Fight Night celebrates its 20th anniversary with plenty of boxing legends, donations, Marines, cigars, eye-candy, and the inspirational Joe E. Robert, Jr.

Mayor Adrian Fenty and Raul Fernandez. (Photo by Tony Powell)

By Michael Clements
Photos by Tony Powell
Video by Michael Clements

Forget for a moment the wafting clouds of cigar smoke, flowing Ravenswood Cabernet Sauvignon, juicy NY Strip steaks, curvaceous table hostesses and Redskins cheerleaders, live music by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, boxing legend after boxing legend and, well, the overall downright manliness of Fight Night. Forget it all and remember this: for 20 years Fight Night has been raising millions of dollars ($2.8 million last year and over $2.2 million this year) for Fight For Children and other organizations that provide education and healthcare services to low-income children in Washington, D.C.

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The W Hotel Washington and John Legend put on a grand opening performance, Pollywood style

By Michael M. Clements

Operatic performers set a classical mood. Photo by Tony Powell

Purple lights flooded the historic Beaux Arts exterior of the officially opened W Hotel Washington on a perfect fall evening. There was a formidable red carpet with a large logo-emboldened step-and-repeat with a special “VIP-only” entrance – for those worthy of being photographed in front of said corporate logos; photographers who waited patiently outside the velvet rope for the star power to roll in; and black-clad PR mavens with clipboards and headsets greeting guests with “Are you on the list?” Indeed, it was an event game-planned straight out of film screening/celebrity restaurant openings of Los Angeles and New York. But, this isn’t Los Angeles or New York. It’s Washington. Not to say Washington can’t be chic. It can be. But we don’t have to be Los Angeles or New York, or Miami for that matter. In fact, we revel in not being any of these cities because of how hard they try sometimes. If the opening of the W Hotel Washington proves anything, it’s that Washington is continuing to develop its unique Pollywood style – and that, is a good thing.

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Washington D.C. native, actor and activist Jeffrey Wright gathers the area’s African American power players to support Taia Peace Foundation and Maxwell

By Michael M. Clements

Maxwell

It wasn’t an ordinary Friday afternoon at downtown posh eatery Oya Restaurant (777 9th St NW) as Jeffrey Wright thought it was appropriate to show legendary performer Maxwell – in town playing at the Verizon center – D.C.’s VIP side. The room was filled some of the city’s top African American power players. Once again, behind the scenes hosts Tanya Lombard, Yelberton Watkins, Isaac Fordjour, and Chaka Burgess pulled together an impressive group. As always, there was a worthy cause involved – the Taia Peace Foundation (www.taiapeace.org.)

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Cynee Simpson, Julian Epstein and Michelle Yankey

Location: Luxe Studio, Home of Fendi Casa

WL SPONSORED – Photos by Tony Powell and Zaid Hamid

TOP OF THE HILL: Is there anything Hill Harper can’t do? The Harvard- educated star of CSI: NY is the author of two inspiring books, Letters to a Young Brother and Letters to a Young Sister, and a formidable philanthropist. This night belonged to his Manifest Your Destiny Foundation – dedicated to empowering, encouraging, and inspiring underserved youth to succeed. REPRESENTING: A heavyweight crowd showed support including hosts Tanya Lombard and Yelberton Watkins, co-host Rep. James Clyburn, Rep. Adam Schiff, Darrell Smith, Lamell McMorris, John Orlando, Marie Sylla, Peck Madigan, Tami Boyd, and Ben Jealous.

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