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WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC (PPMW) has announced that Common will host its 2024 Impact Gala on the evening of Saturday, September 28, 2024, at the Waldorf Astoria Washington DC.

Common is a globally celebrated artist, actor, author, and advocate whose accolades include three Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, an Emmy, and a Golden Globe. Both his artistic and activist work address social justice issues and the importance of community empowerment.

Common is an outspoken advocate for better access to mental health services within marginalized communities. His most recent book, And Then We Rise, is a New York Times bestseller focused on prioritizing mental and physical health and well-being. He is also the founder of Free To Dream, a new foundation that empowers young people to become changemakers through education, justice, wellness, career exploration, and skill-building.

In a time when millions of Americans are no longer able to access vital reproductive health care, PPMW's work to provide high-quality care, educate, and advocate for reproductive freedom and health equity takes on even greater urgency. Common's work aligns with this mission: providing the resources and information people need to decide their own futures and grow their communities.

The 2024 Impact Gala will bring together leaders and supporters from throughout the capital region who have been champions for sexual and reproductive health equity, access, and education. PPMW will also present four major awards at the event:

• PPMW Champion of Reproductive Health Award: Maryland First Lady Dawn Flythe Moore
• PPMW Distinguished Philanthropist Award: John V. Thomas and the Adele M. Thomas Charitable Foundation, Inc.
• PPMW Ally Award: The Honorable Jolene Ivey, Prince George's County Council (D-5)
• PPMW Catalyst Award: Coach Kenneth Blakeney and the Howard University Men's Basketball Program

Proceeds from the Impact Gala will directly support PPMW health services and programs as we work to expand health care access for all, including the following initiatives:

• The first-ever PPMW Mobile Health Care Unit, providing a wide spectrum of health services to underserved communities throughout DC, Maryland's Montgomery and Prince George's Counties, and Northern Virginia; and
• The PPMW Abortion Access Fund, supporting people who might not otherwise be able to access abortion care, particularly patients traveling to PPMW health centers from states with abortion bans.

Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC (PPMW) provides high-quality and affordable reproductive health care, promotes education programs that empower all individuals to make informed reproductive choices, and protects the right to make those choices. PPMW is the oldest and largest provider of family planning services in Metropolitan Washington, serving Washington, DC; Montgomery and Prince George's Counties in Maryland; and Northern Virginia.

SOURCE Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, D.C.