Savannah Race for the Cure® Names Guest and Speaker, Dr. Bertice Berry


Dr. Bertice Berry
Dr. Bertice Berry

The Susan G. Komen Savannah Race for the Cure Committee is excited to announce that Dr. Bertice Berry will be the distinguished guest and speaker at this year’s Survivor Reception, Friday, April 16th and Race day, Saturday, April 17th.

Bertice Berry, PhD. is a sociologist, an author, a lecturer and an educator.

No one defies stereotypes, generalizations or clichés more than Dr. Bertice Berry. Growing up poor in Wilmington, Delaware, the sixth of seven children, Bertice was told by a high school teacher that she was “not college material”. Fortunately, there was another teacher who believed that she was destined for more.

Berry applied to several schools without any idea how she would pay the tuition if she were accepted. The day her application arrived at Jacksonville University in Florida, a wealthy benefactor called the Admissions Department looking for a potential student “who could swim if they had the right backing,” and might sink without it.

Bertice not only graduated magna cum laude from Jacksonville where she was awarded the President’s Cup for leadership, she subsequently earned a Ph.D. in Sociology from Kent State University at the age of 26.

Dr. Berry taught sociology and statistics at Kent, and demonstrated that she knew a few things about humor, as well. Shortly thereafter, Berry left Kent to become an award-winning entertainer, lecturer and comedienne.

From 1991 through 1994 she won the coveted national Comedian of the Year Award, and was also named Campus Lecturer of the Year and Campus Entertainer of the Year.

Dr. Bertice Berry is also the best-selling author of an inspirational memoir; I’m On My Way, But Your Foot Is On My Head, and the hilarious bestsellers Sckraight From the Ghetto, You Might Be Ghetto If and the sequel You STILL Ghetto.

Her first work of fiction, Redemption Song, published by Double Day in 2000, is also a Best-seller and has been praised by critics for its’ ability to entertain, inspire and educate. Berry followed Redemption Song, with another bestseller, The Haunting of Hip Hop and took her readers on a journey to the other side.

In August 2002, she released her most passionate work ever with Jim & Louella Homemade Heart-fix Remedy, a tantalizing yet spiritual tale that has won several awards. Berry’s wit and wisdom shine through in her novel about looking for love in all the wrong places—and with all the wrong people, “When Love Calls, You Better Answer”; released the summer of 2005.

Her next book, “The Ties That Bind”, bridges the past with the future and is more personal tracing the history of her family.

Our local presenting sponsor, Memorial Hospital and the entire race committee are honored that she has agreed to join in the fight against breast cancer and focus on the awareness that this disease has no race, gender, socio-economic status, or class, however, the access to care and treatment has disproportionate numbers in the African American and Latino American communities.

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