Yolanda Adams, Grammy Award-Winning gospel singer, actress, and nationally syndicated radio host, with the Legacy Award; L.A. Supervisor Holly Mitchell with the Spirit Award for Community Service and Tony Waller of Walmart with the Focus Award. LA Focus honors First Ladies’ honorees: Florence Boyd of First A.M.E. Church, Patricia Monroe of Redeemer Baptist Church, Pastor Themebekila Coleman-Smart of Christ Liberation Ministries, and Angel Price, Crenshaw Christian Center, for their service to the community and the work they do in their respective churches. Thoseconfirmed to attend include L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove, LADWP Chair Cynthia McClain-Hill, Assemblywoman Tina McKinnor, Assemblymember Chris Holden, along with Councilmembers Heather Hutt and Curren Price. Gospel legend Tramaine Hawkins will perform.
“The tea was established to celebrate those in the faith community who have often gone unrecognized for their contributions and yet play a pivotal role in their communities and with their youth,” said founder Lisa Collins. “Now, in its 25th year, the tea has become tradition in L.A.’s faith community thanks to remarkable memories that include Vice President Kamala Harris, Maria Shriver, Nancy Wilson, Cicely Tyson, Debbie Allen, TV One founder Cathy Hughes, Donnie McClurkin, Tamela & David Mann, Cedric the Entertainer, Mary Mary, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Shirley Caesar, California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the Honorable Mark Ridley-Thomas and our history-making mayor, Karen Bass. Not to mention a duet with the legendary Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams. “
Co-Hosts will be Actress Wendy Raquel Williams starring in The Game, Insecure, Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story, and Co-Pastor/ Psychologist and KBLA radio personality, Dr. Shalonda Crawford (dubbed “Dr. Sunshine”).
The event honors individuals and First Ladies who have served the communities well through their activism and charitable contributions. One of the afternoon’s highlights is the announcement of the winners of the L.A. Focus Annual Essay Contest. Open to girls 16-18, ten winners will receive monetary awards to be used to further their education. This year’s essay theme was “Faith over Fear: Unleash Your Potential.”
The afternoon tea event will host 700+ plus attendees and will serve a traditional Afternoon Tea Menu. Sponsors include the County of Los Angeles, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the Black Leadership AIDS Crisis Coalition (BLACC), the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power, Walmart, the California Library’s Stop the Hate Initiative, Congressmember Sydney Kamlager-Dove and L.A. City Councilmembers Curren Price and Heather Hutt.
Founded in 1998, this afternoon tea is a red-carpet affair for the Who’s Who of women in the church and the Black community, featuring celebrity guests, community leaders, and honorees that has become an annual tradition. Since its inception, the tea has served to inspire women, both young and old, to join forces and create a movement of service towards each other, the communities in which they live, and God while also providing scholarships to at-risk youth and galvanizing the faith community around critical issues that are impacting it.