Wellington Heights church leaders, Kennedy High student activist recognized for ‘honest and courageous’ social justice work

CEDAR RAPIDS — Keeyon and Stephanie Carter, activists and founders of the Wellington Heights Community Church, are being recognized Monday with the Dr. Percy and Lileah Harris “Who Is My Neighbor?” award for speaking “honestly and courageously about the work of justice.”

Also a recipient of the award is Kennedy High School senior Gentine Nzoyikorera, 18, for her leadership and commitment to moving “Linn County closer to the dream” of civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr., said Jonathan Heifner, associate pastor at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church.

The award will be presented at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church’s Martin Luther King Day community celebration at 6:30 p.m. Monday in the sanctuary, 1340 Third Ave. SE, in Cedar Rapids.

Keeyon and Stephanie Carter

Keeyon and Stephanie Carter started Wellington Heights Community Church in March 2020. It was known as a “church without walls” until it held a grand opening in 2022 at renovated space at the former Paul Engle Center, 1600 Fourth Ave. SE.

The organization is a hub for the neighborhood in the southeast quadrant of Cedar Rapids, working to help the community flourish through worship, reconciliation and neighborhood development.

“One thing Dr. King said is ‘we fear each other because we don’t know each other,’” Keeyon said. “One of our goals as a church is to create a space for people to sit at the table.”

Stephanie said they are “putting feet to the sidewalk” to get to know people in the neighborhood and come alongside them to meet their needs.

Gentine Nzoyikorera

Nzoyikorera is a leader of Kennedy High’s Black Student Union, which is working to create a “better learning environment” for students of color. Over the last year, the group has been educating their peers on why the use of racial slurs, which they say are commonly heard in the school’s hallways, is inappropriate.

Nzoyikorera said she would like to see teachers working alongside students to make schools inclusive and anti-racist. Right now, it’s often “just a word they use,” she said.

Nzoyikorera also has been outspoken about wanting to see changes made to the school resource officer — or police in schools — program. Changes made to the Cedar Rapids schools’ program over the last two years is contributing to fewer children being charged with a crime in schools and decreasing the racial disparity of those complaints, according to data from the Iowa Department of Human Rights.

Kennedy’s Black Student Union is hosting its second “Voices of the Voiceless” night 5 p.m. Jan. 27, an open mic night at Kennedy High, 4545 Wenig Rd. NE in Cedar Rapids.

The Warriorettes, a Washington High School dance group, also will be performing at the event. The students perform majorette dancing, a traditionally Black style of dance that blends movements from jazz, West African and hip-hop dance styles.

Pursuing justice in Cedar Rapids

There is a danger in remembering a “sanitized version” of King’s story, Heifner said. This event will focus on King’s legacy, celebrate those who are carrying on his vision in the community and inspire them to use their voices in the pursuit of justice.

The theme “Voices of Today: Provoking Action, Building Community” takes a look at who is doing social justice work today in the community and how others can support that work.

Speakers include Nzoyikorera; Dedric Doolin, longtime branch president of the Cedar Rapids NAACP; social justice and climate action activist Tamara Marcus; and director of programming and outreach at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Corridor and director of the LGBTQ+ Youth Center at Tanager and executive director at the African American Museum of Iowa Tom Moore.

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 chair of the board of directors of the Jane Boyd Community House. He also served on the boards of UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s and 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.

The program Monday is hosted by St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in collaboration with First Light Christian Fellowship, Mount Mercy University, Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church and the NAACP, with special thanks to the African American Museum of Iowa, the Cedar Rapids Public Library and the Cedar Rapids Civil Rights Commission.

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