The Cincinnatus Association Presents the Donald and Marian Spencer Spirit of America Awards A Virtual Celebration Event Wednesday, May 12, 2021 6:30 PM Donald & Marian Spencer “Spirit of America” Awards Program – May 12, 2021 6:30 p.m. Welcome Mark Neikirk, President of The Cincinnatus Association Introductions & Announcements Courtis Fuller, Master of Ceremonies The Spencers Video by Barbara Wolf Guest Speaker Verna Williams, Dean & Nippert Professor of Law University of Cincinnati College of Law Awards and Videos American Jewish Committee Cincinnati Franciscan Ministries Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati JANCOA Janitorial Services Fifth Third Bank The Marian Spencer Sculpture Tom Tsuchiya, Sculptor The Spencers Video by Barbara Wolf Closing Courtis Fuller Thank you and See You, Next Year Susan Noonan, Chair Spencer Committee 2020-2021 Spirit of America Awardees Non-Profit Organizations For- Profit Organizations THE CINCINNATUS ASSOCIATION The Cincinnatus Association is a membership organization dedicated to understanding the issues facing our community and encouraging progress. The lifeblood of The Cincinnatus Association lies in its ability to focus the efforts, energies, and talents of its members on issues chosen by the Association. Our panels reflect categories of particular interest to us: Excellence in Education, Excellence in Government and Community Inclusion. The Cincinnatus Association believes that the quality of life in the City of Cincinnati and in the Greater Cincinnati metropolitan area is among the highest in the United States and can be further improved. The Association has focused historically on the structure of local government, the quality of public education, inclusion and economic development. These issues continue to be the primary priorities of the Cincinnatus Association. However, other issues in which the Association has a major or unique ability to increase the quality of life can be pursued at the direction of the membership. The Cincinnatus Association depends on its members to provide civic leadership in its efforts to improve the long-term vitality of the region. Executive Committee Members 2020-2021 Mark Neikirk, President Connie Roesch, Vice President Susan Noonan, Secretary Bill Muse, Treasurer Al Beauchamp, Sam Brewer, Melissa Currence, Kent Friel, Sarah Gideonse, Rhonda Holyfield-Mangieri, Nazly Mamedova, Jeffery Stec, and John Young. CHAIRS & CO-CHAIRS Excellence in Education Panel: Jeffery Stec & Kent Friel Excellence in Government Panel: Connie Roesch & Melissa Currence Community Inclusion Panel: Sam Brewer & John Young Spencer Awards Committee: Rhonda Holyfield-Mangieri & Susan Noonan Cincinnatus Community Fund Compliance Officer: Nazly Mamedova Membership Committee: Susan Noonan & Kent Friel Arts Panel: Gina Erardi and Rhonda Mangieri MISSION STATEMENT It is the mission of the Cincinnatus Association and its members to initiate, recognize, participate in and promote projects that improve the quality of life for all citizens in the Greater Cincinnati region through, among other things, the study of critical issues confronting the region, the engagement of community leaders and the nonpartisan shaping of public policy. The Spencer Awards Committee Susan Noonan, Chair Rhonda Mangieri, Co-Chair Sam Brewer John Frank, Jr. Connie Roesch Alice Schneider Stephanie Stoller Larry Williams John Young The committee wishes to express their special thanks to Jill Claire, Ally Nastase, and the entire Secretary to the Public team for their assistance, as well as Courtis Fuller and Prestige AV & Creative Services. Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus In 458 BC, the Roman Empire was threatened by an army of barbarian tribes. The Senate called upon Lucius Cincinnatus, a Roman general who had retired to farming, granting him the powers of dictator so he could save the nation. Upon accomplishing this task in only 16 days, Lucius Cincinnatus relinquished his powers (symbolized by the fasces in his right hand) and returned to his farm (the plow in his left hand). To this day, Cincinnatus is revered as a model leader and citizen – a man who neither sought power nor held onto it once he had met the needs of his people. DONALD AND MARIAN SPENCER Early Days (excerpts from Keep On Fighting by Dorothy Christenson) One of Donald’s early racial confrontations was over the Walnut Hills school policy to not allow blacks to attend the high school junior-senior prom. Donald and his friend, Walter Mitchell, wanted to go. They met with the student adviser. According to Donald, the conversation went something like: Donald: Walter and I want to go to the prom. Adviser: Oh, you wouldn’t enjoy yourselves. Donald: We think we would , and we want to go. Adviser: None of the other black students has requested to go. I’ll have to check. The boys were allowed to buy prom tickets. In 1931, Donald graduated from Walnut Hills High School at the top of his class. His grades tied those of the class valedictorian, but that status was denied to African Americans. After graduation, he stayed in Cincinnati and enrolled at the University of Cincinnati in order to keep his part-time job at the A&P. Donald, the first black employee of that national grocery chain, could not risk finding another job if he left town to go to college in the middle of the Great Depression. Groundbreaking (excerpts from Keep On Fighting by Dorothy Christenson) I never paid any attention to Coney Island in Cincinnati because I knew we couldn’t go there. Then one day in 1952, my boys were watching the popular “Uncle Al” television program for children. Uncle Al was showing the lake with paddleboats, the merry-go- round, roller coaster and other rides. “Everybody come to Coney Island!” Uncle Al said. Edward and Donald Jr. were eight and ten years old, and they said they wanted to go, too. Following the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education U.S. Supreme Court decision . Cincinnati Public School (CPS) Board of Education and the Cincinnati branch of the NAACP began a lon g struggle to resolve issues that had not been addressed successfully since Reconstruction. CPS did not, however, establish policies to integrate the schools until 1972. That year a more liberal CPS Board passed a hotly contested comprehensive desegregation plan at the end of the year. (Marian was chair of the NAACP Education Committee in 1972.) Thank you to our sponsors: CHAMPION SPONSOR: BENEFACTOR SPONSORS ADVOCATE SPONSOR Thank you to our sponsors: TABLE SPONSORS: Connie Roesch Rhonda Holyfield-Mangieri John Norwine and Melissa Currence Susan & David Noonan Harry Blanton Thank you to our sponsors: FRIEND SPONSORS: Alphonse Gerhardstein Barbara Glueck Charles & Alice Schneider Cincinnati-Hamilton County Community Action Program Denise Driehaus Edwin & Carole Rigaud John & Susan Frank John Martindell Power Inspires Progress Michael & Susan Burns Uptown Consortium Xavier University Donald and Marian Spencer “Spirit of America” Past Award Winners 2019 Non-profit For-Profit National Alliance on Mental Illness The Model Group (NAMI) Ohio Justice & P&G Policy Center Shelterhouse The Reds Community Fund 2018 Non-profit Job Training Non-profit Support For-profit Organization Organization Services Organization Nehemiah Manufacturing, City Gospel Mission Freestore Foodbank Inc. Urban Minority Alcohol Venice on Vine / Power and Drug Abuse Inspires Progress “PIP” Outreach Programs 2017 Non-profit Job Non-profit Support For-profit Organization Training Organization Services Organization Urban League of Greater Su Casa Hispanic Center Al. Neyer Southwestern Ohio of Cincinnati 2016 Individual Non-Profit For-Profit Dr. Bleuzette Marshall Innocence Project PNC 2015 Individual Non-Profit For-Profit Willie Carden Goodwill Industries Kroger Spencer “Spirit of America” Awards Mark Neikirk, Director of Scripps Howard Center of Engagement, is President of The Cincinnatus Association, which is the founding organization of the Donald and Marian Spencer “Spirit of America” Awards. Mark has led The Cincinnatus Association in focusing on issues facing our community by taking public positions on the attacks against Asian Americans, urging City Hall to put people over PAC, and publishing a letter in local newspapers recognizing Mr. George Floyd’s death as a clarion calling our community to action. Mark is also a member and past president of the University Press of Kentucky, Thomas D. Clark Foundation, and a trustee of the Behringer Crawford Museum. He is a graduate of the University of Kentucky. Courtis Fuller is news anchor for WLWT-TV and host of “Let’s Talk Cincinnati.” In recognition of his excellence in journalism and leadership and commitment to community service, Courtis has received over 300 awards. He was named "Cincinnati's Favorite TV Personality" by the Broadcast Hall of Fame. A constant activist, Courtis led an effort to have the 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's entrance into Major League Baseball honored by the City of Cincinnati and the Cincinnati Reds. He also conceived and produced an eight-day Cincinnati jazz and heritage festival. He is currently an advisory board member for the Cincinnati Scholarship Foundation. Courtis has been the Emcee of the Donald and Marian Spencer “Spirit of America” Awards since its inception. Spencer “Spirit of America” Awards Verna Williams is Dean and Nippert Professor of Law at the University of Cincinnati College of Law. She is founder and co-director of the College’s Nathaniel R. Jones Center for Race, Gender and Social Justice. Prior to joining the College of Law, Dean Williams served as VP and Director of Educational Opportunities at the National Women’s Law Center, where she focused on issues of gender equity in education. While at the National Women’s Law Center, Dean Williams was lead counsel and successfully argued before the United States Supreme Court Davis v. Monroe County Board of Education. This case established that Title IX requires educational institutions to respond to and address complaints of student-to- student sexual harassment. Dean Williams also practiced at the Department of Justice and with the firm of Sidley Austin LLP, and clerked for the Honorable David S. Nelson in the District of Massachusetts.