Social Scene

Georgetowner • April 9, 2015

On March 24, the City Club of Washington and Christine Warnke hosted the Initiative to Educate Afghan Women celebrating International Women’s Month and honoring people and organizations that empower women through education and leadership training. Since 2002, the Initiative has partnered with U.S. colleges to provide undergraduate degrees and leadership training to 67 Afghan women who now hold leadership roles in the economic and social development of their homeland.
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Georgetowner •

The seventh annual D.C. Capital Stars at the Eisenhower Theater at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts April 1 brought in more than $1.1 million to support its services, including high school and college counseling college scholarships. Yousef Al Otaiba, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to the United States, was the presenting sponsor of the event. First prize winner was dancer Jiamond Watson, 17, a junior attending Duke Ellington School of the Arts: he won the $10,000 scholarship grand prize. Donald Graham, D.C.-CAP founder and former board chair, was given a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Celebrity Judges headlined an “Idol”-style competition: audience members voted using handheld devices and the celebrity judges commented on each performance. Winners were determined 50 percent by judges’ input and 50 percent based on audience vote. Judges were: Tony-winning tapper Savion Glover, Broadway and film star Alyson Reed, musician and long-time Billy Joel bandmate Mark Rivera.

The winners — 10 finalists, singers, dancers, and musicians, ranging in ages 15 to 17 from D.C. public and public charter schools — performed and competed for college scholarships.

1st prize winner: dancer Jiamond Watson, 17, a junior attending Duke Ellington School of the Arts, won the $10,000 scholarship grand prize.

2nd prize winner: rapper-singer-ukulele player Carlos Hood, 18, senior at Woodrow Wilson High School, won a $6,000 scholarship.

3rd prize winner: pianist Jennifer Li, 17, senior at Woodrow Wilson High School, won a $4,000 scholarship.

The remaining runners-up each received $2,000 scholarships. (View audition videos and read essays written by the top 10 finalists at dccap.org/gala.)

The evening’s special honoree: Donald Graham, founder of D.C. Capital Stars and former board chair, was given a Lifetime Achievement Award for “making tens of thousands of D.C. students’ college dreams come over the past 16 years.”

ABC7/WJLA News anchor Leon Harris was master of ceremonies.
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Robert Devaney • April 4, 2015

The new showroom for Thos. Moser Handmade American Furniture was celebrated March 19, as guests and clients got to meet company founder Thomas Moser. The happy crowd, which included Maine’s congressional delegation, sang “Happy Birthday” to Moser, who just turned 80. Next to the C&O Canal, the store is only doors away from its earlier showroom at 33rd & M Streets. [gallery ids="118134,118127,118123" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird • March 26, 2015

On March 16, the Community Foundation for the National Capital held “Here for Good,” a one-of-a-kind fundraising event at the Mead Center for American Theater. Today, the foundation is the largest funder of nonprofits in and around Washington, D.C. Performances included the Double Nickels Theatre Company and Metropolitan Ballet Theatre and Academy. Proceeds benefit the Community Foundation’s Fund for Greater Washington, which supports community investment to make the region “a place where opportunity is available to all.” [gallery ids="118102,118119,118113,118108" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner •

To highlight the 2015 theme of International Women’s Day, “Make It Happen,” Gayela Bynum, who founded the nonprofit We Will Survive Cancer to support the families of cancer patients, invited author Ann Atkins to speak at a charity brunch at the Willard InterContinental March 8. The author of “Eleanor Roosevelt–Unleashed” and “Golda Meir–True Grit” traced similarities in the lives of the two leaders who evidenced early activism. With high energy, integrity and devoid of arrogance, both Roosevelt and Meir advanced international justice through their often controversial actions.
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Georgetowner •

Maha El-Khalil Chalabi, founder of the Tyre Foundation, briefed supporters of the ancient city of the UNESCO site in Tyre, Lebanon, Feb. 27 at the National Press Club. Chalabi also spoke about the American Committee for Tyre Symposium to be held June 3 at the Library of Congress.
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Georgetowner •

Voto Latino, a nonpartisan organization that empowers Latino Millennials to claim a better future for themselves and their community, celebrated its 10-year anniversary March 4 at the Hamilton Live. Top supporters from the technology, Hollywood, media and politics industries joined Voto Latino Co-Founder and Chairwoman Rosario Dawson and Voto Latino President and CEO María Teresa Kumar in celebrating 10 years of movement-building.
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Linnea Kristiansson • March 22, 2015

“Our embassy has gone from green to gold, and now platinum,” said Finnish Ambassador Ritva Koukku-Ronde, as she welcomed guests to a Jan. 28 party to celebrate the embassy’s singular honor.

The Embassy of Finland was awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification – and is the first embassy in the United States to do so.

”All this reflects Finland’s strong commitment to environmental sustainability,” Koukku-Ronde said. ”We are a leading country in renewable energy and clean technology and are happy to share leadership in this area with our friends at the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki.”

The Finnish Embassy building is the second in the world to be awarded the LEED Platinum, which is the highest of four levels of certification. The other LEED-Platinum building is the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki.

Roger Platt, president of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), was at the event to present the LEED plaque to Koukku-Ronde.

Peter Stenlund, Secretary of State at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, was pleased with the Finnish Embassy’s top certification but also wanted a higher goal or rating to strive for. Perhaps, he said, it could be called ”Titanium” or ”Finlandia.”

On Massachusetts Avenue across from the Vice President’s Residence, the Finnish Embassy is known for its contemporary architecture and open design to the surrounding woods.

As an internationally recognized mark of excellence in green buildings, LEED’s success as a global green building tool is based on many factors but is primarily due to the leadership and commitment of volunteers, members and partner Green Building Councils around the world.

Introduced via a video greeting by the U.S. Ambassador Bruce Oreck, in Helsinki, the popular journalist-heavy rock-n-roll band, Suspicious Package, entertained the crowd, which enjoyed such specialities from Finland as herring, smoked salmon, duck liver pate and Finnish meatballs.

Donna Shor • March 19, 2015

Shirley MacLaine, Wayne Newton and William Shatner headlined Palm Beach’s 58th Annual International Red Cross Ball. Highlight event of the “Florida millionaire playground’s” social season, the ball drew 700 supporters to the $1,000-per-plate dinner. Matching the theme, “Around the World in Eighty Days,” the pre-dinner poolside reception featured caviar among the 20 international culinary stations. Held at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club, Trump and his wife Melania were honorary chairs. Ball proceeds help fund the organization’s vital work of preventing and alleviating human suffering in emergencies. [gallery ids="102010,135131,135128,135126,135124,135122,135120,135118,135116,135114,135112,135104,135110,135108,135106,135130" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird • March 16, 2015

On March 6, the Embassy Series, a non-profit which Jerome Barry founded with the mission to unite people through musical diplomacy, presented internationally acclaimed Austrian pianist Till Fellner at the Embassy of Austria. The program featured works by Mozart, Bach and Schumann as well as a specially commissioned work dedicated to Fellner by contemporary composer Aleksandar Stankovski. The evening concluded with a buffet of Austrian treats prepared by the embassy chef.
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