Jay Williams named Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire 2022 Citizen of the Year

Special to Seacoastonline and Fosters.com
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Jay Williams, president of the Hartford Foundation, was named as the Black New England Conference 2022 Citizen of the Year.
Jay Williams, president of the Hartford Foundation, was named as the Black New England Conference 2022 Citizen of the Year.

PORTSMOUTH — JerriAnne Boggis, executive director, announced the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire has unanimously selected Jay Williams, president of the Hartford Foundation, as the Black New England Conference 2022 Citizen of the Year.

Williams was selected by the committee from a slate of nominees from throughout New England.

"Jay Williams was chosen not only for his Black philanthropy but also because of his leadership and commitment to dismantling racism, achieving equity, and improving social and economic mobility for People of Color and Latinx throughout the Greater Hartford area," Boggis said. “In fact, Jay and his organization, the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, serve as models for a comprehensive approach to confronting systemic racism in any community.”

The award will be presented to Williams at the Black New England Conference Awards Dinner to be held at Southern New Hampshire University on Friday, Oct. 21, from 6 to 9 p.m. The dinner also features a special keynote event: An Interview/Conversation with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, the founding director of the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research and author of "Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America," which won a National Book Award for non-fiction.

Since July 2017, Jay Williams has served as president of the Hartford Foundation. He is currently leading the Foundation’s commitment to dismantle structural racism, achieve equity and improve social and economic mobility in our region in partnership with nonprofit organizations and community stakeholders. Williams serves on the boards of the MetroHartford Alliance, and AdvanceCT, and is a member of the Governor’s Workforce Council. At the national level, he is a member of the Community Foundation Opportunity Network, and serves on the boards of the Council on Foundations, and the Center for Community Progress.

Prior to coming to the Hartford Foundation, Williams served as U.S. assistant secretary of commerce for economic development where he led the federal economic development agenda for the United States during the Obama administration. He also served as deputy director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs at the White House.

For more information on the conference including schedule, conference panels topics, registration, cost, and how to become a conference sponsor please visit blackheritagetrailnh.org/black-new-england-conference-2022, call 603-570-8469, or send an email to info@blackheritagetrailnh.org.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Jay Williams named Black Heritage Trail of NH 2022 Citizen of the Year