Uncrowned Community Builders

Ziyadah was born in Buffalo, New York and graduated from School 17 and Bryant and Stratton College. She attended additional courses at Medaille College and the University at Buffalo. For 30 years, she worked for Kraft Foods and retired in 2005.

Ziyadah has been an active volunteer with the American Red Cross and participated in several disaster relief operations. She traveled to Puerto Rico to assist after Hurricane Hugo; she worked with fellow volunteers in Florida following the ravages of Hurricane Andrew; and she traveled to Long Island, New York to assist in the disaster relief following devastating floods in that area.

She is the daughter of Alma McCurry Brooks who was an outstanding community missionary and author. Her two publications, ââ?¬Å?Quotations With Meaningââ?¬ and ââ?¬Å?Acres of Diamondsââ?¬ were among the first books written about the accomplishments of African Americans. Ziyadah was an active member of her mother's Family Devotion Bible class held weekly in her home for more than 50 years and faithfully attended by 40 to 50 neighborhood children.

Ziyadah was a member of the Coalition of 100 Black Women and the American Business Women's Association. She has been involved as an active board member of the Juneteenth Festival of Buffalo. For 20 years, she has served as Concessions Chairperson and is responsible for the registration and placement of all vendors.

She is an avid reader and is the mother of one son, Maurice Smith.