Designer/Philanthropist Tina Knowles-Lawson, Actress/Recording Artist/TV Host Adrienne Houghton, media and cosmetics mogul Linda Johnson Rice, and In A Perfect World Foundation’s president Manuela Testolini, will be honored at the 9th Annual Women of Excellence Awards Luncheon, it was announced by LadyLike Foundation’s President and CEO, Leah Pump.
LadyLike Foundation will confer the honors on Saturday, June 3, 2017 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel’s International Ballroom. Holly Robinson-Peete serves as the Luncheon’s emcee. The event is expected to raise a half million dollars for the nonprofit organization whose mission is to educate, empower and inspire young girls living in underprivileged communities around the Greater Los Angeles area. Funds raised at the luncheon enable LadyLike Foundation to provide six scholarships to college bound young ladies from the inner city of Los Angeles.
“We are thrilled to honor Tina Knowles-Lawson,” says Leah Pump. “Her excellence as a fashion designer, businesswoman, mother, wife and philanthropist, is an inspiration to young women all over the world that you really can do it all, if you put your mind to it.” Among her many philanthropic endeavors, Tina, her family and Destiny’s Child member Kelly Rowland along with St. John’s Church have built and established a center for young people known as The Knowles-Rowland Center for Youth located in Houston, Texas. The Knowles family also established The Survivor Foundation in 2005 and co-sponsored the building of a transitional living center for individuals in need of temporary shelter and housing in Houston, Texas named Knowles-Temenos Place Apartments. Recently, Tina Knowles-Lawson and her husband Richard Lawson, opened the WACO Theater Center a non-profit art and performance center, in Los Angeles.
The Real’s Co-Host Adrienne Houghton will be honored for “her Excellence in Entertainment as a Recording Artist, actress and Television Personality. Being the first Latina daytime talk show host on English language television, Adrienne serves as an inspiration to countless young girls,” says Ms. Pump. Houghton rose to fame at the age of 14 as lead singer of the multiplatinum R & B group 3LW, and is a founding member of the pop group The Cheetah Girls. Grateful for her success at a young age, Houghton has always focused on giving back and being a positive role model. She continues to be an advocate for girls, and an active volunteer for a number of major causes and charities.
As Chairman of Johnson Publishing Company (JPC), CEO of Ebony Media Operations and Chairman Emeritus of EBONY Media Holdings, the parent company for EBONY and Jet brands, Linda Johnson Rice is one of the most powerful people in media. She is also Chairman of Fashion Fair Cosmetics, a global prestige cosmetics brand for women of color. “Her excellence as a media powerhouse, businesswoman, and philanthropist make us truly honored to honor her. Her success is an inspiration to all young women, especially those who dream and aspire to a career in media,” says Ms. Pump.
As Founder and President of In A Perfect World Foundation, Manuela Testolini is a leader in the world of philanthropy. “For Manuela’s excellence in building and supporting programs that provide education and mentoring to youth in the U.S. and around the world, as well as training young people to be the philanthropists and community leaders of their generation through the Youth Ambassador Program, we are thrilled to honor her,” says Ms. Pump. Manuela often travels with her husband, Eric Benet and their daughter Lucia Bella, also a Youth Ambassador, to countries such as Haiti to build schools.
Sister duo Chloe x Halle, signed to Beyonce’s Parkwood Entertainment, will perform. From splashing the pages of countless major publications, performing at the BET Awards, The Today Show, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and Essence Festival, and featuring on Michelle Obama’s charity single, “This Is for My Girls,” to appearing in Beyoncé’s visual tour de force, Lemonade, the duo is already soaring toward global stardom. Chloe x Halle has also been named People Magazine’s One to Watch and profiled on ABC News’ Nightline. The young women left a lasting impression while on tour as an opening act for Beyoncé’s legendary The Formation World Tour.
