Community activist Saundra Green has been selected as the inaugural recipient of the Volunteer Arlington’s “Beloved Community Award.”
Green will be presented with the accolade during Volunteer Arlington’s sixth annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service event on Jan. 16.
“Saundra Green is an example to us all,” said Lisa Fikes, president and CEO of the Leadership Center for Excellence. “We are honored to celebrate Green’s spirit and commitment to Dr. King’s dreams while also inspiring future generations to follow her lead in working toward building a beloved community.”
In 1969, just one year after his assassination, Green established the Arlington County tribute to Dr. King, which predates nearly all other remembrance celebrations.
During a lengthy career with the Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation, Green initiated food drives, organized teen clubs, mobilized residents to speak up in the face of injustice, and created programs including the Arlington Youth Street Theatre, Junior Jamboree and the Miss Black Teenage Arlington pageant.
Green also championed many projects, including the Powhatan Springs Skate Park, the preservation of High View Parkand the creation of a playground in tribute to Fire Station #8. She continues to serve the community through her work on area committees and with the Arlington government’s historic-preservation program.
Local residents can learn more about the MLK Day of Service and sign up to volunteer at volunteer.leadercenter.org/mlk. There are opportunities to volunteer both in person and virtually.