New Jersey Stage logo
New Jersey Stage Menu


?>

 

Two Community Leaders Honored In Living The Dream Reception

originally published: 02/22/2017

(NEWARK, NJ) -- Two outstanding community leaders in the City of Newark were honored in Living the Dream, a reception on at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in observance of the annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration.

This year’s distinguished recipients honored were community advocate Gloria Hopkins Buck, LCSW (Steward of the Dream Award) and civil rights attorney Ryan P. Haygood (Visionary of the Future Award). The awards are given to individuals whose lifework reflects the ideals and principles of Dr. King’s great legacy.

The celebration included a special performance by NJPAC’s Wells Fargo Jazz for Teens and the Grammy Award winning Jubilation Choir, which has released six albums under the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Stefanie Minatee.

“NJPAC and its partner, the Newark Branch of the NAACP, presented these awards to those who advocate positive relationships and speak to the most vital needs of our citizens,” said Donna Walker-Kuhne, NJPAC’s Senior Advisor of Community Engagement. “Ryan Haygood, who has lent his wise voice to public forums at the Arts Center in the past, shines a light in his tireless pursuit of racial justice. Gloria Hopkins Buck is truly a steward of culture, who strives in work and deed to enhance the quality of life in our city.”

NJPAC pays tribute to one of the 20th century’s most inspiring leaders with live performances and family activities. Other events for the MLK celebration on Jan. 14 include an engagement by Dance Theatre of Harlem and the fourth annual Embodying the Dream, a day of free music, storytelling, spoken word and more for all in the Center for Arts Education, 24 Rector St. Visit njpac.org for details.




Reach New Jersey's largest arts & entertainment audience, click here for info on how to advertise at NJ Stage



Dr. King’s quest for unity and social justice took him to Newark on March 27, 1968 – one of his final public appearances before his assassination in Memphis eight days later.

NJPAC’s Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration is held in partnership with the Newark Chapter of the New Jersey NAACP and is sponsored by the PSEG Foundation.

About Gloria Hopkins Buck, LCSW

Gloria Hopkins Buck worked for more than 30 years with Newark Public Schools as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. After retirement, she worked for two years as a public relations consultant for a Newark firm. She is a founding member and former President of First Friday Group, Inc., a corporation designed to facilitate networking and socializing among African-American entrepreneurs and professionals.

Buck has served as a Trustee at the Newark Museum, founding charter member and Chairperson for the museum’s award-winning Newark Black Film Festival. She was appointed by Gov. Thomas H. Kean to the Literacy In the Arts Task Force. She has given 25 years of service as a VP and member of the Board of Trustees of the Boys and Girls Club of Newark; was a founding member of the Board of Directors, NJ Coalition of 100 Black Women and served as Vice President of Arts and Culture; was on the board of governors of trustees for the New Jersey State Opera; and was the Commissioner of the Newark Landmarks and Historic Preservation Commission for three years, appointed by Mayor Sharpe James in 2003.

Buck has committed a lifetime to working in areas that affect the quality and dignity of lives. She has accomplished this through years of leadership and service to community, arts, cultural, professional and educational organizations primarily in Greater Newark. Buck lived in Newark for 45 years; she earned a B.A. degree from Howard University and received a Master’s Degree of Social Work from Rutgers University.

About Ryan P. Haygood, Esq.




Reach New Jersey's largest arts & entertainment audience, click here for info on how to advertise at NJ Stage



One of the nation’s leading civil rights lawyers, Ryan Haygood became the third president and CEO of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice in 2015. In this role, he leverages his national expertise to advance the Institute’s cutting-edge work in empowering urban communities where residents of color are connected to full-time, meaningful jobs, have access to affordable housing and the democratic process, and are treated fairly by the criminal justice system.

Prior to leading the Institute, Haygood served as the deputy director of litigation at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund Inc. (LDF), where he worked for more than a decade.  At LDF, Haygood litigated some of the most important civil rights cases of our time. In two of those cases, he defended a core provision of the Voting Rights Act, widely regarded as one of the nation’s greatest pieces of civil rights legislation, before the United States Supreme Court.

A passionate advocate, Haygood speaks and writes regularly on issues concerning race, law, civil rights, and democracy. He is frequently interviewed by media outlets, including MSNBC, CNN, National Public Radio, and The New York Times. Prior to joining LDF, Haygood was a litigation associate in the New York office of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, LLP. At Fried, Frank, Haygood represented clients in a variety of complex commercial and civil rights matters before federal courts. He received his J.D. from the University of Colorado School of Law and B.A. in American History and Political Science cum laude from Colorado College, where he was nominated for the Rhodes scholarship and earned academic and athletic All-American honors as a football player.

Photo: Left to Right.  John Schreiber, Rick Thigpen - PSE&G, Deborah Smith Gregory, President of the Newark NAACP , Felicia Daniels - Unted Airlines, Gloria Hopkins Buck - Steward of the Dream Recipient, Ryan P. Haygood, Esq. - Visionary of the Future Recipient. Photo by Deirdre Ryan.

FEATURED EVENTS

ART | COMEDY | DANCE | FILM | MUSIC | THEATRE | COMMUNITY

To narrow results by date range, categories,
or region of New Jersey
click here for our advanced search.


1776

1776

Friday, May 09, 2025 @ 8:00pm
Algonquin Arts Theatre
60 Abe Voorhees, Manasquan, NJ 08736




 

"How

"How The Light Gets In" by E. M. Lewis

Friday, May 09, 2025 @ 8:00pm
South Camden Theatre Company
400 Jasper Street, Camden, NJ 08104



The

The Shining Stars- Broadway and Beyond!

Friday, May 09, 2025 @ 7:00pm
Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) - Main Stage
1601 Irving Street, Rahway, NJ 07065



Kelli

Kelli Baker Band

Friday, May 09, 2025 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ 08087



OCC

OCC Faculty and Guest String Quartet

Friday, May 09, 2025 @ 2:00pm
Ocean County College, Gateway Lecture Hall (Building 101)
1 College Drive, Toms River, NJ 08754




 

EVENT PREVIEWS

Artists

Artists with Disabilities Head to Jersey City for Prestigious Art Fair

(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- The Matheny Arts Access Program is excited to announce its participation in New Jersey's premier art fair, Art Fair 14C, marking the program's first-ever appearance at a professional art fair.



Ocean

Ocean County Library Toms River Branch presents "Who We Really Are" Art Exhibit

(TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, the Ocean County Library Toms River Branch is pleased to feature art designed to challenge misconceptions and encourage understanding. "Who We Really Are," provided by the RWJBarnabas Behavioral Health Center, Toms River, will be on display in the Second Floor Gallery throughout the month of May.



Riverside

Riverside Gallery presents "Where We Left Off" - a Solo Exhibition by Jamie Joe

(HACKENSACK, NJ) -- Riverside Gallery presents Where We Left Off, a solo exhibition by Korean American artist Jamie Joe from May 8-17, 2025. In this new body of work, Joe explores the suspended spaces between pause and persistence—where memories surface, yearnings stir, and unfinished stories quietly live on. Her abstract and figurative expressionist paintings seek to unearth the vivid fragments of the psyche, creating a dialogue between personal recollection and collective experience.



Young

Young Artists Take the Spotlight at the Iris Gallery @ SOPAC

(SOUTH ORANGE, NJ) -- The South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) is proud to announce the return of the INSPIRED MINDS: Young Artist Exhibition, a showcase of exceptional visual art created by high school students from across Essex County. This vibrant and inspiring exhibition will be on display in the Herb + Milly Iris Gallery from May 15 through August 17, 2025.



The

The Art House Gallery Presents "Ending Up" — A Bold New Installation and Artwork by DISTORT

(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Art House Productions presents "Ending Up" by DISTORT — a bold, immersive exhibition from one of New Jersey's most celebrated muralists. The exhibition runs from Saturday, May 3 through Sunday, June 1, 2025 at the Art House Gallery.