New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. with honorees and co-sponsors at his African-American History Month celebration at SEIU 32BJ Headquarters on Wednesday, February 25, 2009. Pictured (back, l to r) are: Hazel Dukes, President, NAACP New York State Conference; Jabari Gamba-Osaze, Vice President of Programs, New York Urban League; Christopher P. Gardner, Owner and CEO, Gardner Rich LLC and Author of the Autobiography The Pursuit of Happyness; Thompson; Beny J. Primm, M.D., Executive Director, Addiction Research and Treatment Corporation and President, Urban Resource Institute; Virginia Montague, President, New York Coalition of One Hundred  Black Women, Inc.—Founding Chapter; (front, l to r) Judith Jamison, Artistic Director, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; Ruby Dee, Award-winning Artist and Activist; and,  Leith Mullings, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Anthropology, City University of New York Graduate Center. Photo Credit: Marla S. Maritzer

New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. last night honored five leaders in the African-American Community at his eighth annual African-American History Month Celebration.  The event was co-sponsored by the New York Urban League, Inc., the Founding Chapter of the New York Coalition of One Hundred Black Women, Inc., the NAACP New York State Conference and the Founding Chapter of One Hundred Black Men, Inc.

“In every community, in every one of the five boroughs of our city, African-American men and women are achieving heights that most of our great-grandparents only dreamed about, and are paving the way for the next generation to reach even higher,” Thompson said at the event at the S.E.I.U 32BJ Auditorium in downtown Manhattan. “Our honorees range from writers and performers to educators and advocates. They have all excelled in their fields, and they are all role models who have inspired those around them.”
 
Thompson presented the first award to Dr. Beny Primm, Executive Director of the Addiction Research and Treatment Corporation, and President of the Urban Resource Institute.  The Comptroller acknowledged Dr. Primm’s dedication and lifelong commitment to providing social and medical services to underserved populations.

“In recognition of his outstanding achievements as a doctor committed to substance abuse treatment and prevention, it is my pleasure to present this award to Dr. Beny Primm,” Thompson said.

Leith Mullings, a Distinguished Professor of Anthropology at the City University of New York Graduate Center who has focused her research on structures of inequality and resistance to them, received the second award.

“In her books, Professor Mullings has explored issues related to gender, race and class and their relationship to health and healing,” Thompson said.  “Recently published articles by Professor Mullings have looked at racism in a global context and at the larger social forces related to the issue of reproduction in the community of Harlem. Another article, “Resistance and Resilience,” looks at health disparities through the lenses of race, class and gender.”

Thompson presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Award-winning Artist and Activist Ruby Dee who has had a successful Broadway and screen career spanning eight decades, was very active in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.

“Throughout her career, often working alongside her late husband, the great Ossie Davis, Ms. Dee has put social activism and the betterment of society at the top of her priorities, both in and out of the entertainment world,” Thompson said.  “Professionally, she took work in such politically charged films as Gone Are the Days and The Incident, both groundbreaking films that created new openings in the industry for work by and about the experience of African Americans.”

The next honoree was Christopher Gardner, Owner and CEO of Gardner Rich LLC, and author of the autobiography The Pursuit of Happyness. Gardner’s life was depicted in the 2006 film adaptation of his book. Gardner overcame poverty and homelessness to become a top earner at Bear Stearns, and then went on to found his own brokerage firm, in 1987.

“Begun out of his home in Chicago on a budget of $10,000, Gardner Rich is now an institutional brokerage firm specializing in execution of debt, equity and derivative products transactions for some of the nation’s largest institutions, including public pension plans and unions,” Thompson said.  “In recognition of his dogged work to succeed against great odds and his unwavering commitment both to children and to those less fortunate than himself, it is my very great pleasure to present this award to Christopher Gardner.”

The final honoree of the evening was acclaimed dancer and choreographer, Judith Jamison. Ms. Jamison was selected by Alvin Ailey to succeed him as the Artistic Director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

“As Artistic Director of the Ailey School, Judith Jamison has worked to implement a multicultural curriculum that includes dances from West Africa and South India. She also has worked to create a Bachelor of Fine Arts program in dance in partnership with Fordham University,” Thompson said.  “In recognition of her outstanding contributions to the field of dance, and for her work to train a new generation of performers and choreographers, it is my pleasure to present this award to Judith Jamison.”

Nedelka Prescod, co-founder and co-director of “Conscious Uprising,” a community-based arts organization that serves the needs of young people and independent artists, and opera baritone Lawrence Craig performed at the event.

For photographs, contact Marla Maritzer at (212) 669-2597 or mmaritz@comptroller.nyc.gov.

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