The 2025 Black Achievers Awards will honor exceptional individuals who have made lasting contributions in arts and culture, business, community service, and education.
Shirley Richardson & Patricia E. Williams – Arts & Culture
For more than 50 years, Shirley Richardson and Patricia E. Williams have led The M Ensemble Company, South Florida’s oldest African American theater organization. As co-founders, they have devoted their lives to uplifting Black voices and preserving cultural excellence.
Richardson, executive director since 1972, oversees operations, programming, and grants. A graduate of Florida A&M University and the University of Miami, she also holds a master’s degree in mental health counseling from Nova Southeastern University. Her numerous honors include induction into multiple Halls of Fame and the Carbonell George Abbott Award.
Williams, executive producer and Miami native, earned degrees in theater and journalism from Northwestern University. After a 25-year career with the YWCA of Greater Miami, she continues to guide M Ensemble’s technical production and fundraising efforts. Together, they have built a lasting legacy in the arts.
Herman Allen, DDS – Business & Entrepreneuris
For more than five decades, Dr. Herman Allen has served South Florida as a dentist, mentor, and community advocate. A Hallandale native, he graduated from Morehouse College and earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery from Howard University. Following service as a U.S. Army Dental Corps captain, Allen co-founded the 19th Street Medical Center in Lauderhill to provide care to underserved residents.
He is also co-founder of THAC Enterprise Janitorial Service and has received numerous honors, including the Dean’s Award from Howard University, the Miami-Dade County Dental Society’s 52-Year Service Award, and a Lauderhill proclamation recognizing “Dr. Herman Allen Day.” A lifelong member of Mt. Hermon A.M.E. Church, Allen is also active in Omega Psi Phi and the Morehouse Alumni Association.
Henri W. Crockett – Community Service
Former NFL player Henri W. Crockett has dedicated his post-football career to empowering youth. In 2002, he co-founded the Crockett Foundation with his brother Zack, helping thousands of Broward County students succeed through programs like Digital Explorers and Crockett-Allen Scholars. He also hosts an annual Community Health Festival and the Crockett Foundation Weekend to support education initiatives.
A Pompano Beach native and Florida State University criminology graduate, Crockett played eight NFL seasons and started in Super Bowl XXXIII. He now serves as president and chairman of the Orange Bowl and leads its Youth Football Alliance. His leadership extends through memberships in Leadership Florida, Omega Psi Phi, and Sigma Pi Phi.
Annie Ruth Nelson – Education
Educator and civic leader Annie Ruth Nelson has spent decades advancing learning opportunities in Palm Beach County. A graduate of Roosevelt High School, she earned degrees from Temple University and Florida Atlantic University before serving 30 years with the Palm Beach County School District. There, she taught marketing, coordinated job placement, and helped launch a student-run retail store at North Technical Education Center.
Now retired, Nelson continues to advocate for education and equity as president of the African American Research Library and Cultural Center of Palm Beach County and as a leader in PEACE and the MLK Coordinating Committee. Her many honors include the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award and recognition from the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs.
