United States

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.

California
Caribbean Heritage Organization (CHO) and the Institute of Caribbean Studies announced that actors Antonio Fargas, Lorraine Toussaint, Sheryl Lee Ralph and screenwriter and producer Rob Edwards will be honored at the 2012 Salute to Hollywood & The Arts gala to be held at the Sheraton Universal City in Los Angeles on Friday, June 29, during the 2012 Caribbean-American Heritage Month celebrations. The Caribbean Heritage Organization (CHO) was formed in January 2007 to celebrate the rich and diverse contributions of Caribbeans, Caribbean Americans and friends of the Caribbean international society through conservation and education of Caribbean arts and culture.
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The 9th annual “Omni Youth Music & Actor Awards” Red Carpet Gala was recently held at “The Grammy Museum” at L.A. Live. The award recognizes and acknowledges the talent of young professional and emerging artists and strives to encourage, embrace, empower and give the audience an experience and learn to appreciate all genres of music. The gala was co-sponsored by “Beyond the Bell Branch,” a division of the Los Angeles Unified School District. This year’s honorees were the Gooding family—Cuba Gooding Sr., Cuba Gooding Jr., and Omar Gooding.
 

District of Columbia
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law has announced that Congressman John Lewis will serve as grand marshal of the organization’s 50th Anniversary Campaign and National Advisory Commission. Since 1986, Lewis has served as U.S. Representative of Georgia’s Fifth Congressional District and recently published a new book entitled “Across That Bridge: Life Lessons and a Vision for Change” (2012). He has championed legislation and initiatives central to voting rights, equal employment and workers’ rights, education, housing and foreclosure, LGBT rights, and more.

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.

California
The Broadway Arts Center, an ambitious project proposing a mixed-use development containing a black box theater, art gallery, creative commercial space, and affordable housing for artists along the Historic Broadway Corridor will receive a $470,000 grant—the largest national grant to be awarded from the ArtPlace collaboration. Broadway Arts Center partners include Councilmember José Huizar’s Bringing Back Broadway, the city of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Actors Fund, ArtSpace, the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), and Pritzker prize winning architect Thom Mayne and Morphosis Architects. ArtPlace is a new national collaboration of 11 major national and regional foundations, six of the nation’s largest banks, and eight federal agencies, including the National Endowment for the Arts, dedicated to transforming communities with strategic investments in the arts.
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The Ford Amphitheatre is offering a leg up to Los Angeles County-based arts organizations who are interested in producing live performing arts events at the historic, open-air theater in the Hollywood Hills in summer 2013. “We know that producing in L.A. is expensive,” said Adam Davis, Ford Theatre’s managing director. “Groups who are accepted into the Ford’s Summer Partnership Program receive significant presentation support and assistance for their productions.” Applications are now available for the 2013 summer season. The deadline is Aug. 29. Proposals are being accepted electronically through the Ford’s website at http://www.fordtheatres.org/en/opportunity/summerpartnership.
 

District of Columbia
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law has selected DuPont and its Chair and Chief Executive Officer Ellen Kullman to receive the 13th annual A. Leon Higginbotham Corporate Leadership Award for exemplary corporate leadership in advancing diversity in the workplace and fostering economic opportunity. The gala black-tie dinner, themed “Together, We Can Accomplish What No One Can Do Alone,” will be held at the Grand Hyatt New York on June 28, with a 6:30 p.m. reception and 7:30 p.m. dinner. CNN anchor and correspondent Don Lemon will serve as emcee. DuPont is a market-driven science company with 70,000 employees working in more than 90 countries.

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.

California
Historically, neighborhood barbershops have served as hubs where men go to discuss issues in the community (family, politics, health, money and life issues). The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families, Office of Family Assistance, and the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse believe that peer education among men is critical in disseminating healthy information about fatherhood and the role of fathers in society. Through this is idea President Obama’s Fatherhood Initiative’s ‘Fatherhood Buzz’ was born. On June 16, select barbershops as well as community partners and supporters such as the Children’s Institute, Housing Authority of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Urban League, Challengers Boys & Girls Club, and 100 Black Men will participate in the event which encourages fathers to bring their children to the barbershop to talk with other fathers, share stories and information to build a stronger network of fatherhood. For more information about Fatherhood Buzz, visit www.fatherhood.gov.

Colorado
Vail Soul Music Fest will return to the Ford Amphitheater on Aug. 17-19. Performing are Sugarfoot’s Ohio Players, Allen Stone, and Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Anthony David, who returning for his second VSMF play, is joined by Algebra. Also on the bill, the Brand New Heavies bring their internationally known Soul/Funk/Jazz songs to the live stage, husband/wife duo Kindred, and Natalie Stewart and Julie Dexter in their first U.S. appearance together as the highly anticipated The Floetry Re:Birth.