Crowds rose and tears fell at the 2023 Office of Diversity and Inclusion Hall of Fame awards for four pioneers of justice from Ohio State's community.
William J. Holloway, EdD; Minnie M. McGee, MA; Rhonda R. Rivera, JD; and The Honorable Charleta B. Tavares all received the honor and were joined or represented by their families. Tracy Townsend, 10TV anchor and an Ohio State alumna, and interim Vice Provost for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion Yolanda Zepeda led the ceremony to recognize each honoree's impact. “I believe with all my heart that in this life, all of us stand on the shoulders of giants—in our families, in our communities, and in our workplaces. Our four honorees tonight…are each towering figures in their own right,” Zepeda said. “They all have more in common than just being a part of the 2023 class of inductees. All of our honorees have worked within entrenched public institutions to create lasting change.”
Two spoken word artists — Javier Sanchez and Karen Marie — gave insight into each honoree along with videos from those who saw and praised their efforts. Sanchez, who has a personal relationship with both Tavares and McGee spoke to their influence. “We see you and we recognize your value, and we're thankful that you have created ripples of hope that will continue to continue to continue to continue,” Sanchez performed. Karen Marie, in speaking of Holloway and Rivera and their contributions, said, “Both knew the value of strategy, community, relationship, love, giving back, and family; bloodline or chosen. We honor your contributions here. We will carry the torch.”
McGee was the first to be honored as she joined her daughter, Buffy Patterson, on the stage. Among many achievements, McGee began a program to support minority students in the College of Engineering during her four-decade career at the university, and engineering students still feel the impact of her work. Patterson spoke to her mother's legacy and how when McGee earned her bachelor's degree, she was unable to become the engineer she wished to be. Instead, she made this possible for every student who came through her door. She ended the speech sharing words McGee lives by: To whom much is given, much is required. “I can stand next to her as a grown woman today and say that whatever my mother has been given, she has multiplied it 100,000-fold,” Patterson said.
Tavares — who served in the Ohio Legislature and on Columbus City Council before becoming a non-profit health care leader — was the second to be honored. She attended Ohio State as an undergraduate, and her legacy lives on in students studying to pick up where her work left off. Her commitment to increase access to health care for vulnerable and underserved populations was emphasized during her acceptance speech. “Those of us who are in a position to make some changes, we have to focus in on what is right, what is just, what is equitable, and what is fair,” Tavares said. “And I want each and every one of you to think about that. Each and every day when you go into your place of work, worship, or school. We've got to keep asking ourselves if we're doing what is right, fair, and just.”
Holloway was honored posthumously for his work starting what would become the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. His granddaughter, Bever-leigh Holloway accepted the award on his behalf, an alumna of Ohio State who saw her grandfather's impact firsthand. One video from a former colleague attributed much of the diversity seen on campus today to the work of Holloway and his constant efforts to support underrepresented students. Those efforts live on through his family: “I know if Dr. Holloway was here today and you were to ask him what he would be the most proud of, he would probably say his children…and this honor would probably be a close second,” his granddaughter said.
Rivera was the last to receive the award but had the crowd rise for the fourth time as she took the stage to celebrate her lasting work for the queer community in Columbus and beyond. She is a pioneering legal scholar and professor emeritus of Ohio State, who advocated for LGBTQ+ communities even without support from the university or her colleagues. She spoke of the lasting impact of the advocacy group she created that still stands today and what she learned fighting through the AIDS epidemic. “Being gay, you have to understand what people go through and how important compassion is,” Rivera said. “If there is one thing I think is important in human beings and in this world, it's compassion.”
Senior Vice Provost for Inclusive Excellence Wendy Smooth reiterated the honorees' legacies and how, as the university moves forward in creating a space for all, they must look back to the work of the four inductees. “The work we can do to build a more inclusive Ohio State will come forth when we are working together to co-create a university where all [belong],” Smooth said. “When I think of great partners that we need and the days ahead, I think of our honorees and what they have brought to the university over the years.”