Dr. Tanya Maloney, an associate professor of education in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Montclair State University, delivered the keynote address. She traced the history progress and loss in terms of justice, asking the audience, “How will you push the pendulum toward justice?”
NJEA honors advocates at NJEA MLK Jr. Human and Civil Rights Celebration
Seven individuals were honored at the 51st annual NJEA Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights Celebration for their leadership in equity and justice: Dr. Dakashna Lang, Dr. Willa Cofield, Melissa Tomlinson, Linda Miller, Ashton Burrell, Margarita Diakos and Patricia Tweedle. The event was held in Cinnaminson, Burlington County on Jan. 18.
The awards were conferred by the six NJEA committees that comprise the NJEA Equity Alliance: the Human and Civil Rights Committee, the Minority Leadership and Recruitment Committee, the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Committee, the Urban Education Committee, the Women in Education Committee and the Exceptional Children Committee.
Student Kailan Cass of NJ Poetry Out Loud delivers a spoken word performance.
Dr. Dakashna Lang, an educator in Livingston, was the recipient of the Dr. Judith Owens Spirit Award, which was presented by the NJEA Minority Leadership and Recruitment (MLR) Committee. From left: NJEA Secretary-Treasurer Petal Robertson, NJEA President Sean M. Spiller, Dr. Dakashna Lang, NJEA MLR Committee Chair Dr. Tiffanie ThrBak and NJEA Vice President Steve Beatty.
Dr. Willa Cofield was the recipient of the Elizabeth A. Allen Women in Education Award. A former North Carolina educator, Cofield worked in the New Jersey Department of Education Office of Equal Educational Opportunity for 17 years. There, she guided school districts in the implementation of state and federal equity laws. From left: NJEA Secretary-Treasurer Petal Robertson, NJEA Women in Education Committee Chair Lisa Veit, Dr. Willa Cofield, NJEA President Sean M. Spiller and NJEA Vice President Steve Beatty.
Melissa Tomlinson, a special education teacher at Buena Regional Middle School, vice president of the Atlantic County Council of Education Associations (ACCEA), and co-founder of the Atlantic County Queer Alliance, was the recipient of the NJEA Equality Champion Award. From left: NJEA Secretary-Treasurer Petal Robertson, NJEA President Sean M. Spiller, Melissa Tomlinson, NJEA Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Committee Chair Chris Cannella and NJEA Vice President Steve Beatty.
Linda Miller, a speech-language specialist in Jersey City Public Schools and advocate for Deaf and hard of hearing persons, was the recipient of the NJEA Urban Educator Activist Award. From left: Hudson County EA President Marquisha Reynolds, NJEA Secretary-Treasurer Petal Robertson, NJEA President Sean M. Spiller, Linda Miller, Urban Education Committee Chair Todd Pipkin and NJEA Vice President Steve Beatty.
Ashton Burrell, the youngest chairperson of the New Jersey State Human Relations Council and a member of the NAACP New Brunswick Branch Executive Board and chairperson of the Highland Park Human Relations Commission, was the recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Human and Civil Rights Award. From left: NJEA Secretary-Treasurer Petal Robertson, NJEA President Sean M. Spiller, Ashton Burrell, NJEA Human and Civil Rights Committee Chair Fayette Weatherington and NJEA Vice President Steve Beatty.
Patricia Tweedle, creator the Atlantic County nonprofit Connecting the Dots, which raises awareness around advocacy for individuals with exceptionalities, was one of two recipients of the Marie Blistan Advocacy Award. From left: NJEA Secretary-Treasurer Petal Robertson, NJEA President Sean M. Spiller, Patricia Tweedle, NJEA Exceptional Children Committee Chair Tomeka Sanderlin and NJEA Vice President Steve Beatty.
Margarita Diakos, a special education teacher at Ramsey High School, the Bergen County 2024-25 Teacher of the Year, and coordinator of the Ramsey High School Student Transition Education Program (STEP) for neurodiverse young adults aged 18 to 21, was one of two recipients of the Marie Blistan Advocacy Award. Diakos was unable to attend the conference, but attendees met her through her prerecorded remarks.
