Girl Be Heard Will Honor Mandy Gonzalez and Sayu Bhojwani at the Gotta Love Girls Gala

Girl Be Heard, a social justice theatre company that develops, honors and amplifies the voices of young women, will honor two trailblazing women: Mandy Gonzalez, star of Hamilton and In the Heights, and Sayu Bhojwani, founder of New American Leaders, with Girl Be Heard's prestigious Fairy Godmother Award at their fun-filled gala at 26 Bridge Street in DUMBO, Brooklyn on Monday, October 22nd at 6pm.

Past Fairy Godparent honorees include award-winning performers and playwrights, Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton/In and In the Heights), Danai Gurira (The Walking Dead/ Black Panther), and Liberian activist and Nobel Laureate Leymah Gbowee, who will be attending to celebrate with and congratulate the 2018 honorees. The award, presented annually to "fairy godmothers" for their outstanding work as social justice champions, will be bestowed during a girl-powered evening of music, dancing, and theatre.

Celebrity Chef Melba Wilson (Melba's American Comfort) will be cooking her signature dishes on site, throughout the evening, alongside a cadre of hot, new chefs.
"Kavanaugh's confirmation was an act of violence and hatred towards women, especially survivors like me and countless youth under our wing at Girl Be Heard," said Jessica Greer Morris, Co-Founder/Executive Director.

"There has never been a more important time for survivors of injustice to share our stories and speak out for change. Alas, our work at Girl Be Heard is under assault. This Administration slashed our budgets, which is why so much is riding on this year's gala to keep our programs alive."

The evening's theme is Immigrants Get the Job Done, exemplified by the work of Sayu Bhojwani, Founder and President of New American Leaders. Beyond her work paving the way for first- and second-generation Americans to build power and potential to run for public office, Sayu's ground-breaking, new book, People Like Us: Knocking at Democracy's Door, (October 2018, The New Press) captures the current political moment and offers a roadmap for a more inclusive democracy. Empowering immigrants has always been Sayu's super power, as evident in her being New York City's first Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs, and the founder of South Asian Youth Action, a community-based organization in Queens.

"We are in a fight for our lives, and Girl Be Heard artists and activists are leading the charge to create the world we want to see. They are the leaders we need today and for the future. Supporting Girl Be Heard is critical to giving youth the platform they need to amplify dialogue about the social justice issues of the day." -- Sayu Bhowjani

Mandy Gonzalez is Broadway royalty, renowned for starring roles in Hamilton and In the Heights. Behind the curtain, as the beloved founder of the #FearlessSquad, a social media movement that promotes inclusiveness and belonging. A deeply held passion of hers, Mandy connects millions of people around the world to be their best selves and empower each other. Mandy is currently starring as Angelica Schuyler in the musical sensation, Hamilton. Mandy is also known for originating the role of Nina Rosario, in her brilliant performance in the Tony Award-winning In the Heights. She has also starred as Elphaba in the Broadway production of Wicked. Mandy is a Warner Music artist and recently released her debut album, FEARLESS, which debuted at #13 on the iTunes pop charts. Mandy is also an author, recently publishing a widely cited article in the Harvard Business Review on how to overcome one's fear of public speaking and be more confident in one's communication and leadership.

"Girls voices need to be heard and their stories need to be told. It is such an honor to be recognized by Girl Be Heard, a remarkable organization that gives youth around the world a platform and a vehicle for fearless artistic expression." -- Mandy Gonzalez

Chef Melba Wilson is the culinary shero of both this and last year's gala, cooking her homemade, delicacies on site for our guests. She is owner of a growing culinary empire based in New York's famed Harlem neighborhood. She has received numerous accolades and awards for her entrepreneurship and her original and family recipes. She won on an episode of the Food Network's Throwdown with Bobby Flay, was featured on The View, CNBC's reality show, Consumed and countless other television shows. Her cookbook, Melba's Comfort Food: 100 Recipes From My Heart To Your Kitchen, published by Simon & Schuster is available on Amazon.

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