Ivy Arlinda Goolsby is another exemplar of "Lifting as we Climb!" Born and raised in Long Beach, California, she has remained as a pillar of the community across her entire lifetime. She is an alumnus of Long Beach City College and studied Early Childhood Education at UCLA. She started her professional career in the telecommunications industry in 1971 working first at GTE (Verizon), and later in several progressively responsible leadership roles in the corporate world pending her retirement in 2000. While this benchmark retirement marked her exit from Corporate America, it also marked her entrance into the world of Real Estate and Real Estate Investments. She is currently the Director of the Long Beach Division of International Realty and Investments.
Her service on local Boards and Auxiliaries continues to impact community circumstances and increase the diversity of decision-making bodies. . Among others she serves as a member of The Board of Trustees at St. Mary’s Medical Center (Dignity Health); Long Beach; Long Beach City College Board of Governors; Board of Trustees - Long Beach Museum of Art, etc. She is a co-founder of the Long Beach City Legacy; and a supporter of countless community-based nonprofits to include Forgotten Images Museum, WIN, NAACP, Freedom Schools, and Andy Street Community Association.
Ivy was the first African-American President of the Women's Business Council of The Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. During her tenure as president one of her many accomplishments was the establishment of a fund to award grants to "Women Transitioning From Shelter to Workforce."
Her words of advice to our youth: " Always reach back and pull the next person up! Never forget who you are and where you came from. Never forget your roots and community. Difficult roads often lead to success and beautiful destinations..."
Meet this dynamic leader and community advocate at the 2017 Villager Awards! http://www.villagerawards2017.brownpapertickets.com
Afram Global Organization Inc, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit charitable organization, sponsors the Annual Villager Awards as a part of its Village P.r.o.j.e.c.t.s. consistent with the Mantra “Lifting as we Climb.” Over sixty awards have been presented over the years to African-Americans and others of acknowledged African Ancestry who have been a source of empowerment and support well beyond what is required of them in their daily work. The award recipients are applauded for their impact in reducing disparities in health, education, and socio-economic circumstances. See: www.villageprojects.net for more information.
“Our solutions are bigger than any one profession or job. We must reclaim our interconnections and learn to freely share information with each other, and to support the success of a new generation. We must create connections and collaborations. Our goal must be to move this system in the direction of caring what happens to persons who need it the most, and we must take our place in that effort. We will find a way to make a difference!"
