DALLAS – March 17, 2009 – Susan G. Komen for the Cure®’s Circle of Promise is partnering with civil rights icon and television pioneer Xernona Clayton on April 1 to present a one-woman show aimed at engaging, educating and empowering women of color to end breast cancer.
The event, An Evening with Xernona, will be held on Wednesday, April 1, 2009 in the Plaza Pavilion of the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles at 7:30 p.m.
An Evening with Xernona features Ms. Clayton and friends including Richard Roundtree, actor and breast cancer survivor; Dawnn Lewis, actress and singer; Rev. Bernice King, international speaker and daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King, and other local and national celebrities. Seating for the event is limited. Please call 404.455.4946 or email xernonaclayton@gmail.com for reservations.
“We treasure our relationship with this inspiring icon of dignity, achievement and service,” said Andrea Anderson, director, integrated marketing at Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. “Ms. Clayton’s one-woman show will make you laugh and cry as she talks about her work and friendships with famous history-makers.”
Ms. Clayton, an award winning journalist, is also the founder, president and CEO of the Trumpet Awards Foundation, Inc. and creator and executive producer of the Trumpet Awards, a prestigious event highlighting African American accomplishments. In 1965, she accepted a position with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. She also traveled extensively with Mrs. Coretta Scott King. Ms. Clayton was employed by Turner Broadcasting for nearly 30 years as one of the highest-ranking female employees.
Since 1996, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Los Angeles County Affiliate has contributed over $7 million to provide support for breast cancer services sponsored by local non-profit clinics, hospitals and community based organizations in Los Angeles County. 75 percent of the net proceeds from local fundraisers stay in Los Angeles County to fund community grants and the remaining 25 percent of net proceeds helps fund Komen for the Cure breast cancer research.
In 2008, the Los Angeles Komen Affiliate invested $654,446 in community grants to organizations in Los Angeles County.
Funding for local grants is based on a biannual community profile which determines the community’s breast health needs and an annual volunteer peer review process of requests for funds. A major focus for local grants is to help women who have symptoms of breast cancer and cannot afford diagnostic procedures, either because they do not have health insurance or their health insurance will not pay for these services and because they do not qualify for public funding since they are under 40 years of age. One of the Los Angeles County Affiliate’s 2010 goals is to increase their annual investment in the Los Angeles County community to $1 million a year.
About Circle of Promise
Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s Circle of Promise campaign is an unprecedented campaign to engage African American women to help end breast cancer forever. The campaign educates women on empowering themselves and other black women to take actions that will save lives. The campaign’s goal is to recruit 100,000 ambassadors. To register to become a Circle of Promise ambassador or to learn more about Ms. Xernona Clayton, visit www.circleofpromise.org.
