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NBC Nightly News “Celebrities Making A Difference”: Alicia Keys (video and commentary)

Filed under Politics/Activism by affrodite on November 22, 2009 at 4:57 pm 3 comments

(Tuesday, November 10, 2009) NBC Nightly News “Celebrities Making a Difference” special week long series. Alicia Keys provides “a voice for the voiceless” to HIV/AIDS patients in Africa and India and shares her story with NBC’s Lester Holt.

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In her interview with Lester Holt, R&B singer Alicia Keys visits Agape Orphanage in Durban, South Africa and a health clinic that the organization Keep A Child Alive sponsors. It was after witnessing the impact of HIV and AIDS, firsthand, during a trip to Africa in 2003 that motivated Alicia Keys to action. Together, Leigh Blake and Alicia Keys founded Keep A Child Alive providing free lifesaving medical assistance, resources, and support to families all over Africa and India that cannot afford anti-retroviral medication and related care.

The embed code provided on msnbc.com does not work with my WordPress page so I’m placing the link to the interview for you to watch below. Continue to read my reaction, and I encourage you to comment with yours.

NOTE: If the links do not work, go to the Making a Difference website and you’ll find links to each celebrity about 2/3 down the page under a heading “Celebrities Making A Difference.”

(VIDEO LINK) Celebrities Making A Difference: Alicia Keys uses voice for the voiceless

(VIDEO LINK) Celebrities Making A Difference: Alicia Keys I had to help, and I did

My reaction…

We know the statistics of HIV and AIDS are startling in Africa, but to hear, for example as stated in the video interview, that over 10% of the population has AIDS in South Africa. Further, over half of those suffering from HIV/AIDS do not have the means to obtain life sustaining medication just brings the point home all over again. In the US, while HIV/AIDS is still a crisis and at epidemic levels in different parts of the country, we are largely fortunate to have medication widely available so that people can actually live full lives with HIV now. When you step outside of the Western world, that is not always the case. My heart bled for the orphans in Durban who looked up to Alicia Keys as their own sister with sincere heartfelt gratitude for the contributions from Keep A Child Alive. If you look at the Keep A Child Alive website, you’ll read that it just takes a US dollar a day to make an impact. Think about that as we enter the holiday season. Sometimes, I’ve made charitable contributions in lieu of gifts. I’m definitely adding Keep A Child Alive to my list.

p.s. Didn’t Alicia just sing to our souls at the end with her a capella rendition of “Prelude to a Kiss?” What a beautiful song!

NBC Nightly News hosts special week long series “Celebrities Making A Difference”

Filed under Politics/Activism by affrodite on November 13, 2009 at 12:57 pm no comments

“NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams” regularly airs a “Making A Difference” segment whose focus is to showcase the “extraordinary efforts of ordinary people.” Beginning on Monday, November 9, 2009, NBC Nightly News hosted a special edition of this segment “Celebrities Making A Difference” highlighting philanthropic efforts from celebrities each night this week. Today (Friday), will close out this series, but I wanted to bring this information to you through my blog to encourage viewership and discussion.

Here’s a schedule from this week’s “Celebrities Making A Difference”…

MONDAY

(Bill Pugliano / Getty Images)

Jon Bon Jovi speaks to NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams about his Soul Foundation (www.jonbonjovisoulfoundation.org) established to help create affordable housing in the Philadelphia and New Jersey region where he grew up.

TUESDAY

(Kevin Mazur / WireImage)

Alicia Keys speaks to NBC’s Lester Holt about her Keep A Child Alive foundation (keepachildalive.org) aimed at providing lifesaving medication for those in Africa and India who have succumbed to HIV/AIDS.

WEDNESDAY

(Bryan Bedder / Getty Images)

Glenn Close tells NBC’s Anne Thompson about her ongoing work supporting New York’s Fountain House (www.fountainhouse.org) a place that assists the mentally ill.

THURSDAY

(David Livingston / Getty Images)

Halle Berry is interviewed by NBC’s Natalie Morales about her continued support of the Jenessee Center (www.jenesse.org) in Los Angeles that serves women who have been victims of domestic violence.

FRIDAY

(Larry Busacca / Getty Images)

Tim McGraw closes out this special series in an interview with NBC’s Amy Robach about the organization he co-founded with also famous wife Faith Hill called Neighbor’s Keeper Foundation (www.neighborskeeper.org) that provides ongoing aid to survivors from devastating 2005 Hurricane Katrina.

Each of these segments will follow in separate blog posts.

MSNBC.com- “Making A Difference” series

Huffington Post- NBC Nightly News “Making A Difference” week profiles celebrity causes

Sister 2 Sister Magazine- NBC profiles celebrity helpers

Monsters and Critics- NBC “Making A Difference” sees Alicia Keys, Halle Berry, and Glenn Close