It was a full circle moment for Gwendolyn Hooker.
In January, as she was being honored during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration at WMed, the CEO and Founder of Helping Other People Exceed (HOPE) Thru Navigation reflected upon her personal journey.
“I am a recovering addict, grateful by my higher power and twelve-step program to be clean 15 years and counting,” Hooker told the capacity crowd gathered at the W.E. Upjohn M.D. Campus. “I could have never imagined in my wildest dreams that I would be standing here today.”
Founded in 2015, HOPE Thru Navigation seeks to provide hands-on, wraparound navigation services and supports to individuals detoured in life by addiction, homelessness, imprisonment, discrimination, and immigration.
“The population that I serve has a lot of inequities that they face every day, a lot of barriers that they face every day,” Hooker said. “We have to level the playing field in the areas that they're most impacted by, which is housing, which is employment, which is education, and recovery, self-sufficiency.”
The MLK Day Celebration, held Friday, January 17, 2025, inside the William D. Johnston and Ronda E. Stryker Auditorium and co-sponsored by Bronson Healthcare and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusiveness at WMed, kicked off with a performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” by Orchestra Jammbo’laya. Attendees were also treated to an original poem by Denise Miller, a Kalamazoo playwright, poet and mixed media artist.
“Today, we are coming together in remembrance of this great man and to honor and celebrate the legacy he has left with us all,” said Cheryl Dickson, MD, MPH, the medical school’s associate dean for Health Equity. “Dr. King’s legacy still impacts us and inspires us. It inspires us to be better, to do better and to continue to work for those who need us the most. We need to be their voice.”
WMed Dean Robert G. Sawyer, MD, acknowledged Hooker’s strength and tenacity has contributed to so many success stories for individuals impacted by addiction, homelessness and the criminal justice system.
“During this annual celebration, we choose to honor people in the community who are really, truly and dedicatedly doing work in the spirit of Reverend King,” Dr. Sawyer said. “Through her meaningful work at HOPE, Gwendolyn is that person for many, giving back what she received in her time of need. We are so delighted honor her.”
As she concluded her remarks at the MLK Day Celebration, Hooker expressed immense gratitude to WMed, Bronson and all of the attendees for the thoughtful recognition.
“It's a pretty meaningful award because it really does tie back into the work that we take so much pride in doing every day,” Hooker said. “We’re making sure that people that have been forgotten and marginalized have access to the same things that a lot of us take for granted.”