Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City Elects Nickelodeon Executive Marva Smalls as Board President

Original Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City Press Release via Business Wire:

Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City Elects Marva Smalls as Board President

Executive Vice President of Public Affairs, Chief of Staff for Nickelodeon and Executive Vice President of Global Inclusion Strategy for Viacom Named BBBS of NYC Board President

August 27, 2015 10:59 AM Eastern Daylight Time

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City (BBBS of NYC), the nation's first and New York's largest youth mentoring organization, today announced it has elected trustee Marva Smalls as Board President.

Marva Smalls

"I am thrilled to announce that Marva has been elected president of the Board of Trustees of Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City," said Hector Batista, CEO of BBBS of NYC. "During her many years of dedicated service as a trustee and member of the Executive Committee, most recently as Development Committee Chair where she helped us increase ROI on our eight special events, Marva has helped expand our reach and has been instrumental in the success of major initiatives and top notch events, including our annual Race for the Kids – part of Nickelodeon's Worldwide Day of Play. Through her extraordinary professional accomplishments and commitment to community service, Marva is a true role model for the young people in our programs, and I know she will help take this organization to new heights."

Marva serves as executive vice president of Public Affairs, chief of staff for Nickelodeon, and executive vice president of Global Inclusion Strategy for Viacom. She works with the leadership of all Viacom brands to champion multiculturalism, inclusiveness and diversity across the company worldwide. Under Marva's leadership, Viacom has established employee affinity groups, senior level executive councils advising on diversity, and a diversity and inclusion website.

As chief of staff, Marva oversees all pro-social and corporate responsibility initiatives for Nickelodeon Networks Group and its relationships with advocates, government officials, educators, non-profit organizations and trade associations. She coordinated Nickelodeon's Let's Just Play – an award-winning multi-media campaign and grassroots effort to encourage healthy lifestyles – with The William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association to help reduce childhood obesity. Marva also spearheaded the original The Big Help campaign, which empowered 40 million kids to pledge 380 million hours of volunteer service, and was honored with George C. Peabody and Golden CableAce awards.

Widely recognized as a force for positive social change, Marva was honored with the NAMIC's prestigious L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Award, The National Action Network's Triumph Award and T. Howard Foundation's Champion of Diversity Award.

"I am honored to have been elected by such a remarkable board of talented individuals, whom I've worked with for many years," said Marva. "There are countless young people across the city who are in need of positive role models, and I'm committed to helping Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City continue to communicate its message and fulfill its mission of enriching the lives of at-risk youth."

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City

Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC (BBBS of NYC), the nation's oldest and NYC's largest youth mentoring organization, has served the changing needs of New York City's most at-risk youth since 1904. The volunteer- and donor-based organization offers a variety of specialized mentoring programs to help children facing more complex challenges – including immigrant youth, children of incarcerated parents and those in foster care – as well as the Workplace Mentoring Program, which helps businesses throughout New York City positively impact the lives of young people and build a foundation for professional success. Additionally, since 1992 BBBS of NYC has worked through its Center for Training and Professional Development to equip non-profit professionals throughout New York City to develop and enhance their own mentor-based programs and organizations.

Through the support of individuals, foundations and corporations, this not-for-profit agency has been able to change the lives of the city's most disadvantaged children, matching them with caring adult role models – dependable friends who can help to expand their horizons, realize their potential and enrich their futures. To learn more, become a mentor and/or offer support, please visit www.bigsnyc.org.

About Viacom

Viacom is home to premier global media brands that create compelling television programs, motion pictures, short-form video, apps, games, consumer products, social media and other entertainment content for audiences in 180 countries. Viacom's media networks, including Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, Spike, BET, CMT, TV Land, Nick at Nite, Nick Jr., Channel 5 (UK), Logo, Nicktoons, TeenNick and Paramount Channel, reach a cumulative 3.4 billion television subscribers worldwide. Paramount Pictures is a major global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment.

For more information about Viacom and its businesses, visit www.viacom.com. Keep up with Viacom news by following Viacom's blog at blog.viacom.com and Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/Viacom.

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Nickelodeon's "The Big Help" Prosocial Campaign And First Lady Michelle Obama Team Up And Get Into The Olympic Spirit With A Special "Let's Move!" Event In London, UK

Below is a Nickelodeon Press Release from PRNewswire:

Nickelodeon's The Big Help Prosocial Campaign And First Lady Michelle Obama Team Up And Get Into The Olympic Spirit With A Special Let's Move! Event In London

NEW YORK, July 26, 2012 /Nickelodeon Press Release via PRNewswire/ -- Nickelodeon's The Big Help prosocial campaign for kids is teaming up with First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative to host Let's Move! London, an event for more than 1,000 American military children and American and British students. The event, which is taking place on Friday, July 27, in London is being co-sponsored by Let's Move!, Nickelodeon's The Big Help, and the Department of State, and will include sports stations, musical performances and appearances by Olympic and Paralympic legends including members of the U.S. delegation along with David Beckham, Bart Conner, Nadia Comaneci, Teresa Edwards, Emily Hughes, Sarah Hughes, Shawn Johnson, Dikembe Mutombo, Dara Torres, members of the 2012 US Track and Field Team and Manchester United legends, among others.

"First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative has been invaluable in raising awareness about the importance of kids and families living healthier and more active lifestyles," said Marva Smalls, Executive Vice President, Public Affairs, Nickelodeon Group. "We are proud to work with the initiative as we ourselves continue to spread the message of health and wellness and inspire action through our Big Help campaign."

During Let's Move! London kids will have an opportunity to get into the Olympic spirit and get active with the NBA and USA Basketball, U.S. Tennis Association, Manchester United, USA Field Hockey, USA Track and Field and Right to Play, which will all be providing activity stations. The event will also feature performances from The Wanted, Mark Ronson, Katy B., the University of Florida Gator Marching Band, the Power Rangers and specials appearances from Nickelodeon's Jeff Sutphen ["U-Pick Live", 'Pick Boy', and presenter/host of "My Family's Got Guts", "BrainSurge", "Figure It Out"], DJ J Boogie, and SpongeBob SquarePants.

This event is part of the First Lady's work to turn the inspiration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games into action by getting more kids healthy and active. In May, the First Lady joined U.S. Olympians, Paralympians and London hopefuls to announce a nationwide commitment to get more than 1.7 million American children active as part of her Let's Move! initiative to solve the problem of childhood obesity in a generation.

In March, Mrs. Obama welcomed Mrs. Samantha Cameron, wife of British Prime Minister David Cameron, to the United States by hosting a mini-Olympic event for local school children and in April, Mrs. Obama spoke at the Opening Ceremony for the 2012 Warrior Games. Mrs. Obama also invited Americans to start or join Let's Move! Olympic Fun Day Meetups on July 28th, the first day of competition in London. In cities and towns all across the country, friends, family and neighbors will come together to participate in Olympic-inspired games and activities to not just cheer on Team USA, but to live up to the example they set.

Last year, Nickelodeon teamed up with Let's Move! to celebrate its 8th annual Worldwide Day of Play, when the network once again suspended programming for three hours to encourage kids and families to get up and get active. Joined by Let's Move! and the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition Nickelodeon brought its flagship Worldwide Day of Play (WWDOP) event to the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., for the biggest celebration of active play in the initiative's history. The event drew more than 50,000 kids and families, who spent the day celebrating active play.

The Big Help is Nickelodeon's prosocial commitment to engage kids to take action and make a difference in their world. The initiative allows kids to connect to their passions by participating in Big Help Actions, which are service opportunities designed to engage kids in specific real world activities that affect the world around them. The campaign focuses on issues that are important to and affect kids, including health and wellness, the environment, education, and community service.

Nickelodeon, now in its 33rd year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 17 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B).

SOURCE Nickelodeon

RELATED LINKS
http://www.nick.com.

Also, from CBS News:

Michelle Obama says Olympics can promote health and fitness

(CBS News) First Lady Michelle Obama is preparing to lead the presidential delegation at the kick-off of the 2012 Olympic Games Friday and, she said, this is an opportunity to encourage kids to improve their health and fitness.

"Leading our nation's delegation and traveling to London is truly a dream come true," Obama said on a conference call with reporters Monday. "Some of my fondest memories when I was young and not so young involved watching the Olympics on TV and cheering on Team USA."

Obama will lead a delegation that includes past U.S. Olympians such as Brandi Chastain, Dominique Dawes, Grant Hill and Summer Sanders.

The first lady, who has made fighting childhood obesity a priority with her "Let's Move" initiative, said the games are an opportunity to promote health and fitness.

"I decided I wanted to turn that Olympic spirit and inspiration into action by using these games as a way to get more kids up and moving."

Obama said she is excited to host a "Let's Move!" event for 1,000 American military children and American and British students Friday. The event, co-sponsored by the State Department and by Nickelodeon, will include sports stations, entertainment and appearances by Olympic and Paralympic legends.

She also declared July 28 "Let's Move! Olympic Fun Day," encouraging children and communities to cheer on Team USA and participate in athletic events across the country. At least 200 communities have signed up, and the number is expected to grow throughout the week.

While in London, in addition to her fitness campaign, Obama will also attend a reception for heads of state and hold a private meeting with Samantha Cameron, the wife of British Prime Minister David Cameron.

Deputy National Security Adviser for Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes said the trip is an important way for the first lady to continue building the special relationship between the U.S. and the U.K.

"While this visit is about the Olympics, its also about advancing the close ties between the U.S. and the United Kingdom," Rhodes said.

Obama will conclude her trip Sunday with a visit to Mildenhall Air Force Base in England to visit American military families.

Also, from PolicyMic:

Michelle Obama Fights Obesity Crisis By Bringing Lets Move Campaign to London 2012

Obesity is a problem much larger than all the puns frequently used to describe its epidemic. The Centers for Disease Control estimates 35.7 percent of all adults and 17 percent of all children in the United States are obese. Medical costs attributed to obesity in the US reached $147 billion in 2008. Nearly 600 million people worldwide are obese. The sobering fact is that each of these statistical feats have grown largely in the last 35 years, before which most were blips on the radar compared to other public health concerns. Having been obese until college, researched obesity, and worked in obesity policy, I was pleased to learn of the First Lady's "Let's Move!" Campaign to prevent childhood obesity when it was launched in 2010. This week, I was happy to learn that she's taking the message overseas to the London Olympics.

Mrs. Obama is leading the Presidential Delegation to the UK, where she will cheer on American Olympians, meet with the Queen and wife of Prime Minister David Cameron, and most notably, lead a "Let's Move!" event for 1,000 British and American children. Of course, there are those skeptical of her efforts, including a post on this site wary that linking the Olympics to obesity prevention will discourage children for whom the dream of becoming the world-class athletes they see on television is likely “unattainable.”

But the promise of bringing "Let's Move!" to the world's stage is not limited to getting children to mimic athletes as they watch the Olympics (as I did). The First Lady's efforts abroad go for the gold in a couple of ways.

1. Bringing Awareness to a Global Stage: Where epidemiologists are tracking the rise of obesity and its effects worldwide, the problem is largely one that is epitomized by America. Deserved or not, this is a setback. To associate obesity with America is to ignore its rise and delay its solutions elsewhere. While Michelle Obama enjoys an iconic status across the globe, it's difficult for her efforts on childhood obesity to get notice in the international press when the United States is a constant and multifaceted player in the world arena. The Olympics ally her global presence to a topical stage, a venue in which it is more than appropriate to hold discourse on obesity everywhere.

2. Fighting Brands With Brands: It's puzzling and ironic and frustrating all at once that major junk food brands Coca Cola and McDonald's are official sponsors of the Olympic Games. Associating paragons of athletic prowess to French fries and high-fructose corn syrup soft drinks if confusing to children, to say the least. Where children are seeing one set of celebrity and brand to athleticism, Let's Move! Offers another. Earlier this year the initiative joined forces with the Walt Disney Company to reduce junk food advertisement and label healthier foods. The Let's Move! “bash” with 1,000 British and American children expands on this move, bringing in Nickelodeon, Olympic legends and sports icons like David Beckham to children and cameras.

A short-term trip to London won't put an end to obesity, but it's not supposed to either. The Let's Move! component to Mrs. Obama's delegation is both emblematic of efforts thus far, and amplifying of those to come.

Correction: A previous version of this article erroneously stated that 600 billion people worldwide were obese.

Also, from the Daily Mail:

David Beckham, Nickelodeon's Spongebob Squarepants, Brandi Chastain and First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama celebrate Nickelodeon joins Let's Move for 'Let's Move London' on Friday 27th July; Photograph Copyright Getty Images for Nickelodeon

Tina McCann, the Managing Director of Nickelodeon UK and Ireland, has Tweeted (posted) a few exclusive photographs from Nickelodeon's "The Big Help" prosocial event in London on her official Twitter profile page (@TinaMcCannMD):

Kids grooving to The Wanted at Nick's Let's Move event! Rain is not dampening our spirits! pic.twitter.com/It3Kd2Gw - 2.51am Friday 27th July 2012

David Beckham being interviewed by NBC's Al Roker at Nick's Let's Move event - he's such a star! - 3.06am Friday 27th July 2012

The Gator marching band [from the University of Florida, USA] arriving at Nick's Let's Move event there's A LOT of them!! pic.twitter.com/oCZFOnu0 - 3.18am Friday 27th July 2012

Far off in distance on that stage is FLOTUS Michelle Obama at Nick' Let's Move event - exciting! - 3.46am Friday 27th July 2012

Closer pic of FLOTUS Michelle Obama running past Gater marching band! pic.twitter.com/tFIngo2D - 3.51am Friday 27th July 2012

Also, from The Huffington Post:

Michelle Obama Hangs Out With LeBron James (PHOTOS)

Michelle Obama went from sporty to sophisticated on Saturday, starting the day with Nickelodeon's Worldwide Day of Play.

A typical Nickelodeon event, Worldwide Day of Play featured plenty of gack as well as the requisite Nick star guest appearance, this time in the form of Victoria Justice. But there was a special surprise: LeBron James! The Miami Heat star joined the First Lady to teach the kiddies about the importance of fitness.

But by night FLOTUS ditched her yoga pants and zip-up and donned a black glittering ensemble for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Phoenix Awards dinner in Washington, D.C.

With her husband in black tie, Michelle wore a long sequin skirt by Michael Kors and a black tee cinched with a Peter Soronen corset belt, accessorized with chunky black bracelets and a sparkling necklace.

While we don't love Obama's very "mommy" off-duty attire (flared sweatpants, Michelle? Really?) we adore this creative black tie look.

We also, for the record, adore the super cute pic of LeBron hugging the First Lady. Truly adorbz.

Check out Michelle on- and off-duty looks [here on HuffingtonPost.com]!

Tags: LeBron James, Michelle Obama, Michelle Obama Style, Video, Peter Soronen, Flotus, Slideadbigshot, Worldwide Day Of Play, Style News

Also, from Access Hollywood:

Caption - Michelle Obama and David Beckham celebrate Nickelodeon joins Let’s Move for ‘Let’s Move London’ event at the American Ambassadors Residence in London on July 27, 2012

Also, from The Gossip Girls:

David Beckham & Michelle Obama: Let's Move London Duo

Just hours before the 2012 London Olympic Games commence, David Beckham and First Lady Michelle Obama teamed up with Nickelodeon for the 'Let's Move London' event at the American Ambassadors Residence, Winfield House in London, England on Friday (July 27).

The Los Angeles Galaxy soccer stud cleaned up nicely for the outing, wearing a gray suit jacket and dark slacks, while Mrs. Obama went for a more casual look in white capri pants with a color block blue tee-shirt and sparkly silver shoes.

Proving she just might be able to join the ranks of Beckham on the field, the First Lady booted a Nike soccer ball effortlessly into a nearby net and after doing a little victory dance she turned to David for a playful high-five.

The event marked Michelle's second outing for the day. Earlier she welcomed USA team members in East London while David kept busy tending to promotions as he prepares for his involvement in the Olympics opening ceremonies tonight.

Letting his hometown pride shine, Mr. Beckham told The Sun today, "I have been lucky enough to have been involved in some amazing sporting moments in my career, but nothing can compare with what is about to take place in London. . . . It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. I know I am biased but, what the rest of the world will see, I don’t think any other country in the world could do it better."

Enjoy the pictures of David Beckham and Michelle Obama at the 'Let's Move London' Event (July 27) [here on the official 'The Gossip Girls' website, celebrity-gossip.net]