U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Steward Speakers Inc. in conjunction with Olivet Missionary Baptist Church., will host a National African American History Celebration featuring Rickey Smiley, an American stand-up comedian, television host, actor, author, and radio personality. This annual, youth-oriented, community outreach event will be held on Thursday, February 27, 2019, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Olivet Missionary Baptist Church, 4141 North High School Road, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46254. This program will also include special guest: Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, Robert Janson, Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Office of Facilities and Asset Management, Office of Enterprise Services, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Darlene Sedwick, Acting Director of Diversity and EEO, Privacy and Diversity Office, Office of the Commissioner U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Smiley joined forces with Radio One owned television network, TV One as the star, executive producer and namesake of his own top rated docuseries, “Rickey Smiley For Real.” In its fifth season now, the amusing series features the balancing act of a working radio host, comedian, business Mogul, and philanthropist with the joys and pains of being a single father of four. Smiley hails from Birmingham, Alabama and graduated from Woodlawn High School. Smiley attended Tuskegee University for a brief period of time and eventually, received a bachelor’s degree in English in 1992 from Alabama State University. In his off-stage life, Smiley is dedicated to his children and empowering and enriching the communities in which he serves daily. This performer has a heart of gold reflected in his burning commitment and ongoing desire to champion various causes through The Rickey Smiley Foundation.
“At CBP we recognize our responsibility to serve the community that we are in. It is through these partnerships and community programs, that we influence and impact the youth of our future by exposing them to notable role models,” said Darlene M. Sedwick, Acting Director, Diversity and EEO Division, CBP Privacy and Diversity Office. “For 29 years, we have partnered with Steward Speakers Inc., and 13 years with the Olivet Missionary Baptist Church with a primary goal of uplifting, enlightening and empowering our youth. This year, we will continue on that path.”
The CBP Privacy and Diversity Office provides EEO, diversity and inclusion, and civil rights/civil liberties services to almost 60,000 CBP employees and to the hundreds of millions of travelers and members of the trade and traveling community that CBP interacts with in the performance of our homeland security mission.
