The Ziegfeld Ballroom was filled with purpose, celebration, and star power Saturday night as the National CARES Mentoring Movement hosted its Love of Our Children Gala, marking both the organization’s 20th anniversary and the 80th birthday of its founder and visionary leader, Susan L. Taylor.
The evening, hosted by Emmy Award-winning journalist Tamron Hall, raised over $332,000 to support CARES’ mission of mentoring and uplifting vulnerable young people across the country. Grammy Award-winning artists Jill Scott and Ledisi delivered soul-stirring performances that left the audience on its feet, turning the gala into a homecoming of Black excellence, cultural pride, and unwavering commitment to the next generation.
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An Unprecedented Gathering of Luminaries
The Ziegfeld Ballroom was packed with some of the most influential voices in media, entertainment, activism, and the arts, all gathered to honor Taylor and support the CARES mission.
Notable attendees included Angela Rye, political commentator and strategist, Bebe Winans, Grammy-winning gospel singer, Bevy Smith, radio and television personality, Sunny Hostin, co-host of The View, Mickalene Thomas, renowned visual artist, and actor, Leon Robinson.
The diversity of voices in the room reflected the breadth of Taylor’s influence, spanning generations, industries, and movements. From Hollywood to the poetry stage, from broadcast journalism to grassroots activism, the evening was a testament to the power of mentorship, community, and shared commitment to justice.
A Living Legend at 80
Susan L. Taylor, born of Caribbean heritage, is best known as the former Editor-in-Chief of Essence Magazine, where she spent decades shaping Black media and uplifting Black women with dignity, power, and grace. Under her leadership, Essence became more than a magazine, it became a movement, and a blueprint for a generation of women who saw themselves reflected in its pages.
But Taylor’s legacy extends far beyond publishing. In 2005, she founded the National CARES Mentoring Movement to address the crisis facing children growing up in underserved communities. For 20 years, CARES has provided mentorship, resources, and pathways to success for young people who too often fall through the cracks of institutional neglect.
Saturday’s gala was not only a tribute to Taylor’s eight decades of life, but to the quiet, relentless work she has done to ensure that no child is left behind.
“Susan has shown us what it means to live a life of service rooted in excellence,” said Tamron Hall during her opening remarks. “She didn’t just build a magazine. She built a legacy. And tonight, we celebrate that.”
A Finale to the National CARES Affiliate Summit
The gala also served as the finale to the National CARES Affiliate Summit, which convened leaders from across the country who are on the frontlines of mentoring and supporting vulnerable young people. These affiliate leaders, many of them volunteers, educators, and community organizers, came together to share strategies, renew their commitment, and be reminded that they are not alone in this work.
For many in attendance, the summit and gala were not separate events but two halves of the same mission: to build a national network of care that meets young people where they are and refuses to give up on them.
“This work is hard,” one affiliate leader shared during the summit. “But when you see Susan at 80 still showing up, still building, still believing, it reminds you why we do it.”
Performances That Moved the Room
Ledisi opened the evening to an emotional crescendo with performances that blended artistry, activism, and deep reverence for the moment. Jill Scott’s rounded out the night with a soulful tribute that reminded the room that Black music has always been a form of resistance, healing, and joy.
The performances were more than entertainment, they were prayers, affirmations, and declarations of love for the children CARES serves and the woman who has spent two decades building a movement to protect them.
As the night came to a close, the message was clear: this is how we do it. With love. With intention. With a refusal to accept anything less than the futures our children deserve.
Happy 80th birthday, Susan L. Taylor. And here’s to 20 more years of National CARES doing the work that matters most.
