Rev. Al Sharpton, President & Founder, National Action Network (NAN), kicked off the 2025 National Action Network Convention by honoring several luminaries at the Keepers of the Dream Gala in New York at the Sheraton New York Times Square last night. The event brought together top leaders in civil rights, business, politics, culture, entertainment, health and labor to discuss the biggest issues before Black America today.
Hosted by actor/comedian Anthony Anderson, the honorees were:
◦Patti LaBelle, Entertainment Icon
◦Chris Matthews, Commentator, Former TV Host
◦E. Brian Dobbins, TV Producer, Talent & Literary Manager, Artists First
◦George Gresham, President, 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East
◦Rev. Dad. Tecoy Porter, President, NAN, Sacramento, CA Chapter
◦Rev. Stephan Marshall, Special Liaison to the President, NAN
Also in attendance were New York City Mayor Eric Adams; television news personalities Don Lemon and Joy Reid; singer and President of the Health Equity in Transplantation Coalition (HEiTC), Al B Sure; Randi Weingarten, President, American Federation of Teachers; attorney and former Georgia State Representative, Stacey Abrams; National Urban League President, Marc Morial; Sybrina Fulton, Mother of Trayvon Martin; Philonese Floyd, Brother of George Floyd; Gwen Carr, Mother of Eric Garner; Freeway, Hip Hop Artist/Kidney Healthcare advocate; Rachel Noerdlinger, co-founder, HEiTC and Equity Partner at Actum, LLC; and radio talk show host Reecie Colbert. Awards presenters for the evening were Martin Luther King III, Chairman of the Board, Drum Major Institute; Pastor Jamal Bryant, Senior Pastor, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, Atlanta, GA; and Rev. Dr. Michael A. Walrond, Jr., Senior Pastor, First Corinthian Baptist church, Harlem, NY.
Other speakers included Attorney Ben Crump, New York AG Letitia James, DNC Chair Ken Martin, CBC Chair Yvette Clarke, Rep. Al Green, all confirmed to lend their voice to the Fight to Safeguard DEI.
The convention will be held from April 2nd through 5th and commemorates the death of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr on April 4, 1968, and also comes at a pivotal moment, following Donald Trump’s return to the presidency. From banning DEI initiatives in both government and private sectors to dismantling Civil Rights protections, eroding the social safety net, and flooding mass media with disinformation, these challenges represent an unprecedented, coordinated effort to undermine six decades of Civil Rights progress.
The purpose of the convention is to bring together leaders across government, business, media, healthcare and public safety to strategize a path forward that preserves our nation’s progress in building a just and equitable society. The NAN Convention will feature high-profile panels, keynote addresses and the prestigious annual Keepers of the Dream Award Gala, hosted by Anthony Anderson, where Patti LaBelle and Chris Matthews will be among the honorees for their contributions to the movement.
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At the culmination of the conference, Rev. Al, will announce the targets for NAN’s DEI boycott, the goal for which is to leverage the power of the Black dollar against corporations that have bowed to pressure from this President and MAGA extremists by abandoning their commitments to workplace diversity.
The National Action Network is one of the leading civil rights organizations in the Nation with chapters throughout the entire United States. Founded in 1991 by Reverend Al Sharpton, NAN works within the spirit and tradition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to promote a modern civil rights agenda that includes the fight for one standard of justice, decency and equal opportunities for all people regardless of race, religion, nationality or gender.
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