Candidates
Holly Robinson Peete
"I fund raise morning, noon and night for families with autism. I call it creative begging."
Actress, author, activist and philanthropist Holly Robinson Peete has been touched by the entertainment industry all of her life. Her career as an actress dates back more than two decades and has led her to becoming a voice for her father, her son and her community.
Her longevity and recognizability in the entertainment community has led Robinson Peete to a successful career as a spokesperson for some of the country's biggest brands. She continues her work as the multicultural spokesperson for Colgate toothpaste and in 2008, she and her children were featured as part of Skechers' Nothing Compares to Family campaign highlighting her HollyRod Foundation.
Robinson Peete recently wrapped a successful run as an on-air personality alongside her husband Rodney on their daily radio program "Meet the Peetes." Airing on the Oprah & Friends network on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio, "Meet the Peetes" captured the reality of two working parents raising their four children, balancing their careers and being activists and advocates on issues which affect their lives. The Peetes were able to effectively balance issues, fun and family in a way only two people who have been married for 14 years can.
An accomplished author, Robinson Peete won the 2006 Quill Literacy Award with her first book "Get Your Own Damn Beer, I'm Watching the Game: A Women's Guide to Loving Pro Football" (2005, Rodale). In March, 2010 she will release her second book, a children's picture book about autism, co-authored by her 11-year-old daughter, Ryan Elizabeth Peete, entitled "My Brother Charlie" (Scholastic).
Robinson Peete had her first experience in front of the camera, and one could argue her philanthropic start, at the age of four when she appeared on television opposite her father, Matthew Robinson, who portrayed the original beloved character of "Gordon" on the award-winning children's program "Sesame Street." While she knew even at that young age her calling was to be an actress, Robinson Peete opted to lead a typical childhood rather than aspire to be the next child star.
However, upon finishing her college education, Robinson Peete's heart led her back to entertainment and in 1986, she landed a starring role on the FOX television drama "21 Jump Street" opposite Johnny Depp. She has gone on to star in three additional successful television series including "Hangin' with Mr. Cooper," "For Your Love," and "One on One." Robinson Peete's successful television career places her as one of only a handful of actresses to star in four shows in syndication. In addition, she also recently starred in the original Lifetime movie "Matters of Life & Dating" for which she was nominated for an NAACP Image Award.
