Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient from Citrus College (class of 1971)

Citrus College, Glendora, CA...

 This past Friday evening (6/7/24)  family, friends, school officials, dignitaries both state and local and even a film crew joined in a celebration honoring me as this years  Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient. 

The school marquee announcing the event... 

(below ) a mild California outdoor setting for the evenings activities (below)...

(photo by Stacy Armstrong)

 

name tags for attendees...

entertainment by the Citrus College wonderful band and vocal group 'Nightshift' (below and right) led into a memorable evening that wildly passed anything I could ask for or imagine.

(Photo by Stacy Armstrong)

(Photo by Stacy Armstrong)

 LaVonne and I got there early enough to mingle with the assembly. I got mic'd-up for the film crew, Don Hahn (Howard, Waking Sleeping Beauty) was on hand as he has 'something up his sleeve', so to speak.

Many "congratulations" from newly made friends to 70 years of friendship between me and some of those present who have known me since elementary school.

As mentioned earlier, Nightshift put on a rousing, toe tapping performance with music and vocals that hit a beat for all present. Their time on stage was truly electrifying as they left to  enthusiastic applause.

Dinner lines formed...

 followed by an informative history of Citrus College and the activity of the Citrus Alumni and Friends Association

 After a exuberant and animated introduction by Citrus Foundation member Mary Ann Lutz, I was presented with a certificate (below) representing the state Legislature from the office of Senator Hon. Anthony J. Portantino...

(Photo by S.A.)

then another presenter (below) with more positive remarks presented me with a certificate from the County of Los Angeles...

(Photo by S.A.)

 ...(below right) certificate from the Glendora City Council (Citrus is located in Glendora)...

 (below) from the City of Monrovia (I was born and lived in Monrovia most of my life)... 

(Photo by S.A.)

(Photo by S.A.)

 (below) certificate from the Board of Education, Monrovia Unified School District...

(Photo by S.A.)

(Photo by Stacy Armstrong)

and (above) Mary Ann Lutz, representing the Citrus College Alumni Foundation presented me with the Distinguished Alumni Award, accompanied by Citrus College President Greg Shultz, Ed. D.

A memorable and enjoyable time was had by all.

 Every story needs context to be properly understood.

 In order to know how this event and these circumstances came about, read on.

  November 1967- Aboard a school bus, filled with bodies in grass stained uniforms smelling of sweat, scarred helmets, worn cleats, a few bruises and amid jubilation, we, the Monrovia Wildcats football team were on the way home from a victory over Alhambra High. Our last game of the season. A season which saw us loose our first four games. Our fifth game, we pulled an 'upset' against Whittier and the winning streak continued to this night (below) newspaper clipping.

In the noisy, semi-darkness on the bus that night, I thought to myself, "that's it, no more football for me". I had no dreams of playing any further. Small build, not really that fast a runner, an 'ok' ballplayer, that's me.

 My personal goals had been accomplished. I wanted to play football at the same high school my brother Kenny had played for eleven years earlier, and I did. Ken had been captain of the basketball team, though I did not play basketball, I wanted to be captain of some team. I was named co-captain (below).

 Through sports teams I made friends, learned to play within the rules, lessons of sportsmanship, play hard, play hurt, give your best effort, whether you are winning or on the short end. Follow the leadership and instruction of the coaches, encourage teammates and don't complain... about anything.  Sometimes you do not get out of it what you put in. All this and more. Life lessons.

I felt this night I was putting on the breaks with one more hurdle to cross before my high school athletic participation would come to a close. The last track meet would be the end of my high school athletic career.

The end of the football season Sports Award Banquet brought a surprise.  As a team, we vote for individual honors.

 My votes went for wide receiver and safety Steve Collins as our Wildcat of the Year (best player). Offensive and defensive lineman Barry Reynolds (second from right) for Most Valuable Player and tight end Manuel Carlos (third from left) Most Improved. Johnny McLaurin (far left) got an award that was newly instituted that year. I was voted MVP. (below)

 I always liked this picture because you can see the 'Big M' over my left shoulder. Insignia in the foothills overlooking the city and serving as a sign if we won or lost at football on homecoming night as the 'V' in the M would be lighted as in victory.                                     Track season brought my high school athletic competition to an end...so I thought.

Graduation brought a few more unexpected surprises.

 After graduation I had a summer job in Monrovia at Consolidated Electrodynamics, a drafting company operating an ozalid machine. This machine reproduced blueprints for the drafting crew. The machine ran on a continuous feed of ammonia. You can imagine what I smelled like at the end of the day:- ).

Returning home from work, Mom had left me a note (below) to..."call Coach Gurney".

  Coach Walt Gurney was the head football coach of Azusa High. In conversation over the phone he told me he remembered me from a pre-season game we (Monrovia) played against his team the year before at Citrus College Stadium.

Action (below) caught on camera of what Coach Gurney remembered of me.

 He was coaching the East San Gabriel Valley All-Star football team. One of the players got injured and there was a place on the team for one more more. They had been practicing a few days when a player got injured. On the team were these All This and All That running backs, Coach Gurney told me I would not be playing that position. Maybe a little on defense as a defensive back as  had missed days of practice.

"Yes, sounds fun...see you at practice coach". 

 Me (above) far left end of second row (...#10 middle first row, Rocky Long our starting quarterback, after college went on to a successful coaching career as the head coach at San Diego State U).

The experience re-awakened the athletic competition spark in me, though still not decided what I wanted to do after summer ended.

After a few days of practice (#32 below), I fit right in.

 

I was the starting running back that evening. The game ended 14-14...still not sure which way my future path would lead me.

  My high school counselor never mentioned I needed an SAT to apply to a college and no advise from those around me, left me scrambling to take the test in June. A month after I graduated.

 I had applied to Art Center College of Design. The results of my SAT were sent to the college and I did not hear from AC until December. They accepted me but I had spent the summer waiting to hear from them and when no communication came, I got discouraged and did not enroll at Citrus College. I worked that Fall washing dishes in a cafeteria at Avon here in Monrovia. Today there is a Home Depot on that location.

 To be honest, I did not have the finances to attend a highly ranked art school like Art Center, though the school accepted me. Now, looking back, did I have the mental toughness and discipline it requires to be a serious art student. 

 I enrolled at Citrus, took drawing, painting, drafting, English, creative writing and more. I thought of becoming a medical illustrator so I took a class in kinesiology. That was a mistake, I did poorly.

 I also ran track and played football for the 'Owls'. Those were the days you signed up for a class, bough your books and that was it out of the pocket.

Track...

Me, fourth block from the left.

Me (above) second row, far left.

Me standing, third from left (right).

Like in high school, I ran high hurdles and was on the sprint relay team (below).

                                                          

Football...

I drew a caricature of the 1970 team (below). Number77 James (Wildman) Branch and #75 Barry Reynolds were voted co-captains. When captains were called out for the coin toss, Head Coach John Strycula would say "Huz, go with 'em".

November 1969...

 end of season awards freshman year...Most Improved.

 November 1970...

 end of season awards, sophomore year. 

 After a year at the Air Force Academy Barry Reynolds (below, second from left) teammate from Monrovia High, we were united again. His scholarship would take him to Stanford U. James Branch (far right) and I got scholarships to play for the 'Rebels' at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Wayne Nunnely (third from right 1952-2021) childhood friend, would come to UNLV a year later.

All-Conference and MVP on offense (above).

By the end of the semester had I earned an AA degree and on to another step of my journey in art and athletics.

 

 A great foundation for life was laid during my time at Citrus. Studied under some outstanding instructors Robert Bullock (art), Manly Johnson come to mind and coaches, John Strycula and Ed Conly, football and track respectively. These men had an positive impact on my life. 

 There are a fair amount of action sports images above. That is what I remember most when I think about those years of my life. Had I not played sports, my life would surely have taken a different direction. For sure, I would not be writing this blog.

 My time at Citrus College helped shape my future.

Until next time...

Photography by Darius Carter

 

(Photo by Darius Carter)

  I met a young man a few months ago who had wanted to make my acquaintance for some time. He married the daughter of a friend of mine from the church I attend. In conversation with his wife, my name was brought up "you know Ron Husband?"... "yes, he drew us a Bible story way back when I was in the children's church, contact Dad, he'll put you in touch with him". This is about how the story goes that led to our meeting.

 First contact, he called as I was returning from a presentation I had done at CTN (Creative Talent Network) in Burbank, CA. Through the speaker phone in my car as I navigated the freeway, he explained who he was (cinematographer, art director and professional photographer etc.).

 Darius, in collaboration with Shawn Michael Warren are responsible for Oprah Winfrey's portrait that was recently unveiled and hangs in the National Portrait Gallery, Washington, DC.

 See link below for text and pictures of Oprah, Darius and Shawn together.

(https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardfowler/2023/12/13/chicago-artist-reveals-oprah-winfrey-portrait-at-national-portrait-gallery/?sh=412794f859ce)

  Shawn oil paints his portraits based on  the photographs that Darius takes. Darius told me he and Shawn suggested the purple dress that Oprah wore for her photoshoot:- ).

  Darius had something similar in mind for me. Not an official Oprah like portrait painted by Shawn but a photoshoot in my office/studio that would eventually be included in an exhibition of his photographs.

  Weeks later Darius visited my home. We had real heartfelt conversation, discovering we have much in common. A whole afternoon photoshoot melted by as the camera clicked image after image. Some posed, others candid of an artist at his desk, utilizing the talent God blessed him with.

  As he packed up his equipment to go home to his wife and toddler daughter, his face and eyes revealed he got the shots he wanted. These are just few of the images he took that day. 

Can't wait to see the rest that are being prepared for his exhibition.

(Photo by Darius Carter)

(All photographs below by Darius Carter)

I'll keep you posted.

Until next time...                                                             

P.S....(below)

At our monthly Men's gathering and breakfast at the 2nd Baptist Church in Monrovia, CA, Darius (left) presented me with two of his images from the photoshoot.

Proudly displaying the images.

 Darius, me and Steve Darden who is also Darius's father-in-law and president of the Men's group at church.

Photos by Eric Johnson

End of Year Celebrations

 

I was presented with the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award at a ceremony held in Marina Del Rey, CA. 

Dr. Reba Renee Perry-Ufele (above left) CEO of Hidden Gemstones, presented me and several others with certificates.

To my left (above) is my nephew Aulsondro 'Emcee N.I.C.E'. Hamilton who also received this award and is a nationally known gospel hip hop artist who recently graduated with a Doctorate Degree in Musical Arts.

Far left of me is Vonzell Washington, Director of President Volunteer Lifetime Achievement Award and CEO of Right-Way Management.

  

Pastor Christopher Bourne, Sr., me and my nephew Al.

This is the certificate they presented me along with the letter below.

I don't think about the time invested in the lives of others, it is more of a passion I have to see others progress in the talents they have been blessed with. Some need a word of encouragement, others know what and how they want to arrive and just need a gentle nudge in the right direction, and some need a 'swift kick in the pants' to get motivated in order to take advantage of their God given talents.

Others take notice and thus this type of recognition has a foundation and there are far more people making a difference in the lives of others who go unnoticed. We must continue to reach out a hand to help or offer a word of encouragement to our fellow citizens of planet earth.

Another photo of my nephew Aulsondro with my wife LaVonne and I (left) smile for the camera:- ).

The great pioneering baseball player Jackie Robinson is quoted as saying, "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives."

...until next time 

Keynote Speaker UNLV College of Fine Arts 2023

 On Sunday May 14th  I was given the honor to address the graduating class of Fine Art students on the campus of my Alma Mater, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.  

On the way to the podium...

(Photo by Larry Henley)

.  

Program and sticker on seat I was assigned to:- ) (below).

Seated next to Dean of Fine Arts Nancy Uscher(at podium), administration, regents, undergraduate and graduate speakers  (below).

(Photo by L. Henley)

Waiting my turn, as usual, I sketched those in the waiting room and at the podium:- ).

(Photo by L. Henley)

Quick sketches...                                  

At the podium my 'hood' was hanging off my shoulder (first image above). The afternoon's emcee, Kymberly Mellon, straightened me out to a big 'thumbs up':- ).

(Photo by L. Henley)

Speaking from the heart and looking at the audience of students, parents and others.

(Photo by L. Henley)

 My view of students, parents and others:- ).

(Photo by Ron Husband)

Undergraduate student speaker Ayce Mangapit and Graduate student speaker Judahea Bluntt finished off the afternoon (below).

(Photo by L. Henley)

  

(Photo by L. Henley)

 UNLV posted a link to my speech here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWAZiNSMHHA

Until next time...

                              

May 12, 2023

  I was chosen by Assemblymember Chris Holden to receive his Unsung Hero 2023 award in the state capital building in Sacramento, CA last month.

Assemblymember Holden could not attend this event, he was out of the country (Pakistan) on business.

He wanted to personally present the award to me and will do so at Mt San Antonio College located in Walnut, Ca on the 12th of this month (below).

                                                                    

 I did get to meet Assemblymember Holden a few weeks after I received the award. The church I attend (Second Baptist, Monrovia) was celebrating the 121st anniversary of it's founding and he was in attendance. It was my turn to help in the Children's Church in another building. There, as always, I illustrated a Bible story to the kids delight:-). That Sunday the lesson focused on the first chapter of Genesis, the creation (below).

                                                                 

After the service, driving through the parking lot I spot a familiar face, that of Assemblymember Holden. Though we had never met, I had seen enough images on campaign literature to recognize him.

I pulled over, got out of the car and introduced myself. We chatted like old friends and  ended by taking  a picture in front of the plaque I designed for the city of Monrovia of the first pastor of Second Baptist Church, Colonel Allen Allensworth. (below)

                                                                   

(Assemblymember Holden and I )

My roots go deep at Mt San Antonio College.
I taught a class on Humorous Illustration there back in the 1980's for one semester.
I conduct a workshop there once a year starting in the 2000's based on a word I made up 'Quicksketchillustrationanimation'. Quick sketching, illustration and animation, the correlation of these three art disciplines.
About 2016 the art department contacted me to inquire if I had interest in teaching a class on Fundamental Drawing. "Yes" was my reply and I've been there since.
Long ago, running track at Monrovia High we competed in invitational track meets there (MtSAC Relays) and while at Citrus Junior College not too far from here my Citrus Owls team played the MtSAC Mounties (below). We lost by a point:- (

                                                                                      

until next time...

Recognition in Sacramento

  

 In the California state capitol building in Sacramento , I was one of the people  honored by their district Assemblypersons as Unsung Heroes 2023.

The other honorees...

(Me second from left)

   In Assemblyperson Chris R. Holden's absence (in Pakistan on business) Assemblyperson Dr. Corey A. Jackson ( top photo, grey suit) escorted me down the aisle as my biography was read over the  podium.

The program...

Prior to the ceremony we got to witness the legislature in session as Assemblypersons Weber and Bradford (program 1 below right) presented a resolution for the state of California to recognize February as Black History Month.

(Program Cover)

                                                                              

(Inside program 1)

(Inside program 2)

(Inside program 3)

The fine print...

The road that led to this award.

  I was accepted into the Walt Disney Animation trainee program and started learning the craft on February 10, 1975, my first day at the Walt Disney Studio lot. 

   1976 I had started my journey by doing 'inbetweens' for animator Frank Thomas on The Rescuers. Frank let me animate 51 feet of rough animation scenes under his supervision. 

  In those days you had to animate 100 feet on the production you were working on to be promoted to an animator. Not only a promotion, you no longer had to 'clock in', you got a screen credit and the union minimum salary. At around fifty feet, I wasn't even close. Frank got credit for the footage:- ).

 Next up in 1977 I was doing inbetweens and rough animation for animator Gary Goldman on Pete's Dragon. Another 50 or so feet as animation production came to a close. Again, footage was credited to the Gary as I had not reached the magic number.

 Following was The Small One in1979, Disney created a in-house category, animating assistant. No such category exists in the union.

 The union categories are inbetweener, an inbetweener with more experience becomes a breakdown, more experience bumps you up to an assistant animator and finally animator. Any of those categories could be a career. I had advanced to assistant animator by this time.

  Entering into The Small One, a number of us who had come through the trainee program were deemed animating assistants. We now had all the responsibilities of an animator. Which include being issued scenes, talking directly with the sequence director, animating full time and having our own inbetweener.

Animating on The Small One  (below).

 
As I gained on my 100 feet, the publicity department sent out this photo (above) and information about 'A Disney First Black  Animators' referring to Mike McKinney and myself. At this time Mike was in clean-up and I was an assistant.

  In reality they jumped the gun. I had not officially reached the required footage to be an animator.

 I suppose animator sounds more important and gets your attention as the article (above right) refers to us as "The black animators" and The Hero From Otherwhere never got the green light to go into production.

The publicity went out to cities who had a primarily African American news source,(newspaper, magazine).

 At this juncture, animation was not the 800 pound gorilla in the room.

Disney was one of the only if not the only kid on the block producing animated features on a regular basis and that only once every 3 years release date. There were smaller studios and Hanna-Barbara television series but nothing like todays super saturation animation machines. Interest in me making history was small news to some but big news in my community.

From 1937 to 1979 there had been no Black names listed in the screen credits under Animator on a Disney Animated Feature.

 1979  The promotion plus 

 Ed Hanson, Department Head of animation called my home to give me the news that I had been promoted to animator.  I had achieved the quota of 100 feet and more on the production. The week before I had  turned in the scene of the boy climbing up the wall and waving good bye to the man, his wife and The Small One (Joseph with Mary riding the donkey on their way to Bethlehem).

In the 'old days' a scene would be rough animated, sent to the camera department where the individual drawings were to be shot (photographed), reviewed by the director(s) and if it got approval, be inserted in the story reel in place of workbook images. This process could take several days or more.

The week I turned in the scene I decided to take that next week off as vacation time and rest up. I felt tired and run down, very little energy. I had lost weight, my equilibrium was off, slurred speech and nausea also plagued me.

 Weeks earlier my general practice doctor, after examining me said " I'm not giving you a note to get off work". If he didn't take my condition seriously, why should I. So I continued to go to the studio, using one lane on the freeway because looking left or right made me dizzy.

 Another doctor prescribed pills to combat my nausea but the pills made me drowsy. I could barely keep from falling asleep at my desk. 

 I had started tapping the wall as I walked the hallways to keep my balance. President of the studio at the time, the late Ron Miller saw me in this condition, inquired  about it and took action. He had his secretary make specialist doctor appointments for me.  She would telephone from the third floor having made an appointment for me. 

Ear, nose and throat doctor, nope, nothing wrong there...on to another appointment. Several doctors later she arranged for me to see a neurosurgeon, Dr George Gruner. He almost jumped out of his skin upon examining me. His office was across the street to the north from St. Joseph's Hospital. The studio was across the street to the east of the hospital.

"Don't go home, check yourself into the hospital". Day's later Dr. Gruner performed an eight hour surgery on the back of my neck where the spine meets the cranium (still have the scar).

 He told my wife LaVonne, "he's probably going to die on the operating table or if the operation is a success, he'll be paralyzed from the neck or waist down". He said this not to be pessimistic but to prepare her for what he thought the foreseeable outcome would be.

He performed a successful surgery, About three months later I was back on the lot half days.

Other hurdles along the way...

  A few months after I passed the trainee period and doing the job of inbetweening I got called up to the third floor of the old animation building. (First floor was where feature animation was done. Second floor was dedicated to trainees and Eric Larson's spacious office (Eric headed the trainee training) and the library. Management was on the third level.

 There I was told "you will never animate here, Filmation, Hanna-Barbara or someplace else, but not here". This was not a studio wide attitude but it was this person's. I left his office and went back down to the first floor to finish Frank's inbetweens.

 A few years later I was told "Ron, you can't draw, it says right here on paper". Ironic, earlier that week I had talked with the person who was cleaning up (taking roughly drawn characters and removing the construction lines and putting the character on model if needed) my  ruff drawings and he told me the information in the drawings made them easy to clean-up and follow. (example below)

(Ruff animation drawing by Frank Thomas)

(Clean-Up animation drawing-unknown)

  For about seven years I animated crowd and secondary character scenes. I asked if I could get a 'personality/dialogue' scene once in a while. "If I make a mistake, I'll do the scene over", I pleaded my case. I had seen animators re-do scenes before, a common occurrence in the business. "Animators  don't make mistakes" was the answer. A polite way of saying , no.

My journey to February 27, 2023 has not been paved with roses (and there is more to tell) but perhaps for another time.

 For now, I'll enjoy my Sacramento experience.

'Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think,'...

                                                                                                                          Eph. 3:20

Until next time...

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz