Everyday heroes often go unrecognized, but Igniting Change, Gideon's Promise's annual fundraiser event, is one of the occasions that shines a spotlight on public defenders and their essential role in promoting equal justice for all. Scheduled to take place at The Stave Room in Atlanta, GA, on Thursday, March 14, 2024, this event serves as a platform to honor the tireless dedication and unwavering commitment of public defenders in upholding the rights of marginalized individuals.
Igniting Change isn't your typical fundraiser; it's a thrilling event that the Atlanta community eagerly awaits each year. This year, the atmosphere is charged with renewed purpose and enthusiasm for the cause. Beyond honoring the relentless efforts of public defenders, the event aims to magnify their influence in advancing civil and human rights. This press release by Gideon’s Promise provides further details on what guests can look forward to experiencing during the event.
PRESS RELEASE
Atlanta, GA – February 6, 2024 – Gideon’s Promise, a public defender organization whose mission is to transform the criminal justice system by building a movement of public defenders who provide equal justice for marginalized communities, will celebrate the passing of the torch from its co founders, Jonathan Rapping and Ilham Askia, to its new Executive Director, Zanele Ngubeni at the organization’s annual Igniting Change fundraiser. The event will be held on Thursday, March 14, 2024, at The Stave Room, 199 Armour Dr. NE, Atlanta, GA, from 6:30 – 10:00 PM.
Ngubeni stepped into the role of Executive Director on January 1, 2024, to become the first non founder to lead the organization in its seventeen-year history. Ngubeni, an Atlanta native, was a member of the first class of Gideon’s Promise defenders in 2007. A career public defender, Ngubeni worked in Gideon’s Promise partner offices in New Orleans, Atlanta, and the state of Maryland. In 2021, she became the organization’s Director of Defender Development, a position she held until becoming the Executive Director.
Igniting Change is an annual event that brings the Atlanta community together to recognize the critical work of public defenders and amplify their role in the broader struggle for civil and human rights. It provides an opportunity to salute individuals who work to sustain and inspire the Gideon’s Promise national community in the city where it was established. At this year’s event, themed Dawn of a New Day, the Gideon’s Promise community will honor the work of its co-founders and welcome Ngubeni as she ushers in a new era.
Through Igniting Change, Gideon’s Promise honors individuals and organizations in the Atlanta community committed to improving the dialogue and engagement around the issue of criminal justice reform and civil rights. Gideon’s Promise was built by a husband and wife team, and in recognition of the power of partners committed to supporting one another in an effort to make the world a better place, this year’s event will honor two dynamic, husband-wife teams: Ed and Judy Garland with the John R. Lewis Lifetime Achievement Award and Mawuli Davis and Jana Johnson-Davis with the Community Impact Award. The evening will be hosted by Emmy-nominated TV and radio personality, Dr. Rashad Richey, and will feature a cocktail reception, specialty stations, dinner, and dancing.
“I always believed that the success of Gideon’s Promise depended on our ability to transition to leadership beyond me and Illy,” says Jonathan Rapping. “We could not have found a more perfect successor.” He continued, “No one knows and loves Gideon’s Promise more than Zanele, and few
possess her credentials and skillset so critical to this role.” Rapping added, “It took a dynamic partnership to lay the foundation and I am so thrilled to honor two of my favorite couples. Ed and Judy, and Mawuli and Jana, have done so much to improve the lives of the communities that public defenders serve, both inside the criminal justice system and beyond.”
“To have the evening hosted by Dr. Richey is just icing on the cake. He knows the work of Gideon’s Promise intimately and has a personal connection to it. He is the ideal person to lift up Gideon’s Promise and our honorees at Igniting Change,” Rapping stated.
Proceeds from the 2024 event will be used to provide continued programming and scholarships for the training and mentoring of new public defenders.
2024 Igniting Change is presented by The Reilly Family Fund. Other sponsors include Bondurant Mixson & Elmore, Georgia-Pacific, Thorpe Family Foundation, Trulieve, and Delta Community Credit Union.
For information about Igniting Change tickets and sponsorships, please visit
www.gideonspromise.org or contact Autumn Lee-Cass at autumn@gideonspromise.org or 404-997- 6046.
About Gideon’s Promise
Gideon’s Promise is a non-profit public defender organization whose mission is to transform the criminal justice system by building a movement of public defenders who provide equal justice for marginalized communities. Founded in 2007 by Jonathan Rapping and Ilham Askia, the organization has grown from a single training program for 16 attorneys in two public defender offices in Georgia and Louisiana to a national enterprise with over 2,000 participants in 130 public defender offices across 29 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The organization’s initial three-year program for new public defenders has expanded into a comprehensive program model that supports public defenders at all levels of their careers.
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