FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2007 MLK Citizenship Award
presented to Mary Blackstone-Ross
Contact: Bobby
Clark
Greenville, SC --- The Gamma Gamma Lambda
Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., awarded the
2002 Martin Luther King, Jr. Citizenship Award to Mrs.
Lillian Brock Flemming of Greenville S.C. The award was
one of the highlights of the 2007 MLK Scholarship Gala
held on January 15, 2007 at the Greenville Hilton. The
Gala featured a terrific performance by the Phillis Wheatley
Threatre under the direction of Mr. Dwight Woods.
Mary Blackstone-Ross relocated to Greenville in 1994,
assuming the position of Deputy Director for the Greenville
Housing Authority and was named Executive Director in
1998. She holds a Masters Degree in Urban and Regional
Planning in Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization from
the University of Illinois and a Bachelor of Arts from
Upsala College.
She has worked in the public sector for 25 years. Her
professional background includes college administration,
housing development, construction, rehabilitation, management,
and administrative operations. She has 15 years experience
in positions of executive leadership.
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Ms.
Blackstone-Ross accepts the MLK Citizenship Award from
Bros. Simmons and Weston.
MLK
Scholarship was extremely success and raise funds for
our Luke Chatman Scholarship
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Mary Blackstone-Ross is an active member of the National Association
of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, The United Way Community
Impact System: Strengthening Families & Neighborhoods Council,
Affordable Housing Task Force, The Greenville Transit Authority
Community Advisory Board, Shady Oak Baptist Church, Family Friendly
City Task Force and the Carolinas Council of Housing, Redevelopment
and Codes Officials serving as Co-chair of the Awards Committee.
She is an avid supporter and advocate for programs of self-reliance
for women and children.
As the Executive Director of the Greenville Housing Authority,
Ms. Blackstone-Ross led the charge for a HOPE VI grant in 1999
for the Woodland and Pearce communities, replacing distressed
public housing with new rental apartments and single family homes.
This effort resulted in the redevelopment of Arcadia Hills which
opened in early 2003. In 2005, under her direction, another HOPE
VI grant was submitted and approved which will allow for similar
development of a mixed-income community in the Jesse Jackson
Town homes area.
Previous winners of the MLK Citizenship Awards include Ralph
Anderson, Annie Maw Austin, Lila Brock, Rev. S.C. Cureton, Richard
Kerns, Roger Owens, Judge Willie T. Smith, Dr. Rudolph Gordon,
Ernest Irby and Fred Bostic.
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., is the nation's first Greek-letter
fraternity established by African-American college students established
on December 4, 1906 on the campus of Cornell University. There
are more than 700 chapters worldwide with over 100,000 members.
Gamma Gamma Lambda Chapter is the local chapter of Alpha Phi
Alpha in Greenville, SC, established on August 24, 1941.
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Previous winners of
the MLK Scholarship Gala Citizenship Award
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