BEXLEY, Ohio (WCMH) – In partnership with the city, the Bexley Minority Parent Alliance is seeking nominations for its 2025 Black History Month banner program.  The alliance launched the tribute to Black current and former Bexley residents in 2024. In its inaugural year, 23 honorees were recognized online and on street light banners framing Main Street in February. Current and former Bexley residents, Bexley High School graduates and community leaders are eligible to be nominated. Alliance member Tiasha Letostak said the program wants to highlight residents who made a positive impact on others. Restaurant chain closes last central Ohio location According to the form, a committee will review the nominations and select the honorees. For the inaugural year, parent alliance member Bryan Drewry told NBC4 a committee from Capital University, the alliance and a few others discussed who should be honored. Letostak said many committee members this year were honorees in 2024. Once selected, each honoree will have a banner made with their name and photo to hang on Main Street and possibly North Cassady Avenue during Black History Month. The honorees will also be recognized on the city’s website, where biographies will highlight their stories.   Main Street banners are used several times throughout the year to celebrate Bexley citizens. Starting in 2020, graduating seniors’ photos are hung along Main Street annually around graduation. Bexley Veterans are also honored through Bexley’s Hometown Heroes program, which features past and current Bexley service members throughout November. Which central Ohio public schools work with LifeWise? Among last year’s honorees were Natalie Coles, who prompted the district to celebrate Black History Month and who was the first African American President of the Bexley Women’s Club; Rev. Nathaniel Carter, the first Black student at Capital University; and Alissha Mitchell, the first African American to serve on the Bexley Board of Education and the first person of color to serve in elected office in Bexley. All 23 honorees from 2024 will be recognized again this year. The minority parent alliance was formed in 2015 by Bexley families who wanted to build community among minority families and district staff in order to support and advocate for minority students. In its nearly 10 years of operation, the group has established an annual Juneteenth celebration, offered thousands of dollars in scholarships to minority students and provided insight in hiring Bexley’s new police chief. People can submit nominations through this form, which requires brief personal information and a narrative describing why the nominee should be honored, not to exceed 400 words. The BMPA is accepting nominations through Dec. 1.