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.
I wonder if “stop committing crime” and “get an education” will figure high in their list of goals?
When it’s milking time in Obamaville, Saint Trayvon always magically reappears.
Yo, Trayvon—
Don’t be playing no knockout game with a honky with a gun, just cuz you thinkin’ he be on the down low.
Drink are $50 each at a reception? /h
Someone ping me when the $50 cocktail jokes start flying around.
Wait until some kids have to go to Trayvon Martin High School, with its Michael Brown Memorial Gymnasium.
Of course located on Barrack Obama Blvd.
I understand that you were not given all the same advantages in life that many others were born with. Yet you have been given the same opportunity as everyone else to live a life of value. In fact you have many advantages that most of the world does not enjoy. You were born into a society where hard work and character are rewarded. It is true that once upon a time many blacks suffered under slavery. So did whites, but for neither color is it a crutch for failure. You were not born a slave, but free so use your freedom to make the most of life - to improve as many other lives as you possibly can through acts of charity, commerce and love.
The Bible says you reap what you sow. This makes as much sense in agriculture as it does in life. If one sows seeds of preparation, hard work, an honest character, loyalty and hope, he will reap the benefits of wealth, a loving family and a generational legacy. In a similar way, if one sows the seeds of gang violence, drugs, anger, self pity, undisciplined anger, and wallowing in how hopeless their future looks they will reap the fruits of despair, violence, and productive society will remove them to ghettos or prison.
Travon do not fight others except in a sporting contest or in self defense, doing other will provoke others to protect themselves at all costs. Those costs may be to you and more than you bear. Avoid drugs, they do not lead to more productivity in life but remove the blessings of productivity. Avoid the company of fools and evil men, they will only serve to make you a fool and engaged in evil. Travon above all learn to fear the Lord, this is the beginning of wisdom and the path of blessing.
I am sorry that you did not receive this letter while you were still alive, heeding its counsel might have saved your life. Perhaps other "Travons" will read it and scrutinize your example and come to understand that the way of blessing is not anger and pride, but fear of God, good character and enterprising labor.
May the Lord have mercy on your soul.
Trayvon is pre-occupied ... he hears nothing but wailing and perceives gnashing of teeth ... leave a message at the tone ..............
If I recall correctly, wasn’t the letter in cursive a letter written by her, explaining conversations with trayvon that night?
Seems odd she could write the letter but then claim not to be able to read cursive. Well, at least she got her high school diploma.......
Letters to Trayvon?
Trayvon couldn’t read when he was vertical.
Trayvon - Not by Elton John and Bernie Taupin
Trayvon wears his gold grill like a crown,
Call his child Skittles, cause he likes the name,
Suspended from the finest school in town.
Trayvon, Trayvon like his money,
makes alot they say.
Spends his days dealing, by the playground way.
He was born a bastard to a ho,
6 weeks past Christmas day.
When the New Tork Times says Clintons great,
Tracy Martin had a son today.
And he shall be Trayvon,
And he shall be a hood man.
And he shall be Trayvon,
in tradition with the family plan.
And he shall be Trayvon,
And he shall be a hood man.
......he shall be Trayvon.
Trayvon, steals womens jewelry all day,
His family business thrives.
Skittles blows up balloons all day,
Sits on the porch watching them fly.
And Skittles, wants to go to Venus,
and leave Trayvon far behind.
Take a balloon and go sailing,
while Trayvon, Trayvon slowly dies.
And he shall be Trayvon,
And he shall be a hood man.
And he shall be Trayvon,
in tradition with the family plan.
And he shall be Trayvon,
And he shall be a hood man.
......heeee shaaaall beeee TraaaaayyyyVVVVVVooooooonn.
That's the line of the month!
Something like this - showing off respectable black business owners and fathers is a GREAT idea. It is just that the target audience should be the black kids and young adults.
And maybe make the gang-bangers with their gold chains and stacks of cash and fancy cars could be made an example of too.
Ugh. She looks like she should be sniffing luggage at the airport.
Yo bro
all these white folks, gots to go
Yo bro
donsha know, de got rich off da po
Yo bro
>>>>
Gag me...
Who knows why you just had to make that lean,
who knows why you became part of the gangsta scene,
who knows who sold you all them blunts,
who understood your whistles and your grunts,
who made you assault the neighborhood watch,
whose jewelry was that you were caught with at school
who made you act the ghetto fool?
Why didn’t your Crip daddy stick around,
whose head on the pavement did you pound,
who had to make a decision that fateful night,
when you left him no escape and picked a fight,
who made the choice to mock and sass,
an armed watchman (you called “creepy ass”),
who could’ve gone home but didn’t there go,
instead walked towards a six foot deep hole.
Maya Angelou, highly rated, but doesn’t even reach the level of mediocrity. The joke is on us.
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