When an invitation to cover the Interdenominational Theological Center’s (ITC) inaugural Global Transformers Gala 2015 showed up in my inbox last week, I knew I had to attend for two reasons. First of all, my father received his doctorate from the school and secondly, it was an opportunity to be among civil rights icons who changed the trajectory of humankind through their contributions! Check out these honorees: Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former President Jimmy Carter, Ambassador Andrew Young, Congressman John Lewis, Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery, Dr. C.T. Vivian; Rabbi Alvin Sugarman, Dr. Barbara Lewis King, Dr. Cameron Madison Alexander, Dr. Lonnie C. King Jr. and Rev. Dr. R.L. White Jr. (Close your mouth! I know you’re impressed.)

Once the event began at the Georgia International Convention Center in College Park began last night, I learned that ITC faced losing its accreditation in 2011; however, in the four years since, ITC has worked to address “areas of institutional effectiveness, financial aid, and financial sustainability” according to a press release in the program. As a result, “full, unconditional, reaffirmation concludes a four-year effort by ITC to secure that status.” In fact, ITC’s reaffirmation was just announced at the Southern Association of College and Schools Commission on Colleges on December 8! So in addition to celebrating civil rights icons, ITC was also celebrating its reaffirmation!

The first person I spoke with was Dr. C.T. Vivian, who was just as gracious in person as he seems to be when I’ve seen him interviewed on television and heard interviews with him on the radio. “I’m thankful to be with these 12 people who did the Civil Rights Movement together,” Vivian said to me in the VIP reception prior to the gala. “I remember all of these people throughout the years and it makes it more like a homecoming than a meeting.”

I also met Dr. Edward L. Wheeler, who became the president of ITC in January of this year. Below he is pictured with Rev. Dr. R.L. White Jr., one of the honorees and president of ITC’s National Alumni Association.

Below is Dr. Wheeler and Rev. A. Denise Bell, regional minister Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

After the VIP reception ended, I made my way to the banquet hall where the gala was held. Below are a few photographs of what I saw along the way. (Keep in mind that I’m a writer not a photographer, please : ). )

The Mistress of Ceremony for the evening was one of Atlanta’s finest journalists Mrs. Monica Pearson, who looked gorge in this marigold, green and black African print dress. My picture doesn’t do it or her justice, but you get the idea…She said of the honorees: “We want to honor you while you can still smell the roses.” Agreed…

I roamed around the gala and wound up with a few decent shots of the honorees…Take a look…I’m sure you recognize Congressman John Lewis and Ambassador Andrew Young…

Below is some new information that I learned last night that impressed me:

• Monica Pearson said without Dr. Lonnie King Jr., there would be no Monica Pearson. Apparently, King (no relation to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King), as president of Atlanta’s NAACP in 1969, formed a Community Coalition on Broadcasting to convince television and radio stations to hire black people on and off of the air. According to the April 30, 1970 issue of JET magazine, after a “10-month power struggle” which included the coalition’s persuasion of the FCC to delay the “license renewals of every one of Atlanta’s radio and television stations” for 30 days,  20 of the stations “agreed across the board to coalition demands.” Monica Pearson, who is retired, started her career at Channel 2 Action News in 1975 as Atlanta’s first minority and woman to anchor the 6 p.m. news. And although I’m not television or radio journalist, I’m reasonably sure that Dr. King’s work influenced the hiring of black print journalists in the city as well. Salute!
• Rev. Dr. R.L. White Jr., who also was president of the NAACP Atlanta branch, spearheaded a gun buyback campaign which led to almost 1,00o guns being taken off the streets in 2014. Salute!
• Rev. Dr. Joseph E. Lowery, who was once pastor of Cascade United Methodist Church, was instrumental in securing 10 acres of land for the church and $1 million that was used for the construction of the church’s cathedral. Salute!

I also spoke with a few of the gala attendees. Below is Timi Simpson, executive assistant to ITC’s vice president of financial services and CFO, and her husband Kenneth Simpson. Simpson was excited about ITC gala as well as its new president. “This is a kickoff of a new birth for ITC. We are introducing our self back into the community and fostering new relationships.”

Below is Carmen Holman, a consultant with the Andrew Young Foundation. “When I saw the honorees, I was immediately impressed with those selected. They are deserving of the recognition. At this day and time, we need this level of inspiration.”

Rev. Felice Betaudier, who is an associate minister at Redemptive Life Christian Fellowship in Conyers, says she hopes to enroll at ITC and earn a master of divinity degree.

Below are the honorees who were in attendance last night as well as those who accepted awards on behalf of the honorees who weren’t able to attend. Professional photographer Calvin Evans was gracious enough to allow me to use his photograph of them.

Global Tansformers Gala “ITC” Presidents “Light of the World Award ITC Global Tansformers Award photography by Calvin Evans www.calvinevansphotoshoot.com © 2016 All rights reserved

And below is a photo of the actual awards…

Global Tansformers Gala “ITC” Presidents “Light of the World Award ITC Global Tansformers Award photography by Calvin Evans www.calvinevansphotoshoot.com © 2016 All rights reserved

Finally, I asked President Wheeler what the gala meant to him and his reply was, “It means a couple of things. First, it is a celebration of excellence for the honorees and what they displayed because of their faith. It is inspiring. It is also a celebration of ITC coming out again as a voice of justice, a voice of equity and voice of transformation for the betterment of humanity.”

Any thoughts?

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