Honorees

Dr. Ala Stanford, a practicing physician for over 20 years, is board certified by the American Board of Surgery in both pediatric and adult general surgery and a health care advocate. She is the Founder of The Black Doctors COVID19 Consortium, BDCC. The consortium was formed in response to the disproportionate number of African-Americans being diagnosed and dying […]

Robin Rue Simmons is a strategist, civic entrepreneur and alderman of Evanston’s 5th Ward.  Ald. Rue Simmons began her career 22 years ago when she launched her first business as a real estate broker. Troubled by the wealth disparities and concentrated poverty in urban communities, she wanted to help young adults build wealth early through homeownership. […]

Nikole Hannah-Jones is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter covering racial injustice for The New York Times Magazine and creator of the landmark 1619 Project. In 2017, she received a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, known as the Genius Grant, for her work on educational inequality. She has also won a Peabody Award, two George Polk Awards, three National Magazine Awards, and the […]

Stacey Abrams is the New York Times bestselling author of Our Time Is Now and Lead from the Outside, an entrepreneur and a political leader. She served as Democratic Leader of the Georgia House of Representatives for seven years prior to running for Governor of Georgia, winning, at the time, more votes than any other Democrat in the […]

Walgreen Boots Alliance (WBA) has named Roz Brewer as CEO as of March 15, 2021, at which time she will also join the board of directors. This is a historic appointment. Ms. Brewer will be only the third African American female executive to lead a Fortune 500 company with WBA ranking Fortune #19. The announcement […]

Kim R. Ford serves as President and CEO of Martha’s Table. In her role, she oversees the execution of the organization’s mission – to support strong children, strong families, and strong communities. Every day, Martha’s Table stands alongside Washingtonians by operating nationally accredited education programs beginning at birth, fighting for food justice and increasing access […]