The sixth annual celebrity charity jazz and polo event will take place on Saturday, September 24 at the Congressional Polo Club in Poolesville. A portion of the proceeds is allocated to the Black Mental Health Alliance.
The Black Mental Health Alliance is a nonprofit organization that provides “services that support the health and well-being of Black people and their communities,” according to its website.
Christina B. Johnson, founder of Maryland Welfare Standard, will serve as emcee for the fundraising event. Johnson emphasized the struggles communities of color face when addressing mental wellness.
“In the Black and Latino communities, we are in the midst of a mental health crisis,” Johnson said. “Black women and men are less likely than their white peers to seek therapy and seek the help we need for mental wellness.”
Black Mental Health Alliance hosts programs and trainings that address racism and mental health stigma. The organization also connects people with licensed mental health professionals, according to its website.
“I think the nonprofit that we’re working with will essentially serve as a conduit for people who need services and people who provide services that are critical to the health and well-being of our community,” Johnson said.
The sixth annual Charity Celebrity Jazz and Polo event is scheduled from 1 pm to 9 pm and includes jazz music performances, vendors and polo matches. Actress LisaRaye McCoy, better known simply as LisaRaye, will host the event.
General admission tickets are available. for $150, plus additional fees. Grandiosity Events organized the event in association with more than 20 sponsors, according to the company’s press release.
The event will be held at the Congressional Polo Club located at 14660 Hughes Road in Poolesville.