Lesbian & Gay Scholars of African Descent Honored in Annual Celebration  

ZAMI, Inc., an organization for lesbians of African descent based in Metro Atlanta, is awarding a record $21,000 in scholarships in September 2004. 21 scholars from across the country have been granted $1000 scholarships along with transportation and accommodations to Atlanta for the scholarship celebratory weekend. These students are all "out" lesbians and gay men who are making significant contributions to their communities.

ZAMI established its Audre Lorde scholarship fund in 1995 and awarded its first two scholarships in 1997. Since that time, the fund has awarded 70 scholarships to lesbian and gay men of African descent. The Audre Lorde Scholarship Fund is named in honor of Audre Lorde (1934-1992), the acclaimed author and State Poet of New York who published nine volumes of poetry and five works of prose. She identified as a Black lesbian, warrior poet and is internationally regarded as a significant contributor to the struggle for women's liberation and lesbian and gay rights.

The Awards and Recipients are as follows:

The Sheryl Burke Award:
Erica Woodland, Social Work
Univ of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
Stephanie Forbes, Creative Writing
Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio
Lynnee Bonner, Ethnic Studies
San Francisco State Univ., San Francisco, CA

The Pat Parker Award funded by Io Cyrus:
Kebo Drew, Creative Writing/ English
City College, San Francisco, CA

The Ruth Ellis Award funded by Wendy Belkin:
Shelley Barry, Film & Media Arts
Temple Univ., Philadelphia, PA
Preston Shumaker, Clinical Psychology
lllinois School of Professional Psychology, Chicago, IL

The Cherie Caldwell Award:
Jonathan Ann Jones, Nursing
Univ of Arkansas, Little Rock, AR
Eldridge Holloway, Conflict Management,
Kennesaw State Univ, Kennesaw, GA

The Bayard Rustin Award funded by Allen Thornell:
Craig Washington, Social Work
Georgia State Univ., Atlanta, GA

The Kecia Cunningham Award:
Michael Shomari Robinette, Women Studies
Georgia State Univ., Atlanta, GA

The Sherry Turner Award:
Xanthia Johnson, Community Counseling
Trinity College, Washington, DC

The Hannah Guishard Award:
Lauren McCray, Psychology
American Univ., Washington, DC

The Tony Daniels Community Ally Award funded by ADODI Muse:
Shelton Jackson, Accounting
Morgan State Univ., Baltimore, MD

The Ronald Moore Humanitarian Award:
Kazem Abdullah, Conducting Performance
Peabody Conservatory of Music- John Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD

The Margaret Ntombi Howell Power & Presence Memorial Award
funded by Rhesa M. Jenkins & Ama R. Saran:
Olayinka Majekodunmi, Public Health Education
James Madison Univ., Harrisonburg, VA

The Edith Biggers- Kathi Martin Award:
Brandi-el Cook, Law; Medicine
Univ of Memphis, Memphis, TN

The Mabel Hampton Honorary Academic & Human
Rights Award - Donor Reps, Wendy & Lee Hampton:
Christel Miller, Psychology, Visual Arts, Women & Gender Studies
Rice Univ., Houston, TX

The Keiron Williams Hero Award funded by Kevin Bynes:
Lukwanna Littlejohn, English
Cosumnes River College, Sacramento, CA

The Kelley Alexander Award:
Charles Tyson, Communications/ Public Relations
James Madison Univ., Harrisonburg, VA

The Antonio Jones Award:
Ava M. Rodgers, Computer Information Systems
Henry Ford Community College, Dearborn, MI

The Mellonee Rheams & Debra Mlambo Award:
Doreen Watson, Sociology & Women’s Studies
Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX

* Unless, otherwise noted, the 2004 awards are named after the person who donated the scholarship.

Join Evelyn as she discusses the culmination of ten years of extensive research on one of our most beloved writers. She was granted unrestricted access to Alice Walker's papers and files and also conducted interviews with Alice, her family, friends, colleagues, romantic partners and other American cultural figures. Evelyn C. White will autograph your personal copy of Alice Walker: A Life. Books will be available for purchase at the brunch.

This event is co-sponsored by Charis Circle.

Musical and Poetic offerings by DrumSista and the 2004 Audre Lorde Scholarship Recipients.

General Adm. $25.00 ZAMI Members $15.00 Students $10.00
Tickets can be purchased in advance at Charis Books & More or at the door.

Entertainment provided by some of Atlanta's premiere lesbian and gay performers.

Sign Language Interpreter Provided with funding from the Fund for Southern Communities...

This Program is free and open to the public.

Co-sponsored by The First Existentialist Congregation

Mary Anne Adams, MSW
Executive Director
ZAMI, Inc.
P.O. Box 2502
Decatur, GA 30031
404 370-0920
zami@zami.org
www.zami.org

ZAMI's primary mission is to empower and affirm the lives of lesbians of African descent through providing outreach and education, leadership development, support/ discussion groups, scholarship funds, and social activities.