200+ Men aWARD wINNERS 2026
Congratulations to this year's award winners recognized for making significant contributions to their communities, embodying principles of leadership, service, and excellence!
ANTIPAS L. HARRIS, PhD, DMIN.
Carter G, Woodson Award ★ Educator Winner
Antipas L. Harris is a public theologian, scholar, pastor, and civic entrepreneur whose work integrates faith, leadership, and community engagement in both local and global contexts. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Creative Music Technology from LaGrange College, a Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University, a Master of Sacred Theology from Yale University, a Doctor of Ministry from Boston University, and a PhD from St. Thomas University. He is the author and editor of numerous books, scholarly articles, book chapters, and public essays addressing theology, race, culture, and public life. For more than three decades, Harris has served in pastoral ministry while also contributing to higher education and public scholarship. Over the past 18 years he has taught at universities | and theological schools including Sacred Heart University, New York Theological Seminary, Fuller Theological Seminary, Portland Theological Seminary, Vanguard University, Virginia Christian College, and Regent University, where he served as a tenured associate professor and held administrative leadership roles. He also held the prestigious Moen Chair at North Central University and currently teaches as an adjunct professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Old Dominion University. Harris was the founding president of Jakes Divinity School in Dallas, Texas, and currently serves as president of the Harris Institute, an organization devoted to global leadership formation and interdisciplinary dialogue. Through the Harris Institute he convenes the Oxford Colloquy, an international think tank hosted at the University of Oxford, and he is launching the Cambridge Colloquy at Westminster College, University of Cambridge, expanding the Institute’s work of cultivating faith-informed leadership in the public sphere. He is also the president and CEO of the Urban Renewal Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to community development, youth mentoring, and service to vulnerable populations. Among its initiatives is Harris Teen Forge (HTF) Summer Mentoring, a leadership formation program for teenage boys that develops practical life skills such as carpentry, | interpersonal communication, business fundamentals, etiquette, and character formation. The program also includes global experiential learning through educational pilgrimages to West and East Africa, where students engage village schools, participate in sports outreach through basketball and soccer clinics, and visit historic and cultural landmarks including the Elmina Slave Castle, the W. E. B. Du Bois Centre, and the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum. Harris also serves as overseer for the international nonprofit Collective Compassion Alliance, which operates humanitarian initiatives in Ruhija, Uganda, including an orphanage serving 50 children, a primary school educating more than 150 students, a medical mission, and programs supporting women who have experienced trauma. Throughout his career Harris has worked across denominational, ecumenical, and intercultural contexts. His ministry began in a rural church in Manchester, Georgia, and has expanded to urban and global settings, including leadership in church planting efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Portsmouth, Virginia. His work consistently emphasizes the integration of education, theological reflection, civic responsibility, and global engagement. In his personal time, Harris enjoys traveling, fishing, and gathering with friends at local restaurants and cafés. ★ |
DIMITRI “MEECH” BAILEY
Samuel DeWitt Proctor Award ★ Community Leader Winner
Since 2007, Dimitri “Meech” Bailey has dedicated his life to serving and empowering young people throughout the Newport News community and beyond. His journey began at the C. Waldo Scott Center Summer Program in downtown Newport News, where he first developed a passion for mentoring and uplifting youth through structured programming and positive relationships. He went on to serve for four years with the GEAR UP program at Menchville High School, supporting students academically and personally while also coaching basketball. Meech continued his commitment to youth development as an Assistant Varsity Basketball Coach at Woodside High School for three years, using athletics as a platform to teach discipline, accountability, and character. In addition, Meech coached in the nationally recognized Boo Williams Summer League program, where he mentored and developed numerous student-athletes who have gone on to compete at the highest levels of basketball, including NCAA Division I programs, professional leagues overseas, and the NBA. Throughout his coaching career, Meech consistently | emphasized leadership, resilience, and life skills alongside athletic development. While coaching, Meech founded Write Your Own Story, a mission-driven initiative created to inspire athletes and individuals from all walks of life to not allow negative circumstances to dictate their future. Built on the belief that hope, guidance, and effort can lead to better outcomes, this vision has now evolved into a nonprofit organization launching in 2026. The nonprofit will focus on changing the life trajectory of youth through athletics, academics, and personal development strategies. For eight years, Meech worked at Bryant & Stratton College as an Admissions Representative, where he partnered with schools to speak with high school seniors about life skills, personal development, and postsecondary opportunities, while also enrolling students into college. During this time, he also served as a college basketball coach for eight years. Meech currently serves as the Youth and Young Adult Pastor at Ivy Baptist Church. Over the past four years, he has worked closely with community partners to lead impactful youth programs and initiatives. He has also spent the last four years as a substitute teacher, intentionally remaining | on the front lines in schools to make a daily, meaningful difference in the lives of students. Across education, athletics, ministry, mentorship, and now non-profit leadership, Meech’s life’s work reflects a consistent commitment to helping young people rewrite their stories and reach their full potential. ★ |
KENNEF R. ALLAH
200+ Men Mentor of the Year
A native of Niagara Falls, NY, Ken Allah has strong family ties to Hampton, Virginia, and the greater Hampton Roads area through his maternal grandmother, Elaine Wynn (Brandon). He is a real estate developer, devoted father to his daughter Laila Allah, and a lifelong mentor who has been guiding peers and youth since the age of 14. As an active member of 200+ Men Inc., he has invested decades of experience into one-on-one mentoring, workshops, and college readiness initiatives, helping scholars realize their full potential. A 28-year member of the 5 Percent Nation, Ken’s work is centered on the understanding that the children are | the priority, emphasizing knowledge of self, divine purpose, and positive contribution to humanity. Grounded in the principle that Proper Education Always Corrects Errors, he remains committed to ensuring that all children are educated equitably and empowered to understand their origin, their power, and their unlimited potential. Known for his integrity, consistency, and ability to build meaningful relationships, his unwavering dedication to serving youth and community has made him a deserving recipient of the Mentor of the Year Award. ★ |
ANTON A. BELL, JR.
John R. Lewis Award ★ Young Adult Leader Winner
Anton A. Bell, Jr. is an aspiring engineer. A native of Hampton Roads, Anton was primarily reared in the multicultural urban settings of Hampton, Virginia. From a very early age, academics and civic engagement/ leadership was stressed in his home. Moreover, as a critical thinker, Anton was drawn to such leadership cohorts as the Hampton Roads Committee of the 200+ Men (200+ Men), Hopeful Hampton Initiative, the Beta Lambda Boule Scholars Program, Envision National Youth Leadership Forum, and the Hampton Commonwealth’s Attorney Program (J.C.A.P.). Through his active involvement in these initiatives, Anton was methodically introduced to a plethora of amazing, strong black professionals – leaders in their industry, who helped him discover his voice and solidify his pathway towards a S.T.E.M. related career. Moreover, Anton was able to expand his cultural and academic prowess by traveling abroad to Paris, France as a scholar with the | International Youth Leadership Cohort in partnership with Going Global with Barbara Eubanks. Meanwhile, Anton’s participation in team building activities, community service projects, and leadership development sessions with other like-minded future leaders help shaped his heightened sense of community. His service projects include local food pantries, community clean-up projects, back to school book giveaways, and volunteer work at his local church. Having to overcome challenges with both cognitive and receptive delays at birth, Anton personifies the essence of a resilient spirit. Understanding that giving up is not an option, he embodies the hashtag #NoExcuses! As a result, Anton is presently set to graduate as the Salutatorian from BridgeWay Preparatory Christian School with a 3.96 GPA Spring 2026. In addition, Anton will receive an Associate of Arts Degree with High Honors from the College of the Albemarle, where he is a member of | Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society. Having been accepted into several Honors College at multiple universities, Anton accepted admission to Perry Honors College at Old Dominion University. There, he will be matriculating as a Candidate for a Bachelor in Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering Fall 2026. ★ |
| About us
|
©2026 The Hampton Roads Committee of 200+ Men Inc. • ALL RIGHTS RESERVED • Site Design by A GRAPHICS EXPERIENCE