PHOTOS BY MAATOLOGY AND ULSTL (CLICK ON PICS TO ENLARGE)
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Yours Truly in dapper mode at the event.
My panoramic view of the event.
The honoree awards
The Masters of Ceremonies was Urban League St Louis President and CEO, Mike McMillian
One of the Lifetime Achievement Honorees was Grammy Award winning legendary singer Stephanie Mills. She also sang two of her classic songs, "Never Knew Lobve Like This Before" and "Home" from the Wiz.
Mills giving her speech to the crowd while her son, whom she also thanked, looks on.
A brief vid clip of Mills leaving the stage after performing.
Another Lifetime honoree was National Urban League First Lady and CBS National Correspondent Michelle Miller who gave a bubbly speech of thanks and appreciation.
Another Lifetime Achievement Honorees was actress Victoriua Rowell who gave a very powerful speech of equality and inclusion of black representation behind the scenes of entertainment.
Rowell looking on during her award presentation along with Urban League staffers and legendary Civil Rights Movement icon Xernona Clayton (in shimmering silver jacket).The staffers on stage were Keith H. Williamson, Juanita Logan and Michael Moehn
Actress Kym Whitley taking a photo of her receiving her Lifetime Achievement Award with Urban League staffers.
Whitley was deeply humbled during her speech and bringing her funny to the ocassion.
BELOW ARE THE OTHER HONOREES
President and CEO of Nine PBS, Amy Shaw.
Senior Vice President of Technology Hub Mastercard, Wendy Richardson.
Urban League CEO of the Year Nancy Flake Johnson, who is currently President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Atlanta
President and CEO of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Marie Helene Bernard
President, CEO and Director of Focus St Louis, Yemi Susan Akande-Bartsch
CEO and Chairman at First Bank, Shelley Seifert
Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Calares, Amy Hunter
Public Relations Director of Sista Keeper and co-host of On Your Own Show, Yolanda Lankford
Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Alberici, Patricia R. Coleman
Guild Member of the Year, Nakischa Joseph, who is the Founder/CEO of God's Anointed Beauties
President and CEO of DOORWAYS, Opal M. Jones
President and CEO of RX Outreach, Julie Erickson
A special honor was given to the only living survivor from the Birmingham Bombing of 1963, Sarah Collins Rudolph.
BELOW ARE ATMOSPHERE PICS OF THE EVENT
BELOW ARE PICS FROM THE RECEPTION BEFORE THE CEREMONY
NOTE: This event was held in the Majestic Ballroom at the Mariott Grand in downtown St Louis and it was definitely one for the records for St Louis! Reportedly, around one-thousand people attedned this formal gala from socialites to dignitaries and celebrities. Speaking of celebrities, other notable people who attended were former awardees Good Times star Bern Nadette Stanis, Welcome To Sweetie Pies reality star/restaratuer Robbie Montgomery and KBLA Radio personality Areva Martin. It was also like a family reunion of sorts hobnobbing with people before the ceremonies and mingling about. Some other notable St Louisans spotted were former KMOX radio personality Carol Daniel, 100 Black Men President Jacque Land and his wife Leata, fashionista Raqelle Wallace, Better Family Life's James Clark and event promoter and entreprenuer Larry Blue, Jr.
The highlights included honoree Kym Whitley's shock of the elaborate gifts she receievd along with her award including a china set and an accustomed made gown from the late Queen Elizabeth's collection, Victoria Rowell's riveting speech about diversity in entertainment and rounding out the event with Stephanie Mills performing two "impromptu" songs from her classic hit catalog "Never Knew Love" and "Home" (Soon after the event was over, Yours Truly saw Mills and her entourage of close to twenty people whisk her away to either her hotel room where the event was held or her ride to the airport. Some eager fans who saw her shouted out that she did an excellent job performing and she slightly averted her head toward the fans and told them of her gratitude as her handlers continued to take her away.)
St Louis Mayor Tishuara Jones gave the greetings to the crowd and actor Richard Gant, who is an Urban league veteran, was the announcer of the awardees. A total of eighteen women were recognized this year (One of the honorees, Honorary U.S. House of Representative Cori Bush, was not in attendance).
AS AN ADDED BONUS, OUTSTAGN WOULDNT BE ON BRAND IF FASHIONS WERE NOT MENTIONED. BELOW ARE SOME OF OUR PICS OF BEST DRESSED FROM THE EVENT
BEST DRESSED LADIES
BELOW ARE THE BEST DRESSED COUPLES
BELOW ARE THE BEST DRESSED MEN
-30- AND FIN.