Superstars and Boys & Girls Clubs alums Denzel Washington and Ashanti Douglas were at the National Press Club Wednesday morning to talk about the nonprofit’s new initiative to attack the high school dropout crisis and recognize the Youth of the Year winners.
The two-time Academy Award-winning Washington has served as the national spokesman for the Boys & Girls Clubs for 18 years, and said he decided to accept the position because “it is an issue I can talk about honestly and passionately, and the club has had an enormous impact on my life.”
Washington and Douglas celebrated the Youth of the Year nominees and winners at a dinner ceremony Tuesday night at the Hyatt on Capitol Hill where House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., stopped by to congratulate the winners.
On Wednesday, Washington and Ashanti were set to bring the youth leaders to the White House to meet with President Obama and talk with him about the dropout crisis.
The actor said while he’s in town, he plans to settle a friendly score.
“The president has won one game of basketball and I’ve won one game. So, I am going over for a rubber match,” Washington said.
