Kailyn Bremmer, white dress, receives her award from event organizers
NEWBURGH – Local African-American residents were presented awards
for their achievements and for providing a positive example in the City
of Newburgh during the “Black Pioneers of Newburgh: Yesterday, Today
and Tomorrow” ceremony at the Newburgh campus of SUNY Orange.
Co-organizer of the Saturday event, Ramona Burton, envisioned showcasing
an inter-generational representation of achievement and progress in the
local African-American community during Black History Month. The idea
came into fruition after meeting with longtime friends and collaborators
Malinda Ware and Rosina Tezgeldi.
“I always had a vision of hosting an event where we honor people
in our community that most times don’t get honored,” she said.
“I also wanted it to be inter-generational; we have our more ‘seasoned’
people, then 30. 40, and 50-somethings, and we also have our young people
whom unless you are in their school district, you wouldn’t know
what they are doing. It wasn’t difficult to find them, though, because
they are all right in front of us.”
Honorees included retired teacher and former city councilman George Bowles,
chart-topping 1950s-era singer Lillie Bryant Howard, Howard’s son
and Newburgh Enlarged City School District member Phil Howard, Blacc Vanilla
Lounge Café owners Jerrod and Melanie Lang, and high school athlete
and musician Ameesah Cotton.
Kailyn Bremmer, a student at Excelsior Academy and a community volunteer,
was another honoree. She reflected on how the African-American community
should emphasize their accomplishments in the current political climate.
“We have a president who doesn’t really have the same outlook
as many of us would, and so I think this is a good time to remember our
historical accomplishments in society,” she said.
Newly-elected Orange County Legislator Kevindaryan Lujan (D-Newburgh)
talked about how his passion for the diversity of the community he grew
up in only intensifies in the Trump administration.
“Newburgh is a highly diverse community,” he said. “We
need to try and recognize that beauty and diversity, especially with everything
going on in Washington. It’s about paying homage to those who came
before us, and it’s about the people who are here today in our communities.”
The keynote speaker for this year’s event was Ed Lawson, a former
attorney and current community activist. He highlighted the different
generations of local African-Americans honored during the event.
“It’s a true celebration of Black History Month when you can
see leaders from the past and leaders who are currently engaged extending
their arm to young people,” he said. “We even had some young
honorees, which really warms your heart to see young people who get it
and are not afraid to reach their fullest potential.”
