Contributed by BLK
The BLK Gala at The 21C Museum Hotel Cincinnati at 609 Walnut Street Downtown Cincinnati held its night of celebration.
The BLK gala is a night of celebration as community members, stakeholders, and leaders came together to remember our past and create our future.
This annual event occurred during Black History Month (February) in honor our region’s history makers, heroes and creatives that have shaped Black culture.
The BLK Gala is not only a night where we come together to highlight our honorees, but most importantly provide light for our youth. The theme for the night is “Past, Present, & Future” Each honoree being honored has played a role in shaping the culture of Greater Cincinnati and the community. The honorees for the night were Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney (Cincinnati Herald), Candice Matthews-Brackeen (Lightship Foundation/Black Tech Week), Ricardo Grant (Paloozanoire), and Kick Lee (Cincinnati Music Accelerator).
Joey Cromwell, founder of BLK Foundation and Gala, with his wife Rasheda, Chair of the BLK Gala. Photo provided by BLK 
Klarke Griffith. Photo provided by BLK 
Photo provided by BLK 
Kristin Goins (far left) and Kelsey Goins (second from right) with friends. Photo provided by BLK 
Danielle Jones and Tim Booker. Photo provided by BLK 
Bria Hawkins (center) with friends. Photo provided by BLK 
Photo provided by BLK 
From left to right: Stephen Bale, Joey Cromwell, founder of BLK Foundation and Gala, and James Marable. Photo provided by BLK 
Photo provided by BLK 
Damon Jones, P&G Chief Communications Officer. Photo provided by BLK
This night was not only a night of celebration and honoring some of our hometown heroes, but it was also a night where BLK raises money for the BLK Scholarship Award, which was gifted to an outstanding student athlete of the year.
“Putting together this event has been a dream of mine for the past two years as I feel like not only does it celebrate Black History Month, but it also gives those in our community their flowers,” said BLK founder and organizer Joey Cromwell. “There are a lot of people doing positive things in our communities, and I am thrilled to be able to recognize them. In the years to come, I hope to grow this event into a larger platform as well as raise money for more student athletes in our community.
“With that being said, The BLK Foundation will work to have quarterly functions to help our community, because, in our eyes, every month is Black History Month.”