2024 Johnny Jackson Jr. Gospel Is Alive! Celebration presented by Peoples Health Honoree Announcement

Congratulations to our Johnny Jackson Jr. Gospel Is Alive! Celebration presented by Peoples Health honoree Dr. Valentine Bemiss-Williams, who was recognized at the old Franklin Avenue Baptist Church on Monday, April 29, 2024.

Dr. Valentine Bemiss-Williams has led the Love Alive Fellowship Choir since 1987, and empowers over 150 youth each year through gospel music in New Orleans. From Jazz Fest to local events, her choir’s harmonies resonate in the community. With a commitment to accessibility and authenticity, she ensures that every child, regardless of experience or means, can participate in the choir. The Love Alive Fellowship Choir stands as a testament to Dr. Bemiss-Williams’s impact, earning her the 2024 Rev. Dr. Lois Dejean Lifetime Achievement Award.

Don Marshall, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation’s Executive Director, was also acknowledged for his longtime commitment to the Gospel Is Alive! program and music community.

Performers included Anointed Jackson Sisters, Isabel Davis and the New Orleans Council on Aging Gospel Choir.

Special thanks to the Gospel Is Alive! Honoree Committee:
Howard Rodgers, III, Chair, Rev. Dr. Lois Dejean, LaQuan Fields-Carter, Caryn Rodgers-Battiste, Leonard Smith and Frank B. Stewart, Sr.

Learn more at www.gospelisalive.com