Black Excellence Award honors leaders of YMCA, YWCA

A new award will recognize Black leaders who organizers say are paving a way forward, in a time of many social divisions and challenges, with an eye toward inspiring a new generation of leaders among young people.

The inaugural Black Excellence Award will be presented to Deborah Hall, chief executive officer of the YWCA of Central Massachusetts, and to David Connell, president and chief executive officer of the YMCA of Central Massachusetts. A ceremony is set for Oct. 3 at the AC Marriott in Worcester. The event is organized by the Black Excellence Event Committee.

Sponsors and supporters include the City of Worcester, College of the Holy Cross, the YMCA and YWCA of Central Massachusetts, UMass Memorial Health, and many other businesses, community organizations and individuals.

“We talk about Blacks who have made history, and who have gotten their flowers after they were gone,” said Dianne Langford James, of the Black Excellence Event Committee. James is founder of Cycle Breakers, LLC, which works with women and girls to break harmful cycles and patterns in their lives, and east coast executive director of the Torch Foundation, dedicated to empowering teens as they prepare for adulthood.

‘A powerful reminder’

James stressed the importance of making leadership known to youths, “Because you don’t know who you don’t know,” James said. Hall and Connell not only represent milestones as the first Black leaders of their respective organizations, but because of the impact of their accomplishments and leadership.

Hall is being honored for her work with the YWCA of Central Massachusetts, but also efforts in the broader community, including with the Worcester Historical Society, and illuminating Black history and the impact of Black leadership, past and present, in Worcester and the region.

Reached by email, Hall said, “I am deeply honored to be one of the recipients of the inaugural Black Excellence Awards. This recognition is especially meaningful because it comes from within the Black community.  It is a powerful reminder that the work I’m doing is making a difference.”

Hall added, “In a time when Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts are being challenged and attempts are being made to rewrite history, representation matters more than ever. Our youth are watching, and it’s critical that they see themselves reflected in leadership, in advocacy, and in excellence. As Marian Wright Edelman reminds us, ‘You can’t be what you can’t see.’ That truth continues to guide how I show up in my work and in my community.”

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A press release notes Hall’s over 40 years of experience working with survivors of domestic violence and addressing the complex intersections of race, gender, and community violence. Hall has held leadership roles in programs across Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Missouri, focused on homelessness, violence prevention and substance use recovery.

Since taking the helm of the YWCA Central Massachusetts in 2021, Hall has led the organization with goals of eliminating racism, and empowering women. Under Hall’s leadership, the YWCA continues to offer critical services, including transitional and emergency housing, early education, and domestic violence support.

Hall has expanded programming at YWCA Central Massachusetts, including clinical therapy and housing rental assistance for survivors of domestic violence. Hall is also credited with stabilization of the agency’s budget and operating expenses.

In 2024, Hall was appointed to the Massachusetts Cultural Economy Advisory Council as the only member representing Central Massachusetts. Hall was also appointed to the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission in 2023.

Hall serves on the boards of the American Antiquarian Society, Mass Humanities, and the Children’s Investment Fund. A frequent speaker on gender-based violence and the lived experiences of Black women, Hall founded the Worcester Black History Project, established in 2018 to shine a light on contributions of Black residents of Worcester, in the past, and the present.

For Connell, a role as president and chief executive officer of the YMCA of Central Massachusetts came in the form of a change of career from business to human services, but continuing of a common thread: concern for youths, and for the broader community.

The Central Massachusetts YMCA serves some 70 communities in the central part of the state, reaching north to the border with New Hampshire, and to the south and the border of Rhode Island and Connecticut. “I describe it as 14 rooftops,” said Connell, noting Fitchburg, Leominster, Gardner and surrounding communities as part of the service area. “We focus on youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility,” said Connell, with physical fitness programs, such as gyms and aquatics, as part of an overall mission of healthy communities.”

A press lists some of Connell’s accomplishments and positions of leadership. Connell serves on the board of trustees for the Y Retirement Fund and is a corporator for Webster 5 Cent Bank, the EcoTarium and the Greater Worcester Community Foundation. Connell serves on the YUSA Global Relations and Community Engagement Cohort, focusing on organizational learning, sharing, and transformation with a goal of greater inclusivity. Connell recently completed his term as the Board Chair of the Alliance of Massachusetts YMCAs, representing 28 YMCA associations in Massachusetts.

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Connell serves as a program host at WCUW, where he hosts the Sunday morning “Souls Arising” Gospel program.

As a recipient of the inaugural Black Excellence Award, Connell said, “I guess being the first in any program being presented to the various communities comes with unique challenges. I’m excited about it, because it gives an opportunity to show what programs continue work within the local communities, interactive with young people, the next generation of leaders.”

With the YWCA of Central Massachusetts, ‘We continue to work together, working in a strong partnership, to tackle the multiple categories that we serve.” Connell said, “Highlighting for this particular time, to have two people of color being recognized in a first-time program, at least sets the stage for what could happen in the years to come.”

‘Uplift, celebrate and invest in Black achievement’

What does the Black Excellence award mean as a recipient? Hall said, “I envision the Black Excellence Awards becoming a lasting tradition in Worcester.  My hope is that it will uplift, celebrate, and invest in Black achievement.  I believe this event honors the rich diversity of Worcester and makes our community stronger.”

Beyond celebrating the lives and work of individuals, James said one hoped-for outcome of the awards is shining a light on possibilities and a path forward, in a time of political and cultural upheaval both locally and nationwide.

“It talks about resilience in crisis, because we are in crisis, social unrest. Representation matters, and we are talking about a living legacy, and leading a legacy.” James added, “It is not about individual success, but also, a collective, and what we are doing is inspiring hope. That is what we want to do.”

James said, “We want to talk about achievement and success. We would like to talk about resilience, and perseverance. We absolutely want to talk about cultural presence. We want to even talk about everyday excellence. How about community upliftment, legacy, and leadership.”

James added, “We know that there is global instability, and by doing this, we continue to rise, create, continue to lead, continue to thrive. We can focus on that.”

Margaret Smith is content editor of Worcester Magazine, and editor of the Woo! Science column appearing alternate Sundays in the Telegram & Gazette.

Inaugural Black Excellence awards ceremony

When: 6 to 10 p.m. Oct. 3

Where: AC Marriott, 125 Front St., Worcester

How much: Tickets start at $75. See listing at EventBrite.