Actors' Equity Association Celebrates Black History Month with WE LOVE YOU SHIRLEY Tonight

Actors' Equity Association's National EEO Committee celebrates Black History Month with We Love You Shirley tonight, February 29th.

The event is open to the public and will be held in Equity's Council Room, 165 West 46 Street, 14th floor. The event begins at 7 p.m. Seating is limited and is on a first come, first serve basis.

We Love You Shirley celebrates the life of New York's own Shirley Chisholm, chronicling her journey from Bedford Stuyvesant to Capitol Hill and her bid for the presidency. It is written and performed by Equity member Sharon P. Hope and is directed by Equity member Jeffrey V. Thompson.

Ms. Hope appeared in the national tour of the acclaimed Having Our Say. Other credits include appearances at Old Globe theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, New Federal Theatre, Geva and McCarter. Mr. Thompson has worked as both actor and director. As an actor, he has appeared in the Broadway productions of Amen Corner, Uptown...Its Hot! and Eubie!

Shirley Chisholm represented New York's 12th Congressional district in the House of Representatives for seven terms from 1969 to 1983. As a member of Congress, Chisholm worked to expand the food stamp program and played a critical role in the creation of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). She also served on the Veterans' Affairs Committee and the Education and Labor Committee. She joined the Congressional Black Caucus in 1971 as one of its Founding members and was also a founding member of the National Women's Political Caucus. In 1972 she became the first African American woman to make a bid for the office of President of the United States. Many credit Chisholm with paving the way for President Obama and Hilary Clinton. Prior to her terms in the House of Representatives, Chisholm was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1965 - 1968. Shirley Chisholm was born in Brooklyn to immigrant parents from the Caribbean and attended Girl's High School in Bedford-Stuyvesant. She earned her BA from Brooklyn College and earned her MA in elementary education from Teachers College at Columbia University.

Actors' Equity Association represents more than 50,000 professional stage actors and stage managers nationwide.