Sheela Murthy Champion for Women Award Honors Dr. Leslie Mancuso at Jhpiego Gala
Key Takeaways
- Dr. Leslie Mancuso was honored with the inaugural Sheela Murthy Champion for Women Award as she retires after 25 years leading Jhpiego.
- The Laughter Is the Best Medicine Gala brought together high-profile supporters and raised funds for Jhpiego’s global maternal and family health programs.
- The award links Murthy Law Firm’s founder, Sheela Murthy, with global health advocacy, highlighting philanthropy’s role in health programs that also affect immigrant and refugee communities.
- Supporters and donors, including notable public figures, were encouraged to give; the gala page includes ways to contribute.
Jhpiego gala and the award
Jhpiego, a global health nonprofit affiliated with Johns Hopkins University that trains health workers and implements maternal, newborn, and family health programs worldwide, celebrated leadership at its annual Laughter Is the Best Medicine Gala. The organization honored Dr. Leslie Mancuso with the inaugural Sheela Murthy Champion for Women Award as she steps down after 25 years guiding the group’s global work. Hosted by comedian Tom Papa, the evening featured appearances by Gabrielle Union (Global Ambassador), Soledad O’Brien, Michelle Buteau, Aloe Blacc, and other supporters — a high-profile fundraiser intended to sustain Jhpiego’s programs.
Why this matters to immigrants and immigration lawyers
Sheela Murthy is a prominent immigration attorney and philanthropist; the award bearing her name highlights a crossover between legal advocacy, philanthropy, and global health. Jhpiego’s work often intersects with migrant and refugee health: maternal and family health programs abroad can directly affect communities from which people immigrate, and domestic immigrant communities often rely on culturally competent maternal care and public health outreach. For immigration lawyers and applicants, the event underscores how civic and philanthropic engagement by legal professionals can shape broader public-health outcomes for immigrant families.
How to support and the human impact
The gala served both as celebration and fundraiser. It has been reported that attendees were urged to donate through Jhpiego’s donation page to sustain programs that save lives and improve health equity. For immigrants and visa applicants, the immediate takeaway is that global health investments matter: they reduce the likelihood that people must migrate out of necessity and improve outcomes for those who do migrate or seek asylum. Those wishing to support Jhpiego can find ways to give on the organization’s gala donation page linked in the original post.
Source: Original Article