The African Hall Subcommittee of the Springfield Museums will present the 19th annual Ubora Award and the 2nd annual Ahadi Youth Award at a ceremony on Saturday, September 18, at 7 pm, at the Michele & Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts at the Quadrangle. Ms. Zelmon “Zee” Johnson has been selected to receive the Ubora Award, and Monique Farrell will receive the Ahadi Award.
The Ubora Award, which means “excellence” in Swahili, is presented to an African-American individual who has made a significant contribution to the greater Springfield area. The Ahadi Youth Award, which means “promise,” is presented to an African-American young person who demonstrates strong character, leadership, academic achievement, and future potential.
After 20 years working as a human resources director for several large corporations, Ms. Zelmon “Zee” Johnson is currently director of programs at Dunbar Community Center. She is being honored with the Ubora Award for establishing and operating Olive Tree Books-n-Voices, a local community bookstore in Springfield that she co-owns with her daughter, Olivia, a recent graduate of Temple University. The store offers books about African-American history and culture.
A resident of Springfield since 1978, Zee’s ultimate dream has been to give back to the African-American community what she gained as a young girl: a love of books. While growing up in Richmond, Virginia, Zee loved libraries and was always surrounded by books. In 2004, she established Olive Tree Books-n-Voices in an abandoned crack house on Hancock Street. She continued to work full time at her corporate job while working weekends and holidays, often keeping the store open past its posted hours, delivering books to the elderly, and quietly discounting books for people unable to pay the full retail price.
In 2008 Ms. Johnson received a grant to purchase books for children and developed several reading groups for different age groups. Each child received about a dozen books but was also expected to learn trivia facts about African-American history in addition to reading. She personally connected with the parents and the children, who still visit the bookstore frequently. Zee, known as “the bookstore lady on Hancock Street,” has created a legacy of learning for many children, teens and adults.
Monique Farrell, the Ahadi Youth Award winner, is a 2010 graduate of the High School of Commerce. Monique dedicated the last two years of her high school career to completing the rigorous International Baccalaureate Diploma program in which students can earn two years of college credit. She was recognized for her excellence in math and science and was a member of the National Honor Society and of the MassMutual Academic Achievers. She is attending the University of Massachusetts at Amherst this fall.
Monique was nominated by her biology teacher who taught a summer microbiology workshop through the Baystate Springfield Educational Partnership. He praised her optimism, her enthusiastic attitude toward learning science, and her ability to work as a member of a team. He said, “While other students were off at the beach, Monique was working on her aseptic technique and perfecting her lab skills. Monique is a focused individual and truly is one of the best students I have had the opportunity to teach in my career.”
She has also been an active member of her community and school, volunteering her time to tutor other students and leading an effort to promote health awareness at local community centers. Monique has the intellect and ambition to make the world a better place by assisting people in need and helping to solve global health issues.
The award presentations will be followed by a reception at the Springfield Science Museum across the Quadrangle. Admission to the event is $15 for adults and $10 for children under 12. For information or advance reservations, call 413.263.6800, ext. 325.