In support of arts, Africa

Jet, April 21, 2008

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IN SUPPORT OF ARTS, AFRICA: Grammy-winning singer John Legend (2nd, r), actress Kerry Washington (r), the Conference Board CEO Jonathan Spector (l) and actor Robert Redford listen to a congressional hearing after they addressed lawmakers about restoring funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and cultural programs. President Bush has proposed a $16 million cut to the arts endowment budget for the 2009 fiscal year, to $128 million from about $145 million in 2008. Legend and Washington are among supporters that are urging lawmakers to restore funds to the high of $176 million received in 1992. They said their careers depended on their early exposure to music, theater and the fine arts. "I was surrounded by artists, and I know how important that is," Legend, who started playing the piano at age 4, said, according to the Associated Press. He is also a supporter of eradicating poverty in Africa. He recently traveled to Mbola, Tanzania, as part of his Show Me Campaign, an organization aimed at funding villages across Africa. "I wanted to see up close and personal what the people were going through and what was being done to help them. It was a beautiful trip," said Legend, whose program committed to raising $1.5 million to fund the village for five years.

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