By: Richard L. Smith
YWCA Northern New Jersey (YWCANNJ) marked the 10th Annual Racial Justice Awards by honoring leading advocates for racial equity on April 30th at the Montclair Art Museum.
The event, part of the nationwide "Until Justice Just Is" campaign by YWCA USA, recognized individuals who have significantly contributed to the fight against racism and advancing peace, justice, and freedom.
This year's honorees included several prominent community leaders from Northern New Jersey.
Mayor Yris Encarnación of South Hackensack, Closter Council Member Jannie Chung, and former Teaneck Council Member and activist Gervonn Rice were acknowledged with the 2024 Racial Justice Advocacy & Activism Award.
The Theodora Lacey Racial Justice Award was bestowed upon Vivian Cox Fraser, President and CEO of the Urban League of Essex County, for her exceptional contributions.
Shennell McCloud, CEO of Project Ready and Executive Director of Be Ready, received the Dr. Arnold Brown Racial Justice Award, and Hon. Sundeep Iyer, Director of the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights, was honored with the Pastor Thomas Johnson Racial Justice Trailblazer Award.
Helen Archontou, CEO of YWCANNJ, highlighted the significance of the awards:
"As we celebrate a decade of recognizing champions dedicated to our mission of racial justice and equity, we are continually inspired by our community's changemakers. We're proud to honor those who've tirelessly worked to foster a fairer, more inclusive world for everyone. While we acknowledge the progress made, we recognize there's still much ahead. YWCA Northern New Jersey remains resolute in our commitment to dismantling racism and advancing civil rights."
The event was supported by Convergent Law, Unilever, HM Marketing, and Stronger Tomorrow, reflecting the community's broad backing for advancing these critical social issues.