CCI Antiracism Leadership Awards

The Community Change Antiracism Leadership Awards Celebration is an event held annually in November. The event grew out of an expansion of the Drylongso Awards Celebration which CCI has hosted since 1989. The first CCI Leadership Awards Celebration was held on November 10, 2009.

Leadership Awards honor the work of individuals

Drylongso Award

"Ordinary people doing extraordinary work against racism"

Established in 1989, the Drylongso Awards honor ordinary people doing extraordinary anti-racism work in Greater Boston. The Drylongso Awards are inspired by the book Drylongso: A Self-Portrait of Black America. In that book, anthropologist John Langston Gwaltney details the daily struggles of Drylongso, or ordinary African Americans fighting racism.

For the first time in four years, we are returning to an in-person celebration. This year we are honoring Black Women in Leadership. The event will be on June 9th at Garage B from 6:30 - 9:30 pm.

Please check back for information on our awardees, how to purchase tickets, sponsorship, and our silent auction.

2023 recipients of the Drylongso Awards:

  • Rev. Manikka Bowman
  • Councilor Kendra Lara
  • Mayor Kim Janey
  • Lavette Coney
  • Dr. Lillie Albert,
  • Rev. Irene Monroe
  • Sashi James
  • Resources for Organizing & Social Change (ROSC)