PRESS RELEASE

MALAAK COMPTON-ROCK TO BE HONORED WITH 2009 SOLEDAD O'BRIEN FREEDOM'S VOICE AWARD

Humanitarian Honored for Her Outstanding Service and Commitment to Social Change

Atlanta, GA - Community Voices: Healthcare for the Underserved announced the 2009 recipient of the Soledad O'Brien Freedom's Voice Award will be presented to humanitarian Malaak Compton-Rock at the 2009 Community Voices Freedom's Voice Awards Gala on April 30, 2009 at The Foundry at Puritan Mill in Atlanta, GA. The award recognizes leaders in the national community who are extraordinary catalysts and advocates for social change.

"It is my distinct pleasure to have been selected for this notable award," said Compton-Rock. "I am truly humbled to be associated with great women such as Soledad O'Brien, and am honored that my work is affiliated with hers. My inspiration comes from my children, my family, and from those children and families I've had the privilege to meet across the world. My passion is to help provide better opportunities for those in need, and I hope to inspire those around me to engage in their communities and want to give back..

"We created this award to highlight the dedication and courageous efforts of remarkable leaders who are bringing light to social injustices and giving voice to those in dire need," said Henrie Treadwell, PhD, director of Community Voices of the Morehouse School of Medicine. "Ms. Compton-Rock's generous commitment to women re-entering the workforce and to children who lack access to proper education are examples of her passion for finding solutions to our broken social policies."

The Community Voices Freedom's Voice Awards Gala takes place each year during the annual Community Voices Freedom's Voice Conference. This year's conference, to be held April 30 - May 1, 2009 at the Renaissance Waverly Hotel in Atlanta, GA, focuses on "Strengthening Families During Incarceration and Homecoming." It will bring together local, state, and national experts and advocates who are currently working to reform policies and improve health services and outcomes for all individuals impacted by the criminal justice system.

As one example of her many efforts to encourage others to give back to their communities, Ms. Compton-Rock recently formed The Angelrock Project (www.angelrockproject.com), an online e-village that promotes volunteerism, social responsibility, and sustainable change. Among its many elements, The Angelrock Project includes valuable information on how to volunteer, advice on making monetary or in-kind donations, links to life-changing service organizations, and recommendations of companies whose products can be purchased to sustain third-world artisans and raise funds for non-profit organizations.

For more information about the conference and gala and to register, please visit the website at www.communityvoices.org/freedomsvoice. All media interested in attending the conference may register with Melva Robertson at mrobertson@msm.edu.

Community Voices: Healthcare for the Underserved
Community Voices: Healthcare for the Underserved is dedicated to making health care available to all and ensuring the survival of safety-net providers that strengthen community support services. Launched in 1998 by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Community Voices works to discover and support programs that work to meet the needs of those with inadequate or no health care. Community Voices is based in the National Center for Primary Care at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information, please visit www.communityvoices.org.

About Morehouse School of Medicine
Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) recruits and trains minority and other students as physicians, biomedical scientists and public health professionals committed to improving the health and well-being of communities. MSM is a member of the largest consortium of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the world - the Atlanta University Center (AUC). For more information about Morehouse School of Medicine, visit us online at www.msm.edu.

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