African Heritage Awards Dinner 2026
About 150 UFT members and guests braved frigid temps to celebrate African heritage and honor educators, students and colleagues amid a snowy start to Black History Month at the 23nd annual UFT African Heritage Committee Awards Dinner.
It’s a red-letter day for teacher Marilyn Brown (left) of PS 194 in Harlem as she is offered well wishes by UFT Vice President for Elementary Schools Karen Alford after winning the Mary McLeod Bethune Award for Teacher Excellence.
Award-winning teacher Mavis Yon (right) of PS 156 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, where she grew up, is accompanied by family as she prepares to accept the Frederick Douglass Award for Civil & Human Rights.
Award-winning teachers Mavis Yon (left) and Marilyn Brown (right) proudly hold their plaques alongside City Council Deputy Speaker Natasha Williams (center), who was presented the Trailblazer Award.
Members and their guests fellowship and enjoy a bounty of culinary delights during the dinner at Antun’s in Queens Village.
Standing with student scholarship winner Brooke Tindal (third from the right) are UFT Secretary Michael Sill, UFT African Heritage Committee co-Chair Wendy Walker Wilson, Alford, UFT District 16 Representative Camille Eaddy and UFT African Heritage Committee co-Chair Latoya Lebby.
Congratulating student scholarship winner Cameron Bovain (center) are Sill, Eaddy, Walker Wilson, Alford, Yon and Lebby.
Award-winning teacher Mavis Yon (right) accepts a warm, congratulatory hug from UFT District 9 Representative Aqeel Williams.
It’s a red-letter day for teacher Marilyn Brown (left) of PS 194 in Harlem as she is offered well wishes by UFT Vice President for Elementary Schools Karen Alford after winning the Mary McLeod Bethune Award for Teacher Excellence.
Award-winning teacher Mavis Yon (right) of PS 156 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, where she grew up, is accompanied by family as she prepares to accept the Frederick Douglass Award for Civil & Human Rights.
Award-winning teachers Mavis Yon (left) and Marilyn Brown (right) proudly hold their plaques alongside City Council Deputy Speaker Natasha Williams (center), who was presented the Trailblazer Award.
Members and their guests fellowship and enjoy a bounty of culinary delights during the dinner at Antun’s in Queens Village.
Standing with student scholarship winner Brooke Tindal (third from the right) are UFT Secretary Michael Sill, UFT African Heritage Committee co-Chair Wendy Walker Wilson, Alford, UFT District 16 Representative Camille Eaddy and UFT African Heritage Committee co-Chair Latoya Lebby.
Congratulating student scholarship winner Cameron Bovain (center) are Sill, Eaddy, Walker Wilson, Alford, Yon and Lebby.
Award-winning teacher Mavis Yon (right) accepts a warm, congratulatory hug from UFT District 9 Representative Aqeel Williams.