Posted on 12/17/2014 3:16:34 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
A network of businesses, public officials and educators are partnering with the Trayvon Martin Foundation to present “Letters to Trayvon” a holistic campaign to address the plight of Black males and police brutality, next February.
The campaign, initiated by the Germantown-based small business Mission Inc., has been in its planning stages for about a year and will include a social media component, youth outreach and a culminating fundraising reception, panel discussion, black art showcase and exhibit on Feb. 28.
“Letters to Trayvon is a campaign to end the disrespect and racial profiling of black men and boys [and] it’s a celebration of black men and boys,” said Lawanda Horton, Founder of Mission Inc. “It is multifaceted and it has potential to be impactful in so many ways.”
Beginning on the anniversary of Trayvon’s death, Feb. 26 at 7: 30 p.m., Horton and other organizers have worked on the social media portion of the campaign, producing and soliciting positive images of Black males – everyday workers, fathers, leaders – and posting them on Twitter with brief narratives.
The campaign organizers have also been reaching out to schools, encouraging students to enter the citywide “Letters to Trayvon” essay contest with expressions and poetry to Trayvon Martin and Mike Brown. This is an effort, said Horton, to give the youth a voice in the matter.
The final effort is a “campaign to rally 100 Black businesses,” which will be solicited for donations, designated to the Trayvon Martin foundation. As a thank-you, their business will be listed in a directory, planned for distribution at the Feb. 28 event.
Those who attend the Feb. 28 event can expect to view artwork by Black artists, an original “uncomfortable” exhibit by Horton and her spouse and participate in a discussion centered on Black male challenges, racism and racial profiling. A $50 VIP cocktail reception hosted by State Rep. Stephen Kinsey, is also planned for the evening.
“This entire project is about impact,” said Horton. “So if the problem is racial profiling, then you reverse the profiling by showing images of black men that don’t meet the stereotype. And young people are being impacted by this and aren’t able to positively express themselves. This gives them a voice. And if the deeper issue is that communities are suffering and young people are roaming the streets because they are not employed by healthy black businesses, then we need to do something about that. Let’s change the way our community is perceived, operated and how it feels about itself. ”
Doreen Loury, Ph.D, Director of Pan African Studies at Arcadia University, is one of Horton’s partners in “Letters to Trayvon.”
As the founder of the Black Male Development Symposium, a non-profit that helps to “provide practical solutions” for the plight of African-American males, thus, improving communities, she said it was a no-brainer to join the Letters to Trayvon effort.
“As a mother, grandmother and African-American scholar, I understand and know what it is to deal with black life, particularly black male life. When it comes to looking at what happens to young black males, so much is going and on we want to make sure that the conversation keeps going on… [with] students and the community.”
Loury secured a space for Arcadia University to host the event and is also seeking submissions for the writing contest.
State Rep. Stephen Kinsey (D-201), who will serve as the Feb. 28 reception host, and has been promoting the campaign, said he got on board because of the attention it will raise towards the plight of the Black male.
“I’m working with Mission and other partners to promote it because it brings an awareness. And it allows young black men to express feelings about what is taking place in society, [about] the mistrust they have with not just the police department but with white men [and] government officials…and what we can do as society to address the concerns.”
To get involved with “Letters to Trayvon” as an artist, sponsor, or buy a ticket, please contact Lawanda Horton at (267) 331-5971.
The trayvon Martin foundation. wow
Can I write it in cursive?
Live like a thug, die like a thug.
Trayvon? Police brutality? This is a great example of film flam. Find a body and make several paid jobs out if it. Get a federal grant, or black mail a large corporation and you’re home free.
FLIM flam
He goes out there with the whole Frito Lay factory on his shoulder, not just a chip.
This “busybody” acts real suspicious of him.
So what does any self respecting chip wearing gansta do? Riiiight. Attack!
Dear Trayvon and Mike, et al:
If you will refrain from assaulting me,
I will refrain from shooting you.
Quite true.
This organization would be worthwhile if it promoted better parenting of young black males.
Sincerely,
YT
How dare those intolerant thugs demand that white people just stand and take beatings, hand over our money and possessions without a fight when we worked for them, work a 1/3 of the time at our jobs so they don’t have to work and are given free housing, healthcare, phones, food, and cash? The thugs are the intolerant ones and they commit the most crimes by a very wide margin even taking the drug charges out of the equation altogether.
No US whiteys are the ones being discriminated against...
J/k I just wanted to see what it felt like to cry discrimination (but its really the truth). This only applies to feral thugs and those that support them)
That's real retarded, sir.
If Mike Brown was a ‘Blood’ and Trayvon Martin was a ‘Crip’ and they ran into each other coming back from the store, would they have to kill each other ?
If Trayvon had simply gone home he would be alive today. To these nimrods, it is somehow White America’s fault that he decided to assault George Zimmerman.
If Trayvon had simply gone home he would be alive today. To these nimrods, it is somehow White America’s fault that he decided to assault George Zimmerman.
Oh... I guess there won't be a next time...
Nothing like ignoring the fact that the greatest danger black males face is ... other black males.
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