Nine national leaders and activists are scheduled to be honored by the National Newspaper Publishers Association when the trade organization hosts its annual National Leadership Awards ceremony at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, D.C.
The 2018 honorees are Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.); Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.); Rep. Al Green (D-Tx.); Teacher of the Year and congressional candidate Jahana Hayes; Capstone Development Founder Norman Jenkins; E-Commerce leader Arsha Jones; Virginia Commonwealth University professor Wally Smith; TV host Kellee Edwards; and legendary poll worker Laura Wooten, the longest living continuously serving poll worker in the United States.
A trade organization representing the 220 African-American-owned newspapers around the country with more than 22 million weekly subscribers, the NNPA began the Leadership Awards in 2014.
The awards honor individuals who are national leaders in their specific fields and whose actions have helped to improve the quality of life for African Americans and others.
The producers of the NNPA Leadership Awards Reception decided that the best time to host such an awards reception would be during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference, a weeklong event that’s held each September.
The CBCF ALC week is the largest annual gathering in the United States that features 15,000 to 20,000 African-American leaders and influencers.
The underlying joint purpose of the CBC ALC and the NNPA National Leadership Awards Reception is to network, collaborate and strategize collectively for the advancement and empowerment of Black America.