Racial Justice Awards

InterFaith Works’ El-Hindi Center for Dialogue is partnering with Syracuse Stage for the 19th annual presentation of the Racial Justice Awards. Karen Calenzo, Mookpolo Wait and Sheena Solomon will be honored at the awards reception held at the Syracuse Stage complex on Wednesday, February 13, at 5:30 p.m., followed by a theater performance of Native Gardens at 7:30 p.m.

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The Racial Justice Awards honors individuals and organizations whose efforts have produced or contributed toward ending racial injustice and promoting social equity in the Central New York community. Past honorees include educators, business people and community activists and organizations.

Karen Calenzo, Lifetime Achievement Award: Karen served as a Program Coordinator for the InterFaith Works El-Hindi Center for Dialogue for nine years before retiring in 2018. Prior to her career at InterFaith Works, she was a teacher for 35 years, including 27 at Nottingham High School, with a focus on service, learning and career curriculum. In addition to being instrumental in developing the dialogue program collaborations between Nottingham and Fayetteville-Manlius high schools and InterFaith Works, she facilitated Nottingham’s connections to the Central  New York Community Foundation’s Youth in Philanthropy program, and the Federal Character Education Grant project “Community of Caring.”

She first established her relationship with InterFaith Works by volunteering and serving on the dialogue program advisory board, and following her retirement from Nottingham, she became a permanent El-Hindi Center for Dialogue staff member coordinating the School Exchange Program and the Youth Race component of the annual Duck Race to End Racism. She was instrumental in developing and growing the Starting Small program, which is now in all five of the Syracuse City School District high schools, three middle schools partnered with corresponding suburban partners, as well as some intermittent years of programming in the elementary grades.

Mookpolo Wait, Racial Justice Award, Youth: Mookpolo arrived in Syracuse as a refugee from Thailand in 2011, and is a second year student in the mechanical engineering program at the Rochester Institute of Technology. He is a 2017 Henninger High School graduate, where he was a leader in the Henninger chapter of the Seeds of Peace program, a youth leadership development partnership between InterFaith Works and the Syracuse City School District. As a refugee Mookpolo faced many challenges and obstacles that might have prevented him from achieving his goals. “I have overcome all of those hardships, and I am always ready for new challenges,” Mookpolo says proudly. “I could not have achieved these goals without my family, teachers and the people that I’m surrounding myself with.” He has volunteered for Tillie’s Touch, and feels a community responsibility in giving back.

Sheena Solomon, Catalyst Award: Sheena was recently named Executive Director of the Gifford Foundation after serving on the organization’s staff for 12 years, primarily focusing on expanding its community impact initiatives, as well as working with the grants management team. She has partnered and advised with the Health Foundation for Western and Central New York on neighborhood issues, and served on the advisory committee of The Leadership Classroom, a project of the Central New York Community Foundation. She has been instrumental in the design and planning of Nourishing Tomorrow’s Leaders a leadership development training, focusing on increasing the diversity and inclusiveness of nonprofit boards. Among her many accomplishments, she is a 2012 graduate of the Professionals Learning About Community Equity and Smart Growth program, and now serves on the program’s advisory board. She also serves on various local and national boards, including the Syracuse Economic Development Corporation, The Near westside Initiative, Grassroots Grantmakers, and You Can’t Fail, Inc.

Please reserve your tickets by Thursday, February 7. Suggested ticket donation is $30-$150, and any donation over $30 is tax deductible, which includes the awards reception and theater performance of Native Gardens. The reception will also include light food fare refreshments, cash bar, and a silent auction of unique items, including framed artwork, theme baskets, gift cards and much more.

For more information about the Racial Justice Awards event, to donate auction items, for sponsorship opportunities, or to purchase special needs tickets, contact Andrea Jacobs at (315) 449-3552, ext. 107, or email ajacobs@interfaithworkscny.org.

To purchase tickets or donate securely online using a credit/debit card, click the “Donate” button:     Donate      

Follow this link for a printable ticket registration form.

Follow this link for a printable invitation/display flyer.

Follow this link to the Syracuse Stage website for a show description and more details about Native Gardens.

Behind the scenes “dirt” on the Syracuse Stage production of Native Gardens: