A military veteran with 40 years of service. A lifelong educator and retired elementary school principal with multiple degrees and a doctorate. A community leader as a part of the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club. Clarence Becknell has done it all.

But one thing he’s been known for as of late — being a familiar face to many in InclusivCare commercials.
And now, on Dec. 6, he’s being recognized for his work as a Community Champion at InclusivCare’s 20th anniversary gala, alongside 19 other individuals receiving service awards for their accomplishments in the community. The gala will be held at the Royal Palms event venue and will begin at 7 p.m.

Becknell first heard about InclusivCare when president and CEO Shondra Williams asked him if he wanted to be in a commercial for the clinic. At the time, he was doing public relations for the Zulu organization.
He was later given a tour of an InclusivCare clinic, where he was “really amazed” at what he saw, such as the clinic’s Early Childcare Center —a service he’s been an advocate for since his days as an educator at New Orleans Public Schools.

“Health comes first,” he said. “If these kids are not healthy, they can’t learn.”Becknell called his own alma mater, Xavier University of Louisiana —where he also received his doctorate in educational leadership in 2023 — a “hub for social programs.”
It’s where he pursued a career in education and was able to work for decades with underprivileged students in impoverished communities.
The service that InclusivCare provides for those in the same or similar communities is something Becknell sees as filling those gaps in health care that kids did not have before.

“I had the opportunity to talk to some of the patients [at InclusivCare], and they love it,” he said. “They really appreciate the service that’s there.”
And as both an Air Force and National Guard veteran, Becknell compares the services at InclusivCare to the Department of Veteran Affairs — having professional medical doctors that can lend a hand to those who’ve served the country. He’s even referred fellow veterans to the clinic.
“The VA has a program where veterans now can select where they get their health care at,” he said. “InclusivCare provides the same professional services as any other clinic, they have professionals that I’ve seen in action.”

But while Becknell has accomplished a lot throughout decades of serving and educating, and has received many awards, the Community Champion award he will receive at InclusivCare’s gala is extra special to him.
You never know when anybody’s thinking of you,” he said. “But when you get something of this nature and this magnitude that lets you know that someone appreciates what you’ve done for them, you want to continue on doing it.”
As for why he appreciates the work InclusivCare does, it’s simple: it helps others regardless of the money.
“My mother always said that everything is not about a dollar,” Becknell said. “A dollar, you can spend in a day. But when you contribute your time and service and your efforts to someone, that goes a long way.”
To learn more about our 20th anniversary Gala, visit our website.
Learn more details regarding low healthcare for all here.