Legendary by Amber Art & Design featuring Tatyana Fazlalizadeh. Photo by Steve Weinik.

SAVE THE DATE
40th Anniversary – Roots & Reimagination

May 3 | 3:30pm–6:30pm EDT

Wall Ball Honorees

Vincent Hughes

PA State Senator, 7th District

Vincent Hughes

PA State Senator, 7th District

Senator Vincent J. Hughes represents the 7th Senatorial District in Pennsylvania and serves as the Democratic Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, a position he has held since 2011. He has served in the Senate since November, 1994. He served as a Pennsylvania State Representative from 1987-1994. From 1991-1994, he chaired the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus. Senator Hughes has a career long commitment to providing health insurance for the uninsured and his leadership, public advocacy, and legislative strategy led to Pennsylvania’s full implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Senator Hughes was a leader in the fight to raise the state minimum wage. Former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell called Senator Hughes “our general” in the successful legislative battle to increase wages for low-income workers in Pennsylvania over $1 billion. Senator Hughes has received national attention for his introduction of Senate Bill 806, The Universal Automatic Voter Registration Act, which would automatically register people to vote whenever they have any interaction with state government. Senator Hughes has been recognized locally and nationally for his work on HIV/AIDS, and the challenges of behavioral health in the African-American community. A believer in breaking down the financial barriers for underserved students in higher education, he has raised over $1 million in scholarship funds for students to attend college. He is a leader in the fight for paid sick leave, and a leader in creating housing for veterans and survivors of domestic violence. Senator Hughes, a champion for neighborhood economic development, is currently introducing a comprehensive “Marshall Plan” for housing and urban revitalization. Senator Vincent Hughes is a trustee of the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, and is supported by his loving wife, actress, entertainer and activist Sheryl Lee Ralph, and their blended family of four children.

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Sheryl Lee Ralph

Actor

Sheryl Lee Ralph

Actor

Sheryl Lee Ralph is an acclaimed veteran of film, television and the Broadway stage.
Her award winning body of work includes creating and originating the role of Deena Jones on Broadway in the landmark musical Dreamgirls, which earned her both a Tony and Drama Desk Award Nomination for Best Actress.

On television, Sheryl Lee has starred in It’s a Living, her own series New Attitude, the George Foreman series George and in the hit comedy Designing Women. She was also voted one of TV’s Favorite Moms for her portrayal of step mom Dee on the number-one rated television series Moesha.

Her extensive film credits include Sister Act II with Whoopi Goldberg, The Flintstones with Rosie O’Donell, The Mighty Quinn with Denzel Washington, Mistress with Robert De Niro, and Eddie Murphy’s Distinguished Gentleman. Sheryl Lee’s performance with Danny Glover in To Sleep with Anger won her the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Mother of two, Sheryl Lee Ralph loves every moment of raising her children. Recently married to State Senator Vincent Hughes of Pennsylvania in what Entertainment Tonight called, “The most elegant and romantic wedding of the summer!” she acknowledges that love is the greatest gift to be given and shared.

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Estelle Richmond

Executive Director of the Civic Coalition to Save Lives and Senior Advisor to the City Managing Director

Estelle Richmond

Executive Director of the Civic Coalition to Save Lives and Senior Advisor to the City Managing Director

Currently Ms. Richman has stepped out of retirement for a year to work on gun violence prevention programs in Philadelphia. She currently is the Executive Director of the Civic Coalition to Save Lives and Senior Advisor to the City Managing Director on gun violence programs.

Ms. Richman continues to serve on several local and national Boards. She also participates on task forces and other civic activities.

Ms. Richman retired as Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for health and human services issues in 2013. While at HUD she held the positions of Chief Operating Officer and Acting Deputy Secretary. As COO, she worked with staff to develop a HUDstat process that regularly reviewed outcomes and set tangible goals for all major departments. As Acting Deputy Secretary, she focused on the scope of authority of the regional offices and the integration of budgets. Finally, as liaison for health and human services, she managed relationships with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Veteran Affairs (VA), Department of Justice (DOJ) and other partners within the Federal Government. She also contributed expertise to the efforts underway to break down internal agency silos.

Ms. Richman was appointed Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare by Governor Ed Rendell in 2003 and held that position for seven (7) years. The Department of Public Welfare is an umbrella agency that includes Medicaid, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services; Child Welfare; Long Term Living; Developmental Program; Early Childhood Services; and Income Maintenance. During these years, the focus of the Department was integration of services, expansion of managed care – behavioral and physical, cost containment, and establishment of pay for performance.

During her years in Pennsylvania Ms. Richman was known for her work in closing State institutions, creating community based services, creating a behavioral Medicaid agency, creating a system of care for people on the Autism spectrum, integrating systems of care, and being an advocate for people with disabilities.

She also served as the Managing Director for the City of Philadelphia and the Director of Social Services. Other positions held by Richman include the City of Philadelphia’s Commissioner of Public Health and Deputy Commissioner for Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services

A nationally recognized expert on issues of behavioral health and children’s services, Richman has been honored for advocacy efforts by the National Alliance on Mental illness, the American Psychiatric Association and the American Medical Association, among others. She is also the recipient of the 1998 Ford Foundation/Good Housekeeping Award for Women in Government.

Locally, Ms. Richman has been honored by Women’s Way with the Lucretia Mott Award and the Woman One Award by Drexel University College of Medicine.

In addition, the Philadelphia Behavioral Health System was named the winner of the 1999 Innovations in American Government from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

Richman received her master’s degree from Cleveland State University. She has Honorary Doctorate degrees from Alvernia University, Drexel University, and Temple University.

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Visionary Artist Award

Tariq Trotter

Artist

Tariq Trotter

Artist

As Co-Founder of The Roots, a critically acclaimed solo artist, actor, writer, activist, producer, and creator, Tariq Trotter-aka Black Thought-has quietly affirmed himself as one of the most prolific, prescient, and powerful voices in hip-hop.

Over the course of his career, he has won three GRAMMY® Awards and three NAACP Image Awards. Not only did he deliver eleven applauded albums with The Roots, but the group also joined The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as the house band and beloved mainstay of late-night television for over a decade.

His albums outside of The Roots include the three volumes of Streams of Thought, Cheat Codes (with Danger Mouse), and Glorious Game (with El Michels Affair). He co-wrote, co-composed, and starred in the Off-Broadway play Black No More and boasts acting credits in The Deuce and Tick, Tick . . . Boom!, among others. With Questlove, Trotter launched the production company Two One Five Entertainment, which produced the documentaries Hip-Hop: The Songs That Shook America, Descendant, and others.

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Amber Art & Design

Artist Collective

Amber Art & Design

Artist Collective

http://www.amberartanddesign.com/

Established in 2013, Amber Art & Design is a collaborative artist collective founded by Keir Johnston, Linda Fernandez, Ernel Martinez, Charles Barbin, and the late Willis “Nomo” Humphrey. Martha O’Connell has since joined the team. Grounded in the belief that art catalyzes positive growth, the collective specializes in murals, public interventions, and creative facilitation, responding to community needs. They use art as a tool to actively engage people in the design of public spaces, guided by their three pillars of work: the design and fabrication of public art, community engagement, and arts education with a specific focus on environmental justice. With over 15 years of experience, the multilingual-speaking, minority-led team has made a significant impact through partnerships with schools, community organizations, museums, and individuals in various U.S. cities and internationally. Honoring Nomo’s legacy, the collective continues to amplify community voices, fostering meaningful connections and dialogue on a global scale. Looking ahead, Amber Art & Design is committed to creating inclusive spaces and contributing to the positive growth of the communities in which it engages.

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SAVE THE DATE 40th Anniversary – Roots & Reimagination

May 3 | 3:30pm–6:30pm EDT

Wall Ball Honorees

Vincent Hughes

Sheryl Lee Ralph

Estelle Richmond

Visionary Artist Award

Tariq Trotter

Amber Art & Design

SAVE THE DATE
40th Anniversary – Roots & Reimagination