Norfolk, VA (Nov. 19, 2021) – The Urban League of Hampton Roads will host the 38th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Community Leaders Virtual Event on Monday, January 17, 2022, at 8 AM. Presented by Dollar Tree, the event honors the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and recognizes dedicated leaders whose significant contributions to the community reflect Dr. King’s commitment to social justice and equity for those most marginalized. Pharrell Williams, Grammy Award-Winning Musician, Producer and Philanthropist, will serve as the Keynote Speaker.
“We are proud to continue this long held tradition for the Hampton Roads community. It is incredibly important that we recognize and celebrate the leaders who make such significant contributions to our community, as well as educate the community about the instrumental role the Urban League serves for the Hampton Roads community,” said Gilbert Bland, President and CEO of the Urban League of Hampton Roads. “We are humbled to have Virginia’s own Pharrell Williams serve as our Keynote Speaker to elevate our unified mission for economic empowerment and equity for all. We were honored to be part of his ‘Elephant in the Room’ event at Norfolk State University recently and look forward to being part of the change we seek for the community.”
The MLK 2022 Award Recipients are:
- Civic – Bennett Zier, President & CEO, Audacy
- Education – Jeffrey Smith, Superintendent, Hampton Public School District
- Employment – Jennifer Boykin, Executive Vice President, Huntington Ingalls Industries & President Newport News Shipbuilding
- Financial – Charles R. Henderson, Jr., Senior Vice President & CEO, Bank of America
- Health – Cynthia C. Romero, Executive Director, Brock Institute, Eastern Virginia Medical School
- Housing – Susan F. Dewey, Chief Executive Officer, Virginia Housing
- Innovation – Robert M. Blue, Chair, President and Chief Executive Officer, Dominion Energy
- Philanthropy – Jane P. Batten, President, The Batten Foundation
There is no cost to attend, registration is online at https://ulhr.org/
Businesses and individuals interested in sponsorships will give the gift of economic empowerment for the Hampton Roads community. For sponsorship opportunities, please visit the event page on the website or contact Ms. Latisha James at 757-627-0864 or [email protected] . For media inquiries, contact Mike Carosi at [email protected].
The Urban League is one of the oldest civil rights organizations in the country. Their mission is to secure economic equity, investment and civil rights for the Black community. For more information, or to become a member, visit https://ulhr.org/membership/.
About the Urban League of Hampton Roads
The mission of the Urban League of Hampton Roads, Inc. (ULHR) is to enable African Americans and others to secure economic self-reliance, parity and power and civil rights. The ULHR implements its mission by providing services and programs in education, employment, health, and housing to Hampton Roads communities through direct services, advocacy, research, policy analysis, community mobilization and collaboration throughout communities.
The Urban League of Hampton Roads, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and contributions are tax deductible as defined by the Internal Revenue Code. EIN 54-1083985.