DETROIT — The third annual Tyrone E. Winfrey Sr. Hall of Fame Alumni Gala, hosted by the Detroit Public Schools Community District Foundation and the Detroit Public Schools Community District, announced the Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony will receive the Tyrone E. Winfrey Sr. Change Maker Award. President of the Detroit Branch NAACP, and a member of the NAACP National Board of Directors, Anthony is pastor of Fellowship Chapel in Detroit.
Hip-hop pioneer Doug E. Fresh is the headline performer for this year’s highly anticipated event. Legends of the Game: A Celebration of DPSCD Through the Years, will take place on Saturday, May 11, at Samuel C. Mumford High School, 17525 Wyoming Ave. in Detroit. Tickets, ranging from $150 to $300, are on sale now at www.halloffamedetroit.org. Proceeds from the gala support essentials, and programs to prepare Detroit students for college, career, and success.
All Detroit Public Schools and DPSCD alumni, families, and supporters are invited to attend this sports-themed fundraiser. The event will highlight contributions of excellence in sports, the arts, advocacy, education, and business with an honoree ceremony and tributes.
Named after the late Tyrone E. Winfrey, the Change Maker Award celebrates individuals who ignite transformative change within their communities and beyond. Recipients are visionary leaders, activists, entrepreneurs, and innovators who dare to challenge the status quo, inspire others to join the cause, and catalyze meaningful change.
Anthony will be honored for leading and coordinating the Connected Futures Program. This partnership of business and corporate leaders raised $23 million to provide laptop and Wi-Fi connectivity during the 2020 pandemic for 51,000 students, grades K-12, in the Detroit Public Schools Community District. Previous Change Maker Award recipients also include Darryl Woods Jr., founder and CEO of Fighting the Good Fight.
“As we continue to fight for equitable funding for DPSCD, the Foundation allows us to make strategic investments in the District to better support our students. We invite all alumni to Come Home and celebrate our students, staff and the progress we are making as a District,” said Dr. Nikolai Vitti, Superintendent, DPSCD.
Themed “Legends of the Game: A Celebration of DPSCD Through the Years,” the sports-themed gala will honor the district’s legacy and traditions with elegance, and expand the celebration to disciplines outside of sports, reveling in the top achievements of DPS/DPSCD alum through the decades. From the moment guests approach the venue they will be immersed in a highly energetic atmosphere in the vein of a sporting event.
Touted as an experience for all alumni, Mumford High School will be literally transformed into an upscale, elegant experience by an array of creative vendors who are graduates of the Detroit Public School Community District. The alumni who will showcase their talents and abilities include: event designer and Cass Technical High School alumni Kori C. Fields, of Colour By Numbr; Delectable Food Stations featuring the culinary talents of Chef Reva Constantine, from Henry Ford High School; Chef Dominic McCord from Mumford High School; as well as restaurateurs Portia Powell from Martin Luther King Jr. High School and Derrick and LaDonna Reynolds of Chadsey High School and Webber Middle School. Bar services will be provided by Lauren Daniels, also a graduate of Cass Technical High School.
The main entertainment event will be a live performance by hip-hop legend Doug E. Fresh, of “The Show” and “La Di Da Di” fame. Dubbed the “Original Human Beatbox,” Doug E. Fresh has etched himself into the annals of music history with his creation of the art form whereby he vocally simulates the sounds of drums and other musical instruments with stunning accuracy.
Other engaging entertainment “activations” operating throughout the event will include, the Speakeasy Lounge, with live performances by poet Jessica Care Moore, a Cody High School grad; and saxophonist Jeff Ponders from Renaissance High School. Sounds will be provided by DJ Lynda Carter, a Henry Ford High School grad, and by Dr. Darrius, an alum of Communication and Media Arts High School. Guests will also enjoy performances by current students, members of DPSCD marching bands, cheerleaders, and dance teams.
“We are excited to use the Hall of Fame Alumni gala as a vehicle to encourage alum and those who support equitable education to become move involved in our mission, which is to support the current students of DPSCD,” said Kerrie Mitchell, president and CEO of the DPSCD Foundation and King High School Alum. “We’re also proud to be able to create a unique experience that showcases the excellence DPSCD has produced throughout the decades.”
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