By Vyllorya Evans, Anise Jenkins and Thelma D. Jones
On April 28, Southwest residents Jan Adams and Charles “Chuck” Hicks, along with nine other DC residents, were inducted into The Washington DC Hall of Fame Society, Inc. at the Liaison Capitol Hill as part of the organization’s 19th Annual Legacy Awards Program. Created in 2000, the awards recognize DC residents who have long contributed to the vibrancy of life in the city and have provided decades of exemplary service and support in different areas.
Jan Adams received The Legacy Award for Business. She is president and chief executive officer of JMA Solutions, a company she founded and located in Southwest in 2005. JMA Solutions is a thriving management services firm that assists the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other clients. JMA currently employs 130 full-time employees of which over 40 percent of the workforce are veterans. Adams has been recognized numerous times for her outstanding accomplishments in growing a successful business, including “The Washington Post’s” Top Workplaces for the DC area and the “Washington Business Journal’s” Minority Business Leader of the Year.
Adams’ philanthropic efforts are known throughout the city and country, especially in our Southwest neighborhood. JMA has truly changed the lives of the District’s families and youth. In 2018, her philanthropic efforts included supporting over 50 charitable organizations dedicated to youth enrichment, veteran support and STEM-related programs. JMA is a generous donor to Arena Stage and an original corporate contributor to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Other benefactors are Wounded Warrior organizations. Since 2015, JMA has been the largest corporate contributor to the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly Education and Scholarship Task Force, contributing $30,000 to fund scholarships for students that reside in zip code 20024. In addition, she is a corporate partner of the DC Adopt-a-School program with a primary focus on Amidon-Bowen Elementary School and Jefferson Academy and a supporter of the Thelma D. Jones Breast Cancer Fund.
Charles “Chuck” Hicks received The Legacy Award for Civic & Community Development. He is best known as “Mr. Black History” and a hard-working organizer. Hicks co-chaired the DC Host Committee for the dedication of the Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial. A strong supporter of DC Statehood, he is Vice President of the DC Statehood advocacy nonprofit Stand Up! For Democracy in DC (Free DC) which was founded in 1997. Hicks is a supporter and advocate of the African American Civil War Memorial Museum and is well known for providing 35 years of service to the DC Public Libraries Black Studies Department, including work in the Southwest Library. He is also founder of Bread for the Soul, an HIV/AIDS organization which provides toys and books to children for Christmas who have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and living with the disease. Bread for the Soul has raised thousands of dollars and gifts for more than twenty years with a focus on needy families in the Southwest community. Hicks represents Ward 6 on the DC Commission on Aging and is Vice Chairman of Waterside Tower Tennis Club.
Hicks is the Founder and Director of the DC Black History Celebration Committee which celebrates black history year-round. The free-of-charge events created by Hicks for February as well as other times of the year have helped thousands of DC residents celebrate and learn more about African American history. A city-wide calendar of these events is published, promoted and distributed by volunteers.
Congratulations to Adams and Hicks on this prestigious recognition and thank you for your impact on our community and city.