August 9, 2023 - Atlanta Wire

Clarence Jones: Elevating Style and Success in the World of Sports Draft Fashion

Atlanta Wire Staff on August 9, 2023

Entering the styling industry in the early 1990s, Memphis – based clothes and suit designer Clarence Jones has forged an impressive career, showcasing his talents through styling numerous celebrities and athletes. Renowned for his exquisite craftmanship and attention to detail, Jones has become a prominent figure in the world of sports fashion, especially with NBA and NFL draft prospects. CJ Custom Clothiers is one of the premier African American tailor companies represented in both the NBA and NFL Drafts. Over the years, Clarence Jones has designed for the best dressed athletes in both the NBA and NFL drafts. In the last three NBA drafts, Jones designed the suit worn by the 2023 NBA 2^nd round draft pick # 49th Emoni Bates of the Cleveland Cavaliers, the #13th pick in the 2020 NBA draft Kira Lewis Jr. of the New Orleans Pelicans and 2021 NBA draft rookies and NBA Rising Stars participants Christopher Duarte of the Indiana Pacers and Ayo Dosunmu of the Chicago Bulls. Both Chris and Ayo were members of the All- Rookie Team. In the 2022 NFL Draft, Jones customized suits for players such the 4^th overall pick by the New York Jets Cornerback Sauce Gardner, the 7^th overall pick and Tennessee Titans 1^st round 18^th pick Wide Receiver Treylon Burks. Jones has also customized suits for former University of Georgia Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach Wade Mason, as well as former Clemson and Miami Dolphins star Christian Wilkins 2019 #13th NFL draft pick.

While his roster includes notable celebrities, Jones takes immense pride in providing his services to athletes who are on the verge of making their dreams come true in professional sports.

One of Jones’ unique aspects as a stylist is his ability to recruit clients in his own distinctive way. Rather than solely focusing on the most famous and well-known athletes, Jones opens his doors to anyone in need of his services. He firmly believes that every individual, regardless of their fame or status, deserves to look and feel their best on significant occasions like draft days or press conferences.

Year after year, as the NBA and NFL drafts approach, Jones meticulously prepares to style the rising stars set to take the stage. Among his recent standout clients are Jabari Smith Jr., the #3 pick for Houston Rockets in the 2022 NBA draft. Their impeccable draft suits not only accentuated their style but also reflected their aspirations and determination to excel in the professional leagues.

One of Jones’ recent successes is Brandon Miller, the #2 pick for the Charlotte Hornets and also Scoot Henderson, the #3 pick for the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2023 NBA draft. For the draft lottery held in Chicago, Henderson looked nothing short of extraordinary in the suit meticulously designed by Jones. The suit not only captured the attention of fans and media but also symbolized the young athlete’s journey to fulfilling his lifelong basketball dreams.

Jones’ prowess in styling extends beyond the NBA draft, as evidenced by his work with Amen Thompson, the #4 pick for the 2023 NBA draft, joining the Houston Rockets. The suit and press conference ensemble created by Jones exuded confidence and elegance, embodying Thompson’s excitement and dedication to his new team and the game.

Similarly, Ausar Thompson, the #5 pick in the 2023 NBA draft, headed to the Detroit Pistons, had the privilege of donning an exquisite suit crafted by Jones for his momentous press conference. The suit became a symbol of Thompson’s hard work paying off and marked the beginning of a new chapter in his basketball career.

Jones’ passion for his craft is evident in every suit he designs. Each outfit carries a deeper meaning for the athlete wearing it, representing their journey, ambition, and commitment to their respective sports. For Clarence Jones, these suits are not merely garments; they are expressions of the dedication and efforts these athletes have poured into reaching this pinnacle moment in their lives.

When asked about his work Jones humbly shared, “I take pride in every suit I design, and they all mean more than just another suit to me. It makes me happy to know that people like the work I do, and I am grateful and blessed. I look at what I do when I tailor a suit no different from an architect and an engineer when they blueprint the structure and construct the building. Every man’s body definition is unique, so when I put together a visual drawing of the man’s measurements, I start the construction, so to speak, of that suit.” His humility and genuine appreciation for his clients’ trust and admiration further solidify his reputation as not just a stylist but also a caring and devoted partner in their journey.

As the years go by, and the draft continues to bring forth new talent, Clarence Jones will undoubtedly remain a steadfast presence, using his skills to elevate the style and success of aspiring athletes. His ability to connect with individuals beyond their fame and status, combined with his artistic vision, has made him a beloved figure in the world of sports fashion. Clarence Jones stands tall as a true artist, leaving an indelible mark on the lives and careers of the athletes he styles, one impeccable suit at a time.

Written by

Lennard James

Charles Goodger-Interpreting the Paradox of Classroom Boredom with His Innovative Ideas

Atlanta Wire Staff on August 9, 2023

“Kids drop out of school mostly because school is boring and not particularly relevant.”

Nicholas Negroponte- a Greek American architect

Recall your school days; apart from beautiful memories with friends, a remembrance of boring and jarring classes will pop up too. A gloomy atmosphere with a teacher narrating verbose lectures would definitely be a shared memory for all of us. Why was it like that, though? Because of the teacher, complex topics, or something else? A lethargic teaching style is surely a major reason for those lousy sessions. Consequently, uninspiring classes of such nature were, and surprisingly, still are a significant reason for poor grades.

“In boring classes, we always improve our drawing skills.” – Anonymous

But what makes a class dull and vague? A poll deduced that 47% of students found their classes blasé, claiming that such sessions only stimulated students’ daydreams. It is a disastrous situation when young students are not learning properly, essentially jeopardizing their future. So, what’s the solution to this problem? A new, inspiring, and fun teaching style that commands students’ attention and stimulates cognition. This transition, however, requires competent and creative educators ready to put in incessant efforts. Charles Goodger is one such individual who brought forth innovative ideas to the teaching fraternity.
So, what exactly has Charles Goodger done? Being a veteran musician, Mr. Goodger blends music and education to provide exciting learning experiences to students. Does this make sense? YES, music helps amplify cognitive skills and hence offers ample room for learning. Interesting right? Using this scientific phenomenon, Goodger founded FunSongs Education Limited, an organization that teaches through action songs.

FunSongs Education Ltd is a Windsor-based organization that provides teachers, parents, and young English learners with original action songs. Goodger opted for musical learning because it propels kids’ emotional and expressive intelligence. Besides organizing these fun classes, Goodger writes language-learning action songs, puppet scripts, and teaching materials for his organization. He has written licensed original language songs, chants, and raps for Aschehoug (Norway) and Young Digital Planet (Poland).

Devoted to innovative teaching methods, Goodger organizes several conferences and workshops to promulgate his ideas worldwide. He has held workshops at International English Learning Teaching (ELT) conferences in China, India, Lithuania, Russia, Latvia, Israel, Poland, France, Germany, Italy, Estonia, Spain, Cyprus, England, and Scotland. He organizes teacher training and arranges development courses for primary English teachers in several countries.

Goodger recently organized a fun workshop named “Nonni Nipoti Lab” in Centro Pime in Milan on May 2023. He targeted grandparents and grandchildren for his workshop. Goodger started the seminar with the song “What’s Your Favorite Animal,” followed by “Thrive,” and many more, focusing on bringing expressive gestures, so kids and their grandparents would be more sensitive and communicative towards each other.

Goodger boasts an impressive educational background and has been an influential member of multiple academic committees. Notably, he served as a Committee Member of the prestigious International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL) from 2009 to 2016 and was invited again in 2017. His speaking engagements have been highly enviable and include serving as a plenary speaker for renowned conferences like the Free Online Conference (2016), Young Learners Conference, Virtual Webcon Round Table (2014), Fall Blog Festival (2014), and Colloquium Preliminary Program.

Goodger is an exceptional songwriter and musician and has created numerous melodies. On Halloween, I Love Christmas, A Song for Winter, Our Autumn Song, and I Love Summer are a few of his creations. Besides that, Goodger is a versatile author who has written action-based songs and academic publications, some of which are Trade & Business International, Trade in Action, World Friends and US OK 1, and The Amazing Story of Dick Whittington and his Cat. Goodger has performed in movies as well. He interpreted the role of the caretaker David in the 2020 independent horror film Clara by Francesco Longo and appeared in a cameo role as an English-speaking tourist in the third episode of the first season of Summertime (2019), produced by Cattleya, Rome, for Netflix.

Goodger, a multitalented musician, composer, film actor, and author, was shortlisted for an ELTons Award for innovation and excellence in ELT in 2011 by the British Council and Cambridge English for his par excellence contribution to the educational field. The Bombay-based Accord Cine Fest organization awarded him a Certificate of Achievement as Best Actor in the Independent Film Clara in 2021. He was also nominated as the Best Supporting Actor in a Feature Film by the Fantastic Film Festival in San Diego, CA, USA.

Conclusively whenever the world needs a revolution in any field, we are bound to produce top-notch talent. Charles Goodger rejuvenates the teaching style with his FunSongs Education Limited company and works relentlessly with experts and an experienced team to provide unique content in the form of teaching material. Goodger is multilingual, has expertise in six languages, and is a skilled guitar and piano player. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Education and a language expert at the University of Bologna.

Sharing His Wisdom as An Architect and Professor

Atlanta Wire Staff on August 9, 2023

(L.) Design-Build Weather Station (experimental test structure) with Participating Students, Industry Partner, and local Community Members, Tanzania, Africa, and (R.) Fabricating the Project’s Wooden Trusses

“As an Architect, you design for the present with an awareness of the past for a future which is essentially unknown.” – Norman Foster

As a university educator, Professor Fowler creates innovative design studios, enriched academic experiences, multi-disciplinary collaborations with other university departments, and critical links between the academy and professional practice. The importance of architecture students understanding the role of storytelling, having the agility to fit into a collaborative project at any point of entry, and being able to use their acquired skills in contributing to the larger aspirations as set by the team are all skills that successful architects need to practice.

Many of Fowler’s colleagues, over the years, have best summed up his unique contributions to his creative environment for teaching/learning about the practice of architecture.

From colleagues on teaching environments:

Thomas Fowler genuinely cares not only about the depth and breadth of his students’ architectural education but also about their character and ethics. He shows his students how they can positively influence and support the society they will inherit and leads through quiet but salient example.

—Roberta W. Jorgensen, FAIA, LEED AP Communitas Architects, Inc.

Our architecture department is a pretty special place where teaching is excellent, inspired, and also … a bit magical. It has a secret sauce, and Tom is an essential ingredient.

—Christine Theodoropoulos, Dean of Cal Poly College of Architecture and Environmental Design

Reflexive excepts from former students / successfully practicing architects:

Tom’s interdisciplinary studio approach enabled us to experience a diversity of collaborative projects to use our collective skills to achieve a common goal.

—Snehal Daliya, Designer Fergus Garber Young Architects,

Professor Fowler can tiptoe the fine line between constructive candor and grasping reality as an educator, preparing his students for the evolving tug o’ war of the design process.

— Jonas Houston, PE, Senior Engineer, Holmes Structures

Thomas Fowler’s personal integrity and commitment to excellence in educating future generations of architects is an asset to our profession and discipline.

—Dominic Leong, Founding Partner Leong Leong,

With Tom’s guidance, I was able to develop a unique industry 5th-year thesis which built on my previous professional experience (from Tom’s SOM program) that led directly to the career I have today.

—Sarah Jester, AIA, Senior Architect, SOM, Shanghai, China

Fifteen years later, I remember Tom’s words of encouragement and mentorship clearly – “Suspend your disbelief!” – and I find myself continually passing them along to the team of designers I now lead.

—Frank E. Mahan, AIA Principal at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) + Adaptive Reuse Practice Leader

Thomas Fowler has shaped and touched my career and life path in the most extraordinary positive ways; his key guidance and deeply inspiring learning environment of his studio continue to resonate in my career as a teacher and practitioner.

— Adriana Cuellar, Founding Principle CRO Studio, Tijuana, Mexico/San Diego, CA

Tom’s vision as an educator and his selfless dedication to architecture as a craft have continually inspired me to seek deeper explorations of design.

—Hugo Martinez, Founder, and Principal Designer MAT-TER Design Build Studio

Fowler’s teaching practice career has expanded over four decades. And has taught a range of design studios (both undergraduate: 3rd, 4th, and 5th-year independent study studios and multidisciplinary graduate building design studios) and professional practice courses along with working as co-founder with his structural engineering colleague, the Design Collaboratory, on multidisciplinary student/faculty and with industry partners on varied scaled design-build projects. Fowler has successfully created a unique opportunity for students to work and obtain internship credit along with academic design studio credit inside the office of Skidmore Owings and Merrill (SOM), San Francisco, CA. Students directly work with the architects and engineers in this office and obtain the opportunity to work on high-rise projects for academic credit and on a range of other projects for internship experience.

He also created a multi-disciplinary academic design studio which provided the opportunity for SOM to work with students in the academic setting of the university on the design of a skyscraper project. Fowler has observed over the years that the levels of student motivation in a design studio and the quality of work and levels of experimentation go through the roof and are so much stronger when academic design projects are framed with real-world constraints.

In Fowler’s recent forward to Pressman’s latest edition of Professional Practice 101, he highlighted the important linkages of framing the ethical, social responsibilities of design firms in the academic environment, which does support very well the teaching of future architects, along with Sharon Matthews’ essay where she frames an understanding of the role of the design process which was for her the equivalent to leaning a magical spell for understanding the journey of the challenges to understanding the building design process and the late prominent structural engineer (a vital role for successful projects, but, typically a hidden hero of significant works of architecture) Mario Salvador’s “Daring Piece of Advice to Young Architects”… “encouraging the giving of all of your enthusiasm, your belief in your dreams and your patience to design architecture the way you believe architecture should be designed,” is refreshing and motivating to hear.

A range of images of Fowler’s creative design studio environment.

Sharing His Wisdom as An Architect and Professor

Images of Fowler’s Creative Design Studio Environment

1997 IBM’s Annual Report, Represented the California State University System (23 campuses), Selected in Recognition of Effective, Innovative Methods for Integrating Advanced Technology into the Design Studio Building Process

Brief Bio

Thomas Fowler IV, FAIA, is a Distinguished Professor of the ACSA and of Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo, California, where he currently teaches, along with being the Director of the Graduate Architecture Program. He has over 20 years of professional practice experience as an architect and over 30 years of teaching in both the undergraduate architecture design studios and co-teaching (with a structural engineer) in the interdisciplinary graduate building design studios.

In recognition of Professor Fowler’s innovative teaching and collaborative community work, he was elevated to Fellowship in the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 2019, granted to only 3% of the professional membership; received the prestigious Cal State University (CSU) Wang Teaching Award in 2019, selected from all 23 CSU campuses; along with selection twice by Design Intelligence as one of the 25 most admired Educators in the USA. His students have been recognized for their work in a range of national and international design competitions.

He is the co-founder of the Design Collaboratory (started with his structural engineering partner) and has been a board member of the non-profit NGO called the Mbesese Initiative for Sustainable Development since 2015, located in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania, Africa, in a city called Same (Saa – May). Mbesese was developed to assist this local community in a range of community projects that have included the design and construction of a steel bridge for local school children, faculty, and staff to have safe access during the torrential rainy season, along with the ongoing multi-year development of a master plan and building designs for a new Polytechnic Campus which will have a market and other social spaces for learning and social interaction between the campus and the community.

Additional work of the Design Collaboratory includes a range of community projects where this multi-disciplinary team works directly with a client who has an idea for a project, and our multidisciplinary team of students, faculty, and industry partners (engineers, architects, etc.) works to design, fabricate and build the project. A highlighted example of this is the Center for Centering (C4C) Pavilion. Designed as a portable meditation space, using the foundational principles of circularity, reusing, repairing, and prototyping for remanufacturing were the key concepts behind the design of the flat packable dome. The 16’ diameter/height of the wooden structure was designed with the idea of ease of assembly/disassembly made with friction-fit components that can be transported via van and takes four persons and almost 4 hours to assemble and half-this-time to disassemble.

C4C Structure

Sourced photo

As an author, he has contributed chapters to several publications: selected highlights include: Professional Practice 101, A Compendium of Effective Business Strategies in Architecture, 3rd edition (2020), Pressman, A Teachers View, by Thomas Fowler IV: Becoming an Architect (Guide to Careers in Design), 1st, 2nd and 3rd Editions, Lee Waldrep, in collaboration w/ collaborative partner, 2020 Skyscraper Collaboratory An Interdisciplinary Architecture and Structural Engineering Design Studio Collaboration with Industry Partner, Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM), Architecture, Structures and Construction, International Conference of Structures and Architecture, and Collaborations in Architecture and Engineering; With multiple collaborators, Collaborations in Architecture and Engineering, Olsen, McNamara.

Eric Hall – Justice Prevails Over Transgression at The End

Atlanta Wire Staff on August 9, 2023

Image commercially licensed from: Unsplash

“Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe.”

-Frederick Douglass

Diversity in cast, color, and creed among nations has prevailed since the day mankind came into existence. But it does not change the fact that, at the end of the day, every person is made of flesh and bones and has the same set of rights as others. One’s race or color doesn’t define him as a lesser being than others. The saddest part of society is that it has always been very judgmental in making rash decisions and accusing innocent lives of heinous crimes. The unjust law has indeed affected the lives of many, taking away the freedom of those not found guilty. Witnessing such miserable situations has given rise to social workers like Eric Hall, who are determined to make sure that no matter how bitter the truth is, it triumphs. They have proven their existence as a blessing in disguise for those falsely accused and awaiting justice in the dark behind closed doors.

Born in Rockingham, NC, on December 3, 1983, Eric Hall was raised in Dobbins Heights. Hall received his first ordeal at the delicate age of 11 when his father passed away. Despite suffering a massive loss, Hall did not let it impact his life and outshone throughout his high school education which he completed from Richmond Sr. High School. During his student life, he was an amazing football player winning Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Championships consecutively in 2002 and 2003. Not only was Hall a bright athlete and student, but he also focused on anthropologic events since day one. While he was a member of the football team, he participated in some after-school programs established for underprivileged students. Besides the fact that he was blessed with enough amenities to pursue a career, he was not ignorant of those in his surroundings who lacked these facilities. His brilliance and self-determination during his time in high school facilitated him to make it to the Dean’s list. In addition, Dr. David Barlow observing Hall’s interest in social activities, recommended he enter the first accredited Criminal Justice program at Fayetteville State University.

Ultimately, he received his Bachelor of Science with a focus on criminal justice degree in 2006 from Fayetteville. Although he was already enrolled in the Criminal Justice Program, Hall wasn’t aware of his inner potential to work as a social worker until he participated in some anthropologic projects focused on notorious elementary and middle school children and realized the revolution he could bring within society.

Hall began his early career by serving at T & T Youth Services in 2006 as an associate professional for 11 months. His job there was to cater to qualified professionals with the regulation of treatment plans, community support workers, and clients. He completed person-centered plans (PCPs) and daily staff notes and worked one-on-one with clients with a mental health diagnosis. In 2007 he took the position of director of operations at Healthcare Inc, serving his leadership and regulatory skills to keep a check and balance of all the obligatory processes carried out at four sites.

While Hall was trying to bring justice to those falsely accused, he completed a Master’s in Criminal Justice from Fayetteville State University in 2009 and subsequently achieved a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Southern California in 2017. Eric’s childhood dedication to football enabled him to serve as a defensive football coach from 2008-2011 at Lewis Chapel Middle School. In 2012 he began serving the position of head coach before moving on to cater to the high school football team.

Eric is a Member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and has also been rewarded as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist (LCAS) in North Carolina in the year 2017. He is also the recipient of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) certificate. Not to forget the medal and certificate of Excellence by Fayetteville City Council, Eric Hall was attributed in terms of the hard work and outstanding achievement he had represented during the 2020-2021 football season.

Eric Hall – Justice Prevails Over Transgression at The End

Sourced photo

He remained the Defensive line coach from 2013 to 2018 at 71st high school until he was advocated as the Defensive Coordinator in 2019. It was under his supervision that the defense magnificently finished the regular season #1 in the state 3A for the first time in school history in the year 2021. The same year he successfully forged Creative Minds Healthcare, PLLC, an organization that focuses on reaching out to those in need, nourishing them with the amenities required to survive.