African Communities Together's 10th Anniversary Gala

On September 28th, 2023, ACT held our 10th Anniversary Gala at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. The theme was "Igniting Our Collective Power," embodying our commitment to liberation (Amandla), through unity (Umoja), heritage (Sankofa), and cooperation (Hibir).
For the second time, we presented our Black Star Award, to a dynamic group of leaders in our community. The Black Star Award celebrates the connection between the African diaspora in the US and the African continent and symbolizes our shared hopes for progress. It is named for the Black Star of Africa, a symbol of Pan-African unity and struggle since Marcus Garvey created the Black Star Line.
ACT awarded the award to the following people:
Dr. Menna Demessie, Senior Vice President & Executive Director, Taskforce for Meaningful Change, Universal Music Group
Dr. Uzodinma Iweala, Chief Executive Officer, The Africa Center
Virginia Diamond, President, Northern Virginia Labor Federation AFL-CIO
Southern Towers Tenant Organizing Committee
Roslyn D. Gadley, Tenant Leader at Southern Towers (posthumous)
Priscilla Sims Brown, President & CEO, Amalgamated Bank
U.S. Senator Jack Reed(D-RI)