This week on The Local Take we are joined in the WCLK studio by Ambassador Andrew Young, who talks with us about his upcoming 2017 Andrew J. Young International Leadership Awards Gala and 85th Birthday Party, taking place June 3 at Philips Arena. The 2017 Andrew J. Young International Leadership Award recipients are:
- Linda Sarsour, Tamika Mallory, Carmen Perez, and Bob Bland, National Co-Chairs of the Women’s March on Washington for inspiring and organizing a worldwide outpouring of positive civic engagement;
- Ron Clark, for creating a transformational school that models teaching excellence and nurtures future leaders, and opens its doors to share those strategies with thousands of other educators;
- Activist, commentator, and Dream Corps founder Van Jones, for promoting human rights and police accountability and helping young people fill jobs, not jails;
- Singer, songwriter, rapper and producer Akon, whose Akon Lighting Africa project is using small-scale solar energy systems and street lights to bring transformational change to communities in Africa whose development has been harmed by lack of electricity; and
- Former Vice President Joe Biden, whose lifetime of public service was recognized by President Barack Obama with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Ambassador Young adds the John Hope Bryant will also be part of the awards due to his work promoting financial literacy. Ambassador Young explains that he and his wife sought financial assistance and learned about credit and mortgages. He explains that everyone needs to understand how money works.
He also speaks about other project including his hopes for Atlanta's West Side, the work of his foundation and his time as Mayor when Atlanta had a population of only 1 million.
Click here for more information and tickets to the Andrew J. Young Leadership Awards and 85th Birthday Celebrationhosted by Anthony Anderson, and includes performances by Usher, Jill Scott, Wyclef Jean, Estelle and gospel artist Anthony Brown.