Mastercard will present the “Jennifer Hudson Live at The Apollo” concert on August 19th, the first live audience performance at the Apollo Theater since March 2020. At this intimate gathering of Black women entrepreneurs and select cardholders, Ms. Hudson will perform classic Aretha Franklin hits featured in Respect as well as songs from her own catalogue. Limited tickets are available for purchase on Priceless.com here, with 100% of sales benefiting Fearless Fund.
In honor of Black Business Month, Mastercard is announcing a series of celebratory events in partnership with Mastercard ambassador, Jennifer Hudson, to acknowledge and reinforce the impact of Black women entrepreneurs across the U.S. The celebration is anticipated to kick off with the premiere of the long-awaited Aretha Franklin feature film Respect and continue with a Strivers Celebration event, and special concert by Jennifer Hudson at the World Famous Apollo Theater in Harlem, NYC.
Mastercard is providing a limited number of cardholders with special access to the red carpet premiere of Respect at the Regency Village Theater ahead of the film’s global release on August 13th to underscore the impact of Black women in business and music. During the event, these select cardholders will be among the stars as they arrive at the historic venue before taking their seats as the first audience to view the film. Cardholders can visit Priceless.com here to purchase this one-of-a-kind experience while supply lasts, with 100% of sales benefiting Fearless Fund, a venture capital fund built by women of color for women of color, to further support funding for Black women entrepreneurs.
“I’m excited to celebrate the Black-women owned business entrepreneurs that Mastercard’s Strivers Initiative spotlights both at the event in their honor and at the intimate concert at the Apollo. It’s a dream come true to perform at the Apollo and an honor to celebrate with Ms. Franklin’s music, who has been an inspiration to me my entire life,” Jennifer Hudson shared. “I continue to be in awe of Black female role models who serve as activists and advocates in their communities and I am thrilled, through my partnership with Mastercard, to shine a light on them.”
Mastercard, Fearless Fund and Create & Cultivate will host a red carpet celebration to honor the entrepreneurs featured throughout the Strivers Initiative at the Apollo Theater on August 18th. During the event Jennifer Hudson will make a special appearance as Mastercard unveils the “Strivers Gallery” featuring portraits of the guests of honor and Fearless Strivers Grant Contest recipients. Chicago-based creator, Tyler Clark, will create the portraits of the honorees using her unique 3D hair technique.
“I’m excited to celebrate the Black-women owned business entrepreneurs that Mastercard’s Strivers Initiative spotlights both at the event in their honor and at the intimate concert at the Apollo. It’s a dream come true to perform at the Apollo and an honor to celebrate with Ms. Franklin’s music, who has been an inspiration to me my entire life,” Jennifer Hudson shared. “I continue to be in awe of Black female role models who serve as activists and advocates in their communities and I am thrilled, through my partnership with Mastercard, to shine a light on them.”
This is a specially priced event exclusively for select Mastercard cardholders. All ticket holders MUST show proof of vaccination in order to attend.
Mastercard is excited to team with Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) on Respect, the long-awaited film starring Academy Award®-winner Jennifer Hudson, who was handpicked by Ms. Franklin to portray her on the big screen. Following the rise of Aretha Franklin’s career from a child singing in her father’s church’s choir to her international superstardom, Respect is the remarkable story of Franklin’s journey to find her voice. Respect opens in-theatres nationwide on Friday, August 13th.
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Congratulations to the recipients of the 2021 Harlem Entrepreneurial micro-grant initiative