My how I love Usher! I say this with true conviction when I tell you that Usher’s foundation is one of the very best there is, hands down.Yesterday, Usher Raymond IV and Usher’s New Look celebrated its 15th anniversary at the President’s Circle Awards Luncheon on Thursday, July 31st at the St. Regis Atlanta. Actor and rapper Ludacris emceed the event. Josh Kaufman, season 6 winner of The Voice who was mentored by Usher performed a cover of “Am I Wrong.” Additional guests in attendance included: Sugar Ray Leonard, Jermaine Dupri, music producer Rico Love, award-winning director Kenny Leon, retired NFL player Allen Rossum, and Vedo, season 4 contestant on The Voice.
To kick-off the celebration, Usher hosted a VIP Reception at a private residence on Wednesday evening, July 30th. Fellow judge on The Voice, Blake Shelton surprised Usher, as did Sugar Ray Leonard, who Usher plays in the upcoming biopic “Hands of Stone.” Additional guests in attendance included: City of Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, Rico Love; Vedo, Allen Rossum; and Democratic Party nominee for Georgia’s U.S. Senate seat Michelle Nunn, among others.
Usher’s New Look, the non-profit organization founded by Usher Raymond IV is committed to developing future leaders. This 15th anniversary celebration was an opportunity for New Look’s supporters, community influencers, and high profile individuals to come together and recognize the power of New Look and the incredible work that has transformed the lives of thousands of young people around the globe over the past 15 years.
New Look presented the following individuals with Awards at the Luncheon: City of Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed; Cory Nettles, New Look Board Member and founder and managing director of Generation Growth Capital, Inc.; Kami Luigs of General Electric; Mary-Pat Hector, New Look youth leader; and Jasmine Pollard, New Look Mogul In Training.
A live auction took place, raising $98,000 for the organization. Items included: VIP Meet & Greet concert tickets to Usher’s U.S. tour, tickets to Saturday Night Live and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and a special Sugar Ray Leonard package – a pair of signed and personalized boxing gloves, a one-on-one professional boxing lesson in Sugar Ray’s home, as well as a photo opportunity with his Olympic gold medal and championship belts.
Friends of Usher’s who were unable to make the event, including Pharrell Williams, Alicia Keys, Robert De Niro, Scooter Braun, Blake Shelton and former President Bill Clinton, shared their well wishes via video message. To close out the Luncheon, Usher took the stage with Vedo, Josh Kaufman, Ludacris and the New Look youth choir to sing their rendition of Pharrell’s smash hit, “Happy.”
From BCG to You Usher congratulations on 15 years of giving back and we wish you many, many more. See more photos below, courtesy of Getty Images.
