The All Stars Project held its 16th Annual Phyllis Hyman Phat Friends and Young Leaders for Change Awards on Monday, Nov. 15, hosted by MetLife.
Roscoe Orman, known to millions for his 36 years as “Gordon” on the highly acclaimed children’s series Sesame Street, was the event’s MC which honored New York City’s unsung heroes and All Stars Project youth leaders.
All Stars youth leaders created the Phat Friends award – named after supporter jazz great Phyllis Hyman – to have a civic voice in the life of New York City, so they could tell us which adults and programs are making a meaningful difference in their communities.
This year’s Phat Friend Award honorees include David C. Banks, president, The Eagle Academy Foundation; Susan Benedetto, president and co-founder of Exploring the Arts, Inc.; Dr. Reginald Blake, associate professor, New York City College of Technology; Akuah Brabham, African dance instructor at Bishop Loughlin High School; Patricia Pates Eaton, former principal conductor of the NYC All City High School Chorus; Michelle Edgar, founder and executive director, Music Unites; Bobby Ferazi, director of Juvenile Justice and Re-entry Services, PAL, Melissa Fenton Herrod, former executive director of City Light Youth Theatre; Joseph Rivera, police officer, NYPD; Marc Sanabria, detective 2nd Grade, NYPD Juvenile Robbery Intervention Programs and Amy Weinberg, professor and deputy executive director at the University of Maryland’s Center for Advanced Study of Language.
The 2010 Young Leaders for Change awardees are nine youth leaders – Jube Charles, Biola Jeje, George Pedraza, Jose Esteban Rodriguez-Alverio, Shaun Rodriguez, Nisha Tabassum, Glenroy Wason and Lynnell Whichard – who represent the heart and soul of the All Stars. They have made it a priority to build the All Stars – grow their communities and give development to other young people.
