Over 400 people attended the 32nd annual Lenawee County Martin Luther King Jr. Day Dinner on Monday.
The event, held at Siena Heights University Field House, was headlined by keynote speaker Dionardo Pizana. Pizana is the diversity and personnel specialist for Michigan State University Extension. He has over 25 years experience developing, teaching, and facilitating diversity, equity and inclusion education programs through Michigan State University Extension, Adrian College, and Siena Heights University. He is nationally-recognized, highly sought-after multicultural consultant, speaker, and trainer.
WLEN News spoke with the Martin Luther King Dinner Committee President Andre’a Benard about her committee’s goals for the evening…
Mrs. Benard talked about the keynote speaker…
Pizana had this message for the people at the dinner…
The Martin Luther King Dinner also featured awards for Siena Heights University, Adrian College, and Jackson College students.
Naomi Joyner was the Jackson College Student Award Winner. She is a junior at the JC/LISD Academy, and pursuing here Associate in Arts, which she plans to transfer to another college for a degree in Creative Writing. Naomi volunteers her time to hep kids in Haiti through ‘Sewing For Haiti’ and going on mission trips with organizations like ‘Restore Haiti’.
Christany Mathis won the Student Award for Siena Height University. Christany is a sophomore at SHU, studying comprehensive education. Outside of the classroom, she participates in the Student Support Services Program, University Chorale, and is the Vice President of The Sisterhood of Saints. Christany has future career aspirations of attending graduate school in early childhood education.
The third winner of a Student Award was Mariah Ellison, from Adrian College, is a senior studying criminal justice and psychology. She is the President and co-founder of STEPS (Sisters that Empower, Prevail and Succeed), the first all-female multicultural organization at Adrian College. Mariah has completed a judicial internship with Judge Anna Marie Anzalone at the Lenawee County Circuit Court, and is looking forward to beginning another internship at the WMU Cooley Innocence Project in Lansing.
Raisin Township Chief of Police, Kevin Grayer, was given the MLK Committee Award. After graduation from Adrian High School, Grayer enlisted in the United States Marine corps where he honorably served for thirteen years. He served in many positions in the marine Corps, including section leader, recruiter, platoon sergeant, and infantry section leader. Grayer attended the Wayne County Police Academy in 1998, and upon graduation joined the Adrian Police Department. After a brief break in law enforcement, he returned to the Raisin Township in 2008. By 2015 he was promoted to Chief of Police.
Ann Hinsdale-Knisel was awarded the Special Lifetime Achievement Award. She was the Michigan State University Extension Director Lenawee County Emeritus from 1976-2003, and the Lenawee Intermediate School District Community Relations Coordinator from 2007-2017. Ann is a member of the Lenawee NAACP, Lenawee Community Education Foundation, Allen and Nadia Myers Foundation and Civitan of Lenawee. She has helped facilitate diversity/inclusion workshops throughout the state, and has mentored several generations of young adults in Lenawee…including some who have received the prestigious MLK Student Award.
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