Entertainment

Television Icon Jayne Kennedy To Headline Inaugural Circle of Care Honors In Norfolk

Television trailblazer Jayne Kennedy will headline the inaugural Circle of Care Honors in Norfolk, a community wellness event blending health, music, and inspiration while honoring leaders making a difference across Hampton Roads.
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NORFOLK

Medicine & Music – Healing, Hope, and Harmony, Inc., a Virginia- based 501(c)(3) non-profit, will host its inaugural First Circle of Care Honors on Sunday, June 14, 2026, at the Hilton Norfolk The Main. The event will feature television pioneer and wellness advocate Jayne Kennedy as the Featured Trailblazer Honoree, alongside a distinguished panel of community leaders dedicated to transforming how we care for one another.

The program begins at 2 p.m. in the Granby Ballroom and includes a moderated fireside conversation with Kennedy, a medal presentation ceremony honoring four Circle of Care Honorees, a live performance by a high school violin ensemble, a dessert reception, and a book signing where Ms. Kennedy will personally dedicate copies of her memoir, Plain Jayne, for every ticketed guest in attendance.

Jayne Kennedy made history as the first African-American woman to co-host a network sports broadcast, breaking barriers on CBS’s The NFL Today. Her career spans decades in television, film, and advocacy. In recent years, Kennedy has become a powerful voice for wellness, resilience, and the fight against loneliness – themes she explores with candor in her memoir, Plain Jayne.

The Circle of Care Honors will feature a fireside conversation moderated by veteran broadcast journalist Barbara Ciara, exploring Jayne Kennedy’s journey and her passion for community health and connection. Dr. LaJuana M. Collins, MD, a Medicine & Music board director, will serve as the event’s medical authority, bringing clinical perspective to the conversation on wellness, prevention, and the health challenges facing seniors and underserved communities.

The First Circle of Care Honors will recognize four individuals whose work embodies the mission of Medicine & Music – healing through service, hope through action, and harmony through community.

In addition to Kennedy, Hampton Roads honorees are Rev. Dr. Yvonne V. Delk, the first African-American woman ordained in the United Church of Christ; Christopher Tan – President & CEO, Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore; and Captain Carol Adams, Founder, Carol Adams Foundation.

ABOUT MEDICINE & MUSIC:

Medicine & Music was founded in 2026 by Dr. Abraham Teklu, MD, a practicing physician and saxophonist serving as Medical Director, and Dee-Dee Teklu, Executive Director, who brings 35 years of experience in television news, communications, and work at NASA, along with her background as a gospel recording artist.

The organization pairs physician-led wellness conversations with live music, shared meals, and community connection – serving seniors and community groups across the Richmond- to-Hampton Roads corridor.

Tickets are available exclusively at medicineandmusic.org. 100 percent of proceeds support Medicine & Music’s community wellness programs.