HONOREES FOR 2009 ANNUAL AWARDS DINNER ANNOUNCED
The Jackie Robinson Foundation will hold its 2009 Annual Awards Dinner on Monday, March 16th at 6:30pm at New York’s venerable Waldorf=Astoria hotel. Hosted by legendary entertainer Bill Cosby for nearly three decades, the iconic event pays tribute to individuals who embody the humanitarian ideals of Jackie Robinson. This years honorees include Robin Roberts, Good Morning America co-host, who will be recognized not only her own pioneering career in broadcasting, but also for her unwavering commitment to advancing social change through her reporting. World renowned physician, educator and Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at John Hopkins University, Dr. Benjamin Carson, Sr., will also be honored. His breakthrough research and patient care has dramatically improved the human condition and he has served as a mentor and role model for scores of African American youth across the country who dream of becoming physicians. In addition, the Foundation will also honor Robert Redford, founder of the Sundance Film Festival and one of the most iconic actors of our time. This entrepreneur and trailblazer in the world of cinema has spent his career opening doors for many giving voice to young filmmakers. The JRF Annual Awards Dinner has recognized some of the most decorated names in business, politics, education, media, sports and the arts, including Bishop Desmond Tutu, J. W. Marriott, Jr., Clive Davis, Spike Lee, Ruth J. Simmons, Henry L. “Hank” Aaron, John A. Thain, John Welch Jr., Ella Fitzgerald, George Lucas, Marian Wright Edelman, Arthur Ashe, Michael Jordan, Tom Brokaw, Dr. Sheila C. Johnson and Katharine Graham.
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JRF/MORGAN STANLEY FOUNDATION SCHOLAR SELECTED TO SPEAK AT CLINTON GLOBAL INITIATIVE
Growing up on the south side of Chicago, Alex Cater was surrounded by crippling poverty, endless cycles of hopelessness and seemingly insurmountable obstacles. But with his unshakeable resolve and the support of his mother, the dream of a college education never seemed out of reach. There was also the boon that came from a childhood source of inspiration: Jackie Robinson. “Growing up in the area where I did, I did not see a lot of success among African Americans,” said the JRF/Morgan Stanley Foundation Scholar and senior at the University of Michigan. “What Jackie did gave me the inspiration to try to step forward and to achieve great things and make a difference in the lives of the people around me and improve my community. Jackie’s legacy was a means of striving for greatness.”>>MORE
JACKIE ROBINSON MUSEUM CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCED
On the eve of Jackie Robinson’s 90th birthday party, the Foundation celebrated the milestone by officially launching an ambitious new chapter in its own history. Jackie Robinson Foundation President and CEO Della Britton Baeza formally announced plans to construct an interactive Jackie Robinson Museum in lower Manhattan, slated to open next year. The $25 million campaign is halfway to completion thanks to significant gifts from Nike, the Yawkey Foundation, the New York Mets, Citi and the New York Yankees. The star-studded event featured a dynamic panel discussion with iconic basketball star and historian Kareem Abdul Jabbar and New York Mets skipper Jerry Manuel. The two traded stories of Jackie Robinson lore, discussing how the baseball and civil rights luminary impacted their own careers. The panel was moderated by the Foundation’s new Vice President and Chief Program Officer Damon Caldwell. >>CLICK TO WATCH HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EVENT
RACHEL ROBINSON INTERNATIONAL FELLOWS SHARE THEIR MEMORABLE SUMMER EXPERIENCES
On the heels of one of the most historic days in modern American history, the Jackie Robinson Foundation hosted an event showcasing the remarkable experiences of four Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholars who returned from Africa as part of the new Rachel Robinson International Fellowship (RRIF). Rachel Robinson and Dr. Sheila C. Johnson, whose generous gift provided the seed money to launch the program, were on hand along with Foundation friends and supporters. Mauri Robinson, a recent graduate of Morehouse College and a former JRF/Merrill Lynch Scholar and Elyse Phillips, a junior at the University of Miami and a JRF/Coca-Cola Scholar shared stories of their service work in Ghana, while Danielle McKinley, a senior at Albany (Georgia) State University and a JRF/Unilever Scholar and Aminata Cisse, a recent graduate of Spelman College now attending SUNY Downstate Medical School and a former JRF/Unilver Scholar talked about their experiences in Mozambique. The RRIF program was established to provide JRF Scholars with international study, work and volunteer experiences and underscores the Foundation’s commitment to meeting the changing needs of students entering the increasingly global 21st century economy. The Foundation has developed a comprehensive new partnership with CARE, the international humanitarian organization fighting global poverty, to put its ambitious vision into action. A record 223,534 students from U.S colleges studied abroad in 2007. Despite the surging popularity of international study, just 3.4% of study abroad participants were African American. CLICK HERE to watch part of the presentations.
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