SPRINGFIELD — Nominations are now being accepted for the 28th annual Ubora Award and the 10th annual Ahadi Youth Award. Both awards honor African-American people from Greater Springfield who have demonstrated commitment to the fields of community service, education, science, humanities and/or the arts.

The awards winners are selected by the Springfield Museum’s African Hall Subcommittee, a volunteer group including educators, business people and community leaders from the African-American community. The nomination deadline for both awards is March 31.

The Ubora Award recognizes an adult of African heritage who exemplifies excellence in a commitment to creating a better community through service. In 2018, the Ubora Award was given to Keshawn Dobbs, who leads the Springfield Boys and Girls Club Family Center.

Named for the Swahili word for “promise,” the Ahadi Youth Award is presented to a young African American who excels in academics and performs admirable service to the Greater Springfield community. Eligible candidates must be 19 or younger, live in or have strong ties to the Greater Springfield area and be enrolled in grades 10, 11, or 12. In 2018, the Ahadi Award was given to Karissa Coleman.

“We have just kept building it up, and it’s (an annual event) honoring someone who has shown excellence in his or her career but also has been very generous with their outreach to the community in various ways,” said Ruth Njiiri, the former chairwoman of the subcommitee, in a video on the museums' website.

The Ubora and Ahadi awards will be presented at a ceremony at the Springfield Museums in September.

Nomination forms can be downloaded by visiting SpringfieldMuseums.org/Ubora. Nominations may be emailed to vcavagni@springfieldmuseums.org or mailed to African Hall Subcommittee, c/o Valerie Cavagni, Springfield Museums, 21 Edwards St., Springfield, MA 01103.