News
Keep up to date and informed on issues and events
IMA Champions
Honoring those who have championed the IMA mission and vision
2019 Community Champion Awards
October 24, 2019
Senator George Young was the first recipient of the IMA Community Champion Award. He was presented the award due to his support and dedication in the development of the IMA.
Senator George Young
pictured with Barbara Colbert, IMA Backbone and Rev. James Dorn, IMA Chair
October 24, 2019
Belinda Rogers was the recipient of the IMA Community Champion Award in 2019. She was presented the award for her contribution to the development of the IMA as well as the support from the Oklahoma Chapter of the March of Dimes.
Belinda Rogers
pictured with Barbara Colbert, IMA Backbone and Rev. James Dorn, IMA Chair
2020 Community Champion Awards
Faith Community Advocate Award Community Health Partner Award
Mt. Triumph Baptist Church Community Health Centers, Inc.
IMA Trailblazer Award
Representative Ajay Pittman OKC Councilwoman, Nikki Nice
October 22, 2020
Rev. James and Lisa Dorn accept the Faith Community Advocate Award for the work of Mt. Triumph Baptist Church. Mt. Triumph has been instrumental in support of the Leading Ladies for Healthy Babies hosting their Extravaganza events, pantry and more.
October 22, 2020
CEO, Isabella Lawson accepted the Community Health Partner Award for the work of the Community Health Centers, Inc. CHCI has supported the IMA annual Summit, opened their doors to host the IMA Health Work Group and has hosted an Annual Fishing with Fathers event.
October 22, 2020
Rep. Ajay Pittman received the Trailblazer Award for her distinguished work championing maternal and child health initiatives as well as the the Implicit Bias House Bill 2730.
October 24, 2019
Oklahoma City Councilwoman, Nikki Nice received the IMA Trailblazer Award for her outstanding working to address food insecurity and the food desert in NorthEast OKC
2022 Community Champion Awards
Faith Community Advocate Award Community Health Partner Award
Encounters Methodist Sunday Dr. Marjorie Makoni, MD
School Class
IMA Trailblazer Award
Kelli McNeal First Lady, Homaletta McNight
April 21, 2022
The Encounters Sunday School class has been an active force for good in Oklahoma City since Feb 1979. In 2021, the class opened their doors to the Leading Ladies for Healthy Babies to hear and learn about the issue of black maternal and infant mortality in their community. They have chosen to actively partner with the Leading Ladies by raising funds to allow new services to be provided to Emerson High School for at risk pregnant teens and to help create emergency funding for families with infants in crisis who are involved with the Leading Ladies' active churches. Their deep interest and generous gifts have allowed the Leading Ladies to impact many at risk families in the OKC metro area in 2021.
April 21, 2022
Dr Makoni has dedicated her career to helping the most vulnerable infants. She specializes in Neonatal hemodynamics focusing on chronic pulmonary hypertension in very low birth weight infants, racial /health disparities in premature babies, genomics and metabolomics of cardiovascular development in premature infants. Her research is shaping the care of infants nationwide, and her leadership in this prominent position at Oklahoma City's teaching hospital gives her far reaching influence over the next generation of medical providers. Her care for the most vulnerable babies in our state is worthy of recognition.
April 21, 2022
Dr Makoni has dedicated her career to helping the most vulnerable infants. She specializes in Neonatal hemodynamics focusing on chronic pulmonary hypertension in very low birth weight infants, racial /health disparities in premature babies, genomics and metabolomics of cardiovascular development in premature infants. Her research is shaping the care of infants nationwide, and her leadership in this prominent position at Oklahoma City's teaching hospital gives her far reaching influence over the next generation of medical providers. Her care for the most vulnerable babies in our state is worthy of recognition.
April 21, 2022
Kelli McNeal received the Trailblazer Award for her contributed to the establishment of the IMA, a much-needed organization that has brought speakers from across this country to educate, facilitate, and contribute to Oklahomans being aware and informed, exposed to finding and creating solutions providing an equal playing field when it comes to the health and welfare of African Americans in Oklahoma
April 21, 2022
First Lady McNight was one of the first Leading Ladies to step forward and join the efforts in the Leading Ladies for Healthy Babies. She was always willing to volunteer with health fairs, the Safe Sleep Extravaganzas and would be the first one to step forward and help at all the other events and activities. She was always willing to lend a hand – and not only for the Leading Ladies and those she mentored – but she took that same servant’s heart into her work with the Church and with “her Children” as well.
April 21, 2022
First Lady McNight was one of the first Leading Ladies to step forward and join the efforts in the Leading Ladies for Healthy Babies. She was always willing to volunteer with health fairs, the Safe Sleep Extravaganzas and would be the first one to step forward and help at all the other events and activities. She was always willing to lend a hand – and not only for the Leading Ladies and those she mentored – but she took that same servant’s heart into her work with the Church and with “her Children” as well.
