TODAY – Lou Gossett, Jr., Taraji Henson, Chris Tucker, and BeBe Winans to bring star power to “Power of a Dream Gala” to benefit U.S. Dream Academy’s after-school programs for children of incarcerated parents.
WHAT: The “Power of a Dream Gala” will benefit the
Headlining this evening’s gala will be Academy Award-winning actor Lou Gossett, Jr., Academy Award-nominated actress (Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and DC native Taraji P. Henson, Essence Magazine Editor-in-Chief Emeritus and National Cares Mentoring Movement founder Susan L. Taylor, MTV Award-winning comedian-actor Chris Tucker, Grammy-Award winning vocalist-producer BeBe Winans, and the U.S. Dream Academy’s “DreamKids Choir.”
WHEN: TODAY – Thursday, May 21, 2009
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– Dinner and Program
WHERE: Ritz Carlton Hotel,
â⺠Legacy Award – Academy Award-winning actor Lou Gossett, Jr.
â⺠President’s Award – Academy Award-nominated actress,
ââº
Musical Performances by:
â⺠BeBe Winans, Grammy Award-winning vocalist-producer.
â⺠Wintley Phipps, Grammy Award-nominated gospel singer and Founder & CEO of the U.S. Dream Academy (www.usdreamacademy.org).
â⺠U.S. Dream Academy “DreamKids Choir” of children from DC,
Keynote Speaker:
â⺠Susan L. Taylor, Editor-in-Chief Emeritus of Essence Magazine, book author, and founder of the National Cares Mentoring Movement (http://caresmentoring.com) which is a massive campaign to recruit one million able Black adult mentors to work with at-risk Black youth across America.
Gala Emcees:
â⺠Actor and comedian Chris Tucker and WJLA TV news anchor Cynné Simpson.
Gala Co-Chairs:
â⺠U.S. Senator John Ensign (R-Nevada) and U.S. Senator Mark L. Pryor (D-Arkansas).
WHY: There is an urgent need to save our children who are most at risk of a life of incarceration and poverty. The fact is –
ââ One of every 3 ninth graders in the
ââ High school drop-outs are 8 times more likely to be incarcerated than a person with a high school diploma.
ââ 80 percent of the inmate population is comprised of high school dropouts.
ââ More than two-thirds of juveniles in the criminal justice system are children of prisoners or children with a family member in prison.
ââ A 10 percent increase in the high school graduation rate would cut the cost of crime by $14 billion.
The 8th Annual “Power of a Dream Gala” is produced and designed by Kyle Hutchinson and the Hutchinson Design Group (www.hdconcept.com).
MEDIA CONTACT:
Bill Bronrott, Bronrott Communications, 202-270-4415 and bbcomm@aol.com