Title: Sister Ann Kendrick
Sport Honored: Orlando Magic vs. Phoenix Suns (3/24/21)
Background: In highschool, between her junior and senior 12 months, Kendrick utilized for a examine overseas program. She figured it was alternative to expertise an journey whereas boosting her school credentials.
She assumed she’d be heading to a spot like Paris or another tourist-heavy worldwide vacation spot. As an alternative, to her shock, her task introduced her to Guatemala, which gave her a broader scope of the world.
As a U.S. trade pupil within the Central American nation for the summer season, Kendrick was uncovered to situations unfamiliar to her. Except for the language barrier, which is predicted when touring to a international nation, she found what folks in deprived dwelling conditions need to endure.
That new perspective finally had a transformative impact on her.
“I got here house stuffed with expertise and tradition,” she stated. “You possibly can’t go to a rustic like Guatemala with out seeing the impoverished, indigenous class of people that had been dwelling in rubbish dumps. That started to have the scales fall from my eyes of wanting on the world.”
Kendrick went on to school at Trinity Washington College within the nation’s capital and was keen to speak about her experiences in Guatemala. Whereas not everybody was receptive to her tales, she felt it was vital to speak about them anyway.
Over time, it turned more and more clear to Kendrick what she yearned to do, and that was to assist others attain their full potential. Alongside the way in which, she joined the Sisters of Notre Dame, a Catholic institute based to coach the poor. Kendrick taught Spanish, which she began to select up in Guatemala, to college students at the highschool and school degree. She’d carry the scholars to neighborhoods the place residents predominantly spoke Spanish and the place they will expertise the tradition and make new pals.
In 1971, the identical 12 months Walt Disney World opened, Kendrick flew all the way down to Orlando to start out a corporation, now known as the Hope CommUnity Middle, that gives the underserved group on this space the assets wanted to maneuver towards social and financial justice. She anticipated to be right here for a 12 months solely, however shortly she fell in love with the group.
Now 50 years later, the Hope CommUnity Middle continues to empower Central Florida’s immigrant and dealing poor communities by training, advocacy and non secular development.
“I’m fortunate,” stated Kendrick, who has a BA and honorary Doctorate from Trinity Washington College, a MA in Latin American Literature from the College of Maryland and an Honorary Doctorate from Rollins Faculty. “I discovered a slot in life that simply stuffed my coronary heart, my spirit. Individuals are superb. Individuals are fantastic. They’re humble. They’re noble, beneficiant. I don’t carry evangelization or the phrase of God to them. They train me on daily basis. I really like them.”
The Hope CommUnity Middle provides many applications and providers that concentrate on training, immigration, youth and households, service studying and group organizing. Seeing folks flip their lives round, overcome obstacles and improve their training by these assets is extremely fulfilling for Kendrick.
“I get to be in the course of all of that and watch these miracles occur,” she stated. “Individuals who don’t have a voice, get a voice. Individuals who don’t assume they’ve worth see their worth.”
To be taught extra concerning the Hope CommUnity Middle, please go to https://www.hcc-offm.org/.
Working with the Magic: Hope CommUnity Middle is considered one of many Central Florida organizations that has acquired grant cash from the Orlando Magic Youth Basis through the years. Grateful to have the Orlando Magic of their nook, Kendrick has seen firsthand the distinction it makes when a professional sports activities staff is lively in the neighborhood.
“Bo Outlaw, Nick Anderson (Neighborhood Ambassadors), I do know these guys. They’re my buddies. Through the years, they’ve introduced STUFF (Magic mascot) to us at Christmas time and different instances. We’ve been at a bazillion (Magic) occasions through the years. It’s lovely to see the Magic’s high-end personnel present up at group occasions and the monetary help that we’ve gotten through the years has helped us extremely,” she stated.
In regards to the Program: As a part of the Magic and Steve Clifford’s persevering with efforts towards social justice reform, he created the Social Justice Sport Changer program to honor one native chief who has made a distinction within the realm of social justice points. A trigger near his coronary heart, Clifford is extraordinarily lively in applications that help equality and justice for all folks within the Central Florida group.
By means of this program, Clifford appears to place the highlight on these repeatedly doing the onerous work, day in and day trip, preventing for sustainable change. As a part of his program, one individual is chosen and honored every sport. The honorees are given tickets, offered by Clifford, to the sport and featured in-arena on the Magic Imaginative and prescient display at middle courtroom.
“The aim is to honor and to have a good time so lots of the folks within the Orlando group who’re preventing for change and who commit their lives to creating Orlando a greater place,” Clifford stated. “It’s only a technique to have a good time them, what they stand for, and what they do for our group.”
