The 40th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Planning Committee is proud to announce the 2025 Unsung Hero Award winners: Andrea-Rose Oates ’26, James K. Duah-Agyeman G’99, Student Coalition on Race and Equity (SCORE), Laurence Segal and Jamie Jackson (posthumously).
The Unsung Hero Award is given to community members, students, faculty and staff who have made a positive impact on the lives of others but are not widely recognized for their contributions. The awards were created to honor Dr. King’s vision of creating positive change in a troubled world.
The award winners will be recognized at the 40th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration on Sunday, Jan. 26, featuring keynote speaker Sarah Willie-LeBreton, president of Smith College.
The Unsung Heroes are:
Andrea-Rose Oates ’26 (Syracuse University student)
Oates, a public relations major in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and policy studies major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and College of Arts and Sciences, has dedicated her life to community service, leadership and social justice. She is the president and founder of “Girlz Rize,” a nonprofit initiative focused on fighting for girls’ education opportunities.
Through her work last summer with NBCUniversal, Oates amplified underrepresented voices by highlighting community challenges and successes. Her summer internships with Comcast and Hilco Redevelopment Partners demonstrated her ability to translate corporate resources into meaningful community outreach.
Oates’ leadership roles at Syracuse have included serving as president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s Iota Upsilon chapter; co-secretary for the Black Student Union; events chair for the Women in Communications Club; a member of the Newhouse Student Representative Committee and an account associate for Hill Communications. She is dedicated to fostering inclusive, collaborative spaces that inspire academic and social growth and sustainable, generational change.
“Andrea-Rose doesn’t merely identify problems; she acts, empowering others to take part in solutions,” says nominator Diya Gupta. “Her actions reflect Dr. King’s enduring call to serve others and create a world where equity and justice prevail.”
James Duah-Agyeman G’99 (Syracuse University Faculty/Staff)
Duah-Agyeman, former director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs and special advisor to the Men of Color Initiative, has a 38-year record of achievement at Syracuse University—as a graduate student, teacher, academic counselor, administrator and leader.
“There are many who talk the talk of service, inclusion and integrity, but in the context of engagement with the world, Dr. D has walked the walk again and again,” says nominator Barry L. Wells. “In the process, he has set a powerful example for students, faculty, staff, and community members in how one person can make a significant difference in the development and expansion of a community that values service and inclusion.”
Duah-Agyeman most recently led Multicultural Affairs in developing programs to advance inclusion on the SU campus by creating best-in-class programs like the WellsLink Leadership Program; Dimensions, a peer mentoring program for women of color; and the Men of Color Initiative. He was instrumental in piloting and introducing the Conversations About Race and Ethnicity (C.A.R.E.) intergroup dialogue programs on campus. He also advocated for inclusion through his community work with Interfaith Works of Central New York and the Ghana Society of CNY.
Student Coalition on Race and Equity (SCORE) (Youth Community Organization)
The Student Coalition on Race and Equity (SCORE) was launched in 2020, after the murder of George Floyd. SCORE harnesses the talent and leadership skills of high school students across Onondaga County to combat oppression and foster equity. It empowers youth, known as SCORE leaders, to educate adults on topics related to race and equity, sharing insights from their unique perspectives as young people.
After completing five weeks of training in equity-based topics and being equipped with the skills necessary to facilitate interactive workshops, SCORE Leaders take on the role of educators, leading workshop sessions for community stakeholders each August. SCORE has provided workshops on implicit bias and Black history to almost 3,000 community members.
“SCORE is a powerful program that not only centers and draws from the creativity and expertise of youth, but it also engages youth in meaningfully powerful professional experience,” says nominator Jenny Dombroske. “Our community is fortunate to have this access to the insights of youth and the opportunity to learn some of the hardest lessons from them, so that we may contribute to the future that they want for themselves.”
Laurence Segal (Community Member)
Segal quietly fights every single day for cancer patients, people experiencing homelessness, the downtrodden and people the rest of society cast aside, says his brother and nominator, Andrew Segal.
Laurence has been known to stop his car and help stranded motorists, using his own AAA card to help them. Through his organization, Bottles for a Cure, he has returned millions of bottles and cans for cancer patients and research and pulled millions of pop tabs for the Ronald McDonald House of CNY. He hosts multiple blood drives every month that impact thousands of people, and he constantly strives to make the world a better place.
This summer, Segal cleaned up trash on city streets and passed out hot meals, cold drinks, sanitizers, masks and first aid kits to the homeless. He has spent countless hours with cancer patients holding their hands while they go through chemotherapy, radiation and long hospital stays.
“He makes a difference constantly, but just chooses to keep it silent,” Andrew Segal says. “He is the gem of our family, and a gem in CNY.”
Jamie Jackson (Special Posthumous Recognition)
Jackson, a longtime employee with Syracuse University’s Parking and Transportation Services, was in a unique position to connect with almost every person on campus for over 20 years. He was assigned to the Quad lot outside Hendricks Chapel, where he offered assistance to campus visitors and befriended many members of the campus community. Jackson passed away unexpectedly in September 2024.
He was a graduate of Onondaga Community College and a U.S. Navy and U.S. Army veteran. In his obituary, he was remembered as a “wonderful son, beloved husband, fantastic father, a devoted veteran, terrific brother, great friend, kind uncle, good outdoorsman, strong record keeper and avid sports fan.”
Dara Harper, communications director at Hendricks Chapel, got to know Jackson well.
“In my opinion, Jamie’s role on campus was utterly unsung. He, a veteran, a dad, a confidante, a judge, a quiet and constant friend, touched every person on campus,” she says. “To tell you that he was the parking attendant limits his story to a singular piece of who he was. And for many of us, he is still just right outside.”
Jackson’s loss is felt every day on the University campus. “Jamie embodied the kindness, fortitude and patience that we all should strive for in this world,” says Harper. “He was a GOOD man, which is just the simplest way of saying that he was a hero.”