A white-haired man and a gaggle of ladies to the fore, the storytellers of CNN’s “10,000 Reasons We Should All Be Proud To Be American” were among 20 people recognized in front of an audience in Washington D.C. Friday.
The men and women taking part in the “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute” include an entrepreneur and a winner of an All-Star science-in-schools contest, a National Public Radio host, a small town radio station that broadcasts to 17,000 people and a woman known for her annual “SlaughterGirls” film festival for female chefs.
“In 2018 we need to recognize 10,000 everyday heroes, do something about the deep red tape blocking so many people from applying for scholarships,” said CNN anchor Anderson Cooper as he introduced the black-tie event.
“The CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute” was created by Scott Shapiro, the executive producer of “CNN Heroes.” On hand to honor the winners was Martin Luther King III, a son of the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
The event has honored the nation’s best performers from the “CNN Heroes” program since 2005. To be eligible for the show, honorees must be civilians but they must be connected with CNN or the event sponsor, in this case the Science & Entertainment Exchange.
The 10,000,000 reasons category honors people who, through community work, shape the world for the better, CNN said.