2nd Annual Holiday Gala
Benefiting LittleDrops Orphanage Fund
AfriPRO Houston will host its 2nd Annual Holiday Gala. Join us as we dine, dance, and celebrate the Holiday Season in style. Network with our membership, guests, and friends. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to LittleDrops Orphanage Fund.
Below, you'll find more information!
Event Information
Date: Saturday, December 13, 2008Location: Stafford Centre
(10505 Cash Road, Stafford, TX 77477)
Cocktail Hour begins PROMPTLY at 7:00 pm
Program Begins at 8:00 pm PROMPT
Formal/African Attire Required
Black Tie Optional
Tickets
Purchase your tickets today.
View Cart
2008 AfriPRO Houston Awards
This year, we are pleased to announce the inauguration of the AfriPRO Houston Merit Award, the AfriPRO Houston Image Award, and the AfriPRO Houston Community Heroes Award.
The Merit Award is AfriPRO Houston's most prestigious award and is reserved for a person with accomplishments on a national/international scale, who has made public statements in the African community generally, and who has had an impact in the African community generally.
The Image Award recognizes a person who is building a new positive image of and appreciation for Africa and Africans.
The Community Hero Award recognizes a person who has served the community with their efforts, time, and energy and whose conduct and accomplishments significantly benefit the African community.
We will also honor the Member of the Year and Officer of the Year.
Hauwa Ibrahim, Esq. is a Nigerian human rights lawyer and is a senior partner at Aries Law Firm in Nigeria. Working as a lead attorney with a team devoted to the cause of human rights for women in Nigeria, she has won a number of precedent-setting cases before Islamic Sharia courts including her pro bono defense of Amina Lawal.
Ms. Ibrahim has been honored by various organizations and entities:
› The William & Mary School of Law Marshal-Wythe Medallion in 2008, the highest honor given by the W&M law faculty
› The Sakharov Prize in 2005 awarded by the European Union Parliament to honor individuals or organizations for their efforts on behalf of human rights and fundamental freedoms and against oppression and injustice
› The American Bar Association - Commission on Women in the Profession, Margaret Brent Award Honoree in 2004; she was the first non-American woman to receive the award
› The Nigerian Bar Association Merit Award in 1998
Ms. Ibrahim was born at a time and in a culture where the education of girls beyond a certain age was vehemently opposed. Through sheer persistence, she not only graduated from college, she went on to graduate from law school in 1988, and obtained a masters of law degree in International Studies in 2004. She has held positions as varied as police detective, Prosecutor and Defense Counsel in the Ministry of Justice in Nigeria. Ms. Ibrahim has been a visiting professor at Saint Louis University School of Law and a World Fellow at Yale University. She is currently a Radcliffe Fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University.
AfriPRO Houston applauds the tenacity with which Ms. Ibrahim conducts her pro bono representation of the poor, powerless, and voiceless women and men in Nigeria, doing her part to bring them some semblance of justice. Chinua Achebe once said "being a lawyer is a dangerous job, at least when you are doing it right." He was referring to the danger that good lawyers, such as Ms. Ibrahim, put themselves in when they challenge the status quo, and are not afraid to confront injustice. That is what we find outstanding and remarkable about Hauwa Ibrahim. She walks the line that divides tradition and modernity, law and culture, society and the individual, the rule of law and the law of religion, and she does it not only as a brilliant lawyer but more importantly, as a compassionate human being.
We are honored to present the 2008 AfriPRO Houston Merit Award to Hauwa Ibrahim, Esq.
Lola Ogunnaike is the entertainment correspondent for CNN's flagship morning news program, American Morning. Based in New York, she joined CNN in May 2007 and reports on pop culture and entertainment news as part of American Morning's daily news coverage. In May 2007, she was named one of Ebony magazine's "150 Most Influential Blacks in America."
Ms. Ogunnaike received her master's in fine arts degree in journalism from New York University and a bachelor's degree in English literature from the University of Virginia. Prior to joining CNN, Ms. Ogunnaike was the top culture reporter for The New York Times and spearheaded its entertainment coverage, writing profiles of celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Oprah Winfrey, and Sting for the paper's "Arts and Leisure" section. She was also a features reporter at the New York Daily News, where she covered breaking news on celebrities and entertainment for "NOW", the paper's entertainment section, and for the Rush and Molloy column. Before this, Ms. Ogunnaike was a contributing writer for Vibe magazine and has also had her work published in Rolling Stone, New York, Glamour, Details, Nylon, the New York Observer, and V Magazine.
Lillian Malit-Onyango is the owner of Culturally Yours International and founder of the African gala. She has a passion for enhancing the knowledge of Africa in the community and accomplishes this by teaching African dance to youths and thereby imparting African culture to people of all ages. Ms. Onyango started her cultural program because of a visit to a local school during black history month, where she realized that the children were not in touch with their African culture and that they did not know anything about the world around them.
Miriam Moore is the Founder and President of "One Hope for the Heart International", a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. She is an ordained minister and works as a home help supervisor. Ms. Moore started "One Hope for the Heart International" in 1999. The organization locates poor/rural villages and gives the inhabitants wheelchairs, clothes, medical equipment, vitamins and medication, and other necessary items. They are currently sponsoring 16 orphans in Nigeria and 2 in Ghana by paying for their primary school tuition. "One Hope for the Heart International" went to Nigeria twice in 2005, twice in 2006, twice in 2007 and once in 2008.
The AfriPRO Houston Officer of the Year award recognizes an AfriPRO Houston officer for their hard work in support of the mission of AfriPRO Houston. Our 2008 Officer of the Year has gone above and beyond the call of duty all year. Please help us thank and honor Uchenna Udobi.
This year, Uchenna Udobi served as an Events Officer. As an Events Officer, she has been instrumental in the success of our networking, professional development, and community service events. She is the creative genius behind events like "Let's Just Talk" and the Wine Tasting Course. She is always on point, always on time, and always professional. We thank Uchenna for all of her hard work this year.
Uchenna is a Speech Language Pathologist and received her MS in Speech Pathology from Lamar University.
The AfriPRO Houston Member of the Year award recognizes an AfriPRO Houston member for their support of AfriPRO Houston and their accomplishments in their professions. Please help us honor Oziegbe 'Ozzie' Ilaboya.
Ozzie Ilaboya is an active member and supporter of AfriPRO Houston. He has participated in our entrepreneurship, professional development, charitable, and networking programs and makes improvement suggestions for the benefit of AfriPRO. If you've ever met him, you know that he's friendly and welcoming. Please congratulate Ozzie Ilaboya, our 2008 Member of the Year.
Ozzie is a geophysicist and a consultant at Paradigm.
| Member | $25 Add to Cart |
|---|---|
| Regular | $35 Add to Cart |
View Cart
This year, we are pleased to announce the inauguration of the AfriPRO Houston Merit Award, the AfriPRO Houston Image Award, and the AfriPRO Houston Community Heroes Award.
The Merit Award is AfriPRO Houston's most prestigious award and is reserved for a person with accomplishments on a national/international scale, who has made public statements in the African community generally, and who has had an impact in the African community generally.
The Image Award recognizes a person who is building a new positive image of and appreciation for Africa and Africans.
The Community Hero Award recognizes a person who has served the community with their efforts, time, and energy and whose conduct and accomplishments significantly benefit the African community.
We will also honor the Member of the Year and Officer of the Year.
Hauwa Ibrahim, Esq. is a Nigerian human rights lawyer and is a senior partner at Aries Law Firm in Nigeria. Working as a lead attorney with a team devoted to the cause of human rights for women in Nigeria, she has won a number of precedent-setting cases before Islamic Sharia courts including her pro bono defense of Amina Lawal.
Ms. Ibrahim has been honored by various organizations and entities:
› The William & Mary School of Law Marshal-Wythe Medallion in 2008, the highest honor given by the W&M law faculty
› The Sakharov Prize in 2005 awarded by the European Union Parliament to honor individuals or organizations for their efforts on behalf of human rights and fundamental freedoms and against oppression and injustice
› The American Bar Association - Commission on Women in the Profession, Margaret Brent Award Honoree in 2004; she was the first non-American woman to receive the award
› The Nigerian Bar Association Merit Award in 1998
Ms. Ibrahim was born at a time and in a culture where the education of girls beyond a certain age was vehemently opposed. Through sheer persistence, she not only graduated from college, she went on to graduate from law school in 1988, and obtained a masters of law degree in International Studies in 2004. She has held positions as varied as police detective, Prosecutor and Defense Counsel in the Ministry of Justice in Nigeria. Ms. Ibrahim has been a visiting professor at Saint Louis University School of Law and a World Fellow at Yale University. She is currently a Radcliffe Fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University.
AfriPRO Houston applauds the tenacity with which Ms. Ibrahim conducts her pro bono representation of the poor, powerless, and voiceless women and men in Nigeria, doing her part to bring them some semblance of justice. Chinua Achebe once said "being a lawyer is a dangerous job, at least when you are doing it right." He was referring to the danger that good lawyers, such as Ms. Ibrahim, put themselves in when they challenge the status quo, and are not afraid to confront injustice. That is what we find outstanding and remarkable about Hauwa Ibrahim. She walks the line that divides tradition and modernity, law and culture, society and the individual, the rule of law and the law of religion, and she does it not only as a brilliant lawyer but more importantly, as a compassionate human being.
We are honored to present the 2008 AfriPRO Houston Merit Award to Hauwa Ibrahim, Esq.
Lola Ogunnaike is the entertainment correspondent for CNN's flagship morning news program, American Morning. Based in New York, she joined CNN in May 2007 and reports on pop culture and entertainment news as part of American Morning's daily news coverage. In May 2007, she was named one of Ebony magazine's "150 Most Influential Blacks in America."
Ms. Ogunnaike received her master's in fine arts degree in journalism from New York University and a bachelor's degree in English literature from the University of Virginia. Prior to joining CNN, Ms. Ogunnaike was the top culture reporter for The New York Times and spearheaded its entertainment coverage, writing profiles of celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Oprah Winfrey, and Sting for the paper's "Arts and Leisure" section. She was also a features reporter at the New York Daily News, where she covered breaking news on celebrities and entertainment for "NOW", the paper's entertainment section, and for the Rush and Molloy column. Before this, Ms. Ogunnaike was a contributing writer for Vibe magazine and has also had her work published in Rolling Stone, New York, Glamour, Details, Nylon, the New York Observer, and V Magazine.
Lillian Malit-Onyango is the owner of Culturally Yours International and founder of the African gala. She has a passion for enhancing the knowledge of Africa in the community and accomplishes this by teaching African dance to youths and thereby imparting African culture to people of all ages. Ms. Onyango started her cultural program because of a visit to a local school during black history month, where she realized that the children were not in touch with their African culture and that they did not know anything about the world around them.
Miriam Moore is the Founder and President of "One Hope for the Heart International", a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. She is an ordained minister and works as a home help supervisor. Ms. Moore started "One Hope for the Heart International" in 1999. The organization locates poor/rural villages and gives the inhabitants wheelchairs, clothes, medical equipment, vitamins and medication, and other necessary items. They are currently sponsoring 16 orphans in Nigeria and 2 in Ghana by paying for their primary school tuition. "One Hope for the Heart International" went to Nigeria twice in 2005, twice in 2006, twice in 2007 and once in 2008.
The AfriPRO Houston Officer of the Year award recognizes an AfriPRO Houston officer for their hard work in support of the mission of AfriPRO Houston. Our 2008 Officer of the Year has gone above and beyond the call of duty all year. Please help us thank and honor Uchenna Udobi.
This year, Uchenna Udobi served as an Events Officer. As an Events Officer, she has been instrumental in the success of our networking, professional development, and community service events. She is the creative genius behind events like "Let's Just Talk" and the Wine Tasting Course. She is always on point, always on time, and always professional. We thank Uchenna for all of her hard work this year.
Uchenna is a Speech Language Pathologist and received her MS in Speech Pathology from Lamar University.
The AfriPRO Houston Member of the Year award recognizes an AfriPRO Houston member for their support of AfriPRO Houston and their accomplishments in their professions. Please help us honor Oziegbe 'Ozzie' Ilaboya.
Ozzie Ilaboya is an active member and supporter of AfriPRO Houston. He has participated in our entrepreneurship, professional development, charitable, and networking programs and makes improvement suggestions for the benefit of AfriPRO. If you've ever met him, you know that he's friendly and welcoming. Please congratulate Ozzie Ilaboya, our 2008 Member of the Year.
Ozzie is a geophysicist and a consultant at Paradigm.
DJ Tunes
DJ Tunes will provide the soundtrack for the evening mixing all types of African music to set the stage.
www.myspace.com/mixmastertunes
deejaytunes@hotmail.com
Kuku
A native of Ijebu-ode of Ogun State of Nigeria, Kuku creates music with emphasis on the principle less is more. This singer/songwriter's music draws from the assortment of western and African music he heard growing up in Lagos, Nigeria. His unique brand of soul music, labeled the Afro Soul Acoustic Experience, addresses all human emotions that fall under the universal theme of love. Kuku has been actively touring since 2004, and has played in more than a hundred venues so far in 2007, including: DC's Blues Alley and Old Post Office Pavilion; New York's SOB's; Eddie's Attic in Decatur, Georgia; Philadelphia's World Cafe; and the Temple Bar in Los Angeles. To get more information on Kuku, please visit his website: kukulive.com.
DJ Tunes will provide the soundtrack for the evening mixing all types of African music to set the stage.
www.myspace.com/mixmastertunes
deejaytunes@hotmail.com
Kuku
A native of Ijebu-ode of Ogun State of Nigeria, Kuku creates music with emphasis on the principle less is more. This singer/songwriter's music draws from the assortment of western and African music he heard growing up in Lagos, Nigeria. His unique brand of soul music, labeled the Afro Soul Acoustic Experience, addresses all human emotions that fall under the universal theme of love. Kuku has been actively touring since 2004, and has played in more than a hundred venues so far in 2007, including: DC's Blues Alley and Old Post Office Pavilion; New York's SOB's; Eddie's Attic in Decatur, Georgia; Philadelphia's World Cafe; and the Temple Bar in Los Angeles. To get more information on Kuku, please visit his website: kukulive.com.
LittleDrops Orphanage Fund is a non-profit organization that provides orphans in developing countries, such as Nigeria and Kenya, a healthy environment and a chance at a decent future. LittleDrops works with orphanage homes in the developing countries to provide basic necessities including food, shelter, healthcare, and education to children taken off the streets or other unhealthy abodes. Since 2006, LittleDrops has supported 14 orphanage homes and about 400 children in both Nigeria and Kenya. Here is an excerpt from an email from one of the homes in Kenya:
I sincerely tell you that that was the best thing that happened to us in the year 2007. LittleDrops helped our children to have a descent christmas like any other child at home. It was an experience that they will never forget the rest of their life. LittleDrops Fund has also made the dream of having pipe water at the Child Discovery Centre come true. There is nothing we can give back to show our appreciation but to to say a big thank you to everybody involved and ask God to continue blessing.
This year, LittleDrops is planning to extend its reach into more African countries including Ghana, Cameroun and Togo. LittleDrops is also currently organizing an essay and art competition for the children to express their dreams and share them with the world.
For more information checkout their website.
We will publish a Program Book for the Holiday Gala. Showcase your company or business by placing an ad. Full page, half page, and quarter page ads are available. Additionally, if interested in a full color cover, please contact us at holidaygala@afriprohouston.org.
View Cart
Additionally, if you'd like to become a sponsor, please contact our treasurer at treasurer@afriprohouston.org.
| Size | Price | Full Page | $100 Add to Cart |
|---|---|
| Half Page | $60 Add to Cart |
| Quarter Page | $35 Add to Cart |
View Cart
Additionally, if you'd like to become a sponsor, please contact our treasurer at treasurer@afriprohouston.org.