City to Host Virtual Celebration to Honor Three Community Leaders on January 28th
January 18, 2021
PROVIDENCE, RI – Mayor Jorge O. Elorza and the Providence Human Relations Commission have selected three honorees for the 18th Annual Providence Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Hall of Fame Virtual Induction Ceremony.
The 2021 honorees are as follows: Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health Nicole Alexander- Scott, MD, MPH; Nonviolence Philosophy Instructor Sal Monteiro, Jr., MA; the late Jorge Cardenas, Community Relations Manager for Sodexo School Services.
“On the 18th anniversary of the Providence MLK Jr. Hall of Fame Awards, I take pause to reflect on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at this tumultuous moment in our nation’s history,” said Mayor Jorge O. Elorza. “The last 10 months have exacerbated the systemic inequities that disproportionately impact our communities of color. At the same time, the leadership demonstrated by our community leaders, coupled with institutions centering community voice through reform, have made me hopeful for the future of our City and State. I am humbled to know this year’s recipients and am inspired to see the qualities Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., stood for- empathy, courage, justice- embodied in each of them.”
Awards will be presented during a virtual induction ceremony hosted by Mayor Elorza, Council President Sabina Matos and the Providence Human Relations Commission. The event will be streamed through the Providence Human Relations Commission Facebook page on January 28th at 5:30PM and made available in both English and Spanish.
“One of my favorite quotes from Dr. King Jr. is this – In some not so distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty,” stated City Council President Sabina Matos. “As we gather to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the coming days, this quote rings true now more than ever. After what our Country has endured over the past year and in recent days, love and brother and sisterhood are what we need to move forward. This year’s recipients of the City’s MLK Award, Dr. Nicole Alexandra-Scott, Sal Monteiro Jr., and the late Jorge Cardenas, each embodies this very notion. Let us all do our best to come together to heal and continue the work and vision that Dr. King asked of us so many years ago.”
The honorees were nominated by members of the public and submitted for consideration to the Providence Human Relations Commission. For eighteen years, the City has hosted this event to celebrate Dr. King’s powerful legacy by highlighting the work of local leaders who embody Dr. King’s commitment to equity, justice, and an endless pursuit to make our City and State better.