As we celebrate Black History Month, Senator Bob Casey took the opportunity to honor five community leaders who have dedicated their lives to empowering others.
This year’s Black History Month Event recipients were Edgar and Barbara Farmer, Loretta Claiborne, Donta Green, and Lurline Jones.
“These five honorees represent the very best of Pennsylvania. Their work uplifting the next generation by nurturing the confidence and ability already within them will leave a lasting impact on our Commonwealth,” said Senator Casey. “Their decades of steadfast service and civic engagement is nothing short of inspirational and I am grateful for their contributions and dedication.”
Edgar and Barbara Farmer are longtime advocates for education and diversity. Edgar is a Vietnam War veteran and professor emeritus of education at Penn State University. He has served in various leadership positions, including as a Workforce Education and Development professor and director of multicultural affairs for the College of Information and Sciences and Technology at Penn State.
Loretta Claiborne is an accomplished speaker, advocate, and athlete. She has won numerous medals and competed in the Special Olympics, including seven gold medals. Claiborne holds degrees from Quinnipiac University, Villanova University, and York College of Pennsylvania, and has served as a motivational speaker and advocate at numerous events and programs.
Donta Green is the Executive Director at the Trade Institute of Pittsburgh (TIP) and a successful head football coach at Westinghouse Academy. Green has led the TIP team to numerous successful football seasons, and in 2019 and 2022, the team won city and state championships for the first time in school history.
Lurline Jones is a local civil rights trailblazer and legendary basketball coach for the Philadelphia School District. Jones has spent more than five decades with the School District of Philadelphia and has helped more than 300 of her students go to college on athletic scholarships. In 2019, Jones was named a People Magazine’s and Heroes Among Us recipient.
The Black History Month Event, hosted by Senator Casey at his office in Washington, D.C., was attended by local leaders and community members who are committed to making a difference in the lives of others. The “Voices Empowering Generational Change” event honored the five recipients and their work to empower others in their communities.
Story source: www.casey.senate.gov