On March 22, Lemuel Lewis received the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities' Humanitarian Award. Mr. Lewis was selected for his many years of corporate and civic leadership in Hampton Roads, across Virginia, and across the country.
When he stepped up to the podium to accept his well-deserved recognition, Lem surprised all of us in the room by sharing that he is a product of our organization's work. As an African American student in Lynchburg, Virginia during the 1960s, he recalled the work of VCIC (then the Virginia office of NCCJ) as being a critical force in the community to bring people of diverse racial and religious groups together. He went on to note that he won an essay contest sponsored by our organization which gave him the opportunity to travel to an international conference, exposing him to people and ideas that opened up a world of possibility for him.
We did not know about this powerful connection when selecting Mr. Lewis for the VCIC Humanitarian Award. We simply found his years of leadership and service to be worthy of recognition. It was moving to hear Lem share that his path was in many ways charted by his experiences with our organization as a teenager.
Each week, VCIC has the opportunity to work with students in schools across Virginia. We'd like to think that they may be on stages receiving Humanitarian Awards 50 years from now for a commitment to community that was catalyzed by their experience with the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities.
This update includes details about upcoming VCIC programs, as well as many local and national resources. Please let us know how VCIC can partner with you. Contact our office by phone at (804) 515-7950 or by emailing Jessica Hawthorne (Director of Programs) or Marcos Martinez (Educational Programs Coordinator).
We look forward to working with you!
RVA Community Fund for Standing Together
The RVA Community Fund for Standing Together supports Richmond-area nonprofits and schools with financial support for rapid response services after incidents of bias, discrimination, or bullying.
The Harold M. Marsh, Sr. Connections Institute is VCIC's signature Emerging Leaders Institute. This year's retreat takes place from July 30 - August 3, with mandatory volunteer training on July 29. Volunteers are needed to serve as facilitators for this transformational program.
