African American Legacy Fund Annual Fundraiser

Beverely Elliott

Executive Director of the African American Museum of Southern Arizona
VP of Elliott Accounting
Retired Educator

Beverely Elliott is the Executive Director for the African American Museum of Southern Arizona located at the University of Arizona.  She is also Vice-President of Elliott Accounting, an accounting, tax, management and investment advisory services firm.  Beverely (and yes she has an extra e in her name) is a Michigan native but has lived in Tucson for the past 40 years.  She has sat on the boards of The University of Arizona Alumni Association, Tucson Botanical Gardens, Zuckerman Foundation, the University of Arizona School Counselors Association, Pima Community College Academic Fitness Board, Arizona Lung Association, Pima Community College Alumni Formulation Committee, the University of Arizona Athletics Academic Integrity Board, and The University of Arizona Black Alumni.  Presently she serves on the University of Arizona Black Community Council, and the African American Cultural and Historic Museum of Washtenaw County in Michigan. As an educator she was the National Secondary School counselor of the year in 2006 and was also honored by the state of Arizona and Tucson Unified School District. Beverely was honored as a Phenomenal Women by the University of Arizona’s Black Alumni.

Robert A. (Bob) Elliott

President/Owner, Elliott Accounting

Bob is founder and President of Elliott Accounting, an accounting, tax, management and investment advisory services firm.  He is currently the Chair of the Board of the African American Museum of Southern Arizona. He has served as the Chairman of the Board of UNS Energy-Fortis, the NBA Retired Players Association, AAA Mountain West Group, AAA Auto Club Partners, AAA Arizona, Tucson Airport Authority, the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, the University of Arizona Alumni Association and the Tucson Urban League. He is currently serving as a board member of ITC Holdings of Michigan, the University of Arizona Eller College of Business, and the University of Arizona Black Community Council; and formerly served as a board member of the University of Arizona Foundation,  AAA CSAA Insurance, Southern Arizona Community Bank, the Tucson Black Chamber of Commerce, YMCA, Tucson Medical Center Health Enterprises, Tucson Medical Center Foundation, and the Greater Tucson Economic Council. Mr. Elliott is a member of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, and is a NAACP Life Member. In 2014 he was named the Tucson Man of the Year.

Bob co-authored a book in 2014 titled “Tucson, a Basketball Town.” He enjoyed a 27-year broadcasting analyst career for professional basketball teams such as the Phoenix Suns and for NCAA Division I basketball on radio and television.  In addition, he has voice credits with EA Sports for the computer interactive games NBA Live 2003, NBA Live 2002, NBA Live 2001 and NBA Street. He played professional basketball in the National Basketball Association for the New Jersey Nets from 1978-81, and participated in the 1976 U.S. Olympic Trials. Mr. Elliott was a College Basketball Athletic and Academic All American, and he is the only University of Arizona athlete to be a member of the College Academic All America Hall of Fame.

The hottest stop to rest your head between L.A. and Marfa.

Unique among Tucson hotels and located just south of downtown Tucson, The Downtown Clifton Hotel offers stylish accommodations and personalized service in historic Armory Park, on the edge of Barrio Viejo.

The downtown Tucson hotel was built in 1948 along Stone Avenue, formerly US route 80, which linked Douglas to the south and Phoenix to the north. In 2014, the vintage hotel was purchased from its original owners and lovingly restored into The Downtown Clifton Hotel. In 2019, the Downtown Clifton was proud to open an additional 22 rooms in a stylish Sonoran Moderne expansion that speaks to the original vintage feel of the hotel. The Red Light Lounge was added, featuring local and regional beer, wine, classic and craft cocktails and contemporary Tucson cuisine.

Learn more about the Downtown Clifton here.

About the Owner

A native Tucsonan, it is Moniqua Lane’s deep connection to and reverence for Tucson’s history, culture and unique geography that informs the operational and aesthetic style of Motown Development, with a focus on innovative, small scale hospitality and multi-family development strives to create meaning through the place. Of MoTown’s two principals, Moniqua brings experience in developing, branding, marketing, and operating independent, boutique properties, both existing and ground up.  MoTown’s first project, The Downtown Clifton Hotel, has been in operation for five years, recently completing a major expansion — tripling in size — in the summer of 2019.

Ms. Lane creates, communicates, and directs the hotel’s vision and direction; directs and evaluates the hotel management team; formulates and implements strategic planning; manages financial activities, particularly budgeting and market forecasting; and participates in industry and civic groups and activities on behalf of the hotel. Ms. Lane is currently breaking ground on her second project, The Citizen Hotel, a 10-room boutique hotel with which will include an on-site wine cellar operations and a high-end wine and cocktail bar located in downtown Tucson. The Citizen is set to open in Fall 2021. Ms. Lane is also in the early stages of a mixed-use commercial development located in an up-and-coming area in South Tucson.

As a young girl growing up in rural Southeast Texas, I was taught a ‘proper roux’ was essential for success. A hot seasoned cast iron skillet, a heaping scoop of fresh butter and powerful patience. I would hear the sizzling pan in the kitchen and smell the butter melting. Discovering my father gracefully sprinkling the flour into the pan and with a whisk stirring the bubbling mixture.

“If you let the roux cook too long, it will burn” he would say out loud as a reminder to himself and as a life lesson to me.

Ashley La Russa (she/her) founded Roux Events LLC in Tucson, Arizona. Her management experience and life lessons help her provide organizations and community leaders with creative solutions.

Learn more at rouxeventsllc.com

DJ Hot Sauce’s career began in 1994 at the now defunct KLPL in Lake Providence, LA. While anyone would be impressed with an adolescent night jock, Hot Sauce wanted more. By 17, he was mastering the turntables, and was involved in everything around the radio station, from programming to production.

In 1997, Hot Sauce moved to New Orleans, where he was heavily influenced by jazz and blues. He continued to perfect his craft for two long years, then got a call to take over the airwaves in Monroe, LA. KRVV was the place where things really started to open up for Hot Sauce, and in no time, he was not only releasing regional mix tapes, but was the go-to DJ for just about every club and concert venue in the area.

Working his way across the country, Hot Sauce was transferred to Meridian, MS (WJXM) in 2002, then Dothan, AL in 2003 to do nights at WDBT, which has since changed formats. In Alabama, he earned the title “King of Nights,” and is most known for throwing his birthday party at an unknown club and letting everyone drink free. Wonder why the party was a success…

In September 2004, after receiving a call from Clear Channel, Hot Sauce “caught a midnight train” to Columbus, GA and began on-air duties for start-up station WBFA 101.3 The Beat. There he was the midday jock, Music Director, and had an award-winning mix show. It was also in Columbus that he was introduced to the Legion of Doom Record Breakers and the Core DJ’s. Always looking for a bigger audience, Hot Sauce moved further east to North Carolina to do nights at WIKS 101.1. In the short time he was there, he made a huge impact; his show was Arbitron rated #1 in all demos, and no one will forget the love he showed to local and regional artists.

From there Hot Sauce brought his southern flavor back to Louisiana in 2007, to do nights in Shreveport for KMJJ. His “Local Artist Spotlight” guaranteed his place in Shreveport’s radio history; whether it was spinning it in his mix show or putting it on the countdown, if a local artist had a hot song, you heard it from Hot Sauce first. And his #1 ratings, numbers which tripled the competition’s, cannot be contested. North Carolina missed Hot Sauce, and apparently the feeling was mutual. He was back doing nights at WIKS like he never left. Then he left, knowing he would never be replaced… Learn more about DJ Hot Sauce here.

Before the close of 2009, Hot Sauce moved on to Milwaukee and dominated the market. But the south was definitely calling him back. You can currently hear Hot Sauce “Spicin’ Up Your Nights” all over Alabama, in Montgomery and Birmingham, on Hot 107.5 and 104.1 The Beat, respectively.

Precious Craig is a third-year PharmD/MPH student at the University of Arizona. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, and raised in Peoria, Arizona, she earned a B.S. in Public Health with a minor in Biochemistry in 2021.

In 2022, Precious co-founded and served as President of the SNPhA chapter at her school. Nationally, she served as the SNPhA National Region V Facilitator from 2023 to 2024 and was a member of the National Nominations Committee in 2023. Precious launched a Black Health Fair in Tucson to address healthcare disparities in underserved communities and has actively supported underrepresented students through her leadership roles. She also facilitated collaboration between SNPhA and MexZona, a program that sends pharmacy students to Mexico for monthly health clinics.

She completed the Greater Tucson Leadership Lead Tucson Program, earning the Gen Ronald L. Kurth Award, and became one of the youngest recipients of Tucson’s 40 Under 40 award. Precious is passionate about pursuing a career in the pharmaceutical industry. In her free time, she coaches track for the Tucson Elite Athletic Club and enjoys playing the guitar, boxing, Olympic weightlifting, cooking, and photography.

Drew Berryhill 37, is a Tucson-native who founded Drutopia in 2019. Drutopia is Arizona’s 1st Black-owned & operated nursery/botanical garden. Since 2019 Drutopia has been growing & serving the community at large. In addition to being home to a wide variety of plants, rock specimens & animals…the garden has also been utilized as a venue for events & workshops. Curating a dynamic space that highlights Black contributions to agriculture is the ultimate vision for Drutopia.

House of Zuri is an African inspired fashion company founded in 2013 by Oluwakemi Star Nwabuokei. Star is a model, designer and stylist that works with top models, stylists, photographers and makeup artists to bring her vision to life. ‘Zuri’ which means BEAUTY in Swahili pays homage to her African background. House of Zuri has a mission to focus on versatile style while building a strong brand and customer loyalty. Star’s vision for House of Zuri is to keep her clients on the cutting edge of fashion while maintaining an exclusive look for their fast paced lifestyle.