Your performance was insightful, elevating and, imagine this, really--really funny. Your ability to tie humor into health and health care issues is a unique gift and a delight to experience. You helped us laugh with each other on cultural differences and yet, made it a way to reach across to each other. René Hicks was the perfect person to help kick off our Collegiate Tobacco Prevention Program in West Virginia. She mesmerized the audience with her courageous story. Through laughter René has turned a personnel tragedy into a triumphant story. "I feel rejuvenated to continue to fight big tobacco" said one college representative. Another student expressed "I never knew tobacco prevention could be so funny". For many people, the banquet was one of the highlights of the conference. We’ve never laughed so hard. Thanks for your tremendous contribution of time, talent and spirit. We look forward to working together over the coming years to support women and girls in building a more just and joyous future. René Hicks is a fabulously funny comedienne who speaks with a depth of intelligence and irreverence that is refreshing. She has a gift for the extemporaneous. Her inspirational performance touched the lives of her audience at Indiana University East. We would welcome René back to the Hoosier state! From all the kids and staff, thank you for again giving your time and energy to the Inside Out Annual benefit. WE LOVE YOU! René Hicks a great spokesperson for anti-tobacco preformed at our local community college. The students enjoyed listening to René as she gave real life advice about real life situations as well as being funny to the end. Rene is a great health advocate for her honesty and her ability to draw a crowd. We enjoyed the short stay she had with us. I want to take the opportunity to tell you how much we enjoyed having René join us in Texas last month at the 2005 Texas Teen Tobacco Summit and Comprehensive Tobacco Prevention Conference. René put the perfect closing touch on our 2005 conference, as she left the participants on a light-hearted note, yet challenging them to take action on a very serious issue. All the comments I heard afterwards seemed to include something about how “perfect” you were as Mistress of Ceremonies. In other words, the audience loved you! René, a non-smoker, contracted and overcame lung cancer. She brilliantly uses this testimonial experience and her comedic talents as a speaker. If you have not heard her, please consider her for your next event. You will never regret your decision. She is awesome! I would like to thank you for, again, participating in our annual “Take Back the Night”. As you put it, so pointedly, in your empowerment speech, we would very much like to have you back again under different circumstances. However, you brought humor and strength to a room full of people looking for such an example. Your blend of wit and dry humor definitely fits into our plan to use “Take Back the Night” as an evening to celebrate and concentrate on the positive growth of survivors of rape and sexual assault. René Hicks is not just a comedian; she is a fabulous woman with a powerful message. I have never met anyone that can use humor in such a powerful way. René has the astounding ability to use humor as a means of breaking down barriers between stereotypes, ethnicities, generalizations, words and ideas that infect prejudice in our everyday world. Somehow, this hilarious woman also intertwines an amazing message about secondhand smoke. Using her humor to tell about her life experiences with the development of lung cancer from entertaining in clubs full of secondhand smoke, this lady grabbed the attention of the student body and held it there until she walked off the stage. Her credentials speak for themselves and I will gladly stand as a testimonial as to her talent and ability to talk with college students today. I would like to thank you for presenting at our conference, Survivor Tobacco Control. Your presentation was perfect for our audience and the evaluations definitely showed it! We found your unique presentation style excellent and we truly appreciated you’re ability to read your audience and adjust the topic accordingly. We have and will continue to recommend you highly to other coalition groups. I am personally expressing the Hospital’s gratefulness to you for performing. You have volunteered your time and talent to make laughter...a very special medicine. René Hicks was just a delightful comedian who brought laughter and fun to a very serious topic of second hand smoke. Her performance educated the audience about being supportive of clean indoor air, so others might not have to deal with the health risks that are associated with second hand smoke. Our Cass TAD coalition highly recommends Renee and her performance in regards to tobacco prevention. The evaluations from the 2nd Annual Best of the West tobacco control conference are in and it is unanimous: you were a hit! You are a tremendous asset to the tobacco control community. I look forward to working together in 2006, as we work toward a tobacco-free Nevada. To hear you referenced for the balance of the conference helped confirm just what a phenomenal impact you had on our event—and one that is not going to be forgotten for a very long time. The positive comments of your performance have been overwhelming! Dr. John Mendelsohn, President of M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, particularly enjoyed the evening. We will continue to refer you as an entertainment choice for other venues within the institution. Thanks again! The Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and the Virginia College Alcohol Leadership Council would like to take a moment to recognize you for your time and effort in making the 21st Annual College Conference an enriching and enjoyable experience for all. Thank you for the time and energy you put into presenting at the College Conference. A job well done! We appreciate your efforts. FIRST CHICAGO NBD LOVES YOU! It is rare to come across a comedian that really can relate to and inspire a group like you did. Both of the performances that you provided for First Chicago NBD were a huge hit. René, performers who are as professional as you are make my job easy and are more than a pleasure to work with. I can’t tell you how much your very personal approach paid off to make both our customers and our sales team feel important while having a great time. It is evident that through your comedy you are able to reach even the toughest audiences and you provided both new and seasoned advocates with a fresh perspective on the issue of secondhand smoke — inspiring them to keep on striving toward our common goals. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, talent, and experience with the participants of the 2006 Indiana Tobacco Control Partner Information X-Change. As a speaker for our statewide conference, you have contributed to increasing the skill-base of our community advocates. Thank you, again, for being a part of this year’s event. René was fantastic with our group! She kept us laughing the entire time! Rene has such a broad and diverse background, she was able to relate on so many different topics, all in such an enjoyable and hilarious way!” She was funny, energetic, engaging as well as educational. It’s obvious that Renee takes great pride in her work and takes seriously the harm that is caused by tobacco use and secondhand smoke. I have nothing but praise for the work she performed for us. I believe she is one of the most valuable weapons we have in tobacco control today It has been a pleasure working with you these past four years as part of the Marshalls Women's Comedy Tour for the prevention of domestic abuse. While you are always funny, we sincerely appreciate the effort you put in to adapting your material for each performance. You took the time to understand your audience, and you listened to our needs as well. Once again, your professionalism, candor, humor and intelligence were instrumental in making the show better |