Lee Daniels, Cathy Hughes and Michael Ealy to be honored at VOICES benefit gala

theGRIO REPORT - This year, honorees of the 10th annual VOICES benefit include Lee Daniels, Cathy Hughes and Michael Ealy. The event will be hosted by T.J. Holmes.

Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.

Each year, the students and volunteers at the Brotherhood/Sister Sol — a youth-based non-profit organization based in Harlem — honor the achievements of its youth and the philanthropic work of some of the nation’s most distinguished and influential individuals.

This year, honorees of the 10th annual VOICES benefit include Academy Award nominated filmmaker Lee Daniels, founder and chairperson of Radio One, Inc. Cathy Hughes and Golden-Globe-nominated actor Michael Ealy.

The event will be hosted by award-winning journalist and MSNBC anchor T.J. Holmes.

The Brotherhood/Sister Sol – often referred to as “Bro/Sis” — is an exemplary organization that provides services and support to New York City’s minority youth. Through the organization’s programs, after-school care, counseling, camps, job training, college preparation and international study programs, volunteers and educators at Bro/Sis encourage today’s teens to pursue and achieve their goals.

And the organization’s distinguished annual event is held in effort to drive more support to these initiatives and raise awareness of this mission.

“VOICES is the biggest gala of the Bro/Sis fundraising plan,” the organization’s Executive Director previously told theGrio. “The idea is to raise a substantial amount of money for our programming in Harlem which ranges from our international study programming in Africa and Latin America to after-school care, rites of passage, environmental education and then also to spread awareness and bring new people into our circle of supporters.”

Under the mentorship and guidance of Bro/Sis, 94 percent of its students have graduated from high school and 95 percent are working full-time or are enrolled in college.

“VOICES is a particularly special event; it celebrates the unique model of our organization, the incredible achievement of our members and the broad reach of our policy work. We celebrate honorees that are in keeping with our mission, as well as all of the individuals and institutions that provide critical support for our work,” said Lazarre-White.

“Through the aid and resources of our vast network of members and supporters, along with our dedicated staff, we have helped our students to: overcome obstacles, redefine manhood and womanhood, create a moral code by which to live, bridge the educational gap, exceed the city’s standard youth-driven statistics on education, break cycles of poverty and, ultimately, gain admittance into some of the most prestigious colleges in the nation, including Yale, Columbia and Brown universities.”

Harry Belafonte, Boris Kodjoe, Soledad O’Brien, Rosario Dawson, Esperanza Spalding and Susan L. Taylor are all big-name celebrities who have participated with and supported the Brotherhood/Sister Sol.

This year’s VOICES gala will be held on Thursday, May 8th at 6:30 p.m. in New York City.

For more information on The Brotherhood/Sister Sol, click here.

Follow Lilly Workneh on Twitter @Lilly_Works

 

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