National Council Of Negro Women Honor ​“She-roes” — & 1 ​“He-ro”

The New Haven section of the National Council of Negro Women Inc. (NCNW) celebrated 45 years of ​“triumphing together” this past Saturday with the community. 

The luncheon was organized to celebrate the history of the NCNW in New Haven, honor local leaders, and encourage guests to network at Amarante’s Sea Cliff Restaurant, New Haven NCNW President Dorthula ​“Dottie” Green said.

The annual celebration returned this year after being canceled last year due to the pandemic. 

The honorees recognized at the Saturday luncheon were Youth of the Year Areile Jowers, Individual of the Year for Community Service Work Daniel Hunt, Woman of the Year Lensley Gay, Organization of the Year Women of the Village, and Educator of the Year Felicia Williams. 

The community leaders sat at the celebration’s head table alongside Mayor Justin Elicker, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, and NCNW state representative JoAnn Miller.

The lineup of ​“she-heros” and Hunt were each thanked by NCNW and awarded a 2021 Honoree plaque. 

Attendees watched and listened to the legacy of NCNW founder and civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune. 

A certificate of recognition from the U.S Senate, a city proclamation, and certificates from U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro and U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy were also awarded to the honorees. 

Throughout the pandemic, the New Haven section of NCNW hosted feminine hygiene giveaways, food distributions, and voter registration clinics. In the near future it hopes to create a NCNW youth advisory board, Green said. Its theme this year was ​“We Triumph Together” which aligned with the honorees’ values. 

Mother Lula Morrison and daughters Jameka Jefferies and Pastor Loria Morrison joined the Saturday celebration to support the honorees. ​“They should know that their work is not in vain,” Loria said. ​“It’s inspiring.”

As a social worker and former care coordinator for New Haven Healthy Start, Loria worked with Gay in the past to offer student mothers with services. She said her kids grew up with Hunt, and she loves him like a son. 

Raffle tickets were sold to attendees to gather proceeds for the NCNW scholarship program. 

Guests enjoyed lunch and conversations with the honorees and fellow guests. 

The award ceremony was prefaced with remarks from Enola G. Aird, the founder and president of the Community Healing Network (CHN).

Aird ​“zoomed in” to the celebration virtually to discuss her work with NCNW and the legacy of Bethune and other social justice leaders. 

"Community Warriors"

The three women behind the nonprofit food pantry Women of the Village received the Community Service Award from NCNW. 

Sharon Waddley-Stevens, Andrea Mastracchio, and Margaret Gainey have run the pantry since 2017 out of the Dixwell police substation every Tuesday. 

It has partnered in the past with Loaves and Fishes, the Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen, Varick Church, and Apostle Immigrant Service. 

“We will feed you, and we’ll love you,” Waddley-Stevens said. 

The leaders of the organization said they work not only to provide healthy food to the community but also to build relationships with residents and provide them with community services. 

"The Drums of Africa Beat In Your Young Heart"

Hill Regional Career High School senior Areile Jowers received the youth of the year award after being nominated by her school counselor. 

Jowers, 17, described the accomplishment as feeling ​“astounding to be associated with these leaders.” 

Jowers hopes to become a member of NCNW in the future she said. She is currently the vice president and co-founder of Career’s Feminism Club and plans to start a Black Student Union before the end of the school year. 

When NCNW reached out to Career for potential student honorees, school counselor Candice Harrell decided to nominate Jowers because of her ​“go-getter” attitude. 

“She knows what she wants and didn’t need much guidance,” Harrell said. 

Harrell also described Jowers as organized, proactive, supportive, and approachable. Jowers is ranked in the top 3 percent of her class. 

She recently helped revive the Feminism Club this year to have student-led conversations about pay gaps, sexual harassment, and biased dress codes against female students. 

“My goal isn’t to make it better for me but for the underclass that still have a ways to go” she said. 

Not only does Jowers plan to continue her activism after high school but she also is working to become an architectural engineer. She hopes to either attend Yale University or Rice University in Houston, Texas. 

Jowers also received The Milles-Poole Academic Book award to go toward her college books’ cost The $500 award honors the late NCNW member Margery Ball Mills and Geraldine Poole. 

She plans to merge her advocacy work into her career by diversifying the field and being a role model to other students of color. ​“My hope is that when they see me it shows them they can do it too,” she said. ​“My social justice work will be in architecture.” 

"An Ordinary Woman Doing Extraordinary Things"

Gay, a teacher at Brennan Rogers School, entrepreneur, and child and family advocate, was awarded Woman of the Year by NCNW. 

She recalled getting students certified in CPR and bringing them on trips over the past 30 years to meet national leaders like Ruby Bridges, Michelle Obama, Coretta Scott King, Barack Obama, Ruby Dee, Julian Bon, Merle Evers-Williams, and Cecile Tyson.

“She doesn’t just keep information to herself. She provides exposure and opportunities for everyone,” said NCNW member Sheila Jewel of Gay. 

Gay said she follows in the steps of her ancestry of educators and community advocates. 

"A Special Award On A Special Day"

Hunt was recognized Saturday the Community Service Individual of the Year by NCNW. 

He was supported by friends and family at the celebration including Fire Lt. Samod​“Nuke” Rankins, Asst. Police Chief Karl Jacobson, and police Capt. David Zannelli.

Hunt was appointed as the youngest commissioner of Hamden for the Human Services Commission of Hamden. He has organized a series of community walks in partnership with police departments in support of community policing. 

Hunt celebrated receiving the award after grieving the loss of his grandmother this time last year.

“I know she’s here with me,” Hunt said while holding back tears. 

Green prayed over Hunt briefly at the Saturday event. 

"Doing My Job While Fulfilling My Purpose"

Williams, a New Haven native, received the educator of the year award from NCNW. 

She is a Hillhouse High School graduate who began her teaching career at High School in the Community. For a period she also taught at Eli Whitney Technical High School. While at Eli Whitney she won Teacher of the Year in 2008. 

Williams currently teaches math at H.C. Wilcox Technical High School in Meriden. She was honored again as teacher of the year at the current school in 2012. 

Williams described teaching during the pandemic as ​“strangest two years to be an educator.” 

“I decided to stick to my dream and teach,” Williams said. 

She continues to work hard to teach kids to think deeper in math class and problem solve in hard times. 

“When she does what she does she does from her heart, she does it with everything in her. It is never about Felicia. It’s always about doing a better thing for someone else,” Green said of Williams. 

The Saturday ceremony was closed out with a candle lighting for several NCNW members that passed in 2020 and 2021. The late members included Geneva Pollock, Elise Blackshear, Mattie Long, and Jeffie Frazier. 

Watch the full award ceremony here.