Rosa Holliday, Smallwood Holoman Jr. and Wilmer Ham McZee are top “Heroes” honorees at the Saginaw NAACP’s Freedom Fund Celebration on Sunday evening at Horizons Center. The 52nd annual event is sold out.
Nineteen individuals will receive tributes in all.
Holliday resides in southern Bay County near Delta College. Her political and social activism took root as a Delta student during the middle 1970s, when she enlisted in support of Bob Traxler, a Democratic state senator elected as congressman. Traxler’s successor, Jim Barcia, is among many Dems who describe Rosa as beyond compare as a strategist and door-to-door campaigner.
She most recently led an effort to rename Second Street in honor of the Rev. Roosevelt Austion, the pioneering pastor for Zion Missionary Baptist Church.
Holoman, from Midland, grew up on the East Coast and attained a degree in chemistry from Norfolk State University, leading the way to employment at Dow Chemical. where he described himself among “mad scientists” exploring new products.
His outgoing personality led executives to feature him as a spokesman, and he retired as Dow’s director of public affairs. If he needed advice on p.r., he could look no further than his wife, Linda, who filled a similar role at Delta and hosted QTV’s “Soul Issue” talk forum.
McZee attained status as Saginaw’s first African-American woman to serve as mayor, tracing the footsteps of five men — Henry Marsh, Joe Stephens, Larry Crawford, Henry Nickleberry and Gary Loster. After her mayorship, she was followed on the female by Joyce Seals and now Brenda Moore.
She was known as a City Council unifier, which led members to select her as their leader, Wilmer also stepped forward with projects such as the Mayor’s Scholarship Ball and the Neighborhood Beautification Awards.
Most recently, McZee shared the spotlight with her son, Darvin Ham, upon his NBA promotion as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Sunday’s keynote address will come from Michigan House Speaker Joe Tate of Detroit, who leads a re-established Democratic majority in both segments of the Legislature under Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
A new Saginaw NAACP award category is “community impact.” The trio of inaugural honorees are Chuckie Lawrence for Hoyt Park kickball, Terrence Myles for Grown Folks Lounge and Crystal Parker, founder of All Special Needs Prom in the City.
Also this is the third year for “young professionals” salutes.
The 2023 honorees, with statements they submitted (some first person, some third person) are:
Trevis Harrold
Dow Chemical Company/U.S. Army
Government Affairs/Military Intelligence Officer
Whether it was volunteering in the community with my mom, working with the U.S. State Department at our embassies in Jamaica, Kosovo and Mexico, or serving in the United States Army Reserve as an Intelligence Officer, I have always felt a strong calling to public service.
I grew up in Saginaw, raised by a single mother who worked at our local public school to support our family. I played a little football at Eastern before I developed first an interest and then a passion for serving our country. I won a fellowship at the Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan. After earning my masters, I went on to join the U.S. Diplomatic Corp., serving in our embassies abroad. I came back to Michigan to work with Dow as their global public policy leader.
Eddie Thigpen III
Saginaw Public Schools
Classroom Teacher
Some know me as Mr. T, others know me as “Boom.” All in all, I’m a well-rounded individual. I am 24 years old with a bachelors in Business Administration, I have music and basketball careers and I’m a classroom teacher! I also take pride in being one of the many leaders in the community of Saginaw.
Robert Simms
Professional Boxer
I am currently the WBC United States champion and ranked 33 in the world as a heavyweight and top 10 as a cruiserweight. After retirement, I look forward to dedicating my time to expanding my community outreach programs and giving back to the youth, specifically from underprivileged families. I also look forward to continuing to mentor youth by operating a boxing program where all of the kids from our gym and other boxing gyms collaborate to organize community cleaning events and use empty lots to plant community gardens.
Nicholas Herd
Running River Collective
Director
I am a mental health and wellness advocate with a focus on creative mindfulness that impacts communities. My mission is to inspire others to make a change within themselves that I believe creates an impact to their families, communities, and eventually the world. I have found that the appreciation that people express in having a little bit of relief from their situation makes all the difference in the world. I am very honored to receive this award.
Courtney Garrett
Central Michigan University Research Corporation (CMURC)
Diversity and Business Development Director
Born and raised in Saginaw County, a proud graduate of Arthur Hill High School, I embarked on a career path in 2008 within the hospitality industry, following years at Louisiana State University – Shreveport. After relocating from Texas and now headquartered in the Great Lakes Bay Region, I’ve emerged as a notable leader in the local entrepreneurial scene. Over the past 4 years, I’ve served as the Diversity and Business Development Director at Central Michigan University Research Corporation (CMURC), where my passion lies in supporting local small businesses and offering unwavering guidance to Saginaw’s entrepreneurs.
Committed to fostering inclusivity, I actively work to dissolve barriers and amplify opportunities for underserved individuals. My engagement stretches beyond the workplace, as I contribute to the Saginaw Soup Committee, Women in Leadership GLBR, and Saginaw Chamber Young Professionals Network. When not in the office, I revel in cherished moments with my four children, refine my culinary creations, and dedicate time to local community initiatives.
As an instrumental member of the board of directors for COSBE Inc, I contribute to strategic decision-making and organizational triumphs. Additionally, my role as a committee member for the Saginaw Juneteenth Celebration showcases my dedication to impactful events that champion unity and progress.
Denita Dorsey
Youth Development Corp.
Program Director
A youth advocate and investor in youth leadership, I have successfully graduated 82 percent of my students at Youth Development Corporation who were once high school dropouts. Building community relationships and partnerships has led to successful employment and union placement for students who have completed our pre-apprenticeship program. As the Managing Editor for SWAG Magazine and mentor for the Heads Up Mentoring Program, I champion literacy education and provide writing workshops for elementary and middle school students. Being an executive board member of Community Alliance for the People (CAP) affords me opportunities to serve the community I live in and make known the people’s agenda.
Indigo Dudley
My Music Matters
CEO/Founder
Indigo is a graduate from Saginaw Valley State University where she earned an Interdisciplinary Bachelors in Music, Musical Theatre, and Black Studies. During her time there she served in many roles such as program coordinator for the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, and president of Organization of Black Unity.
Indigo has been blessed with multiple opportunities and titles. She was awarded the YWCA Rising Leader Award in 2020, and was appointed to the Saginaw Arts & Enrichment Commission in 2021. However, her most popular title is Miss Saginaw County 2021, where she continued to serve her community for the year, and represented Saginaw on the Miss Michigan stage.
Currently, Indigo works with her clients in her private music studio, sits as president of her nonprofit My Music Matters, and performs at local events such as the NOEL Experience and the S3 Girl Talk Experience. She is also the head coach for Saginaw United’s volleyball and track teams. Indigo is grateful for the opportunities this city has offered her, and continues to pour into it everyday.
Brandell Adams
Delta College
Second Chance Pell Coordinator
Brandell Adams is a 33-year-old Bridgeport Township native, graduating from Bridgeport High School in 2008. Brandell then went on to attain an associates in business at Cornerstone University before finishing his bachelors in psychology at Saginaw Valley State University.
Brandell serves as a Bridgeport Township Trustee and was appointed to the Michigan Board of Psychology by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. He is treasurer of the NAACP Saginaw branch and serves as treasurer of the Saginaw County Democratic Party. Brandell is currently the Second Chance Pell Coordinator, which overseas academic programming offered face-to-face at Saginaw Correctional Facility as well as correspondence education to inmates across the state.
He also serves as co-president of Delta’s Black Faculty and Student Association, and as chair emeritus of the Council on Innovation Belonging and Equity.
Arshen Baldwin
Saginaw Public Schools
Educator
Delta College Board of Trustees
Through my work as an educator and philanthropist in the Saginaw community, I have strived to make a positive impact. It is truly humbling for my efforts to be recognized with this distinguished honor from an organization as iconic as the NAACP. I am thankful for this acknowledgment and will continue promoting equity and opportunity in Saginaw.”
Imani Clark
Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition
Saginaw Youth Organizer
Imani has been organizing since she was a youth and comes from a long line of activists and community leaders. She has traveled across the world as a teacher, student, and ambassador for her university. She attended Fisk University and graduated magna cum laude from SVSU majoring in communication. She now works with local youth to inspire and empower our next generation of activists and leaders.
Kevin Hayes
State Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet
Director of District and Constituent Services
I am Saginaw-born and raised, son of Melissa and Stanley Hayes. Graduate of SASA and MSU. I love all things related to building community and improving the quality of life for people in Saginaw and the Great Lakes Bay Region in general. I am most proud of my role in helping to build a coalition of real people to elect a state senator focused on delivering real results. We knocked on over 75,000 doors to win this seat and flip the majority in the State Senate for the first time in almost 40 years. Though we have only been at this for seven months, we are really proud of the $100 million worth of projects in the recent state budget that we fought to bring back to the Great Lakes Bay Region, the game-changing boost in the working families tax credit, and the 400-plus constituent case issues we have successfully resolved so far.
Imani Coney
Coney Establishments LLC
Owner
After graduating from Prairie View A&M University with a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering, Imani started her career in management consulting at Accenture in Houston. Within five years, she was promoted three times from an analyst to a manager and was responsible for developing consulting skills in other analysts. Now her career focus has shifted to marketing and entrepreneurship, and Imani is working on her master’s of business administration at Carnegie Mellon University, in Pittsburgh. She’s started her own short-term rental property business, Coney Establishments LLC, and plans to work in brand management after graduating in May 2024.
Jennifer L. Smith
Saginaw Public Schools
Educator
State of Michigan Teacher’s Certification, Teach for America Fellow, Grow Your Own cohort with Saginaw Public Schools, Adjunct English Professor Delta College, High School English and Drama Teacher for Saginaw Public Schools, bachelor’s in broadcast & cinematic arts, master’s in English Language & Literature, active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., member of Sigma Tau Delta International English Honor Society.
