The 2021 Human and Civil Rights Awards ceremony, held on the eve of Juneteenth, was a celebration of how work that inspires people to advocate for fair treatment and justice is a continuum. One generation influences the next, and younger activists inspire pride among veterans of the fight for civil rights and social justice.
The event, held virtually, featured longtime activists such as Louise Gaskins, who recently turned 91 and who lends her name to one of the event’s signature awards, as well as students committed to fighting racial, ethnic and gender prejudice in their schools.
Gaskins’ influence as a teacher in encouraging a more just society illustrates how generations can inspire future activism. Consider this: When Gaskins was a classroom teacher in Ayer, one of her students was the future mother of Mareatha Wallace, a winner of this year’s Louise Gaskins Lifetime Civil Rights Award.
"I thank all of my ancestors — parents and grandparents — who walked a road I did not have to, with people yelling at them just for who they were," Wallace said.
This year’s HCR Awards ceremony had to be held remotely due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The event honored the 2020 recipients of the Kathleen Roberts Creative Leadership Award as well as the Louise Gaskins Lifetime Civil Rights Award, along with this year’s winners, because last year’s ceremony was canceled.
The MTA’s Human Relations Committee, which presents the HCR Awards, featured several student performances that highlighted diversity in our public schools, along with a reading by the poet Ashley Alafberg, who is a member of the Educational Association of Worcester and is active in the poetry slam community.
Wallace, a member of the Northampton Association of School Employees, and her 2020 Gaskins Award winner counterpart, Candace Shivers, president of the Mount Wachusett Community College Chapter of the Massachusetts Community College Council, participated in a panel discussion on the challenges they face in the fight for social and racial justice. The panel was moderated by HRC Chair Denise LaPolla.
Speaking truth to power is a necessity, Shivers said.
"My philosophy is that when there is something to say, silence becomes a lie," she said. "If I can add to a situation that needs to be addressed, it is important for me to say something."
Wallace concurred. "There is never a wrong time to do the right thing," she said.
"When there is an imbalance of power or someone is being picked on, you need to speak out. In Northampton, the students were sick of the curriculum, so I decided to speak up," she continued. Her speaking up led to a more inclusive curriculum, which contributed to Wallace receiving her award.
In addition to Wallace, the leadership team of the Cambridge Education Association’s Educators of Color Coalition won a 2021 Gaskins Award. The EOCC organized employee resource groups that created affinity spaces for people whose identities are often marginalized. The structure helped the union build solidarity and amplify the voices of ethnic, racial and gender groups within the union.
The 2021 Roberts Award winners are the Arlington High School Asian American Coalition, the New Bedford Coalition to Save Our Schools, and Alice Arena.
The Arlington coalition was recognized for its work to highlight the concerns of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, particularly in the aftermath of the March shootings in the Atlanta area that targeted women of Asian descent.
The NBCSOS has become a powerful force in the Southcoast, advocating for more culturally responsive public education and an end to highstakes standardized testing. It is teaching students how to lead on social justice issues.
Arena is a longtime environmental activist and a leader in the fight against the Enbridge natural gas compressor station near Weymouth’s Fore River Bridge.
The 2020 Gaskins Award went to Shivers for her years of union activism and leadership centered on issues of equity and fairness for all educators.
The 2020 Roberts Award went to the Sutton High School Connections Program and the Black Student Union of Cambridge Rindge and Latin School.
The Connections program was recognized for bringing together hundreds of students — prior to the pandemic — from dozens of districts to attend annual conferences on social justice.
The Cambridge-based BSU revived a dormant organization in its school and has become a source of empowerment for Black students, as well as for other students of color and white students who have become allies in the work to create a more equitable environment in the school.
MTA Vice President Max Page opened the June 18 ceremony by acknowledging the vital role that public education plays in advancing social justice.
MTA President Merrie Najimy noted that for 30 years, the MTA has been recognizing the work of educators and community activists trying to make the world a more fair and safer place for all.
"The range of award winners has been broad," she said. "But they have all shared a passion and a commitment to enriching the lives of those they serve."
For more information on the winners of the Human and Civil Rights Awards and the MTA Human Relations Committee, and to watch a video on the origins of Juneteenth, please visit massteacher.org/hcr.
