June 6th to June 12th: Brad Pitt Takes on Poverty In Africa

"We have the potential to end poverty in our time. We could be that generation. We could be living in that era. Man, …what is more exciting than that? The potential's there. We gotta go for it."

Brad Pitt spoke those words during an exclusive interview, which aired this week on Primetime Live with Diane Sawyer. Amid the supercharged, bright and unforgiving spotlight that has been cast on his current personal life he attempted to divert some of that focus to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Africa.

Pitt and the One Campaign, of which I am a member, are attempting to unify the voice of Americans. Their immediate goal: one million strong for the G8 Summit. That’s one million Americans to join the One Campaign Movement before the G8 Summit in early July, when the eight leading nations of the world will decide whether or not to fund a new plan that will help stabilize Africa. America provided similar assistance to Europe after World War II.

According to the One Campaign, $16 could fund a child’s education in Ethiopia for a year. As well, for the cost of a sandwich and soda, six months worth of medicine could be funded to cure a child of Tuberculosis.

While Pitt shed light on important issues abroad, the Hale House honored celebrity moms Vanessa Williams, Cookie Johnson and Angie Stone for their charitable works here at home. Each was presented with Mother Hale Awards for Caring at the celebration gala of Hale House’s 36th Anniversary. Hale House is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to building better futures for children and families in need.

Also honored this week, Harry Belafonte at Drum Major Institute for Public Policy’s 2005 Annual Benefit and Alicia Keys along with Smokey Robinson at the 36th Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Dinner.

The CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) Awards was not a place for the star struck on Monday as the fashion world and the celebs who love them came out in full force. In attendance, fashionistas such as Donna Karan, Iman, and Heidi Klum as well as entertainment heavy hitters the likes of Sean “P.Diddy” Combs. While the CFDA Awards reigned supreme in midtown, lower Manhattan was a buzz, hosting LA Reid’s 38th birthday party where the name-drop-worthy guest list included, Jay Z, Beyonce, Kanye West and Miss Mariah herself. Actually, West seemed to be the guy to know this week. Mr. Man About Town celebrated his 28th birthday a few days later in glorious fashion at the Bulgari Store. His event was arguably the occasion of the week as everybody who was anybody in New York City dropped by.

Besides places to be seen in New York, there were also movies to watch. My pick this week is Mr. and Mrs. Smith, which opened Friday with what’s sure to be box office platinum. With a lot of sass and a very short fuse, Angelina Jolie proves again that her leading lady status has more to do with her ass kicking ability then her eye candy appeal, though she’s not lacking there either. Mr. and Mrs. Smith is a high energy, suspenseful, spicy and wickedly funny movie. Quick wit, guns and a truckload of sex appeal have Jolie and Pitt stirring up trouble everywhere they turn.

The week came to an end with a town hall meeting on Saturday. A group call R.E.A.C.Hip-Hop (formerly known as the Hip-Hop Coalition), in an effort to reclaim hip-hop culture from corporate media’s unbalanced representation and exploitation of hip-hop, held a Report to the Community on the “Stop Hot 97” Campaign, which was formed when radio station Hot 97 aired the “Tsunami Song,” which poked fun at victims of the tsunami and included a number of racial slurs. Speakers at the town hall meeting included Kevin Powell, Ros Baracka and Toni Blackman.