COMMUNITY NEWS

MV3 Marketing & Communications:   Martine Charles (310) 474-2701 MV3 Marketing & Communications:   Melinda Travis (323) 954-6489 Media Contact:   Alison Rice (704) 383-5644 September 02, 2004 Emerald City Communications and Wachovia Corporation Present "Living in Color: Celebrating Heritage and Home" 2ND Annual Designer Show House Brings the Works of Notable African American Architects, Builders and Designers to the New Washington Convention Center, September 9 -11, 2004 Nielsen Media Research to Demonstrate New Tools for Measuring Television Viewership by African Americans Washington, DC, --- The paint has dried, the windows are open, and the works of America's most notable African American architects, builders and designers are on display. Presented by Emerald City Communications and Wachovia Corp., "Living in Color: A Celebration of Heritage and Home" will feature the best in contemporary African American home design during the 34th Annual Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Weekend from Sept. 9 - 11. The 2nd annual exhibit will anchor the Lifestyle Pavilion at the event, located at the New Washington Convention Center. Beginning with a star-studded ribbon cutting at 1p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 9, the front doors of the 4,900 square foot home will be opened to the public. The show house includes a breathtaking waterfall, aquariums, and marble floors, living room/grandroom, dining room, kitchen, entertainment/media room, bedrooms (master and children's) and a garage. Each room is decorated by an acclaimed interior designer and offers a unique display of the rich heritage, culture and valued traditions of African American life. Additionally, title host Wachovia will offer information on homeownership and financial literacy, while Nielsen Media Research, Panasonic Corporation, and ADT will join an extended array of luxury home furnishing brands including Kohler, Architectural Ceramics, M2L Furnishings, Pacific Green Furniture, Armstrong Flooring and others to furnish the home. The exhibit, a concept developed and produced by Vern Goff, President of Emerald City Communications, is the only national exposition representing the talents of African American architects and industry professionals in the United States. Last year, over 20,000 Washington, DC residents and U.S. visitors were welcomed at the show house. This year, featured participants will include architect Maurice Jenkins; builders DCMT (Design Construction Management Team) and celebrated interior designers Lora Rivers, Dawn Patrick of About Interiors, Faux Painter Leslie Nesbitt, Atlanta-based designers Rose Walters, Stephanie Goody and Phyllis Martin of Illusions, tableware design by Jim Roland and Joanne Williams of African China Closet, Elba Vargas of Vargas Art Publishing, and fish tank and living art creators Ultimate Aquariums and My Aqua Vision, among others. "We are pleased to partner with Wachovia and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation to highlight the contributions of African American design professionals," said Goff. "This year's exhibit is truly a collaborative work and exceeds our highest expectations. I am honored to have worked with this leading team of designers, architects and industry professionals to showcase our rich heritage and the unique tableau of talent that resides within our community. Ours is a 'shared success' with our corporate partners and we are enormously indebted for their support." Art work by leading African American painters will also be on display during the weekend, including the works of sculptor Ed Dwight, recently commissioned to create the "Black Revolutionary War Patriots Memorial" on the National Mall, and George Nock, a noted artist/sculptor and former NFL Player (Washington Redskins and New York Jets). A photographic exhibit of works by Washington, DC photojournalists Oggie Ogburn and Roy Lewis featuring original photography of African American icons, plus a salute to Negro Baseball League Legends will also be available for viewing. James Denmark of Vargas Art Publishers, one of the largest African American-owned art publishing companies and a contributor for the show house, will be available to answer questions about sculptures, photos and art work. "We're excited to be the sponsor of this beautiful home, because we see it as a symbol of the American Dream and what it represents—homeownership," said Wachovia's Director of Community Development Jane Henderson. "At Wachovia, we believe that when people realize the dream of homeownership, they also become active neighbors—and this results in stronger communities. We're committed to helping families take the first step on the ladder to homeownership." Throughout the weekend, a series of seminars and workshops will be conducted in the show house. The topics will include home design, historic preservation, home buying, home finance and banking. Architects, celebrity designers, and builders will also make personal appearances and will be on hand to answer questions and offer design tips and other information. Nielsen Media Research, the world famous television ratings service, will offer a first-hand demonstration of its new tools for measuring television viewing behavior in African American homes. In the United States, Nielsen Media Research provides television audience estimates for broadcast and cable networks, television stations, national syndicators, regional cable television systems, satellite providers, advertisers and advertising agencies. The "Living In Color: A Celebration of Heritage and Home" Designer Show House will be on exhibit from 1p.m. to 7p.m., ET on Thursday, September 9th ; 10a.m. to 7p.m. on Friday, September 10th and from 12p.m. to 4p.m., ET on Saturday, September 11th. The exhibit is free to the public during the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Weekend. All contents of the Model Home are available for purchase. About Wachovia: Wachovia Corporation (NYSE:WB) is one of the largest providers of financial services to retail, brokerage and corporate customers throughout the East Coast and the nation, with assets of $418.4 billion, market capitalization of $58.3 billion and stockholders' equity of $32.6 billion at June 30, 2004. Its four core businesses, the General Bank, Capital Management, Wealth Management, and the Corporate and Investment Bank, serve 12 million client relationships (including households and businesses), primarily in 11 East Coast states and Washington, D.C. Its full-service retail brokerage firm, Wachovia Securities, LLC, serves clients in 49 states. Global services are offered through 32 international offices. Online banking and brokerage products and services also are available through Wachovia.com.

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