Urban League of Greater Atlanta Equal Opportunity Day Dinner December 5 at the Hyatt Regency

ATLANTA - Nov. 28, 2015 - PRLog -- U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, U.S. Congressman Hank Johnson and Georgia Governor Nathan Deal are among honorees who will be celebrated at the Urban League of Greater Atlanta’s 54th Equal Opportunity Day Dinner on Dec. 5, 2015 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Atlanta. Honorees were selected for this year’s EOD Dinner for the outstanding work they are doing in the area of justice.

“The Equal Opportunity Day Dinner recognizes those who have gone the extra mile to bring about change in the area of criminal justice reform. We are excited to applaud their efforts that are aligned with our theme “Standing Up for Justice: Embracing Change…Restoring Hope.” The theme and their actions reflect the Urban League’s mission of justice and equality for all,” said Nancy Flake Johnson, president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Atlanta.

Other honorees are Derrick Boazman, Mawuli Mel Davis, Herman Andrews and Tereance Puryear.

Major sponsors are: Geico, Cox Enterprises and The Coca-Cola Co.

Dinner Co-Chairs Are Nick Nelson, ULGA Board Chairman Juliet Hall, a ULGA board member and manager of Community Affairs at Chick-Fil-A.


Honorees by category:


Equal Justice Champion: Loretta Lynch, was sworn in as the 83rd Attorney General of the United States by Vice President Joe Biden on April 27, 2015 after being nominated by President Barack Obama in November 2014. As U.S. Attorney General, Lynch has prioritized criminal justice reform, continuing the Smart on Crime initiative started by her predecessor Attorney General Eric Holder.
Community Philanthropy: Derrick Boazman was elected to Atlanta City Council in 1997 and left his seat in 2004. He is now president of Facilitation Strategies Inc. which specializes in strategic planning and group facilitation. The Atlanta native and Morris Brown College graduate was an outspoken advocate for the rights of minorities as a city councilman and has appeared on CNN, Court TV, Nightline TV and other national syndicated radio shows.

Legal Rights Champion: Mawuli Mel Davis, Esq., is co-founder and partner at the Davis Bozeman Law Firm, leading the firm’s Civil Rights and Criminal Defense Trial section. He is considered an “activist attorney” and was named Humanitarian of the Year by the Atlanta Chapter of the NAACP and Kappa Alpha Sigma Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity. He has also been dubbed “the liberation lawyer” from representing civil rights activists engaged in protest.  Mr. Davis was

presented the Southern Center for Human Rights “Luminary Award” this year for his work in holding police accountable.

Criminal Justice Reform Champion: Governor Nathan Deal’s public service life has spanned more than four decades in Congress and as governor. He has made criminal justice reform a priority in Georgia taking steps to reduce the prison population, ease reentry and combat recidivism. Notably he has implemented a “ban the box” measure that prohibits state employers from asking about criminal history on job applications.

Legislative Justice Advocate Champion: Hank Johnson now in his fifth term in the U.S. House of Representatives for the Fourth Congressional District of Georgia is a member of the House Armed Services Committee. Rep. Johnson filed the Police Accountability Act and Grand Jury Reform in 2014 in the wake of police shooting deaths of unarmed men across the country. Prior to taking his
seat in Congress in 2006, he practiced criminal defense law for 27 years, spending 12 years as a  magistrate judge and five as a county commissioner.

Urban League Guild: Herman Andrews is the Development Associate at 24/7 Gateway LLC. Responsible for building relationships with business, civic and government leaders to end homelessness in Atlanta. Retired from the U.S. Army after 21 years of service, Mr. Andrews is the first male ever to be elected president of the Urban League of Greater Atlanta Guild in its 65 year history. He is an executive committee member of the National Council of Urban League Guilds and chairs its virtual town hall meetings addressing police reform.

Urban League Young Professionals: Tereance Puryear is in his second year as president of the Urban League of Greater Atlanta Young Professionals. A supply chain professional and Atlanta native, at the Urban League Mr. Puryear works with a dynamic group of 21 to 40 year old professional leaders driving the mission of empowering communities and changing lives. He is a Scout leader with Boy Scout Troup 100 at Best Academy and member of the 100 Black Men of Atlanta Emerging 100.

Mark Winnie WSB TV and Egypt Sherrod, HGTV, will serve as emcees. In addition, the Blake Group Band will entertain.

Tickets are $200 for members and $250 for non-members. For ticket and sponsorship information please contact Dottie Johnson at 404 659-6580.

About the Urban League of Greater Atlanta:
Founded in 1920, The Urban League of Greater Atlanta is a civil rights organization dedicated to
economic and civic empowerment. For 94 years, the mission of the Urban League of Greater
Atlanta has been to empower communities and change lives by enabling African Americans and
others to achieve their highest human potential and secure economic self-reliance, parity, power
and civil rights. The Urban League of Greater Atlanta is one of 97 affiliates in 36 states and the
District of Columbia. Nancy Flake Johnson is president and CEO.

For more information, call 404-659-1150 or visit the website: http://www.ulgatl.org
Media seeking to cover the gala should contact Diane Larche', 404 273-3227, diane@larchecommunications.com.