Atlanta, Georgia home of the Braves and Coca-Cola. I was there not for the game nor the drink; I was invited to join the Barbados Tourism Authority to represent AMISTAD America and the Atlantic Freedom Tour at the 16^th Trumpet Awards.

The Trumpet Awards is a very special event, because it recognizes the accomplishments of members of the African-American community who distinguished themselves in a variety of fields. The Barbados Tourism Authority will be hosting a Post Trumpet Awards Promotional Tour in Barbados in April that coincides with the visit of the Freedom Schooner Amistad.

One of the highlights of the event was to have a photo made with Congressman John Lewis, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, and Activist/Actor Danny Glover. Also in attendance were Dick Gregory, Richard “Shaft” Roundtree, Samuel L. Jackson, and Michelle Obama, who spoke briefly at the opening on Sunday night and was greeted with a standing ovation when she took the stage. The Awardee I most wanted to meet was Halle Berry, but she did not attend due to her up-coming delivery.

All of the celebrities I spoke with were excited to learn of the Atlantic Freedom Tour and the mission of AMISTAD. Holding “court” in the Presidential Suite afforded the opportunity to get up close and personal with some very exceptional people who were among the recipients of the Trumpet Awards. Like Sheila Raye Charles, daughter of the legend, Florence LaRue of the Fifth Dimension, and James Avery of the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”.

Another highlight of the “Black Cultural“ evening was when the 32 students who received scholarship this year from the Trumpet Foundation appeared on stage. Being a part of the event and getting a chance to bring the AMISTAD story to another audience was an experience I will long remember.

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