THE PURPLE AFFAIR

The Purple Affair 2023 Honorees

Dr. Fayron Resha Epps

Dr. Helen Michelle Dowdell

Mr. Louis Gossett, Jr.

The Leader in Dementia Care Award

The Leader in Dementia Care Award is given to a person or organization making a significant impact on the lives of those living with Dementia, organizations supporting those living with Dementia, and to the community, with the possibility of changing lives across the world, consistently for more than five consecutive years.

Mr. Louis Gossett, Jr.

Dr. Helen Michelle Dowdell

Mr. Louis Gossett, Jr.

The President's Award

The President’s Award is given to a person or organization at the sole discretion of The President, when their area of impact aligns with the purpose of The Purple Affair and the mission of The James M. Dixon Foundation.

Dr. Helen Michelle Dowdell

Mrs. Catherine Janice Whitehead

The Difference Maker Award

The Difference Makes Award is given to a person or organization making a significant impact in the community, a career, or with a group in the areas served by The Foundation.

Mrs. Catherine Janice Whitehead

The Caregiver's Award

The Caregiver’s Award is given to a person or an organization who supports a person or persons living with Alzheimer’s disease, a related dementia, a mild cognitive impairment, or other life altering disease, in a significant way, consistently for more than three years.

Mrs. Landa Clay Gamble

Mrs. Catherine Janice Whitehead

Mrs. Landa Clay Gamble

The Difference Maker Award

The Difference Makes Award is given to a person or organization making a significant impact in the community, a career, or with a group in the areas served by The Foundation.

Mr. Robert Reid

Mrs. Catherine Janice Whitehead

Mrs. Landa Clay Gamble

The Caregiver's Award

KEITH DAVID, MARIA HOWELL & JSMILES

Maria Howell

Mere words can only capture the refrain of her awesome talent. She is the ballad of beauty and elegance. While casting a spellbinding smile, she mesmerizes her captive audience with incredible harmonies and rhythms. AS AN ACTOR, she has appeared in hit TV shows such as (Lifetime’s), “Army Wives”, and Marc Cherry's, "Devious Maids". Eric Kripke and J.J. Abrams' apocalyptic, “Revolution”, and “Aquarius", starring X-Files' David Duchuvny, both on (NBC), and “Criminal Minds”, on (CBS), alongside Joe Mantegna. She has also guest starred on “The Resident” (FOX), and “Delilah” (OWN). Theatrical credits include, “The Blind Side”, “Addicted”, starring Sharon Leal and Boris Kodjoe, “Hunger Games: Catching Fire”, as Seeder, and "Christmas Wedding Baby”, by Award-Winning Writer/Director Kiara C. Jones. She also stars in Writer/Director, Shea Sizemore's "The Next Day." In addition, she recurred in Bounce TV's, "Saints & Sinners" as Lt. Hawkins, and as Ms. Sumner is the Oscar nominated film, “Hidden Figures”. She also worked with Eric Close and Kristin Chenoweth in the Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie, “A Christmas Love Story”. Maria also utilizes her vocals as a voiceover artist, on numerous radio and TV commercials, video games, narrations, not to mention her all-time favorite thing…animation.

https://thepurpleaffair.swell.gives

Keith David

Keith David Williams is an American actor, voice artist, and producer. A graduate of the Juilliard School, he is known for his signature deep voice and commanding screen presence, in over 300 roles across film, stage, television, and interactive media.

He has starred in such films as The Thing (1982), Platoon (1986), They Live (1988), Dead Presidents (1995), Armageddon (1998), There's Something About Mary (1998), Requiem for a Dream (2000), Pitch Black (also 2000), Barbershop (2002), Crash (2004), The Chronicles of Riddick (also 2004), and Cloud Atlas (2012). He starred as Elroy Patashnik in the sixth season of the NBC series Community.[3] In 2016, he began starring as Bishop James Greenleaf in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama Greenleaf.

https://thepurpleaffair.swell.gives

Janay "JSmiles" Smith

"J Smiles" thrives on creating customized clean conscious comedy sets for corporate events, private parties and fundraisers. Comedy is a calling that captured her heart after significant time as a product designer, mechanical engineer and lawyer. She pulls from professional experience in those sectors and personal experience traversing the globe to provide unique content. Her style is upbeat, professional, informative and inspiring. She is also available to moderate panels and facilitate group conversations. J Smiles' engaging approach adds a special bonus to any gathering. Her mom’s full-time caregiver for almost a decade, she offers “how-to” guides and supportive dialogue for dementia caregivers as well.

https://thepurpleaffair.swell.gives

The Purple Affair 23

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