Last week hosted an array of charitable galas for New York-based non-profit organizations including the Bronx Children’s Museum, the International Refugee Assistance Project, and the National Liberty Awards by Lambda Legal.
The Bronx Children’s Museum’s third annual gala celebrating #BronxGrown was co-chaired by actress Kerry Washington and hosted by The View star and museum board member Sunny Hostin. The Gotham Hall event honored two Bronx-grown celebrities, Rita Moreno, and Shawn “Pecas” Costner, as well as Jonathan Marvel, a prolific architect and a force behind the Bronx’s Mill Pond Park. Award presenters included Bronx luminaries Sonia Manzano and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.
From left: Sonia Manzano, Sunny Hostin, and honoree Rita Moreno
Washington and Diaz Jr. returned for their third respective years to support the event. “Museums were a huge part of my upbringing but I always had to go outside of my neighborhood to be enriched in this way,” Washington recalled. “I am truly humbled by the possibilities of what will come out of this beautiful museum. By supporting the museum, you are not just supporting a building, you are supporting the inner self-worth of an entire borough of children.”
EGOT recipient Moreno, Roc Nation executive Costner, and landscape architect Jonathan Marvel each received the 2019 Bronx Children’s Museum Imagination Awards. “I am so proud of the work being done by Bronx Children’s Museum,” Diaz Jr. said when introducing Costner as an honoree. “We believe in this vision because we know what happens when you give a Bronx girl or a Bronx boy an opportunity. It allows them to dream, to expand their imagination.”
The 2019 Bronx Children’s Museum honorees (from left): Jonathan Marvel, Shawn “Pecas” Costner, and Rita Moreno. Photo by Johnny Nunez
Guests also included New York City Council Member Vanessa L. Gibson, philanthropist Amber Sabathia, the Voice of New York, Angie Martinez, former Def Jam executive Steve Bartels and retired New York Giant, Victor Cruz. Attendees were treated to a dance routine by four second grade children in the Museum’s Dream Big After School program, followed by a performance from Grammy-nominated Latin jazz musician Bobby Sanabria.
The evening raised almost $500,000 for the museum’s outreach program benefitting over 18,000 children per year, and the new flagship facility in a New York City Parks-owned building opening in 2020.
The philanthropic week continued the next night with the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) celebrating its inaugural event “IRAP Tonight,” hosted by John Oliver. Comedian Wyatt Cenac also performed standup on-stage.
Comedian Wyatt Cenac and host John Oliver. Photo by Rick Gilbert/Skyhook Entertainment for IRAP
During the evening, IRAP presented former clients and first female Afghan pilots Massooma Hussaini and Sourya Saleh with the Portrait of Courage Award. Hearst Magazines Chief Content Officer Joanna Coles led a discussion with both Saleh and Hussaini regarding their experiences battling gender discrimination, as well as their respective refugee journeys. IRAP also honored Carl Reisner, a partner of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, with the Visionary Award.
Honorees Sourya Saleh, Massoma Hussaini, and Carl Reisner. Photo by Rick Gilbert/Skyhook Entertainment for IRAP
The week concluded with Lambda Legal’s 2019 National Liberty Awards at Pier Sixty on Chelsea Piers. Founded in 1973, Lambda Legal is the nation’s oldest and largest LGBT legal organization. The evening honored former Executive Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights Kate Kendell, and LGBTQ activists and Lambda Legal Youth in Out-of-Home CareProject partner Baker McKenzie.
Singer VINCINT at the Lambda Legal National Liberty Awards. Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for Lambda Legal
Pop singer VINCINT performed for guests, and comedian Dana Goldberg added comic relief. Notable guests included Andrew Kohagen, Jeffrey Marsh, Javier Munoz, Peppermint, and Alexis Michelle.
From left: Alexis Michelle, Yuhua Hamasaki and Peppermint. Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for Lambda Legal
An after party followed the fundraiser with DJ Pamela Katz providing music. The event raised in total over $1.2 million.
From the Bronx Children’s Museum to IRAP and Lambda Legal, the charitable events for the first week of May benefitted worthy causes.
