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Posts published in “Philanthropy”

Rihanna Sends $5,000 Check to Illinois High School

By goodblacknews on July 11, 2013
Rihanna plays at the Roskilde Festival in Roskilde, Denmark, Friday night, July 5, 2013. Roskilde Festival is the largest North European culture and music festival and has existed since 1971. (AP Photo/Simon Fals, Polfoto )
Rihanna plays at the Roskilde Festival in Roskilde, Denmark, Friday night, July 5, 2013. Roskilde Festival is the largest North European culture and music festival and has existed since 1971. (AP Photo/Simon Fals, Polfoto )
BARRINGTON, Ill. (AP) — Pop star Rihanna is donating $5,000 to a suburban Chicago high school to cover the costs of her brief but tardy visit earlier this year.  Barrington Unit District 220 tells The Daily Herald that the money was sent to offset expenses for security and signs for the musician’s March trip to Barrington High School. The rest of the cash will be allocated for students.
The singer traveled to Chicago’s northwestern suburbs after the school won her “Shine Bright Like a Diamond” video contest. Their five-minute, student-produced film highlighted the school’s volunteer and community service programs.  But fans waited for more than four hours on the first day of the school’s spring break after Rihanna showed up late. While they waited, students got free tickets, CDs and signed merchandise.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press via thegrio.com

Chris Brown Donates 1,000 Sneakers to Kids in Compton

By goodblacknews on July 8, 2013
Hip Hop artist Chris Brown attends the 'WE US: Walk Everywhere in Unity's Shoes' event at Crenshaw Senior High School on July 6, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Unity Campaign)
Hip Hop artist Chris Brown attends the ‘WE US: Walk Everywhere in Unity’s Shoes’ event at Crenshaw Senior High School on July 6, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Unity Campaign)

Chris Brown spent his Fourth of July holiday showing his more charitable side by giving back to students in the community. As part of his newly-launched Unity campaign, the singer donated over 1,000 pairs of Reebok sneakers to students at Crenshaw High School in L.A. on Saturday.  The event, “WE US: Walk Everywhere in Unity’s Shoes,” drew special meaning for Brown as he reflected on many of his own childhood memories.
“I used to have to borrow my cousin’s clothes,” he told PEOPLE. “So being able to come from that poverty-stricken environment and then being able to get out of it is what I tried to [do]. … I just want to show the kids and have them have a better light of opportunities for them to do what they need to do.”
After Saturday’s charitable event, Brown wrote a tweet saying: “Thank you for allowing me to continue to inspire change in the world. Today was a great day forward! #UnityCampaign.”  Brown launched his Unity Campaign after the release of his latest song, “They Don’t Know,” which features unreleased vocals from late singer Aaliyah and highlights his hopes to end violence.
His sixth studio album, X, is expected to hit stores on July 16th.
article by Lilly Workneh via thegrio.com

Jay-Z to Hold Free NY Concert on July 8

By goodblacknews on July 1, 2013

jay-z-holy-grail-gif
What a giving man Shawn Carter is. Let’s bypass the fact that he is putting out his latest studio album, “Magna Carta Holy Grail,” on July 4. Jay-Z is about to shut down New York City with a free concert.
Jay-Z has been pushing to have a free concert on the marquee of the “Late Show With David Letterman” since 2010. City officials turned the idea down when taking traffic and public safety into account. This time around, Mayor Bloomberg approved the request and granted the music mogul permission.
The free concert will take place on July 8 on the marquee of the “Late Show With David Letterman” and will also appear on the show. City officials are expected to shut the area down surrounding the theater, which is near West 53rd and 54th Streets and north of Times Square.
Jay-Z has been pushing all marketing limitations with the promotion of his forthcoming album. Are you ready for “Magna Carta Holy Grail?” Check out one of Jay-Z’s commercials for “Magna Carta Holy Grail.”
article by Bria Feliu via urbandaily.com

Former Professor Adolphus Hailstork Endows Music Scholarship at Norfolk State University

By goodblacknews on June 30, 2013

Adolphus HailstorkComposer and educator Adolphus Hailstork has established an endowed scholarship fund at historically Black Norfolk State University in Virginia. The fund will support undergraduate music students at the university, where Hailstork taught from 1977 to 2000.
Professor Hailstork is a 1963 graduate of Howard University in Washington, D.C. A piece he composed for his master’s degree thesis was performed by the Baltimore Symphony in 1966. Over the years his musical works include compositions for piano, organ, band, orchestra, chorus, and solo voice performances. His 2007 opera, Rise for Freedom about the Underground Railroad, had its first performance with the Cincinnati Opera Company.

 article via jbhe.com

Sesame Street Creates Kit To Teach Kids How To Cope With Parents In Jail

By goodblacknews on June 29, 2013
sesamejailThe incarceration of a loved one can be very overwhelming for both children and caregivers. Sesame Street has jumped in to help. Called “Little Children, Big Challenges: Incarceration,” the program is distributing “tool kits’’ to schools, community centers and even jails in 10 states — including New York — starting today to help kids ages 3 to 8, organizers said.
Here are some of the kit’s tips for parents and/or caretakers who are not in prison:

  • Let your child know what to expect during everyday activities. Tell her who will take her to school and who will pick her up.
  • Provide your child with a comfort item to keep during the day, such as a paper heart or family photo.
  • Ask your child questions to help her open up. You might notice a negative behavior and say, “Did something happen today that made you feel sad?”

More tips: “Let your child know that the incarceration is not his fault….Let him know he’s not alone.” And here are tips for preserving a relationship between an incarcerated parent and child:

  • Phone calls are a great way to keep in touch. Help your child think of things to tell her parent. Give her a picture of the parent to hold during the call.
  • Use pen and paper to write letters. If your child can’t yet write, ask her to tell you what to write; she can draw pictures to go with the words.
  • Televisiting can be helpful for some children. Sharing an everyday routine such as storytime during your televisit is a great way to be together.

The kit also includes a video episode about a young muppet named Alex whose dad is in jail. Check out the entire kit here.
article by Oretha Winston via elev8.com

Detroit Group Led By Steven Dandridge Teaches Men How To Be Better Fathers

By goodblacknews on June 15, 2013

fathers day detroit
For a lot of men, being a father can be a daunting task. Some are unemployed. Many have poor relationships with the mother of their children. In the worst of circumstances, some are even in prison. But Steven Dandridge and his Detroit-based group, New Young Fathers, is working to help men learn how to be better men to their children–regardless of how rough their circumstances are.
“If you want to be a father, this is what it entails,” Dandridge told Fox 2 News Detroit. “You always have to be able to take care of your children, so you have to find employment. In order to do that, you have to be qualified for something. In order to do that, you also need to be able to get along with the mother of your children, whether you’re with her or not. You have to work together. You have to be on one accord when it comes to raising children.”

MUST WATCH VIDEO: Their Instruments May Be Garbage, But the Music of This Children's Orchestra Will Bring Tears to Your Eyes

By goodblacknews on June 13, 2013
Members of the Landfill Harmonic Orchestra. Courtesy Landfill Harmonic

Close your eyes and listen to Juan Manuel Chavez launch into the Prelude of Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1, and you would never guess that, instead of spruce and maple, his instrument is crafted from an old oil can, a beef tenderizing tool, and a discarded pasta making device—all of it scavenged from the landfill that surrounds his home in Paraguay.

Chavez is a cellist in the Landfill Harmonic Orchestra in Cateura, an Asunción slum where bottle caps, door keys, and paint cans have been given new purpose. Under the supervision of local musician Favio Chávez, these utterly impoverished kids make beautiful music on instruments constructed almost entirely out of materials reclaimed from the dump.
Filmmaker and Asunción native Alejandra Nash first heard about the phenomenon back in 2009, and decided to produce a documentary about the kids—she and her co-producers are aiming for a 2014 release. She’ll have plenty of support. The teaser she posted online last November quickly went viral, with 2 million views on Vimeo, and nearly 1 million on Youtube. It’s inspiring. Check it out…
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXynrsrTKbI&w=560&h=315]
Now her project’s Facebook page has more than 125,000 likes. And a Kickstarter campaign Nash launched in April to help fund the film’s completion has raised almost $200,000, well over the $175,000 she’d asked for. Beyond funding post-production work, the additional money will help finance a world tour for the orchestra, and an expansion of what has come to be known as the Landfill Harmonic Movement.

The idea for the orchestra first came about after Chávez brought a youth orchestra from the neighboring town of Carapeguá to perform in Cateura. The Cateura kids wanted to learn, too, but as Chávez points out in the teaser, “A community like Cateura is not a place to have a violin. In fact, a violin is worth more than a house here.”
So he and local garbage picker Nicolás Gómez began experimenting with instruments they constructed from trash: Tin water pipes, buttons, bottle caps, and spoon and fork handles make up the body and keys of the saxophones. Oil or paint cans and recycled wood are used for the string section.

"The Game" Star Tia Mowry Dons Lettuce Dress for PETA

By goodblacknews on June 12, 2013
Tia Mowry promotes veganism for PETA, wearing a lettuce apron created by Mia Gyzander.(Photo: Robert Sebree, PETA)
Tia Mowry promotes veganism for PETA, wearing a lettuce apron created by Mia Gyzander.(Photo: Robert Sebree, PETA)

“I became a vegan and I was getting bullied on Twitter about it,” she explained in a PETA interview. So she “wanted to become a voice for my community. … I wanted to educate my culture about the benefits of becoming vegan.”
1370949961000-tiavegan-1306110727_3_4_r537_c0-0-534-712
article via thegrio.com

Oprah Winfrey Donates $12 Million to New African-American Museum

By goodblacknews on June 12, 2013
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey after delivering commencement address at Harvard in May 2013.(Photo: Elise Amendola AP)

In recognition, the museum’s 350-seat theater, intended to be a showcase for demonstrating how African-American culture has shaped the country and the world, will be named after her. The museum, the Smithsonian’s 19th, is due to open in late 2015. It will tell the story of African-American history from slavery to the post-Civil War period, the civil rights era, the Harlem Renaissance and into the 21st century.

Oprah has been involved with the museum since planning began a decade ago and joined its advisory council in 2004. She’s also a world-class philanthropist with her own grant-making foundation and the resources to make a difference. She says her gift demonstrates her pride in African-American history and culture.
“I am deeply appreciative of those who paved the path for me and all who follow in their footsteps,” she said in a statement. “By investing in this museum, I want to help ensure that we both honor and preserve our culture and history, so that the stories of who we are will live on for generations to come.”

NBA Star Dwyane Wade Promotes ‘This Is Fatherhood’ Challenge

By goodblacknews on June 6, 2013

this is fatherhood challenge
In an effort to promote fatherhood, award-winning filmmaker Art Hooker and former director of President Barack Obama’s Office Of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships Joshua DuBois have teamed up to create the “This Is Fatherhood” challenge.
Launched on May 1st, the challenge targets young Fathers who may need encouragement and support to become better parents. Contestants can submit videos, songs, and essays about fatherhood through June 10th. The winners will receive cash prizes and a trip to Washington, D.C., for a ceremony on Father’s Day.
Miami Heat player Dwyane Wade (pictured) has signed on to promote the challenge. As a Father with primary custody of his two sons, Wade says he is honored by the opportunity. “When I was first [approached to become] involved with the initiative, I was humbled,” Wade said. He noted the President’s fatherhood speeches as further inspiration. “More than that, I was moved by the fact that one of the reasons President Obama was so passionate about this issue is that he grew up without his dad. He, too, has recognized that being a Father is his most-important role.”
Obama’s Chicago speech in February helped inspire the challenge. In it, the President noted how “there are entire neighborhoods where young people, they don’t see an example of somebody succeeding. And for a lot of young boys and young men, in particular, they don’t see an example of Fathers or grandfathers, uncles, who are in a position to support families and be held up and respected.”
Wade appears along with Obama and Jay-Z in a public service announcement promoting “This Is Fatherhood.” Eugene Schneeberg, current director of  the Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, worked with predecessor DuBois to support Obama’s fatherhood program. He is also one of the challenge’s judges.