Whitney M. Young Scholars Program Banquet

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Over $7 Million in College Scholarships Earned by 32 Scholars!


[Louisville, Kentucky] – Join Lincoln Foundation on May 17, 2025, at 6 PM for the annual Whitney M. Young
Scholars Program Banquet, proudly presented by Baird Financial. This prestigious event will celebrate the
outstanding academic achievements of our high school seniors, honoring their hard work and dedication.

The 32 seniors in the Class of 2025 have earned over $7 million in college scholarships. Lincoln Foundation will award over $100,000 in additional scholarships to deserving students who have completed the 5-year Whitney M. Young Scholars Program.

These scholarships will further their educational journeys and expand their future opportunities. Metro United Way President & CEO Adria Johnson will deliver the evening’s keynote address, inspiring and charging the scholars to strive for excellence and embrace their potential to make a positive impact on the world.

Prepare for an inspiring evening filled with celebration, recognition, and community spirit as we honor the
remarkable accomplishments of these young scholars. Your presence will support their continued success in
higher education.

Event Location
WHERE: Bellarmine University, Frazier Hall
Address: 2001 Newburg Road, Louisville, KY 40205

To learn more about the program.
Home – Lincoln Foundation

METRO DISABILITY COALITION WILL RECOGNIZE INDIVIDUALS WHO BREAK BARRIERS IN OUR COMMUNITY

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Save the Date:

The evening of May 8, 2026, will be the MDC annual Breaking Barriers Spotlight Award Ceremony. This event would take place at U of L Rudd and Heart Lung Center located at 201 Abraham Flexner Way. During this ceremony we will recognize students, teachers, and community leaders who has went above and beyond the call of duty. There will be vendors starting at 4:30 pm followed by ceremony at 5:00 pm.

The Metro Disability Coalition (MDC) Inc is a nonprofit organization that was established in 2001. While serving individuals with disabilities throughout the Louisville metro area. The MDC Mission is to advocate and educate individuals seeking inclusion and accessibility. By continuing to break barriers for public education, public transportation, public housing, and community infrastructure. By doing this it helps individuals to have a better quality of life.

We are excited to announce the following Breaking Barriers Awards honorees:

Lifetime Achievement Award – Chuck Rogers

Merit Award – Briana Williams

Spotlight Award – Carla Ruschival

Special Recognition Certificate Winners:

Lecretia Dennis

Victor Gordon

Lorita Rowlett

Michael Bailey

Educator Honorees:

High School: Gwen Snow – ECE/EDL Teacher, Newcomer Academy

Middle School: Stacy Coogle – ECE Implementation Coach Binet School

Elementary: Caleh Miller – ECE Teacher Bloom Elementary

Early Childhood: Tara Patterson – Preschool Teacher George Unseld Preschool 

Student Honorees:

High School: Sophie Torres – Wagganer High School 

Middle School: Nyssa Collett – Hudson Middle School

Elementary School: Lucas Watcher – Hawthorne Elementary School

Sincerely,

Marcellus Mayes, President

Bobbie James, Vice-President, and Chairperson of Breaking Barriers Spotlight Awards 

Metro Disability Coalition, Inc. (MDC, Inc.)

A Non-Profit Organization

Please add our event to your community calendar. We have included a flyer for the event. If you would like to setup an interview with a member of MDC, Inc please contact VIPP Communications at info@vippcommunications.com.

We look forward to seeing you at our event on May 8th.    

WHO: Metro Disabilities Coalition, Inc.

WHAT: Announcing 24th Annual Breaking Barriers Spotlight Awards Ceremony

WHEN: Friday, May 8th at 5:00 p.m.

WHERE: UofL Rudd Heart and Lung Center located at 201 Abraham Flexner Way

WHY: To thank and celebrate those who follow the mission of our organization

Breaking Barriers Spotlight Awards Ceremony Returns Post Pandemic

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The in-person ceremony will celebrate those who assist to make the equable for people with disabilities

(Louisville, KY) The Metro Disability Coalition cordially invites you to attend their 21st Annual Breaking Barriers Spotlight Awards on Friday, March 31st from 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. at the Rudd Heart & Lung Center located at 201 Abraham Flexner Way.

There will be a reception prior to the ceremony for special guests, honorees and those participating in the program. We will also honor our 2020 recipients. Due to the pandemic, we were unable to celebrate them previously. 

This year’s guest speaker is April Bridgeman Morrow.  Currently, she is a substitute teacher for Jefferson County Public Schools as she completes her doctorate degree in K-12 leadership.  The former ‘Outstanding Teacher of the Year’ by the East Chicago, Indiana Public School District. Morrow is a graduate of Valparaiso University. Her career spans over 30 years in education. She even founded a private Christian school with grades K though 6th in Merrillville, Indiana that quickly grew to 12th grade.  As a music teacher, Morrow’s students have performed all over the U.S. from contests in the Midwest to Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida.   

The awards ceremony is for the community’s unsung heroes and community leaders in their various fields from service workers, educators to youth who go above and beyond the call of duty to assist those in need. We are excited to announce this year’s honorees several of which are from Jefferson County Public Schools, (JCPS).    

Here is a list of this year’s Breaking Barriers Spotlight Award honorees:

 Leslie Jones

Lifetime Achievement Award

Theo Hamilton

Merit Award

Mary Payton

George McEwing

Teri Kiper

Cathy Spalding

Joann Orr

Certificate of Merit

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity

Community Honoree

Breaking Barriers Spotlight Student & Teacher Awards recipients: 

Students

Jayden Hernandez Mendoza

Hazelwood Elementary

De’Von Jones

Kammerer Middle School

Michael Washington-Cox

Waggener High School

Teachers

Deedra Njuguna

Special Education Teacher

Binet School (Elementary)

Julie Fox

MSD Teacher

Lassiter Middle School

Tara Conner

MSD Teacher

Doss High School

Please post announce and/or post our event on your media platforms. If you would like to setup an interview, please contact VIPP Communications at booking@vippcommunications.com.

The VIPP Report: MELANnaire Marketplace heads to the Russell neighborhood showcasing Black-owned businesses in a pop-up mall

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Founder, Nachand Trabue will be honored in an awards ceremony

(Louisville, KY) The MELANnaire Marketplace and Old Walnut Street presents the Black Walnut Marketplace with a pop-up mall as part of West Louisville’s 5th Annual Economic Mobility Summit. It will be held on Friday, October 22nd at the Louisville Central Community Center, 1300 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd. The pop-up mall opens at 12:00pm and closes at 9:00pm.


The summit will also recognize six Louisville entrepreneurs with the inaugural Sam Watkins Jr. ‘Light the Way’ Awards Ceremony where MELANnaire Marketplace founder Nachand Trabue will be honored for entrepreneurial excellence. The program is scheduled to begin at 6:00pm.


Trabue says “This is a true honor to be recognized by my peers. I have tried to find ways not only be a successful entrepreneur but to assist other Black-owned businesses find a way to promote and sell their products and services. Entrepreneurship as we’ve learned is a labor of love. So, many have had to close their doors over the past two years while some decided to make a career change and open a business. I try each and every week to give businesses a place where we can work together as a community to generate wealth. I’m truly humbled to be recognized along with the other recipients.”


If you would like to be a vendor and/or be a sponsor, please contact MELANnaire Marketplace at http://www.melannaire.com.
Please announce and/or post on your community calendars.


“Where Black Businesses Matter”
Follow us on social media and take photos using the following hashtags so we can share your experience #MELANnairesLou, #BLACKbusinessesMatterLOU & #MELANnaireMarketplace.
Instagram: @melannairemarketplace

The VIPP Report: Lady Veterans Connect Dedicate Anna’s House For Women Veterans

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LADY VETERANS CONNECT ANNOUNCE DEDICATION AND RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY OF ANNA’S HOUSE FOR WOMEN VETERANS

(Winchester, KY) As Kentuckians works to get back on track due to the pandemic. Lady Veterans Connect is dedicated to changing the lives of women veterans by giving them a safe place to stay as they heal and transition back into society.

On Saturday, June 12th at 1pm you are invited to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony and dedication of our Winchester facility located at 11400 Irvine Way.

According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development female veterans are two to three times more likely to be homeless than any other group in the United States adult population? [LVC is committed to changing these statistics by providing a safe place to heal and become the proud women they were while serving our country.] Kentucky is the home to over 24,000 women veterans with that number expected to double in the next five-years?

Phyllis Abbott, Executive Director says “This transitional housing [program] is vital for women who maybe dealing with PTSD and other forms of trauma. We had to postpone the celebration but our services were needed more than ever.  This ribbon cutting symbolizes the support we have received from sponsors, volunteers and the community who made this possible. By taking a few minutes to say thank you for helping make this dream a reality.” 

To apply for transitional housing and/or to be a volunteer for the Lady Veterans Connect visit our site at http://www.lv-connect.org.

If you plan to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony please RSVP at info@ladyveteransconnect.org.

To setup an interview please contact VIPP Communications at sshanklin@vippcommunications.com.

About

Lady Veterans Connect is an organization created to provide high quality, comprehensive services to assist female veterans in transitional support and preventing homelessness. Founded in 2012 under the name Sheppards Hands by Phyllis Abbott, LVC was officially renamed in 2016 and opened the first transitional healing home, the Thurman-Abbott House, for female veterans in Kentucky. Since then, LVC has connected over 500 lady veterans in Kentucky with needed resources.

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