BHM: A Night of Celebration: Honoring Local Heroes of Black Resistance

Meet the six people who will be honored

Six people who have been champions for equality, inclusion and anti-racism initiatives will be honored Feb. 22 during the K. Leroy Irvis Black History Month celebration at the University of Pittsburgh.

The event is free and open to the public, but registration in advance is requested. Light refreshments will be served.

The honorees, and the categories, are:

• Val Chavis, “Unsung Hero”: Chavis is the service and outreach coordinator and early childhood community collaborative coordinator in Pitt’s Center for Parents & Children. She came to Pitt after nearly two decades of working at regional social service agencies and has helped to lead the University’s efforts to connect families with resources and programs around the region. Chavis’ knowledge of the Pittsburgh social-services ecosystem benefits both residents as well as providers.
• Ron Idoko, “Social Justice Advocate”: Idoko is the driving force behind the University’s annual Diversity Forum and led the creation of the Racial Equity Consciousness Series. In 2020, after COVID-19 forced the cancellation of in-person events, Idoko helped move anti-racism programming onto virtual platforms. Today, he serves as associate director for the Center on Race & Social Problems and assistant research professor in the School of Social Work.
• Selam Mekbeb-Gillett, “Campus Leader”: A junior majoring in psychology, Mekbeb-Gillett has emerged as a key advocate for Black students at Pitt. Shortly after arriving on campus, Mekbeb-Gillett began interning for the Black Action Society and rose to executive secretary and vice president. Mekbeb-Gillett also takes direct action to correct injustice and inequality. Her research into implicit biases in psychology courses earned her the Research Fair Dean’s Award from the David C. Frederick Honors College.
• John Moon, “Creative Changemaker”: As one of the original paramedics for Pittsburgh’s history-making Freedom House Ambulance Service, Moon helped change the face of emergency medical care across the United States. Later, as assistant chief of Pittsburgh EMS, Moon pushed the city to recruit and train additional Black paramedics and emergency medical technicians to better reflect the population being served.
• Yvette Moore, “Inspiring Leadership”: The director of the Pitt EXCEL Program in the Swanson School of Engineering, Moore oversees a comprehensive effort to recruit, retain and develop undergraduate talent and make sure that Black, women and minority students complete their degrees. Over the past 16 years, Moore has personally mentored scores of students, including those who faced great personal and professional obstacles, and continues to serve as a connection to Pitt for many alumni after they leave campus.
• Chenits Pettigrew Jr., “Aspiring Ally”: Since being named the assistant dean for student affairs at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 2006, Chenits Pettigrew Jr. has become one of the community’s staunchest advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion in medical education. His efforts helped launch the careers of many young Black physicians, and through his leadership in policymaking, he has been a force for positive change within the School of Medicine.

Emmy-winning filmmaker Jumoke Davis, a Pitt alumnus who now works as the University’s director of video production, will debut a short video on the topic of Black resistance, and “hip-hop educator” Spencer Scott will provide entertainment.

In addition, artifacts from the August Wilson Archive at the University of Pittsburgh Library System will be displayed.