Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Award

2026 Recipient: Ruth Aydt

Ruth Aydt  has contributed to community life in Monroe County, through research, documentation, volunteer  coordination, and organizational leadership, since 2017. 

In 2017, Ruth joined the Monroe County National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and began consolidating NAACP-gathered criminal justice data into a comprehensive report, which would document decades of racial disparities in the Monroe County Criminal Justice System. She soon became a pillar of the Monroe County NAACP, editing its newsletter, facilitating communications for the executive committee, and organizing virtual participation for those attending general body meetings. 
 

In 2017, Ruth joined the Unitarian Universalist Church’s Racial Justice Task Force, which she co-chaired from 2020-2023, and has chaired since 2023. As a part of the task force’s efforts, she worked with local historian Elizabeth Mitchell to organize Indiana Black History Tours to the West Baden Colored Baptist Church and to Crispus Attucks High School in Indianapolis. She became the  inaugural chair of the NAACP’s Schools Sub-committee, leading members in efforts to support students who, in 2023, created the Monroe County Community School Corporation’s (MCCSC) Anti-Racism Policy. 
 

Ruth is a regular volunteer at Neal Marshall Black Culture Center (NMBCC) and Resilience Productions events. She coordinated a volunteer staff of 75 people for the NMBCC’s  Association of Black Culture Centers Conference, welcoming over 200 people from across the country to campus.  

“Ruth’s contributions have positively shaped this community. Her actions are just as bold and intentional as her words,” says commission chair Dr. Gloria Howell. “As someone who has worked closely with Ruth, I can attest to the fact that she is genuine and authentic and demonstrates an ethic of care that is unmatched.” 

See all past award recipients.

Criteria

1. The nominee has been personally or corporately involved in making tangible, visible, and meaningful contributions to the advancement of race relations, justice, and/or human rights causes.
2. The nominee must have been a Monroe County resident, business, or advocacy group for at least one year.
    

Nomination Process

1. Anyone can make a nomination.
2. The deadline for submitting nominations is generally the beginning of December.
3. Nominations may be made online only and generally open in early October.
    

Selection Process

1. The Award Committee reviews all nominations and recommends finalists for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration Commission to consider. The Commission makes the final selection. Any member of either the Award Committee or Commission who is nominated for the award must excuse themselves from discussions and voting during the selection process. Likewise, any immediate family members must also excuse themselves from the decision-making process.
2. The Award Committee shall notify the nominees and the recipient of the award by January 1 and invite them to attend the Birthday Celebration.
3. The Mayor of the City of Bloomington, representative from the Office of the Mayor, or the Chair of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration Commission will present the award at the Birthday Celebration.