Ronald Davis Presented CT NAACP President’s Award; Watson, Sanchez, Hayes and Nixon-Moore Named 100 Most Influential Blacks

The Connecticut NAACP held its annual awards ceremonies honoring its 2024 Most Influential Blacks in Connecticut on Saturday evening.

At the ceremonies, special honors were presented to the New Britain NAACP’s longtime President Ronald P. Davis. Scot X. Esdaile, President of the Connecticut NAACP, presented Davis with the Connecticut NAACP’s President’s Award for his twenty-five years of services to the Connecticut NAACP.

Davis’ daughter, Tishara Watson of New Britain, was also honored in the ceremonies. Watson was named one of the 100 Most Influential Blacks in Connecticut for her work as Program Director of Girls Inc. of Central Connecticut.

New Britain State Representative Emmanuel Sanchez (D-24) was named one of the 100 Most Influential Blacks in Connecticut, as well. Sanchez represents the Twenty-Fourth Assembly District in the State House of Representatives, and is the chair of the legislature’s Labor and Public Employees Committee. Sanchez as previously a member of the City Council.

Sanchez has been working recently on legislation concerning paid sick leave for workers, a property tax exemption for veterans with a service-connected permanent and total disability rating, health care access and student loans for health care workers.

Tracy L. Nixon-Moore of New Britain was also honored as one of the 100 Most Influential Blacks in Connecticut. Nixon-Moore is Workplace Culture and DEI Officer at General Dynamics Electric Boat. She has also served as President of the Board of Directors for the YWCA of New Britain and Vice President of Queen Anne Nzinga Center.

United States Representative Jahana Hayes (D-5) was also named one of the 100 Most Influential Blacks in Connecticut. Congresswoman Hayes represents New Britain and other cities and towns in the U.S. House of Representatives. Hayes’ biography says that she, “was elected in November 2018, making her the first African-American woman to ever represent the state of Connecticut in Congress.”

A teacher for 15 years, Hayes says that her legislative work includes, “equitable access to quality education, affordable health care, labor, agriculture, and veterans issues.”

The 2024 Most Influential Blacks in Connecticut event was held at Foxwoods Resort and Casino.

The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), “is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.”

Editor’s note: The article was edited to make corrections.