The Urban League of Rhode Island held it 71st Annual Meeting & Reception on June 24th at the Crown Plaza at the crossings. The annual event was highlighted by a social networking session, entertainment for the evening by the William Spaulding Jazz Quartet. This years Masters of Ceremony were Judge Laureen DAmbra and Kenneth R. Walker, PhD. Needless to say that the program moved like a well-oiled machine. Board Chairmen Robert A. DeRobbio, PhD offered greetings to the audience of Staff, Board Members, Community Leaders, Elected and Appointed Officials and most importantly to the young community members present. Many of the young people in the room were there to receive Community recognition for achieving a level of academic performance worthy of receiving an Urban League Scholarship; presented by Joyce A. OConnor, Chair, of the Urban Leagues 2010 Scholarship Committee.

Dr. Glenn S. Prescod, MD, MPH introduced the members of the 2010-2011 Board of Directors, elected earlier in the evening at the Annual meeting. Greetings from Linda Delgado, President, Urban League Guild and Tuoc Dao, President, RI Young Professionals were offered prior to the introduction of the Keynote Speaker Edward J. Wing MD, Dean, Warren Alpert Medical School by Brandon Melton, Sr. VP Human Resources, Lifespan. Dr. Wing delivered candid remarks about the new Health Care Reform Act and his thoughts on how policy may be implemented going forward. Wing brought attention to the tensions he believes will occur between competitive medical care units such as Pharmaceuticals, Insurance Companies, Hospitals and private Physicians and offered in the end the fact that we have what we have now but amendments and appeals of portions of the Act may still be in the offering.

The Presidents Awards of Excellence were next on the agenda where Carrie Bridges, MPH, RI Department of Health, Offices of Minority and Womens Health received her Award of Excellence from Robert Carl, PhD, Homestead Group. Emma M. Simmons, MD, MPH, Attending Physician, Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island & Assistant Professor, Family Practice Brown University also received an Award of Excellence. However, when Melvin Wade, Director, Multicultural Center, University of Rhode Island the final recipient of the 2010 Presidents Award of Excellence granddaughter Samia Nash provided her stunning and heartfelt thank you on behalf of her grandfather, the audience was in awe. Melvin held Samia up to the microphone because you see Samia is only about 4 feet tall and 7 years old, but clearly possesses her mother and grandmothers gift of performance and granddads gift of communication. Lula M. Jackson, Urban League, Child Care Center was presented with the Employee of the year award by Bishop Robert E. Farrow, Senior Pastor, Holy Cross Church of God in Christ, a fitting conclusion to the evenings formal program. Bishop Farrow known for his vocal ability offered his on form of tribute to Lula Jackson and the audience through song, prior to closing remarks by Dennis B. Langley, LhD, President and CEO urban League of Rhode Island.

Congratulations to the 2010 Annual Celebration Committee and MJ Daly, Urban League on a well planned program.

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