4th Salute to Black Families Accents Positive : Parenting: Two families that have demonstrated unity and motivation win annual award.

Between the candy-coated cheerfulness of TV’s Huxtables and the negative stereotype of drug-obsessed youths and apathetic parents lies the truth of the black family, Lucille Boswell believes, and she likes to prove it.

For the fourth year in a row, she has. As the manager of consumer affairs for the Los Angeles office of Coca-Cola, Boswell once again has produced Coca-Cola’s Salute to the Black Family.

Thursday night at the Sheraton Grande Hotel members of the business community gathered at a cocktail reception honoring one single- and one dual-parent family that demonstrated unity and motivation.

“Today you hear many things about our families being in trouble, and you hear a great deal about dope and gangs in the black family, but you don’t hear about the positive side as much as you should,” Boswell said. “What affects one family affects all families. If any of us don’t keep our families together, whether we be black, white, yellow or brown, then our country cannot survive.”

Amid enthusiastic applause from the audience, Boswell added, “I wasn’t doing that for any applause, gang. I was just talking the truth!”

An 11-member selection committee, co-chaired by Dan Austin and Eugenia Scott, had selected the two families based on criteria which included stability, religious affiliation, accomplishments of the children, extending encouragement and direction to their children and to others, education, work history, community involvement, the ability to overcome odds and strong family values.

Judy Reinhold and her children Angela, 16, and Kurt, 11, from Los Angeles, were honored as the outstanding single-parent family.

“Even in the midst of tragedy things can go on and you can still strive and make it,” said Judy Reinhold, a medical technician, who lost her husband to cancer six years ago. “Being 100% behind your kids and motivating them is all you can ask. My main concern is keeping them right on track, and do what their father would have pushed them to do had he been there. And I attribute all the positives in my life to to love of the Lord.

“Getting this award was the furthest thing from my mind. I go about my life not thinking anyone is cluing in to what I’m doing, that it’s of no importance to anyone else. But something like this comes along and you say, ‘I must really be doing OK. It’s working.’ We have to work as a chain and stick together. We have our ups and downs, but this is definitely an up.”

Daughter Angela, a junior at Immaculate Heart High School, said, “It’s an honor for this to happen to us, and the work that we’ve done has paid off.”

Added son Kurt, a student at Notre Dame Academy, “Sometimes we have bad times, but we get together afterwards and we’re friends.”

Raymond and Maple Cornwell of Inglewood and their children Eric, 31; Mark, 28; and Craig, 22, were honored as the dual-parent family. (Eric, a surgeon, was not able to make it for the ceremony).

Each had his own explanation for the family’s success.

“I think that education would probably be the backbone of the whole family,” said Mark, a Los Angeles-based territory manager with American Express. “There was a lot of determination in regards to our endeavors.”

“I concur with Mark,” said his mother, a public school district supervisor, “but I also think our foundation comes from the knowledge and love of God. I think another strong point is our extended families. Our parents were very strong people, and we just continue the process. And also there is adaptability, being able to adjust to different situations. Without that we would not have made it after the fire.”

She was referring to a fire 13 years ago that destroyed their home (it was rebuilt eight months later). “We actually had to start as if we were just married,” she added, “but with three children.”

“Our way of life has to do with strong faith,” said Raymond Cornwell, pastor at Faith Chapel Baptist Church. “Faith in God, in ourselves, in one another. That has been one of the main things that has kept us going. We’ve demonstrated it as a way of life, not just words. And no negative thoughts--always positive.”

Added son Craig, a procedures analyst with McDonnell-Douglas, “I always knew my parents were there for me to fall back on. I always try to be independent, but I’ve seen friends of mine try to do some things that I’ve done (but) without parental love and support, and I see how hard it is.”

Both families spoke of the need for positive family role models.

“Not all families have to be (depicted) as being in the ghetto and being in deep trouble,” said Judy Reinhold. “I know of other families in similar situations to ours. You hear about all the negative things about black families, rather than the positive.”

Said Maple Cornwell, “It’s not a mystery that we’ve made it, the mystery is that (few are aware) that it’s happened to so many others. I feel we stand in for those folks who work hard.”