Ever since she moved to Hawaii in 1962, Bettye Jo Harris has helped lead the fight for equality and civil rights. She has worked tirelessly on behalf of minorities, the underserved and the needy.

"Hawaii and the world is a much better place because of the works she has done," said Alphonso Braggs, president of the Honolulu Branch of the NAACP. "She has spearheaded every monumental civil rights advance in the state."

The 81-year-old community activist will receive the NAACP Distinguished Service Award for Lifetime Achievement at the 12th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Awards Gala on Jan. 17 at Dole Cannery.

This year the Honolulu Branch will be celebrating its 54th anniversary with the theme "Agents of Change." Harris epitomizes the theme, according to Braggs.

As executive director of Hina Mauka in the early ’90s, she helped the down-and-out struggling with addiction. As executive director of the Kalihi Palama Immigrant Service Center during the 1980s, she helped newcomers assimilate to their new land.

A former editor of the Afro Hawaii News, she led the campaign to establish the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday in Hawaii.

Her resume is long and impressive. Harris was executive director of the National Association of Social Workers and president of the Hawaii Council of Churches. She served on the Kaneohe Neighborhood Board and the boards of the League of Women’s Voters and the YWCA.

The mother of three has advised governors, served on state and county commissions, and worked with state and federal lawmakers, including helping the late U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink on Title IX, the landmark statute that prohibited gender-based discrimination in educational institutions.

"She fought for inclusion and progression," Braggs said of Harris. "Clearly she was a standout as the 50th State came of age."

Also scheduledto be honored are:

» Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. College and Alumni Chapters, which will receive the NAACP Community Partnership Award. This group set a new standard for civic engagement last year, Braggs said, as members created scholarships, raised money for charities and volunteered in schools, among many other accomplishments.

» Radford High School junior Brigina Terry, who will receive the NAACP Outstanding Youth Leadership Award. The 16-year-old excelled in three sports while volunteering to feed the homeless, serve wounded warriors, help with the Special Olympics, charity walks and more. "It is a great inspiration to see this kind of person being raised today," Braggs said. "She is an all-around exceptional student."

» Bishop Jesse T. Wilson, who will receive the NAACP Religious Leadership Award. Wilson leads the Center of Deliverance Church of God in Christ and is the presiding Hawaii prelate of the church. Wilson’s congregation has worked for decades feeding needy families and educating, equipping and empowering the community through church programs, Braggs said.

The Jan. 17 event, which will include a presentation of legacy scholarship awards, will be held in the Hokulei Grand Ballroom, 735 Iwilei Road. The evening will begin with a cocktail reception and silent auction at 6 p.m. followed by dinner at 7 p.m. and awards presentation at 7:45 p.m.

For more information, email naacphawaii@aol.com or call 783-8969.