For the first time ever, the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) held its annual UNCF Atlanta Mayor’s Masked Ball virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Known for supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) as well as their students, UNCF managed to raise almost $1 million virtually. The action will air starting today! Read below for the full details from PR Newswire.
The UNCF Atlanta Mayor’s Masked Ball will air on WXIA TV 11 December 29 at 11 a.m. and on WATL TV December 30 at 8 p.m.
UNCF celebrated its 37th annual Atlanta Mayor’s Masked Ball online for the first time Dec. 19. The event successfully raised more than $800k for UNCF’s historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and their students. The newly digital event featured entertainment, virtual red carpet photo opportunities, silent auction, unveiling of the 2020 UNCF Billye Suber Aaron Masked Award Honorees Eduardo Martinez, president, The UPS Foundation, and Helen Smith Price, vice president, global community affairs, and president, Coca-Cola Foundation.
The event was hosted by the honorable Keisha Lance Bottoms, mayor of Atlanta.
“2020 has been a challenging year, so much as changed but our mission has remained the same. The Mayor’s Masked Ball has always been our largest event of the year. Creating an experience that would bring the familiarity of the “live” ball with the comfort and safety of a large gathering was the challenge,” stated Justine Boyd, regional development director, UNCF.
Presented by Chick-fil-A, the Atlanta UNCF Mayor’s Masked Ball Atlanta is a premier fundraising gala and major social event, focusing on raising awareness of the need of a college education and contributions for historically Black colleges and universities. The event co-chairs were Charles J. Johnson, managing director, Entertainment Industries Group Truist Securities and Andrea Carter, senior executive vice president, chief human resources officer, Global Payments.
Actress and producer Lynn Whitfield served as mistress of ceremonies and music producer Jermaine Dupri provided a special performance.
This year’s corporate event sponsors include The Coca Cola Company, Global Payments, The Home Depot, Truist Securities and UPS.
