New Britain Fire Chief Mark Carr peers at the city from his office window in City Hall.

Mark Carr holds post as the first black Fire Chief in New Britain's history. Although the past year and a half has been challenging for him, he looks at the influence and perseverance ofleaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Ghandi for inspiration.

"At times it may seem like odds are not in your favor. But you have to have the will and have God in your life, in your mind, in your body. You must keep those fundamentals in your life," Carr said. "Faith can move mountains. Look at the way Ghandi dealt with obstacles and got through them. I respect these leaders and their principles."

The former Borough Commander from London, England believes that his inspiration is the greatest influence. And the perception of influence is something that the youth need to understand.

"I know that I have a great responsibility to the community as a leader. I understand the importance of the decisions I have to make and the effect of them on people’s lives,"Carr said. "I believe the youth need to know that I’m not in a place that is unique. I’m in a place that’s accessible to them."

"At the end of the day I look back I ask myself, did I make a difference and am I happy with it. Once the answers to those questions are ‘yes’ -- that’s all the inspiration I need to keep moving forward."

 

Paulette Fox, the director of Opportunities Industrialization Center of New Britain, doesn’t consider herself influential, even though she has helped guide the career direction of nearly 1,000 young adults every year for the past 20 years.

But OIC coordinator, Renee Knight believes Fox’s dedication is what makes her rise above the rest.

"She’s a hands-on executive director. She works hard giving 110 percent of herself no matter what," Knight said. "And she’s always uplifting everyone else. But most of all she encourages teamwork and empowers people."

According to Fox, influence is about making a difference, whether it’s good or bad. She believes that it’s the lasting impression on and individual that makes the difference.

"My father influenced me a lot as a youth. He told me I was unique and special and I can do anything I put my mind to. I use this advice in my life, every day,"Fox said. "When you’re running a nonprofit organization, you have to be able to change when it’s time to change and take constructive criticism even when it hurts."

Fox also looks at the people who have traveled the path before her as inspiration.

"I look at two people, Connie Wilson Collins, OIC board chair for over 20 years -- her words have actually become mine," Fox said. "I also see Harriet Tubman as influential, leading so many people to freedom. I see myself in Harriet sometimes, because I feel I make a difference, and believe that one person can make a difference."

New Britain Superintendent of Schools, Doris Kurtz, has been making a difference in New Britain since she took over the reins in 2001. Although she is a native of Illinois, Kurtz has embraced the New Britain community and stands firm on helping to improve the school system. Her goal of improving student achievement stands high on her list.

"We’ve made a lot progress in developing a culture of learning for adults and learning for students. The students can not learn if the adults do not learn," Kurtz said.

Motivated by the opportunity to positively impact the lives of students, Kurtz looks to the strength of her parents as the greatest inspiration in her life.

"My parents were so strong, and had such a strong work ethic and high integrity.They instilled the value of education in me. My father would often work two full-time jobs and they would be tired and sick -- but they had a will and didn’t allow obstacles to keep them from doing what they knew they had to do," Kurtz said. "They were able to be successful when they came from backgrounds that didn’t support that. It was their love, courage, strength and strong support of the things I wanted to do that help to motivate me."

With a Ph.D. in Educational Administration, years of educational experience, numerous awards and recognitions under her belt, Kurtz recognizes that she’s in one of the most influential positions in New Britain.

"You can’t be a leader unless you can influence others," Kurtz said. "The best advice I ever got was from my husband who said, ‘If you care enough to continuously complain then you should care enough to be a part of the solution.’

Kurtz is proud of her accomplishments as superintendent and has strong advice for young people.

"Maximize your potential and discipline yourselves. Set goals you want to achieve and stay focused."

Franchone Fraser-Ben Reuben Bey can be reached at ffraser@newbritainherald.com