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File #: 2013-1837    Version: 1
Type: Proclamation Status: Adopted
File created: 9/4/2013 In control: City Council
On agenda: Final action: 9/4/2013
Enactment date: 9/4/2013 Enactment #: 583
Effective date:    
Title: NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby honor and celebrate Ms. Iyanla Vanzant; and, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare Saturday, August 23, 2013, to be “Dr. Iyanla Vanzant Day” in the City of Pittsburgh.
Sponsors: R. Daniel Lavelle, Reverend Ricky V. Burgess, All Members
Indexes: PROCLAMATION - MR. BURGESS, PROCLAMATION - MR. LAVELLE
Attachments: 1. 2013-1837.doc
Body
WHEREAS, Rev. Dr. Iyanla Vanzant's story reads like an epic adventure filled with near misses, struggle, strength, courage and triumph. From her life's experiences she has uncovered her life's purpose, discovered the power that lies within and recovered her authentic self. Iyanla Vanzant has emerged as a living testament to the value in life's valleys and the power of acting on faith. The best part is, she teaches what she has learned; and,

WHEREAS, For 24 years Vanzant studied everyone and everything that spoke to personal strength, personal growth and empowerment. She then integrated that information with her own experiences and developed a common sense approach for addressing life's challenges. Her frank, down-to-earth, and inspiring manner resulted in the publication of ten books over a span of seven years, five of which were New York Times best-sellers; and,

WHEREAS, An immensely popular public speaker, Vanzant teaches an accessible process for discovering spiritual identity and its inherent power. Her work, she says, “Teaches people how to move beyond whatever has happened in their lives in order to do and be what we came to life to do and be.” Vanzant teaches that one cannot evolve politically, socially or economically until one evolves spiritually. She conveys this message with love, humor and humility and her approach has earned her an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York, Master's Degree in Spiritual Psychology (University of Santa Monica), 2 Honorary Degrees (City University of New York and Georgia State University), an Emmy, an NAACP Image Award, and a Rosa Parks Award (Southern Christian Leadership Conference); and,

WHEREAS, In the year 2000, she was named one of the "100 most influential Black Americans" by Ebony magazine, which said that "Her books, lectures and television appearances have made her a multimedia high priestess of healthy relationships." Iyanla is a Spiritual...

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