The Urban Cabaret & MLK Youth Awards
Thoughts of completely erasing 2020 from memory is nothing more than wishful thinking. It happened. All of it. The deadly pandemic. The recession. The racial unrest. The political strife.
Each bore unprecedented challenges. The leaders and staff of the Urban League of Greater Madison rushed into action much like firefighters running toward a burning building to save others.
“The Urban League is not an organization that gives up,” said President and CEO Dr. Ruben L. Anthony Jr. “We’ve been around for 50 years here in Madison serving this community and certainly, during a time of crisis, we don’t give up. We dig down deeper and find ways to get things done.”
The community learned about the organization’s efforts during a special online event called Stand for Justice premiered on Jan. 17. It includes inspirational stories of triumph and success from 2020, powerful performances by local urban artists, and celebration of the 2021 Martin Luther King, Jr. Outstanding Young Person Awardees.
The program, co-hosted by the talented duo of Rob Dz and Danielle Crim, celebrated resilience and the fight for justice, while it highlighted the organization’s achievements during a year of hardships.
“I think we are stronger because we were challenged,” Anthony said. “What we learned in 2020 is that there are a lot of entities in this community that really care about the advancement of people of color. I want to encourage you to stay hopeful. Don’t give up. Continue to fight for what’s right. And stand up for justice.”
Throughout the show electrifying acts were performed by local musicians, dancers, spoken word artists and a magician. In addition, for the 37th year, the Urban League celebrated outstanding middle and high school students across Dane County in honor of Dr. King, including the Madison School District’s new class of Mann Scholars. The winners are acknowledged for their contributions to their schools, family and community.
Here are the winners:
2021 Mann Scholars
New Freshman Class
- Gregory Smith Jr – East High School
- Rodney Gavins Jr. – West High School
- Danielle Watson – West High School
- Azahria Washington – Memorial High School
Seniors
- Ke’Sean Homesly — LaFollette High School
- Calise Howard — LaFollette High School
- Travona Jordan — STEM Academy at Madison College
- Tyrone Stevenson — West High School
2021 Martin Luther King, Jr. Outsanding Young Person Award
Badger Ridge Middle School
- Marissa Abongwa
- Kodjo Abotsi
- Jaylen Brown-Jackson
- Da’Nay Scott
- Lashondra Shackerford
- Fury Townsel
- Kimora Twumasi
Badger Rock Middle School
- Khloe Ammons
- Jamyia Jordan
- Santiago Rodriguez
- Armando Sanchez Abrajan
- Anthony Toomer
Belleville High School
- Ayisa Ceesay
- Cecilia Grefsheim
- Cody Koeppel
Black Hawk Middle School
- Brian Bey
- Jacquelyn Boakai
- Aliou Diakite
- Vincent Franklin
- Eli Mitchell
- Ja’Kylah Powers
- Capital High School
- La’Nissia Brandon
- Aliyah Brown
- Esriel Cawrse
- Kanye Jackson
- Kaaliyah Johnson
- Santez Jones Jr.
- Katie Mora-Pacheco
- Taliyah Moses
- Isabell Rojo
- Diamond Smith
Cardinal Heights Upper Middle School
- Daneisha Acklin
- Oluwatimileyin Arowosegbe
- Naaliyah Currie
- Saanvi Gandhari
- Malykai Glass
- Naveya Jackson
- De’Maria Posadowska
- Kendra Stacy
Cherokee Middle School
- Stephen Cook
- Jaden Hicks
- Henry Miesbauer
- Nevaeh Price-Pierce
- Eva Quarm
- Timmia Tetteh
Clark Street Community School
- Raquel Conley
- Aaliyah Espinoza
- Isabella Hansen
- Jasmine Shoates
- Diana Song
- Zoe Tedesco
- Sheo Torvik
Deforest High School
- Caleb Ekezie
- Tia Hardiman
- Jasleen Kaur
- Stacy Kipkoskei
- Hannah Lewis
- Jamison Meier
- Maria Olvera Fonseca
East High School
- Brandon Anderson
- Gueda Daff
- Rinzin Kunsel
- Farren Lockridge
- Ameira Matthews
- Desteny Mucino-Meza
- Michael Onabule
- Boubacarr Sangare
- Alayna Tucker
- Alayna Tucker
- Abigail Tuinstra
- Aliyyah Wiley
Edgewood High School
- Joelle Browne
- Alwang Deang
- Kaylin Green-Betty
- Taruwaye Hampton
- Ariana Hough
- Arun Kamal
- Olivia Moore
- Amanda Rivera Torres
- Willow Walker
Glacial Drumlin School
- Myla Adams
- Deangelo Clay
- Emma Hayward
- Kadence Jackson
- Ousman Njai
- Jacob Vang
Hamilton Middle School
- Mouhamed Agodou
- Oluwadara Fadiran
- Maliha Nu’Man
- Oluwasoorepupo Shiyanbola
- Hezekiah Ward
- Allison West
Indian Mound Middle School
- Jordan Clayton
- Maliyah Dean
Jefferson Middle School
- J’Siyah Akins
- Patrick Kahite
- Juliana Ketarkus
- Martell McDonald
- Jakari Page-Godbolt
- Aayan Paudel
Kromery Middle School
- Arya Sengelmann
La Follette High School
- Raymon Anderson
- Avari Briggs
- Yoanna Hoskins
- Tziah McNair
- Alayna West
- Andrew West
- Jasmine Winston
Marshall High School
- Margaret Ackah
- Jazmin Antonio-Reyes
McFarland High School
- Khia Dixon
- Abileini Espinoza Brito
- Keyla Granados
- Laetitia Hollard
- Shiloh Hoyte
- Snow Maly
Memorial High School
- Destinee Alston
- Romari Bennett
- Copper Daniel
- Elijah Edwards
- Sodik Gbadamassi
- Brianna Martinez
- Olivia Morgan
- Andrea Norman
- Awa Phatty
- Adeja Shannon
Middleton High School
- Azyiah Baker
- Mawuenam Dossa
- Muktharatul Kamal-Muili
- Leaura Manuel
- Zaki Siraj
- Jakailiah Suggs
- Sonya Taylor
- Sterling Wodzro
Monona Grove High School
- Salaiethaniel Adams
- Jorja Derer
- Hanna Eyobed
- Artasia Howard
- Kamryn Johnson
- Ailyah Moore
- Anneeshya Perkins
- Shane Peters
O’Keeffe Middle School
- Anyah Brown
- Zion Ellis-Wilkinson
- Samaria Moore
- Corrina Robinson
- Vada Scates
- Amya Scott-Brown
Oregon High School
- Hannah Council
- Trinity Gardner
- Jaqlin Jenkins
- Tamia O’Malley
- Jada Oparie-Addoh
- Camron Pribbenow
- Yordanos Zelinski
Patrick Marsh Middle School
- Neveah Morris
- Kiera Place
- Boubacar Sow
- Aniya Wilson
Prairie Phoenix Academy
- Nahriah Alexander
- Zoey Conrady
- Trinity Johnson-Felton
- Frantasia West-Carter
Prairie View Middle School
- Cecily Humphrey
- Brandon Watkins Jr.
- Jahleel Weah
- A’Jaylah Williams
Rome Corners Intermediate School
- Jack Khallil
Saint James Middle School
- Jeremiah Ethen
- Zhana Gnewuch
- Jonah Makwinja
- Sabrene Thompson
- Abby Trudell
Savanna Oaks Middle School
- Amarie Edmonds-Robinson
- Nevaeh Grimmer
- Reese Manning
- Dyshaun McDaniel
Sennett Middle School
- Mikias Daniel
- Jaia Davis
- Zionna Johnson
- Maleah Sims
- Saville Sopha
Sherman Middle School
- Marcell Brown
- Jayda Hardy
- Aniyah Jackson
- Veda Newson
- Origin Prewitt
- Ashanti Thamas
- Justice Tribble-Shepherd
Spring Harbor Middle School
- Sofia Haney-Cirino
- Kendrick Haywood
- Ellis Jackson
- Kenzariah Patterson
- Abram Rodriguez
- Malia Thomas
Stoughton High School
- Belinda Akale
- Bishop Altenburg
- Savanna Jemilo
- Michael Turner II
Sun Prairie High School
- Azarae Hanger
- Reena Katta
- Isabella McColl
- Sophia Monforte
- Cierra Sercye
- Eastlan Shields
- Kaden Triggs
Toki Middle School
- Lamara Howard
- Dion Howell
- Aurelius Hoye
- Parnell Hughes
- Makenzie Johnson
- Makenzie Johnson
- Milani Lee
- Elijah Williams
- Chantierra Winslow
Verona Area High School
- Angela Abongwa
- Nana Ampong
- Toritseju Blagogee
- Jasmine Connor
- Jamesha Crowder
- Lensa Hamda
- Jocelyn Hernandez
- Zephirine Zoungonou
- Verona Core Knowledge
- Owen Ayite-Atayi
- Evelyn Contreras
- Sean Iwuagwu
- Megan Ngo
- Jacob Rodriguez
- Sajin Sivakumar
Waunakee High School
- Ebba Harrison
- Katherine Ikaunieks
- Petra Mallon
- Corey Marionneaux
- Aoife Moran
- Noopur Patel
- Josie Petroff
- David Petty
- Lata Vervoort
- Jeremiah Alfred
- Josh Alfred
- Sophia Rodriguez
West High School
- Chytearria Burks
- Olga Gatesi
- Rodney Gavins Jr.
- Jaya Rice
- Jada Smith
- Safwan Takar
- Demorian Thompson
- Marquanis Turner
- Annastasia Walker
Whitehorse Middle School
- Yonatan Abichu
- Alhagie Cham
- Cherno Jallow
- Lillyanne Medenwaldt
- Aaliyah Murphy-Carpenter
- Aniyah Wesley
Wisconsin Virtual Academy
- Danika Wanish
Wright Middle School
- Jordan Brown
- Shalom Harimana
- Navaeh Jordan
- Zaniya Richardson
- Kira Smith
