PHOENIX (PRWEB) February 17, 2023
The HeroZona Foundation is excited to announce it will host the “History of South Phoenix” brunch and panel discussion on Monday, Feb. 20, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in celebration of Black History Month. The invitation-only event will be hosted at the Travis L. Williams American Legion Post 65 (1624 E. Broadway Rd.) in Phoenix. The event is sponsored in part by SRP, APS, the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Consultant Services, Blue Zones and the Equality Health Foundation.
“South Phoenix is an area that is now thriving, but it has taken great effort to get it to this point,” says U.S. Army Desert Storm Veteran and HeroZona Foundation Co-Founder, Alan “AP” Powell. “We still have a lot of work to do to make sure our families are healthy, safe and happy, and this panel of Phoenix community leaders are the experts in how we can achieve this goal.”
"As we celebrate Black History Month, we must always embrace the inspirational messages of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his fight for an equitable and inclusive society for all," said APS CEO Jeff Guldner. “Community-based organizations like HeroZona and the Travis L. Williams American Legion Post 65 serve a critical role in realizing Dr. King’s dream of advancing equity while cultivating positive change in our South Phoenix neighborhoods.”
The event panel will include former City of Phoenix Councilwoman and Maricopa County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox, former City of Phoenix Councilman and Judge Cody Williams, former Arizona representative, minority leader and The Art Hamilton Group Principal Art Hamilton, Phoenix City Councilman Carlos Garcia, Phoenix City Council candidate Kesha Hodge Washington, and Arizona Board of Executive Clemency Board Member and former councilman Michael E. Johnson. The event will be moderated by the Greater Phoenix Urban League Young Professionals President Ashlee Atkins and HeroZona Foundation President and CEO Ron Williams will serve as master of ceremonies. Equality Health Foundation President Tomas Leon will give a brief Blue Zones update and First Institutional Baptist Church Senior Pastor Dr. Warren H. Stewart, Sr. will end the event with a message that includes highlights from the 85040 challenge.
“I believe the importance of an event like this is to make sure that we connect the past, the current and the future relationship between of our community members that belong to different generations,” said Judge Williams. “We have residents in their 70’s, we have young families moving in and everyone in between. There is a very important history in this area that can get lost as time goes by but through conversations like this, hopefully, we can keep the past alive and continue building upon that foundation.”
“The event will be a terrific way to honor and celebrate Black History Month,” said Arizona Diamondbacks President and CEO Derrick Hall. “The D-backs employees have been planning, executing, and enjoying programs all month long and we appreciate all employers in this great state who are doing the same.”
The giveaway is supported by a variety of different partners including the Arizona State NAACP, Greater Phoenix Urban League Young Professionals, National Coalition of 100 Black Women Phoenix Metropolitan Chapter, 100 Black Men of Phoenix, African American Christian Clergy Coalition, the Arizona Informant, Phoenix Police Department, the Phoenix Fire Department, Phoenix Soul, the Andrew and Amy Cohn Foundation and more.
The foundation has launched a variety of community programs including The Bridge Forum ‘Time for Change’ Summits, which brings leaders from across the country together to discuss racial inequality, police relations, veterans’ issues, mental health and more. Other initiatives include Phoenix Tools 4 School, Holiday Bike Giveaways, MLK Celebrating the Dream, Veterans Reach to Teach and the HeroZona Forgotten Heroes Breakfast.
For more information about the foundation’s community program partnerships visit herozona.org or follow on Facebook.com/HeroZonaOrg.
About the HeroZona Foundation
The HeroZona Foundation is a non-profit organization that empowers Heroes in the community through entrepreneurship, employment, and education. The group works with veterans, first responders and those that bring social good to future generations and under-served communities. The foundation’s mission is to create opportunities for the brave men and women who serve their country, and community, every day. For more information, please visit HeroZona.org.
###