NAN'S WOMEN OF EXCELLENCE AWARD BANQUET A SMASHING EVENT

n Saturday evening, March 30th, the Women of Excellence Awards Banquet took place at National Action Network's House of Justice in Harlem. With its theme Prayer, Perseverance and Peace, this was the 6th annual banquet held by NAN's Women's Auxiliary, which is Chaired by Kathy Jordan Sharpton.

At this inspiring event, catered by Sylvia's and hosted by the Rev. Al Sharpton and Clarise Taylor of the Cosby Show, 17 women were honored.

The first awardee, introduced by the Honorable Dawn Jones, was Pamela Green Perkins, wife of New York City Councilman Bill Perkins. She had made history when she became the first African American elected to the post of 1st Vice Chair of the New York State Democratic Party.

Following her were longtime consumer advocate and TV host, Florence Rice, Director of the Harlem Consumer Education Council, and Florence Anthony, the celebrity gossip columnist who hosts the syndicated radio show Gossip To Go with Flo and has a weekly column in the National Examiner.

Beverly Alston, an expert in the cumbersome and complicated ballot access process, was introduced next. She has successfully defended the ballot positions of many political insurgents, from district leaders to US Congress members.

Sarah Brinson read the bios of the next group of women. First came fashion designer Brenda Brunson-Bey, creator of a clothing line that is innovative in perspective, yet natural in fiber and design. Next up was Monique Greenwood, who, with her husband Glenn Pogue, owns and operates Akwaaba Mansion, the nationally acclaimed bed and breakfast in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.

Following her was Dr. Frances Brisbane, Professor and Dean of the School of Social Welfare at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. With her decades-long background in substance abuse treatment, she is Dean of the National Black Alcoholism and Addiction Council in Washington, DC.

And then there was Theodora Smiley Lacey, who worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955. In 1957, along with her late husband Dr. Archie Lacey, she risked her life traveling throughout the counties of Alabama researching injustice in the state's political system. That research served as the basis of the great wave of protest and litigation that sought to enfranchise the Black voters in Alabama.

The next group of honorees were introduced by Christine Dudley. First was publisher, attorney, businesswoman and mother Miatta Haj Smith, who is co-publisher of New York's popular weeklies the New York Beacon and Wednesday's Woman.

Following her was Lillian Smith, who was with the Emmy Award winning "talk/news" television program, Donahue for 17 years. Herself a recipient of numerous Emmy Awards, Ms. Smith was the Coordinating Producer for PBS television's Presidential Special: "The Issue of Race: A Crisis in Black and White", which was selected to air in classrooms across the nation to have youths understand the issue of race in America.

Introduced next was Dedra Tate, who oversees the operations of Flavor Unit Entertainment, a management company and burgeoning production division which operates 3 record labels. She was followed by the only African American woman to own and publish a metropolitan newspaper in over 100 years, Dr. Teresa Taylor Williams of the New York Trend. The paper has now expanded it's audience to include Internet browsers with a fully interactive website.

Marcia Fitzgerald, President of the Women's Auxiliary, introduced the final group of awardees. They included the tireless Marie Thompson, a Tenant Organizer with a non-profit, community based organization that works throughout the Bronx to create and maintain affordable, habitable housing.

Next came Debra Cofer, President and CEO of Straight from the Heart Enterprises (SHE), a business dedicated to the development of educational programs that encourage and support opportunities for self-empowered lifestyles for women. She also hosts "What Women Want" an innovative talk show addressing important women's issues.

Following her was Valerie Sheppard, Founder and President of the Sheppard Foundation, Inc., an alternative medicine research and referral service based in Harlem, the only organization of its kind in the African American and Latino communities.

Introduced next was Tsahi Alexander, a dedicated single mom who is concerned with the weakening of civil liberties, police brutality, the prison industrial complex, and other atrocities our future generations will be challenged with. She has been speaking truth to power since her teen years.

The final honoree, introduced by Dominique and Ashley Sharpton, was none other than Teresa Weatherspoon, whose amazing performances as a guard for the New York Liberty basketball team has earned her tremendous admiration. In the off-season, she participates in Drug Crusades, which gives talks to children throughout her home state of Texas about the dangers of drugs.

As Ms. Weatherspoon said upon accepting her award, after hearing what each of the women had accomplished--only a fraction of which is included here--one felt greatly honored to be in their company.

The evening would have been thrilling enough had it ended there, but Rev. Sharpton stepped up to the mike and honored his own Woman of Excellence, his "partner and wife" of 21 years, Kathy Jordan Sharpton. "It's good to have someone who not only shares your life but shares your dreams and stays with you to see them come true," he said. "People can see Kathy dressed up on big nights, but they don't see her standing in line at the jail house for 3 long months last summer, not knowing how we're going to pay the bills. That's the side that I know and that's meant so much to me. She's raised our daughters while I was trying to help raise the nation. I thank God for her and I know you do too."

Now, how do you follow that! But follow it they did, with yet another surprising, moving testimony when Stanley Thompson, James Simmons and Anthony Phillips were given Men of Valor Awards for their outstanding courage and service in the cause of justice. Mr. Phillips, Chair of the Disabled Committee, who is notable for his presence at countless demonstrations over the years, sang "Let the Work that I've Done Speak for Me." There wasn't a dry eye in the house. It was a fitting finale to a beautiful evening.

Donna Lamb can be contacted at dlamb@gis.net.

For more information, please contact Donna Lamb at dlamb@gis.net.