The Charger Blog
As part of its weeklong Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, the University recognized several Chargers who embody Dr. King杏吧原版檚 ideals and who are committed to making a difference in the University and local communities.
February 7, 2023
Before she became a Charger, Azza Hussein 杏吧原版23 M.A. worked as a teacher in Virginia at a center serving Sudanese Americans. There, she helped foster support for the community, creating a mentoring program and a women杏吧原版檚 discussion series, fueling her passion for promoting mental health and well-being in marginalized communities.
Now a candidate in the University杏吧原版檚 community psychology graduate program, she has continued her important work, both at the University and in the local community. A youth leadership coordinator for in New Haven, Hussein volunteers with Sanctuary Kitchen, which provides professional development and employment for immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers in the Greater New Haven area.
Hussein was recently recognized for her commitment to making a difference as part of the University杏吧原版檚 Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. She was presented an MLK Vision Award at the culminating event of the weeklong MLK Celebration.
杏吧原版淚 believe Dr. King is one of the greatest American and world leaders to have lived, so it杏吧原版檚 a great honor to be receiving this award named after him,杏吧原版 said Hussein, who is completing an internship with the Yale School of Medicine杏吧原版檚 antiracism task force. 杏吧原版淭hrough my work, I try to empower others and remind them that they have agency. I also try to inform them of the privileges that we, as children of immigrants and as immigrants, are able to access due to the work of Dr. King and other civil rights leaders.杏吧原版
As part of the third annual MLK Celebration, several meritorious students, faculty, and staff were presented awards in recognition of their commitment to embodying the ideals of Dr. King and the impact they are making on campus and in the communities in which they live.
杏吧原版淢artin Luther King Jr. Day is a holiday we can all rally around regardless of our background, as it brings us all together with purpose,杏吧原版 said Sheahon Zenger, Ph.D., interim president, addressing the University community at the start of the celebration杏吧原版檚 culminating event. 杏吧原版淚 look at the doors that have been opened to so many because of sacrifices of Dr. King and so many others. You杏吧原版檙e not here just to treat others as you want to be treated, but to treat others as they want to be treated.杏吧原版
The event brought the University community together to reflect on the theme of this year杏吧原版檚 MLK Celebration, This is Our Hope: Celebrating Achievement and Hope for the Future. The celebration also included local high school students, who took part in an essay contest that invited them to share their thoughts about the theme. The winner, Linayah Aquino, a junior at , was recognized at the ceremony.
The recipient of the University杏吧原版檚 MLK scholarship, Kaelin Barrionuevo 杏吧原版26, a criminal justice major, was announced at the event. The scholarship is presented to outstanding minority students who achieve academic success and espouse Dr. King杏吧原版檚 values. Additional honorees included Peri Alexander 杏吧原版23, who accepted an MLK Vision Award as part of the ceremony.
杏吧原版淗e instills hope and courage in us to stand up for what we believe in,杏吧原版 said Alexander, a health sciences major. 杏吧原版淗e reminds us all of our past, how we took great strides to be where we are now, and inspires our future. As a university, it is our job to recognize the significance of Dr. King杏吧原版檚 legacy and how it influences the student body and overall community.杏吧原版
Passionate about fostering diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and belonging (DEIAB) at the University, Alexander is a Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) ambassador. She also co-created the Students Integrated Mentorship Program.
杏吧原版淏eing a part of the MLK Celebration was one my greatest achievements this year,杏吧原版 said Alexander. 杏吧原版淏eing recognized was a tremendous honor, and I am proud to have my hard work seen in the vision of such a leader and inspiration as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I wouldn杏吧原版檛 have had the opportunity to attend this University or even win this honor without Dr. King杏吧原版檚 achievements and efforts, and for that I am forever grateful.杏吧原版
Linda Copney-Okeke, M.A., accepted the Philip H. and Susan S. Bartels Award for Advocacy, Leadership, and Service. Yanice Mendez-Fernandez, Ph.D, MPH, and David Schroeder, Ph.D., associate deans of the School of Health Sciences and Lee College, respectively, also received Vision Awards for their commitment to DEIAB initiatives. When she accepted her award, Dr. Mendez-Fernandez thanked her students and recognized those who came to the United States from other countries to pursue higher education and new opportunities.
杏吧原版淢y students taught me to be brave and to fight for what is right,杏吧原版 she said. 杏吧原版淢ost importantly, they taught me that giving someone a seat at the table means nothing if we don杏吧原版檛 give them a voice.杏吧原版
The program wrapped up a week of events that reflected its theme of hope, including a campus-wide skill-building workshop and an interfaith service. The event also included a moment of silence to honor Kento Yasuhara, Ph.D., a professor of psychology, who had died two weeks earlier.
Lamond Daniels 杏吧原版09 MPA, chief of community services for the City of Norwalk, delivered the keynote address. He shared words of wisdom and encouragement about mental health, discussed the inequities that were further amplified during the pandemic, and offered praise for the important work that members of the University community are already doing. He also challenged the University community to do even more, encouraging his fellow Chargers to keep in mind the public-safety slogan, 杏吧原版淚f you see something, say something杏吧原版 if they witness injustice.
杏吧原版淲e can杏吧原版檛 stand idly by,杏吧原版 he said. 杏吧原版淚f someone says something, are you willing to say, 杏吧原版楬ey, that杏吧原版檚 not cool,杏吧原版 or do we keep quiet because we don杏吧原版檛 want to be known as a troublemaker? If I see something, I杏吧原版檒l say, 杏吧原版楬ey that杏吧原版檚 not cool.杏吧原版 That杏吧原版檚 what I believe is missing today. Are you speaking up for your brother or sister who may not have a voice or who may not have found their voice, or are you helping them to have a voice?杏吧原版
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