BET Foundation and BET's Rap-It-Up Co-Sponsor the 10th Annual Sisterhood Showcase in Memphis on June 4 - 5

BET Foundation and BET's Rap-It-Up Co-Sponsor the 10th Annual Sisterhood Showcase in Memphis on June 4 - 5

Actors Vivica A. Fox and Shemar Moore Among Celebrities Participating in Special 2-Day Event

WASHINGTON, May 25 /PRNewswire/ -- The BET Foundation and BET's Rap-It-Up join efforts to co-sponsor the 10th Annual Sisterhood Outreach Summit and Showcase at the Memphis Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tennessee on June 4 - 5. In its 10th year of providing a multitude of entertaining and fun-filled activities, this year's two-day summit promises to once again inspire event attendees through thought-provoking and empowering community programs and activities.

The 10th Annual Sisterhood Outreach Summit and Showcase offers a variety of programs and activities for everyone to enjoy, including entertainment, food demonstrations from local celebrity chefs, and children's activities. Event attendees can also peruse 400 vendor booths offering a variety of products such as books, jewelry, and clothing; and a BET-sponsored Health Pavilion providing a variety of free health screenings. BET's Rap-It-Up will coordinate with local Augoron and Shelby County Health Departments to administer on-site HIV testing; and the BET Foundation will also provide body mass index (BMI) screenings.

On Saturday, June 4 at 2:00 p.m. CT, the BET Foundation in partnership with Grace Magazine and General Mills Honey Nut Cheerios(R) and Chex(R) cereals will host "A Healthy BET Women's Health Forum: A Reunion of Sisters - A Remembrance of Our Health" Forum. The forum will focus on healthy lifestyle strategies and identify health-related concerns while also providing essential information to advocate healthy lifestyle choices. Local WLMT-TV news anchor Dee Griffin will serve as forum moderator, and a diverse panel of dynamic women from the areas of nutrition, fitness, entertainment, spirituality and healthcare will share their experiences. Among the panelists participating in the forum discussion are actress, Vivica A. Fox; celebrity fitness trainer, Jeanette Jenkins; Pastor Dr. Claudette Anderson Copeland; AIDS Activist, Denise Stokes; Public Health Advisor, Dr. Adrienne Smith; Memphis Health Department Director, Yvonne Madock; Office of Women's Health Director, Marsha Henderson; and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Memphis Representative, Suzette Baker.

There will also be celebrity appearances and performances throughout the special two-day event. Among those scheduled to perform and greet event attendees are actor Shemar Moore; R&B singer Syleena Johnson; singer, Tweet; singer, Keyshia Cole; gospel group, Rizen; gospel singer, La Shun Pace; neo- soul group Slick & Rose; gospel artist J Moss; and neo-soul artist P.J. Morton to name a few. R&B legend Howard Hewitt and newcomer Temmora will also be on hand to "serenade" wedded couples who wish to renew their wedding vows.

"The BET Foundation and BET's Rap-It-Up are very excited to participate in the 10th Annual Sisterhood Outreach Summit and Showcase as a sponsor," stated Lynda Dorman, Executive Director of the BET Foundation. "This event has made a tremendous impact on the community and provides an excellent platform to address positive health messages while also offering a myriad of fun-filled activities for the entire family."

"The purpose of this event is to empower the community through education, health awareness and entertainment," stated Tina Birchett, Founder of the Sisterhood Showcase and Publisher of Grace Magazine. "I am very proud that we can continue to inspire and enrich people's lives through a combination of education and entertainment for a 10th exciting year."

ABOUT BET FOUNDATION

The BET Foundation is a non-profit organization created to raise public awareness to the numerous health-related challenges within African-American communities. Established in 2003, the Foundation takes a pioneering step in addressing one of the leading behavioral-attributed health concerns among African-American women and families, obesity-related health concerns. Through specifically-tailored initiatives and targeted campaigns, the BET Foundation aims to insure that African Americans live longer and healthier lives. The BET Foundation includes public service announcements (PSAs); targeted programming segments; seminars and health forums; health brochure materials; a dedicated toll-free hotline and website; and a nationwide Healthy BET Fitness Challenge contest to provide the tools and knowledge necessary for communities to develop long lasting healthy lifestyle habits. For more information, please visit http://www.ahealthybet.com/.

ABOUT RAP-IT-UP

Since 1997, the Kaiser Family Foundation and Black Entertainment Television (BET) have partnered on an extensive public education campaign to inform young people about sexual health issues, including HIV/AIDS and other sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs). The partnership includes special programming, public service advertisements (PSAs), online content on bet.com, and a free resource and referral service. In 2000, the campaign launched a grassroots initiative to complement the on-air and online components of Rap-It-Up. Program elements include teen forums, mobile HIV testing events, and a middle and high school curriculum on HIV/AIDS. The campaign was nominated for an Emmy for Best National Public Service Announcement in 2002 and 2001, and has received numerous other awards, including the 2002 Cable Positive POP Award for Outstanding Newsmagazine Series, the 2002 CTPAA Joel Berger Award, the 2002 NAACP Image Award, the 2002 Academy of Television Arts & Science TV Cares "Ribbon of Hope" Award, and the 2002 NBACA Community Service Award.

ABOUT GENERAL MILLS

General Mills, with annual net sales of $10.8 billion, is a leading global manufacturer and marketer of consumer food products. Its global brand portfolio includes Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Haagen-Dazs, Old El Paso and more. It also has more than 100 U.S. consumer brands, more than 30 of which generate annual retail sales in excess of $100 million. General Mills is also a leading supplier of baking and other food products to foodservice and commercial baking industries.

Source: BET Foundation

CONTACT: Lyntina Townsend of the BET Foundation, +1-202-608-2745, or
lyntina.townsend@bet.net

Web site: http://www.bet.com/
http://www.ahealthybet.com/

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