Teaneck educator, Montclair preservationists among winners of YWCA NJ racial justice award
The co-founder of a Teaneck organization and a Montclair preservation group are among the five honorees for this month's YWCA Northern New Jersey 2023 Racial Justice Awards.
The event, on April 19 at the Montclair Art Museum, will see the awards go to five recipients who, according to the YWCA, "demonstrate leadership by working to eliminate racism and promote peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all." Here's a look at the recipients:
Javalda Powell, CEO of Teaneck Comes Together
Co-CEO and founder of Teaneck Comes Together, a nonprofit that organizes events for Teaneck teens and their parents while dealing with issues of violence and bullying. Powell is being honored for helping spearhead the permanent installation of the Black Lives Matter mural in Teaneck.
Friends of the Howe House, Montclair
A community coalition dedicated to the preservation of the historic home of James Howe, the first African American homeowner in Montclair. The group is receiving the award for helping to save the house from being bought by a developer. The coalition in February announced it had purchased the home.
Monique Joseph, Caldwell activist and mom
Joseph is a community activist in Caldwell. She was noted for standing up for her daughter, Bobbi Wilson, the African American girl who earned national attention last year after a neighbor reported her to the police when he saw her spraying spotted lanternflies outside her home. Her mother is being recognized for educating the community about the trauma her family experienced as a result. After the incident went viral, Bobbi was eventually honored by local politicians, law enforcement, environmentalists and entomologists at Yale University.
Fallon Davis, CEO of STEAM URBAN
Founder, CEO and president of STEAM URBAN, a nonprofit based in Newark that employs STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) learning to help young people of color address three topic areas: environmental justice, social justice and educational equity. Davis is being honored for the work she is doing in promoting STEAM education in communities of color.
RWJ Barnabas Health
The statewide health care provider, based in West Orange, will be honored for its "Ending Racism, Together" initiative, which focuses on equity and systemic racism to promote an anti-racist culture throughout the organization and the communities it serves. As one example, the Y noted, RWJ Barnabas adopted an extensive set of guidelines for how medical staff could deal with racist interactions from patients.
Helen Archontou, the CEO of Hackensack-based YWCA Northern New Jersey, said the honorees for the awards, which began in 2014, were chosen from a record number of nominations solicited from the community.
"For us, we're just looking for people, whether it's an individual, an organization, a business, a group of folks working together, that are really living our mission of eliminating racism and empowering women," Archontou said.
More: 'A wonderful day’: Keys to Montclair’s Freed Slave House now in community’s hands
More: Bobbi Wilson, 9-year-old spotted lanternfly 'hero' from Caldwell, honored in Montclair
She said the awards also put the spotlight on those who are doing the work of racial justice as a way to help them raise money and awareness for their causes.
"We're understanding the importance of spotlighting to make sure that others know that they get involved as well," Archontou said.
How to attend awards dinner
Tickets for the event, which starts at 6:30 p.m., can be purchased for $75 for youths or young adults (25 years or under) and $125 for adults. The proceeds will go toward funding YWCA Northern New Jersey's racial justice programs.
Ricardo Kaulessar is a culture reporter for the USA TODAY Network's Atlantic Region How We Live team. For unlimited access to the most important news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: kaulessar@northjersey.com
Twitter: @ricardokaul
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: YWCA North Jersey Racial Justice Awards to Teaneck, Montclair efforts
