By Tricia Hall
The Truth Reporter
To celebrate women’s History Month, a number of notable local women were honored on March 24, 2024 at Warren AME Church. The celebration was co-sponsored by Warren AME in collaboration with the University of Toledo’s Office of Community Engagement and Strategic Partnerships.
The recognition portion was facilitated by UT’s Valerie Simmons-Walston, special advisor to the president for Community Engagement and Strategic Partnerships. She introduced each honoree and shared a brief bio. “I have received so much love as a guest,” began Simmons-Walston. “Thank you to Warren AME and thank you to the Pastor for the partnership. We are here to celebrate women, women that have worked in secret to benefit the community.”
The honorees were selected in recognition of their excellence, service and leadership to the community. The honorees received a plaque to acknowledge the occasion. The 2024 honorees:
- Monica Holiday-Goodman, PhD., and Monica Mungo, PhD., from The University of Toledo,
- Dione Somerville, EdD., Owens Community College president,
- Pamela Moore from the Minority Business Development Center,
- Kaye Moore Aldridge, PhD., retiree from The University of Toledo,
- Margaret Huntley, retired educator and community leader,
- Alethea Easterly, Quality Time Learning Center owner,
- Regina Kynard, community leader.
The celebration was held during the 11:00 a.m. morning worship service at Warren AME, which was also Palm Sunday. The service opened with the Call to Worship, hymn, invocation, scripture reading from the Old Testament and New Testament, and selection from the youth choir. The pastor of Warren AME Church is Rev. Brandon Davis, DMin.
The celebration serves as the inaugural community-based partnership between the University of Toledo and a number of faith-based institutions that are near the university. The goal is to reach 10 before the end of 2024. “We didn’t want to close out March without strengthening our relationship with Warren AME,” said Simmons-Walston. “Next month we’re partnering with St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church and we also have a program planned with Indiana Avenue Missionary Baptist Church.”
