Attn: [Media Alert] Dr. Evelyn Gibson Lowery, the First Lady Michelle Obama and Sybrina Fulton, Mother of Trayvon Martin, Honored For The SCLC's Drum Major Of Justice Awards 04.04.14

The Southern Christian Leadership Council/Women, Inc.  (SCLC/Women, Inc.) Celebrates its 35^th year of the Drum Major for Justice Awards Gala by honoring its Founder Dr. Evelyn Gibson Lowery, and saluting the work of

First Lady Michelle Obama and Sybrina Fulton, mother and Founder of the

 Trayvon Martin Foundation

ATLANTA (March 11, 2014) -   It is with great pride and excitement that SCLC/Women, Inc., will host an evening that will honor three of our country’s most inspirational women for their dedication, sacrifice and influence in the community.  The 35^th annual, Drum Major for Justice Awards Gala will pay tribute to its Founder, Dr. Evelyn Gibson Lowery, and salute the work of First Lady Michelle Obama, and Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin and Founder of Trayvon Martin Foundation. The gala will be held at 6:30 p.m. on April 4, 2014, at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta, 265 Peachtree St.

The Drum Major for Justice Awards Gala commemorates the legacy and sacrifice of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., by providing a forum to recognize today's Drum Majors who are making outstanding contributions in our community. Held on the anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination, the event gets its name from his own words, "Just say I was a drum major for justice...”.  These are the very words that inspired Evelyn Gibson Lowery to devote her life honoring hundreds of Drum Majors who have gone above and beyond in their own fight for the rights and privileges of others.    "It is our distinct honor to acknowledge the years of dedication Mrs. Lowery gave to SCLC/Women, Inc., especially during this event, which she founded," said Scarlet Pressley-Brown, interim chair. "We are also very excited to be able to honor Mrs. Lowery along with Michelle Obama, who has, with style and grace, represented our country, our community, and our race with dignity and respect.

It is fitting and proper that Mrs. Lowery be honored, posthumously, with the very award she worked so hard to create.  And just as fitting is it that Mrs. Lowery be honored along-side First Lady Michelle Obama, emphasizing parallel significance, as both women have blazed trails filled with distinction, passion, and conviction.

Honorary co-chairs include former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and Charmaine Ward, director of Community Affairs for Georgia Pacific. The event will include a very special closing musical tribute to Evelyn Lowery, tributes from local television anchors, Monica Pearson, Karyn Greer and Lisa Rayam. Gala guests will also enjoy a retrospective tribute from cast members of the show "A Different World," including Dawnn Lewis, Charnele Brown, and Jasmine Guy.   The gala Master of Ceremonies is movie and TV personality Mykelti Williamson and  Mistress of Ceremonies is radio/TV personality Mo Ivory.

The Drum Major for Justice Award’s dinner has honored many who made contributions in the arena of social justice. Recent honorees include: former Atlanta mayor and U.S. Ambassador, Andrew Young; U.S. Rep. John Lewis (Ga.-D); community activist Rev. Al Sharpton, actress LaTanya Richardson Jackson, CNN anchor Don Lemon, author Isabel Wilkerson, and former Morehouse College president Dr. Robert M. Franklin; Suzan Johnson Cook, U.S. Ambassador-At-Large for International Religious Freedom, U. S. State Department; former Georgia State Director of USDA Rural Development, Shirley Sherrod; award-winning actor, dancer, singer, and director, Jasmine Guy; and the first black all-female flight crew: Captain Rachelle Jones, First Officer Stephanie Grant, Flight Attendant Diana Galloway, and Flight Attendant Robin Rogers.

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About SCLC/Women, Inc.

The SCLC Women, Inc., champions the rights of women, children, families, and responds to the problems of the disenfranchised regardless of ethnicity, gender, age, or religion. For more information visit http://www.sclcwomeninc.org/

MEDIA CONTACT:

The Garner Circle PR | Atlanta Office

Nicole Garner - Pr@TheGarnerCircle.Com

Eugenia Johnson - PRdirector@TheGarnerCircle.com

P: 888-560-6660

2014 HONOREES:

The late Dr. Evelyn Gibson Lowery, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin and Founder of Trayvon Martin Foundation.

Attn:: Media Alert - The Awesome Foundation Expands To Atlanta And Opens $1,000 Grant Window

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March, 2014    The Awesome Foundation, expands to Atlanta, brings an exciting new approach to grant-making and opens grant window $1000 per month will be given to great local causes that spread goodness throughout the metro-area. (ATLANTA)  - Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the state of Georgia. This amazing and innovative international American city is a thriving business center with an assorted mix of residents with southern charm and world-class sophistication. Atlanta attractions are an illustrious mix of world class museums, art galleries, classical music venues, thriving theatre scene, four major sports teams, numerous convention centers ,the world's busiest airport, modern landmarks, gardens, parks and more which all makes it a vibrant, bustling metropolis that attracts young and old alike. Many have visited, fallen in love with and subsequently relocated to this beautiful and bustling city to partake of its hospitality and to call it their home. Unfortunately, Atlanta also suffers from high rates of poverty and is 4th in the country for suburban poverty growth.  That coupled with struggling public schools, human trafficking of children, homelessness, underfunded arts programs and many other problems facing metropolitan cities,  makes Atlanta ripe for the launch of The Awesome Foundation - Atlanta Chapter.  Awesome Atlanta is part of an international network of people who find and reward Awesome in the world. The chapter was created to celebrate ideas and projects that spread goodness in the metropolitan Atlanta area. To date, Awesome Foundation chapters have given out a wide spectrum of grants, including towards the creation of public artwork, mobile applications or scientific experiments. As of December 2013, the Awesome Foundation has grown to 88 Chapters, from Boston to London, to Ottawa and Melbourne, with new micro-trustees coming soon in Nairobi, Kenya; The continent of Africa's first Awesome chapter.  Awesome Foundation chapters give $1000 grants each month. Winners are chosen by consensus. The funds come from the micro-trustees themselves, with no claims on neither future ownership nor expectation of repayment, other than that a grantee will apply the grant to the purpose proposed. Proposals are simple: 350 - 1500 words submitted using a simple online application that explains why the project meets the foundation's standard for awesomeness and how the project will immediately impact the city.    "Organized channels sometimes neglect the folks with the greatest need.  Red tape and bureaucracy often prevent small artistic, creative, innovative, educational, environmental and other notable projects to go without sponsorship because they are not part of an organized charity or large non-profit organization," said Atlanta Chapter's founder, Dionne Mahaffey.   "Awesome Foundation Chapters do not consider 501c3 status exclusively as the starting point for assessing a project's Awesome Quotient," she continued.  The Atlanta Chapter's grants will support projects in sciences, arts, civic engagement, media, entertainment... just about anything as long as long as it contributes to making Atlanta awesome.  The grants can go to groups, individuals, small no-profit organizations, almost any entity.  The monthly $1000 grant is obtained from contributions by the chapter's trustees who make a monthly contribution to fund the award.  Trustees also vote on the submissions to determine the winner each month.  "It is the trustees contributing the money that meet once a month to review the applications received by the Chapter and decide on who will win the grant for the month," Mahaffey said.   "We've already identified a few dedicated trustees who have made the conscious choice to foster Awesome out of their own disposable income. We have a few more slots to fill to complete our diverse roster of micro-trustees for the Atlanta Chapter, she concluded.  Yasmin Smith, one of the first trustees to join Awesome Atlanta decided to come join the chapter because of "the fulfillment that comes from being a volunteer agent of positive change in the Atlanta community. It's like getting together with a group of friends each month and agreeing to help launch a great idea or complete an impressive and impactful community initiative, "  she said. The Trustee obligations are simple, but serious: To be willing to commit no more than $100 per month in the interest of Awesome. To participate in a monthly grant application review session. To play an active role in reviewing grant-applications and collectively deciding who gets them. To commit to finding a replacement micro-trustee, if one leaves the board. The chapter will open their grant submission window, March 2, 2014 and will award the first grant in April.  If you are interested in becoming a Trustee or learning more about the grant process please email Atlanta@awesomefoundation.org About the Awesome Foundation The Awesome Foundation for the Arts and Sciences is an ever-growing, worldwide network of people devoted to forwarding the interest of awesomeness in the universe. Created in the long hot summer days of 2009 in Boston, the Foundation distributes a series of monthly $1,000 grants to projects and their creators. The money is pooled together from the coffers of ten or so self-organizing "micro-trustees" and given upfront in cash, check, or gold doubloons. The chapters are organized by a founder and trustees around geographic areas or topics of interest. www.awesomefoundation.org Why an Awesome Chapter in Atlanta? Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the state of Georgia. This amazing and innovative international American city is a thriving business center with an assorted mix of residents with southern charm and world-class sophistication. Atlanta attractions are an illustrious mix of world class museums, art galleries, classical music venues, thriving theatre scene, four major sports teams, numerous convention centers ,the world's busiest airport, modern landmarks, gardens, parks and more which all makes it a vibrant, bustling metropolis that attracts young and old alike. Many have visited, fallen in love with and subsequently relocated to this beautiful and bustling city to partake of its hospitality and to call it their home. Unfortunately, Atlanta also suffers from high rates of poverty and is 4th in the country for suburban poverty growth.  That coupled with struggling public schools, human trafficking of children, homelessness, underfunded arts programs and many other problems facing metropolitan cities,  makes Atlanta ripe for the launch of The Awesome Foundation - Atlanta Chapter.  www.awesomeatlanta.org ###    GET SOCIAL: T/ IG: @AwesomeAtlanta MEDIA CONTACT: The Awesome Foundation - Atlanta Chapter The Garner Circle PR  Nicole Garner  Pr@TheGarnerCircle.Com 888-560-6660 CHAPTER CONTACT: Dionne Mahaffey Email: Atlanta@AwesomeFoundation.org

[CONTEST ALERT] Power Plug "I Want to be Plugged In" Contest

Contest Alert! #picstitch contest rules: picstitch the powerplug logo and tag @powerplugpr with the hashtag #powerplugATL and let us know you want to be #pluggedin for a chance to win tickets to this years conference.

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