Jennifer Jones Austin to Be Featured at NAN's Annual Convention

 

(New York, NY) – Leading nonprofit executive Jennifer Jones Austin will participate in the National Action Network’s Annual Convention and 25th Anniversary Celebration. Austin is CEO and Executive Director of FPWA, the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, a prominent anti-policy and advocacy organization with 200 member human services agencies operating throughout New York City.

Austin will participate in the Ribbon Cutting with Reverend Al Sharpton, NAN Chairman Dr. Reverend W. Franklyn Richardson, National Action Network Leadership & elected officials including but not limited to: NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer, City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, Public Advocate Letitia James and more; co-chair the Women’s Power Lunch hosted by Sherri Shepherd, and honoring NYC First Lady Chirlane McCray, Donna Lieberman - Executive Director of the NYC Civil Liberties Union, Juanita Abernathy - civil rights icon, and others; and participate in the Reverend Dr. William A. Jones Minister’s Memorial Luncheon, in honor of her father, the late Reverend Jones, who introduced Rev. Al Sharpton to civil rights as a teenager.

NAN’s convention will bring together influential national leaders in the areas of civil rights, government, labor, religion, business, politics, media, and activism to assess where we are today. Some of the topics that will be addressed at the 2016 25th Anniversary national convention include civil rights, criminal justice, voter protection, education, gun-violence, immigration, jobs, healthcare, women’s rights and much more.

An advocate of economic justice, Austin has been a leading force behind the fight for the $15 minimum wage and funding for city- and state-contracted nonprofit workers.

For 25 years the National Action Network has championed the rights and causes of society’s disadvantaged, disenfranchised, dejected and disenchanted people. Austin has joined together with NAN to reflect on the great strides it has made in raising our nation's consciousness about persisting injustices, and in achieving greater fairness and equity for persons and communities that have been historically marginalized.

Prior to joining FPWA, Austin served as Senior Vice President of United Way of New York City, the City of New York's first Family Services Coordinator appointed by Mayor Bloomberg, Deputy Commissioner for the City's Administration for Children's Services, Civil Rights Deputy Bureau Chief for New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, and Vice President for LearnNow/Edison Schools Inc.

Scheduled Events for Jennifer Jones Austin:

All events will take place at the Sheraton New York, 811 7th Avenue & W 53rd Street.

Wednesday, April 13^th

 9:30am - 10:00am: Silver Anniversary National Action Network Ribbon Cutting with Reverend Al Sharpton, Chairman; Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, National Action Network Leadership & Elected Officials – Metropolitan East Ballroom 2^nd floor

1:00pm - 3:00pm: Women’s Power Lunch (Tickets Required) – Empire East Ballroom 2^nd Floor

Co-Chair: Paula Peebles, Chair, National Action Network Pennsylvania Chapters

Host: Sherri Shepherd, Talk Show Host, Comedian, and Actress

Speakers: Kirstyn Doar-Page, Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion Strategies, Macy’s, Samantha Granberry, Senior Director, Marketing and Sales, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, The Honorable Alicia Reece, Member, Ohio State House of Representatives, National Board of Directors, National Action Network

Honorees: Juanita Abernathy, Civil Rights Icon

Michelle Gadsden-Williams, Co-Founder & COO, Ceiling Breakers

Christina Lewis Halpern, Founder & Director, AllStarCode

Sarah Hunt, Middle Georgia Chapter, National Action Network

Donna Lieberman, Executive Director, New York City Civil Liberties Union

The Honorable Chirlane McCray, First Lady of New York City                      

Joy-Ann Reid, National Correspondent, MSNBC

Friday, April 15^th

12:15 - 2:15pm: Ministers’ Luncheon- Reverend Dr. William A. Jones Memorial Luncheon; Empire West Ballroom 2^nd Floor

Speaker: Reverend Dr. Michael L. Pfleger, Senior Bishop, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church

Honorees: Bishop George Battle, Sr. Pastor, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church,  Reverend Jawanza Colvin, Pastor, Olivet Institutional Baptist Church,  Elizabeth Omilami, CEO, Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless

Source: Mercury