Dr. Janice Underwood Named as Keynote Speaker at Urban League's 36th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast Honoring Community Leaders

PORTSMOUTH, Va., Dec. 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Janice Underwood, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Commonwealth of Virginia, will be the keynote speaker at The Urban League of Hampton Roads 36th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Community Leaders' Breakfast on Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, 8 a.m., at the Portsmouth-Norfolk Renaissance Hotel, sponsored by GEICO, Enterprise Rentals and the City of Portsmouth. The Community Leaders' Breakfast, held on King's birthday, recognizes the legacy and life of Dr. King and presents awards to those dedicated to community service/volunteerism, education and leadership. Doors open at 7:30 a.m. for registration, with the event starting promptly at 8:00 a.m.

This year's awardees are: John Broderick, President and Cecelia Tucker, Assistant to the President for Community Relations of Old Dominion University; Dr. Cassandra Newby-Alexander, Noted Historian and Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, Norfolk State University; Howard Kern, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sentara Healthcare and Mary Blunt, Senior Vice President and Corporate Vice President at Sentara Healthcare; Bob Aston, Chairman of the Board and Tom Hasty III, Senior Executive Vice President and Regulatory Risk Officer, Towne Bank; Joan Brock, Outstanding Civic Leader and Philanthropist; Gaylene Kanoyton, Award Winning Community Servant and Activist and Marquise Hunt, Chairman Emeritus of the National NAACP Youth and College Division Task Force.

As the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Dr. Underwood will develop a sustainable framework to promote inclusive practices across Virginia state government, implement a measurable, strategic plan to address systemic inequities in state government practices, and facilitate ways to turn feedback from state employees, external stakeholders, and community leaders into concrete equity policy.

Begun in 1984, the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Leaders' awards are presented to individuals or groups who promote positive images, exemplify community service, demonstrate the values that model those of Dr. King and show evidence of the impact their contributions make in the lives of others. The Community Leaders' Breakfast is an Urban League of Hampton Roads signature event and is also co-sponsored by the City of Portsmouth, Old Dominion University, Norfolk State University and Eastern Virginia Medical School.

Individual tickets are $50 when purchased before December 31, and sponsorships are still available. Visit ulhr.org or contact the Urban League at (757) 627-0864. For media inquiries, contact Bruce Williams at (757) 570-4463 or [email protected].

The Urban League of Hampton Roads

The mission of the Urban League of Hampton Roads, Inc. (ULHR) is to enable African Americans and others to secure economic self-reliance, parity and power and civil rights. The ULHR implements its mission by providing services and programs in education, employment, health, and housing to Hampton Roads communities through direct services, advocacy, research, policy analysis, community mobilization and collaboration throughout communities.

SOURCE The Urban League of Hampton Roads