Emmy® and Grammy® Award-winning Mezzo-soprano star Denyce Graves this month launched important works through the Denyce Graves Foundation with a glitzy string of events in Washington to roll out the foundation’s initiatives honoring the legacy of minority performers in America and celebrating the diversity and talent of the next generation.

The weekend kicked off with Denyce performaning the starring role in The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson at the Kennedy Center, which portrays the life and legacy of Mary Cardwell Dawson, acclaimed performer and founder of the National Negro Opera Company. Presented by the Washington National Opera, The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson, which played in the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater from January 20–22, features music by Kennedy Center Composer-in-Residence Carlos Simon and text by playwright Sandra Seaton.

Following the Sunday evening performance, philanthropists Wayne and Catherine Reynolds hosted a dinner at the Kennedy Center sponsored by the Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation. Guests included British Ambassador Karen Pierce and Sir Charles Roxburgh, Ford Foundation’s Darren Walker, Librarian of Congress Dr. Carla Hayden, Bret and Amy Baier, Billy Martin, Abby Phillip and Marcus Richardson, Dede and Dr. Dallas Lea, Teresa Carlson and Andre Pienaar, Isabelle Johnson, Lee Satterfield and Patrick Steel, Kim Sajet, Anita and Tim McBride, and Jonathan Capehart and Nick Schmit.

Denyce’s husband, NYU Langone transplant surgeon Dr. Robert Montgomery, who has visited and supported Ukraine’s largest functioning transplant center, was joined at the dinner by fellow doctors from Ukraine.

Isabelle Johnson of the S&R Evermay Foundation is a partner of the Denyce Graves Foundation and its new exhibition at the Kennedy Center, highlighting the untold stories and achievements of America’s hidden musical figures. The exhibit features photographs and artifacts from Mary Cardwell Dawson and the National Negro Opera Company, on loan from the Heinz History Center, and runs Jan. 18–Feb. 1, 2023.

On January 22, the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously presented to Mary Cardwell Dawson for providing opportunities for gifted African-American performers and challenging systemic racism. Established in 2003 by executive order by President George W. Bush, the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to individuals who have volunteered more than 4,000 hours of service and is the highest honor in the President’s Volunteer Service Award system. Presented by Dr. Beverly Kee, Certifying Agent, Premiere Coalition Partners Association, the award was accepted on the late Dawson’s behalf by her grandniece, Debra Evans.

Prior to the performances, the Library of Congress hosted a lecture on January 19 by Dr. Karen Bryan entitled, “Self-Determination on the Operatic Stage: Mary Cardwell Dawson and African American performance in Washington, DC and New York City.” The lecture was presented by the American Musicological Society and the Music Division of the Library of Congress.

The Denyce Graves Foundation is committed to highlighting the rich musical heritage of early African-American performers and preparing the diverse pool of tomorrow’s vocal stars by encouraging inclusive opportunity, access, and advocacy for the next generation.

Brava, Denyce!

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has launched a new Iran Media Help Desk to support at-risk journalists covering the increasing protests across the country. 

According to RSF:  “In response to the rapid deterioration of press freedom since the start of the nationwide protests in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini on 16 September,  Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has launched a new Iran Media Help Desk, in collaboration with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Dr Shirin Ebadi. Immediate emphasis will be placed on providing digital security support to journalists and media facing risks for reporting on events in the country.”

RSF Secretary-General Christophe Deloire added: “Iranian journalists are courageously reporting on developments in an increasingly hostile and complex environment, despite the great risks to themselves. RSF is seeking to help circumvent those risks by providing journalists and media with the tools and support needed to do their jobs as safely as possible. Their ability to continue reporting is crucial to informing the Iranian and international public, and we hope this support helps offer them some protection and minimises disruption to their work.”

Iran is ranked 178th out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2022 World Press Freedom Index.

RSF has partnered with GoFundMe to create a fundraiser to support these efforts with a goal of raising $200,000.

Symone Sanders, MSNBC Anchor, and Anna Palmer, co-founder and CEO of Punchbowl led a midterm election breakfast briefing for The Washington Women Technology Network, hosted by Jessica Nigro, Lucid Motors, Global head of Public Policy and Tammy Haddad, WWTN Founder, at The Jefferson Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Palmer led the conversation on the Hill races from the latest Senate numbers to Mitch McConnell’s playing down the chances. Sanders quoted from the latest NBC/Telemundo poll which drills down on Hispanic voters warning they are not a monolithic voting group.

Guests included: Luxembourg Ambassador Nicole Bintner, MSNBC President Rashida Jones, former White House energy adviser Melanie Nakagawa, Rivian’s Leslie Hayward, Meridian’s Natalie Jones Hallahan, Disney’s Susan Fox, BSA’s CEO Victoria Espinel, Apple’s Carolyn Wu, Washington Post Live’s Kathy O’Hearn, Gray’s Lisa Allen, the German’s Embassy spokeswoman Marie von Engelhardt, Aspen’s Niamh King, White House aide Liz Hart, and Kelley McCormick, co-founder of Original Strategies.

On Wednesday, September 7, the White House Historical Association presented the official portraits of former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama, painted by Robert McCurdy and Sharon Sprung, respectively. 

The portraits, commissioned by the White House Historical Association, and the artists who painted them were introduced during a White House ceremony hosted by President Joseph Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and attended by President and Mrs. Obama.

Since 1965, the White House Historical Association has acquired and commissioned official portraits of the president and first lady. 

According to the Association:  “As is the custom, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama selected the artists before leaving office. Now that the portraits have been presented to the public, they will hang in the White House and be inducted into the White House Collection.”

“The White House Historical Association is honored to continue the tradition of funding these portraits,” said Stewart D. McLaurin, President of the White House Historical Association. “It’s a career achievement for the artists selected for these important commissions, and they are now forever a part of White House history.”

Simultaneous to the presentation of the portraits, McLaurin, who hosts The White House 1600 Sessions podcast, released a new episode featuring an exclusive conversation with artists Robert McCurdy and Sharon Sprung, discussing the challenges of this unique historical assignment and their approach to creating the portraits.

McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski today announced Jon Banner as the company’s new Executive Vice President and Global Chief Impact Officer.

In the announcement, Kempczinski states, “Jon is the perfect leader to oversee our Sustainability & ESG, Government Relations and Public Policy, Communications and International Corporate Relations functions, as well as Ronald McDonald House Charities—building on the momentum of the Impact function as we strengthen and protect our reputation around the world.”

Banner previously spent 10 years at PepsiCo, one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies, where he was responsible for the communications function and the PepsiCo Foundation, and worked closely with the company’s Sustainability and Government Affairs teams.

Prior to PepsiCo, Banner spent the majority of his career at Disney/ABC as the Emmy Award-winning Executive Producer of “World News Tonight” and “This Week.” 

In this new role, which is based in Chicago, Kempczinski adds, “As McDonald’s continues to focus on driving admiration and trust with all of our stakeholders, I will look to Jon to provide the leadership required to bring our purpose to life in the nearly 40,000 communities where we live, work and serve.”