A Celebration of Women™

is elated to Celebrate the Life of one of our world’s youngest women taking action for the betterment of all youth and women in general, working to build strong future women leaders. Through her devoted action, travelling the globe, speaking out … this young powerhouse will affect Positive Change for the future of all girls.

 
 
 

WOMAN of ACTION™

 

 

Adrienne Monique Coleman

 

 

Coleman was born (born November 13, 1980) Adrienne Monique Coleman in Orangeburg, South Carolina. She started her acting career in theatre and television at a very young age in Columbia, South Carolina. [She currently lives in Los Angeles].  Her training began at the Workshop Theatre School of Dramatic Arts where she performed in over 15 plays.

An acting class taught by a guest teacher actually turned out to be an audition, and resulted in her booking her first commercial. Then Coleman began auditioning for anything she could in the Southeast region, landing several local and regional commercials, as well as a few supporting roles in films. In addition to acting, Coleman was very involved in her community and school where she did everything from performing in plays to competing in forensic tournaments, volunteering with abused children, running track, and even cheer-leading.

Adrienne Monique Coleman is an American actress, dancer,singer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist best known for her co-starring role in Disney’s High School Musical movies, in which she plays Taylor McKessie. Coleman also had a recurring role on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, as a school girl named Mary–Margaret. She also competed in the third edition of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, finishing in fourth place. Most recent, Coleman was named the first ever UN Youth Champion for the International Year of Youth and is currently on a world tour to raise awareness of challenges facing youth.

Coleman competed in the Fall 2006 third edition of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars reality dance competition. She was paired with professional partner Louis van Amstel throughout the competition. She was paired with professional partner Louis van Amstel throughout the competition. van Amstel and the judges praised her for “taking risks” during the competition.

The pair appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show before they were eliminated and performed the same dance they performed in week 2’s episode. She was eliminated from Dancing With The Stars on November 1, 2006, finishing fourth in the competition. She was the last female in the contest that year.

In the beginning of late December 2007, Coleman partook in the Dancing with the Stars tour that took her across America along with other former competitors until early February 2008.

Coleman was very gracious in defeat, and appeared on the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show on the same night as the Results Show to thank her fans for their votes and support. In the beginning of late December 2007, Coleman partook in the Dancing with the Stars tour that took her across America along with other former competitors until early February 2008.

UN Youth Champion

At a ceremony at UN headquarters in New York, Coleman was presented with a letter of recognition of her new role by Assistant Secretary-General Jomo Kwame Sundaram of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

As the UN’s first Youth Champion in 2010, singer and actress Monique Coleman spent a year travelling the globe and raising awareness about issues that affect the youth. In presenting the letter, Mr. Sundaram said Coleman will work “to raise awareness about the challenges young people face and will highlight the positive contribution they make to their communities.”

Coleman said that receiving the designation of Youth Champion was “beyond an honour” and that she would use her new position to promote global efforts to achieve the anti-poverty Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which have a 2015 deadline, with a special emphasis on the empowerment of youth.

The International Year was launched on August 12 and ran through August 11, 2011, and among its aims is to advance the participation of young people on global, regional and national issues that affect them.

During her stint, Ms. Coleman visited more than 20 countries on 5 different continents, and met with thousands of young people. Now, she has recently been named the spokesperson for the UN Foundation’s Girl Up Campaign.

The campaign allows young American girls to raise awareness and funds for adolescent girls around the world.

“The purpose of the tour is to see first-hand what youth all over the world are experiencing. Through social media and streaming technologies, I intend to connect youth who may have previously felt worlds apart,” said Ms. Coleman.

Coleman launched her online talk show Gimme Mo’, a show dedicated to empowering today’s youth on September 8, 2010.

 

 

 

Monique Coleman went to Heathwood Hall Episcopal School. Then she attended The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago, earning her BFA in Acting in 2002.

Monique Coleman spoke to UN Radio’s Joshua Mmali about how her work with the United Nations has had an impact on her life.

Monique Coleman also visited the American Farm School in Greece in 2012.

Awards

19th Annual Young Artist Awards (1996–1997)
Best Performance in a TV MOVIE or FEATURE FILM: Young Ensemble – “Ditchdigger’s Daughter”
Best Family TV MOVIE/ PILOT/MINI-SERIES (CABLE) – The Ditchdigger’s Daughters, Family Channel
Character and Morality in Entertainment Awards (CAMIE) 2006 – The Reading Room
Teen Choice Awards 2006 Award for Choice TV Show: Comedy/Musical – High School Musical
American Music Award 2007 for High School Musical 2
Teen Choice Awards 2009 Award for Choice Movie: Music/Dance – High School Musical

 
 
 

A Celebration of Women™

is elated to welcome this young woman into our Alumni through this tribute, and support her mission, her vision and thoroughly appreciate and love the work that she is doing for the betterment and education of all young women in our world.

 

 

Brava Monique!