NASHVILLE, TN — One is an acclaimed attorney who has dedicated her career to being the leading advocate in Middle Tennessee for victims of domestic violence. Another has stood at the helm of one of the nation’s leading HBCUs while at the same time serving as the international president of the nation’s oldest African American sorority. The third has helped put books showcasing Black characters in the homes of more than 7,000 families in Nashville.
These three women will be honored on Saturday, May 18, by Les Gemmes Inc., Nashville Chapter at its 17thAnnual Literary Luncheon. The event will take place at the Music City Center at 11 a.m.
The awardees are:
• Sharon K. Roberson, Esq., president and CEO of YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee, who will receive the Luminaire Award, which honors an individual or organization who has illuminated the path as a transformative trailblazer.
• Dr. Glenda Baskin Glover, president of Tennessee State University since 2013 and former international president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. from 2018-2022, who will receive the Dr. Evelyn Fancher Award, honoring an individual or organization who has made a significant contribution to the community.
• Meredith McKinney, founder of The Black Book Project, who will receive the Rosetta Miller Perry Award, which honors an individual or organization who has made a significant contribution in the literary field.
“As Nashvillians gather for this year’s Literary Luncheon, we will take the occasion to honor three of the most accomplished women in our Nashville community,” said Dr. Phyllis Qualls, president of the Nashville Chapter of Les Gemmes Inc. “Accomplishment is what this event is about. Proceeds from the luncheon benefit our Lighting the Path for Girls Initiative, which helps a select group of young ladies, our Jewels, to set their sights on accomplishment through education. We could not have chosen better sources of inspiration for the Jewels than the three women we are honoring this year at the Literary Luncheon.”
The Literary Luncheon will be held May 18 at the Music City Center, 201 Rep. John Lewis Way South, with parking included in the ticket price.
The keynote speaker will be bestselling author ReShonda Tate, whose recently released novel, The Queen of Sugar Hill, tells the story of the legendary Hattie McDaniel. Providing entertainment will be Grammy-nominated musical artist and former Fisk Jubilee Singer Kimberly Fleming; the Friends of Fisk, a singing group made up of former members of the world-renowned Fisk Jubilee Singers; Jadyn Marshall, Nashville’s Poet Laureate; and the Sankofa African Dance Group.
Tickets are available on Eventbrite.com, Search keywords: Les Gemmes Nashville.