The Gulf Coast Kids Project (STRIVE TILL I RISE)

Vital Stats

Biloxi, MS

people helped500
People Doing It 6

The Problem

I am trying to promote media literacy and advocate for more positive imagery and message in entertainment in order to promote more productive behavior in our youth. Specifically, I'd like to focus on the Gulf Coast Region first. Affected by a crippled economy because of Katrina and BP Oil Spill, the youth here are also affected by one of the highest STD, Teen Pregnancy and Meth Addiction rate in the Nation, not to mention the murder rate in New Orleans is outstanding. It is my belief that using entertainment, media, presentation, community collaboration and the process of music videos production, we can begin to systematically reverse the ignorance and negative behavior of our youth.

Plan of Action

I will complete a Gulf Coast Kids Project which will be a CD/DVD combo of mixed genre music videos. Children ages 8-18 will work with our production company to write, record, compose and produce the songs as well as help to shoot, star it and edit the videos. Each song will tackle a particular subject ranging from bullying, teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, drug dealing and more. Once the project is complete the media will be used in Strive Till I Rise presentations all over the Gulf Coast and hopefully all over the nation eventually. We will also produce live events in which the kids can perform the songs for the community and we will highlight younguns who are exhibiting leadership, academic achievement and community service. We hope to have celebrity key note speakers at these events to further motivate the kids to be exceptional and to open their minds to new concepts of what it means to be cool "fly" "fresh". Please view this video shot in 2005 right after Hurricane Katrina, this is an example of a music video produced by our company that tackles HIV/AIDS. Disregard the quality, we had no budget to complete this and I was 17 when I produced it. Link http://youtu.be/uQBdjfWisug