(L to R) Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, Express Kitchens’ CEO Max Kothari and friend Kurt Harrison.
Voices of Women of Color honor Hartford business owner
At its fourth annual Trailblazers Awards, the Voices of Women of Color honored Express Kitchens owner Max Kothari with its Small Business Leader award.
The ceremony, which was held at the American Legion McKinney-King Post No. Local 142, Inc. at 2121 Main Street in Hartford, recognized leaders in a host of fields, including education, social justice and politics. Proceeds from the event were donated to breast cancer survivor Marisellie Serrano, and special recognition was given to Butch Lewis, a longtime community activist who died last year.
“This is a celebration of our neighborhoods, a recognition of our ongoing struggles, and a reinforcement of our commitment to community empowerment,” said Janice Flemming, Founder of the Voices of Women of Color, a grassroots community group. “Max was unanimously selected by the Voices because of his dedication to underserved Hartford residents, either through his philanthropy or his willingness to provide opportunities to returning citizens.”
In addition to Kothari, awards were presented to April Charisse Knight (Community Service), John Motley (Education), Rep. Matt Ritter (Public Health) and Petrel Maylor (Community Service).
Based in Hartford, the Voices of Women of Color LLC (VOWOC) teaches, empowers and encourages women of color by providing them with leadership skills that lead to gainful employment opportunities and civil activism in the public and private sectors. By bringing women of color together in safe spaces, the Voices seeks to effectively break down the barriers that keep women feeling isolated, disengaged and powerless.
For more information on the Voices of Women of Color and the Trailblazers Award, please call 860-597-8881 or visit www.vowoc.org.