By Sun Reporter Staff
Oakland — The Black Joy Parade honored three Bay Area leaders as its 2026 Icons Among Us at a reception held at the Xfinity Store in downtown Oakland, offering an intimate first look at the honorees ahead of the ninth annual Bay Area Black Joy Parade on Sunday, Feb. 22.
The honorees were Amelia Ashley-Ward, publisher of the Sun Reporter Publishing Company; Faye Carol, acclaimed vocalist and Black music educator; and Dr. Brandon Nicholson, CEO of The Hidden Genius Project.
The evening was made possible through the longstanding partnership between Black Joy Parade and Comcast. Ken Maxey, Comcast Director of Government and Community Affairs. been instrumental in that relationship, helping ensure the Icons Among Us program has the resources and visibility to honor leaders whose contributions have shaped Bay Area Black community life for decades.
Ashley-Ward is an award-winning journalist who has spent decades amplifying underrepresented voices and preserving the legacy of the Black press in San Francisco and beyond through her stewardship of the historic Sun Reporter Publishing Company.
Carol brings more than 60 years of performance across jazz, blues, gospel, funk, Latin and hip-hop. Beyond the stage, she founded the School of The Getdown, a cultural institution dedicated to Black arts education and the mentorship of generations of musicians.
Nicholson leads The Hidden Genius Project, which under his direction has expanded across the United States and internationally, empowering thousands of youth through technology, entrepreneurship and leadership development.
With the 2026 class, 18 Icons have now been honored since the program launched in 2020 in partnership with Comcast. Each recipient receives a $5,000 contribution to donate to a Bay Area nonprofit of their choice.
The Icons Among Us program was launched in 2020 to recognize local leaders who embody Black joy through service, creativity, advocacy and community building. Founded in 2018 by Elisha Greenwell Dargan and Amber Lester, Black Joy Parade has grown into one of Oakland’s most celebrated cultural events, drawing tens of thousands of attendees each year. “At Black Joy Parade, we believe in giving people their flowers while they can receive them,” said Dargan, cofounder and CEO. “These Icons have shaped our culture, empowered our youth and strengthened our community for decades.”
The recognition comes at a moment of renewed urgency around preserving and celebrating Black institutions. From legacy media to the arts to youth development, each of this year’s honorees represents a pillar of Black community life in the Bay Area — work that has endured across generations and continues to define the region’s cultural identity.
