Automaker Hosts Diversity Symposium Commemorating the Contributions of Blacks in Entertainment

Los Angeles, CA April 9, 2005; Chrysler Group recently helped the NAACP celebrate its 36th annual NAACP Image Awards as the sole gold sponsor for the event. The theme of this year's show, which took place at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, was "Created Equal."

"As our history has shown, the NAACP continues to raise the bar and influence standards that need to be broken," said Frank Fountain, Senior Vice President of Senior Vice President-External Affairs & Public Policy, Chrysler Group. "We are proud to be the title sponsor for this year's NAACP Image Awards, as we continue to build upon our efforts in promoting inclusion for persons of all races, creeds, and color."

Chrysler Group and the NAACP Hollywood Bureau hosted "Image is Everything," a diversity symposium, at the James Bridge Theatre at UCLA prior to the taping of the award show. Emmy Award-winning broadcaster Ed Gordon served as moderator for the discussion that explored the impact of African Americans in the entertainment industry. The distinguished panel of guests included Vicangelo Bulluck, executive producer of the 36th NAACP Image Awards; producer Rueben Cannon; Dr. Darnell M. Hunt, Professor of Sociology at UCLA; Paula Parisi, Features Editorial Director for The Hollywood Reporter; and Professor Russell Robinson of the UCLA School of Law.

Ralph Gilles, lead designer of the award-winning Chrysler 300, was also one of the panelists. A star in his own right, Gilles oversees Chrysler Studio 3 and is credited with creating some of the most stylish vehicles on the market, including the Chrysler 300, the Dodge Magnum, and the Dodge Charger, which will be in showrooms this June.

Another highlight of the NAACP Diversity Symposium was the presentation of the inaugural NAACP/Chrysler Group "Executive Behind the Lens" Award to Paula Madison, president and general manager of KNBC-TV 4 (Los Angeles). The "Executive Behind the Lens" award, an extension of "Behind the Lens" award that was created in 2002, recognizes those in executive management positions who work behind the scenes in the media to promote a fair and balanced view of the stories they report. "The steadying hand of African American executives who work behind the scenes to ensure that our stories are told honestly and without stereotypes is vitally important. We want to celebrate that unseen hand," said Fountain.