Dr. Gunn Recognized as a Chicago Defender 2025 Woman of Excellence
A big congratulations to our very own LINK President and CEO Dr. Toinette Gunn, who was recently recognized as a 2025 Women of Excellence Honoree by the Chicago Defender. The award and induction ceremony was held last week at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk.
“What a weekend!” Dr. Gunn said. “I’m incredibly honored to have been inducted into the Chicago Defender Women of Excellence Class of 2025…a celebration of 50 dynamic Black women selected from over 400 nominations by the oldest Black newspaper in the country. The Chicago Defender has been a cornerstone of our community for 120 years, telling our stories, championing our voices, and honoring our legacy. To be recognized by this historic institution for doing work that I believe is my calling is both humbling and affirming.”
“I wasn’t called to the ministry like my grandfathers, Rev. John W. McClellan and Rev. William L. Townsend, or many others in my family,” Dr. Gunn continued, “but my work, addressing the educational inequities that disproportionately affect Black students in Chicago by providing access, opportunities, and resources, is my ministry. I often say that I was too squeamish to become a doctor of medicine and save lives in the ER, but I became a different kind of doctor, one who strives to transform and save lives in another way. My mother and grandparents didn’t live to witness this moment, but I know they’d be beaming with pride, knowing their legacy continues. Thank you, Chicago Defender, for this incredible honor.”
We’re so proud of you, Dr. Gunn! Thank you for all you do to see Chicago’s Black youth to, through, and beyond college!
