Dixon’s first black woman school board member presented with Ike Mercer Award

DIXON — Linda LeBlanc-Parks was honored to receive an award named after her mentor, who instilled in her the value and responsibility of giving back to her lifelong community.

Council chambers were packed Tuesday evening when dozens came to celebrate LeBlanc-Parks as the City Council presented her the annual Ike Mercer memorial certificate of achievement in recognition of Black History Month.

LeBlanc-Parks was elected to the Dixon School Board in April, the first black woman to do so.

LeBlanc-Parks was a longtime educator at the Jack Mabley Developmental Center. She’s a substitute teacher and tutor in local schools. She has a master’s degree in special education, is involved with the Sauk Valley Diversity Committee and the Sauk Valley Food Bank, and she served on the Sauk Valley YWCA board.

“I am both humble and honored: A big thank you to my family for their never-ending support,” she said.

In 2019, the council changed the name of its annual Black History Month certificate of achievement award to honor Ike Mercer.

Mercer had died in January 2019 and was renowned for his longtime support and service to the area, including co-founding the Al Morrison Baseball League and serving on the Lee County Board and Dixon’s public safety commission.

“Ike Mercer exemplified dignity, respect, integrity, faith and an undeniable love for this community,” LeBlanc-Parks said. “If I can exude a modicum of those characteristics while honoring his legacy, I will be absolutely satisfied.”

She was nominated for the award by friend and former colleague, Deb Dickinson.

“Linda continues to follow his leadership and continues to take every opportunity to mentor others as Ike Mercer guided her years ago,” Dickinson said.

Benny Boyd, recipient of the 2019 Ike Mercer Award and LeBlanc-Parks’ nephew, said she has been “a lifelong advocate for those who can’t advocate for themselves.”

LeBlanc-Parks recited a quote from former President Barack Obama, which she said represented her beliefs.

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time,” she said. “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change we seek.”