Kelly Ripa and Andy Cohen co-host Point's Annual Gala in NYC
Point Foundation ( Point ) , the nation's largest scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender ( LGBT ) students of merit, today announced the recipients of its Courage, Inspiration and Legend Awards. 30 Rock star and Tony Award winner ( Nine ) Jane Krakowski, will receive the Point Courage Award; Citi will receive the Point Inspiration Award; author, political strategist and civil rights activist David Mixner will receive the Point Legend Award. The awards will be presented at Point's annual New York benefit, Point Honors, which will be held on April 19, 2010 at 583 Park Avenue in New York City.
The evening will be hosted by Kelly Ripa ( LIVE! with Regis & Kelly ) and Andy Cohen, Bravo's SVP Original Programming and Development and host of Bravo's Watch What Happens Live!. Victoria Reggie Kennedy, widow of U.S. Senator Edward M. "Ted" Kennedy, will present the award to Mixner, with additional guest participants to be announced shortly.
The Point Courage Award recognizes an individual who has advocated for the future of the LGBT community and lives with the vision that investing in today's potential will produce a brighter tomorrow. The Point Inspiration Award recognizes a corporation that champions respect and inclusion of the LGBT community, and operates with the vision that the success achieved by talented young people is limited only by the resources and opportunities they are given to help them fulfill their potential. The Point Legend Award is presented to an individual who has, through the course of their lifetime, achieved greatness in their professional career and unapologetically supported the LGBT community.
Students who are awarded the organization's prestigious scholarships, known as Point Scholars, are selected through a rigorous and highly competitive process that requires a track record of demonstrated academic excellence, leadership skills and financial need. A number of Point Scholars will attend the benefit.
"In addition to being one of the most talented actresses today, Jane Krakowski has been a supporter of the LGBT community and advocate of the importance of education for her entire career," states Jorge Valencia, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Point Foundation.
"The Point Foundation's commitment to excellence in education and providing support for LGBT students is truly an inspiring mission," said Krakowksi. "I am honored to be a part of such a special evening."
"Citi's commitment to diversity through their Pride network, as well as their support to Point Foundation and other LGBT organizations motivates other corporations and individuals to invest in the future through the education of our young people," states Valencia. "Their Corporate Citizenship division is a wonderful example of the positive impact corporations can have on society."
"We at Citi are honored to be the recipients of the Point Inspiration Award," said Ana Duarte-McCarthy, Citi's Chief Diversity Officer. "We deeply appreciate that the Point Foundation shares Citi's core value of a culture of inclusion and opportunity. We recognize that the Point Foundation enables many individuals -- many who may have lost the support of their families -- to realize their potential. Supporting diversity through education is a vital step and is the reason we take great pride in our partnership with the Point Foundation."
Jorge Valencia commented, "David Mixner has been a force within the LGBT community for many, many years and has been a supporter of Point Foundation since its early years. In celebrating 50 years of community organizing and volunteerism, we're humbled that he's graciously agreed to be recognized by Point. He continues to be a source of inspiration to society and more importantly, our youth. He deserves this award and is a shining example of the type of leader Point Scholars strive to be."
"David Mixner is one of the great civil rights leaders of our time. I am proud to join the Point Foundation in honoring him, just as my husband was proud to work over the decades with David to achieve full equality for all our people," said Vicki Kennedy. "Ted prized David as a powerful advocate, a teacher of truth and a great friend. He is one of those rare people who bend history itself."
Presenting Sponsor is Audi. Premiere Sponsors are David Bohnett Foundation, HBO, Motorola, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Amy L. Robbins and Time Warner. Principal Sponsor is Estee Lauder Companies. National Media Sponsor is The Advocate. Media Sponsors are MetroSource and Next.
Event co-chairs are Shelley Fischel, Dan Osheyack, Andy Towle and Richard Ziegelasch.
Ticket and table sales opportunities are available now. Call ( 212 ) 247-7318 or visit www.pointfoundation.org to purchase. Sponsorship opportunities are also available by contacting Michael Marino — michael@pointfoundation.org ( 212 ) 247-7318.
About Point Foundation
Point Foundation ( Point ) is the nation's largest scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender ( LGBT ) students of merit. Point provides financial support, leadership training, mentoring and hope to LGBT individuals who are marginalized because of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Point provides its scholars with the financial ability to attend the nation's foremost higher educational institutions and its donors and mentors with the rare satisfaction of directly investing their resources and time in future generations of leaders.
For more information about Point Foundation, please visit www.pointfoundation.org . Point Foundation is a 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) organization.
About Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski stars as Jenna Maroney, on NBC's two-time Emmy Award-winning "30 Rock," a workplace comedy where the workplace exists behind the scenes of a live variety show.
Krakowski, along with the "30 Rock" cast, won a 2009 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. She additionally earned an Emmy nomination in 2009 for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy.
The New Jersey-born Krakowski is an accomplished actress, dancer and singer with numerous awards and credits to her name in film, theatre and television. For her stunning and sultry portrayal of "Carla" in Broadway's "Nine" opposite Antonio Banderas, she won Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics awards. She won an Olivier Award while starring in "Guys and Dolls" with Ewan McGregor on the West End. Krakowski held other acclaimed roles in Broadway productions of "Grand Hotel" ( Tony nominee ) , "Company," "Once Upon A Mattress," "Tartuffe" and "Starlight Express."
During her five-year stint on the Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG award-winning series "Ally McBeal," she received a Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal of "Elaine Vassal."
About Citi
Citi, the leading global financial services company, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 140 countries. Through Citicorp and Citi Holdings, Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, and wealth management. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com or www.citi.com .
About David Mixner
For 50 years, starting with the campaign of President John Kennedy in 1960, David Mixner has been in the forefront of the movement for change in America. In a distinguished journey that continued with his participation in the civil rights movement of the 1960s and being one of the top organizers against the war in Vietnam, Mixner continues to this day to speak out for justice, equality and peace.
After coming out in the 1970s, Mixner was involved in the creation of the first ever LGBT Political Action Committee. As HIV/AIDS hit the gay men's community in the early 1980s, he was in the forefront of creating AIDS service organizations, fighting for promising drug therapies, reforming the FDA and ending discrimination against people with AIDS.
Mixner was one of the founders of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund and has raised well over a million dollars for LGBT candidates. He served as National Co-Chair of Congressman Dick Gephardt's race for President and was in the "kitchen cabinet" of President Clinton's first run in 1992. Mixner worked with Harvey Milk to defeat Prop Six in California and also with Torie Osborn to defeat Prop 64 ( the AIDS Quarantine ballot measure ) .
Mr. Mixner has written two best-selling books, two screenplays and a play. Currently, his blog www.davidmixner.com is one of the more popular ones on the Internet.
