help solve community challenges, focusing on youth development, crime prevention, and economic sustainability. Between 2022 and 2024, he led the COB in securing $6 million for South Florida’s gun violence prevention ecosystem and supported the creation of the region’s first 30-person, full-time, community-based violence prevention team.

Education:
Dr. Rashondia Gaines | University Professor, Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine (Broward County)
Dr. Rashondia Gaines has built a distinguished career that bridges both dentistry and education. Her deep commitment to her HBCU roots began with a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from Hampton University, where fostering leadership and service became a cornerstone of her personal and professional ethos. In her role as Clinical Associate Professor at Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine, she serves as Director of the Predoctoral Clinic, Director of Faculty Practice, and as a mentor to predoctoral and college students. Through her involvement with Women of Tomorrow, she guides under-resourced teenage girls at McArthur High School and advises young entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities. Dr. Gaines participates in dental missions across Jamaica, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Guatemala, in addition to providing dental care to low-income communities in Florida.

The 2024 Youth Achiever:
Naftalienne Jerome | South Tech Academy
Salutatorian of her graduating class from South Tech Academy in Boynton Beach, Naftalienne Jerome has been named the 2024 Jerome Edmund Gray Youth Achiever. During her high school career, Jerome obtained eight medical certifications through South Tech’s Medical Sciences program while earning a 3.9 GPA. She was a proud member of the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa’s Xinos, and volunteered at elementary schools assisting students with disabilities and performing checkups for older adults at local churches. As the first generation in her family to attend college, Jerome is driven by her mission to address healthcare treatment disparities amongst minority groups. She is in her first year studying at Florida State University in Tallahassee, pursuing degrees in biological sciences and public health, with a focus on pre-medicine and aspirations to become an OBGYN.

The 2024 honorees were selected by an independent panel of community leaders, including former Achievers from Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. The selection committee reviewed more than 400 nominations following an extensive public outreach campaign.

The Black Achievers Awards ceremony will be held on Tuesday, October 29 at The Parker, with doors opening at 5:30 p.m.

RSVPs are now open. Visit www.blackachieversawards.com to register or learn more. Interact with us on Facebook and Instagram.

About JM Family Enterprises
JM Family Enterprises, Inc. was founded by automotive legend, Jim Moran in 1968. It is a privately held company with more than $20 billion in revenue and more than 5,000 associates. Rooted in automotive and united in its strong culture and core values, JM Family is in the business of helping other businesses succeed. As a long-term partner, it is invested in its companies, associates and its communities. Driven by exceptional performance, current subsidiaries are in the automotive, financial services, franchising and specialty distribution industries. Its family of companies includes: Southeast Toyota Distributors, JM&A Group, World Omni Financial Corp. (dba Southeast Toyota Finance), JM Lexus, Home Franchise Concepts^®, Futura Title & Escrow and Rollease Acmeda. Interact with JM Family on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.