Annie Wright Schools in Tacoma announced that Alicia Mathurin, Director of Community Engagement, has been selected to receive the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Lifetime Service Award by Tacoma’s City Events and Recognitions Committee.
In their selection, the committee said that Mathurin has received this prestigious award by “honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy in two ways: Creating a space for people of color – specifically women – to gather and talk about racial issues and social justice; and also by being a co-founder of the Tacoma Community Market where vendors of color are showcased and can be celebrated. Those two contributions, as well as her leadership role at Annie Wright, means that she is a pillar of our community as well as a catalyst for new ways of teaching students about diversity.”
“This honor reflects Alicia’s caring, determined and community-centered spirit,” shared Jake Guadnola, Head of Annie Wright Schools. “She lifts people and voices both here at AWS and across Tacoma. We are incredibly proud of Alicia!”
Mathurin first joined Annie Wright Schools as a parent in 2012, then as the Middle School Office Coordinator in 2015, and was later promoted to the Director of Auxiliary Programs in 2019. After her service in the Marine Corps in 2005, Alicia began working with youth, providing resources and auxiliary programs to underserved students locally. A Tacoma native, Alicia has a passion for community and providing quality educational, recreational and social programs for youth.
The City of Tacoma will present the award to Mathurin at a virtual celebration on Mon., Jan. 18, 2021 at 8:00 pm. The event will highlight the present and the future of Dr. King’s impacts on the community and will feature local performers and speakers. The program can be viewed via live-stream on Facebook , and will also premiere on TV Tacoma which is carried on both the Click! (via Rainier Connect) and Comcast Cable systems. The event will continue to be televised throughout January.
