January 16, 2026
This Week’s Program
Vicki L. Crawford, Director of the Morehouse College Martin Luther King, Jr. Collection and Endowed Chair of Civil and Human Rights
This week, the Rotary Club of Atlanta West End welcomes Vicki L. Crawford, Director of the Morehouse College Martin Luther King, Jr. Collection and Endowed Chair of Civil and Human Rights. In her dual roles as academic leader and public educator, Dr. Crawford advances the teachings, philosophy, and global vision of Dr. King through scholarship, curriculum, and community engagement.
As a professor of African American Studies at Morehouse College, Dr. Crawford teaches courses in African American history and the Civil Rights Movement, grounding historical study in ethical reflection and civic responsibility. Her work has been supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities, including a grant focused on innovative humanities teaching with the King Collection.
Dr. Crawford is a leading scholar of civil rights history and women’s leadership, serving as editor of Women in the Civil Rights Movement: Trailblazers and Torchbearers and as General Series Editor of the Morehouse College King Collection Series on Civil and Human Rights. Her scholarship and leadership reflect a sustained commitment to preserving history as a living guide for justice, service, and democratic practice.
JOIN ONLINE: Zoom Link - Click hereMeeting ID: 874 0116 4307 Passcode: Service
KeyWay Report
Crystal Davis The Lean Coach
January 9, 2026
AWER President-Elect Chris introduced Ms. Crystal Y. Davis an expert on the practical use of artificial intelligence to strengthen organizational effectiveness. Crystal’s presentation program focused on how service organizations can use AI tools responsibly to improve engagement, streamline operations, and extend impact despite limited resources.
Crystal is the CEO of The Lean Coach and president of the Atlanta Alumni Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. With decades of experience in consulting and industry leadership, she is known for helping organizations improve operational excellence, resilience, and culture. Drawing on both professional expertise and lived experience, she offered a grounded and accessible perspective on AI adoption for mission-driven organizations.
Crystal framed artificial intelligence as a thought partner rather than a replacement for human thinking. She emphasized that AI’s greatest value lies in augmenting human capacity, particularly for small organizations that lack extensive staff or technical resources. For Rotary clubs and similar service organizations, AI can help close the gap between ambition and execution by reducing the time required to produce high-quality outputs.
She demonstrated how AI tools can be applied immediately and practically. Using Notebook LM, Crystal showed how a simple one-minute audio recording could be transformed into a professional-quality podcast within minutes. This approach allows organizations to repurpose meeting discussions, service activities, or short reflections into engaging content with minimal effort. She also described how AI can be used to create attractive landing pages that highlight service contributions, document community impact, and communicate value to prospective members and partners.
Beyond communications, Crystal discussed strategic uses of AI for planning and growth. She shared how she leaned into AI tools after having to reduce staff during a business downturn. Rather than replacing people, AI enabled her smaller team to maintain competitiveness by producing deliverables comparable to those created by much larger firms. For service organizations, she suggested AI can assist with membership strategies, implementation plans, and creative outreach approaches that would otherwise require significant time or specialized expertise.
The discussion explored how AI can support partnership development and sponsorship efforts. Crystal described using AI to research companies with strong commitments to diversity, equity, inclusion, and community engagement, then tailoring outreach that aligns organizational missions with corporate priorities. This targeted approach, she noted, can make sponsorship conversations more efficient and more likely to succeed.
Members asked thoughtful questions about tool selection and learning pathways. Crystal explained that she evaluates tools based on affordability and daily usefulness, noting that effective adoption depends on consistent use rather than novelty. She also described participating in an AI mastermind, a learning community where business owners and professionals share insights and stay current with rapidly evolving tools.
Ethical considerations were an important part of the conversation. Crystal acknowledged the significant water and energy demands associated with data centers and emphasized the need for regulation, transparency, and community awareness. She noted that while these impacts raise legitimate concerns, they also create new opportunities for small businesses in related industries. The group also discussed the importance of introducing AI responsibly to younger generations while preserving critical thinking skills.
She also stressed that diverse participation matters, noting that if certain voices and perspectives are absent, AI systems do not learn them. She encouraged women and people of color to engage actively with these tools so their perspectives are reflected as AI continues to evolve.
Throughout the discussion, members returned to the idea of AI as an equalizer. By leveraging accessible tools, small businesses and service organizations can compete with larger entities, communicate more effectively, and devote more energy to service rather than administration. This framing aligned closely with Rotary’s emphasis on stewardship, innovation, and maximizing impact with limited resources.
Two announcements: Rose Caplan is organizing a bus trip to the Equal Justice Institute Museum in Montgomery, Alabama, planned for March, with a survey forthcoming to gauge interest.
Members were also encouraged to continue collecting non-perishable food items for the Booker T. Washington High School food pantry, with a deadline of February 6. An Amazon link remains available for members who wish to send donations directly to Bridgette (Bee) Long’s home.
The January 9 program reinforced Rotary’s commitment to service that is relevant, ethical, and adaptive. Members were encouraged to approach artificial intelligence with curiosity and intentionality as another tool to support meaningful service in the West End community.
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Jared Evans & Neil Shorthouse, Keyway Speaker Reporters
Stocking Booker T. Washington High's Food Pantry
The Rotary Club of Atlanta West End is going to support Booker T. Washington High School's food pantry. Specifically, we are contributing to the school's weekend and school-break food assistance initiative by:
- Providing weekend food bags in partnership with the social worker department for students in need during the upcoming winter break (February 16–20, 2026).
- The food bags will include easy-to-prepare, non-perishable items such as macaroni cups or noodles, applesauce or fruit cups, granola bars, and other simple, shelf-stable snacks, as well as gallon-sized Ziploc bags for packing. The drop-off for the donations is scheduled for February 9th at 10:30 a.m.
- Relevant items can be purchased directly at this Amazon link. Items will be shipped to Service Projects member Bridgette Long. https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1H2602S48PBWS?ref=cm_sw_em_r_un_un_5gXTOBCWbD8cV
Calander, Agenda, Connections, & Four-Way Test
Never a Bad Time to Catch Up!
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