Statement from the Center: Condemning the white supremacist mass shooting in Jacksonville, Florida
As The Center observes the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington, our hearts grieve with the people of Jacksonville, Florida at the loss of three Black lives this past Saturday to yet another mass shooting driven by white supremacy. This underscores the stubborn tenacity of racism that is deeply embedded in America’s history. 2023 has already witnessed over 470 mass shootings in America, as reported by the Gun Violence Archive. Against this alarming backdrop, we continue to urge legislators to fulfill their commitment to safeguard the people they are sworn to protect. In September, The Center will commemorate the 117th anniversary of the 1906 Atlanta Race Massacre—a dark chapter characterized by four days of white mob violence that claimed the lives of at least 25 Black individuals, aimed at erasing Black progress. Despite its significant impact on Atlanta’s trajectory, and the national history of racial terror, this massacre remains largely unknown today. Our commemoration is a key pillar of The Center’s Truth and Transformation initiative that empowers communities to unearth and share the truths of history, with the goal of reshaping society toward equity, dismantling hate, and ending the scourge of racist violence.
The Center hosts inaugural Teaching Fellowship presented by R. Howard Dobbs, Jr. Foundation
Authors: Kate Moore & Nicole Moore Being an educator today is challenging work. Over the past few years, we have seen states across the nation pass legislation around “divisive concepts” in the classroom. Book challenges in 2022 increased 842% compared to 2020. To continue teaching truthful history in such a divisive era, our teachers need support, recognition, and inspiration. The current educational climate led us to our challenge: What if we could work directly with teachers to enhance their understanding of our shared history and empower them to teach honest history? This summer that simple “what if” became a reality thanks to a generous grant from the R. Howard Dobbs, Jr. Foundation. In June, twenty-five K-12 educators from across the state of Georgia joined The Center’s Education department and an impressive lineup of experts for a week-long in person institute. During this week, we challenged educators to thoughtfully examine how they teach the civil rights movement, what sources they use, what voices they center, and whose voices are being left out. We often take for granted that teachers are subject matter experts in all areas they teach. That is not always the case; for instance, a social studies teacher is more often an educational expert than an historian. With this in mind, we realized that it is important to provide deep and enriching learning experiences for educators. We wanted them to read about histories they have never heard before, learn where and how to access sources they have never seen before, engage with some of the most highly regarded historians in the field, and hear the words of those who lived through history and came out on the other side to share their stories with us. To these ends, The Center was proud to work with Dr. Hasan K. Jeffries, who served as our scholar-in-residence for the weeklong institute. Dr. Jeffries is one of the country’s preeminent civil rights historians and has helped educators across the country grapple with teaching hard history. He was joined by Dr. Vicki Crawford, Director of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Collection, who spoke to Fellows about the important roles of women in the movement. Dr. Crawford also facilitated one of the most powerful moments of the week when she interviewed civil rights activist, civil servant, entrepreneur, scholar, and educator Dr. Georgianne Thomas. Public Historian and educator Dr. Christopher Lawton inspired Fellows to let their students get hands-on with history through an insightful review of his student-led public history projects in Putnam County and across Georgia. Sarah Tanner, Head of the Archives Research Center, and Tiffany Atwater Lee, Head of Research Services, at the Atlanta University Center’s Robert Woodruff Library reviewed how to successfully search and engage with archives. They also encouraged Fellows to examine how their students work, in and out of the classroom, is part of the archival record. We met the first part of our challenge by providing our participants with a rich educational experience during the institute, but this was just the start of a year-long journey for our Fellows. They will meet regularly throughout the school year and serve as members of The Center’s Education Advisory Committee. By supporting participants throughout the school year, we will rise to the challenge of empowering them to teach honest history. We look forward to watching as they build their own community of like-minded educators who understand the day-to-day work, who recognize The Center as a resource to support them, and who strive to help students critically analyze history and become engaged citizens in their own right.
A Statement from The Center on SCOTUS Decision
On June 30, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a decision, effectively diminishing the impact of affirmative action by ending consideration of race in college admissions. The decision overturned more than four decades of precedence and ignored the unfair impact of racial injustice in American society. Since 1978, affirmative action in college admissions has been a path to a better future for Black and other minority students, providing access to higher education and a path to economic advancement. The Court’s decision will effectively limit higher education access for marginalized populations, which will negatively impact all students. A diverse student body strengthens respect for humanity and promotes understanding by ensuring college campuses benefit from different perspectives and lived experiences. In light of this decision, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights encourages educational institutions, parents, and students to reaffirm values of equity and diversity and to be vigilant in demanding fairness and equity on campuses and throughout society.
National Center for Civil and Human Rights Board of Directors Welcomes New Leaders
Two new members, experienced in corporate and operational leadership, will help advance The Center’s mission and expansion strategy Feb. 27, 2023 (ATLANTA) – The National Center for Civil and Human Rights (The Center) welcomed its new class of board of directors. The new directors are invited to serve two three-year terms. The new members are: Garry Capers, Division President, Cloud and Promotional Solutions, Deluxe Corporation; based in Atlanta Tim Wilkerson, Senior Vice President, Sales and Service, The Home Depot; based in Atlanta Selected after a months-long national process, the new board members bring extensive corporate and operational leadership experience to The Center. “We are deeply proud that The Center continues to attract exceptional leaders from Atlanta and around the country to help us carry out our mission to promote rights and justice, especially as we expand our campus and programming into a national hub for education, conversations, and training to inspire people to protect human dignity,” said the Hon. Shirley Franklin, The Center’s Board Chair. At the end of 2022, three members rolled off the board at the end of their terms: Susan Bell, Doug McNeely, and Paul Viera. “We’re eager to work with our new board members and thank our outgoing members for their service,” said Jill Savitt, The Center’s President and CEO. “The Center has benefited enormously from their guidance and dedication.” Brief biographies of new members are below. Full biographies and photos for all Center board members can be accessed at civilandhumanrights.org/about-the-center/staff-board/. Garry Capers is division president of Cloud and Promotional Solutions and member of the executive leadership team at Deluxe Corporation. A 15-year FinTech veteran with eight years of prior experience in management consulting, Capers has held leadership roles at ADP and Equifax. Prior to Equifax, Capers was a management consultant with Bain & Company focusing on retail and financial services sectors. Capers serves as a Board Director for OneSpan Inc., a Trustee for The Lovett School in Atlanta, and a member of the board of The Deluxe Foundation. He is an advisor for PayDN, a payments startup headquartered in Atlanta. Tim Wilkerson is senior vice president of sales & service at The Home Depot. In this role, he oversees Home Services, including installation operations, in-home sales, customer contact centers, as well as service provider sourcing, onboarding, and compliance. Previously, he led the merchandising execution team’s 25,000 associates to deliver in-store merchandising solutions that drive sales, enable speed, and create value for our stores, suppliers, and customers. Tim joined the Company in 1996 as an import distribution center assistant manager and has held numerous roles of increasing responsibility focusing on logistics and operations. About The Center’s Nominating Process The Center’s Nominating Sub-Committee, led by board member Katie Fahs, undertakes an annual process each spring to assess the mix of skills and expertise needed for The Center to fulfill its mission and then solicits nominations from the full board for the next board class to meet those needs. Current board members interview candidates and compile a slate that ensures the board has diverse voices. The board votes each fall for a new class. The Center’s board members are invited to serve two three-year terms. About the National Center for Civil and Human Rights The Center, founded in 2014, is a museum and human rights educational institution located in Atlanta, GA, the birthplace of the civil rights movement. We create dynamic and empathy- building experiences, teach history’s connection to the present, generate brave and difficult conversations, and inspire the change-maker in each of us to promote civil and human rights in our communities and the world. The Center connects the U.S. civil rights movement of the 1950’s and 1960’s to global human rights movements for the rights of people of color, women, immigrants, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ people, and other marginalized groups. For more information about The Center, visit our website at civilandhumanrights.org. Follow us on: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram – @ctr4chr, and LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/ncchr. Contact: James Richards, Communications Director | [email protected], 404.844.4692
Center and Partners Host 2nd Atlanta Civic Collaboratory
Members of the ATL Civic Collaboratory at the January Meeting Along with our partners, Atlanta History Center and the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights gathered more than 40 leaders at the end of January for the second Atlanta Civic Collaboratory (ACC). The Collaboratory was developed as a city-wide initiative to foster mutual aid among civic leaders. The project is based on the National Civic Collaboratory developed by Citizens University, a Seattle-based non-profit organization that equips Americans to be civic catalysts. This collaboratory model has resonated with Atlanta civic leaders as our community faces extraordinary challenges, made more intense by disconnection and polarization, resource scarcity, competition, and silos. This model allows us to tackle these current challenges by building a sense of common purpose and collective power. The Collaboratory takes as a given that building trust and common purpose – and creating an ecosystem of mutual aid – can help us go further faster. Collaboratory meetings take place every four months. They consist of a welcome dinner the night before and a lively meeting the next day. The dinner and day-long meetings are core to building trust. When a group breaks bread and cultivates bonds of affection, we strengthen the fabric of local partnerships, which allows us to respond more effectively to community needs. The heart of the day-long gathering is a Rotating Credit Club. This is a time when members of the Collaboratory take turns presenting a project they are working on, and the rest of the Collaboratory offers specific commitments to move their project forward – in the form of funding, introductions, expertise, or elbow grease. Throughout the day, we also have group discussions, inviting everyone to give their perspectives on big questions facing Atlanta. At the first Collaboratory in August, Saba Long of the Atlanta Civic Circle presented a project to the Rotating Credit Club. They seek to address the communication breakdown between metro Atlanta residents, stakeholders, and elected officials. They detailed their goals of creating a data-driven community engagement platform that will be powered by a 10,000-person regional panel to act as a sounding board in real time. In January, Nia Mosby of Made By Us asked for support for Civic Season, a nationwide civics engagement campaign, now in its third year, that aims to reach 75 million people in the United States by 2026 – the number of Gen-Z that will be voting age. Maria Saporta and Ann Cramer of Atlanta Way 2.0 introduced their concept of creating a modern-day movement to bring together diverse stakeholders to improve community relationships, share resources and strengthen the civic fabric of our city through strategic meetings at neighborhood, city, and regional levels. And for the third presentation, Liz Lapidus of Root Local told the group about their goal to grow a sustainability movement in metro Atlanta by expanding their established Pollinator Network to 250 individuals and doubling their public programming, which convenes environmental allies, breaks down silos, and shares local stories. To date, dozens of commitments of help and support have been offered. This mutual investment of capital — social, intellectual, and institutional — has made the Collaboratory a uniquely influential network of action. We look forward to our future gatherings and sharing with you the exciting work our colleagues are undertaking to strengthen Atlanta.
Tyre Nichols Senseless Murder Demands Fundamental Police Culture Reform
The National Center of Civil and Human Rights expresses pain and outrage at the ongoing human rights violations committed by police officers in the wake of widespread demands for substantive police reform after George Floyd’s murder in 2020. Departments must heed the national call for reform, including instituting substantive training on protecting the human rights of all community members. Tragically, the abuse and murder of unarmed Black people by police continues. In January, Tyre Nichols – an artist and father to a 4-year-old son – died following a brutal assault from five Memphis police officers, nearly 100 yards from his mother’s home. We grieve for the Nichols family and join the national outcry for justice for Tyre Nichols’s death and for greater oversight of police departments. Importantly, law enforcement leaders must address the systemic racism embedded in their cultures and structures by incorporating human rights protections into law enforcement policies and practices. Instilling human rights norms and values into policing requires sustained human rights training to ensure law enforcement leaders and officers understand: The factors that put minority populations at risk for rights abuse at the hands of police How implicit bias impacts decision making at an individual level The importance of community policing and civilian oversight The unique requirements of policing in traumatized communities The history of policing in the United States, especially contemporary law enforcement’s origin as slave patrols and/or union breakers, and the role of police in enforcing segregation during the civil rights era The psychological impact of policing culture on individual officers As a human rights and educational organization, The Center and our partner, the Auschwitz Institute for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities (AIPG), recognize the crucial role of human rights training. We stand ready to address this crisis through our work with state and local police departments who seek to transform their cultures to protect the human rights and dignity of all people. We mourn the death of Tyre Nichols but remain determined to support solutions to help communities prevent future tragedies.
The Center’s Statement on Recent Gun Violence in California
The gun violence epidemic continues to devastate U.S. communities. Thirty-nine shootings have occurred so far in 2023, the most at this point than any year on record, according to CNN and the Gun Violence Archive. We are heartbroken for the lives lost in California at Half Moon Bay, this week, and at last week’s mass shooting in Monterey Park around the Lunar New Year Festival. What should have been a celebratory weekend is now a tragedy during one of the most important holidays for the Asian and Pacific Islander community. As a civil and human rights educational institution, The Center remains committed to confronting hatred in all its forms and to promoting and protecting the dignity of all people, everywhere. Violence impacting any community is a scourge in our society. Widespread gun violence is a human rights issue— that must be dealt with through sustained action. If you wish to support those recently affected by gun violence in their communities, you can access resources at Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Every Town Support Fund, and the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions.
Center celebrates Dr. King’s legacy with a weekend of arts events, unveils Spring 2023 exhibition of Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection
Exhibition examines March on Washington’s 60th anniversary; activities include a panel discussion with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater leaders, a Palefsky Collision Project youth theater performance, live Radio One broadcasts, interactive games and storytelling; galleries open January 12 – 16 ATLANTA, Ga. (Jan. 4, 2023) – The National Center for Civil and Human Rights (The Center) presents a full holiday weekend of engaging and inspiring events to immerse visitors and families in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and legacy. January 12 through January 16 (MLK Day) events include performances, a panel discussion, interactive storytelling, visual artist talkbacks, and activities throughout The Center’s galleries. “Dr. King’s belief in a beloved community is as relevant today as it was during the Civil Rights Movement,” said Jill Savitt, president and CEO of The Center. “This holiday is an opportunity for all of us to recommit ourselves to heed his call to build that beloved community—in our neighborhoods, city, state, and country. The Center’s 2023 King celebrations focus on arts and storytelling to inspire visitors of all ages to reflect on Dr. King’s vision of justice and equality, so that they may tap their power to change the world around them.” Hours and tickets are available at: https://www.civilandhumanrights.org/visit/. Events include: Thursday, January 12 12 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Jill Savitt serves as a panelist at The King Center Beloved Community Global Summit for discussions around “Cultivating a Beloved Community Mindset to Transform Unjust Systems.” 6:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Artistic Director Robert Battle joins Jill Savitt; scholar, activist and historian Dr. Clarissa Myrick-Harris; and National Director of Ailey Camp Nasha Thomas for a discussion about art as a vehicle for social change. Panel moderator NBC News Correspondent Blayne Alexander will spotlight projects that reveal truth, awaken transformation, and recognize triumphs on the march to freedom such as The Center’s “Now is the Time…” exhibition about the March on Washington and Alvin Ailey’s new production of Survivors (1986) debuting at the Fox Theater February 16-19. Doors open at 6 p.m. A cocktail reception follows. Friday, January 13 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. The Center unveils its Spring 2023 thematic exhibition of selections from the Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection. Now Is the Time: Remembering the Legacy of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom presented during the 60th anniversary year of the March, explores its organization and impact when 250,000 Americans gathered on the National Mall on August 28, 1963 to demand civil and economic rights. Collection artifacts include the original draft of Dr. King’s “Normalcy, Never Again” speech for the March in which the tremendous orator improvisationally transformed into his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech. “’Now is the Time’ transports visitors to a movement and a moment that has inspired generations to fight for economic justice, voting rights, and equitable access to education and health care,” said Lance Wheeler, Director of Exhibitions. “As visitors view the artifacts, we hope they will reflect on Dr. King’s dream, how we have progressed since the March but also consider how oppressive systems have evolved to impede greater progress.” The full collection is owned by Morehouse College and housed at the Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library. Saturday, January 14 – Monday, January 16 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. Family Day activities in the galleries include interactive storytelling, featuring Who Was Martin Luther King, Jr.? by Lisbeth Kaiser and Stanley Chow; a King action card to inspire visitors’ to create acts of service in their communities and offers an animated version of King’s “Dream” speech in partnership with Stanford University; plus games & puzzles, coloring stations, and giveaways. 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. Savannah College of Art and Design students will lead visual talks among the galleries Rolls Down Like Water that immerses visitors in sights, sounds and interactive displays depicting the courage of groups and individuals working for equality for all during the American Civil Rights Movement; and Spark of Conviction, which enables visitors to make connections to the world of human rights. Sunday, January 15 (Dr. King’s birthday) 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Corporate and community leaders from across Atlanta will convene for an intimate, vulnerable, and thought-provoking experience, with guided conversations about Equitable and Affordable Housing in Atlanta for Hands on Atlanta’s 9th annual MLK Sunday Supper. Housing was a crucial part of Dr. King’s vision for economic justice. Participants will learn how to host their own conversations to generate action and build more equitable communities. Monday, January 16 (MLK Day) 11 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Youth artists from The Alliance Theater’s Palefsky Collision Project return to The Center’s Glenn Room to perform theater inspired by their letters to Dr. King that display the inspirational power of collaboration. 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Radio One will broadcast live onsite providing a soundtrack of soul stirring Hip Hop, R&B, and Gospel plus contests and trivia. 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Family activities continue with the inclusion of Center-wide scavenger hunt to learn about Dr. King’s life and work through the Center’s permanent galleries. About the National Center for Civil and Human Rights The Center, founded in 2014, is a museum and human rights educational institution located in Atlanta, GA, the cradle of civil rights. We create dynamic and empathy- building experiences, teach history’s connection to the present, generate brave and difficult conversations about necessary issues, and inspire the change-maker in each of us to promote civil and human rights in our communities and the world. The Center connects the U.S. civil rights movement of the 1950’s and 1960’s to global human rights movements for the rights of people of color, women, immigrants, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ people, and other marginalized groups. Through our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative, the Campaign for Equal Dignity, the LGBTQ Institute, expansive educational offerings, and immersive and engaging storytelling we inspire each of us to reflect and think critically, exercise empathy in action, and create positive change locally and globally. For
LGBTQ Institute Names New Executive Director
Tim’m T. West aims to deepen the institute’s work in the U.S. South and expand national partnerships ATLANTA, Ga. (December 15, 2022) — The LGBTQ Institute at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights (The Center) has named Tim’m T. West (he/they) as its new executive director beginning January 2023. West succeeds Ryan Roemerman who successfully guided the institute as its founding executive director since 2015. “Tim’m is building upon a solid foundation, and his thought leadership and experience will amplify and broaden our impact. This work is critical,” said Jill Savitt, president and CEO of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. West, an educator, youth advocate, poet, hip-hop artist, and author of several books is a Cincinnati native raised primarily in rural Arkansas. A deeply committed academic activist, West has led Teach for America’s National Prism Alliances since 2014, which advances safer and braver classrooms for LGBTQ+ educators and students preK-12th grade. West mobilized and grew TFA’s Prism coalitions from two in 2016 to nearly 30 in 2022, shifting the educational equity landscape to be more responsible and accountable to LGBTQ+ students and educators. “Tim’m built long-standing and trusted relationships with national partners that I know will positively impact the LGBTQ Institute’s mission,” said Sarah Ha, vice president of Teach For America’s National Community Alliances. Since its founding, the institute has focused on the American South, connecting advocates and academics to advance LGBTQ equity through research and education. By fostering intersectional leadership, research, and education initiatives, the institute helps partners create a public imperative for policies that treat LGBTQ people equally and fairly. “With the hiring of Tim’m, The Center is reaffirming its commitment to LGBTQ communities across the South and the country at a time of deep concern for our civil and human rights,” noted Roemerman. “As a long-time grassroots advocate and community mobilizer representing a myriad of social justice issues across our nation, Tim’m is uniquely positioned to lead the LGBTQ Institute’s strategic vision. His voice and action will allow us to meet the moment.” Recently, West was a visiting lecturer in Critical Race, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Cal Poly Humboldt. Prior to TFA, he served on the inaugural faculty at Oakland School for the Arts; taught English and coached basketball at Cesar Chavez Public High School for Public Policy; and was Director of Youth Services at Chicago’s Center on Halsted. West earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Duke University, and Master of Arts degrees from The New School for Social Research and Stanford University. “The South is under attack most often when it comes to anti-LGBTQ legislation, even though more LGBTQ people live in the South than anywhere else in the country. Building on the powerful mobilizing that Ryan did over the first seven years, The Center allows us to shine a light, serve as a convener, amplify grassroots campaigns, and be a home for advocates,” said West. “My familial roots include Appalachia and rural Arkansas. I’m excited to ensure LGBTQ rights are preserved in our most vulnerable communities, focusing in the South, but expanding that work to engage partnerships with advocates wherever equity and justice for LGBTQ people is threatened.” ### The LGBTQ Institute at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights connects academics and advocates to advance LGBTQ equity through research and education focused on the American South. The National Center for Civil and Human Rights is a museum and human rights educational institution located in Atlanta, GA, the cradle of civil rights. Founded in 2014, we create dynamic and empathy- building experiences, teach history’s connection to the present, generate brave and difficult conversations about necessary issues, and inspire the change-maker in each of us to tap our own power to promote civil and human rights in our communities and the world. The Center connects the U.S. civil rights movement of the 1950’s and 1960’s to global human rights movements for the rights of people of color, women, immigrants, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ people, and other marginalized groups. Through our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative, the Campaign for Equal dignity, the LGBTQ Institute, expansive educational offerings, and immersive and engaging storytelling we inspire each of us to reflect and think critically, exercise empathy in action, and create positive change locally and globally. For more information about The Center, visit our website at civilandhumanrights.org. Follow us on: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram – @ctr4chr, and LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/ncchr. Media Advisory Contact: James Richards, 404-844-4692 x.119 [email protected]
2022 Power To Inspire & Groundbreaking Recap, Giving Tuesday Preview
By James Richards, Communications Director, National Center for Civil and Human Rights To cap the Center’s eighth year, we’re launching our first Text-to-Give campaign called Truth Moves. Truth Moves kicks off on Giving Tuesday, Nov. 29 and runs through Human Rights Day, Dec. 10. We hope to engage new donors in The Center’s mission and celebrate the creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)! We have a lot to be thankful for. Looking back, October was a big month in the eight years of The Center thanks to the amazing work of so many staff and partners. We hosted our first in person Power to Inspire gala since 2019 and it was wonderful to celebrate together with our board members and friends of The Center. We honored Donna Stephens and Nujeen Mustafa, two individuals who have taken on tough issues to make progress for so many in Atlanta and around the world. We also acknowledged three black-owned financial institutions for their work on economic opportunity in the fight for racial equality: Carver State Bank, Unity National Bank, and Paul Viera with Harmony Analytics. We capped off PTI by officially launching our Building the Vision campaign to expand our building and programs that will enable us to grow from a local Atlanta attraction to a national cultural institution that serves as a dynamic education, training, conference, and performance hub dedicated to advancing human dignity, rights, and justice. In 2024 we will add two wings with more than 10,000 new square feet of classroom, exhibit, and event space, a Family Gallery on the lobby level, a gallery memorializing racial violence, and a cafe. We will enhance our Civil and Human Rights permanent exhibits, as well as our Voice to the Voiceless gallery that displays selections from the Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection. Check out this video for more information on how you can support our Building the Vision campaign . The next morning, we hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking. Our groundbreaking featured remarks from Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens (a lifetime member and avid Center supporter), Congresswomen Lucy McBath and Nikema Williams, as well as Center Board representatives vice-chair A.J. Robinson and Andrea Young. These two events have ignited new energy, both within our walls and throughout the community. Many people are so invigorated by the accomplishments of The Center in our first eight years of existence, and can’t wait to see what we will accomplish in the years to come. Thank you to our supporters, donors, attendees, and staff for your profound commitment to helping The Center fulfill our mission.