PRESS ROOM: CAFÉ MOCHA SALUTE HER: BEAUTY OF DIVERSITY TOUR PRESENTS INAUGURAL TOYOTA GREEN AWARD

Honoree Jerri Evans, Continues Family Legacy Bringing Healthy Food Choices to Underserved Communities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The concept of “going green” is still new in many African American communities, but thanks to the Toyota Green Initiative (TGI)—launched by Toyota USA six years ago – the concept has grown substantially spotlighting green solutions through interactive business partnerships and innovative programs within communities of color to increase recycling, reduce waste, and overall educate the public.

Understanding the impact of women as decision makers and a key advocate for any serious initiative, Toyota partnered with Café Mocha, the #1 nationally syndicated radio show for women of color, to serve as the presenting sponsor of the Salute Her: Beauty of Diversity Tour. Additionally, with the creation of the Toyota Green Award, organizations and women are honored for their work in the sustainable field to help advance minority communities.

At the tour’s recent stop in Washington, DC the inaugural Toyota Green Award was presented to Ms. Jerri Evans owner and operator of Turning Natural, juice bar and café is the first vegan restaurant in Southeast Washington’s Anacostia neighborhood. Evans was recognized as a sustainability champion for the rigorous green standards she adheres to – and also for bringing healthy, vegetarian fare to a neighborhood long considered a food desert. As such, Evans best exemplifies the goals of TGI.

Alva Adams Mason, Director of African American Business Strategy for Toyota Motors, North America, says she was particularly proud of the honoree for the first Toyota Green Award. “Jerri Evans personifies what the Toyota Green Initiative is all about. It’s so important for us to be responsible and challenge our community to learn more about environmentally friendly and sustainable living. What better way to have that conversation then with a radio show like Café Mocha that has the ear of mothers, sisters and millennials”.

Café Mocha Radio, Toyota and ORS Hair Care honors phenomenal women in Washington, DC. Left to Right: YoYo, Carol Dudley, Micheline Bowman, ORS Hair Care rep, Shawn Tollerson (of Namaste Laboratories, LLC, Iyanla Vanzant, Johnna Gause—ORS, Cora Masters Barry, Wanda Durant, Maisie Dunbar, Carla Reid, Jerri Evans, Mo Ivory, Alva Adams Mason—Toyota, Angelique Perrin and Café Mocha executive producer Sheila Eldridge. (Eclipse Photography)

“Sustainable living is a topic rarely touched on in our communities, yet it is important that we as a community begin to have conversations about ways to protect our Earth and ensure future generations have the resources needed to live healthy lives,” says Café Mocha creator and executive producer Sheila Eldridge.

This year Toyota USA and ORS Hair Care joined Café Mocha as the sponsors of the annual Salute HER: Beauty of Diversity Awards to pay tribute to African American women making a difference in their communities around the country.

The Salute Her: Beauty of Diversity Awards also honored Iyanla Vanzant, relationship expert, television personality and bestselling author; Cora Masters Barry, CEO of the Recreation Wish List Committee; Micheline Bowman, news coordinator of WTTG Fox 5; philanthropist and NBA mother “MVP” Wanda Durant; Carla Reid, GM/CEO of Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission; Carol Y. Dudley, director of Career Development, Howard University School of Communications; celebrity hairstylist and entrepreneur Kim Kimble; Maisie Dunbar, founder/CEO of Maisie Dunbar Spa Lounge.

The Café Mocha Salute Her series benefits the Mocha Cares Foundation that supports women and children in local shelters with mentorship programs. Created as an outgrowth of the radio show the foundation is designed to use their media platform to employ a network of experts, celebrities and corporate friends to develop interactive programming to improve the lives of families in transition.

Next stops for the Salute Her: Beauty of Diversity presented by Toyota Tour are New York City, Mist Harlem October 13th with WBLS-FM and Chicago, Hotel Allegro December 1s with WSRB-FM. An array of diverse honorees will be announced and saluted in each market.

More information about the Toyota Green Initiative can be found at its website, http://www.toyota.com/usa/environmentreport2013/communities.html#toyota-green.

ABOUT CAFÉ MOCHA:
The brainchild of award-winning media veteran Sheila Eldridge was created by and for Women of Color and syndicated by Westwood One. The show airs weekends in over 30 + markets nationally and on SiriusXM channel 141; is co-hosted by actress/comedienne Loni Love (The REAL, “Chelsea Lately”), hip hop icon YoYo and broadcast veteran Angelique Perrin. This high-energy, two-hour show features the latest in urban music, lively chats from an unabashedly women’s perspective, no-holds barred advice and exclusive interviews with top performers, celebrities, politicians and civic leaders. Café Mocha is the only national show that speaks directly to African American women, ages 18 to 49, who represent a combined buying power of more than $1.2 trillion. Visit http://www.cafemocharadio.com @Café Mocha on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook/YouTube:@CafeMochaRadio.