Senior Activist Honored for Community Service

Jack Marion and North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue

The Alliance for Retired Americans is proud of a recent honor given to one of its members, reports Marcie Kohenak, communications associate for the 3 million-member organization.

Alliance for Retired Americans North Carolina field organizer Jack Marion received the North Carolina A. Philip Randolph Institute’s 35th Annual Community Service Award for his lifelong activism through the Machinists union and the Alliance. Said Marion, who discussed his involvement with the Alliance and other local retiree clubs:

I feel extremely honored to be recognized by the A. Philip Randolph Institute for my community service. Through the Machinists union, the AFL-CIO and now the Alliance for Retired Americans, I have had the opportunity to help my community become a better place to live.

North Carolina State AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer MaryBe McMillan keynoted the banquet, joining speaker Rev. Dr. Lawrence Miller, presiding elder of the A.M.E. Zion Church.

APRI, an AFL-CIO constituency group, was founded in 1965 by union leaders Asa Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin as a non-profit, non-partisan organization of black trade unionists to fight for racial equality and economic justice. Today, APRI has about 150 chapters in 36 states, including North Carolina. The North Carolina APRI chapters offer support for local unions during organizing campaigns, provide outreach programs and services—including an officially certified state food bank—for community members in need and run voter registration drives and get-out-the-vote mobilizations.

Said Edward J. Coyle, executive director of the national Alliance for Retired Americans:

Through his lifelong activism, Jack has truly made a difference in protecting jobs for Americans, defending seniors’ benefits and supporting affordable health care for all. We are incredibly proud and appreciative of all of his past efforts, and look forward to working together for many years to come.

		Become a Fan on Facebook			Follow Us on Twitter			Subscribe to YouTube			Subscribe to Blog RSS

Print This Article | E-Mail This Article |Comments (0)