NEW ORLEANS— The third annual Millennial Awards, a Social Renaissance event, has expanded its program to 2 days.
On Friday, July 24, 2015, two panel discussions will take place from 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the National World War II Museum’s Stage Door Canteen, located at 945 Magazine St.
The restaurant competition and awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, July 25, from 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. at the museum’s Freedom Pavilion.
The awards ceremony will honor millennials in 21 diverse categories, such as healthcare, engineering, journalism, film, innovation and first responders — a nod to individuals who provided immediate relief during Hurricane Katrina. More than 200 nominations were submitted by the public and were judged by a panel of local millennials.
This year’s panel discussions will also acknowledge the impact that millennials have had on the Greater New Orleans community since Hurricane Katrina. Moderated by WWL-TV anchor Mike Hoss, the event will feature a millennial and non-millennial panel discussion.
Millennial panelists include: Transcendent Legal Co-founder Jade Brown-Russell, Youth Leadership Council Executive Director Curry Smith; U.S. Attorney Kenneth Polite; and Visual Artist/ Filmmaker Brandan Odums.
Non-millennial panelists are Greater New Orleans, Inc. President and CEO Michael Hecht, Idea Village Co-founder and Chief Executive Tim Williamson and City Year Vice-President and Executive Director Peggy Mendoza.
“The Millennial Awards are about pausing to celebrate the ‘Do-Gooder’ generation that has done so much for New Orleans over the last 10 years,” said Cleveland Spears, III, President/ CEO of Spears Group and Millennials organizer. “This weekend, we will tap into that giving spirit by calling on our attendees to support the three charities we have identified in lieu of purchasing a ticket.”
Son of a Saint, Evacuteer, and Liberty’s Kitchen are the local nonprofits to benefit from this year’s event.
• Son of a Saint is a nonprofit that teams young boys, who lost their fathers to street violence or long prison terms, with Saints players and other mentors who have survived similar circumstances. The program also offers counseling, academic tutoring, and recreational activities.
• Evacuteer is a nonprofit that trains and manages evacuation volunteers in New Orleans. They are designed to evacuate 35,000-40,000 residents who lack viable options for leaving the City during a mandatory hurricane evacuation.
• Liberty’s Kitchen is dedicated to transforming the lives of vulnerable New Orleans youth by giving workforce and life skills training, and providing fresh, nutritious meals to school children. They also address issues such as health care, housing, GED completion, financial literacy and more.
Donations can be made to these organizations prior to the event online or during the event.
The flavorful Millennial Restaurant competition will excite taste buds for the second year in a row. Guests will sample dishes from local favorites such as: Dat Dog, American Sector, Sweet NOLA Cuisines, La Casita, Katie’s, Blue Line Sandwich Co., Milkfish, and last year’s reigning champion, The Munch Factory. The audience will vote on their favorite dish to crown 2015’s Millennial Restaurant of the Year.
New Orleans Pelicans announcer and iHeart radio-personality Nicole Collins and WWL-TV anchor Natalie Shepherd will serve as this year’s hosts. This will be Collins’ second time hosting the ceremony, accompanied by first-timer Shepherd.
Immediately following the Awards Ceremony, there will be a post-party featuring local cover band, The Remixers.
The Millennials has a pivotal role in the Social Renaissance, an event series produced by Spears Group. Founded on the mission to recognize the achievements and diversity of the millennial generation across the region, Millennials expects to raise New Orleans’ profile as an opportunity-rich destination and attract more young leaders to the City.
Past notable winners include: musician Trombone Shorty, U.S. Attorney Kenneth Polite, filmmaker John Richie, Son of a Saint founder Bivian “Sonny” Lee, GoPropeller Executive Director Andrea Chen, and New Orleans East Hospital CEO Mario Garner among others
The Millennial Awards weekend is presented by First NBC Bank. Additional sponsors of the event include: the New Orleans Will Campaign, Harrah’s New Orleans, Entergy, iHeart Media and WWL-TV.
