Meet our host for the evening!
Jessica Brown
Anchor and Reporter
Jessica Brown co-anchors WCVB Channel 5’sNewsCenter 5 at Noon with Antoinette Antonio as well as NewsCenter 5 at 4PM with Maria Stephanos and Ed Harding. Brown also serves as NewsCenter 5’s medical reporter.
Before coming to WCVB, Jessica was a weekday morning anchor and lifestyle host at WXIX-TV in Cincinnati, OH. While at WXIX since 2012, Jessica’s live, breaking news coverage included many high-profile stories including the murder trial of Ray Tensing, the aftermath of George Floyd protests, and more.
Prior to joining WXIX, Jessica was an anchor/reporter at KSNF-TV and KODE-TV in Joplin, MO where she not only experienced but covered one of the deadliest tornadoes in history. She rode out the tornado in her bathtub, ultimately losing her apartment to the storm. She praises the Joplin community’s incredible resiliency in the wake of the storm’s devastation. Jessica’s career in broadcast news began over a decade ago at WAGA-TV in Atlanta, GA.
Jessica is an active member of the National Association of Black Journalists. She is also very dedicated to community service and believes service is one of the ways she feels connected to her faith. She is especially passionate about volunteering her time to mentor young girls.
A native of South Florida, Jessica hails from a multi-cultural background. Her father is Jamaican and her mother is afro-Costa Rican (pura vida!).Her heritage has inspired her to seek out opportunities for travel and adventure and has fostered a love of exploring different cultures around the world.
Jessica earned her B.A. degree from Florida State University. Outside of the newsroom, you can find her at the dog park with her pup Rocco, checking out new eateries, and traveling the globe.
Featured speakers and entertainers:
IT Factor Live Entertainment
This year, Fenway is excited to offer a new After Party following our signature Gala on May 20! The After Party is your chance to hit the floor after the Gala program or to attend on its own - either way, it'll be an unforgettable night of high-energy music and dancing featuring local talent. The beats will be provided by an amazing DJ from the It Factor Live Entertainment.
The Ladies of Drama
Nicki
Nicki is a fresh face and dance is her old stomping grounds! Dancing hip hop in her past life, she loves the stage, colors and working together as a team. Nicki is very good with big crowds and love spreading love through the entire room. GoGo dance is her favorite past time in the clubs or party scenes. She's also musically inclined and has debuted her music throughout Boston.
Sophie
Sophie is full of spiritual energy and knows how to get the party started. Nightlife, LED lights, vibrant colors, wild hairstyles, and Vogue dancing are all her specialties. Sophie can easily adjust to different environments and is equally great on her own or as part of a team.
Christina
Christina, is a firecracker! She loves the stage, loves to make people feel welcomed and can adapt to any demographic! Her energy paints pictures wherever she goes. She's hosted her own artistry events and love to put on a show!
Eve
EveTheeDancer is full of energy, life, and exaggerated fun. She started her crowd-pleasing career in the Bat Mitzvah field, and dancing has always come easy to her. Growing up on TV has its advantages, haha! With a BA in Dance and Choreography, she has worked with all of Boston, including other states from Massachusetts to the West coast! GoGo is one of her favorite dance styles simply because it allows her to be free. Modern, Jazz, Hip Hop, and even exotic dancing fill her soul!
Featured speakers and entertainers:
Nicole Talbot
Nicole Talbot is a 19-year-old transgender woman and freshman at Boston Conservatory pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in musical theater. She is a Human Rights Campaign Youth Ambassador and a founding Champion of the GenderCool Project. She was an integral part of the 2015 and 2018 campaigns in Massachusetts to pass and defend legislation prohibiting discrimination against transgender people in public accommodations. In 2020, she was named the first recipient of the Trans Club of New England’s Trans Community Visionary Award. Assigned male at birth, Nicole transitioned to living authentically as female in 2015 with the support of her mother, other family members, friends and her communities. She shares her story and lends her voice, time and talent to support other transgender youth on their journey to living authentically. You can learn more at www.nicoletalbotofficial.com
Miranda Rae
Miranda Rae is an R&B singer/songwriter born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In December 2020 the Boston Music Awards voted her R&B Artist of the year. With the recognition, Miranda Rae is ready to show what’s in store for 2021.
In the fall of 2019, Miranda Rae debuted her “Excuse My Baggage” EP. Truly expressing herself and giving fans another chance to see how she has grown as a vocalist and artist. “Thinkin Bout You” became the top single from the project, and dubbed a classic. This timeless record, gave Miranda Rae not only fans from Boston, but from different countries all over the world. “Excuse My Baggage” caught the attention of the city and in less than a year, people knew who Miranda Rae was.
She began her musical career in 2013 with open mics and showcases around West Palm Beach, Florida. She later connected with the producer collective, DNAAO, in 2015. The duo helped Miranda Rae develop a sound. With her debut EP in 2016 entitled “Defying Love”, she caught the attention and hearts of her listeners. Her first single “Prayer For Love” brought back the definition of neo-soul. With comparisons to Miss Jill Scott and India.Arie, she knew she had something people could connect with. She quickly became a well respected artist in the community. With a stripped down version of “Invitation for Love” that became the second fan favorite from the debut EP. A classic boom-bop sound with an R&B spin, fans truly connected with the vibes she brought. Her NPR Tiny Desk contest submission showcases Miranda Rae’s velvety vocals and rich tone.
DJ Stevie Psyclone
As Entertainment Manager and resident Friday night DJ at Club Café, Stevie Psyclone strives to make sure everyone feels included. A self-proclaimed pop fanatic, Stevie spends hours listening to music to find those hidden tracks to drop on the dancefloor. While his main focus is pop, he likes to dive into all genres and decades from Disco to Latin to hip hop to get everyone dancing. Stevie has made a name for himself in the Boston gay scene over his ten-year career.
He also runs the monthly party So Hot Saturdae’s, which quickly become a staple in the Boston gay nightlife scene, with themes like Disco and One Hit Wonders of the 00s. He has DJ’ed on Kesha’s Rainbow Cruise.
Dr. Jen Petter
Dr. Jen Petter is the Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Arrakis Therapeutics. Previously, she was the Vice President of Chemistry at Celgene, Vice President of Research at Mersana Therapeutics, and Director of Small-Molecule Drug Discovery at Biogen. She was also the Section Head in Oncology Chemistry at Sandoz Novartis, and Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh.
Dr. Petter graduated from Dartmouth College with an AB in Chemistry and earned her PhD in Organic Chemistry at Duke University with Ned Porter, and was a post-Doctoral fellow in Ron Breslow’s group at Columbia University. She has ushered multiple compounds into the clinic, the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disorders and sepsis.
Adrianna Boulin
Adrianna Boulin, Director of Community Impact and Engagement at Fenway Health, is focused on building racial and intersectional equity as a pathway to justice by identifying and acting on the change needed upstream to prevent downstream health disparities.
Adrianna is focused on supporting deeper engagement, centering LGBTQIA+ people, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, and other underserved communities
She is interested in understanding systems and how their structures impact communities social determinants of health.
Black Boston COVID-19 Coalition
When the world shut down in March of 2020, the Black Boston Covid-19 Coalition (“BBCC”) was formed. It started with eight Black Boston residents and quickly grew to 420 individuals — including residents, clergy, physicians and nurses, elected officials, non-profit directors, and community leaders from around the Boston area. They organized to ensure that Black residents received culturally appropriate messaging about critical services and resources available to battle the pandemic.
As a result of collaborative efforts, Massachusetts moved from #42 to #2 in the U.S. in Black vaccinations. Their goal is to successfully stem the contraction and transmission of COVID-19 and leave Black residents and businesses in a better place post-pandemic.
