PHILADELPHIA, September 28, 2022 – Six Philadelphia community icons will be honored for their outstanding contributions at the “Seventh Annual Philadelphia Legacies Portrait Awards,” 5:30PM, Sunday, October 9 at Calabash Banquet Hall, 6208 Lancaster Avenue.
Founded by Stephen Satell, author and founder of Bridging Worlds Mentor Program, the annual observance was established in 2016 to create a deeper understanding of Philadelphia’s unique place in the history of the nation – past and present, and to strengthen awareness of its diverse cultural heritage and importance as a destination for visitors from around the world. Philadelphia Legacies promotes positive images of those who have made major contributions to the City of Philadelphia, perpetuates their legacies, and seeks to create an atmosphere where intergenerational leaders from the Philadelphia region can share ideas around solutions for some of its most pressing issues.
“We want to bring pride to the city by highlighting people and institutions that have made important contributions,” explained Satell. “These men and women dedicated their careers to making our lives better and more fulfilling. We want to hold on to their wisdom and energy so that we can continue to learn from them and the wisdom they acquired as they created their legacies. We honor these individuals by commissioning portraits that are unveiled at our annual fundraising awards dinner.”
The legacies of the six icons will be shared, and they will be presented with portraits created by local artists Damon Bain, Laurie Cooper, Terrell Johnson, Taqiy Muhammad and LaReine Nixon.
The 2022 portrait awardees are: Dr. Nikki Franke, recently retired Temple University fencing coach, two-time U.S. Fencing Association national foil champion Olympic fencing teams; Frank Green, Jr., who coached his daughter Traci Green, tennis champion, now head women’s tennis at Harvard University and his son Frank Green, III, tennis champion, now a pro tennis coach; Rev. Dr. Lorina Marshall Blake, president of Independence Blue Cross Foundation and associate pastor, Vine Memorial Baptist Church; Jeff Brown, chairman/CEO of Brown’s Super Stores; Robert Kenyatta, legendary master percussionist and Grammy Award winner; and Glenn Bryan, University of Pennsylvania assistant vice president of community relations and noted keyboard artist.
Philadelphia Legacies also recognizes four community leaders each year for their efforts to improve their communities and the city. “It’s important to focus on the unsung, frontline soldiers and the positive work taking place in our communities,” Satell said. We are building on our success by celebrating four new leaders of the Philadelphia community each year. The Legacies Awards dinner is a time to reflect on and honor those contributions.”
The 2022 Philadelphia Legacies Community Leader Awards will be presented to: Jay Bagley, Temple University adjunct physics professor and president of Black Contractors Coalition Association; Charlotte Greer-Brown, youth empowerment and violence prevention community activist; Abu Edwards, community and political activist; Mecca Robinson, youth mentor and founder/CEO of Forget Me Knot Children and Youth Services; and Philadelphia NAACP youth activist Zymir Brunson as the “Young Person to Watch.”
OUTREACH
Philadelphia Legacies promotes Philadelphia history throughout the year by sponsoring educational programs and tours to locations where there are historical markers and important historic legacy. A portion of the proceeds from the annual awards dinner benefits nonprofit organizations like House of Umoja, Moonstone Arts Center, The Veterans Group, and The National Federation of Black Veterans Network, among others, that have had long standing success in Philadelphia explained Satell. PAST HONOREES
The first Legacies Awards received great support from former Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell and former Philadelphia Mayor W. Wilson Goode, who both attended. Past portrait awardees include historian/bibliophile Charles Blockson; House of Umoja founder Queen Mother Falaka Fattah; physician/businessman Dr. Walter Lomax; inventor/businessman Sherwin Seligshon; Jerry Wolman, founder, Philadelphia Flyers; educator Dr. Ruth Wright-Hayre; Coach John Chaney; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, M.D.; broadcast pioneer Trudy Haynes; journalist Acel Moore; Coach Tina Sloan-Green; baseball All-Star Dick Allen; basketball champion Wilt Chamberlain; Coach Fran Dunphy; astronomer Derrick Pitts; biomedical engineer Stephen Cox; literary artist Sam Delaney; broadcaster Cody Anderson; artist Cal Massey; jazz saxophonist Robert “Bootsie” Barnes; art promoter Mercer Redcross; former Philadelphia City Councilperson Jannie Blackwell; Professor Molefi Asante; labor leader Sam Staten, Sr.; literary artist/historian James Spady; United Bank founder Emma Chappell and Dr. Diane Turner.
STEERING COMMITTEE
The Philadelphia Legacies Steering Committee are a diverse group of stakeholders: Jay Bagley, president, Black Contractors Coalition Association; Geno Barbera, Barbera Car Dealership; former Philadelphia City Councilperson Jannie Blackwell ; Charles Blockson, founder, Blockson Afro-American Collection; retired Judge John Braxton; former Philadelphia Mayor W. Wilson Goode; former Philadelphia City Councilperson Derek Green; Frank Green Jr., president, Philadelphia Life; Catherine Hicks, publisher, Sunday Sun newspaper; Charlene Horne, producer, CBS3 TV; PA State Senator Vincent Hughes; Philadelphia City Councilperson Curtis Jones Jr.; Miller Parker, president, Parkside Business & Technology Center; and Lowell Thomas, Esq., board member, African American Chamber of Commerce.
The celebration includes a networking reception that begins at 5:30PM with the dinner program at 7:00PM. For information on tickets or sponsorship, go to http://philadelphialegacy.org or call 215- 432-2898.
