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ITHACA, N.Y. — Longtime Ithaca community leaders Roger G. Richardson and Arlene Y. Richardson were honored Wednesday night at the Ithaca Common Council with the J. Diann Sams African American History Month Recognition Award. The award is given annually to celebrate a member of the local Black community who has shown “great esteem and stellar leadership.”The city’s resolution announcing the award states that the Richardsons have left an “indelible stamp upon Ithaca’s history” through their community involvement, both as individuals and as a couple.“It wasn’t anything that we had planned, it’s just who we are as individuals.”The award was established in 2004 to celebrate the late former Second Ward Alderperson J. Diann Sams, the first Black woman with a disability to serve on Common Council and to hold the role of acting mayor. The acting mayor is next in the chain of command if the mayor is incapacitated, resigns or is otherwise unable to perform their duties.The city’s current acting mayor, Kayla Matos, herself a Black woman representing the city’s First Ward, read a lengthy recitation of the Richardsons’ decades of accomplishments before the resolution was unanimously passed to thunderous applause. Roger Richardson said the couple hadn’t set out to check boxes of community involvement when they arrived in Ithaca, but that their nature pulled them to it — Arlene on a constant, daily basis and Roger in between his work at Ithaca College. “It wasn’t anything that we had planned, it’s just who we are as individuals,” he said. In an interview, Arlene Richardson said she felt that her and her husband are proudest of their philanthropic work for its impact in the Ithaca community.“Not that I’ve ever been rich, I just always wanted to be able to give a little bit of what I had to someone else,” she said.Arlene Richardson worked at a previous iteration of The Advocacy Center, which serves women grappling with domestic violence. As part of her work there, she trained staff on responding to domestic violence with sensitivity to the cultures and customs of the people who are experiencing it.She was also involved with a slew of other local organizations — Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services, Tompkins County Mental Health Association and the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency, among others.Roger Richardson served as the associate vice president of student affairs and campus life at Ithaca College before his retirement. He served in numerous roles throughout his 25 years at the college, including as interim chief diversity officer.Along the way, he helped found the school’s Martin Luther King Scholars Program, which provided students from marginalized backgrounds scholarships, leadership and civic engagement training and opportunities for research and international travel. The program is now open to all students.He is also a former member of the Ithaca City School District Board of Education.“To be able to come here over four decades ago and be a member of the community and just give, in terms of being involved in civic engagement, social justice, volunteering,” he said. “Not thinking about receiving any recognition but just wanting to be an involved community member. And then to receive this recognition, it’s just wonderful to be seen.”The two also established the Rashad G. Richardson Fund and the Rashad Richardson Basketball League at the Greater Ithaca Activities Center, a summer youth basketball program named in honor of their late son.The Richardsons’ daughter was also in attendance, as were several previous winners of the award. Tompkins County Veterans Services Director J.R. Clairborne and former Ithaca Police Department officer Brad Nelson presented the award. In their remarks, the two thanked councilmembers for continuing the tradition in the faces of recent federal scrutiny on initiatives highlighting diversity.“We’re able to not only let people smell their roses, but to let the whole community embrace their accomplishments throughout Tompkins County,” Clairborne said. “Without all of us here, what would we be missing in this community? Please do not listen to anyone who says we need to not celebrate the accomplishments of people.”Editor’s note: J.R. Clairborne is a former member of The Ithaca Voice Board of Directors. The Ithaca Voice also sponsors a basketball team in the Rashad Richardson Youth Basketball League.lZOZmK-JDiann_Sams_Award-Richardson-250304DownloadThe post Ithaca honors two Black community leaders with annual award appeared first on The Ithaca Voice.First published by The Ithaca Voice.

Daily Archives: March 7, 2025

Ithaca honors two Black community leaders with annual award

Ithaca receives prestigious urban sustainability certificate