Bessie Edwards as been an arts and cultural activist committed to preserving and promoting arts and cultural initiatives within the diasporas for more than 20 years. In 2003 her company, Pizzazz Meeting and Events Planning group was hired to manage Anhueser-Busch, Inc., and Jazzmobile’s Jazz Vocal Competition. This program encouraged Jazz vocalists to hone their art and compete in Jazzmobile’s summer concert series. With more than 100 participants each year, the annual competition was held through 2011. Beginning in 2009, Ms Edwards served as a volunteer for Central Brooklyn Jazz Consortium (CBJC) providing events management support for planning CBJC’s annual Jazz Festival. While serving as board member she also served on planning team for CBJC Festivals including Jazz Hall of Fame, Jazz! The Women’s Viewpoint, Festival Gala and support for the Youth Jazz Jamboree. Most recently in 2019, Ms. Edwards spearheaded CBJC’s efforts to attract a millennium audience with a fresh approach to its 20th Anniversary series by featuring musicians new to the Jazz scene that brought innovative styles, envisioning for the next 20 years, while honoring those who have adorned the stage for decades. Serving as acting Executive Director since 2017, she has managed CBJC’s Arts as a Catalyst: Gun Initiative program and the Immigrant Cultural Initiative. Bessie Edwards’ past experiences include serving as an adjunct professor at New York University, NYC Community College and Kingsborough Community College in adult education departments teaching events management and career education. Ms. Edwards earned an undergraduate degree from Brooklyn College and a MS degree in Human Resource and Organizational Development from the New School of Social Research.