Award-winning actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, Mayor Michael A. Nutter and other leaders helped celebrate the winners of the BME Leadership Award in Philadelphia Monday night.

The award is given to black men who step up to lead and engage others in their community. The honor comes with a combined $243,000 for the winners to reward their work and inspire others to step forward. The funding will provide outreach to recent returning war vets by Vietnam Vets, provide after-school programming and therapy for autistic children, explore the experience of black men through a theater performance and more.

Youth dance troop DollarBoyz, led by BME winner Tyree Dumas, and the Philadelphia Youth Poetry Movement, led by BME winner Greg Corbin, performed, along with the Philadelphia Clef Club Youth Jazz Band.

See videos of the winners at bmechallenge.org.

By Donna Frisby-Greenwood, program director/Philadelphia at Knight Foundation.

Detroit also recently celebrated its BME Leadership Award Winners. Read “A Great night for Detroit at the Charles H. Wright Museum” on KnightBlog.