A VIRTUAL CELEBRATION a
MOMENT in the MOVEMENT
THURSDAY DECEMBER 10, 2020 5:30 PM Reception | 6:00 PM Program
PROGRAM PROGRAM PRE-SHOW 5:30 PM WELCOME 6:00 PM Jonathan Roberts EVP Retail Banking & Consumer Lending, Webster Bank Jay Harris Sports Anchor, ESPN OPENING REMARKS Tom Barnes, Event Honorary Chair Edwin Shirley, Urban League Board Chair Susan Bysiewicz, Lt. Governor John Larson, US Congressman Chris Murphy, US Senator Richard Blumenthal, US Senator Luke Bronin, Mayor MOMENT IN THE MOVEMENT Urban League of Greater Hartford AWARDS & RECOGNITION Jay Harris PERFORMANCE Chinequia Bailey MY URBAN LEAGUE STORY Dominique Maldonado Project Ready Scholar
CLOSING REMARKS Jay Harris David Hopkins, Urban League President and CEO ENTERTAINMENT DJ Craig G, HOT 93.7 and Top Floor Entertainment
President and CEO
80 Pine Street, 9th Floor New York, NY 10005
www.nul.org
December 10, 2020 Good Evening Urban Leaguers! Please join me in congratulating the Urban League of Greater Hartford on its 56th Annual Equal Opportunity Day Celebration. The National Urban League is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in significantly underserved communities. Since its inception in 1910, the National Urban League has spearheaded the efforts of its local affiliates through the development of programs, public policy research and advocacy. Today, there are 90 affiliates in 36 states and the District of Columbia, providing direct services that impact and improve the lives of more than 1.6 million people nationwide. Since opening its doors in 1964, the Urban League of Greater Hartford has provided services to thousands of individuals and families, enriching their lives and making Hartford a better place in which to live and work. Urban League of Greater Hartford’s Equal Opportunity Day gala is the culminating celebration of a year of accomplishments and recognition of outstanding business, community, and corporate support. I congratulate tonight’s award recipients, each of whom is worthy of such recognition. Best wishes to the Board of Directors, President and CEO David Hopkins, and his team for continued success. Recognizing the road is not always easy; but, through perseverance and fortitude we overcome the obstacles that are challenges to success. As Urban Leaguers we must continue to empower and provide necessary tools to help vulnerable individuals and families that depend on organizations like ours through the tough times to help change their future. Empowering Communities and Changing Lives is more than a tagline; it is the mantra of the front line responders, the Urban League affiliates across the country who, like the staff of the Urban League of Greater Hartford, give tirelessly of themselves each and every day.
Keep Pushing!
Urban League of
Empowering Communities.
Good evening, Urban League Family and Friends. It is my honor to greet you on behalf of our staff and thank you for joining us for the 2020 Equal Opportunity Day Celebration. Our theme, A Moment in the Movement, will hopefully remind everyone that we are on a journey, and 2020 is but a moment. That said, I am reminded of a line in the poem If, by Rudyard Kipling that says, “If you can fill the unforgiving minute, worth of 60 seconds of distance run; then yours is the earth and all that is in it, and which is more, you will be a man my son.” Many of us are familiar with the last half of that stanza, but am inspired by the first half. That minute, which is also 60 seconds is the window of time we have to do that for which the moment calls.
Normally we would be gathered at a Black tie affair enjoying one another’s company in person while celebrating our family, friends, and colleagues who are being honored as awardees. In this moment, while in the midst of a pandemic, we embrace one another as allies in the fight against structural and systemic racism, working together to build a society where Black Americans can enjoy social justice, civic liberties, and economic empowerment, equitably with all other Americans. This is what Rachel Milton envisioned in 1959 when she insisted on equal opportunities for African Americans in Hartford, and determined that the Urban League movement was the best solution. She would lead the founding of the League here, and no doubt, would be proud that, in this centennial anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, guaranteeing and protecting women's constitutional right to vote, we have our nation’s first elected woman, and Black Person of Color Vice President in Kamala Harris.
So we thank the health and human services first responders, the protestors and civic leaders, educators and artists, and corporations who show social responsibility. And we thank you. You stayed home and sheltered in place. Came out wearing your masks to demonstrate. Completed your 2020 Census and made sure you were counted. And you voted, and made sure you were heard. Your collective efforts help bring resources- and access to those resources- so Urban League staff and volunteers could deliver programming and services that directly impact the lives of over 3000 residence throughout the Greater Hartford region. Through youth development and getting our teens ready for college, work and life; adult learning to help fulfill a dream of academic achievement; employment services where job skills and workforce readiness lead to gainful employment; to housing and financial literacy where personal assets are secured and families become stable. Through wellness initiatives that build community health, and advocating for social justice. Urban League Fights for you! We appreciate those who are boldly expressing, by aligning with our mission, that the Black community’s needs are structural and systemic, and have determined that there is hope. And in this moment, you have decided to help. To my staff, and especially the EOD Committee, thank you for empowering our communities and changing lives. And last, but certainly not least, I must thank my wife and children who are sacrificing in many ways, so that we can be a part of this movement. Thank you again for being with us for this special celebration. Enjoy this moment.
David J. Hopkins President and Chief Executive Officer .
HONORARY CHAIR and TITLE SPONSOR
Tom Barnes Board Chairman, Barnes Group Inc.
Mr. Barnes is Chairman of the Board of Directors and chairs the Executive Committee. He has served as a director of New England Bank Shares, Inc. as well as Valley Bank. Mr. Barnes' qualifications to be a member of our Board of Directors include his experience in the fields of distribution, manufacturing, finance and governance with numerous organizations throughout his career, including the
Company's distribution business. In addition, Mr. Barnes has owned and managed several businesses and has experience in the commercial lending field. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Company for over 30 years and has served as chairman, trustee or director for over 20 non-profit organizations.
TITLE SPONSOR
Jonathan W. Roberts EVP, Head of Retail Banking and Consumer Lending
Webster Bank Jonathan Roberts is Executive Vice President, Head of Retail Banking and Consumer Lending at Webster Bank and Webster Financial Corporation. In his role, Jonathan oversees retail operations and the banking center network and leads core consumer products and services, including small business. Jonathan joined Webster in 2017 and was most recently Executive Vice President, Consumer Deposits and Retail Network Management. He has served in several executive leadership positions during his 27 years in banking and financial services industry. Prior to joining Webster, Jonathan served as Executive Vice President and Head of Community Banking at First Bank, headquartered in St. Louis; Executive Vice President and Mid-Atlantic President at Santander Bank based in Philadelphia, and Executive Vice President and Head of Community Banking at F.N.B. Corporation in Pittsburgh. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Jonathan later completed the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking. He is also an alumnus of the Wharton School of Business, General Management Program. Jonathan is active as a mentor for young professionals, volunteers for United Way, and serves on the board of the Urban League of Greater Hartford. Jonathan and his wife, Angela reside in the Hartford area and their two sons reside in Boston.
MASTER OF CEREMONIES
Jay Harris Sportscaster, ESPN
Jay Harris joined ESPN in February 2003 as a SportsCenter anchor, and is most often seen as anchor of the Saturday and Sunday morning editions of the program. Harris also often anchors the Monday edition of SportsCenter at noon ET, especially during the NFL season. Harris came to ESPN from WPGH-TV in Pittsburgh, PA. where he was a news anchor/reporter. Harris has more than 30 years of experience in television and radio news, including morning news anchor at WAMO-FM and national news at American Urban Radio Networks, both in Pittsburgh, and at WOWI-FM in Norfolk, VA. His work outside of sports included the trapped coal miners near Pittsburgh, and, while in Virginia, the fatal USS Iowa battleship explosion.
A native of Norfolk, Va., Harris was graduated from Old Dominion University with a bachelor’s degree in speech communication. In 2003 he was honored with a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University. In 2004, he was the keynote speaker for Old Dominion’s 100th commencement ceremony. Among his other honors, Harris was part of SportsCenter’s Sports Emmy-winning efforts in 2004 and 2005, and a recipient of the Silver World Medal from the New York Festival Awards, Robert L. Vann Award from the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation, and an EXCEL Award from the Hampton Roads Black Media Professionals. Harris enjoys playing bass guitar and is an avid golfer. He scored an ace in a charity tournament in Las Vegas in 2014, winning a car in the process.
TRAILBLAZER AWARD
Dr. Joanne Berger-Sweeney President, Trinity College
Joanne Berger-Sweeney became the 22nd president of Trinity College in July 2014. Since that time, she has overseen several major accomplishments, including the completion of a new strategic plan; the creation of the Bantam Network mentoring program for first-year students; and the expansion of Trinity’s footprint into downtown Hartford’s Constitution Plaza with the Liberal Arts Action Lab and a recently launched Innovation Hub.
Before coming to Trinity, Berger-Sweeney served as dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Tufts University and was a member of the Wellesley College faculty for 13 years. Berger-Sweeney received her undergraduate degree in psychobiology from Wellesley College and her M.P.H. in environmental health sciences from the University of California, Berkeley and a Ph.D. in neurotoxicology from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.
Berger-Sweeney serves on many boards in the Hartford region, including Hartford HealthCare; the Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges; the Hartford Consortium for Higher Education; the Capital Region Development Authority; and was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2018.
COMMUNITY CHAMPION AWARD
Sue Gunderman Re-Entry Services Specialist, City of Hartford
Sue Gunderman has worked over 25 years in the field of human services with more than a decade of that time spent working in Re-entry providing comprehensive services to incarcerated parents. Sue has been an active member of the Greater Hartford Reentry Council (GHREC) for the past 10 years and one of its leaders for the past seven. During this time, she has built a proven track record as a leader in Reentry through her collaborative approach to fostering successful relationships with community partners in order to provide quality services and supports to individuals returning home from incarceration. In April 2018, Sue joined the Office of Mayor Luke A. Bronin as the Interim Director of Reentry Services for the City of Hartford. In this role, Sue’s primary focus was planning and preparing for the successful opening of the Reentry Welcome Center which took place in September 2018. She worked collaboratively with Community Partners in Action, the lead nonprofit for the Center, to bring over 40 partners to provide wrap-around support services to its participants. In addition to her continued work to support the Center, she participates on numerous committees to address various barriers to reentry and advocates for policy reform at the State Capitol. As of September 2020, she has taken a new position with the City of Hartford as the Re-Entry Services Specialist, where she is leading the City’s Re-entry efforts. Currently, she is working on employer engagement as well as working closely with local community partners to provide safe and stable housing options for those individuals released from the Department of Correction. Over the years, she has planned and organized six Reentry Employment and Resource fairs for the Greater Hartford region; she has participated on various housing committees to address homelessness after incarceration; and last year she and local community partners organized an empowerment event for justiceinvolved women. Other projects include the “Hire One” campaign which she created to encourage employers to be the key in hiring individuals with blemished records, so they can gain a workforce for the future. She worked with the Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy at Central Connecticut State University to create a statewide reentry website called ctreentry.org to centralize resources and information for Connecticut. Sue holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Connecticut.
CULTURAL HERITAGE AWARD
June Archer President & CEO, Eleven28 Entertainment
Currently at the helm of a growing multimedia marketing company as President and CEO of ELEVEN28 ENTERTAINMENT, June Archer got his first exposure to the industry on the music scene behind the microphone. He soon realized that his dream would soon become a reality by successfully impacting the industry behind the scenes. As President and CEO of ELEVEN28 ENTERTAINMENT, June Archer followed his conviction to impact the entertainment industry by transitioning from Artist to Executive. He is the creator of New England's #1 music and entertainment showcase "Hot Chocolate Soul," a platform for emerging artists in Music, Comedy & Poetry. June is a staunch advocate for youth education, and the fight against HIV/AIDS, as well as the race to find a cure for Breast Cancer. Each year he produces the annual “June Archer’s Celebration of Life” charity event, the proceeds of which benefit various organizations. In addition, since 2013, June has created and produced a state-wide event, the “100 Men of Color” Black Tie Gala & Awards as well as the “100 Women of Color” Gala & Awards, honoring men and women from Stamford to Springfield in business, entrepreneurship, education, government, entertainment, sports and public service and for the impact they have on the lives of people in their communities. He is the recipient of the Greater Hartford Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, Inc Martin Luther King, Jr. “Drum Major Award.” And Central Connecticut State University for the Ebenezer D. Bassett Humanitarian Award. In addition to platinum records with Jay-Z and 50 Cent, soundtracks like Hitch, and Soul Train Award nominations, he has added the title Author to his accomplishments with his keys to success book, “Yes! Every Day Can Be a Good Day (The Keys To Success That Lead To An Amazing Life).”
BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARD
Dr. Reginald Eadie President and CEO, Trinity Health-New England Inc.
Reginald J. Eadie, MD is an accomplished and innovative leader in transforming health care and patient care to meet the needs of the 21st century. Born and raised in Detroit, Eadie began his journey towards becoming a physician—a career goal he established at the age of 7. He is a board-certified, emergency medicine physician. Dr. Eadie earned his Bachelor of Science degree, with magna cum laude honors, from South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Following undergraduate school, he returned to Michigan to earn his medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine. In April 2008, he was named the vice President of Medical Affairs (VPMA) at DMC Harper University Hospital/Hutzel Women’s Hospital. Two years later he was appointed CEO at DMC Detroit Receiving Hospital where he served as CEO from July 2010 through December 2011. He next served as CEO of DMC Sinai-Grace Hospital from January 2012 through October 2013. During that time he enrolled in the Michigan State University Broad Executive MBA program which he completed in May 2013. This prepared him for his next assignment of serving as CEO of both DMC Detroit Receiving Hospital and DMC Harper/Hutzel Women’s Hospital from October 2013 through October 2015. His primary goal was to grow market share of both facilities while integrating them into a 900 bed facility. He began his final role as a Detroit based Healthcare Executive with an appointment to the Detroit Medical Center’s Regional Chief Operating Officer in August of 2015. Dr. Eadie & his lovely wife Kimberly left Detroit to join the Trinity Health Of New England team as President and CEO in April of 2018.
His community talents are not limited to medicine as he published his first book in 2008 titled, How to Eat & Live Longer. In the book, he uses his biblical & medical knowledge and experience as a weight-loss physician for more than 10 years to address the health challenges facing inner-city residents. His book has been listed on numerous best sellers’ lists and he has been featured in Ebony and Essence magazines and the guest on radio programs across the country. He has a soon-to-be released second book titled, Eating from the Tree of Life.
COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
Doris Sugarman has been widely recognized for her pioneering work as co-founder and executive director of The Connecticut Forum, a one-of-a-kind nonprofit organization founded in 1992 that presents live, unscripted panel discussions among world-renowned experts and celebrities, and high-impact community outreach programs including the Connecticut YOUTH Forum. Doris has been honored with numerous awards for her work and community service, including being named one of Hartford Magazine’s 2012 Female Leaders and among Hartford Magazine’s 50 Most Influential Leaders in 2009 and Hartford Business Journal’s Remarkable Women in Business Award. In addition to co-founding The Connecticut Forum, Doris is a founder of The Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame. She has been active in the community as a Board member of Hartford Habitat for Humanity, Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame, and the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.
Richard Sugarman is the Pr esident of Har tfor d Pr omise, a lar ge-scale College Scholarship Fund and College Success Program and is the Founding President of The Connecticut Forum. Richard has received numerous awards including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hartford Business Journal, and The Tapestry Award from The Hartford Courant, in recognition for bringing diverse communities together to name a few. In addition to co-founding The Connecticut Forum and serving as the president of Hartford Promise, Richard has served on many Boards including the CT Center for School Change, ConnCAN, The Learning Corridor, Police Athletic League, and Planned Parenthood of Southern New England.
Richard and Doris live in West Har tfor d and have thr ee sons and amazing daughter s [in law], and five grandchildren who are all big Buckeye fans.
Janice Castle Director of Community Engagement, City of Hartford
Born and raised on the island of Grenada, Janice moved to Hartford, CT with her family in 1993. Upon arrival, she saw the potential that the city had to offer and fell in love. From the cuisine: West Indian, Italian, Mexican, Hispanic; The arts: The Greater Hartford Jazz Fest, The Wadsworth Athenaeum, the Bushnell, Hartford Stage, to name a few; and the people from all races, creeds and walks of life. From then, Janice vowed to do her part to give back to the city through volunteerism and civic engagement. Janice Castle currently works as the Director of Community Engagement for the City of Hartford, Office of Mayor Luke A. Bronin. In her role, Janice is responsible for all constituent services related matter as well as Hartford 311, Hartford’s non-emergency call center. Janice manages all facets of community relations for the City and, with her staff, develops and implements the City’s constituent outreach strategy. This includes weekly newsletters, a seasonal resident guide, social media outreach, and monthly participation in over 15 community led meetings, including monthly town halls with Mayor Bronin. She is a well‐known representative of City Hall who interfaces with all community groups, NRZs, and residents. Prior to working in the Mayor’s Office, she worked as a Senior Consultant, University Relations within the Human Resources Department at Travelers. There she was responsible for building strong partnerships with colleges and universities as a means of sourcing qualified and competent candidates. Prior to joining Travelers in May, 2015, she spent over 15 years with The Hartford Insurance Company, a history that began with a college and summer internships throughout her undergraduate years. Janice has extensive experience in Community Outreach and Engagement, Human Resources and Marketing and Communication. Janice is a graduate of Trinity College with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. She has also earned her Master’s in Public Administration and Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Connecticut. Outside of her role with the City of Hartford, Janice is the President of the Urban League of Greater Hartford Young Professionals Group, an Auxillary of the Urban League of Greater and a board member for Rebuilding Together Hartford.
In September 1964, William “Bill” Brown became the first Executive Director of the 66th Affiliate of the National Urban League, the Urban League of Greater Hartford. Affectionately called “Mr. Urban League,” Mr. Brown was widely known in the neighborhoods he walked and the churches in which he worshipped. He was a leader who connected with the community on every level, building strong relationships with corporate leaders in the boardroom, community alliances in the streets, and
unabated admiration from politicians and government officials with whom he astutely negotiated. These are but a few of the qualities he embodied in service to the greater Hartford community. Known as the “Dean of the East Coast” among regional Urban League affiliate leaders because he was equal parts leader, coach, and mentor, Mr. Brown possessed the uncanny ability to balance the needs of various stakeholder communities. At the height of the Civil Rights Movement and beyond, he masterfully garnered consensus and promoted collaboration. With passion and unwavering commitment, Mr. Brown built bridges between communities that, at times, drifted apart, but reunited because of his abilities as an authentic leader with high levels of integrity, humility, and courage.
Exemplifies the belief that their first responsibility is service to the community; challenging and contentious Personifies a “moral arc” bent towards social justice; and Inspires a sense of pride and dignity among all people.
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WILLIALM “BILL” BROWN LEADERSHIP and COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
Archbishop LeRoy Bailey, Jr. LeRoy Bailey, Jr., began ministering at the age of ten and is in his sixty-fourth year of ministry.
His achievements have been recognized by Presidents of the United States and other notable Dignitaries for sharing the message of God’s love and boundless mercy. His achievements include an induction into the Martin Luther King, Jr., International Board of Preachers at Morehouse College as “A Role Model and Moral Example For All Seasons.”
He is Archbishop Emeritus of the International Bishops Conference USA. He formerly has served as the CoAdjutor of the International Bishops Conference with jurisdiction in the United States, Africa, and the Caribbean Regions.
He is a Co-Founder of Connecticut Coalition of Churches. These organizations are
comprised of Pastors of diverse denominations and ethnicities and provide a positive forum for collaboration and institutional development. He is also a former Board Member of St. Francis Hospital. He is also a retired Chaplain for the Hartford Police Department. He has also been involved in many community leadership roles and has guest lectured on numerous occasions.
In the 45 years of his pastorate, The First Cathedral has grown from a few hundred to more than 11,000 members. The First Cathedral to be a testimony of His faithfulness through the construction of its 120,000 square foot facility, and the future development of an 80,000 square foot Family Life Center.
He is the author of two books “A Solid Foundation” and “As Far As The Eye Can See.”
December 10, 2020
Dear Friends,
I
LEGISLATIVE OFFICE BUILDING, SUITE 4100, HARTFORD, CT 06106-1591
PHONE: (860) 240-8489 EMAIL: MATTHEW.RITTER@CGA.CT.GOV
90%
Thank you for supporting our 2020 EOD
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair
Director
Senior Advisor Fairview CapitalPartners
Chief Executive Officer Capital Community College
Brian Foley Commissioner’s Aid State of Connecticut Police Department President Chief Executive Officer Urban League of Greater Hartford Treasurer/Finance Committee Chair
Director Sr. Director, Supply and Demand Pratt & Whitney-UTC Director VP, Financial Advisor Merrill Lynch (BofA) Director
Pratt & Whitney-UTC
Private Bank Team Lead Key Private Bank
Senior Council Aetna/CVS
Audit Committee Chair
Director
Tax Director Barnes Group, Inc. Communications and Fund Development Committee Chair
Nominating Committee Chair
Senior Market Development Executive FEDEX Corporate Services
Pastor Union Baptist Church President, ULGH Young Professionals
Director
Director
URBAN LEAGUE OF GREATER HARTFORD TEAM
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Community Education Coordinator
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Webster Bank is a proud supporter of the Urban League of Greater Hartford.
Congratulations to all of this year’s honorees. Thank you for all that you do for our community.
June Archer
LeRoy Bailey
Janice Castle, Archbishop LeRoy Bailey, Jr., June Archer, Sue Gunderman, Doris and Richard Sugarman, Dr. Reggy Eadie, Dr. JoAnn Berger-Sweeney