GMAAN celebrated the importance of culture and innovation during its 14th Annual Black History Month Celebration. This year’s theme, “Driven by Culture, Defined by Innovation,” highlighted the historical achievements of African Americans in STEM and design while also shining a spotlight on current innovators.
Chevrolet not only continues to be driven by culture, in this case African American culture, but it continues to demonstrate its commitment to the African American community by supporting organizations like UNCF and Focus: Hope. Additionally, we celebrated the brand’s unwavering commitment to Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) through the Chevrolet Discover the Unexpected Journalism Fellowship, which is in its fifth year in partnership with the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA).
This year’s keynote speaker Lonnie Johnson touched on both GMAAN and Chevrolet’s commitment to diversifying business and STEM with their support of Supplier Diversity programs and community activities.
Lonnie Johnson holds more than 120 patents. He’s the inventor of the Super Soaker water gun, which is the #1 top-selling water toy of all time.
Moreover, the following individuals were honored during this evening’s event:
- Entrepreneurial Spirit Award—Cheryl Ajamu, Founder & CEO Ajamu Group
- Community Enrichment Award—Renee Fluker, Founder & President, The Midnight Golf Program
- Excellence in STEAM Award—Dr. Alecia Gabrielle, Chinonye Akunne and Dierdre Roberson, Motor City STEAM
- Marketing Excellence Award—Jim Campbell, U.S. Vice President—Performance, Motorsports, Accessories & Truck Strategy
- Lifetime Achievement Award—Roy Roberts, Retired GM Executive
- Trailblazer Award—Lonnie Johnson, Founder & CEO Johnson Research and Development
To end the inspirational evening, the night turned towards entertainment with afterglow cocktails and dancing with famed all-female singing group, En Vogue who is inspired by the celebration of black history.
“The essence of the month, the celebration of our contribution and achievements. It’s important to remember the history of what it took for our ancestors to arrive in American and because of their struggle. They built this American through blood, sweat, and tears and it inspires us.”
For more on General Motors and GMAAN visit www.generalmotors.com
