{"id":14964,"date":"2018-11-20T17:20:48","date_gmt":"2018-11-21T01:20:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dailyovation.com\/?p=14964"},"modified":"2018-11-24T10:54:41","modified_gmt":"2018-11-24T18:54:41","slug":"danai-gurira-bryce-dallas-wildaid-worlds-wildlife","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyovation.com\/2018\/11\/20\/danai-gurira-bryce-dallas-wildaid-worlds-wildlife\/","title":{"rendered":"Danai Gurira and Bryce Dallas Howard Honored at WildAid Gala: $2.5 Million Raised to Continue Fight to Save World’s Wildlife"},"content":{"rendered":"
WildAid<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>announced it raised\u00a0$2.5 million<\/span>\u00a0at its annual fundraising gala, “An Evening in\u00a0China<\/span>,” on\u00a0Saturday, Nov. 10<\/span>\u00a0at the Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel. Sponsored by\u00a0Bently Heritage Estate Distillery<\/a>, the gala is the organization’s largest fundraising event.\u00a0Danai Gurira<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0Bryce Dallas Howard<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0were honored as this year’s Wildlife Champions<\/strong> for their partnerships with WildAid for PSAs in support of the organization’s message, “When the Buying Stops, the Killing Can Too.”<\/p>\n Gurira was in attendance to accept her award and spoke of her childhood growing up in\u00a0Zimbabwe\u00a0<\/span>and her deep connection to wildlife from a young age.<\/p>\n “I got to spend time with the astounding wildlife of my nation for the first time in the second grade\u2026I was enamored and have remained so,” Gurira said before condemning the world’s treatment of its majestic creatures. “It was recently stated that humanity has wiped out 60 percent of wildlife since the 1970s. The problem is dire, and it is devastating, and it is urgent.”<\/p>\n Howard was unable to attend but accepted her award via video, referencing her unforgettable experience of coming face-to-face with an elephant for the first time at 11 years old in\u00a0Botswana<\/span>.<\/p>\n The charitable evening brought out celebrities, including\u00a0Josh Duhamel<\/span>,\u00a0Michael Cudlitz<\/span>,\u00a0Kevin Olusola<\/span>,\u00a0Bo Derek<\/span>, Maggie Q,\u00a0Dylan McDermott<\/span>,\u00a0Eli Roth<\/span>, Jasper P\u00e4\u00e4kk\u00f6nen,\u00a0Diane Warren<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0and more. Grammy Award-winner\u00a0David Foster<\/span>\u00a0provided the musical entertainment with special guest performances from\u00a0Pia Toscano<\/span>\u00a0and Shel\u00e9a, who collectively paid tribute to iconic singers\u00a0Celine Dion<\/span>and\u00a0Whitney Houston<\/span>. Singer\/songwriter\u00a0Jessi Collins<\/span>\u00a0also joined Foster on stage to perform an original Warren song, “I’ll Fight,” an ode to Supreme Court justice\u00a0Ruth Bader Ginsburg<\/span>.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n