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ED LEWIS ESSENCE CHAIRMAN FIGHTS INJUSTICE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ESSENCE PUBLISHER AND CEO ED LEWIS AT FOREFRONT OF COMMUNITY ACTIVISM In light of the recent appellate court decisions to reverse the judgments of three of the New York City police officers involved in the Abner Louima brutality case, national business leader Ed Lewis has once again taken to the forefront in the call for justice. The publisher of ESSENCE magazine, and chairman and CEO of Essence Communications Partners, joined the Rev. Al Sharpton and others recently to call on Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and Mayor Bloomberg’s office to disallow the ex-cops the opportunity to return to the police force. Lewis’ recent actions on behalf of the Louima case are just the latest in his long history of community activism, and in directing the rallying cry against the injustices of police brutality. For the past several years he has been a leader in calling on government officials, civic leaders and members of the community to help build and cultivate an atmosphere of mutual respect between police officers and the citizens they serve. Born in the Bronx and a successful businessman for more than three decades, Lewis has a long-standing personal passion and commitment to our society’s issues and causes. He is a strong advocate of civil rights and community involvement, contributing both personal time and financial support to a number of civic, educational and arts organizations. He has fought for change on numerous fronts, and has worked with the city’s and the nation’s other Black leaders to confront the issues of affirmative action, social justice, and political and economic empowerment. From his office in the heart of Times Square Lewis overlooks a city that has changed drastically in the 32 years since ESSENCE magazine was first published. “Back in 1970,” says Lewis, “our voices went unheard—by investors, by the publishing world, and even those in the community. A lot has changed since then. And today, although we still have a lot of work to do, we are witnessing increased opportunity and access, economic advancement, heightened educational standards, and a commanding political voice.” Lewis has played an integral part in many of those advancements. Today Essence Communications is one of the country’s most successful and diverse African-American-owned media companies. In addition to publishing the leading lifestyle magazine for Black women, the company produces The Essence Awards, the annual award-winning network special, and the Essence Music Festival, the annual three-day celebration of music, culture and empowerment. The company is an institution. As such—with Lewis at the helm—it has been able to wield a powerful sword of inspiration, transformation and innovation in fighting the battles that still need to be waged. Lewis fights those wars from “The Publisher’s Page” of ESSENCE, calling on the magazine’s eight million readers to realize the significance of a commanding political voice—that is, get out and vote—to help bridge the divide in our communities, and to join in the support of our young people, the next generation of leaders. And he backs up his words with actions; he and his wife, Carolyn, have set up eight scholarships at his alma mater, the University of New Mexico, and he frequently lectures to students interested in business and publishing. He sits on the boards of numerous civic, business and artistic organizations—all in an effort to open the doors of opportunity for those in the African-American community. The tragic stories of the Abner Louima and Amadou Diallo cases, however, are ones that have deeply touched Lewis and prompted him to action. He knows that these incidents have deeply wounded New York City, and he is undaunting in his efforts to denounce the trampling of our civil rights. Not long after the Diallo shooting Lewis helped form The Diallo Leadership Conference, which drew up a 10-point action plan to insure the civil liberties of other hard-working men and women and to improve community/police relations. In an editorial he wrote around the same time Lewis urged “every concerned citizen to join me in this battle. It is a fight, however, that will not be won with words alone. Certainly our politicians, elected officials, civil and community leaders must be held accountable. But we must do our part first. We must back up our words with actions. If we come together as concerned citizens and do our part—however small or large that may be—it is certain that our City Halls will no longer turn a deaf ear. Our Mayors and other leaders will heed our calls for justice, our need for change, our demands for respect.” Today Lewis continues to lead the rallying cry. “There are increased opportunities in this new age,” Lewis says now, “as well as new problems. So we must all realize that it is how we as a community take advantage of those opportunities, and find solutions to those challenges, that will bring us together. There is strength in a combined effort. And when our actions are noticed and our collective voice is heard, we can then take pride in ourselves as a true community.” Let's Talk! | Press Room | Contact Us Privacy Statement |