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Ambassador Andrew Young to Honored Former Vice President Joe Biden, Van Jones, Akon, Women’s March Organizers and Ron Clark at The 2017 Andrew J. Young International Leadership Awards
On June 3, 2017, The Andrew Young Foundation will welcomed the city of Atlanta and guests from around the world to celebrate the 85th birthday of the Foundation’s founder and chair, Ambassador Andrew Young, by hosting the biennial Andrew J. Young International Leadership Awards. The event was held at Philips Arena in downtown Atlanta. The 2017 Andrew J. Young International Leadership Awards recognized exceptional individuals whose activism, philanthropy and leadership are transforming lives throughout the global community.
The 2017 Andrew J. Young International Leadership Award recipients are:
· Linda Sarsour, Tamika Mallory, Carmen Perez, and Bob Bland, National Co-Chairs of the Women’s March on Washington for inspiring and organizing a worldwide outpouring of positive civic engagement;
· Ron Clark, for creating a transformational school that models teaching excellence and nurtures future leaders, and opens its doors to share those strategies with thousands of other educators;
· Activist, commentator, and Dream Corps founder Van Jones, for promoting human rights and police accountability and helping young people fill jobs, not jails;
· Singer, songwriter, rapper and producer Akon, whose Akon Lighting Africa project is using small-scale solar energy systems and street lights to bring transformational change to communities in Africa whose development has been harmed by lack of electricity; and
· Former Vice President Joe Biden, whose lifetime of public service was recognized by President Barack Obama with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Anthony Anderson, star of ABC’s “Black-ish,” will host the gala evening, which will include tribute performances from Usher, Jill Scott, Wyclef Jean, Estelle, gospel artist Anthony Brown and more.
The event is sponsored by Delta Airlines, Forbes Africa, Cox Enterprises, The Coca-Cola Company, and V-103 FM Atlanta.
All proceeds from the event will benefit the Foundation’s current programs to preserve civil and human rights and help support and sustain future initiatives