Judge Mariam Saad Bazzi -Pillar of Justice Award

Judge Mariam Saad Bazzi has served on the Third Circuit Court since 2017 where she currently serves in the Criminal Division. In addition to her regular duties, she oversees a Mental Health Court docket, she has served on the Court’s Executive Committee, and served on the Court’s Strategic Planning Team. She is currently the Judicial Sponsor of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee for the Court. She also was appointed by the Michigan Supreme Court to serve on the Michigan Continuing Judicial Education Board. She has presented at judicial conferences and seminars both locally and internationally covering topics including felony criminal sentencings, domestic violence, conflict of interest rules for the judiciary, and diversity and inclusion initiatives for the court.
She currently serves as President of the Leaders Advancing and Helping Communities (LAHC) Board. Prior to her judicial appointment, she was elected to the Dearborn Board of Education and Henry Ford College Board of Trustees where she chaired both boards. She also previously served on Michigan’s Middle Eastern Affairs Commission, Michigan’s Environmental Justice Work Group, and as the President of the Arab American Political Action Committee.
Judge Bazzi holds a J.D. from Wayne State University Law School and a B.S. in Political Science from the University of Michigan-Dearborn. She is married to Abdul Bazzi and together, they have three children.

Michelle Davis- Pillar of Advocacy Award Recipient

Michelle Davis is a 27-year educational leader who is passionate about teaching and transforming the lives of students in and outside of the classroom. She is a lifelong Detroiter and a proud DPS graduate who attended Duffield Elementary, Miller Middle, and Murray Wright High School.
After graduating from DPS, Michelle attended Alabama State University. There she earned a degree in English Language Arts, before moving on to Marygrove College where she earned a Master’s in the Art of Teaching degree, and Oakland University where she earned an Education Specialist degree in Administration, giving her the skills to make a difference at a high level.
She is a 27-year activist, advocate and servant leader. Michelle’s vision for Davis Aerospace is to create a world class institution that will inspire and train students, and become a hub for innovation, creativity and academic excellence honoring the legacy of those who dare to envision an aviation school in DPS.

 

Renata Seals Evans-Pillar of Empowerment Recipient

Mrs. Renata Seals Evans is a passionate activist who is dedicated to empowering underserved communities through advocacy, exposure, engagement and grassroots organizing.

An avid art enthusiast, Mrs. Seals Evans serves as a member of the Detroit Institute of Arts Board of Directors, the Wayne County Art Institute Authority and The Society, Incorporated. Through this advocacy, she works to improve access for local artists, seniors and youth. She has helped launch notable community programs such as “Art in the Airport”, which showcases local art to travelers at Detroit Metropolitan Airport; and the Wayne County High School Art Exhibit, which gives local students the opportunity to premier their artwork at the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Guardian Building in Downtown Detroit. She has recently partnered with the Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) to create the Small Business Operations Arriving Ready (SOAR) program – a gateway initiative that provides minority businesses with entrepreneurial training and opportunities to showcase their products to thousands of travelers daily at the Warren C. Evans Terminal.

As an advocate for seniors, Seals-Evans launched a partnership with Hartford Village Apartments in Detroit to provide the “Sassy Seniors” program with vital resources, elder community information, and access to vending via fun “pop-up shopping” events. Seals-Evans is also the former owner of the Motor City Bisons, a travel youth football organization based in Detroit. For five years, Seals-Evans provided an opportunity for 120 youth football players and cheerleaders – ages 4-14 – to compete across the country, learning the importance of qualities like commitment, discipline, grit and teamwork, to benefit them later in life.
Mrs. Renata Seals Evans, wife of Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans, demonstrates dedication and an unwavering commitment to her community which makes her a respected and influential figure in the fight for social change.

 

Anthony Holt- Pillar of Justice Award Recipient

Anthony D. Holt, was promoted to Associate Vice President and Chief of Police at Wayne State University on August 1, 2008. Since joining the force as a police officer. Holt has held multiple positions within the university police department. He rose through the ranks to sergeant, lieutenant, captain and now chief during a career spanning more than 40 years.
Chief Holt serves as the University’s Chief Law Enforcement Officer with responsibility to plan, direct and oversee the strategic development and implementation of all aspect of campus and community security including Emergency Preparedness.
Chief Holt is a graduate of Wayne State University and has planned and participated in numerous advanced training sessions including more than 4,500 hours of advance and specialized training in case investigations, incident command training, managing high risk situations and homeland security. He is also the Co-Founder of the Public Safety and Youth Forum and is a frequent contributor to the Michigan Gang Research Project. Chief Holt a member of the University Crisis Team is the liaison between the University, Federal, State and local law enforcement agencies. Chief Holt serves on the Wayne County Community College Police Advisory Board, The Detroit Rescue Mission Advisory Board, Board of Directors of the Southeastern Michigan Association Chiefs of Police and the Detroit Crime Commission Advisory Board. Chief Holt is the past President of the Metro Detroit Chapter of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) and serves on the executive board.
Chief Holt is the director of Wayne State University Police Department National De-scalation Center.

Chuck Stokes-Pillar of Media Excellence Award Recipient

Chuck Stokes is the editorial/public affairs director for WXYZ-TV/Channel 7 in Detroit, Michigan. Additionally, he serves as moderator and producer of Spotlight on the News, Michigan’s longest-running weekly news and public affairs show created in 1965.
Before he became Channel 7’s editorial/public affairs director, Stokes worked as the station’s executive producer of special projects in news. Prior to joining WXYZ-TV, Stokes was employed at WTVF-TV in Nashville, Tennessee, as a producer and on-air reporter. He has also been a sports writer for the Washington Post.
He has accumulated a long list of personal awards and achievements including 12 Emmys for editorial reporting and two Emmys for documentary reporting. In 2001, Stokes received the “The Lifetime Achievement Award” from the Detroit Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He is a past president of both the National Conference of Editorial Writers and its Foundation. In 2011, Stokes was inducted into the Michigan Association of Broadcaster’s Hall of Fame and in 2012 he received the “Life Membership Award” from the Association of Opinion Journalists (formerly called the National Conference of Editorial Writers). He is also a member of and an interview/discussion program award winner by the National Association of Black Journalists, past president of the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Foundation and the Historical Society of Michigan of which he has been honored with its History Hero Award. He is also a recipient of the Detroit Urban League’s Distinguished Warrior Award. In addition, he sits on the board of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and the Center for Journalism Ethics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
He is a Life Member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, a graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta and holds a master’s degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Stokes is married to video producer Trudy Gallant-Stokes, and has two daughters, two sons-in-law, and a grandson.

 

Raphael Washington-Pillar of Justice Award Recipient

Wayne County Sheriff Raphael Washington has four decades of dedicated service in Law Enforcement. In this role, Washington manages three jail facilities, a Road Patrol, a Marine Unit, a Mounted Division, and supplements law enforcement activities in collaboration with 43 cities and townships in his jurisdiction. Sheriff Washington also oversees the development activity of the new Wayne County Criminal Justice Center, which is nearing completion in the city of Detroit. As a lifelong resident of Wayne County, Sheriff Washington is very active in the community and serves on several community boards, including his roles as Director of Security for Greater Grace Temple and Pentecostal Assemblies of the World.

Sheriff Washington has been quoted as saying, “Law enforcement leaders must be discerning in their decision-making, yet compassionate when making decisions that affect staff, the inmate population, and the general public.” His background in law enforcement includes working in the jail and court operation supervision, inmate population management, policy development, compliance, and organizational functions.

Sheriff Washington is a proud graduate of the public school system and wholly encourages everyone to pursue higher learning and continuing education. He is a graduate of Cleary University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice Management. He is also a graduate of Eastern Michigan University’s School of Police Staff and Command.

Sheriff Washington is also a proud member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. Sheriff Washington is married to Keysha Washington; they have two children and four grandchildren.

 

Photos courtesy of Eric Hobson