We Speak Events
True Colors Theatre Company Presents 1st Ovation Circle Brunch
For 15 seasons, Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Company has created masterful works of theatre art that honor the African American experience, lift up diverse voices, and create cultural understanding. In honor of those that have championed True Colors Theatre Company’s mission of celebrating the tradition of Black storytelling while giving voice to bold new artists of all cultures, they announce the first annual True Colors Applauds: Ovation Circle Awards Brunch – which will take place on Saturday, June 2, 2018 at 11:00 AM at the Solis Hotel.
The last 15 years would not have been possible without the support of companies, foundations and individuals that have supported True Colors, establishing the theatre as a staple in the arts community. The Ovation Circle Giving Society was established to usher the theatre forward into the next fifteen years. The True Colors Applauds: Ovation Circle Awards Brunch was created to celebrate those that have brought the theatre to this point.
Emceed by Monica Pearson, the True Colors Applauds: Ovation Circle Awards Brunch program will include the presentation of five awards to individuals and organizations that have positively impacted the arts community. Four of the awards are grounded in True Colors’ core values of Abundance, Laughter, Respect, and Boldness, and a fifth award – the Jane Bishop National Theatre Award – is named after our late Co-Founder, who illuminated the path that led to the creation of True Colors.
Tad Hutcheson, Vice President of Community Affairs at Delta Air Lines, will accept the Abundance Award on behalf of Delta Air Lines, applauding the company’s outstanding support of the arts community.
Elisabeth and Afemo Omilami, Executive Director and Programs Operations Manager, respectively, of Hosea Helps, will receive the Laughter Award, applauding their artistry and their work in the social justice field.
Lisa Cremin, Director of Community Advancement at The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, will receive the Respect Award, applauding her exceptional work as an influencer in the arts community.
Lain Shakespeare, Corporate Citizenship Director at MailChimp, will accept the Boldness Award on behalf of MailChimp, applauding the company’s outstanding work in supporting the cause of social justice in our community.
Harry Lennix, Actor and Director, will receive the Jane Bishop National Theatre Award, applauding his commitment to supporting arts and culture causes that uplift future generations.
Host Committee members include our Co-Founder Kenny Leon and his wife, Jennifer Thompson; True Colors Board Chair Holly Firfer, Founding Board Member and Advisory Council Member Monica Pearson; True Colors Managing Director Chandra Stephens-Albright and her husband, Warren Albright, True Colors Board Members Dexter Conner, Johnita Due, Beverly Ferguson, Jennifer Jones, Vikki Locke, Cheryl Lomax, Teddy Parrish, Gerald Render, Eric Schroeder, David Vigilante, Charmaine Ward-Millner and Kandis Wood-Jackson, as well as other corporate and community leaders who are passionate about True Colors Theatre Company.
To learn more about True Colors Applauds: Ovation Circle Awards Brunch, visit the True Colors Theatre Company’s website at www.truecolorstheatre.org.
Thank you Shana Bagley for providing UMEEKTV with the press release.
We Speak Events
Atlanta Screening of The Alabama Solution Brings Together Panel of Advocates, Leaders, and Community Voices
ATLANTA, GA — Community leaders, advocates, and residents gathered in Atlanta for a special screening of the Oscar-nominated HBO documentary The Alabama Solution, an evening centered on film, dialogue, and community engagement around issues of justice and incarceration.
Hosted at 2345 Cheshire Bridge Road NE, the event brought together organizations and community members for a formal evening of reflection and conversation following the powerful documentary. The film, co-directed by Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman and co-produced by Alex Duran, offers an intimate and unfiltered look into Alabama’s prison system.
At the heart of the documentary are the voices of justice-impacted individuals Melvin “Bennu” Ray and Robert “Kinetik” Council, whose experiences shed light on the realities inside the prison system while challenging viewers to consider deeper questions about accountability, dignity, and reform.
Following the screening, a panel discussion brought together leaders and advocates working in justice reform and community outreach. The conversation was moderated by Bridgette Simpson of Barred Business, who guided the dialogue with panelists representing several organizations committed to addressing issues within the justice system.
Panelists included Gerald Griggs of the NAACP, Kimberly Jones of Fork the System, Octavious Holiday of the Positive Outreach Development Society, Kevin Marshall of The Marshall Law Group, LLC, Kathryn Hamoudah of the Southern Center for Human Rights, and Christopher Willars of The Life Unit Inc.
Each panelist offered insight shaped by their work in advocacy, legal reform, and community engagement. Their perspectives highlighted the far-reaching effects incarceration can have on families and communities, while also emphasizing the importance of awareness, accountability, and continued dialogue around the issues presented in the film.
The screening was supported by several organizations dedicated to justice and civic engagement, including One for Justice, Dream.org, Barred Business, the Southern Center for Human Rights, The Life Unit, the Center for Civic Innovation, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), and the Free Atlanta Abolition Movement.
The evening also served as a moment of connection for those in attendance, including family members and advocates whose lives have been impacted by the justice system. Through film and conversation, the gathering created space for reflection and for communities to engage with the realities highlighted in the documentary.
As conversations continued after the screening, the event underscored the power of storytelling to bring people together, raise awareness, and encourage deeper consideration of issues that often remain unseen by the public.
As momentum continues to grow around conversations sparked by the documentary, organizers are encouraging community members to take an additional step by supporting efforts aimed at protecting justice-impacted individuals from discrimination.
Advocates are currently inviting the public to sign a virtual petition card supporting the establishment of a statewide Protected Class Ordinance in Georgia, which would help ensure justice-impacted individuals are protected from discrimination in employment, housing, and opportunity.
You may find and share the virtual petition here:
Statewide Protected Class
https://www.theprotectedclassnetwork.org/sign-our-petition
