2021 Reader Rankings: Publisher’s Letter
Dear Readers,
Welcome to our annual Reader Rankings!
As a reader of our website and publications, you know we make it our business to regularly honor the exceptional work of Missouri attorneys. In fact, it’s part of our mission.
Whether it’s our Missouri Lawyers Awards, Women’s Justice Awards, Up & Coming Awards, ICON Awards, In-House Counsel Awards, Diversity & Inclusion Awards or our many other events, we recognize scores of deserving honorees each year.
As it does every year, our 2021 Reader Rankings issue for Missouri Lawyers Media complements our suite of honor awards. It keeps the tradition as yet another form of recognition.
May 10, 2021
The Peter Morgenstern-Clarren ’03 Social Justice Awards recognize students and staff members who promote social justice and activism on campus and beyond. This year, the staff recipients are Mario Torres, who works for Physical Plant, and Astrid Vidal, a Service Management Group employee who works in residence halls. The student recipient is Kevonte Payton ’22.
The award was created in memory of Morgenstern-Clarren, who dedicated his time on campus to social justice.
“His activism included securing benefits for Wesleyan custodial staff, participating in the United Student and Labor Action Committee, and contributing his leadership to the campus chapter of Amnesty International,” the award description reads. “We are grateful to Dr. Hadley Morgenstern-Clarren and The Honorable Pat Morgenstern-Clarren for their generosity in sponsoring this award honoring their son’s activism for the public good.”
MLK Family Services to honor social justice advocates masslive.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from masslive.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
11:30 a.m. Teachable moment about the role of music in the civil rights movement
Noon Drum Major for Justice Awards
12:30 p.m. Newtown Florist Club’s Black Business Directory Committee announcement
12:45 p.m. Local youth talk about young people’s involvement in the civil rights movement
1 p.m. Amazing Voices Youth Rally which highlights the importance of arts and culture in the civil rights movement
2 p.m. Virtual Martin Luther King Jr. Day march where community members explain why they march for justice
“The principles of Dr. King’s nonviolence philosophy are so important for anybody that’s active in the community,” Johnson said. “Even though we’re starting with this conversation, this conversation will not be where we will end. We all feel as an organization that we have a responsibility to help this generation and the next understand the value in organizing and mobilizing the spirit of nonviolence.”
The Newtown Florist Club in Gainesville is planning to host two virtual events this year in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, including one pre-King Day event Thursday evening.
According to Rev. Rose Johnson, Executive Director of Newtown Florist Club, the two events will focus on the theme of “Rebuilding the village! Stand up! Speak up! Be active! Participate!”
The pre-King Day event will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 14 on the Newtown Florist Club Facebook page, and will focus on educating the community on King’s six principles of nonviolence, according to Johnson. Those interested can also email [email protected] to register for the event on Zoom.