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  (Atty Ben Crump and Justice Shelvin Hall in photo above)

According to Martin’s International Director and one of the Special honoree’s nominators, the Hon. Justice Shelvin L.M. Hall, Ret., Appellate Court Judge. “Attorney Crump, the Florida-based attorney, past president of the National Bar Association, has become the voice for the families of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd -- Black people whose deaths at the hands of police and vigilantes sparked a movement in the defense of victims of police shooting across the country.

He has won multimillion-dollar settlements in police brutality cases. He has pushed cities to ban no-knock warrants. He told a congressional committee that reform is needed because “it’s become painfully obvious we have two systems of justice; one for white Americans and one for Black Americans.”  Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson, Rainbow Push Coalition was the last recipient of the Freedom Fighter Award in 2019.

“Since 1982, Dr. Rita Marley has attended, performed, presented, nominated and won several IRAWMA Awards. Prior to the Pandemic, in 2019, she was honored at the 37th IRAWMA with a Reggae 50 Award for her over fifty years of contributions to reggae and Jamaican music, and at the same time, accepted the Emperor of Reggae and World Music honor that was bestowed on her late husband, Robert Nesta Marley,” Dr. Ephraim Martin,  BH{M}, Martin’s International and IRAWMA president said.

Rita Marley is well known for her philanthropic efforts. She established the Rita Marley Foundation, which focuses on alleviating poverty and hunger and providing education in Ghana and Jamaica.

( Dr. Ephraim Martin and Atty. Ben Crump in photo below)

Veteran journalist and one of the IRAWMA nominators, Vinnette Price, stated, “Unquestionably unrivaled undeniably Rita Marley deserves every accolade imaginable. Aside from the public view most of us are privileged, this gargantuan woman has privately sealed her place as a philanthropic humanitarian giving relentlessly to things Jamaican, issues African, projects Bahamian, should I go on? Rita has consistently aided in causes benefiting her people. Ok so she donated book bags in Jamaica… but to average folks in her midst she gave and gave in Morant Bay, Buff Bay etc.

In Ghana she was always front and center at Village gatherings… I am witness to so many assemblies. How she elevated the status of her husband in Meskel Square, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia is well documented but how she maneuvered the landscape to return the love was eye candy… humble, genuine, pleasant. And what about how she embraced the dam project steering the Nile River? Google that. I am biased… maybe I’m totally biased but who else could possibly command this philanthropic title? Rita Marley is deserving. Rita Marley exemplifies the title, and now more than ever Rita Marley should be showered with accolades,” Ms. Pryce, concluded.

Dr. Ephraim Martin, President & Producer of IRAWMA, who is celebrating his Golden 50th Anniversary in media, entertainment, and social justice activism, said “some15 special honors and 40 nominated categories will be awarded. This is our eighth hosting of IRAWMA in South Florida, we have for over forty consecutive years, serve as the only organization, honoring the best of reggae and world music’s best throughout the globe. We intend to uphold the integrity of IRAWMA by giving honors only where honors are due without compromise; however, for the fortification of  our endeavors, we need your tax-deductible financial support/donation at www.martinsinternational.com or www.irawma.com. Even if you have already purchased tickets, your additional donation will go a long way” Martin stated.

This 41st IRAWMA is specially dedicated to Health Awareness, as a result, a free Health Advocacy Seminar will be held on March 21st, the eve of the IRAWMA at the same LPAC venue starting at 10am and free tickets can be secured at www.irawma.com.  

For the nominated categories, voting is now open to the public through March 5th, we ask that all voters subscribe for free to www.YouTube.com/IRAWMA, download the Martin’s International Events app in the Play store, and vote at www.irawma.com.

IRAWMA is made possible through generous contributions and support from VP Records, The Halls of Justice”- Hon. L. Priscilla Hall/Hon. Shelvin L.M. Hall, Onstage TV, Circle House Studios, Rebel Vibez, Alpha Studios, Richie Innocent Perseverance Book, 25th Century Radio, Express Media, Reaching New Heights Marketing, Inc- Dawn Marie & Wiz, Jamusa Production- 62 years of Music, The Love Doc/Stacy Rose Show, Roc Factory, Balloons by Jaki Jade, Dainjah Rus Rebel Muzik  and other supporting sponsors.

A limited number of V-VIP, VIP, general tickets, and hotel packages are available to the public at www.irawma.com, email, irawma@gmail.com or call 877/9-REGGAE.   

Media Contact: Angela Thame, irawmainfo@gmail.com or Ladythame@yahoo.com.  

(Below Ziggy and Rita Marley with journalist/nominator and Vinnette Pryce)