Gateway Technical College has named Tamarra Coleman, James Kinchen as well as Scott Terry and his Mahogany Gallery and Cultural Center as this year’s Gateway Technical College Dr. King Humanitarians, recognizing them for their contributions to society, their school, business or profession, as well as their dedication to volunteerism or philanthropic life’s work.
The three will be honored at the college’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration held at noon, Jan. 16, at Haribo Hall in the Madrigrano Conference Center on the college’s Kenosha Campus, 3520-30th Ave.
Elizabeth Rosiles-Zavala, Gateway director of Hispanic Student Programming, will keynote this year’s event.
Tamarra Coleman is the executive director of the Shalom Center in Kenosha. She also serves as board chairperson for the Kenosha County Health Center/Pillar Health, board member of the Kenosha Area Business Alliance and board member for Building Our Future, among other groups that provide services for the underserved in Kenosha County. Coleman has also secured grants and services for the underserved in the county.
Coleman’s nominator says, “Tamarra Coleman is a powerhouse in the Kenosha community … I see her at many functions throughout the week, working tirelessly to advance the needs of the most vulnerable parts of our community.
“She is kind and warm to everyone I have ever seen her with. She said something to me that has always stuck with me: ‘The people we work for are in need. They are not needy.’”
James Kinchen is a music professor at UW-Parkside, where he also serves as director of Choral Activities. He is a highly respected, longtime music educator who has garnered several awards. He is well-known in the community for bringing people together through music. He most recently received the prestigious Morris D. Hayes Award from the Wisconsin Choral Directors Association for his exceptional contribution to choral art.
Kinchen’s nominator says: “Dr. Kinchen is highly respected at UW-Parkside, in the community as well as throughout the state. He demonstrates selfless, distinguished service through his many, many rehearsals with all of his choirs. Dr. Kinchen is an excellent role model, as he is a proponent of nonviolence. It is evident in his walk and his talk – he walks the walk and talks the talk.”
Scott Terry owns Mahogany Gallery and created the Black Arts Culture Center. The gallery is a commercial fine arts gallery, and the culture center is Racine County’s first African American history museum, which preserves, exhibits and researches African-American contributions to the county.
Mahogany Gallery’s nominator said “Mahogany Gallery provides exemplary service through its emphasis on nonviolence as portrayed in art pieces at the gallery. In addition, Dr. King's spirit and philosophy are included in the interviews with the artists.
“The owner of Mahogany Gallery and Art Space, Scott Terry, is an advocate for nonviolence, and is always in the forefront speaking up for nonviolence at various community functions.”
Gateway’s Dr. King event will be in-person but will also be live streamed on the college’s website, www.gtc.edu, the day of the event.
