Richelieu Dennis was recently honored for his considerable contributions to furthering not only the Black community, but the human race.
Global civil organization Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) honored Dennis and other change-makers during their Recognition Week 2023 which ran from Friday, September 28th to Monday, October 2nd at 1 United Nations Plaza in New York City via a series of celebratory events.
“This global gathering aims to foster discussions on common threads, best practices, and opportunities for collaboration to advance the equitable economic prosperity of people of African descent worldwide,” a news release states.
Other honorees include Robert F. Smith, Chairman and CEO, Vista Equity, Nicole Brown, President, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment (USA), Dr. Tedros A. Ghebreyesus, Director-General of World Health Organization (Switzerland/Ethiopia), the first person of African descent to lead the global organization in its 75 years history.
“We continue to amplify global Black narratives, shedding light on untold stories of our struggles and triumphs, even in unexpected places and high positions,” said Kamil Olufowobi, Founder & President, MIPAD, in a statement. “This global assembly provides a platform for sharing local experiences and formulating global strategies to promote equity and equality in communities around the world.”
Per Dennis’s bio, he is a Liberian refugee who moved to the US in 1980 before making his fortune creating the hugely popular beauty company, Shea Moisture, Sundial and other consumer products. Rich serves as Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board. Dennis later founded Essence Ventures and acquired Essence Magazine and Essence Festival, known as the world’s largest celebration of Black women, culture and community, attracting more than 500,000 visitors in past years. Dennis is an active, social investor having launched the New Voices Fund, a $100M fund that was launched to invest in businesses owned by black women.