Habilitative Systems, Inc. (HSI), a leading behavioral health and human services organization serving 17 Chicago communities, will host its 5th Annual Race & Health Equity Awards Celebration on Friday, Dec. 12, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Garfield Park Conservatory, 300 N. Central Park Ave. in Chicago.
“This year’s event honors seven outstanding leaders whose work continues to advance educational opportunity and strengthen communities across Chicago. Our celebration convenes leaders, advocates, and visionaries committed to educational equity and expanding pathways to success,” said Donald J. Dew, President and CEO of HSI.
“Given our current environment where education continues to be under attack, their work is critical to providing greater access to education for all,” Dew said.
This year’s HSI Race & Health Equity Awards honorees reflect decades of commitment to academic excellence, community-building, and social impact. The 2025 honorees are:
• Paul J. Adams, III, Executive Chairman and Founder, Providence St. Mel School, who has led the school for 50 years and who has had 100 percent of graduating seniors accepted to colleges and universities for the last 47 consecutive years
• Bernard Clay, Executive Director and Founding Member, Introspect Youth Services, Inc., which recently celebrated 50 years of providing educational services for students grades six to 12, helping more than 50,000 students further their education
• Creasie Finney Hairston, Ph.D., Professor and Dean, Jane Addams College of Social Work, University of Illinois Chicago, who has served on the boards of national, state, local and community organizations and is well known for her pioneering work on the impact of incarceration on prisoners’ children and families
• Haki Madhubuti, MFA, Ph.D., Award Winning Poet, University Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Chicago State University, and Founder and Publisher of Third World Press, the oldest independent Black publishing house in the U.S. dedicated to promoting African-American literature
• Carol D. Lee (Safisha Madhubuti), Edwina S. Tarry Professor Emerita, School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University, who has led national and international organizations focused on education and is founder of three African-centered schools in Chicago spanning a 53-year history
• Lisa W. Rollins, Regional Development Director – Chicago Region, United Negro College Fund (UNCF), who is responsible for fundraising and cause-related marketing across 10 states; and whose innovative initiatives have helped raise millions of dollars to help deserving students get to and through college
• David Sanders, President, Malcolm X College, who led the programming, design and construction of the new $251 million institution and manages a $74M budget, nearly 15,000 students, over 900 employees, and 27 health science programs annually
“Education is not only a pathway to opportunity—it is a determinant of health,” Dew emphasized. “When communities of color face barriers to quality education, those inequities ripple into health outcomes, economic stability, and overall well-being. Advancing educational equity is essential to achieving racial and health equity.”
With a lively Caribbean theme, the 5th Annual Race & Health Equity Awards program will offer Authentic Caribbean buffet style cuisine, scrumptious hors d’oeuvres, upbeat music, colorful décor, and encourage guests to dress in festive attire.
“As we celebrate our fifth year, this event reminds us that advancing equity is not simply an aspiration—it requires unwavering commitment, collaboration, and courageous leadership,” Dew added.
For event tickets and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.habilitative.org, call (773) 854-8313 or email [email protected]. Proceeds directly support student stipends, HSI’s community health initiatives and Jamaican Hurricane relief efforts.