SPOKANE, Wash. — Carl Maxey is one of the most prominent names in Spokane's Black community.
He not only brought Gonzaga a national boxing title, he also fought for people in the court room as Spokane's first Black attorney.
Now a new center aimed at improving the well-being and lives of African Americans in Spokane is opening up in his name.
Vice Chair of the Carl Maxey center Reverend Walter Kendricks says it was a dream he and other board members had to create a place for people of color and allies to gather.
"It's a long journey, we're just doing our part in the time that God has given us to achieve that dream," Kendricks said.
Executive Director of the center Sandy Williams said she and other board members hope to uplift the community.
"Just to bring that vibrancy back to this area, what you see in other parts of Spokane already, and it's time for this part of Spokane to have some vibrancy," Williams said.
"So that's going to be our role here at the Maxey Center, we're going to educate, innovate, advocate on behalf of the black community," Kendricks said.
Carl Maxey was a trailblazer for Spokane's Black community. It was his legacy and character that helped inspire the vision for the center.
"Carl Maxey's life reflects the vision of the Maxey Center trailblazing, innovating, advocating," he said.
The building the center will be in is around a hundred years old, and the non-profit is currently under a million dollar renovation. They received some funds from the state, but still need to fund raise the other half of the bill.
Although there's much left to do before the center opens its doors, organizers are already looking forward to its impact.
"That's why I'm fired up, I get excited when I think about this, I really do, it's going to be marvelous," Kendricks said.
The center is currently accepting donations toward the project on their website.