USHER FIX

Usher and his New Look Foundation hosted the 2010 World Leadership Awards at Atlanta’s Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre last night (August 6th).

Special guests Ciara and Justin Bieber were invited to perform alongside the ‘OMG’ singer; with Usher and Ciara performing a unique rendition of John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’, and Bieber (who was awarded the Global Youth Leadership Award) delivering a rousing solo set.

Former US president Bill Clinton was honoured with the Service Legacy Award.

Sources: 1, 2, 3

USHER’S NEW LOOK FOUNDATION KICKS OFF THE WORLD LEADERSHIP AWARDS BY TRAINING 600 YOUTH DURING POWERED BY SERVICE DAY ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 5TH.

ATLANTA, GA, August XX, 2010 – With the support of the Ford Motor Company’s “Driving Skills for Life,” Usher’s New Look Foundation will train upwards of 600 youth from around the world during its Powered By Service Day. The themes for the half-day workshops are:  Safe Driving Skills, Health and Fitness, the Environment and Haiti Relief.  This special program takes place in advance of the Foundation’s World Leadership Awards on Friday, August 6th, chaired by Usher Raymond IV honoring President Bill Clinton and seven other individuals committed to youth engagement and service. 

The four service projects include:

• “Ford Driving Skills for Life” at the Georgia World Congress Center – Ford Motor Company will feature its award-winning teen safe driving program, “Ford Driving Skills for Life.”  The hands-on program will give more than 100 teens the opportunity to drive with professional drivers, learning new skills in four key areas which research shows are critical for young drivers: vehicle handling, distractions, hazard recognition and speed and space management. For more information, visit www.drivingskillsforlife.com.

• Health and Fitness at the McGhee Tennis Center – In conjunction with the USTA, New Look youth leaders and the McGhee Tennis staff will provide an introduction to health and fitness basics.  Older youth will be paired with younger for peer leadership and mentoring while exploring fitness activities.

• Environmental Justice and Awareness at the Georgia Aquarium – New Look’s Powered By Service youth grantees and Aquarium staff will introduce New Look youth leaders to environmental awareness, conservation and ways to get involved.

• Haiti Relief Amazin Summer Challenge at the Lenox Mall – World Vision staff and New Look alumni will brief participants on the “Amazin Summer Challenge” as well as New Look’s Haiti relief campaign and mobile clinic donation.  Activities will consist of packaging orphan packs and writing messages of hope to send with the mobile clinic.

“We share Usher’s commitment to make a difference with youth, which is why we are partnering with New Look Foundation to bring Ford Driving Skills for Life to the Powered By Service Day,” said Jim Vella, president of Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services.  “Auto crashes claim the lives of too many teens, and our program is designed to give new drivers the skills they need.”

Following the service stops, New Look will be hosting a Service Training and a Media Roundtable Panel at Spelman College.  The training is intended to teach young people how to implement and execute their own service projects.
The panel will take place in the Cosby Auditorium of Spelman College and will be moderated by CNN’s Dr. Steve Perry.  The panel will include conversations about youth leadership, service, the importance of education and the mission of the World Leadership Awards.

Panelists include:

• Dr. Michael Lomax, President of United Negro College Fund
• Hital Muraj, Cisco Networking Academy in East Africa
• Adam Braun, Executive Director, Pencils for Promise
• Chantia Robinson, New Look Foundation alumna (Atlanta)
• James Harris, New Look Foundation alumnus and the only youth member of the New Look Board of Directors (Kansas)
• Carmen Seay, New Look Foundation alumna (Detroit)

Usher & Don Lemon (CNN)

Sources: 1 & 2

Usher broke through in a big way globally in 2004-05 with his fourth studio album “Confessions,” which has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide, according to Shawn Wilson, president of the New Look Foundation.

Mr. Wilson told GlobalAtlanta during a conference call from New York that Usher’s enormous success with that album pushed the rhythm and blues prodigy to start thinking even more seriously about public service.

Although the New Look Foundation was established by Usher in 1999, it has become increasingly active and globally conscious. “The music industry has a global mindset,” Mr. Wilson said. “Music and the music business are by their very nature global.”

Usher performs around the world. His first performance in China was held in mid-July in Beijing at the Wukesong Arena, during which he joined Taiwanese star Wang Leehom, with whom he sang a song in Mandarin.

Also on the conference call were John Rice, who lives in Atlanta and is vice chairman of GE and CEO of GE Technology Infrastructure, and his wife, Cammie.

As a most senior official of one of the U.S.’s preeminent global companies, Mr. Rice has signed on with the leaders of other global companies, some based in Atlanta, to support the World Leadership Awards of the New Look Foundation, which will honor individuals who have contributed to youth leadership and service, as well as corporations and organizations.

Former President Clinton will join Mr. Rice along with members of the foundation’s prestigious board of directors at the award ceremony to be held the evening of Friday, Aug. 6, at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center.

Mr. Wilson said that the foundation wanted to honor Mr. Clinton because he “picked up the ball from President Kennedy” in his concern about providing opportunities of America’s youth through organizations such as the Peace Corps. The domestic version of the Peace Corps, Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA), officially launched by President Lyndon Johnson, was incorporated into the AmeriCorps during the Clinton administration.

Mrs. Rice has been instrumental in rallying Atlanta’s corporate leaders into joining the foundation’s board due to her concern about the lack of educational and employment opportunities available for inner-city youth.

She said that her commitment to the organization stemmed from one of the foundation’s Leadership Academy programs she attended at Emory University.

Mrs. Rice had experienced an armed burglary of her home during which her life was threatened. The incident focused her attention on the plight of inner-city youth ever since, even though the perpetrators have been apprehended and imprisoned.

During the Leadership Academy program, she heard participants who sought educational and employment opportunities without success before becoming involved in the program. The foundation currently is setting up academies in Atlanta, Milwaukee, Wis., and New York.

“My view is simple,” Mr. Rice said during the conference call. “Concentrating on youth is really important. They are the future, even if it sounds a bit trite. We have a bleak future if they don’t have educational prospects and social responsibility.”

Mr. Wilson said that since 1999 the program has reached more than 8,700 youth across the nation with its two-year leadership courses that introduce the students to business principles, the importance of education and community involvement.

He added that the foundation also is increasing its global reach to help its participants prepare for future careers.

He also said that even though Usher came to Atlanta when he was 11 years old, grew up and launched his musical career here, Atlanta was not necessarily the first choice for the awards celebration.

“It was not an automatic choice. It could have been in New York or Los Angeles, but Atlanta is a growing city, a global city and it can help feed that image. And, we know, Atlanta can do an international event of this significance.”

The awards evening also is to feature performances by Usher and other artists including pop star Justin Bieber.

Joining Usher and Mr. Clinton on the host committee are Ingrid Saunders Jones, senior vice president of global community connections at the Coca-Cola Co. and chairperson of the Coca-Cola Foundation;

Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue and his wife, Mary; former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn and his wife, Colleen; former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin;

U.S. Rep. John Lewis of Georgia’s 5th District; Phil Kent, chairman and CEO of Turner Broadcasting System Inc.; Roger Penske, CEO of Penske Automative Group, and his wife, Kathy, and Laura Turner Seydel, chair of The Captain Planet Foundation and a member of many other civic organizations.

Tickets for the World Leadership Awards ceremony are available through Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000 or at Ticketmaster.com at a cost of $35, $65 and $100.

Tickets are also available at the Bank of North Georgia Box Office at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Atlanta, 30339.

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Join Usher, President Clinton, Justin Bieber, Ciara and more on August 6th in Atlanta for the first annual World Leadership Awards. New Look Foundation will honor and recognize individuals and celebrities who are committed to youth leadership and service and make a difference in the lives of millions every day. Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com.

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The NY Post “heard” that Usher has challenged Bill Clinton to sing a duet with him at the New Look Foundation’s first World Leadership Awards Gala in Atlanta, where Usher, the charity’s founder, is said to have lined up a performance by Justin Bieber and an appearance by Ciara. Bill Clinton is set to host the event for Usher’s charity, which will take place on August 6 in Atlanta.

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On August 5-6, 2010, the New Look Foundation will bring heads of state, corporate leaders and celebrities to Atlanta for the World Leadership Awards (WLA) at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center. WLA will raise funds and support for New Look’s mission to mentor youth as global leaders. Four distinct honors will be awarded to leading individuals, corporations and organizations which have contributed to youth leadership and service. The evening will be full of special surprises, celebrity guests as well as musical performance by Usher and friends produced by world class entertainment AEG Live. 

This event is being chaired by Mr. John Rice, Vice Chairman of GE Technology Infrastructure and Mrs. Cammie Rice, Usher’s New Look, Board of Directors, in collaboration with Honorary Chairs Mr. Usher Raymond IV and President William Jefferson Clinton (Bill Clinton). Other host committee members include Ms. Ingrid Saunders Jones, Coca-Cola Company; Senator Samuel & Colleen Nunn; Former Atlanta Mayor Hon. Shirley Franklin; Congressman John Lewis; Mr. Phil Kent, Turner Broadcasting System; Mr. Roger & Kathy Penske, Penske Automotive Group; and Ms. Laura Turner Seydel, among other national and international leaders. WLA will be an unprecedented evening that brings and blends together the work of grassroots activists, heads of state, celebrities, youth leaders, corporations, artists, and community organizations.

Major international corporations have joined New Look to sponsor this event including: Coca Cola, GE, Turner Broadcasting, Grey Goose, AEG Live, Bank of America, JP Morgan, Penske Automotive, Elizabeth Arden and Sony BMG.

There is still an opportunity to join this prestigious group as a sponsor of the WLA. If you are interested in sponsoring please contact Melissa Ely.

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