Meet the Board: The faces behind The Black Lens

Black Lens staff report

Rick Williams

Rick is a former philanthropy CEO and experienced C-level executive and social impact board member. He successfully founded a national consulting company, and led multiple multi-million-dollar enterprises, culminating in serving as the CEO of a philanthropic enterprise with over $600 million in assets and annually charitable giving of $40+ million. He has spent 30+ years providing leadership, strategic governance, financial guidance, and professional development to leverage public policy, program development and innovation to meet community needs. He is known for his experience building and scaling programs, developing senior leaders, and community targeted operational planning and innovation. Rick previously served as the Deputy Director of a public Sector Mental Health Department and as an executive in several nonprofit organizations. He is currently the Vice Chair of the Community Foundation of San Luis Obispo County. Rick graduated from Cheney High School. He holds a master’s and bachelor’s degree in clinical psychology from Antioch University and Washington State University. He resides on the Central Coast of California with his wife of 38 years, Barb. He has a daughter in Pittsburgh and a son in Silicon Valley.

Luc Jasmin

Luc Jasmin is a business owner, a community organizer, and serves as the Eastern Washington Representative for the Office of Governor Jay Inslee. Luc’s career encompasses diverse roles across construction, business consultation, accounting, education, and childcare services, each driven by a shared vision of fostering long-term prosperity and equitable opportunities for all. His advocacy extends beyond business realms, as evidenced by his pivotal roles in Northeast Youth and Family Services and the Washington Child care Centers Association/Foundation, where he endeavors to eliminate barriers to pediatric services, promote community partnerships, and advocate for childcare accessibility and quality.

Alethea Sharea Dumas

Alethea (she, her, they) is the Director of Community Engagement at a nonprofit law firm, The Way to Justice. She is passionate about Equity, antiracism, restorative justice, and healing work. Alethea was born and raised in Spokane, graduating from Lewis and Clark High School in 2012, and from WSU in 2016 with a double bachelor degree in Women’s studies, and Critical culture, gender, race studies, and triple minor degrees in human development, popular culture, and sociology. She is obsessed with sunflowers, loves music, and enjoys singing. She also serves on the board for Spectrum Center Spokane.

Robert J. Lloyd

Robert Lloyd worked for CORE and SCLC in Chicago from 1962-1967 as an office manager, organizing tenant unions, and doing documentary photography as part of the Chicago Freedom Movement. In 1967 he worked at Menlo-Atherton High School and Stanford University. In 1974 he completed an MFA in Design and Photography at California Institute of the Arts. He founded, directed, and curated The Grand Photography Gallery at Eastern Washington University and The Lloyd Gallery at 123 Arts. From 1996-2000 he founded and published a community newspaper, the Spokane African American Voice. He retired from Eastern Washington University in 2004 after 30 years of teaching photography and digital imaging. Lloyd has photographed in South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, China and Japan. His work has been recently exhibited at WSUs Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art in the Black Lives Matter Artist Grant exhibit, Charles Ball in the letter L in the Black Lives Matter Mural in Spokane and in Our Voices Our Visions, the exhibit he curated for the opening of the Carl Maxey Center featuring 25 BIPOC artists.

Renika Williams

Renika Williams, daughter of the late Sandy Williams, founder of the Carl Maxey Center, is a creative leader and advocate for the Black community in Spokane and elsewhere. With a diverse career spanning fashion, trend analysis, and marketing, and tech, she has dedicated her efforts to addressing biases and inequities within the influencer/affiliate social space. She has been instrumental in developing policies for pay equity and launching initiatives like CreateHealth Spokane to deliver crucial health information. Renika’s commitment to her mother’s vision and the Carl Maxey Center’s mission is unwavering, as she aims to continue impacting Spokane’s Black community positively.

Michael Bethely

A Spokane native, Michael is passionate about serving and creating opportunities to inspire, encourage, and motivate people to “be.”. He is the co-owner of B & B Pro Video, a black-owned video production company, owner of Bethely Entertainment Group and the Lilac City Legends. While he serves on multiple other boards throughout the community and is an active member of Holy Temple Church of God in Christ.

He’s an Entertainer, Public Speaker, Lyricist, Poet, Entrepreneur, Businessman, Youth Mentor, Catalyst, Community Builder and Community Advocate.