November 3, 2023
Oakland University will welcome Loni Love to campus as keynote speaker for its 32nd annual Keeper of the Dream Awards Celebration. The Detroit native is a two-time Emmy, two-time NAACP Image and three-time Gracie Award-winning TV/radio host, comedian, actress, author and philanthropist.
Love is the executive producer of “Little Women Unfiltered: Atlanta,” an aftershow for “Little Women: Atlanta,” season six on Lifetime. She was also the host of the highly rated Salt-N-Peppa movie interview special with the legendary hip-hop artists on Lifetime.
In addition, Love is the new first narrator for the 13th season of “Bridezillas” on WETV and is one of the co-hosts of the GRACIE Award-winning weekend radio show “Café Mocha.” The show is broadcast on more than 40 stations, including SiriusXM Channel 141.
From 2015-2022, Love was the co-host for the nationally syndicated daytime talk show “The Real” on Fox. From 2020-2022, she was co-host of “Daily Pop” and guest co-host of “Nightly Pop,” celebrity and entertainment news shows on the E! network.
In 2019, she became the first female host on the mainstage of the Essence Music Festival in the Superdome in New Orleans. In 2020, she hosted the first-ever virtual Essence Festival celebrating the magazine’s 50th anniversary.
Love’s second book, “I Tried to Change So You Don’t Have To: True Life Lessons” debuted in June 2020 and received a glowing review from the New York Times. The book is an inspiring, hilarious memoir about learning to resist the pressures of conformity, love yourself for who you are, embrace your flaws and unlock your true potential.
The Keeper of the Dream Awards Celebration will be held from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday, January 15, 2024, in the Oakland Center Founders Ballrooms.
Established in 1993, the Keeper of the Dream Scholarship Awards pay tribute to the legacy of Dr. King, honoring his achievements on behalf of civil rights. The awards recognize Oakland University students who have contributed to Dr. King’s legacy of interracial understanding and goodwill. In the past three decades, more than 100 students have been awarded Keeper of the Dream scholarships totaling more than $500,000.
This year’s Keeper of the Dream Awards Celebration is sponsored by Oakland University Credit Union, Corewell Health, Magna, PNC Bank, Comerica, Whirlpool, Marshall Family Foundation, Lynne & Lia McIntosh Scholarship, Oakland University Alumni Association, Lynne A. McIntosh Memorial Scholarship and the Oakland University Black Alumni Chapter.
Additional sponsorship opportunities are still available. Interested parties can contact Cheryl McGinnis at [email protected] to learn more about supporting this event.
For additional event information, contact the Center for Multicultural Initiatives at [email protected] or (248) 370-4404.