Los Angeles, CA (February 5, 2019)--Mayor Eric Garcetti, Board of Public Works Commissioner Mike Davis, and Our Authors Study Club will honor six-time Grammy Award winner BeBe Winans as the City of Los Angeles 2019 African American Heritage MonthLiving Legend Award recipient.
Benjamin, "BeBe" Winans, is the seventh child and youngest male of the Detroit based first family of gospel music. BeBe is best known as an inspirational, R&B, and popular vocalist/songwriter, who along with his musical partner and sister CeCe Winans are the first true Christian crossover artists to hit the mainstream. BeBe Winans has won six Grammy Awards, ten Dove Awards, six Stellar Awards, four NAACP Awards (three with sister CeCe and one with 3WB with brothers Marvin and Carvin) and three Soul Train Music Awards (two of them with sister CeCe). As a solo artist, BeBe has released seven albums with guest appearances from friends as diverse as Eric Clapton, Stevie Wonder, David Foster, and Anita Baker and is known for his jaw-dropping performances on some of the most important and star-studded musical specials of the past decades. The critically acclaimed production of his buzzed-about musical “Born For This” played in Boston during the summer of 2018 with plans to come to Broadway.
“Every generation writes a new and remarkable chapter in black history — a powerful story of achievement that spans continents and cultures, and has inspired people everywhere to never give up the pursuit of equality and justice,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. “African American Heritage Month gives each of us an opportunity to honor that legacy, and these honorees are extraordinary examples of the excellence that lives among us in our time.”
The event, a kick-off ceremony for African American Heritage Month—this year nationally themed: Black Migration: Human Rights and Transformative Resistance, is planned for Wednesday, February 6, 10:00 a.m. at Los Angeles City Hall Council Chambers at 200 N. Spring Street, Los Angeles 90012.
The City Council program will also feature the induction of three Hall of Fame recipients who have gained national acclaim in the fields of Law, Education and Business, respectively:
Honorable Kevin Brazile, Presiding Judge Los Angeles Superior Court Judge
Judge Kevin C. Brazile was appointed Judge to Los Angeles Superior Court (LASC) by Governor Gray Davis in December 2002. In October 2016, Judge Brazile was elected Assistant Presiding Judge for LASC, effective January 1, 2017. In September 2018, he was elected as the Presiding Judge for the LASC, effective January 1, 2019 thru December 31, 2020. During his LASC career at Stanley Mosk Courthouse, Judge Brazile has presided over numerous general civil (unlimited) jury trials based upon employment discrimination/harassment, international and negligent personal injury torts, wrongful death actions, breach of contract claims, medical and legal malpractice claims, premises liability and asbestos litigation. He has also presided over limited jurisdiction civil jury and non-jury trials, including unlawful detainer actions.
Dr. Wanda M. Austin, (Interim) President, University of Southern California
Dr. Wanda M. Austin is an American businesswoman who is internationally recognized for her work in aeronautics and systems engineering. She is co-founder of MakingSpace, Inc, a systems engineering and leadership development consultant and motivational speaker. She is the former president and CEO of The Aerospace Corporation, an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the application of science and technology toward critical issues affecting the nation’s space program. From January 2008 until October 2016, Austin led the organization’s 3600 employees and managed annual revenues of $950 million at 17 offices nationwide. As the sixth president, she was the first female and the first African American in the 57-year history of the organization.
Ken McNeely, President, AT&T - West
Ken McNeely is President – AT&T Western Region, overseeing 19 Western states, including California, after serving as AT&T California President for more than 13 years. Ken has served as a board member for the California Chamber of Commerce, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, California State University Foundation and the Bay Area Council. He currently serves on the board of San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. He has been with AT&T since 1991.
Other City of Los Angeles African American Heritage Month activities:
African American Heritage Month Roundtable Discussion
"Black Migration: Human Rights and Transformative Resistance"
Wednesday, February 13, 2019 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Public Works Chambers, Los Angeles City Hall
200 N. Spring St, 3rd Floor, LA, CA 90012
Reception to follow.
Featuring:
Marc Brown, Co-Anchor, ABC7 Eyewitness News
Dr. Jody Amour, Professor, USC Gould School of Law
Dr. Marcus Hunter, Chair, African American Studies, University of California, Los Angeles
Dr. Maulana Karenga, Chair, African American Studies, Cal State University, Long Beach
Dr. Donna Nicoi, Chair, African American Studies, Cal State University, Dominguez Hills
Dr. Boris Ricks, Director, Center for Southern California Studies, Cal State University Northridge
An Evening With African American Authors
Wednesday, February 20, 2019 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Public Works Chambers, Los Angeles City Hall
200 N. Spring St, 3rd Floor, LA, CA 90012
Reception to follow.
Featuring:
Eric Jerome Dicke, "Before We Were Wicked"
Sandra Evers-Manly, "Raised Up by Mrs. Manly & Her L's"
Judice C. Owens-Lalude, "The long Walk: Slavery to Freedom"
Karin Stanford, Ph.D., "African Americans in Los Angeles"
Accessing LA Presents: Construction Matchmaking
Thursday, February 28, 2019
9:00 am - 2:30 pm
Los Angeles Trade Tech, 400 W. Washington Blvd., LA, CA 90015
For construction professionals in: general contractors, specialty contractors, architecture and engineering, construction management, professional and technical services, and utility relocation.
Register at Buildwith.lacityb2b.org
Closing Ceremonies and Los Angeles Association of Black Personnel Scholarship and Trailblazers Awards
Celebrating African American Heritage Month and Honoring Exemplary City Employees
Thursday, February 28, 2019
6:00 PM - 9:00PM