The We Are Family Foundation® (WAFF), a
not-for-profit organization founded by legendary songwriter
and producer, Nile Rodgers, honored Adam Lambert
with the Unity Award at its annual Celebration Gala,
on Thursday, January 31, 2013, at Manhattan Center’s
Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. The evening was
hosted by actress Rosie Perez and Touré,
co-host of MSNBC’s “The Cycle,” and included a concert
featuring Adam Lambert, Nile Rodgers & CHIC
and special guests, Taylor Dayne, Grandmaster
Melle Mel,
Grandmaster Caz,
Kathy Sledge, Sam Sparro, and Russell
Peters.
The night kicked off with a star-studded red carpet and
cocktail hour where guests mingled and congratulated
extraordinary global citizens Adam Lambert and fellow
honorees, Jeni Stepanek, Ph.D. and Reservoir
Capital Group founder Daniel H. Stern, as well as a
group of 21 extraordinary teenagers who are part of WAFF’s
Three Dot Dash Global Teen Leader program. Other notable
attendees included
WAFF President Nancy Hunt; WAFF Director Emeritus &
Television Host Montel Williams; WAFF WAFF Director
Emeritus & Tommy Boy Entertainment Founder & CEO Tom
Silverman; WAFF Board of Governors member & The B-52’s
Singer Kate Pierson; Musician & Model Bebe Buell;
Musician & Producer Jim Wallerstein; New York
Giants Cornerback Justin Tryon; Actress Sean Young;
Power 105.1 Radio Personality Angela Yee; Real
Housewives of New York City Aviva Drescher, LuAnn
De Lesseps, Ramona Singer and husband Mario;
The Smiths Bass Guitarist Andy Rourke; The Village
People singer Randy Jones; Author & Television
Personality Kelly Cutrone; Hip Hop Artist Q-Tip;
Celebrity Hairstylist Angelo David; Celebrity Psychic
Thomas John; Celebrity Eyebrow Stylist Joey Healy;
Television Personality, Founder & CEO, Over 40 Females
Judy Goss; Philanthropist Jean Shafiroff;
Celebrity DJ & Founder of Rasa Music Donna D’Cruz;
Love & Hip Hop Star Lore'l; Singer, Songwriter &
Radio Personality Fonzi Thornton; Rock Keyboardist
Rob Sabino; Former Ford Models CEO Katie Ford;
United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Malaria
Ray Chambers; Percussionist & Drummer Gerardo
Velez; Architect, Designer, Founder & Rockwell Group CEO
David Rockwell; Documentary Filmmaker & Portrait
Photographer Timothy Greenfield-Sanders; Warner Bros.
Records Vice President & Sire Records Co-Founder Seymour
Stein; and WAFF Board of Governors member &
Entertainment Industry Executive Michael Ostin.
After an introduction by Touré, WAFF Founder &
Chairman, legendary songwriter and producer Nile Rodgers
took the stage to welcome the evening’s guests. WAFF
President Nancy Hunt spoke next, thanking guests for
their support and emphasizing the significance of investing
in the world’s youth through WAFF’s mission and existing
programs such as Three Dot Dash, WAFF’s signature program,
which identifies, supports and mentors Global Teen Leaders
actively working on programs that address basic human needs
and promoting a more peaceful world; and TEDxTeen, a global
educational platform for extraordinary teens to share their
stories and inspire millions.
“These are the leaders of the NOW and the future,” Hunt
said. “These are the people that really exemplify the We Are
Family Foundation. These are the people we have invested in,
and these are the people that you have invested in tonight.”
After an introduction by WAFF Board of Governors members
Rosie Perez, who wore a jumpsuit by Lorena Sarbu, and
Simon Cohen, 21 Global Teen Leaders from eight different
countries spoke about their experiences with the program and
how they have been able to affect positive change in the
world.
Adam Lambert
received the Unity Award for his commitment to spreading
peaceful messages through their music. This year, Lambert
graciously donated his 31st birthday, January 29,
2013, to WAFF, asking his fans, friends and family to donate
to the cause. Those who donate $31 or more to the cause will
be able to record a 10-second video birthday message to
Lambert, which will be included in what WAFF hopes will be
the “World's Biggest Birthday Card.” Those who donate less
than $31 will still have a chance to sign birthday card as
well. Lambert’s birthday card donations have raised close to
$45,000 so far.
Jeni Stepanek, Ph.D.,
Executive Director of the Mattie J.T. Stepanek Foundation,
received the Mattie J.T. Stepanek Peacemaker Award, named in
honor of her late son, 13-year-old poet and peacemaker,
Mattie J.T. Stepanek, for her significant contribution
toward promoting a peaceful society. Daniel H. Stern,
founder of Reservoir Capital Group, was honored with the
Visionary Award for his extraordinary local and global
philanthropic contributions.
Celebrating the honor, Lambert later took to the stage with
Sam Sparro and music legend Nile Rodgers for
their first performance of 'Shady', a track which they
collaborated on for Adam's second album “Trespassing”.
Afterward, Nile Rodgers and CHIC took over,
performing such iconic tunes as “Le Freak,” “Everybody
Dance,” “I Want Your Love,” and “Good Times” with
Grandmaster Caz, Grandmaster Melle Mel and
Russell Peters before the honorees, Foundation team and
guests took the stage together to close the evening with a
show-stopping rendition of “We Are Family” with Sister
Sledge’s Kathy Sledge, the original voice of “We Are
Family.”
An exciting live auction attracted bidders with such items a
one-of-a-kind, large format Polaroid portrait by Timothy
Greenfield Sanders of 20x24 Studios; a private guitar lesson
with Nile Rodgers, an autographed Fender Stratocaster & “LeFreak,”
his best-selling memoir; a VIP experience at the 2013
Montreux Jazz Festival; a seven-night Caribbean holiday at
Amanyara in Turks & Caicos; a visit to the set of America’s
Next Top Model and one-on-one fashion consultation with
Kelly Cutrone; a limited edition 1990 Stevie Ray Vaughan
Fender Stratocaster signed by Jimmie Vaughan, Nile Rodgers
and Buddy Guy; access to Sooze Plunkett-Green, Nile Rodgers’
infamous, British spitfire of an Executive Assistant, for
one week; and an unlimited number of opportunities to
sponsor a Three Dot Dash Global Teen Leader.
About We Are Family Foundation
The We Are Family Foundation® (WAFF) is a New
York City based 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization
dedicated to the vision of a global family by creating and
supporting programs that inspire and educate the next
generation about respect, understanding and appreciation of
cultural diversity – while striving to solve some of our
biggest global problems at the same time. Since its
inception in 2002, WAFF, founded by legendary
songwriter/musician/producer Nile Rodgers, has created Three
Dot Dash, a Global Teen Leader initiative that has empowered
exceptional teens from 36 countries on six continents
working together to alleviate issues related to basic human
needs; created worldwide curricula that is currently used on
six continents; produced TEDxTeen, an annual conference that
gives extraordinary teens an educational platform to share
their work, tell their stories and inspire others; built a
global coalition of more than 75 organizations; created and
distributed the award-winning PSA and early childhood
educational DVD program, “We Are Family: A Musical Message
for All,” to more than 60,000 schools and youth programs
internationally; built 17 new schools, providing an
education to more than 3,500 boys and girls in Mali
and Malawi, Africa, Nepal and Nicaragua. To date, WAFF has
made a positive impact on 15 million+ people worldwide
About Nile Rodgers
Four-time Grammy nominee Nile Rodgers is one of the most
enduring and prolific artists and producers in the music
business. In 1977, he and his late partner, Bernard Edwards,
created the group CHIC, whose number-one hit "Le Freak"
remains Warner Bros.' biggest-selling single of all time.
Rodgers has produced, written or played for some of the
greatest artists in the business, including Madonna, David
Bowie, Diana Ross, Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger, Sting, Duran
Duran, the B-52's and Joss Stone. As artist, producer or
writer, Rodgers is responsible for the sales of more than
100 million records–including his world-famous "We Are
Family," which he co-wrote with Edwards. Rodgers is
currently the only African-American to own a national music
distribution company. After a lifetime of supporting
charitable efforts and organizations, Nile founded the We
Are Family Foundation in 2002.
About Adam Lambert
After appearing on the eighth season of “American Idol,”
Lambert skyrocketed to fame, earning a Grammy nomination for
his hit single, “Whataya Want From Me,” and becoming the
first openly gay mainstream pop artist to debut at Number
One on the Billboard chart with his most recent album,
Trespassing. Lambert has channeled his fame into raising
awareness about issues close to his heart, advocating on
behalf of LGBT causes, The Trevor Project, Equality
California, and GLAAD, as well as for charity organizations
MusiCares, charity:water and DonorsChoose.org.
About Jeni Stepanek Ph.D.
Award-winning speaker, New York Times Bestselling author and
Executive Director of the Mattie J.T. Stepanek Foundation,
Jeni Stepanek, Ph.D., will receive the Mattie J.T. Stepanek
Peacemaker Award. Named after her late son, 13-year-old poet
and peacemaker, Mattie J.T. Stepanek, the award honors any
person, regardless of age, who has made a significant
contribution toward promoting a peaceful society. The author
of “Messenger: The Legacy of Mattie J.T. Stepanek and
Heartsongs,” Stepanek advocates for personal and world
peace, as well as children’s & families’ needs and rights in
health & education, sharing her message of hope, peace,
motivation, and inspiration. Stepanek also serves as a
National Vice President for the Muscular Dystrophy
Association and as a Governor for the We Are Family
Foundation.
About Daniel Stern
Daniel Stern, founder of Reservoir Capital Group, will
receive the We Are Family Visionary Award, which honors a
corporation or a person in the corporate world whose
philanthropic efforts have made a meaningful difference in
our world. Stern is President of the Film Society of Lincoln
Center, a Trustee of the Mt. Sinai Medical Center,
Educational Broadcasting Corporation (PBS Channel 13),
Jumpstart for Kids, The City Parks Foundation, Big Apple
Circus and several other non-profit organizations.
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