Monroe County NAACP President to be keynote speaker at 2023 MLK Celebration Breakfast at ESU
East Stroudsburg. Christa Caceres recently founded Pike County Women’s Commission, an advocacy committee focused on the empowerment and education of women and girls.
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| 16 Nov 2022 | 09:52
Christa Caceres
For a breakfast with the theme, “I Have a Dream” – 60 Years Later, East Stroudsburg University selected Christa Caceres, president of Monroe County Chapter of the NAACP, to be the keynote speaker. The breakfast celebrates Martin Luther King Day. The 26th annual celebration honoring Dr. King is scheduled for Monday, January 16, 2023, at 8 a.m. The breakfast will be held at Terraview at Stroudsmoor Country Inn.
Christa Caceres has served as president of the Monroe County Chapter of the NAACP since November 2019. She holds a bachelor’s degree in jurisprudence and a master’s degree in law and public policy from California University of Pennsylvania. For over 20 years, she has been an advocate for civic engagement and the power of the vote, reminding everyone that “Everything is Political.” She was the first black woman to run for the nomination as Pennsylvania’s State House Representative of the 189th District and although unsuccessful, encourages and supports qualified women candidates for local and state races in the Commonwealth.
Caceres’s advocacy activities include service on the board of directors for The Greater Pike Community Foundation, Pocono Mountains United Way (PMUW), Emerge Pennsylvania, and the Seven Oaks Collective. She also serves as co-chair of PMUW’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion cohort, maintains life membership in the NAACP, is a longtime member of Rotary Club of the Stroudsburgs and an active member of the Greater Pocono Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc.
As a childhood survivor of sexual abuse and domestic violence in her home, she is laser-focused on issues affecting women and children. In 2022, Christa made history by becoming the founder and chairwoman of the newly adopted Pike County Women’s Commission, an advocacy committee focused on the empowerment and education of women and girls under the leadership of the Pike County Commissioners.
Following calls for reform in law enforcement, Christa has taken a proactive approach and formed the Monroe County Community Roundtable which unites the leaders of local and state law enforcement with the Monroe County NAACP to find strategic and creative ways to make lasting community changes.
“In 2021, Christa was the recipient of the prestigious MLK Community Member Award from East Stroudsburg University”, said ESU President Kenneth Long, “it will be a wonderful opportunity for our community to now hear Christa’s message on this important day.”
Caceres, her husband, and their son have been residents of the Pocono Mountains since 2005.
Reservations are now being taken for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Breakfast at a cost of $45 per person, $15 per student and $340 for a table of eight. Proceeds will benefit the Mary Gertrude Smith Boddie Scholarship Fund at ESU, which provides financial assistance to undergraduate students of color. In 1904, Ms. Boddie was the first African-American student to graduate from what was then known as East Stroudsburg State Normal School and ultimately became East Stroudsburg University in 1983. Reserve your seat today.
As a result of the breakfast, four Boddie Scholarship awardees will each receive a $3,800 scholarship award for the Spring 2023 semester. Scholarship winners are selected based on their ability to demonstrate through community service work or university involvement, a commitment to Dr. King’s philosophy of non-violence, equality, justice, cultural diversity, and a respect for humanity.
Breakfast organizers are asking regional business organizations to consider becoming a sponsor of this community event. For more information on sponsorship opportunities, call the ESU Foundation at 570-422-7000.
For more information about the Celebration Breakfast or for special accommodations, contact Lyesha Fleming director for the Center for Multicultural Affairs and Inclusive Excellence at 570-422-3896 or email lfleming@esu.edu.
In 2022, Christa made history by becoming the founder and chairwoman of the newly adopted Pike County Women’s Commission, an advocacy committee focused on the empowerment and education of women and girls under the leadership of the Pike County Commissioners.