According to Playbill, Stage and screen favorites will team up this spring for a second annual virtual concert to benefit homeless youth around the world. Night of Covenant House Stars will be co-hosted by Audra McDonald and John Dickerson, with a lineup including Meryl Streep, Vanessa Williams, Ariana DeBose, Kelli O’Hara, and Sara Bareilles. Also slated to appear are Dolly Parton, Ryan Reynolds, Robin Roberts, Stephen Colbert, Rachel Brosnahan, Capathia Jenkins, Jo Ellen Pellman, John Dickerson, Darius De Haas, Daniel Yearwood, Ames Mcnamara, Laurie Metcalf, and more. The stars will be joined by Covenant House youth as well. “These stars have stepped up because they recognize that our young people don’t have the option to shelter at home without a home,” says Covenant House President Kevin Ryan. “For thousands of young people in this past year and for 2,000 young people tonight, Covenant House is their home. Night of Covenant House Stars will help us keep our doors open, 24/7, when youth experiencing homelessness need us more than ever.” The Broadway community became involved with Covenant House on a large scale after Stephanie J. Block first performed at a benefit years ago. She teamed up with board member (and fellow Broadway performer) Capathia Jenkins to found the Broadway Sleep Out, now expanded to the Stage and Screen Sleep Out. The connections continue to grow, even when shifted to a digital landscape. McDonald and Dickerson hosted a virtual benefit last year as well. The theme of the gala this year is “Stand Up, Stand Strong,” recognizing and celebrating the resilience of young people experiencing homelessness and the heroism of frontline staff working to keep them safe during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Funds raised will go directly to food, clothing, healthcare, education, job training, and short and long-term housing for youth overcoming homelessness at Covenant House across the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. The evening, sponsored by Kia, is produced by Jeff Calhoun with musical supervision by Jason Howland. McDonald, Dickerson, and Calhoun are all members on the Covenant House board of directors. Many thanks to Glenn for the heads-up.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, quality Now is mounting the Make Equality Reality Gala, a virtual event scheduled for Dec. 3 to support the organization’s mission of fighting for an equal world for women and girls. The event’s program will feature a tribute written by Gloria Steinem and read by Meryl Streep in honor of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, whose work for legal equality has inspired Equality Now’s global work, per the organization. Other honors include the activists and filmmakers of On the Record, Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering’s documentary exploring the sexual assault allegations against Russell Simmons, and a third annual Changemaker Award presented by Gucci and Chime for Change that will be accepted by Egypt #MeToo activist Nadeen Ashraf. Confirmed to appear during the gala are Jane Fonda, Kate Hudson, Jameela Jamil, Karamo Brown, Margaret Atwood, Marisa Tomei, Alicia Vikander, Paul Reiser, AnnaSophia Robb, Rob Reiner, Carmen Ejogo, Aasif Mandvi, Karen Robinson, Jess Glynne, Heather McMahon, Linda Perry, Christine Lahti, Scarlett Curtis and V, who was formerly known as Eve Ensler. “This has been an incredibly challenging year for women and girls worldwide — from the clampdown on reproductive rights in Poland and the United States to the rising rates of child marriage in Kenya and India, 2020 has had a profound impact on the status of gender equality,” said Yasmeen Hassan, global executive director of Equality Now. “These setbacks mean the work of human rights advocates and activists around the world is more crucial than ever. Equality Now is inspired by the incredible cohort that is participating in our first-ever virtual gala, and look forward to working with them to help ensure that women and girls have access to justice regardless of what stands in their way.” More information about the event can be found here. Many thanks to Alvaro for the heads-up.

On Nov. 18 at 7 p.m., Citymeals on Wheels will be hosting their first ever virtual event: a coming together of recipients, volunteers and city celebrities to celebrate the charitable work of the organization. Special segments will include a behind-the-scenes look at volunteer efforts and a day-in-the-life-of a Citymeals Chef. A star-studded guest list including Tina Fey, Sarah Jessica Parker, Bernadette Peters, Meryl Streep, Sterling K. Brown, Liam Neeson, Billy Crystal, Michael Douglas and Adrienne Warren will read recipient thank you letters detailing just how meaningful and to what extent the service has helped the elderly in our communities. Culinary star-power will be present too, with Daniel Boulud, José Andrés, Charlie Palmer and author Gail Simmons all planning attendance to the online event. Comic relief will be provided by Colin Jost, Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka and Mario Cantone, amongst others. Citymeals on Wheels has been a charitable pillar in NYC for almost three decades and will continue to provide enhanced help to vulnerable communities throughout the COVID pandemic. Their trusted Board of Directors covers all administrative costs, so if you decide to donate to Citymeals on Wheels, rest assured that 100% of your donation is going toward the preparation and delivery of meals for your neighbors in need. To learn more about the event, donate or become a heroic frontline volunteer, visit www.citymeals.org/morethanameal.

According to Yahoo, Meryl Streep is showing her support for the freedom of the press by honoring Amal Clooney at the prestigious CPJ International Press Freedom Awards. The Oscar-winning actress, 71, will present the human rights lawyer, 42, with the 2020 Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award during an online award ceremony on Nov. 19. The award ceremony will showcase the work of this year’s awardees — which include four journalists from Bangladesh, Iran, Nigeria and Russia who have faced arrest or prosecution for their work. Streep will highlight Clooney’s work as counsel for many journalists under threat.

In times of unprecedented uncertainty, it’s journalists who are out there, gathering the facts and trying to help us make sense of it all. By asking tough questions, and pursuing the truth at any cost, they are essential workers – serving the public and protecting democracy. That’s why I’m proud to take part in this year’s International Press Freedom Awards and to continue supporting the vital work of the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Clooney will also be interviewed by reporter and 2018 Gwen Ifill Awardee Maria Ressa. The lawyer previously defended Ressa when she was persecuted in her home country of the Philippines for reporting on government corruption. The award ceremony will be hosted by NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt. He’ll be joined by several other notable journalists such as Christiane Amanpour, Margaret Brennan, David Muir, Yamiche Alcindor and others. Rosamund Pike, Samantha Bee and journalist Ronan Farrow will be included in calls to support press freedom. The 2020 International Press Freedom Awards will be broadcast online at www.ipfa2020.org as well as NBC News, CBS News and ABC News on Nov. 19 at 8 p.m. EST.

I’ve added all recent virtual performances that Meryl Streep has participated in. 2020 has been short of public appearances, for obvious reasons, but we’ve been able to catch Meryl Streep in online appearances more than ever. Among the additions are her most recent appearance on Bette Midler’s “Hocus Pocus” Hulaween Special to benefit the New York Restoration Project, The Public Theater’s tribute to Sam Waterston, the Kageno Virtual Harambee and a recent tribute by the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. Have a look at all added videos below. Screencaptures from all appearances have been added as well. Enjoy, and please, stay safe everybody.

Following the success of his New York Times bestseller Dumpty, actor, author, and illustrator John Lithgow presents Trumpty Dumpty Wanted a Crown, a new book of satirical poems chronicling the despotic age of Donald Trump. This collection is funnier, darker and more hard-hitting than ever. Lithgow writes and draws with wit and fury as he takes readers on a wild ride through another year of the Trump administration. His rollicking poems and illustrations cover Trump’s impeachment, the COVID-19 pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement, and much more. In association with director Tim Van Patten, Triptyk Studios, and Chronicle Prism, John Lithgow presents a 21-episode video series based on the poetry in his book, TRUMPTY DUMPTY WANTED A CROWN: Verses for a Despotic Age—starring 19 luminaries from the acting, literary, and political spheres. Covering Trump’s impeachment, the COVID-19 pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement, and much more, Lithgow’s new book arrives at a time when we need it most. With the 2020 election looming, it’s important to remember all of the atrocities of the past four years—and to do everything we can to prevent more. As Lithgow says, “I wrote this book to make you laugh, to make you mad, and to make you remember… and maybe also to make you vote.”

Superman star Christopher Reeve would have turned 68 today, and friend Meryl Streep is remembering the late actor and his wife Dana in an emotional video posted online by their charity group, the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. For decades, the group has worked to find treatments and cures for paralysis from spinal cord injuries and other neurological disorders. Though the Reeves are no longer with us, Streep encourages people to donate to the cause, detailing how important the organization’s mission is to the Reeve family. “There are certain stars that we count on never to dim, never to be extinguished, no matter how murky the sky or thick the cloud cover in November, we count on them to shine through, give us inspiration from far, far, far away,” Streep says of Christopher and Dana Reeve. She concludes her tribute video by asking viewers to donate to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. “I want to salute all the people that the foundation has helped over the years, many of whom Chris and Dana never even got the chance to meet. In honor of their memory, I ask you to give generously,” Meryl Streep explains.

On September 06, Meryl Streep has joined the National Domestic Workers Alliance to pay tribute to the lives and work of essential workers. As per their website: Together we’ll issue a powerful call for transformation in honor of the people that we’ve lost and to fight for the working people who are essential to our economy and society. These essential workers are disproportionately Black and other women of color, immigrant, and other communities in the margins. We have a responsibility and opportunity to create an inclusive future that ensures that everyone is treated with dignity and respect–through raising pay and workplace standards, improving safety, and increasing worker power in the workplace. Meryl’s segment starts at 1:15:43

Monumental Women, the all-volunteer nonprofit group bringing the first statue depicting real women to Central Park, is pleased to announce that award-winning actors Jane Alexander, Viola Davis, America Ferrera, Rita Moreno, Zoe Saldana and Meryl Streep will portray Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton in English and Spanish-Language ‘Talking Statues’ monologues that will accompany the ​Women’s Rights Pioneers Monument​. The Monument featuring Truth, Anthony and Stanton is set to be unveiledon Central Park’s Literary Walk on August 26, 2020, the centennial anniversary of the ratification of the 19​th​ Amendment, when women won the right to vote. Actors Jane Alexander and America Ferrera will voice Anthony, Viola Davis and Zoe Saldana will voice Truth, and Meryl Streep and Rita Moreno will voice Stanton. Monumental Women began working to develop the ​Women’s Rights Pioneers Monument​ and “break the bronze ceiling” by securing a prominent location on Central Park’s famed Literary Walk in 2014. In the statue, Bergmann shows Anthony, Stanton, and Truth working together when they met to advance thefight for equality, justice, and women’s rights. They are depicted as equals, working together ata table, with each taking on an essential element of activism: Truth is speaking, Anthony is organizing, and Stanton is writing. ​The ​Women’s Rights Pioneers Monument​ honors three New York women who dedicated their lives to women’s rights and to women winning the franchise, though none of them lived long enough to see it happen. The public can easily access the monologues by scanning a QR code on a smart-device or by downloading the Talking Statues app on a mobile device.​​The app is part of Monumental Women’s educationcampaign to educate Park visitors, young people and schoolchildren around the world aboutwomen’s history. Many thanks to Alvaro for the heads-up.

At the beginning of this year, some of the biggest names in Texas media left their respective organizations to begin a new one. Former Texas Tribune Editor Emily Ramshaw and Chief Audience Officer Amanda Zam­mora founded the 19th*, a national nonprofit newsroom focused on the “unfinished business of the 19th Amendment” granting (white) American women the vote in 1920. Andrea Valdez, formerly editor-in-chief of the Texas Observer, fills the same role at the 19th, and Errin Haines, previously national writer on race for the Associated Press, is editor-at-large. Next week, Aug. 10-14, the nascent enterprise is bringing together some more big names of American politics and culture in a “virtual summit,” the 19th Repre­sents. Speakers including Stacey Abrams, Alicia Garza, Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris, and Meryl Streep will headline discussions on the intersection of race and gender issues, voting rights, and electability. Updated: As part of The 19th Represents, Award-winning actors Meryl Streep and Zoe Saldaña perform excerpts from historic speeches by American suffragists – women like Inez Milholland; Sojourner Truth; Crystal Eastman and Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, who fought not just for the right to vote, but for racial justice for women. The 19th Represents is the inaugural summit of The 19th News, a new nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom reporting on gender, politics and policy. To learn more about The 19th, visit summit.19thnews.org.