Trail of Dreams - Press Release November 2009 - Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Mikuak Rai, Event Producer Phone: (202) 276-3099 Email: [email protected] November 19th, 2009 One Common Unity To Host Awards Celebration To Honor ‘Common Folk’ Working For Social Justice And Peace (Washington, DC) – One Common Unity (OCU) is hosting the Second Annual Common Folk Awards, honoring three dynamic individuals dedicated to nurturing sustainable, caring communities rooted in principles of social justice and peace. The Common Folk Awards event will take place on Monday, December 7th, 2009 in the Langston Room of Busboys & Poets, 2021 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC, from 8pm until 11pm. The Common Folk Awards international recipient for 2009 is Audri Scott Williams, an educator and visionary whom, earlier this year, completed a three-and-a-half year trek through 17 nations to emphasize peace-through-service with an initiative known as The Trail of Dreams World Peace Walk. Upon being notified of her selection for the award, Ms. Williams stated, “To be among the ‘common folk’ who are creating a positive impact on our world, yet remain largely unrecognized by society, inspires me and propels me forward on my personal path to stand up and step out for peace and social justice.” The national recipient this year is Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president of the Children's Defense Fund (CDF). Under Ms. Edelman’s leadership, CDF has created programs and supported legislation that expands education, nutrition and health care opportunities offered to children in the U.S., including the many millions currently living in poverty. The 2009 local award recipient will be announced during the event itself. Additionally, OCU will highlight its support for an important humanitarian effort by Jay Winter Nightwolf, Native American activist and WPFW radio personality, to raise funds and supplies to be given to Oglala Lakota-Sioux families on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, facing unimaginably harsh living conditions each winter. This year's awards will be creatively complemented with musical performances by ChriStylez Bacon, Courtney Dowe, Three Generations, the Cornel West theory, Allysun Way, Mary Shapiro, and Jali D. Host Committee members for the 2009 Common Folk Awards include Live Green, Java Green Eco-Café, Flow Yoga, Solar Publishing, MamaSita Cultural Center, JuJu Mama, SocialFocus Media, and Busboys & Poets. Founded in 2000, One Common Unity is a non-profit organization whose mission is to nurture sustainable, caring communities through innovative peace education services, arts initiatives, and omni-media programming. For more information on: Audri Scott Williams visit www.audriscottwilliams.com One Common Unity visit www.onecommonunity.org Marian Wright Edelman visit www.childrensdefense.org/who-is-cdf/cdf-leadership-staff/marian-wright-edelman/