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Norfolk Academy Supports Urban League's MLK Community Leaders Event
Maurice Jones, parent of Michela Jones '21, is keynote speaker at MLK Community Leaders Event

Norfolk Academy is a sponsor of the 37th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Community Leaders Event, which recognizes individuals or groups who exemplify the values Dr. King modeled in service to the Hampton Roads community.

The Urban League of Hampton Roads organizes the event each year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and it typically draws thousands of people for a breakfast, keynote speech, and the awards ceremony. Due to the pandemic, this year's event, entitled “Facing Forward for Our Future," is a virtual one.

This year's keynote speaker is Maurice Jones, CEO and President of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), one of the country’s largest organizations supporting projects to revitalize communities. Mr. Jones, who graduated from Hampden-Sydney College and earned a master's degree from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, also served as Secretary of Commerce and Trade for the Commonwealth of Virginia and as Deputy Secretary for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). He is also a proud member of the Bulldog family--parent of Michela Jones '21--and a past trustee. 

The award recipient list also includes two individuals with connections to Norfolk Academy. Mr. Richard F. Barry III, who was a parent and grandparent at NA for many years, as well as a past trustee, is receiving the philanthropy award, spotlighting his contributions as co-founder of the Barry Art Museum at ODU. Jonathan Zur, president and CEO of Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, is receiving the community service award. The VCIC has been a partner with NA for work on diversity, equity, and justice, including two professional development workshops this fall.

Norfolk Academy is proud to join an array of sponsors, including three other educational institutions--Old Dominion University, Norfolk State, and Eastern Virginia Medical School--in supporting this important event to honor leaders in promoting equity and justice in the region. 

The Urban League Virtual Event is free and open to the public. It begins at 8 a.m. on Monday, January 18. To register to attend, visit the Urban League of Hampton Roads website.

 

 

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