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(Los Angeles, CA) — Lisa Collins, publisher of L.A. Focus and founder of the First Ladies High Tea hosted the L.A. Focus 24th Annual First Ladies High Tea with presenting sponsor the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the County of Los Angeles, on Saturday, May 7, 2022, ¡at the Beverly Hilton Hotel was a grand time!
Co-hosts, Actress Wendy Raquel Robinson (The Game, Insecure, Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story) and Apostle Beverly “BAM” Crawford, Pastor, Bible Enrichment Fellowship International Church kept the event moving and in a joyful mood.
Emmy Award-Winning Actress Loretta Devine received the Legacy Award; Cookie Johnson, NY Times bestselling author, founder of CJ, a premium denim line, and wife to Earvin “Magic” Johnson received the Spirit Award; renowned Dr. Jerry Abraham, a visionary leader in increasing vaccination rates for the most vulnerable received the CDPH Community Award; and LADWP Board President Cynthia McClain-Hill received the Corporate Award.
L.A. Focus First Ladies High Tea proudly saluted the 2022 first ladies’ honorees: Karen Brown of Liberty Baptist Church & Judson Baptist Church, Adrienne Dixon of Center of Hope L.A., Wendy Howlett of Blessed Family Covenant, and Teresa Pleasant of Christ Second Baptist Church for their service to the community and the work they do in their respective churches.
The featured performances 4x Stellar Award-winning artist Kurt Carr and gospel great Kathy Taylor transformed the packed house into a church atmosphere.
Special guest appearances by actress Angela Lewis starring in FX’s hit show Snowfall, actor Richard Roundtree, Congresswoman Karen Bass, L.A. County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, State Senator Sydney Kamlager, and L.A. City Councilmember Curren Price and Omarosa Manigault Newman who is the First Lady at Mr. Calvary Church in Jacksonville, Florida made a special guest appearance.
One of the afternoon’s highlights was the announcement of the winners of the L.A. Focus Annual Essay Contest. Open to girls 16-18, five winners received monetary awards to be used to further their education. This year’s essay theme was “Rising Above the Noise.”
The Afternoon Tea event hosted 700+ plus attendees that were served a traditional Afternoon Tea Menu. Other sponsors included Union Bank, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Black Leadership Aids Crisis Coalition (BLACC), and the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power.
About First Ladies High Tea
Founded in 1998, this afternoon tea is a red-carpet affair for the Who’s Who of women in the church and the Black community, featuring celebrity guests, community leaders, and honorees that has become an annual tradition. In the twenty-plus years since its inception, the tea has served to inspire, women, both young and old, to join forces and create a movement of service towards each other, the communities in which they live and to God, while also providing scholarships to at-risk youth and galvanizing the faith community around critical issues that are impacting it. Past honorees include U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, former California First Lady Maria Shriver, Oscar Nominee Cicely Tyson, former LA County Supervisor Yvonne Burke, renowned vocalist Nancy Wilson, gospel recording duo Mary Mary, TV One founder Cathy Hughes, actor/activist Hill Harper and, to name a few.
