Founder’s Award  Joy Thomas Moore is a Peabody Award winner and President and CEO of JWS Media Consulting. Prior to starting her…

Born in Barbados, Alexander James travels the world as DJ Puffy’s photographer and videographer. This has afforded him one of his greatest achievements to date; the opportunity to travel to the US, Europe & Asia and capture the world via his camera.

Visionary Award  Sharon Matthews is the deputy managing editor of Originals and Vice President of L.A. Times Studios. With over 25 years…

Growing up in a bi-lingual, bi-cultural and bi-racial household has afforded Michele many benefits. She learned early on to treat others with compassion and respect. She developed an easygoing attitude even though she received many unsolicited comments about her ethnicity such as “What are you?” She grew up comprehending that who you are as a person is what makes each individual unique, not his or her ethnic origin.

Rihanna is one of the best selling music and video artists worldwide. She has over 60 top ten singles in the US and the UK and she has sold well over 250 million records. She adds to this approximately 13 American Music Awards, 12 Billboard Music Awards and 9 Grammys!

Ziggy Marley, born in Trenchtown, Jamaica, is an 8-time Grammy winner. He views his reggae music as a conduit between the spiritual and physical worlds. Much like his father, the legendary Robert “Bob” Nesta Marley did, Marley wants to bring consciousness and awareness through his music.

Golda Rosheuvel is a Guyanese-British actress and singer. Born in Guyana to a Guyanese father and an English mother, she moved to England when she was five.