Media Alert
THE NATIONAL VISIONARY LEADERSHIP PROJECT PRESENTS 'VISION TO VISIONARIES: WOMEN EMPOWERED'
ATLANTA (Jan. 22, 2010) From trials to triumphs, five of the most engaging women in American history will come together at Spelman College for a frank and candid discussion on obstacles overcome, lessons learned, and the characteristics, qualities and values that have shaped their lives.
The National Visional Leadership Project is proud to present Vision to Visionaries: Women Empowered, a panel discussion and webcast on Jan. 28, 2010. In a conversation moderated by Camille O. Cosby, Ed.D., Ms. Ruby Dee (invited), actress, author, and activist; Ms. Sonia Sanchez, poet, professor, and activist; Ms. Jasmine Guy, actress, director and advocate; Ms. Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Olympic gold medalist and community leader, and Ms. Morgan Pierce, Spelman Student Government Association president will provide wisdom and insight to tomorrow’s leaders. The women will also give their perspectives on today’s political and social climate. Additionally, remarks will be made by Johnnetta B. Cole, Ph.D., NVLP board chair and director, Smithsonian National Museum of African Art and Beverly Daniel Tatum, Ph.D., president, Spelman College.
This first event, part of the 2010 A Legacy of Change series was created by NVLP, which unites generations by recording, preserving, and distributing through various media, the wisdom of extraordinary elders — visionaries — who have left an indelible mark on history. Ms. Ruby Dee and Ms. Sonia Sanchez are two of the nearly 300 African-American leaders NVLP has interviewed. The Atlanta program, supported by lead sponsor Bank of America and The Home Depot Foundation, will take place at the Camille Olivia Hanks Cosby, Ed.D., Academic Center on the campus of Spelman College. The evening begins with a VIP reception (invitation only) at 5:30 p.m. The panel discussion will take place from 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. The intergenerational conversation will be held before an audience of students, faculty, alumnae, invited VIP guests and sponsors. This will be Dr. Cosby’s first return to the center since it was dedicated in 1996.
“NVLP was created with a mission to preserve and share the lessons learned by African American pioneers with the next generation of up and coming leaders,” said Dr. Camille Cosby. ”Vision to Visionaries is a dynamic way for the elders we have interviewed to share their life stories and provide answers that can help motivate, empower and inspire leadership in our youth. We are especially excited to launch Vision to Visionaries at Spelman College with this phenomenal group of American legends."
Students from across the country can participate in the program by watching the live webcast, accessible at www.visionaryproject.org from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Jan. 28. For an interactive experience, students can also post comments or questions on NVLP’s Twitter account and Facebook page.
The webcast is part of NVLP’s drive to use technology to unite and empower today’s youth through oral history. NVLP is reaching out to students nationwide including those at historically Black colleges and universities, and schools with a concentration in African-American or women’s studies.
About A Legacy of ChangeTM:
A Legacy of Change is a landmark initiative created by the National Visionary Leadership Project (NVLP). Under the A Legacy of Change banner, the organization features events and experiences that unite generations and promote conversation. The program celebrates the important contributions of NVLP’s Visionaries and brings their life stories to young people. The result is an intergenerational connection that serves as a catalyst to encourage the next generation to follow in their footsteps. In 2010, A Legacy of Change will feature a series of four Vision to Visionaries panel discussions exploring a range of topics in Atlanta, New York, Washington and Los Angeles.
About The National Visionary Leadership Project:
NVLP was founded in 2001 as a not for profit, tax exempt organization that unites the generations to create tomorrow's leaders by recording, preserving, and distributing through various media the wisdom of extraordinary African American elders—Visionaries—who have shaped American history. Dr. Camille O. Cosby, one of the founders of NVLP, currently serves as its President, having held that position since 2001. Some of these elders are nationally recognized leaders, who are interviewed on videotape by NVLP's co-founders and board members. Other Visionary elders, known primarily in their local communities, are selected and interviewed by NVLP college Fellows. This invaluable primary source material is accessible worldwide on the NVLP website, and permanently archived at the Library of Congress, allowing students, scholars and the public to gain a whole new understanding of this country's past, and the lessons to be learned. For more information about NVLP, please visit www.visionaryproject.org.
###
Spelman College:
Founded in 1881, Spelman College is a prestigious, highly selective, liberal arts college that prepares women to change the world. Located in Atlanta, Ga., this historically black college boasts a 79 percent graduation rate, and outstanding alumnae such as Children's Defense Fund Founder Marian Wright Edelman; former U.S. Foreign Service Director General Ruth Davis, authors Tina McElroy Ansa and Pearl Cleage; and actress LaTanya Richardson. More than 83 percent of the full-time faculty members have Ph.D.s or other terminal degrees, and the average faculty to student ratio is 12:1. More than 2,100 students attend Spelman. For more
information, visit: www.spelman.edu.
