The Black History Month annual dinner/dance fundraiser was inaugurated in 2017 as a spectacular opportunity to showcase Black History and the positive contributions made by Black people each and every day in the Niagara Community. ABEAN seeks to promote opportunities for open dialogue and personal interactions between cultures. These conversations and interactions can lead to a better appreciation of the shared daily challenges all of us face as we try to make a positive contribution to family and our community. It is a celebration of Black men and women who advocate for excellence in every sphere of their lives. The Award is presented to either a man or a woman who has overcome exceptional challenge(s) and demonstrated extraordinary resolve throughout. The award recognizes a number of key challenges that the nominee has undertaken, moved forward, and ultimately achieved success. It also recognizes the various ways the individual is advocating for excellence and the positive contributions they are making to the Niagara community