The 2009 Africare Bishop John T. Walker Memorial Dinner saluting six-time Grammy Award-winner and humanitarian John Legend.
WHO: John Legend, Six-time Grammy Award-Winning singer, songwriter and actor
Ambassadors from 54 nations
Hon. Charles B. Rangel (D-NY)
Hin. Barbara Lee (D-CA)
Hon. Melvin Watt (D-NC)
Hon. Jesse L. Jackson (D-IL)
Amb. Johnnie Carson, Assistant Secretary of State to Africare
Pat Quinn, Governor, Illinois
Amb. Andrew Young, Former ambassador to the United Nations
Rear Adm. Tim Ziemer, US Malaria Coordinator, President's Malaria Initiative
General William E. "Kip" Ward, Commander, U.S. Africa Command
Lloyd Pierson, President, U.S. African Development Foundation
Alonzo Fulgam, Acting Administrator COO & Exec. Secretary, USAID
Greeta Pasi, Director, Bureau of African Affairs, U.S. State Dept.
Dr. Dorothy I. Height, Chair and President, National Council of Negro Women
Dr. Darius Mans, Acting CEO, Millennium Challenge Corporation, President-Elect, Africare
Julius E. Coles, President, Africare
Dr. Louis Sullivan, Former US Secretary of Health and Human Services
Alexander Cummings, Chief Administrative Officer, Coca-Cola
Stephen Hayes, President & CEO, Corporate Council on Africa
Susan Taylor, writer, journalist and former editor-in chief of Essence Magazine
Angelique Kidjo, Grammy Award-Winning singer and song-writer (Ms. Kidjo will give a special performance)
Michel McQueen Martin, Host, Tell Me More, NPR (Ms. Martin will be the Mistress of Ceremonies for the event)
WHEN: Tuesday, November 3, 5:30 – 9:30 pm
WHERE: The Washington Hilton Hotel
Hotel parking available on site using T Street Entrance or 19th Street Entrance. Parking also available at Universal South Parking located at 1825 Connecticut Avenue.
WHY: Employing his music and position to highlight the plight of the world's poor, Mr. Legend is challenging a new generation not only to care—but to take action. Since launching the Show Me Campaign, he is working with the western Tanzanian village of Mbola to empower more than 30,000 people with sustainable development solutions.
For more information on media coverage and press credentials or to schedule interviews, please contact the Media Relations Manager Tina Musoke at 202.328.5379 or tmusoke@africare.org.
Africare is a leading non-profit organization specializing in African development assistance. It is also the oldest and largest African-American led organization in that field. Since its founding in 1970, Africare has delivered well over $800 in assistance and support — over 2,500 projects and millions of beneficiaries — to 36 countries Africa-wide. Africare has its international headquarters in Washington, DC, with field offices currently in some 25 African countries.
The Bishop Walker Dinner plays an important role in enabling Africare to both broaden awareness about its work in Africa and to raise critically needed funds to deliver life-saving services. Africare is committed to working with Health and HIV/AIDS, Food Security and Agriculture, Emergency and Humanitarian Assistance; and Water and Sanitation. The 2008 Africare Bishop Walker Dinner had over 2,000 attendees and raised over $1 million.
The Africare Dinner is named after the late John T. Walker, the first African-American Episcopal Bishop of Washington, DC, and long-time Chairman of Africare. Bishop Walker loved Africa and the great energy and beauty of her peoples. He dedicated years of his life to his vision of what he knew Africa could become. Bishop Walker passed away on September 30, 1989.
