The Foundation hosted its inaugural Washington, DC Benefit and Reception on July 8th, 2004 at the home of Debra Lee, President and COO of Black Entertainment Television. Foundation president Rabbi Marc Schneier and chairman Russell Simmons presented the "Joseph Papp Racial Harmony Award" to Franklin Raines, Chairman and CEO of Fannie Mae and to Paula Stern, Chairwoman of The Stern Group, Inc., while Gerri Mason Hall received the Corporate Diversity Award presented to Amtrak. The event supported the work of the Foundation's new Congressional Interethnic Caucus Office, which opened October of 2003 to promote better relations among Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Jewish lawmakers. Within its first year of operation, the office has hosted 3 congressional staff forums in addition to organizing the congressional awards ceremonies. Under the leadership of LaKeitha Anderson, the new Congressional Outreach Director, the office has also seen strengthened and expanded relationships between the Foundation and the ethnic caucuses.

Over 200 guests were in attendance from the Washington, DC and New York communities, including business, political and ethnic leaders. Among the guests were New York State Senator Carl Andrews, Congress Members Carolyn Kilpatrick, Jerrold Nadler, Charlie Rangel, Diane Watson, and Albert Wynn, and Reverend Run of Run DMC. In addition, the Washington Post printed a wonderful story covering both the Washington, DC inaugural benefit and the Congressional Awards Ceremony earlier that day.

# # #

Copyright © 2005 The Foundation For Ethnic Understanding
The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding was founded in 1989 by Rabbi Marc Schneier and the late Joseph Papp. We are committed to the belief that direct, face-to-face, dialogue between leaders of ethnic communities is the most effective path toward the reduction of bigotry and the promotion of reconciliation and understanding.

1 East 93rd Street, Suite #1C
New York, New York, 10128
ffeu@ffeu.org
(Tel) 917-492-2538, (Fax) 917-492-2560