Local activists and leaders honored at annual Rosa Parks Quiet Courage Award ceremony

The Rosa Parks Quiet Courage Committee honored on Sunday local residents who mirror and exemplify the quiet courage Parks displayed as a central figure in the civil rights movement that led to the breaking down of Jim Crow laws that held Blacks down in America for many centuries.

Those honored were recognized at the committee's annual Quiet Courage Award ceremony held Sunday at PASSAGE Family Church in northeast Gainesville. Dozens of people attended the ceremony that honored Gainesville City Commissioner Desmon Duncan-Walker; Sheila Payne, a member of the Alachua County Labor Coalition; Reichert House Youth Academy employee Devondrick Slater and former Gainesville Police Department Chief Tony Jones.

The theme for this year's tribute was "Make Justice Just Again."

More: Rosa Parks Quiet Courage AwardsNominations sought for Rosa Parks Quiet Courage award

More: Rosa Parks Day of CourageLocal leaders celebrate Rosa Parks anniversary with 'Day of Courage' event

Duncan-Walker received the Leadership and Vision Award and Payne, Slater and Jones received the Quiet Courage Award.

The event began with singing from RPQCC First Vice President Vivian Filer and her two sisters, Sarah Brown and Karen Johnson.

Their singing was followed by a solo performance from Regional Transit System Supervisor Tammy McCants.

Passage Family Church Pastor George Dix welcomed the audience and began the invocation prayer.

“We thank you for assembling us to glorify this woman today,” Dix said.

RPQCC Second Vice President Karen Cole-Smith, Ph.D., said it is important to continue to recognize Parks.

“What courage will you take if you see something wrong,” Cole-Smith said. “Would you say, ‘That’s not right?’ Today we are honoring people who will stand even if they are standing by themselves. The community says yes to you and we know you will go forward and make us proud.”

“We are here to remember a true hero,” Filer said. “We are here to rejoice for the freedom she fought for us all. We are here to reflect and thank her for the life she lived and the service she gave.”

Parks was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc,. and a candlelight ceremony in her honor were led by sorority members Cole-Smith, Duncan-Walker, the retired Rev. Dr. Geraldine McClellan, Alachua County School Board member Diyonne McGraw, Interim Gainesville City Manager Cynthia Curry and Janet Hayes.

Known as the "mother" of the civil rights movement, Parks took a stand when she refused to give up a city bus seat for a white passenger and thus sparked the beginning of the movement. Her act of defiance on Dec. 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, and her arrest led the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to lead a bus boycott protesting the arrest of Parks and Jim Crow laws.

“It’s too late to drop the torch,” McClellan said. “It’s too late to not do what God has called you to do. We lit the candle in her memory. She paved the way and we will never forget her.”

The ceremony also included a slideshow presentation tribute to the late Patricia Hilliard-Nunn, Ph.D., a well-known historian, University of Florida professor, community activist and original member of the committee who served the committee until her death in August 2020.

“God sent us a jewel in the representation of Dr. Patricia Hilliard-Nunn,” Filer said. “He saw favor in us when he did that. I’m crying, but I’m crying tears of joy.”

Filer thanked the Rev. Milford Griner, founder and president of the RPQCC, for creating the committee.

“We humbly appreciate Griner for all of your hard work since 2006,” Filer said. "Your continued presence has always and will continue to be a blessing to this committee.”

Cole-Smith and Griner presented the awards to the recipients.

Slater was nominated by Jones for his work at the Reichert House, which is a program designed for young men who are in need of assistance in making the transition from adolescence to adulthood by providing academic assistance, vocational training and employment assistance.

Slater was recognized for volunteering in local public schools, coaching youth sports, participating in various community services and investing in the lives of young men. He thanked Jones for the nomination.

Cole-Smith then introduced Payne, who is also a very active community activist.

“I really appreciate this community,” Payne said. “I see a lot of people in this audience who could’ve received this award. Thank you so much for this award.”

Cole-Smith also introduced Duncan-Walker, who is a native of Gainesville. Griner said Duncan-Walker was unanimously selected by the executive board to be the recipient of this year’s Leadership and Vision Award.

“My family is the wind beneath my wings,” Duncan-Walker said. “Any courage in this body is due to my family. I get excited when I see the shoulders we stand on.”

Cole-Smith then recognized Jones, who was honored for his dedication to help the community. Jones is a co-founder of the Reichert House, and has over 30 years of experience in law enforcement. He has also been instrumental in the development and success of the Brave Overt Leaders of Distinction (B.O.L.D.) program that is designed to help young men between the ages of 18-26 become productive citizens.

As he accepted his award, Jones remembered the words of his grandmother who often told him “The work you do will speak for you,” Jones said.

“Even though she’s gone, I still live by that," Jones said.

The ceremony also featured Filer recognizing students from Pace Center for Girls Alachua who participated in an essay contest about Rosa Parks.

Also, Griner gave certificates to his committee members and thanked them for their work.

The theme for this year's tribute was "Make Justice Just Again."

In his annual State of Justice remarks, Griner’s speech was titled “A Pandemic of Hate", which took a look back at what has taken place in the U.S. in the past several years on the continued fight for justice and equality.

“Justice has to mean more than a word on a piece of paper,” Griner said. “We must bring an end to hate for all of us. We have the responsibility and we can’t wait for someone else to do it. We must take a stand and don’t be afraid of what others say about us or to us. Make a pledge that you will do all that you can to make justice just. The end of our program should not end our activism. Hate that goes unchecked gives power to the haters.”

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Gainesville residents honored by Rosa Parks Quiet Courage Committee