The Phoenix Awards (CBC RECAP)

The Phoenix Awards (CBC RECAP)

ALC13ButtonSince we at LiL SoSo Productions are always on the go, I thought it would be cool to share my experience attending the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 43rd Annual Legislative Conference Phoenix Awards Dinner. This year’s awards ceremony honored outstanding  people making a difference in and outside of their collective communities. It was also a time of engaging conversations that served to educate as well as inspire attendees to make the necessary changes to positively impact their lives and the lives of those still to come.

This star studded event took place on Saturday, September 21st closing out the conference, which  started on September 18th. The hosts were Wendell Pierce (Actor & Humanitarian) and Tamron Hall (MSNBC News Anchor).  Several awards were handed out throughout the night including:

  • The CBCF Chair’s Phoenix Award presented to Elaine Jones, Esq, for her outstanding work as the Former President and Director-Counsel of the Legal Defense Fund.
  • An award to the Spirit of 1963 for being a pivotal turning point in the Civil Rights Movement. This particular award will be donated to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
  • The CBCF Chair’s Award to President Bill Clinton for his foundation and his personal humanitarian and social good initiatives within a number of communities in the United States.

In addition to the awards ceremony there were several breathtaking performances  including a snippet of the Broadway Hit “MOTOWN the Musical”. To cap off this awesome event, we were introduced to members of Congress and were treated to a rousing Keynote address by President Barack Obama. President Obama shared a message of hope and reminded all of us in the audience of how wide scale change starts with the work that each of us does within our communities.

And in case you are wondering why the event is called the “Phoenix Awards”?!  From the CBCF website:  “The Phoenix Awards Dinner pays tribute to the legacy and achievements of extraordinary individuals who positively impact the African-American experience.” We can only surmise that the actual name has to do with the legend of the phoenix and what it represents- continual rebirth and regeneration.  In Greek Mythology the phoenix is a long-lived bird that is cyclically regenerated or reborn. Associated with the sun, a phoenix begins new life by rising from the ashes of its predecessor- thus carrying forth a legacy.  In my view, these awards are given to people who embody the spirit of rebirthing and regenerating their respective communities- many times building (or rebuilding) from scratch.

On that note I bid you all adieu until next time. This is Dana signing off with LSP On the Go.

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