{"id":15277,"date":"2025-02-20T20:02:54","date_gmt":"2025-02-20T20:02:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/?p=15277"},"modified":"2025-02-20T20:02:54","modified_gmt":"2025-02-20T20:02:54","slug":"a-celebration-of-black-history-and-a-recognition-of-difference-makers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/2025\/02\/20\/a-celebration-of-black-history-and-a-recognition-of-difference-makers\/","title":{"rendered":"A Celebration of Black History and a Recognition of Difference Makers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Robert Smith, Wendi Huntley, Leroy Bates, Chanell Phenix, Sheila Howard, Dione Somerville, PhD<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Truth Staff<\/em>
\nOn Sunday afternoon, February 16, a celebration at St. Mark\u2019s Baptist Church, organized by State Rep. Elgin Rogers, brought together hundreds in the community to celebrate Black History Month and to recognize the difference makers in our community who have contributed to that black history in recent years.
\nThe celebration began with a welcome from the mistress of ceremonies Charlon Dewberry, Esq, followed by a prayer offered by youngster Amir Perryman of St. Marks Church.
\nMy5tery Music, an ensemble of school students taught and directed by Erick Dixon, sand \u201cLift Every Voice and Sing,\u201d along with several other selections.
\nJanitra Bailey and Saharah Bruce presented a visual compilation; Kaleb Perryman offered a spoken word presentation; followed by Maxine Wilson\u2019s \u201cWho Am \u201cI and another musical selection by Mystery Music.
\nAfter Amir Perryman\u2019s \u201cAncestor\u2019s Dram and Sani Perryman\u2019s \u201cMy Black is Beautiful,\u201d Brenda Lee Mitchell recognized the \u201cDifference Makers\u201d to whom the event was dedicated.
\nThe \u201cDifference Makers\u201d were: Wendi Huntley, president and CEO of Connecting Kids to Meals; Dione Somerville, PhD, president of Owens Community College; Kwinlyn Tyler, community affairs manager for TARTA; Clarence Smith, Jr., director\/educator for the Clarence Smith Community Chorus; Marvin Whitfield, PhD, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Ohio; Chanell Phenix, president of the Toledo Alliance of Black School Educators; Micheal T. Johnson, educator for the Toledo Public Schools-Barber Program; Robert Smith, director of the African American Legacy Project of Northwest Ohio; Sheila Howard, journalist, author and wellness influencer for The Blade and she Jag, LLC; Errick Dixon, executive director of My5stery Music LLC; Leroy Bates, retired teacher\/basketball coach for Toledo Public Schools; Chris Jenkins, Toledo Public Schools employee; Denisee Johnson-Gaston, playwright\/director, Dramatically Inspired Works; Harvey Savage, Jr, executive director, MLK Center Kitchen for the Poor.
\nThe Difference Makers were honored with both cloths and plaques. Each was praised for being \u201ca remarkable individual, combining civic concern and dedication with selfless initiative to become a dynamic leader in the Toledo area.\u201d
\n\u201cThese folks are doing the work in our community that you don\u2019t see,\u201d said Rogers. Some of the individuals themselves may work unseen and out of the public eye, but the work they all do is readily apparent and has made a huge impact on this community.
\nRogers offered closing remarks about the individuals and the occasion of Black History Month and Rev. C.L. Johnson of St. Mark Baptist gave the closing benediction.<\/p>\n