By Derek Schlom

Gabrielle Horton ’08 was among those honored April 11 at the Celebration of Multiculturalism and Awards Dinner in Feldman-Horn Gallery. The bi-annual ceremony honors parents, alumni, and current students in recognition of their contributions toward diversity, equity, and justice.

Horton received the Frederick Douglass Award, which is awarded to a senior who, “while embracing his or her own culture, creatively, courageously, and compassionately also honors other cultures,” Parents’ Activities Liaison Portia Collins said. Horton was chosen for her commitment to community service; she serves as co-chair of Youth Ending Hunger, volunteers at a local domestic violence shelter, and visited South Africa for a community service and learning program in the summer of 2006. She is also the co-chair of the Black Leadership Awareness and Culture Club and the vice-chair of the Student Alumni Association. Horton will be attending Tufts University in the fall.

Past recipients of the Frederick Douglas Award include Taylor Hamilton ’02, Derek Jennings ’02, Katie Muslin ’03; Olusinmi Bamgbose ’05, Philip Burns ’05, Joey Katona ’06, Julia Wick ’07.

Also awarded at the dinner were Renee Brooks (Veronica’01, Lizzy ’08 ), president of the Parents of African American Harvard-Westlake Students; Jan King ’80, founder and chair of the Harvard-Westlake African American Alumni Network; Pat McCabe ’74, director of New Roads Elementary School; and Tonie Pimienta (Tonie ’07, Andrea ’09) and Helen Weston (Tamara ’05, Liana ’07), co-founders of the Harvard-Westlake Latino Parents’ Association.