Holloway recognized at Framingham’s Black History Month honors

Courtesy of Framingham State

By Sophia Oppedisano Editor-in-Chief By Dylan Pichnarcik Associate Editor Lorretta Holloway, vice president of Student Success, was one of nine honorees at the City of Framingham’s 2nd annual Black History Month Honors on Feb. 17. The event celebrates “contemporary leaders and historical figures with strong ties to Framingham” as well as those “whose contributions have shaped, and continue to shape, the Framingham community,” according to framinghamma.gov. Holloway said she was initially “humbled” by the recognition because she is not from Framingham. “I know that there are lots of people who live and not just work in this community, but I was really honored,” she added. A Framingham city employee who works in human resources nominated Holloway because of her work in developing anti-racist curricula with Leadership MetroWest. “In the last two years, I've just been doing all the workshops myself, and it's evolved to become more of a focus on not just anti-racism, but just equity in general. That's been really exciting to do that work,” Holloway said. She added being recognized for that work, as well as her longevity and impact at Framingham State, was “really nice” and “really humbling.” The event provided a “warm, nice space” in a time “when it's just really dark and really hard, and typically very hard and difficult for people of color,” she said. “It was just really nice to be in a space where people were celebrating the Black community and our resiliency and our strength and the community care that we have. I was really happy to be there and very honored to be on the honoree list.” In her recognition speech at the event, Holloway said, “We're living in a very dark time, and we have to acknowledge that. And we're living in a world that seems to find our joy - our community's joy - threatening. … I want us to take these moments and wrap them up for safekeeping, for our joy and our ability to retain it, to protect it, for the precious thing that it is.” Holloway said Black History Month is a time to honor the “memory of the people who came before us. “I wouldn’t be able to stand in that space on Tuesday night without the care that my mother gave me, and that my grandfather gave her. … [We] talk a lot about the ancestors and honoring the ancestors, and making sure that we're standing on their shoulders, and that we're not injuring those shoulders,” she added. President Nancy Niemi said, “I can't think of a person more deserving of just recognition for what she does than Dr. Holloway. Her DNA is social equity, and she has been focusing on that since I've known her, but certainly long before any of us were around at Framingham State.” Niemi said Holloway is an extraordinary advocate for all students, particularly those of color or from underrepresented groups. She said those students gravitate toward Holloway because “She's honest about the things that Framingham is doing, but honest about the things that they might be going through if they seek her out. … You recognize her as somebody who cares so very deeply.”