‘We see you; we hear you:’ Las Vegas honors Black community trailblazers

Las Vegas celebrated five Black community leaders during a jovial and reflective ceremony at City Hall Thursday morning.

Those recognized included a a businesswoman, health care field professionals, a police officer and a chaplain.

“We want to let your awardees know today that we see you, and we hear you,” said retired Clark County School District police Capt. Ken Young. “We stop today; we pause to salute you, to applaud you, to push you.”

One by one, each of the honorees in the 12th Annual African American Trailblazer Service Awards walked up to the dais to accept a glass plaque and give remarks in front of a crowd.

The trailblazers humbly thanked their God, their loved ones and their mentors.

2026 awardees

A’Esha Goins was recipient of the Business and Economic Advancement Award.

She’s the daughter of an evangelist and also has been a minister.

Goins is a policy wonk and advocate for the state’s cannabis industry. She’s the one-time founding chair of the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board.

She is currently vice president of the NAACP Las Vegas chapter. She’s affectionately known as “coach.”

“If you’re in this room today, you are a champion,” Goins said. “I stand on the shoulders of other black women who figured it out with less, and they still made a way,” she added.

She took a moment to honor Shirley Raines, a well-known advocate for the homeless community who died recently.

Jennifer Young received the Educator Award.

After a career of more than 20 years at University Medical Center, where she was a patient advocate, Young worked at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center as an administrator.

She’s currently the director of community engagement at the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV.

“It is lovely to be seen and to know that your work is valued and has an impact,” Young said.

Metropolitan Police Department officer Dwayne Henderson was honored with the Community Activism and Politics Award.

Henderson joined the police department after a stint in corrections. He said he cherishes community policing.

“My community gave a lot to me and it’s my turn to give it back,” he said. “Just because I’m receiving this award doesn’t mean that the work is over.”

Angel Lash said she had big shoes to fill after receiving the Tyrone Thompson Emerging Leader Award due to the recognition’s namesake, the late Nevada assemblymember.

She has worked in the behavioral health field for nearly 15 years, including as a therapist and court liaison for court programs, according to her biography.

Lash is currently a coordinator for a District Court diversion system.

“Leadership is not a title to me, it’s a responsibility,” she said. “I listen. I learn. I try to create spaces for others and I’m grateful people have created spaces for me.”

Quoting author John C. Maxwell, she added: “If we’re going to do this work, I hope that we’re doing it for the right reasons.”

The last recognition, the Spiritual Community Award, went to Chaplain Michael Thrower. He works within the Clark County school district police department.

He was introduced as a lifelong mentor. He is also the CEO of two nonprofits, including Adopt-A-Cop, which pairs officers with civilians who pray for them.

“The glorious thing about this moment today is that it has a lot do do with you more so than it has to do with me,” Thrower said.

‘History in the making’

Singer Kaylah Blue belted “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” most commonly known as the Black National Anthem, and poet Tara Manor recited an ode that in part stated that “you are simply history in the making.”

Councilwoman Shondra Summers-Armstrong read the names of six people whose names and images will be memorialized in the Historic Westside Legacy park, an outdoor museum that highlights the stories of the predominantly Black community.

They are: Mary Carrol; Gregory McCurdy; Bishop Bill McDonnell; Alma Faye McDonnell; Sam Roberson and Juanita Smith.

“It’s even a greater honor for me to be able to be here today and participate in this amazing ceremony where we honor our community; trailblazers and people who are really doing the work in our community,” the Ward 5 councilwoman said.

Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.