John and Madlyn Singer, Art Advisors, LLC (second row, center) present $1,000,000 check to youth of the All Stars Project at 2009 gala benefit at Lincoln Center. All Stars Project president and CEO, Gabrielle L. Kurlander (second row, right) with All Stars Project Hall of Fame honorees, Lynne Turley (second row, left), and James Turley (second row, second from left), chairman and CEO of Ernst & Young, look on.

The All Stars Project held its National Gala Benefit entitled: “Changing the Meaning of Fame” on Tuesday, April 21, at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center. Four hundred and seventy five people attended and the event raised $1.4 million for the privately funded non-profit.

The All Stars Project Hall of Fame was established and members, including Mr. and Mrs. James Turley, Ernst & Young; Hunter Hunt, Hunt Oil; C. Michael Armstrong; Bank of America Securities/Merrill Lynch; SourceMedia, an Investcorp Company; Ernst & Young and D&B, were inducted for the significant investments they have made in the growth and development of inner-city youth through All Stars Project programs over the last decade.

The All Stars Project received a special message of congratulations from Mayor Michael Bloomberg,

“On behalf of the City of New York, I commend everyone involved with the All Stars Project for their commitment to young New Yorkers.  I especially applaud this year’s Bridge Building Award winners for their exceptional leadership and invaluable contributions to their communities and our City.”

The 2009 Bridge Building Award for Leadership in Community Relations was presented to youth leaders of the Ramaz School and the All Stars Project by Howard Teich, Esq., past president of the American Jewish Congress of the NY Metropolitan Region. The ten African American, Latino and Jewish youth who performed at the gala are part of the All Stars Project initiative “Together and Giving Back” which brings together youth of color and Jewish youth to create new kinds of performances both on stage and off.

The Gala was hosted by Kemberly Richardson of ABC Eyewitness News. Special guests  included two-time Tony Award winner, Donna Murphy; Tony-nominated actress and All Stars alumnus, Daphne Rubin-Vega; the founding director of the New Federal Theater, Woodie King, Jr.; and choreographer and dancer Desmond Richardson.