Hundreds of friends and supporters of the Greek America Foundation joined them in New York City during the weekend of June 17-19, 2017 from more than 30 states and five nations to celebrate what was the magic of the Gabby Awards weekend.
In addition to honoring outstanding individuals making a difference in their communities, they raised tens of thousands of dollars for earthquake relief victims in Lesvos and solidified our academic programs and humanitarian relief work in Greece.
The Gabby Awards is the Greek America Foundation’s signature biennial event. This year, guests have been taken on an emotional journey of the Greek experience in America from the arrival over a century ago at Ellis Island to their arrival at Carnegie Hall as one of the most important components of the great fabric of North American multiculturalism. Through their awards honoring Greek America’s Best and Brightest, as well as a beautiful collection of music, theatrics and vocal performances, the Gabby Awards at Carnegie Hall continued to live up to its reputation as Greek North America’s premier awards gala.
Beginning with the emotional “arrival” of Ellis Island immigrants and their integration into the audience as new Americans, a beautiful opening set told the story of the arrival Greeks in America.
A dark stage came to life with the first notes of the emotional song “Xenitia,” about exile and departure as the first “immigrants” emerged onto the stage, accompanied by the haunting voices of Nikos Kouroupakis and Eirini Tornesaki.
Such was the opening of the long-awaited 2017 Gabby Awards at Carnegie Hall.
Twenty actors came together to bring to life true stories of Greek Immigrants arriving in New York City at the beginning of the century. Every story performed on stage was based on true life events and researched meticulously by Theodora Loukas, who also directed the actors.
Twenty actors, 6 different stories, all in a span of 6 minutes.
The arrival of immigrants at Ellis Island… A doctor’s eye exam leads to a family separation… A picture bride finds her groom and to their surprise they fall in love… Final paperwork check and distribution of landing cards leads to a woman’s detention for possible immoral character due to her traveling alone… Detention of an underage girl traveling in a group of 3 children due to lack of supervision … they would be released after a while… and final arrival of immigrants in New York City and assimilation into American society as the actors emerged from the stage and became one with the audience.
On screen, real archival footage played, accompanying the actors, while quotes from actual interviews appeared on screen courtesy of the oral archives from the Ellis Island Museum.
Greece’s number one pop singer, Anna Vissi headlined the official Gabby Awards After Party at The Plaza Hotel, immediately following the awards ceremony at Carnegie Hall.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz_PTOxHhxs
The Greek America Foundation was proud to present an Artistic Achievement Award to Glykeria at the 2017 Gabby Awards at Carnegie Hall on June 17th.
An early advocate and supporter of our work– she performed at both the first Gabby Awards in Chicago and the second on Ellis Island, Glykeria helped transform our event into a global name.
In recognition of her work throughout the world to share Greece’s rich musical heritage, we honored her career.
Appropriately, Glykeria accepted the award with grace and dignity, performing an emotional song called “Patrida,” on the same stage where The Beatles, Ella Fitzgerald and the most important singers and musicians in history have performed. She dedicated the song to Greece… and was interrupted by boisterous applause during one of her epic “amanes” which she is known for.
Performing on stage with Glykeria were George Psarras, Paul Psarras, Lefteris Bournias, Petros Klampanis and Lefteris Kordis.
The Greek America Foundation was proud to bestow its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award to Andrew E. Manatos on Saturday evening June 17th at The Gabby Awards. Manatos, a lifelong advocate for Greece, Cyprus and the Greek American community in Washington and global halls of power, accepted the award and spoke eloquently about his own family’s journey.
Manatos, whose family arrived at Ellis Island more than a hundred years ago from the island of Crete has maintained a steadfast and critical presence in Washington, lobbying on behalf of numerous Greek American community issues.
His life’s work was highlighted in a tribute video that was shown to the hundreds of guests gathered at the 2017 Gabby Awards at Carnegie Hall and included two former United States Presidents and dozens of political and community leaders sharing Manatos’ long and illustrious career.
Given that it was father’s day weekend, Manatos was introduced by his son Mike Manatos, who is following in his father’s footsteps in Washington DC.
All proceeds from the Gabby Awards benefit academic and humanitarian programs of the Greek America Foundation, including the award-winning Project Hope for Greece campaign.