Events

Empowering Ourselves, a program founded by Jarrett Mathis to empower African American youth, is committed to working to reduce violence among young people in New York City and cities across the nation. On June 25, 2011, the program is hosting "A Rally to Promote Peace and Empower Young People". The rally will take place in Raymond Bush Park, which is located next to Public School 44 at the corner of Monroe Street and Marcus Garvey Boulevard in Brooklyn, NY. The rally will be from 12pm -4:30pm. Free food, beverages, and t-shirts will be provided.

The rally will feature inspirational speakers who will present alternative strategies to violence and conflict-resolution techniques. They will showcase talented young people: hip-hop dance performances, spoken word artists, singers, and steel drummers. And we will promote music that does not normalize violence or encourage young people to view themselves as "niggas", "bitches", and "hos".

All are invited to come celebrate, have fun, and be empowered.

About "Empowering Ourselves"
Empowering Ourselves is a program focused on empowering and uplifting African American youth. In 2010, they were featured on CNN and conducted 13 presentations on non-violence and the importance of respect for self and others in 6 cities; with over 700 young people participating in the workshop. Their website, at www.empoweringourselvesnow.com, streams a 75-minute film version of the workshop. Educators across the country use the website as a resource.

Founder Jarrett Mathis (jarrett@empoweringourselvesnow.com)graduated from Dartmouth College in June 2010. He is a Government Major, and was born, raised, and still lives in the Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, New York.

Distributed through BlackPR.com and BlackNews.com