“The Legacy Continues” is a timely, appropriate theme for the American Foundation for the University of the West Indies’ annual black-tie Awards Gala on Feb. 22 at The Pierre hotel, 2 E. 61st St. (at Fifth Ave.), which maintains support for the university system as it marks its 70th anniversary this year.
From beginning to end, the affair is special. To start, all proceeds benefit needy students at the University of the West Indies — with close to 50,000 students on campuses and centers across the region.
The benefit includes a reception, dinner, an awards program and dessert. There is an inaugural-after party affair hosted by Barbados-born hip-hop pioneer Doug E. Fresh, a longtime American Foundation for the University of the West Indies supporter, who is serving as gala chair.
Honorees include NCB Financial Group head Patrick Hylton; award-winning Jamaican author Marlon James; “The Breakfast Club” radio personality Angela Yee; topflight celebrity publicist Yvette Noel-Schure; Guyana-born Hollywood actress CCH Pounder; Antigua and Barbuda-born designer and celebrity stylist June Ambrose, and, posthumously, Lowell Hawthorne, former president and CEO of Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery & Grill and former foundation board chairman.
To buy tickets or get more information, call (212) 759-9345 or visit www.afuwi.org.
ST. LUCIA ANNIVERSARY EVENTS
St. Lucians and their supporters are in celebration mode — marking the nation’s 39th anniversary of independence with Sunday’s St. Lucian Marketplace and other events.
Highlighting new and established St. Lucian-run businesses is the goal of the free Marketplace, which will be held at the St. Lucia House, 438 E 49th St., Brooklyn, starting at noon.
The second annual event brings entrepreneurs in the Diaspora together to display their products and services. And this year’s event includes a fashion show featuring works of St. Luciadesigners.
The Marketplace and this past Feb. 3’s Independence Gospel Festival are two of the “Independence 39” activities coordinated by the St. Lucia Consulate in New York.
Call (212) 697-9360 for information.
GLENROY’S FASHION WEEK
It’s Fashion Week, and Jamaican designer Glenroy March is back with his D’Marsh couture this week in Manhattan at an invitation-only show. For more on the designer, visit www.dmarshcouture.com.
CLINTON CARIB INITIATIVES
Former President Bill Clinton, representing the Clinton Foundation, recently visited the U.S. Virgin Islands and Dominica, and announced a new Action Network on Post-Disaster Recovery for the islands that were battered by Category 5 hurricanes last fall.
During his visit to Dominica and meeting with Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, Clinton also reinforced the foundation’s climate initiative commitment to help the Caribbean nation become the world’s first climate-resilient country — a possible model to aid other nations around the world cope with climate change.
Visit www.clintonfoundation.org for information.