NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Room to Read, a global non-profit that believes World Change Starts with Educated Children®, held its annual New York Gala last night at Bay Room with honorees Amber Tamblyn, author, actress, director and activist; and Tidjane Thiam, CEO of Credit Suisse. Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter, musician and humanitarian, Wyclef Jean and 11-year old powerhouse, DJ Switch Ghana were in attendance and performed at the event. The evening brought New York’s elite business and philanthropic communities together with the media industry to raise $3.2 million, which will support 64,000 children on Room to Read’s programs in literacy and girls’ education, it was announced by Dr. Geetha Murali, Room to Read’s CEO. Event co-chairs were Scott Kapnick, CEO, HPS Investment Partners, LLC and Marc Seidner, CIO Non-traditional Strategies, PIMCO. Speakers included Room to Read New York Regional Board members, Samantha Barry, Glamour Editor-in-Chief and Sara Eisen, CNBC anchor.
Tamblyn was presented with the Superhero Award for her commitment to empowering women and girls. An avid proponent of gender equality, she is a founding signatory of Time’s Up, a reviewer of books of poetry by women for BUST Magazine and is a poet in residence at Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls. Tamblyn’s memoir "Era of Ignition" was recently published and she will next be seen in the FX sci-fi drama series “Y: The Last Man” which is set for a 2020 premiere.
"I believe all girls and women are superheroes and am honored to accept this award from Room to Read," said Tamblyn. "Room to Read is activating the voices of the next generation of female leaders so they can drive progress and imagine new possibilities for their lives beyond those that have been forced upon them by tradition or societal bias."
Thiam, on behalf of Credit Suisse, was presented with the Champion Award for Credit Suisse’s transformational impact on literacy and girls’ education through a 14-year partnership with Room to Read. Credit Suisse’s Global Education Initiative supports programs that improve the quality of educational opportunities for young people. Together, Room to Read and Credit Suisse have benefitted over 138,000 children across Asia and Africa. In 2017, Room to Read became a key implementing partner in Credit Suisse’s Financial Education for Girls Program which aims to increase girls’ financial capability and awareness of their social and economic rights, and helps girls build better futures for themselves and future generations.
“Credit Suisse is incredibly proud of our long-term partnership with Room to Read, which was founded in a shared vision of a world where all children have access to a quality education, regardless of where they live or their economic circumstances,” said Thiam. “We believe that education is key to creating meaningful jobs, stimulating economies, transforming communities and developing the next generations of leaders.”
“Room to Read is making it possible for children around the world to unlock their potential through education, and tonight we recognize Credit Suisse and Amber Tamblyn for their meaningful and impactful support to further our vision of a world in which illiteracy and gender inequality no longer exist,” said Dr. Geetha Murali, Room to Read CEO.
Red carpet photos are available here. Photos from inside the event are available here.
About Room to Read
Founded in 2000 on the belief that World Change Starts with Educated Children®, Room to Read’s innovative model focuses on deep, systemic transformation within schools in low-income communities during two time periods that are most critical in a child’s schooling: early primary school for literacy acquisition and secondary school for girls’ education. We work in collaboration with local communities, partner organizations, and governments to develop literacy skills and a habit of reading among primary school children and ensure girls can complete secondary school with the skills necessary to negotiate key life decisions. Room to Read has benefited 16.8 million children across more than 37,000 communities in 16 countries. Learn more at www.roomtoread.org.
