LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Two Louisville leaders who have dedicated their careers to making the city "a better, more inclusive place to call home" for every resident will be honored with the Keepers of the Dream Freedom Award, the city's mayor announced Monday.
Mayor Craig Greenberg will present Sen. Gerald Neal and Carolle Jones Clay with the awards during the annual Keepers of the Dream event on Sunday, Jan. 14, at the Kentucky Center downtown.
"Their efforts have changed lives, broken barriers and transformed our city, and I am so proud to honor them and their impact with the Freedom Award," Greenberg said in a news release. "I want to thank both Sen. Neal and Carolle for their commitment to the people of Louisville."
The Freedom Award is given to citizens who "best exemplify the ideals of Dr. (Martin Luther) King's vision" at the annual event, a celebration that "will honor and recognize all the outstanding citizens of Louisville who have received this honor."
"I am deeply humbled to be a recipient of this year's Freedom Award," Neal, D-District 33 said in a statement. "It stands as a testament to the resilience and enduring spirit of our community in the pursuit of justice and equality. As we honor Dr. King's vision, let us reaffirm our dedication to building bridges of understanding and compassion in our society."
Neal became the first African American man elected to the Kentucky State Senate in 1989 and has served Jefferson County for more than 30 years as a voice for minorities, senior citizens and underserved communities. He currently serves as the Minority Floor Leader.
In his time in office, Neal has sponsored legislation such as amending the state's constitution to remove segregation by race, and legislation creating the KCHIP Program, which covers uninsured children and expands Medicaid coverage. He was inducted into the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame in 2001.
Jones Clay is the senior vice president and managing director of Community Relations for Republic Bank, where she has worked since 1998. She has also served as the president of the Republic Bank Foundation since February 2020.
"I am so honored to be counted amongst the current and past recipients of the Mayor's Keepers of the Dream Award," Jones Clay said in a statement. "Our young citizens need to witness the love, hope and joy that can come from hard work and perseverance. My goal is to help show them the way to that path, as Dr. King did for me."
Jones Clay is credited with the bank's "community relations and philanthropy efforts" and oversees its Special Events Department. She also serves on several local boards, including the Kentucky Performing Arts Foundation, Louisville Downtown Partnership, Louisville Depression Center Advisory Council, Kentucky Historical Society Foundation and the Kentucky Derby Festival.
Organizers said this year's Keepers of the Dream event will highlight Black Joy, and include performances by the River City Drum Corp, The Real Young Prodigys, and more. The event is free and open to the public, with free parking in the Kentucky Center Garage.
The Freedom Award has been given every year except 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, since 1988.
Past Freedom Award recipients include former Louisville basketball star Junior Bridgeman, WAVE 3 News anchor Dawn Gee, Louisville civil rights activist Mattie Jones, and former Jefferson County Board of Education Chair Diane Porter.
For more information about this year's Keepers of the Dream event and to look at past Freedom Award recipients, click here.
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- Mattie Jones honored with 2020 Mayor's Freedom Award
- Civil rights activist Mattie Jones to be honored with 2020 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Award
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