ROBBINS MAYOR RECEIVES MLK AWARD FOR POLITICAL LEADERSHIP

(from left) Spirit of Excellence Awards honorees Cassandra Holbert, L. Maria Asad, Lynette Stokes, the Rev. Stanley Watkins, and Robbins Mayor Tyrone Ward, were joined at a Jan. 20, 2020 Dr. Martin L. King Jr. event by (center) former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and the Rev. Carl White Jr. Photo credit: By Wendell Hutson
(from left) Spirit of Excellence Awards honorees Cassandra Holbert, L. Maria Asad, Lynette Stokes, the Rev. Stanley Watkins, and Robbins Mayor Tyrone Ward, were joined at a Jan. 20, 2020 Dr. Martin L. King Jr. event by (center) former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and the Rev. Carl White Jr. Photo credit: By Wendell Hutson

Robbins Mayor Receives MLK Award for Political Leadership

BY WENDELL HUTSON, Contributing Writer

This year’s Spirit of Excellence Awards honored five individuals for their community service work including Robbins Mayor Tyrone Ward.

New Mount Olive Baptist Church in Harvey hosted the Jan. 20 event on the same day the country honored the legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin L. King Jr. And former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., who represented the 2nd congressional district in Washington, D.C. from 1995 to 2012, was the keynote speaker.

Joining Ward as a Spirit of Excellence recipient were L. Marie Asad, health care; the Rev. Stanley Watkins, community advocacy; Cassandra Holbert, financial; and Lynette Stokes, education, who is also the first black, president of South Suburban College in South Holland. Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin (1st Dist.) gave the opening prayer followed by remarks by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle who discussed the upcoming census.

But before the awards were presented, Jackson delivered a passionate, 30-minute speech where he talked about the life of King and how his own political and personal struggles resembled those of the late civil rights leader.

“One of the highest celebratory moments annually in the African American community is Dr. King Day,” said Jackson. Not only is it a day we should be proud of, it’s also a day, “we should remember how far we have come as people of color,” he said. “Dr. King was a man of honor, a man with a soul and a man with love for everyone. It is how we should all try to live our lives each and every day.”

The longtime congressman, whose former district included much of the southlands, said since being released from prison in 2015 for felony fraud he has a new outlook on life.

“Over the course of the last several years, I have developed a new appreciation for what it means to be a judge and my new profound and deep appreciation for all of you (judges) who have to make decisions on people’s lives,” Jackson said after receiving a standing ovation from a crowd of 100 people.

Ward, who received the Political Leadership award, said it was an honor to be recognized for work he loves to do.

“To be chosen for this award is gratifying and humble at the same time because it tells me I am doing a good job and that I am making a difference in the lives of others, just as Dr. King would have wanted us all to do,” Ward told the Citizen. “At the end of the day, it’s not about me, but about all of us helping one another.”

Had King lived today, he would be 91-years-old. “I think he [King] would have appreciated the strides we have made in the southlands, but he would also say we have a lot of work to do,” added Ward, who also serves as president of the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association. “There are things that we know are not right and we have got to fix that by working together.”

Historically, Robbins has been known for a lack of economic development and high unemployment. But Ward said the south suburban village has made a lot of improvements and under his leadership will continue to do so.

According to Ward, Robbins has decreased crime in a “massive matter” by restructuring the police department to have more roll calls in the streets instead of at police headquarters.

“Public safety is a priority in Robbins and that’s why our crime is down across the board. We had one homicide in 2019 and that’s unheard of for Robbins,” said Ward.

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