Today, Dr. Vivian Nix-Early, Philadelphia-born native daughter, was honored with the Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune award by the Philadelphia Section of the National Council of Negro Women, Inc. Each year the NCNW selects a woman whose life style, accomplishments and contributions to society resembles that of its founder, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune.

Dr. Nix-Early is Co-founder of BuildaBridge International, an arts-based education and intervention charity that brings hope and healing through art to the most vulnerable children and communities in Philadelphia and internationally. For the past ten years she has volunteered countless hours in nurturing the organzation as Chief Operations Officer and co-leading trips of youth around the world. Her day job is Dean of the Campolo College School for Social Change, Eastern University.

Mary McLeod Bethune, founder of what became Bethune-Cookman College, was a woman of great strength, talent and vision. Overcoming an environment of savage racism in her home south to pursue her own education

, Mary persisted to become a champion for the education of African-American men and especially African American girls and women. A woman of enduring faith, Mary served during her 80 years of life as a teacher, school founder and administrator, seminarian, urban missionary, public servant, social worker, wife, mother, manager, musician, champion for social justice and suffrage, life insurance salespersons, entrepreneur, government official, US Presidential appointee and advisor, head of many national councils, the first African-American woman to become a federal agency head, and of course, the first president of the National Council of Negro Women.

The annual Founder's Day Luncheon to honor Dr. Nix-Early took place on Saturday December 15, 12 noon at the Hilton Hotel, 4200 City Line Avenue, Philadelphia. Congratulations.