Sudbury Resident Honored By Boston Celtics As 'Hero Among Us'

SUDBURY, MA — A Sudbury resident has been honored by the Boston Celtics as a "Hero Among Us."

During the team's Mar. 16 home game against the Phoenix Suns, Dr. Aima Ahonkhai, a local resident and health equity advocate, was recognized.

Ahonkhai founded Cutting Out Stigma in Tennessee, a barbershop-based education initiative to reduce HIV-related stigma and connect community members to prevention and care services. The program trains barbers to serve as health and mental wellness ambassadors in their communities.

Ahonkai serves as a doctor, researcher, and director of community-engaged research at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, according to her LinkedIn.

She is also a current Harvard Medical School Faculty Fellow, and through her fellowship, she has expanded COS's reach. Through that, she partners with trusted community spaces to address health inequities, reduce stigma, and promote wellness, according to Harvard.

Harvard Medical School's Office for Culture and Community Engagement said it "congratulates Ahonkhai on this well‑deserved recognition and celebrate the important work she is advancing at the intersection of scholarship, community partnership, and public health impact," in a news release.

The Celtics Heroes Among Us program has been recognizing outstanding individuals in Massachusetts since 1997. The program honors those who have made lasting contributions to their communities.

The award is presented at every Celtics home game.

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