‘<i> The</i> Great Advocate’ for Kids Honored

The Hollywood Women’s Political Committee awarded its fourth Barbara Jordan Award to Marian Wright Edelman, a champion of children’s rights and founder and president of the Children’s Defense Fund, Thursday night at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel.

The group raises money for progressive candidates and produced last year’s starry fund-raiser in Los Angeles for then-presidential candidate Bill Clinton.

Edelman, a longtime friend of Clinton and his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, spoke passionately for the need to support the President’s economic plan, which will direct million of dollars into “child investments,� such as immunizations for schoolchildren and funding for full-day, full-year Head Start programs.

But her message was also aimed at the entertainment crowd. Without endorsing censorship or government controls, Edelman urged the audience to work toward reducing violent incidents on television and in film that contribute to a national “worship of violence.�

The award’s namesake, a former congresswoman from Texas who has taught at the University of Texas, Austin, was also present. Jordan--who first received the award, given for work in the field of civil rights--encouraged the audience to “act seriously� and “be defenders and advocates of those policy changes which are good for America. This is not time for you to be shy. Each one of us must become agents of change. We should not cede one inch of turf to naysayers.�

The combination of Edelman and Jordan brought out an audience of activists, elected officials and famous faces, including Danny Glover, Marg Helgenberger, Henry Winkler, Mary McDonnell, Valerie Harper, Rhea Perlman, Carol Kane, director Sydney Pollack, producer Gary Goldberg, Elizabeth and Paul Michael Glaser, state Treasurer Kathleen Brown, state Sen. Tom Hayden, Los Angeles Police Commissioner Stanley Sheinbaum and philanthropists Eileen and Peter Norton.

President Clinton, who has come become an L.A. banquet regular via the miracle of videotape, appeared on screen, calling Edelman “our nation’s conscience when it comes to the needs of our children.� Sharing video time, Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala said Edelman is “ the great advocate� for children.