By Brandon Cherry
MONROE, CT June 5, 2022 - The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc – New Haven Metropolitan Chapter awarded the Walter E Luckett Jr. Foundation with their Economic Empowerment Award for their community work in the Greater New Haven Area. Walter & Valita Luckett were honored to receive this award.
Mr. Luckett provided a speech and thanked the NCBW - New Haven Chapter and the City of New Haven for the award and kind words. Mr. Luckett believes "the best investment you can make is in your community and also is in our young people because they are 100% of our future". Mr. Luckett thanked Evan Smith a senior scientist from Unilever with his assistance of teaching students of his various programs STEM 'science, technology, engineering and mathematics' education. Walter also thanked Mr. Bernard Lofton for his assistance over the years with Books to Basketball, his wife Valita whom is his 'right arm' and his mother Mrs. Joan Luckett for her love & support throughout the years.
Our business partner, Andrea Lobo also received an award as well. Ms. Lobo is the Chief Human Resource Officer at the Cornell Scott Hill Health Center in the New Haven area.
Special honoree Tomika Mallory was in attendance to receive her award for her work on civil right, women's rights, and gun control. Ms. Mallory was one of the leading activists of the 2017 Women’s March, and one of the co-presidents of the 2019 Women’s March. She is also an activist for African American Civil Rights and pushed for justice for the Trayvon Martin case. Ms. Mallory was featured in Time magazine's ‘Time 100’ which lists the top 100 most influential people in the world.
Ms. Mallory wrote a book called ‘State of Emergency: How We Win in the Country We Built” this book explains injustice in the Unites States, and her fight for Civil Rights. Her book includes forwards from civil rights activist and author Angela Davis, as well as rapper and entertainer Cardi B.
The brunch also included special guest violinist Mapy. She is known worldwide for her art and best known as the “Violin Queen”. Mary is unique because she doesn’t play your typical classical music, she known for playing r&b, reggae, soca, and hip-hop. She brings a unique style to a more formal music genre. In 2017 Mapy release a mixtape called Island Girl, it became the top selling reggae album on itunes. She also had a Grammy appearance in 2021.
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