Founder of Empowering Youths of Iowa to receive ‘Who Is My Neighbor?’ award

CEDAR RAPIDS — Founder of a nonprofit that provides one-on-one mentoring to students in the Cedar Rapids Community School District, Sarah Swayze is being recognized Sunday with the Dr. Percy and Lileah Harris “Who Is My Neighbor?” award.

A recipient of the award is named annually for the ways they are following in the footsteps of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“I want to make sure we thrive as a community,” Swayze said. “To better Cedar Rapids, we have to better the students.”

Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday in the U.S. that marks the civil right leader’s birthday. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year. Born in 1929, King's actual birthday is Jan. 15.

The nonprofit — Empowering Youths of Iowa — has helped dozens of students graduate high school by providing them a safe space to learn and lunch during the week. It was started by Swayze, a retired teacher in June 2021.

Swayze also has applied to the Iowa State Board of Education to open a charter school in Cedar Rapids that would be named Empowering Excellence. Charter schools are tuition-free schools families can voluntarily enroll in that are publicly funded but independently run under an approved charter with the state. In Iowa, charter schools receive per-pupil state aid.

Swayze will be honored during a service Sunday, Jan. 14, at 3 p.m. at Grace Episcopal Church, 525 A Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids. The services will include music by the Voice of Church Ministries International Church and Word of Faith Pentecostal Church, and guest speaker Nikiya Dodd, educator and former member of the Wisconsin State Senate.

Recipients of the “Who Is My Neighbor?” award must be motivated by faith, be caring and compassionate, community-oriented, a good neighbor and work for justice and equity with communities and people who have been marginalized.

“We believe it’s time for people to stand up for what is right and stand up for those who have been oppressed or marginalized and we know Martin Luther King Jr. stood up for those who were oppressed and couldn’t stand for themselves,” said Tony Smith, pastor of New Creations International Church, which is helping host the event.

Anne Harris Carter, the daughter of Percy and Lileah Harris who the award is named after, will present the award to Swayze Sunday.

Carter also worked closely with Swazye last year on the Back the Black campaign, created by and for the Black community in Iowa to help provide community-specific mental health resources and invite Black Iowans to explore them.

“I’m honored and proud of the legacy my parents have left in this community,” Carter said. “I also think it’s important to recognize folks who are continuing to do life-changing work. Every year I feel humbled because there’s yet another person doing life-changing work in our community when it comes to racial inequality. That’s really important to me.”

About Percy and Lileah Harris

Dr. Percy Harris was the first Black physician in Cedar Rapids and served as Linn County medical examiner for almost 40 years, as well as president of the Cedar Rapids chapter of the NAACP and chairman of the board of directors of the Jane Boyd Community House. He also served on St. Luke's Hospital's board and on the Iowa Board of Regents.

Lileah Harris was an advocate of lifelong learning and education. She also served on the board of the NAACP, was a member of the Cedar Rapids Human Rights Commission and served on the board of the Cedar Rapids Symphony Guild, now Orchestra Iowa.

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