(Annapolis, Md., Jan. 2, 2026) — The 38th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Awards Banquet will be held Friday, Jan. 16, 6-9 p.m. at La Fontaine Bleue, 7514 Richie Hwy in Glen Burnie, Md. This inspiring evening is the largest celebration of Dr. King’s birthday in Anne Arundel County. The keynote speaker will be Governor Wes Moore, who will also be honored with the Courageous Leadership Award. The evening will honor 15 local men and women, including U.S. Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth for her work for the state; Karen Johnson, for her work with the First Christian Community Church in Annapolis supporting local homeless folks and kids in Kenya and Ghana; and Jesse Raudales, of Edgewater, one of the first Latin artists commissioned for the 2006 Winter Olympic Games. Tickets are $100 per person. Tickets are available for purchase at https://bit.ly/4biOniO. For more information and tickets, contact Arlene Jackson at 301-538-6353.
The winners of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. awards, all of whom live in Anne Arundel County, are Governor Wes Moore, winner of the Courageous Leadership Award; Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth, winner of the Moris H. Blum Humanitarian Award; Dr. Shawn Ashworth, winner of the Drum Major Award; Reginald Broddie, winner of the Whiley H. Bates Legacy Award; Shay Cook, winner of the Drum Major Award; Midshipman First Class Tymique D. Goodman, winner of the Drum Major Award; Gordenia Henson, winner of the Share the Dream Award; Reverend Noland Henson and Pastor Terry Henson, winners of the Drum Major Award; Cleveland Horton II, winner of the Dream Keper Award; Elease Johnson, winner of the Claudia DeGrate Faithful Award; Dr. Karen Johnson, winner of the Peace Maker Award; Dr. Alisha Malloy, winner of the Drum Major Award; Jesse Raudales, winner of the Alan Legum Civil Rights Award; and the Annapolis Alumni Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., winner of the Corretta Scott King Award.
The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Awards Program in Anne Arundel County was founded in 1988 by then Alderman Carl Snowden. Designed to pay homage to the memory of Dr. King, the program honors those whose deeds, words, and actions have helped keep Dr. King’s legacy alive. The program is a reflection on the best Anne Arundel County has to offer.
Courageous Leadership Award
Governor Wes Moore is the recipient of the Courageous Leadership Award. Moore is the 63rd governor of Maryland, and Maryland’s first Black governor. He was the first Black Rhodes Scholar at Johns Hopkins University, and earned his master’s degree from Wolfson College at Oxford University. In 2005, Moore deployed to Afghanistan as a lieutenant with the 82nd Airborne Division. After returning home, he served as a White House Fellow, advising on issues of national security and international relations. Moore has written several books, including the New York Times bestseller, The Other Wes Moore, and his latest book, Five Days, which tells the story of Baltimore in the days that followed the death of Freddie Gray in 2015. He built and launched a Baltimore-based business called BridgeEdU, which reinvented the freshman year of college for underserved students to increase their likelihood of long-term success. BridgeEdu was acquired by the Brooklyn-based student financial success platform, Edquity, in 2018. These endeavors led him to the Robin Hood Foundation, where he served for four years as CEO. During his tenure, the Robin Hood Foundation distributed more than $600 million toward lifting families out of poverty, including here in Maryland.
Moris H. Blum Humanitarian Award
Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth is the recipient of the Moris H. Blum Humanitarian Award. Elfreth represents Maryland’s Anne Arundel, Howard, and Carroll Counties in Congress, where she serves on the House Armed Services Committee and House Natural Resources Committee. Elfreth is the youngest woman elected to Congress from Maryland and has built a reputation as one of the state’s most effective legislators during her six years serving in the Maryland Senate and, now, in Washington, D.C. Known for her collaborative approach, Elfreth is focused on bringing people together to solve problems and deliver policies that improve the lives of all Marylanders.
Drum Major Award
Dr. Shawn Ashworth is the recipient of the Drum Major Award. Ashworth is an educator, licensed therapist, and community advocate with more than 30 years of experience empowering youth and underserved communities in Anne Arundel County. Ashworth is the founder and president of Food 4 Thought Community Outreach Services, Inc., where she addresses food insecurity and provides educational support in underserved areas. She oversees the Brooklyn Park Health Pantry, facilitates Wellness Wednesdays, and leads the pop-up pantry at Holy Temple Church. Additionally, she serves as the volunteer coordinator for Toys for Tots. Ashworth also conducts parenting workshops through Anne Arundel Community College’s BEST Program, equipping caregivers with tools to enhance family dynamics. She serves on community service boards, including on the Anne Arundel County Police Accountability Board, local Food Bank, and Chesapeake Arts Center. Ashworth chairs the Community Reinvestment Review Commission, focusing on resource allocation to underserved neighborhoods.
Whiley H. Bates Legacy Award
Reginald Broddie is the recipient of the Whiley H. Bates Legacy Award. Broddie is a leader in community development and advocacy, dedicating more than 40 years to social change and youth empowerment, particularly in education and human rights. Broddie has held significant leadership roles, including chief program officer at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County and president of Concerned Black Men of America. After retiring, he continued his advocacy on the Board of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southern Maryland and co-founded the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Scholarship Trust, which creates educational opportunities for first-generation youth from underserved backgrounds.
Drum Major Award
Shay Cook is the recipient of the Drum Major Award. Cook is the CEO and founder of Crusaders for Change, LLC (C4C), a financial wellness firm established in 2016. C4C is dedicated to alleviating financial stress affecting families and businesses, and partners with employers from Main Street to Fortune 500 companies to transform financial challenges into opportunities. Through C4C’s financial wellness programs, Cook helps organizations reduce company turnover and enhance productivity. Cook also hosts the Yahweh’s Money Podcast and created Tickle My Money Bone!, a comedy and financial empowerment event that makes financial discussions engaging and accessible. Because of Cook’s efforts, C4C has received several awards, including the Central Maryland Chamber of Commerce’s Women-Owned Business of the Year (2025) and the Minority-Owned Business of the Year (2020), as well as the NAACP Anne Arundel County Business of the Year (2021). Recently, Cook received the Pink Event 2025 Ripple Effect Award for her positive community impact.
Drum Major Award
Midshipman First Class Tymique Goodman is the recipient of the Drum Major Award. Goodman enlisted in the U.S. Navy as a Master-at-Arms immediately after high school graduation. After A-School, Goodman attended Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, where he was voted Lincoln University’s Man of the Year for the Class of 2024. Goodman then attended the Naval Academy Preparatory School, serving as Platoon Commander in First Company and earning Dean’s List honors. He now attends the U.S. Naval Academy, serving in various leadership roles, including 5th Company Dignity and Respect officer, 2024 ASPIRE Leadership Summit public affairs officer, and president of the Midshipmen Black Studies Club. In his senior year, he serves as Company Commander for 5th Company. Upon graduating from the Naval Academy in May 2026, he will commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Share the Dream Award
Gordenia Henson is the recipient of the Share the Dream Award. Henson worked as a sound engineer for the White House Visitors Center and later for the Public Interest Video Network, helping to produce the acclaimed NPR radio show, New Voices Radio. She later found success on television and film projects, including as assistant director for Joy Lusco-Kecken on HBO’s The Wire, and as assistant to Oscar-nominated writer and director Dianne Houston on the VH1 series Single Ladies. She is currently the executive director of the C.W. Hoppy Adams Jr. Foundation, where she supports educational opportunities for local youth and families. Adams was a beloved local disc jockey and a leading voice on the Annapolis-based radio station WANN for more than 40 years. She hosted popular Sunday concerts at Carr’s Beach, an important leisure and entertainment venue for African Americans during and after segregation. Henson is creating the Hoppy Adams House Museum and Education Center, which will be one of Annapolis’s first African American National Historic house museums.
Drum Major Award
Reverend Noland Henson and Pastor Terry Henson are the recipients of the Drum Major Award. They founded the New Life Church in Arnold, Md., where they served as senior pastors from 1993 to 2008. Under their leadership, the church embarked on missions in Kenya, East Africa. What began two decades ago as a donation of beans and rice to a village of orphans affected by the AIDS epidemic evolved into Kenya with Love, Inc. (KWL), a nonprofit organization that provides services and resources to orphanages, schools, and churches, including food, clothing, housing, education, and business start-up support. Over the past 22 years, 166 people have participated in 272 mission trips with KWL, with many going on to establish independent, sustainable projects in Kenya and neighboring countries. In addition to their ministry, the Hensons are accomplished entrepreneurs, owning several businesses, including Henson Properties, which offers tenant placement and property rehabilitation services throughout Baltimore City and Anne Arundel County.
Dream Keeper Award
Cleveland Horton II is the recipient of the Dream Keeper Awards. In 2024, Horton was appointed executive director of the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights. Recognized as one of the “Men to Watch in 2024” by Black Leaders Worldwide and recipient of the 2025 Visionary Leadership Award, Horton exemplifies principled leadership and commitment to civil rights. His work is driven by a deep responsibility to advance justice as a lived promise for all communities. Throughout his tenure, Horton has advocated for equity and accountability, fostering respect and inclusion within state institutions. His collaborative leadership style unites diverse stakeholders to tackle challenges and build trust.
Claudia DeGrate Faithful Award
Elease Johnson is the recipient of the Claudia DeGrate Faithful Award. Through her nursing profession, she dedicates her time to healing physical and emotional wounds. Over the years, Johnson fostered many children, other family members, and adults in need. She served as a Sunday School teacher at Olivet Baptist Church in Baltimore and, later, at First Baptist Church of Annapolis. For more than 60 years, Johnson has inspired countless individuals through her tireless work in various ministries, including the choir, women’s auxiliary, ushers, nurses, and outreach activities. It was during this time that she met her close friend Claudia DeGrate, for whom this award was named.
Peace Maker Award
Dr. Karen Johnson, of Edgewater, is the recipient of the Peace Maker Award. Senior pastor and co-founder of First Christian Community Church (FC3) in Annapolis, Johnson has helped FC3 establish several partnerships including working with House of Hope for winter housing for the homeless; providing services through Light House Shelter, Hope House, and Chrysalis House, Inc.; supplying school uniforms locally and in Kitale, Kenya; and supporting school repairs in Gyakiti, Ghana. Beyond FC3, Johnson is a co-founder of the charter high school New Village Academy, a founding member of Anne Arundel Connecting Together, and has organized the Sister-to-Sister Women’s Conference and Retreats. Her memoir, When the Morning Comes: A Memoir of Loving, Forgiving, and Becoming, released in 2021, has sold more than 1,500 copies and shares her journey through loss and motherhood.
Drum Major Award
Dr. Alisha Malloy is the recipient of the Drum Major Award. As an associate professor at the University of Alabama and North Carolina Central University, a historically black college or university, Malloy led several STEM efforts in the classroom and as a research scholar with Google and IBM. She is an advocate for teaching African American and young women about software development and technology through her work with the international nonprofit, Girls Who Code. Her work led her to the Northeast, where she helped introduce coding and robotics to hundreds of middle school students in New York, Philadelphia, and Boston. Malloy led a STEM event for an underserved middle school in Brockton, Mass., that received media attention, leading the New England Patriots to partner with her for the event. Malloy is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, where she currently leads annual Naval Academy alumni leadership forums.
Alan Legum Civil Rights Award
Jesse Raudales is the recipient of the Alan Legum Civil Rights Award. He is an internationally acclaimed artist whose work is showcased in museums, galleries, and the homes of many collectors. Raudales was among the first Latin artists commissioned for the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy. Selected from thousands, his piece, “Peace for the Children of the World,” a Picasso-inspired sketch of his son’s face and a dove, was featured on Olympic posters, earning him international recognition. Raudales works in acrylic and digital mediums, embracing styles from minimalism to pop art. His pieces address the struggles of minorities, including Native Americans, African Americans, and Latinos. Raudales has created depictions of contemporary figures such as Michelle Obama and Kobe Bryant, alongside icons like Frida Kahlo and Muhammad Ali. Notably, his graphic design portfolio includes custom works for Dwayne Wade and the Martin Luther King estate.
Corretta Scott King Award
The Annapolis Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., is the recipient of the Corretta Scott King Award. This is Maryland’s second-oldest alumnae chapter and has served the community for 78 years. The Chapter has awarded more than a quarter of a million dollars in scholarships to outstanding minority students through the Muriel Holland Scholarship, the Outstanding Minority Scholar Awards Program, and the Single Parent Continuing Education Scholarship, and has partnered with Anne Arundel County Public Schools to address educational disparities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the sorority’s virtual Support Our Youth Campaign received the National Heritage and Archives Award at the sorority’s 55th National Convention. For more than a decade, the organization has also advanced STEM engagement through the Dr. Thelma T. Daley STEM Initiative.
The Annapolis-based Martin Luther King Jr. Committee Inc., founded in 1988, hosts two major events each year: The first is the annual Fannie Lou Hamer Reception in October honoring woman of different racial backgrounds who have made contributions to the community. The second event is the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Awards Dinner held in January to honor those local citizens whose leadership in civil rights has helped keep Dr. King’s legacy alive. The proceeds from these events are being used to pay off the debt incurred to build the Malcolm X Memorial in Annapolis later in 2026..
The MLK Jr. Committee has successfully placed four memorials to the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. and in honor of civil and human rights activists in Anne Arundel County, funded by private donations. A bronze statue of King was erected at the Anne Arundel Community College in 2006 after the Committee raised more than $250,000. In 2011, the Committee dedicated a plaque and garden tribute to Dr. King’s wife, Coretta Scott King, at Sojourner Douglass College in Edgewater, Md. In 2013, the Committee erected a monument in Annapolis to the Civil Rights Foot Soldiers who marched in the famous 1963 “I have a dream” civil rights march on Washington. In 2021, the Committee was the lead sponsor for the “Guardians of the First Amendment” memorial that honors the five lives lost at The Capital newspaper during a 2018 mass shooting that was the largest killing of journalists in U.S. history. A memorial to be erected in honor of civil rights leader Malcolm X will be dedicated later in 2026 in Annapolis. For more information, write to MLK Jr. Committee, PO Box 371, Annapolis MD 21404; call 443-871-5656; or visit www.MLKJrMD.org .