Mechanics Hall 2024 Celebration of Excellence and 181st Annual Meeting

Gloria D. Hall is a distinguished preservationist and public art administrator whose transformative impact on Worcester’s cultural landscape is widely recognized. As the ideator and co-founder of Art in the Park, Gloria has played a pivotal role in turning outdoor spaces into dynamic galleries, featuring thought-provoking sculptures and art installations. Her commitment to public art also extends to Art in the Heart of Main South, a spin-off project that enhances University Park with engaging art displays. She is an educator co-founder of Worcester’s Black Excellence Academy and is the former director of the Willis Center Cultural Institute.

Gloria’s influence in Worcester is further exemplified by her recent work at Mechanics Hall as co-chair of the Portraits Project which included recruiting distinguished panelists, creating the artists’ call, and administering the artist selection process. The results of this initiative were the commissions of portraits of significant Black historical figures, which are now included in the Hall’s world-renowned performance hall. The Project has been celebrated for its role in presenting a more inclusive and accurate depiction of the city’s history.

Her educational background includes degrees from Northeastern University and Goucher College, which have equipped her with a robust understanding of public policy and arts administration. This foundation has greatly contributed to her success in both art curation and nonprofit leadership. In addition to her significant contributions to the arts and community, Gloria Hall has been honored with several prestigious awards. These include the Worcester Telegram & Gazette Community Vision Cultural Enrichment Award, the Worcester County YWCA’s Katherine F. Erskine Award in Arts & Humanities in 2004, and the 2023 Harvey Ball Smile Award from the Worcester Historical Museum. Gloria was one of 125 women leaders from the state of Massachusetts recognized by the Women’s Union as having made a significant contribution to the lives of women and families in their own communities and beyond. Her accolades reflect her enduring impact on the cultural and social fabric of her community. More

Stacey Luster is a third generation Worcesterite, who secured her place in Worcester’s history by becoming the only African American woman to be elected to the Worcester City Council as well as the first African American to be elected President of Mechanics Hall.

After graduating from South High School in Worcester at age 16, Stacey attended St. John’s University in New York, earning a BA in Government and Public Administration and Boston University School of Law, where she earned a Juris Doctorate. Stacey has also earned professional certifications from Harvard University in Negotiations and Executive Leadership and from Cornell University in Mediation.

Stacey Luster is an attorney, mediator, educator, community leader and trusted confidant with over 30 years of experience advising Presidents, CEOs as well as elected and appointed officials. In addition to teaching Education Law to school leaders, Stacey has worked at all levels of public education including the Worcester Public Schools, Quinsigamond Community College, the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education and co-founding the Black Excellence Academy. Currently Stacey is working as a founding board member of the Worcester Cultural Academy Public Charter School and General Counsel and Assistant to the President at Worcester State University.

Stacey is vested in the success of our beloved community and has expanded her work into the financial sector as a Director and Chairperson of the Culture, Community and CRA Committee for Country Bank.

Stacey and her husband Charles have 5 children, 3 grandchildren and enjoy attending church and turning community events into date nights! More