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UNotes

MLK 2023 Beloved Community Awards

January 30, 2023
Submitted By: Office of Marketing and Communication

The University of Hartford’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. observance Wednesday, Feb. 1, at Lincoln Theater, will include the presentation of the 2023 MLK Beloved Community Awards. 

Register here to join in person or virtually.

The MLK Beloved Community Awards are presented to students, faculty, staff, alumni, or external community leaders and organizations who meet any of the following criteria by: 

  • Working hard to improve their community, city, and the world 
  • Making or having made a positive difference in the lives of others 
  • Paying forward their work in various ways 
  • Engaging in the work of educating themselves on topics of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice

We are pleased to announce the 2023 Honorees:

Deja George ’24, a philosophy major with minors in paralegal studies and politics & government, values the UHart community and is dedicated to making it the best that it can be.

Manny Sanchez, senior development officer in the Development and Alumni Affairs Office, is a Connecticut state representative in the 24th Assembly District. 

Bilal Dabir Sekou, PhD, associate professor of political science, has research interests that include race and politics, urban politics, campaigns, elections, and voting behavior.

Leonard Epps ’90 is a life member of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., founder of The Society of Black Brotherhood, and is a recipient of both the University of Hartford Distinguished Alumni Award and the Connecticut Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Commission Award.

Quentin “Q” Williams led a life of service as a legislator, a UHart adjunct professor, co-founder of a nonprofit for learning opportunities and equity, and a volunteer. His passing on Jan. 5, 2023, resonated far and wide throughout the region.

Pratt & Whitney, a world leader in the design, manufacture, and service of aircraft and helicopter engines, believes diversity of thought enables creativity and innovation—and establishes a foundation for inclusion.

The 2023 Annual University of Hartford MLK Observance Program is presented in collaboration with the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Community Engagement and the Alumni Board of Directors' Alumni of Color Task Force.