2021 Ken Knight Awards Winners

Wayne Peterson or Mr Al Pete

Mr. Al Pete is a Hip Hop musician, podcaster, journalist, and the founder of Mister Peterson’s Neighborhood/The MPN Network. Created in 2012, MPN reached instant success with themed ‘warehouse’ parties and the birth of two sub brands: Fly Socks and Tees and The Groove Suite, which was created in 2014. While hosting multiple events, The Groove Suite Podcast was formed to showcase the Neo Soul, Progressive, and other related genres’ music and artists from Jacksonville, Florida and around the United States. In August of 2016, Pete began working with the internet radio station The Sound of Duval by hosting his online radio mix show ‘CubicleMusic Mondays.Wanting to expand into the network realm, in January of 2020, Pete created The MPN Network, along with The Neighborhood Podcast Network, which hosts a range of podcasts from Jacksonville, Florida. The network is continuously being innovative and working to tell more stories of various creators of music, the arts, influencers and their purpose, through collective mediums.

Tonyaa Weathersbee

Tonyaa Weathersbee is the metro columnist for The Commercial Appeal – Memphis’ daily newspaper. She is also a multiple-award winning newspaper columnist and researcher in mass communications and Afro-Cuban and Afro-Latin American culture. As an opinion columnist for The Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville, Fla., from 1998 to 2016, Tonyaa’s columns, which examined the various struggles, triumphs and inequalities that many of her neighbors in inner-city Jacksonville faced, won 12 journalism awards.

She also wrote a weekly column for Black America Web, one of the leading websites for Black news and opinion, from 2003 to 2013. Her work has appeared on websites such as The Root, The Undefeated, CNN, The Marshall Project and The Bitter Southerner. Tonyaa also interviewed President Barack Obama twice. In 2008, She became the first Black journalist to be appointed to the Times-Union’s Editorial Board.Since joining The Commercial Appeal in 2016 Tonyaa has won four awards – including a 2019 Best of Gannett Award for her columns. She was also inducted into the University of Florida CJC Hall of Fame in 2020.

Tenikka Hughes

Tenikka Smith Hughes is an Emmy Award-winning evening anchor with CBS47 & FOX30 Action News Jax. The North Carolina native has worked in television news for nearly 20 years with stops in Charlotte, Memphis and Macon. Tenikka is known for being a mentor and a compassionate and authentic leader in her newsroom. Tenikka also has a heart for children - spending countless hours visiting schools, camps and churches reading to children, sharing her story and promoting the importance of literacy and education. She is the driving force behind “Tenikka’s Books for Kids,” an annual book collection drive that started in 2018. The effort has put more than 13,000 free books into the hands of Jacksonville-area children during the critical summer months, to help prevent the declines in reading and learning. Tenikka is a proud HBCU graduate of Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina, where she also served as Miss Benedict College. She also earned a Master of Journalism from the University of Maryland at College Park. You can watch Tenikka at 4,5,6, 10 & 11 on Action News Jax.

Letisha Bereola

Emmy Nominated Letisha Bereola is the recent recipient of the 2021 Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists winner for best Anchor in the 41st largest TV market in the country. She helps wake up Northeast Florida and Southeast Florida as a morning anchor on CBS47 and FOX30 Action News Jax. As a mother of two young children, Letisha is passionate about telling stories that impact children, women, and people of color. Letisha is also a podcast host and producer of AUDACITY: Unlocking the secrets of the bold where she interviews creatives, entrepreneurs and thought leaders about how they boldly live out their dreams.

Charles Griggs

Charles Griggs is a communication, media and government relations professional focused on issues related to improve public health outcomes. Griggs works as an experienced media and marketing professional who takes pride in creating strategies to improve the health of all people. His knowledge of the communications industry spans more than thirty years and involves various winning campaigns, associations and clients throughout the south.

In 2005 Griggs began his tenure with the Florida Department of Health in Duval County, and served as the Director of Communications and Community Engagement, then later Director of External Affairs. In this capacity he managed external efforts that include media relations, risk communications and legislative affairs designed to protect and promote the health of all residents and visitors of Duval County On the other side of the media table, Griggs has contributed as an editorial writer through his column titled BlacKoffee, syndicated and published in the Jacksonville Free Press. He previously hosted and produced The Next Page and First Coast Focus, radio talk shows that focused on community and social issues. Currently, Griggs is a regular contributor on WJCT’s First Coast Connect Media Roundtable news broadcast, which airs weekly on 89.9 FM (an NPR affiliate), and host a podcast called #realtalk the Show with Charles Griggs.

Monique Blue

Monique Blue is an exceptionally talented and driven woman. She is a National Partnership Specialist for IHeartMedia with over 20 Years’ experience in her field. She is recognized in the Jacksonville, Florida community as a woman on a mission to provide marketing solutions to local and national business owners. Blue’s mission to help others goes beyond consulting. Monique Blue is often requested as a guest speaker at motivational seminars and to host empowerment workshops. Once you have met “Blue’ her vibe of passion immediately intoxicates you . She has a very special connection with everyone she meets. When Blue is not working she enjoys spending time with her family. She also spends a great deal of time working with her foundation PINK QUEEN B, which helps African American women all over survive through remission after breast cancer. She is on the black expo Board as well as the National Coalition for 100 Black Women. Blue Believes that YOU HAVE AN ASSIGNMENT IN LIFE. Someone is in need of what you have so why not share.

Al Letson

Al Letson is an accomplished playwright, screenwriter, actor and journalist. Letson hosts Reveal, from the Center for Investigative Reporting, an award-winning news program heard on over 500 NPR stations and over 1 million podcast downloads a month. As a journalist he’s been awarded three Peabody’s and an Emmy. His theater work has appeared Off Broadway and on stages across the country. Letson has worked on several TV projects with various networks including AMC and HULU. He continues to write, develop and tell new stories, for both broadcast and live audiences.

Freddie Rhodes

Freddie Rhodes hosts “The Afternoon Power Drive” on Victory AM 1360 & FM 94.7 in Jacksonville, FL, Monday –Friday, from 2pm – 6pm. He also serves as the station’s Vice-President of Programming. Freddie is a life-long resident of Jacksonville, Florida. His interest in radio began while he was in high school. He would often call in to the local radio station and make dedications to his classmates. The announcer on duty encouraged him to pursue a career in radio broadcasting. The legendary Adrian “Ken” Knight, one of the biggest names in blackradio during that era, gave Freddie his first job in radio on Sunday nights doing Gospel. Even though Freddie’s desire was to do Gospel Radio, he accepted an air shift doing R&B. But after a while Freddie decided to give that up and return to his “first love” Gospel Music. In 2014 he was named The Rhythm of Gospel Announcer of the Year.

From playing records on turntables to now playing music on the computer, after 50 years, Freddie continues to enjoy his career as a Gospel Radio Announcer. Freddie is also employed at News 4 Jax as the Floor Director and has worked there for 50 years. Freddie Rhodes is a family man married to his wife Sarah for 37 years and is the father of 5 sons. He is also a faithful member of the Cathedral of Faith COGIC, where he serves as a Deacon.