DHEC recognizes Gullah/Geechee Nation’s Queen Quet for community work, impact in SC
Queen Quet, chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation, was awarded the Community Star award this week by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.
The award recognizes collaborative partnerships.
Queen Quet, also known as Marquetta Goodwine, received the award for her “leadership, service and dedication to improving her community and protecting the environment of St. Helena Island, the Gullah/Geechee Nation, and South Carolina,” a news release said.
She is a longtime partner of DHEC, advocating for environmental justice and education as well as “community resiliency from the local to international level.”
“Strong relationships and trust among federal, state, local and community leaders can be transformational,” Myra Reece, director of DHEC Environmental Affairs, said. “We are a better agency capable of making better decisions because of relationships with partners like Queen Quet.”
Queen Quet was awarded the Order of the Palmetto by Gov. Henry McMaster last fall, which is considered the state’s highest civilian honor. She was the first St. Helena Island native to receive the award. She’s received roughly 300 other, such as the Living Legacy Award by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, for her advocacy work.
This story was originally published February 26, 2022 at 10:01 AM.
