New Philadelphia A.M.E. Church, Long Beach, California
Recognizes Two Members Who Have Made African American Firsts
In January of this year, Rev. Dr. Phyllis Hayes-Reams was nominated by the Board Governance Committee to replace outgoing Board Chair as the 34th Chair of the YMCA of Greater Los Angeles Board of Directors. She is the second woman, and the first African American to hold this position.
Rev. Dr. Phyllis Hayes-Reams was born and raised in Long Beach, California. She is a graduate of Long Beach Polytechnic High School. She received a Bachelor of Art in Human Biology from Stanford University, and Medical Doctorate from the Drew UCLA Medical Education Program co-administered by Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science and the UCLA School of Medicine.
Rev. Dr. Hayes-Reams has a Master of Arts in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary and is an ordained minister/itinerant elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. She is currently on the ministerial staff at New Philadelphia A.M.E. Church.
In 1997, she joined the medical staff of the Southern California Permanente Medical Group at Kaiser Permanente South Bay Medical Center as its first full-time Staff Geriatrician. Dr. Hayes-Reams is currently Medical Director of the Home Care Services, Kaiser Permanente South Bay Medical Center.
Her public service affiliations include Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; National Council of Negro Women; Clarissa Manual Foundation; and she is the current President of the Rotary Club of Signal Hill.
Her YMCA involvement include past Chair of the Lakewood Family YMCA Branch Board during the renovation and construction of the Lakewood YMCA facility. She has been a member of the YMCA of Greater Long Beach Board of Directors since 2014, serving for two years as our Association Annual Campaign Chair exceeding $2,000,000 in annual fund support. She also has served as the planning committee member of and frequent speaker at the YMCA Good Friday Breakfast.
Rev. Dr. Hayes-Reams is married to Dr. Lester Reams. They have two children, Phyllisa, a recent graduate from Prairie View A&M University and Alexander, who attends Biola University.
A longtime Lakewood, California City Commissioner and former Los Angeles County Sheriff Commander was sworn in Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020 as the first African American City Council member in the city’s history. Vicki Stuckey was unanimously appointed to fill the 18 months remaining on the term vacated by a retiring council member.
Stuckey — who has lived in Lakewood for 28 years — has been a City Commissioner for 19 years, served four years on the Community Safety Commission and 15 years on the Planning and Environmental Commission, including four stints as the Commission’s Chair.
She retired last year from the Sheriff’s Department, where she worked 34 years and rose through the ranks from a Deputy to a Sergeant, Lieutenant and ultimately a Captain and Commander of the Altadena, California Sheriff’s station.
“I think Vicki Stuckey is a great choice for serving Lakewood, especially at this unique point in our history,” Mayor Todd Rogers said in a statement released by the city. “As we all know, Lakewood continues to diversify, and I think it is important that we have a variety of perspectives and life experiences represented at the highest levels of decision making …,” he said. “I think she can step right in and hit the ground running to effectively serve out the remainder of the seat at this important time for our city.”
Stuckey said, “I am honored and humbled to have this opportunity to serve my fellow residents of Lakewood. I look forward to devoting myself to being the best council member possible, representing everyone in our community and working with my colleagues and fellow residents to keep our city in great shape and make it the best it possibly can be”.
At New Philadelphia A.M.E. Church, Vicki is equally as committed and active. She is a member of the Marina Renee Gordon Missionary Society, the NuPhilly Welcome Club, the Evelyn Edwards College Care Package Program, the Culinary Ministry, and the secretary for the church Official Board Meetings.
Pastor Darryl Walker stated, “First Lady Yvonne and I along with all of the members of ‘NuPhilly’ are so proud of these outstanding women who have prepared themselves, committed themselves, and have succeeded in making outstanding contributions to the community and the church. They fulfill their professional and civic aspirations but have not failed to recognize that their achievements are only because of God’s amazing grace”.
Background information: Rev. Hayes-Reams, taken from the acknowledgment release by the YMCA of Greater Long Beach.
Ms. Vicki Stuckey, taken from the City of Lakewood, CITY NEWS SERVICE , and New Philadelphia AME Church.
