The SAG-AFTRA Foundation announced that SAG, Emmy, Golden Globe nominated Actress Kerry Washington will receive the Actors Inspiration Award, to be presented at its 7th Annual Los Angeles Golf Classic on Monday, June 13th at a private golf club in Burbank, California. The star of ABCโs Scandal and HBOโs Confirmation is being recognized by the Foundation as a SAG-AFTRA member who has given back to fellow actors and the community at large.
A longtime champion of civil rights and public service, Washington was appointed by President Barack Obama to the Presidentโs Committee on the Arts and the Humanities in 2009. Washington is a strong supporter of President Obama and has campaigned on his behalf; she commanded the national stage on the final night of the 2012 Democratic National Convention in a moving address that urged Democrats to get out the vote. In 2013 Washington was honored with the NAACP Presidentโs Award, which recognized her special achievements in furthering the cause of civil rights and public service. In 2014, Time magazine included Washington on its annual Time 100 list of the Most Influential People in the World. Washington received the GLAAD Media Vanguard Award in 2015 and the ACLU Bill of Rights Award in 2016.
The L.A. Golf Classic is a major annual fundraiser benefiting the SAG-AFTRA Foundationโs Catastrophic Health Fund and Assistance Programs for SAG-AFTRA members facing life-threatening illness and severe economic hardship with the support of the entertainment community and generous sponsors. L.A. Golf Classic is one of the biggest celebrity golf tournaments with over 125 actors and entertainment industry executives expected to participate in the 2016 event.
โWe are overjoyed to present Kerry Washington with our Actors Inspiration Award. Kerryโs continuous support for our programs and her fellow actors, and her dedication to countless social and political causes exemplify the essence of this award,โ said SAG-AFTRA Foundation President JoBeth Williams. โThe SAG-AFTRA Foundationโs Annual Golf Classic is essential to raising the much-needed funds for our organizationโs Emergency Assistance program and Catastrophic Health Fund for SAG-AFTRA members facing physical and financial hardships of all kinds, and we are beyond grateful to Kerry for graciously accepting this honor at this important event.โ
Previous recipients of the SAG-AFTRA Foundationโs Actors Inspiration Award are Sofia Vergara and Leonardo DiCaprio, who were recognized in 2015 for their philanthropic work.
Celebrity participants to date include Tim Allen, Scott Bakula, Carlos Bernard, Tom Bower, Joe Cipriano, Eric Close, Rick Dees, Peter Gallagher, Carmine Giovinazzo, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Joel Gretsch, Gregory Harrison, Robert Hays, Vinnie Jones, Richard Karn, C.S. Lee, David Leisure, Joe Mantegna, Mark Moses, Kathryn Newton, Jeff Nordling, Ron Pearlman, Joe Pesci, James Remar, and Tom Welling.
Integrated Wealth Management returns for its sixth year as presenting sponsor of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation L.A. Golf Classic. Additional sponsors to date include: United Airlines, John W. Carson Foundation, SAG-AFTRA, Backstage, CBS, TNT, TBS, ABC, One America, Anthem Blue Cross, Amazon, Omnicom, Express Scripts, Wing & A Prayer Pictures, Fairway Greene, Boxing Cat Films, Bush Gottlieb, Wallace Family Partnership, Srixon, Club Glove, Marchon, Cleveland Golf, Fiji Water, Mikeโs Hard Lemonade, Macanudo, and Golf Energy Bars.
Since 1985, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation has granted more than $17 million in financial and medical assistance including $6.5 million in scholarships to SAG-AFTRA members and their dependents. In addition, the Foundation has offered 6000 free educational workshops, panels and screenings to union performers nationwide and its childrenโs literacy programs have brought the love of reading to more than 160 million children worldwide.