E-Edition
Sign up for email newsletters
Sign up for email newsletters
E-Edition
TRENDING:
The Metro Central Ohio NAACP Unit will host its annual Freedom Fund and Scholarship Banquet on Oct. 4 at the College Commons Center of Lorain County Community College, 1005 Abbe Road North in Elyria.
This signature premier event raises funds to reaffirm the core values of the NAACP in Lorain County while continuing it efforts to fulfill the organization’s mission, according to a news release.
The Metro Central Ohio NAACP Unit continues to move forward in the face of challenges, civil unrest and economic controversy, the release said.
“Our growing membership promotes social justice and equality through civic engagement and advocacy; as we continue to lead the fight for civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights,” the release said.
The banquet theme, “The Fierce Urgency of Now,” emphasizes the immediate need for action in the ongoing struggle for civil rights and social justice, reflecting the urgent challenges faced today, according to the release.
Evening festivities will kick off with a VIP reception at 4 p.m. and an awards banquet at 5 p.m.
The special guest is Elyria native, the Rev. Thomas L. Bowen, a nationally recognized leader in faith engagement, social justice advocacy and community empowerment, according to the release.
Most recently, Bowen served as senior advisor for Public Engagement at The White House, where he led national faith outreach efforts and built partnerships to advance equity, inclusion and justice, the release said.
Recognized by Religion News Service as a “religious affairs expert,” he has been a key voice in fostering collaboration between faith communities and public institutions.
Bowen also serves as the interim assistant pastor and Earl L. Harrison minister of Social Justice at Shiloh Baptist Church in Washington, D.C.
Since joining Shiloh’s ministerial team in 2002 as its youth minister, he has held several roles, integrating social justice into the church’s mission and creating transformative impacts on the congregation and the broader community.
His work reflects a profound dedication to leveraging faith as a tool for advocacy and societal change, the release said.
In addition to his ministry and public service, Bowen is the founder and chief engagement officer for EngageFaith, a consulting firm dedicated to empowering faith communities, political organizations and businesses to foster transformative change, leverage resources and build meaningful connections across society, the release said.
Bowen also a founding Partner of Black Diary 1877, a cultural initiative committed to honoring Black legacy, illuminating untold stories and inspiring future generations through truth, creativity and historical reflection.
He held prominent leadership positions in the Executive Office of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, including director of African American Strategic Engagement, director of the Mayor’s Office on African American Affairs and director of the Mayor’s Office of Religious Affairs.
This year’s 2025 award recipients are: Business Excellence Award will go to Studio 828 Salon & Spa; the Community Civic Engagement Award will go to Sidonia Chapter No. 69, Order of the Eastern Star and Sidonia Lodge No. 93, Free and Accepted Masons; Social Justice Award will go to attorney Farah Lillian Emeka; and the President’s Award will go to Veronica Cofield, owner of Cofield’s BBQ 2 and More, the release said.
Six book awards were approved for the following graduates: Jocelyn Eldemire, Josiah Longo, Solomon Peterson, Ziaire Williams, Clara McCown and Cherish Tillman.
For information about the event, contact Brenda K. Davis, event co-chair at 440-476-5251 or email metro.central.naacp@gmail.com.
Copyright © 2025 MediaNews Group