"ROBI REED'S 10TH ANNUAL SUNSHINE BEYOND SUMMER CELEBRATION"
THE DAY PARTY WITH A PURPOSE
Annual end-of-summer celebration marked its 10th year with the launch of the
Reed For Hope Foundation
Robi Reed arrives in a beautiful red gown to the Sunshine Beyond Summer Celebration
LOS ANGELES (September 5, 2012) - Emmy®Award-winning casting director and talent executive Robi Reed held her legendary Labor Day weekend end-of-summer event, "Robi Reed's 10th annual Sunshine Beyond Summer Celebration" - The Day Party With A Purpose, on Saturday, September 1, 2012 in the gardens of The Getty House, the official residence of the Mayor of Los Angeles. As
one of the most highly-coveted invites in the entertainment industry,
Reed brought together a select, diverse group of about 400 influencers,
ranging from Hollywood insiders and business executives to community
leaders, close friends and associates, for a fundraiser unlike any
other.
The event was co-hosted by model Selita Ebanks, actor/host Terrence J ("Think Like A Man") and actress/comedienne Kym Whitley (NBC's "Animal Practice"). There were musical performances by Grammy® Award-nominated singer Ledisi, NBC's "The Voice" contestant, Jamar Rogers, and the band, The Phat Cat Players. Guests danced to the sounds of DJ Vince Adams. Celebrities and notables in attendance included Sherri
Shepherd, Kimberly Elise, Affion Crockett, Niecy Nash, Yvette Nicole
Brown, Vanessa Bell Calloway, John Singleton, Keisha Whitaker, Rahsaan
Patterson, Thomas Jones, Datari Turner, Vanessa Williams, Wesley
Jonathan, Keith Robinson, Rochelle Aytes, Eva Marcille, Sheldon Candis,
Tanya Wright, Christian Keyes, Kita Williams, Rolonda Watts, Freda
Payne, Jennifer Williams, Aaron D. Spears, Quinton Aaron, Bresha Webb,
Norwood Young, Tanya Young Williams, and Destinee Hooker, among others.
This year, Reed launched her non-profit organization, the Reed For Hope Foundation (RFHF),
which aims to raise awareness, gather resources, and build alliances
with other charities and organizations in the fight against the spread
of HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening diseases. Actress/singer Keke Palmer and singer Sean Kingston were announced as the 2012-2013 RFHF Teen Awareness Initiative Ambassadors. Steve Pemberton, Chief Diversity Officer and Divisional Vice President for Walgreens and
author of "A Chance In the World," shared his new book with guests and
announced a commitment to future support of RFHF and its programs. In keeping with RFHF's mission, Debra Fraser-Howze, Senior Vice President of Government and External Affairs at OraSure Technologies, introduced their new product, OraQuick, the first FDA-approved, in-home rapid HIV test, to an enthusiastic response from the attendees. Ms.
Fraser-Howze also presented Reed with a limited-edition commemorative
crystal as a special gift to acknowledge her ten years of raising funds
and awareness for the HIV/AIDS cause with her annual event.
The charitable beneficiary of the 2012 Sunshine Beyond Summer (SBS) Celebration was the Black AIDS Institute (BAI), which was presented with a special donation check at the event. BAI
has partnered with the South African Coin Exchange, the Nelson Mandela
Foundation, and the Nobel Prize Foundation to raise funds to fight
HIV/AIDS in the United States. Robi Reed was presented with a rare silver-plated Mandela coin and guests at the event were gifted with souvenir Mandela coins.
Ms. Reed honored the following individuals with the first-ever Sunshine Award for Being a Beacon of Light in the Community: Phill Wilson (Black AIDS Institute), Debra Fraser-Howze (OraSure Technologies), Sonya Lockett (BET's Rap-It-Up campaign), Jennifer Hopson (American Heart Association), Cynthia Carey-Grant (Women Organized to Respond to Life-Threatening Disease), and the Honorable Judge Greg Mathis, an ardent supporter of Reed's annual event.
"The Black AIDS Institute has been the charitable beneficiary of my annual end-of-summer event since the very beginning. Through
the Reed For Hope Foundation, we are extending our fundraising campaign
through September 15th and asking everyone to partner with us in
charity, by donating at least one dollar to the campaign for the Black
AIDS Institute. Together, we can make a difference," said Reed.
The 2012 SBS Celebration was sponsored in part by The Kess Agency, OraSure Technologies (Donor of Distinction), and Nike. Honorary Host Committee members included Queen
Latifah, Shakim Compere, Hosea Chanchez, Rushion McDonald, Chris Rock,
Mara and Salim Akil, James DuBose, Tony and Vanessa Calloway, Pastor
Toure Roberts, Bishop Noel Jones, Ben Crump, Dr. Jasper Brewster, and
Bernard Bronner. Event ground transportation was provided by Wings Limousine Service.
About Robi Reed
Robi
Reed is an Emmy Award-winning casting director and producer, and has
been a leader amongst casting directors in the motion picture and
television industry for over twenty years. With more than 50 films to her credit, her rise to success as a casting director began with the film, School Daze, written and directed by Spike Lee. She went on to work with the writer-director on subsequent projects, including Do the Right Thing, Mo' Better Blues, Jungle Fever, Malcolm X, and Clockers. She cast Denzel Washington's directorial debut, Antwone Fisher, and Oprah Winfrey's acclaimed ABC television movie, Their Eyes Were Watching God. Her most recent successes in film include Tyler Perry's For Colored Girls and I Can Do Bad All By Myself. She
is currently Vice President of Talent and Casting for Original
Programming at BET Networks, where she oversees all scripted and
reality shows for the network.
About The Reed For Hope Foundation
The
Reed For Hope Foundation (RFHF) aims to raise awareness, gather
resources, and build alliances with other charities and organizations
in the fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening
diseases. RFHF will also support women's and children's health initiatives. Through education, we HOPE to make our world a healthier place to live. For more information, to get involved or make a donation to RFHF, visit www.reedforhope.org.
For more information about the SBS Celebration, visit www.sunshinebeyondsummer.comor contact Joseph Babineaux of Perspective Public Relations, (323) 389-6130 or joseph@perspective-pr.com.
To request interviews or more information regarding Robi Reed and RFHF, contact Tammy Warren, (424) 258-4467 or tammy@warrenprandconsulting.com.
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(L-R): Kym Whitley, Selita Ebanks, Kimberly Steward of The Kess Agency, Robi Reed, and Terrence J
Selita Ebanks and Terrence J (L-R): Phill Wilson, Robi Reed,
Affion Crockett and Vanessa Bell Calloway
Ledisi performing onstage (L-R): Robi Reed, Ledisi,
Vanessa Williams, and Norwood Young
(L-R): Robi Reed, Kym Whitley, Debra Fraser-Howze of OraSure Technologies,
Donald Lancaster, Esq. (RFHF Board Member), and Phill Wilson
Ms. Fraser-Howze presented Robi Reed with a limited-edition commemorative crystal
(L-R): Jennifer Williams, Olympic volleyball (L-R): Datari Turner, Robi Reed,
player Destinee Hooker, Niecy Nash, and and Wesley Jonathan
Kita Williams
(L-R): John Singleton, Kimberly Elise, Jamar Rogers performing
Destinee Hooker, and C.O. Brown (RFHF Board Member)
(L-R): Tanya Young Williams, Rolonda Watts, Robi Reed, and Vanessa Bell Calloway
Photo Credit for All Images:
Arnold Turner / The Reed For Hope Foundation
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