MARIAH CAREY, WYCLEF JEAN, JEFF ZUCKER, BILL COSBY AND OTHERS TO BE CELEBRATED BY REVEREND AL SHARPTON & NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK AT THE 12TH ANNUAL KEEPERS OF THE DREAM AWARDS ON THURSDAY, APRIL 15TH
SPECIAL PERFORMANCES BY MIRI BEN-ARI & THE ROOTS TO HONOR KEEPERS OF THE DREAM AWARD RECIPIENTS
Who:
Rev. Al Sharpton
Mariah Carey
Wyclef Jean
Gabourey Sidibe
Regina King
Bill Cosby
Jeff Zucker
Busta Rhymes
Miri Ben-Ari
The Roots
Tamron Hall, MSNBC
What: The Keepers of the Dream Awards
Where: Sheraton Hotel and Towers, 811 7th Avenue (52nd and 7th Avenue).
When: Thursday, April 15th, Red Carpet Press check in 5:45 p.m. (52nd and 7th Avenue).
Awards Program - 7:00 p.m.-10 p.m.
Reverend Al Sharpton and the National Action Network (NAN) will host the12th Annual Keepers of the Dream Awards Thursday, April 15th at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers. The awards, given each year in April to mark the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s death, honor those who have continued to advocate for the principles for which Dr. King gave his life. The Keepers of the Dream awards are given by members of the civil rights community who have committed themselves to fairness and racial harmony.
The evening will be hosted by Tamron Hall from MSNBC and the Keynote address will be delivered by Dr. Bill Cosby. Among this year's honorees are: Mariah Carey, world renowned entertainer; Wyclef Jean, humanitarian and internationally acclaimed musician; Jeff Zucker, President and CEO of NBC Universal; Bishop Charles E. Blake from the Church of God and Christ; Dr. Robert M. Franklin, President Morehouse College; Actress Gabourey Sidibe, Kimberly B. Davis, President JPMorganChase Foundation; Johnny Furr, Jr., Anheuser-Busch; The Home Depot; and DeMaurice Smith, Executive Director of the National Football League Players' Association.
This year's event will include special appearances by the legendary music group the Roots and Grammy-award winning violinist Miri Ben-Ari who will perform her single "Symphony of Brotherhood, featuring the Dream speech of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.--the first instrumental single ever to hit on Billboards R&B/Hip Hop charts, MTV and VH1. Ben-Ari will also receive a special Community Service Award by Reverend Al Sharpton.
The first annual Keepers of the Dream Awards Gala was held by National Action Network (NAN) in 1999 and was hosted by Reverend Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III, the eldest son of Dr. King .This year's annual Keepers of the Dream Awards Gala will be held during National Action Network's National Convention on Thursday, April 15th, 2010 at The Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers from 7-11 p.m. Previous honorees include Denzel Washington, Sean Diddy Combs, James Brown, Attorney Johnnie Cochran, Robin Roberts (GMA), Cicely Tyson, Larry King, Myrlie Evers Williams, Earl Graves, Sr., Dr. Wyatt Tee Walker, Lyor Cohen, Terrie Williams, Congressman Jose Serrano, Russell Simmons, Geraldo Rivera, Jann Wenner, Rolling Stone Magazine, among others.
National Action Network is one of the leading Civil Rights organizations in the nation with over 45 chapters around the country. NAN works extensively to promote a modern Civil Rights agenda which includes one standard of decency for all people, social justice for all communities, and the improvement of race relations. Through the years NAN has served as a megaphone for the voiceless and an advocate for those in need. We have taken on issues relating to voter registration, education, and political enfranchisement.
The Keepers of the Dream Award are held in conjunction with NAN's annual convention.
CONVENTION SCHEDULE
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14th
9:00 am – 10:30 am Health Care Policy Discussion
Is the Cost of Health Care Killing Us?
Moderator: Errol Louis- Columnist, New York Daily News
Harold Ford- Chairman, Democratic Leadership Council
Katie Robbins- National Organizer, Healthcare-Now!
Clyde E. Williams, Jr.- Political Director, Democratic National Committee
Sanford A. Rubenstein, Esq.- Partner, Rubenstein & Rynecki
Dr. Betsy McCaughey- Patient Advocate, Founder, Committee to Reduce Infectious Deaths
Dr. Lisa Ross- Anesthesiologist, St. Vincent’s Hospital10:00 am- 4:00 pm Resource Center and Job Fair
10:30 am – 12:00 noon Health Care Treatment
Developing and Sustaining a Healthy Mind and a Healthy Body
Host: Tony Wafford- Organizer, “I Choose Life”, National Action Network
Moderator: Ivy McGregor- Director of Partnerships, PennGood & Associates
Jo Valentine, MSW- Chief, Syphilis Elimination & STD Disparities Unit
M. Monica Sweeney, MD- MPH, City of New York,
C. Virginia Fields- President/CEO, National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS
Adrienne T. White- Sr. Manager, Corporate Affairs Constituent Relations,
African American Market, Wal- Mart Stores, Inc.
Robert Bailey II, MPH- Project Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention- ACT Against AIDS
Dr. Marsha E. Butler- VP/ Global Professional Relations and Marketing, Colgate Palmolive
Joseph Sellman- Chairman, HIV/AIDS Awareness Committee, NYC Chapter, National Action Network
Tangela D. Richardson - Project Team Leader, HIV/AIDS Campaign, Social Security Administration, Office of Communications External Affairs
11:00 am - 12:00 noon Special Plenary Session:
US Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius
12:00 noon- 1:30 pm Disaster Strikes: How Best to Organize RELIEF?
Moderator: Dr. Ron Daniels- President, Haiti Support Project
Michael T. Maurer- Director of Disaster Training & Exercises, American Red Cross of Greater New York
Bill de Blasio- Public Advocate, New York City
Dr. Jean Claude Compas- MD., Family Practice Physician
Matheiu Eugene, New York City Councilmember
Dr. Joe Leonard, Ph.D.- Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Rose Jackson Flenorl- Manager of Social Responsibility, FedEx Corporation
James “Rocky” Robinson, Jr.- Founder, Bedford Stuyvesant Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Brooklyn, New York
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm Are People of Color Covered Fairly In The Media?
Moderator: Rachel Noerdlinger- President, Noerdlinger Media
Special Address: Bill O’Reilly- O’Reilly Factor
Panelists:
Ed Schultz- MSNBC
George Curry- The Curry Report
Elinor Tatum- Publisher, New York Amsterdam News
Alfred C. Liggins III- Chairman, TV One/ CEO, Radio One
Fred Mwangaguhunga- Founder, MediaTakeOut.com
Jonathan Capehart- Washington Post Editorial Board
Elizabeth Benjamin- Columnist, NY Daily News
Danny Bakewell- President, National Newspaper Publishers Association
3:30 pm- 4:30 pm Special Plenary Session:
Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Michael S. Steele
4:00 pm- 5:30 pm Madison Avenue Initiative
Future Media & Marketing Moguls Discuss Equality, Opportunity and Respect by the General Market
Host: Don Coleman, Chairman & CEO, Globalhue / Vice Chairman, NAN Board of Directors
Moderator: Munson Steed- Director, Madison Avenue Initiative, NAN
Panelists:
Hiram Jackson- CEO, Real Time, Inc.
Tariq Muhammad- VP, AOL Black Voices
Ervin Lee- MillerCoors
4:30 pm- 6:00 pm The New Vision of Young Professionals: Its Our Turn
Host: Tamika D. Mallory- National Executive Director, National Action Network
Moderator: Karen Hunter, Pulitzer Prize- winning Journalist and Hunter College Professor
Panelists:
Marcus Jadotte- Managing Director, Public Affairs, NASCAR
Chris Collins- Signature Model, Ralph Lauren
Kelli Coleman- VP, New Business Development, GlobalHue
Dr. Farrah Gray- CEO, Farrah Gray Publishing
Iasha Rivers, Director of External Affairs, Macy’s
Ahmad Islam- Founding and Managing Partner, Common Ground, Chicago, IL
Paris Dennard- Senior Field Representative, Republican National Committee Coalitions
Glynda Carr- Executive Director, Education Voters
Brian Benjamin- President & Founder, Young Professionals United For Change
6:00 pm Executive Director’s Reception (By Invitation)
Tamika D. Mallory, National Executive Director, National Action Network
Co-Hosts: Andre Harrell & Veronica Webb