The black-tie affair has been a tradition in Grand Rapids for six years and enough Kalamazooans travel north for the event each year to encourage organizers to believe it will be a success in Kalamazoo.
The event will highlight Kalamazoo's African-American professionals and honor New Genesis Education Center. Proceeds of the event go to provide scholarships. Miss Black Michigan USA Sophia Rochon will award the scholarships at the event.
Though the event is called the "Mayor's" Legacy Ball it is not a political fundraiser and organizers hope that future mayors will be associated with the event as the current mayor, Bobby Hopewell, is. "He saw an opportunity to recognize a portion of the community and that it was a good fit," says Jessica Ann Tyson, who is helping to organize the event.
"It is with great honor that we embrace this opportunity to support those who are leaving a legacy for generations to come," says Hopewell, honorary chair of the Mayor’s Legacy Ball Advisory Committee.
The Legacy Ball in Grand Rapids has awarded $20,000 in scholarships and supported black businesses during its six year history.
Reservations for the Kalamazoo event are $50 and include a network reception, dinner, awards program, and entertainment. The menu for the evening will be created by the executive chef for the Radisson.
The Feb. 22 event in Kalamazoo gets under way at 5 p.m. with dinner at 6 p.m. It also features the music of international award-winning soprano
Kearstin Piper Brown.
The Grand Rapids event draws members of the Chamber of Commerce, and those of the Asian, Hispanic, and many other communities and a similar mix of attendees is expected in Kalamazoo.
"American history is black history and black history is everyone's history," Tyson says.
Writer: Kathy Jennings, Second Wave Media
Source: Jessica Ann Tyson, Events by Jessica Ann
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