Albany – Some people know Angelo “Justice” Maddox Jr. As a longtime business owner of South Pearl Street. Others saw him as a devoted father and reliable friend. But most people know Maddox as a zealous role model and mentor who inspires at-risk youth, university students and formerly incarcerated people in the capital region.
As Mayor Kathy Sheehan showed him 6th Maddox was “many things to many” at the annual Henry Johnson Distinguished Community Service Award presented Saturday.
Maddox – owner of Fresh and Fly Clothing, University at Albany graduate and member of the COVID Recovery Task Force – during a ceremony at the Jennings Landing Amphitheatre in Corning Riverside Park at noon before the Albany Riverside Jazz Festival begins received the award.
Dozens of community members gathered for the ceremony, which was free and open to the public, including New York Assemblywoman Patricia Fache, veteran Larry Turner, Albany Police Chief Eric Hawkins and members of Albany 369 of attendance.th Veterans Association.
Maddox’s acceptance speech was full of gratitude and reflection. He shared a quote from Albany World War I hero Henry Johnson, the award’s namesake, about how the sergeant survived 21 wounds in hand-to-hand combat with German troops.
Johnson’s response? “It’s nothing to say. Just fighting for my life.”
Maddox said he has an affinity for the words, and with them he fights for fairness and opportunity that will make Medal of Honor recipients — ostracized after speaking out against racism in the military — feel pride.
“I’m just fighting for the betterment of my life, my family, the people in my community, and we all have a responsibility to always stick to this fight and work together to improve not only our community, but the world if we can,” Maddow said. Cox said.
In her remarks, Fahy highlighted the Hoods House of Hoops, one of her favorite community initiatives in which Maddox is involved to provide safe exercise programs for the city’s youth.
Maddox’s story is one of redemption. After being imprisoned at a young age, he turned his life around by graduating from the University of Albany and becoming a staunch pillar of the community.
Kevin Johnson, Maddox’s friend and executive director of the Albany Palace Theatre, said: “Judge Angelo Maddox proved that this sentence is not where you begin, but where you end.”
The Henry Johnson Award was established by the City of Albany six years ago to honor community members who have “obviously given their time and talent to build a better Albany.”