Charles Ansbacher Award
The Charles Ansbacher Award for Culture and Community honors the memory of Maestro Charles Ansbacher, who was named the “unofficial ambassador of America’s music” by President Bill Clinton. This award honors an individual who exemplifies community involvement by addressing the needs of underserved areas of culture and society.
Byron Rushing is being honored for advocating policies that preserve the history and promote the rights of our society’s most disadvantaged populations, including the African-American and LGBT communities.
The Honorable Byron Rushing is the second recipient of the Charles Ansbacher Award for Culture and Community. The award is in recognition of his appreciation for culture and active engagement in the community. Rushing first became interested in community engagement in the 1960s when he was an influential participant in the Civil Rights Movement, working with local Congress on Racial Equality (CORE) chapters on voter education campaigns in Boston and New York.
From 1972 to 1985, Rushing was the President of the Museum of African-American history in Boston, where he helped empower Massachusetts’ African-American population through public education and the preservation of culturally important historical sites.
Since 1982, Rushing has served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from the 9th Suffolk District and is presently the Majority Whip. One of the most senior members of the House, he has fought for expanded rights for minorities, women, and the LGBT community. For his admirable actions as both a politician and community leader, we are proud to present, with endorsement by Swanee Hunt, the Charles Ansbacher Memorial Award to Byron Rushing, a man who embodies the spirit of both culture and equity of the award’s namesake.
In 1991, Susan Rodgerson took the principles learned from making collaborative paintings from Boston's diverse communities and turned it into what is now known as Artists for Humanity (AFH), a nationally recognized arts organization. The premise that drives this organization is that skills equals power and opportunity. AFH is a four year paid apprenticeship program where teens and artists from a range of commercial and fine arts backgrounds learn how to create and sell their services. It is also a place where youth are nurtured and given an opportunity to be empowered and realize their potential as future role models and leaders in America. Damon Butler, AFH Co-founder, alumnus, and current AFH Assistant Artistic Director said, "Artists For Humanity gave me a voice when no one else would give me a thought."