January 2012

 Kick off of Celebratory Events |Toronto

 Musical Celebration of Jamaica |Montreal

 Celebration Extravaganza |Vancouver

February 2012

 Symposium of History of Jamaicans in Quebec | Montreal

 Special Promotion involvement in collaboration Black History Month |Saskatchewan

 Jamaican films, Brunch, Project Roar Photography completion, Gospel Concert |Calgary

March 2012

 Jamaica Film Festival & Church Services |Ottawa

 Book Launch |Toronto

April 2012

 Classic Retreat |Ottawa

 Golf Tournament, Toronto Public Library Reading, Jump for

 Jamaica |Toronto

 Gala Taste of Jamaica |Calgary

May 2012

 Tulip Festival & International Bazaar & Food Emporium; Fab Five |Ottawa

 Honouring Jamaican Mothers |Montreal

 Jump for Jamaica |Toronto

 Malcolm Gladwell speaks at Toronto Library

June 2012

 NDTC Visit & Jazz Festival |Ottawa

 Jump for Jamaica |Toronto

 Mosaic Celebration of Cultures |Saskatchewan

 Film viewing, Carifest Parade |Calgary

July 2012

 Golf Tournament & Blue Festival |Ottawa

 JAM DAY |Montreal

 Jump for Jamaica |Toronto

 Exhibition of Jamaican Art |Toronto

 About Leadership Seminar | Toronto

 Thanksgiving Service |Hamilton

 Promotion of Jamaica 50 on Canada day, Family Picnic, Church Service, Tree Planting |Calgary

 Business Expo, Jamaica Day Picnic |Vancouver

August 2012

 Independence Church Service, Independence Day Reception, GALA event, Independence Dance |Ottawa, Montreal

 Recognition JAMAICA Day |Toronto

 JAMDANA Festival |Toronto

 Flag Raising at City Hall, Church service, Harbourfront Reading Series, Author Promotion |Toronto

 Independence Gala |Toronto

 Jump for Jamaica: Scotia Bank Carnival |Toronto

 Family Day Picnic |Hamilton

 Gala Dinner and Dance, Flag raising Ceremony ,

 performances at City Hall |Edmonton

 Reggae Sunsplash |Vancouver

 Jamaica 50 Day |Victoria

September 2012

 Bilateral Anniversary Reception |Ottawa

 Gala Dinner |Hamilton

 Flag Raising Ceremony |Saskatchewan

October 2012

 National Hero’s Day Dinner& Dance |Ottawa

November 2012

 Grande Finale Showcase |Ottawa

 PACE Canada Adopt-a-School Brunch Book Launch|Toronto

 Gala Reception |Saskatchewan

Additional Events

 Interfaith/ Ecumenical Service |Winnipeg

 Youth Sports Event |Winnipeg

 Folkorama |Winnipeg

 Culture Day |Winnipeg

 Cricket Match |Victoria

For more details, visit of Consulate General of Jamaica at: www.congenjamaica-ny.org

Los Globos Nightclub is located at 3040 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026. Doors at 7:30pm. Music at 8:00pm. Advance tickets are $15 and $17 on the night of show. 18 and over are welcome. More details are available at 323-666-6669.

About The Melodians
The Melodians were formed in Greenwich Town area of Kingston, Jamaica in 1965 by three neighborhood friends: Brent Dowe, Trevor McNaughton and Tony Brevett (brother of internationally famous Skatalites bassist Lloyd Brevett). After an entire year of extensive rehearsing, and perfecting the art of harmonizing, the trio made their way in 1966 to 13 Brentford Road, home of the legendary Coxone Dodd and his Studio One recording studio. The group recorded ”Meet Me,” “Lay It On,” “Should Have Made It Up,” and “Lets Join Hands.”

Dissatisfied with the level of progress they had attained at Studio One, the group parted ways in the spring of 1967 to record for Dodd’s arch rival Duke Reid. It was at the height of the rocksteady era and the competition with their new label mates The Techniques, The Paragons, and The Tree Tops was stiff. However, the impact of their first recordings were immediate and before long The Melodians were a household name in Jamaica with tantalizingly beautiful hits such as “You Have Caught Me,” Everybody Bawling,” Come On Little Girl,” “ Expo 67,” “ I’ll Get Along Without You,” and “ You Don’t Need Me” – all riding the local charts in Jamaica.

Not known as a group that tarried with one producer for too long, in 1968 The Melodians moved from Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle label to record for the High Note label’s top female producer, Sonia Pottinger. Those recording sessions yielded two chart climbers which were emblematic of their greatness: “Swing and Dine” and “Little Nut Tree.”

Proud masters of their own destinies, The Melodians worked their way to Beverley’s record label in 1969, recording the ground braking “Rivers of Babylon” (lifted from Psalm 137) for producer Leslie Kong. The song became an instant and global Rastafarian anthem when it later appeared on the soundtrack for the movie “The Harder They Come.”
In early 2006, much to the sorrow of the reggae world, Brent Dowe died of a heart attack in Kingston, Jamaica at the age of 59. However, since his ill-timed demise, Tony Brevett and Trevor Mc Naughton have remained vigorously touring the United States, Europe and elsewhere.

About Errol Dunkley
The dynamic show veteran Errol Dunkley, who has sadly been away from Los Angeles for what seems like eternity, will be delivering dance floor favorites from his fantastic catalogue that includes “You’re Gonna Need Me,” “Please Stop Your Lying,” “Black Cinderella,” and “Ok Fred.” The child star began his recording career in 1965, at the age of fourteen. His debut was a terrific duet with Roy Shirley (one time member of The Uniques) entitled “Gypsy” on the Gaydisc label. His next recording was a duet with Junior English entitled “My Queen,” produced by singer and producer Prince Buster. However, it wasn’t until 1967 and 1968 when the name Errol Dunkley become a household name in the reggae community after he recorded multiple singles for producer Joe Gibbs, including “Please Stop Your Lying,” “You’re Gonna Need Me,” and “I’m Going Home.”

As with so many Jamaican singers, Dunkley made his rounds with all the top Kingston producers including Coxsone Dodd and Sonia Pottinger, before teaming up with the now deceased Gregory Isaacs to form the African Museum record label. The early 1970s were exceedingly fruitful for Dunkley, who continued to score hits with “Black Cinderella” and “A little Way Different.”

Riding on the crest of his popularity, Dunkley relocated to the UK and in 1979 he scored a massive hit with “OK Fred,” a splendid cover version of John Holt’s sleeping classic. The song went to number eleven on the U.K. singles chart and elevated him to superstardom.

Media Contact:

Junior Francis

jnfrancis33@hotmail.com

Now into its 21st year, this year’s festival will encompass 14 days of performances by 50 artistes drawn from St Lucia, the regional and international circles. It will kick off with opening acts from Trinidadian power couple Fay Ann Lyons & Bunji Garland. The opening will also feature dancehall wonder Busy Signal and Saint Lucian singing sensation Teddyson John.

In addition, this year’s performing acts will include multiple Grammy winner, Lionel Richie, 5 time Grammy winning artiste Ziggy Marley, African trumpeter Hugh Masekela, pop and hip-hop Melanie Fiona and gospel king Kirk Franklin.

St Lucia tourism director Louis Lewis said the longevity of St Lucia Jazz was testament to innovation and determination which was needed to ensure it remained fresh and exciting to maintain public interest.

The upcoming event was also endorsed by tourism minister Lorne Theophilus who was happy to see the return of the popular Opening of Jazz. “There has been clarinet calls for the return of this component of the festival. For many patrons this simple, yet symbolic opening had significant meaning by aligning St Lucia Jazz with the average St Lucian, featuring St Lucia’s best musical talents within a festival that has become renowned for attracting the world’s best,” he said.

The St Lucia Jazz Festival has maintained its ranking as one of the world’s top five festival

Additionally, Sunday night’s episode of Bravo’s interactive late night talk show “Watch What Happens Live” with guests Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann delivered 1.6 million total viewers, marking a season high among all key demos.

The Real Housewives of Atlanta — Season:4 — Pictured: (l-r) Kim Zolciak, NeNe Leakes, Phaedra Parks, Sheree Whitfield, Cynthia Bailey, Kandi Burruss — Photo by Quantrell Colbert/Bravo

Actor/recording artist Jack Black, Fergie and current nominee Ahmir ”?uestlove” Thompson (The Roots), and Ringo Starr will appear as presenters.

The Grammy awards will be hosted by two-time Grammy winner LL Cool J and takes place live on Sunday, Feb. 12 at Staples Center in Los Angeles  

Previously announced performers for the 54th Annual Grammy Awards include Adele (in her first live performance since undergoing vocal cord surgery last fall); Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson; Glen Campbell with The Band Perry and Blake Shelton; Coldplay and Rihanna; Foo Fighters; Bruno Mars; Paul McCartney; Nicki Minaj; Katy Perry; and Taylor Swift. Aldean, The Band Perry, Minaj, and Shelton will perform on the Grammy telecast for the first time.

Previously announced presenters are Dierks Bentley, Drake, Miranda Lambert, and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Many of its foods had little in common with those of the South I grew up in. Nearly everything was new and exciting and exotic. Some things, like the sherry-rich turtle soup and the spillway crayfish, I loved. Others, like the alligator sausage, I could never quite get used to.

But the thing I loved best was the Mardi Gras king cake. The original puff pastry version of “la galette des rois” was made by the occasional “French” bakery and was a simple, yet sophisticated affair with a beautiful flaky dough powdered with sugar. And, of course, a ceramic “baby” baked into it.

But the modern day king cake is a sweet Louisiana extravaganza and comes in more than 60 different “coffee-cake” like flavors, including king Creole pecan, apple, strawberry cream cheese, Bavarian cream and pina colada.

It is shaped like a great big baked donut and has a plastic baby stuck into the cake before it is decorated in purple (representing justice), green (representing faith) and gold (representing power) icing or sugar. The king cake party tradition dictates that the person who gets the baby in his or her slice must host the next king cake party during Mardi Gras season.

During Mardi Gras, I would have a king cake party almost every day, and over the course of a few years I tried almost every flavor made.

My favorite bakery boasted a “queen cake” made with Louisiana sweet potatoes. It was my favorite. And every year since moving away, I crave it.

It didn’t take long for me to figure out that I could take all the rich flavors of my favorite “queen cake” and make a sweet potato bread pudding (also very popular in New Orleans). I use stale raisin bread to achieve the cinnamon coffee-cake like flavor and texture of king cake, and baked garnet sweet potato puree to make the bread pudding custard rich and moist.

I also honor the revelry of Mardi Gras by topping it with whiskey hard sauce while it is still warm.

Whiskey hard sauce is one of my favorite secrets to dressing up almost any warm cake, pie or pudding. Contrary to what it sounds like, it’s not actually a sauce. It’s more like a spread, until you put it on a hot dessert and the butter and sugar and whiskey melt and become a heady “sauce” that is truly the icing on the cake.

Hide a “baby” in the bread pudding once it comes out of the oven and before you ice it with the hard sauce, then carry on the Mardi Gras tradition.

___

SWEET POTATO BREAD PUDDING WITH WHISKEY HARD SAUCE

Want to prep ahead? The bread pudding can be made the day before it is baked and stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator.

Start to finish: 1 hour 15 minutes (20 minutes active)

Servings: 10

For the sauce:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon best-quality bourbon or rye

Pinch of salt

For the bread pudding:

8 cups torn or cubed stale raisin bread (about 1 large loaf)

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon mace

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

2 cups half-and-half

1 cup heavy cream

4 large eggs

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup mashed baked garnet sweet potatoes

To make the sauce, in a large bowl use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla, liquor and salt. Continue mixing until smooth and creamy. Cover and set aside. Also can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a month.

For the bread pudding, heat the oven to 350 F. Coat a 2-quart baking dish or individual ramekins with cooking spray.

In a large bowl toss together the raisin bread with the pecans, then set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg and salt. Toss the sugar mixture over the bread and pecans, then stir well. Drizzle everything with the melted butter, then toss to evenly distribute.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the half-and-half, cream, eggs and brown sugar. Add the vanilla and sweet potatoes, then mix well. Pour the sweet potato-cream mixture over the bread mixture and stir until well blended. Let stand for about 5 minutes, then spoon into the prepared baking dish or ramekins.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes (bake ramekins for just 15 to 20 minutes), or until set.

As soon as the bread pudding comes out of the oven, top with hard sauce so that it melts into the crevices. Serve warm.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 620 calories;360 calories from fat (56 percent of total calories); 40 g fat (19 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 175 mg cholesterol; 62 g carbohydrate; 8 g protein; 3 g fiber; 220 mg sodium.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Elizabeth Karmel is a grilling and Southern foods expert and executive chef at Hill Country Barbecue Market restaurants in New York and Washington, as well as Hill Country Chicken in New York. She is the author of three cookbooks, including “Soaked, Slathered and Seasoned.”

Standing in a vacant Southern California store set to be refurbished and reopened this summer, Obama lauded efforts to bring large grocery retailers to inner-city areas that traditional supermarket chains spurn.

“That’s how we solve this problem _ one community, one household at a time,” Obama said, speaking in front of a display depicting an old-fashioned grocery store with crates stocked with fresh fruit and vegetables. “We’re not just making this generation healthy. We’re making the next, and the next and the next.”

Obama, who is on the second day of her two-day visit to the Los Angeles area, made the stop in the blue-collar, largely Hispanic neighborhood as part of her “Let’s Move!” campaign to boost healthy food and fitness.

Part of the campaign includes promoting initiatives such as the $264 million California FreshWorks Fund, which finances grocery businesses willing to open in urban areas.

One of the fund’s first projects was a $20 million loan to Anaheim-based Northgate Gonzalez Markets, which operates 34 supermarkets around Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties, to build the Inglewood store and two others.

The FreshWorks Fund is one of a mushrooming number of initiatives to tackle so-called “food deserts,” which are mostly urban areas where conventional supermarket chains are reluctant to operate because of the low-income customer base and safety concerns.

Nutrition experts point to food deserts as a key reason why obesity and weight-related ailments beleaguer inner-city residents, since they must buy much of their food at overpriced corner stores that sell a lot of highly processed packaged foods and snacks but little fresh produce, meat and dairy items.

The FreshWorks Fund, which is a partnership of The California Endowment, banks and health organizations, was launched last July at the White House.

Besides Northgate, other projects include financing a farmer’s market near a housing project and a food delivery service for outlying rural communities, said Tina Castro, director of impact investing for The California Endowment, a Los Angeles-based foundation that focuses on health issues.

“Health really happens in neighborhoods,” she said. “We’re looking for those small to medium-sized, independent grocers to give them access to capital and real estate.”

Northgate opened the first of the three new markets last fall in the City Heights area of San Diego. The next will be a renovation of the Inglewood building. The third will be the construction of a store in South Los Angeles, slated for completion next year. Each store creates about 120 jobs.

The locations match the company’s three-decade-long focus of providing quality, affordable foods in low income neighborhoods, which primarily comprise Hispanic immigrants but also include black and Asian residents, said Carl Middleton, president of Northgate Gonzalez Real Estate Co.

“We provide that homeland experience for immigrants,” Middleton said.

The stores typically offer tortilla and taco counters, as well as products from Mexico and Central America, including Coca-Cola made in Mexico, as well as fresh produce, meats, seafood, dairy and bakeries. It also caters to its immigrant customers by providing payroll check cashing and wire transfers.

Part of the company’s mission has been to promote nutrition by providing lean cuts of meat, preservative-free baked products and good quality fruits and vegetables, Middleton said.

The chain has launched a “Viva la Salud” (Long Live Health) campaign, which puts a special tag to denote healthy foods, such as olive oil rather than lard, and holds cooking classes in stores.

The company was founded by Mexican immigrant Miguel Gonzalez in 1980, who came to the United States after his shoe store burned down in Jalisco.

After working for several years in various jobs, he had saved enough to buy an old liquor store in Anaheim and convert it to a grocery store that became a community gathering spot, recalled his youngest son Oscar Gonzalez, who heads the company.

Seeing a niche in catering to fellow immigrants, he expanded the business with the help of his 13 children. It now employs 5,000 people.

Obama said she was impressed by the family’s commitment to the communities they serve. “Their story is so inspiring on so many different levels,” she said.

After the Inglewood event, Obama was scheduled to appear on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and to deliver a luncheon speech at the Democratic National Committee.

Detectives arrested Elephant Man late Monday and charged him with grievous assault and rape.

Police say a woman has accused the 36-year-old entertainer of assaulting her at his home in St. Andrew parish. They gave no further details Tuesday.

The entertainer known offstage as Oneal Bryan is expected to appear in court this week.

Defense attorney Linda Wright could not be reached Tuesday.

The dancehall rapper is best known for the track “Willie Bounce” and for his collaboration with recording artists such as Wyclef Jean and Busta Rhymes.

Yes, the syndicated series delivered the music of Earth Wind & Fire, the Jacksons, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder into America’s households, infusing them with soul in weekly doses. Yes, it gave viewers groovy dances and Afro-envy, helping get them hip to a funky world that many had never experienced, or maybe even suspected.

But it was more than that. Before BET would give African-Americans their own channel, and before black music and faces found their way to MTV videos as well as network dramas and comedies, “Soul Train” became a pioneering outlet for a culture whose access to television was strictly limited.

“Most of what we get credit for is people saying, `I learned how to dance from watching “Soul Train” back in the day,”’ Cornelius told Vibe magazine in 2006. “But what I take credit for is that there were no black television commercials to speak of before `Soul Train.’ There were few black faces in those ads before `Soul Train.’

“And what I am most proud of,” he added, “is that we made television history.”

“Soul Train” (which went on for 35 seasons) didn’t make history just by influencing the music charts. It served as a pop-culture preview and barometer of fashion, hairstyles and urban patois.

By some measure, “Soul Train” was the equivalent of Dick Clark’s “American Bandstand,” although belatedly. Arriving on the wave of the Civil Rights Era, it premiered 13 years after “Bandstand” went national, then took a while longer to attract local stations to air it and advertisers to support it.

From there, it became a Saturday afternoon ritual as soul and rap artists (and white artists, too, including Elton John and David Bowie) showed off their latest releases while kids responded on the dance floor.

“When you come up with a good idea, you don’t have to do a whole lot,” Cornelius told The New York Times in 1996 in describing his show’s formula. “The idea does it for you.”

On “Soul Train” (”the hippest trip in America,” the announcer proclaimed, “across the tracks of your mind”) the host, of course, was Cornelius, but to describe him as the black Dick Clark is somewhat misleading. (A bit like calling Pat Boone the white Little Richard, as David Bianculli noted in his “Dictionary of Teleliteracy.”)

For Cornelius, the difference was in the execution, as he told The Associated Press in 1995.

“If I saw `American Bandstand’ and I saw dancing and I knew black kids can dance better; and I saw white artists and I knew black artists make better music; and if I saw a white host and I knew a black host could project a hipper line of speech _ and I DID know all these things,” then it was reasonable to try, he said.

On his show, Cornelius was the epitome of cool, with a baritone rumble that recalled seductive soul maestro Barry White, and an unflappable manner all the way through the hour to his trademark sign-off: “We wish you love, peace, and SOUL.”

He laced his show with pro-social messages directed at his black audience.

On a 1974 program, he interviewed James Brown about the tragedy of violence in black communities (”black-on-black crime looks very bad in the sight of The Man,” Brown said sorrowfully). Then he brought on a 19-year-old Al Sharpton, already a civil rights activist, who presented Brown with an award for his music.

But Cornelius never let preaching get in the way of “Soul Train’s” hipness _ or of his own.

Standing by Mary Wilson of the Supremes on another edition, he sported a slim black suit that flared into bellbottoms, a grey shirt with white polka dots, and a huge afro.

“What do you do for kicks?” he asked Wilson, who mentioned bowling as one hobby, but said how much she wanted to dance with Cornelius on “Soul Train.”

“You can dance with me,” Cornelius replied. “But not on television.”

Harris-Perry, a long-standing political analyst and contributor to MSNBC, is a frequent guest of “PoliticsNation” with Rev. Al Sharpton, and also serves as occasional host of “The Rachel Maddow Show” and “The Last Word.” A highly accomplished author, scholar and speaker, Harris-Perry’s new program will continue MSNBC’s trend of bringing intelligent, informed voices to the cable channel’s weekend programming.

In addition to her role at MSNBC, Melissa Harris-Perry is also columnist for The Nation magazine, and will continue to write her monthly column, titled Sister Citizen. Harris-Perry is also a Professor of Political Science at Tulane University, where she will continue to teach, and is the Founding Director of the Anna Julia Cooper Project on Gender, Race, and Politics in the South, housed at the university’s Newcomb College Institute.

A celebrated author, Harris-Perry recently published her second book, Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America (Yale 2011), which examines the effects of persistent harmful stereotypes on black women’s politics. Her first book, Barbershops, Bibles, and BET: Everyday Talk and Black Political Thought, won the 2005 W. E. B. Du Bois Book Award and 2005 Best Book Award from the Race and Ethnic Politics Section of the American Political Science Association.

Becks line includes basic tanks, briefs and boxers for men that will be sold in H&M stores around the world.   Spectators can see a tattooed Beckham showing off his physique on Sunday for Super Bowl commercial.

Rob Hardy

“Rob Hardy is a shining example of the caliber of leaders produced by the black college experience,” said Monique Brackett, chapter president. “He has a degree in engineering from Florida A&M, yet was confident enough in himself and the foundation he received in college to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. The level of artistry Rainforest Films produces is a positive reflection of the African American community, and we’re proud to have him share our stories with the world.”

Hardy is co-founder of the Atlanta-based production company, Rainforest Films, where he is responsible for producing the company’s studio financed and self-financed films and distribution projects. Additionally, he has directed several projects for television, including ER, Criminal Minds, and Vampire Diaries. Hardy co-founded the company with his partner Will Packer in the summer of 1994 while both were engineering students at Florida A & M University. After graduating magna cum laude from Florida A&M University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering in 1996, Hardy decided to forego lucrative job offers in the field of engineering to capitalize on his entrepreneurial instincts and his passion for filmmaking.
Rainforest Films has produced four films for theatrical release, three of which have opened at #1, including Takers (2010), Obsessed (2009) and the beloved college experience film, Stomp The Yard (2007). Hardy was named by Black Enterprise as one of their “Top 40 Entertainers Under 40,” and HBO honored him with the “Director to Watch” Award.

The black history luncheon kicks off with a jazz mimosa hour at 11 a.m. followed by the program, hosted by Comedian Roy Wood Jr. (Last Comic Standing, BET’s Comic View). The FAMU SoCal Alumni Chapter recognizes outstanding leaders in the African American community with the Bernard and Shirley Kinsey Award during the event. This year’s honorees are Laphonza Butler, president of the Service Employees International Union – United Long Term Care Worker’s Union (SEIU-ULTCW) and Noel Massie, president of the UPS Central California District. Additionally, the 2012 FAMU Distinguished Alumni Awards will be presented to Rob Hardy, Will Packer and Juresha Maples.

Proceeds from the luncheon will provide scholarships to California students attending FAMU. Due to the success of previous luncheons, the alumni chapter has been able to provide academic or book scholarships to every student who applies.

For more information, please contact Monique Brackett at (310) 295-4791 or moebrackett@aol.com.

UNCF An Evening of Stars first aired in 1979, and since that time has become one of the longest running and most successful televised events in U.S. history.

The organization has raised more than $200 million that has helped hundreds of thousands of students attend college and graduate.

“This year’s event is filled with high energy performances, combining the hottest talent with inspirational stories of young students who are beating the odds because they can receive a good education,” said Michael L. Lomax, Ph.D., UNCF president and CEO. “We are grateful for the support of all our celebrities, sponsors and contributors, who understand the importance of ‘Educating our Future’ and giving students the opportunity to earn college degrees that will enable them to lead successful and fulfilling lives.”

UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 900 colleges and universities across the country by advocating for the importance of minority education.

UNCF An Evening of Stars will air on Saturday, January 28th and January 29th and on BET Networks at 11 p.m. EST/PST and 10 p.m. CST on Sunday, January 29th.