RBC Wealth Management – U.S. (CNW Group/RBC Wealth Management – U.S.)
Connected
By purchasing a ticket, I understand that I am holding a spot for an event that funds critical programs of Martha’s Table; therefore, tickets are nonrefundable. If I am unable to attend, I understand that I can transfer my ticket to a friend. If I am unable to attend and wish to donate my ticket for re-sale, I must notify Martha’s Table by September 23, 2023 to qualify as a fully tax-deductible contribution. After September 23rd, tickets are unable to be re-sold, and I will receive a partially tax-deductible receipt calculated from the fair market value of the ticket. The fair market value of each ticket is $110, and $140 of each ticket purchase is tax-deductible.
Alice Waters
Alice Waters is a chef, author, food activist, and the founder and owner of Chez Panisse Restaurant in Berkeley, California, which first opened its doors in 1971. She has been a champion of local sustainable agriculture for over four decades. In 1995, she founded the Edible Schoolyard Project, which advocates for a free organic school lunch for all children and a sustainable food curriculum in every public school. She has been Vice President of Slow Food International since 2002. She conceived and helped create the Yale Sustainable Food Project in 2003, and the Rome Sustainable Food Project at the American Academy of Rome in 2007.
Her honors include election as a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2007; the Harvard Medical School’s Global Environmental Citizen Award, which she shared with Kofi Annan in 2008; induction into the French Legion of Honor in 2010; and induction into the National Woman’s Hall of Fame in 2017. In 2015, she was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Obama, proving that eating is a political act, and that the table is a powerful means to social justice and positive change. Waters was most recently awarded the honor of “Cavaliere dell’Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana” in 2019.
Water is the author of fifteen books, including New York Times bestsellers The Art of Simple Food I & II, The Edible Schoolyard: A Universal Idea, and a memoir, Coming to My Senses: The Making of a Counterculture Cook.
Mrs. Cora Masters Barry
Cora Masters Barry has a long history of public service and commitment to the District. She is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Recreation Wish List Committee. In this capacity, Ms. Masters Barry has helped lead the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center where youth in Washington, DC can learn about tennis. In 1980, she was appointed as the first woman on the three-member DC Boxing and Wrestling Commission, where she ultimately became chairman. Ms. Masters Barry is a former University of the District of Columbia political science professor and began her career in Washington, DC completing community projects the Anacostia and Shaw neighborhoods. Ms. Masters Barry worked as a counselor for teenage girls with Operation Sisters. A Ward 8 resident, Ms. Masters Barry received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Texas Southern University and a Masters of Arts degree from Howard University.
Mrs. Barry is at the forefront in the current national movement of Black Women Leaders advocating for pro democracy reform and voting rights advancement. She has also been a champion in addressing the health disparities in the Black community as evidenced by the disproportionate numbers of Black deaths from COVID-19. Among her initiatives, in collaboration with DC and private sector health partners, she brought the first, full-family “Don’t Miss Your Shot” vaccination program to Ward 8.
Eric Cleckley, Community Champion Award Recipient
Eric Cleckley was born and raised in Southeast Washington, DC to Reverend Wanda D Cleckley. His mom, Reverend Wanda D. Cleckley, instilled faith and prayer into his life early on. He learned at a young age what it meant to be a part of a community that cared about each other and the importance of giving back. Eric grew up in a single-parent home and experienced trauma due to losing his dad to gun violence. He was able to overcome challenges and use his experiences to make a positive impact in his community. While growing up facing trauma in many forms due to a lack of resources, he began to grow a passion for advocating for at risk youth.
In 2021, Eric founded Only the Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on changing the lives of at-risk youth in under-served communities through mentorship, advocacy, community engagement, education, and financial literacy.
The foundation’s success is rooted in their ability to connect with people. Eric wants everyone in our communities to know that they have a voice and are valued members of society.
