Education News

NJEA honors advocates at NJEA MLK Jr. Human Rights Celebration

Eight individuals were honored at the 52nd annual NJEA Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights Celebration for their leadership in equity and justice: Dr. Tiffanie ThrBak, Keith Coston Jr., Assemblywoman Heather Simmons, Allison Connolly, Micah Gary-Fryer, Christine Sampson- Clark, Dr. Jametta Clarke and Donna McClary. NJEA President Steve Beatty, NJEA Vice President Petal Robertson and NJEA Secretary-Treasurer Tina Dare presented the awards.

The event was held at the Newark Symphony Hall on Jan. 17.

The awards were conferred by the six NJEA committees that comprise the NJEA Equity Alliance: the Human and Civil Rights Committee, the Minority Leadership and Recruitment (MLR) Committee, the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Committee, the Urban Education Committee, the Women in Education Committee and the Exceptional Children Committee.

In addition to the photos printed here, more can be found at flickr.com/njea/albums.

Dr. Jametta Clarke, a social studies teacher at Lawrence High School in Mercer County, receives the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Human and Civil Rights Award.
NJEA Women in Education Committee Chair Lisa Veit accepts the Elizabeth A. Allen Women in Education Award on behalf of its recipient, Assemblywoman Heather Simmons.
Micah Gary-Fryer and Allison Connolly receive the Equality Champion Award. Gary-Fryer is a teacher at the Essex County Schools of Technology. Connolly is president of the Township of Ocean Education Association. Christopher Cannella (second from right) is chair of the SOGI Committee.
Keith Coston Jr. (center), president of the Plainfield Education Association, receives Urban Educator Activist Award. Todd Pipkin (second from right) is chair of the Urban Education Committee.
2021-22 New Jersey State Teacher of the Year Theresa Maughan leads a conversation with keynote speaker Dr. Eddie Glaude Jr., a Princeton University professor, public intellectual and political commentator.
Christine Sampson-Clark (l), a Trenton teacher and a former nationally elected member of the NEA Executive Committee, receives the Marie Blistan Advocacy Award from NJEA Exceptional Children Committee Chair Tomeka Sanderlin.
Dr. Tiffanie ThrBak, the 2026 Cumberland County Teacher of the Year and a Bridgeton middle school teacher, is the recipient of the Dr. Judtih Owens Spirit Award. Brittany Lamb (second from right) is chair of the NJEA MLR Committee.
Donna McClary (l), founder of Unmask Joyy, Inc., receives the Marie Blistan Advocacy Award from NJEA Exceptional Children Committee Chair Tomeka Sanderlin.
The chairs of the six committees that comprise the NJEA Equity Alliance. From left: Todd Pipkin, Tomeka Sanderlin, Lisa Veit, Christopher Cannella, Fawnya Gibson and Brittany Lamb.

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