More than 70 people gathered in the Cohen Room at the Bethlehem Area Public Library on Saturday to celebrate the accomplishments of six local Black women as part of the city’s Black History Month and Women’s History Month commemorations.
The HerStory Awards Ceremony was organized by the Rising Sun Initiative in partnership with Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds and the city’s director of equity and inclusion, Janine Santoro.
The awards ceremony, held for the second time this year, was created by Kari Holmes, executive director and founder of the Rising Sun Initiative, to highlight the contributions of Black women in the region. The Rising Sun Initiative aims to celebrate and teach the history of African Americans in the Lehigh Valley.
After a catered lunch, Santoro awarded the honorees with citations of recognition from the mayor’s office.
This year’s honorees included licensed counselor Quanesha Johnson, doctor of anesthesiology Karen Morris-Priester, business planner June Thompson, Lehigh professor Sharon Gavin Levy, Pastor Tara Patrick and Minister Delia Mitchell.
Although the ceremony is a newer event, Holmes said the organization has been celebrating Black history for the past 12 years.
She said the original idea for the ceremony came during Allentown’s semiquincentennial when she suggested the city host a 250-person dinner, with one person representing each year of Black history in the area. Despite facing resistance for her idea, she said never gave up on pursuing it.
“I learned not to be bothered by the nos,” Holmes said. “That’s one thing about all the nos that has helped me now, because I know there’s power in the dream.”
After gathering support from Black community leaders, she hosted a smaller dinner for 10 people to honor members of the Black community. While she didn’t originally set out to found an organization, Holmes said the success of that event led her to continue the work.
Santoro said Holmes reached out to her last year, interested in introducing the event in Bethlehem, and the two coordinated it together.
Santoro suggested the library as a free, public space to encourage higher attendance. She said the space has allowed people to connect with others in the community and build connections.
“It is a way to amplify the work that’s already being done and also talk about what else needs to be done in bridging gaps,” Santoro said. “I think it’s just another way to amplify local stories that are happening — a way to honor women, especially Black women, that don’t always have their stories centered in a meaningful way.”
Before the ceremony, Holmes said she put out calls for nominations through various government offices, local organizations and word of mouth.
She said she appreciates getting to know the women she honors each year and feels privileged to share a community with them.
“I love their artistry of who they are in their lives,” Holmes said. “Some of them I do get to build relationships with, which I guess is the lucky part of being the executive director.”
Levy, one of the honorees, is also a member of several local organizations, including the Bethlehem Area School District’s diversity and equity committee.
Levy said she doesn’t serve the community for the recognition but was honored to be nominated.
“I believe in being a contributor and giving, and not for recognition, but when recognition comes, it is a tremendous honor,” Levy said. “I’m excited that some of my friends and my family are here to support me, so this feels wonderful.”
She also said being recognized on the first day of Women’s History Month made the moment even more special, and she expressed appreciation for the involvement of the mayor’s office in honoring women in the community.
She said her job is to uplift the stories of individuals and organizations in the community by providing them with resources to further their efforts. The city’s partnership with the Rising Sun Initiative and collaboration on this event is one way to do that, she said.
“It’s allowing us to be connected and realizing how really interdependent we are on each other,” Santoro said. “Sometimes when we’re in our silos, it doesn’t feel like that. When you’re in a room like this, you realize how connected we are and how much we really need each other.”
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