Endura Govan, owner of D.C.-based International Business Kids receives an award from the Rainbow Push Coalition. (left to right) Steve Smith, executive director, Public Policy Institute, Government Relations &Telecommunications Project; Rev. Jesse Jackson, Eudura Govan and the event emcees. (Photo by Rob Roberts)

The Rainbow Push Coalition discussed serious issues such as police violence and the impact of Blacks on the 2016 elections but not before hosting a gala that honored members of Congress as well as D.C. area businesses and civil rights leaders.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, founder and president of the Rainbow Push Coalition and its Center for Education Fund, convened its annual Public Policy and Media and Telecom Symposium from Dec. 15-16 at the Capital Hilton in the District. Vocalists such as Richard Smallwood (who was an honoree of the event), Angie Stone and Maurette Brown Clark performed before the crowd of 100 but there was some business to attend to before the entertainment.

“We are here to recognize influential and inspiring leaders in this city and across the country,” said Nicol Turner-Lee, vice president and chief research and policy officer for the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council, who co-emceed the event with Kelly Mikel Williams, who hosts the “Black Politics Today” show on internet radio BLIS.fm.

Twelve people were scheduled to be honored at the gala that included U.S. Reps. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Barbara Lee (D-Calif.). Jeffries didn’t attend the event.

Cummings said that the trial of Baltimore police officer William Porter is on the mind of a lot of his constituents. He updated the crowd that the jury at that time was hung or undecided in its decision to convict Porter in the death of Freddie Gray, to the gasps of many in the audience.

“We are fighting the same battles that we have been fighting for years and we have to keep fighting those battles,” Cummings said.

Lee said that Jackson’s historic runs for the presidency in 1984 and 1988 opened doors for her. “If it wasn’t for you running for president, I would not be in Congress today,” Lee said. “Reverend, you have taught us to keep hope alive. We thank you for what you have done in the past and for leading the way in the Tech 2020, where Black people will have more of a stake in the high-tech industry.”

The Rainbow Push Coalition also honored District practicing attorney John Burns who co-founded the non-profit ICON TALKS, Chanelle Hardy, aide to Federal Communications Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, Marie Sylla-Dixon, senior director and chief counsel of government affairs at TMobile USA, Donna Epps, senior vice president for public policy and strategic alliance for Verizon, Antonio Williams, government affairs director of Comcast, Endura Burns, founder of International Business Kids and Kimberly Marcus, director of supplier diversity at AARP, and Dr. Marco Clark, founder and CEO of the Richard Wright Public Charter School for Journalism and Media Arts.  Jackson said that voting in high numbers will help solve a lot of problems that Black people have.

“If I don’t vote our worse dreams will be realized,” he said encouraging the audience to repeat after him. “We must not give up. We must vote to make things happen for us.”

On Dec. 16, there were events that focused on topics such as the 2016 election and Black voter turnout, how people of color can impact sports, business opportunities for the Black-owned news media and the latest developments in the telecommunications and high-tech industry. Jackson held a press conference in which he talked about strategies to stem the tide of police violence along with members of the clergy in the Washington, D.C. area and nationally.