THE MORE PEOPLE BECOME AWARE, THE GREATER THE POSSIBILITY OF A LIFE
BEING SAVED
ROOT
(Reaching Out to Others Together) is sponsoring a father's day commemoration in
remembrance of victims of homicide in the Washington, DC area. The District of Columbia
is experiencing continuing violence and homicide at epidemic proportions,
especially among our young people. 262 homicides in 2002; 248 in 2003; and 84 homicides
as of June 15, 2004. Of the 84 homicides to date, 46 are under the age of 25,
and 15 of the 46 are under the age of 18.
The impact on families and communities is devastating as well as never
ending.
For
the second year in a row, ROOT will rally the Metropolitan Washington, DC area
and unite the entire multi-ethnic community to call for A Moratorium on Murder. At
this time last year, only one murder was committed in the Washington, DC area
during the Commemoration ceremonies. ROOT
is asking for a murder free Father’s Day weekend this year in honor of slain
victims and their family members.
The
2nd Annual Father's Day Remembrance Ceremony will take place on
Freedom Plaza, 13th and Pennsylvania Ave, NW, on Sunday, June 20th, between the
hours of 1 pm - 6 pm. There will be speakers from all walks of life,
music, spoken word artists, and guest celebrities.
We also will be honoring outstanding fathers as well.
In
a great many instances, homicide victims are males. We wish to honor and
respect their memory, as well as send a message from the community that we are
united as one in our efforts to prevent such future unnecessary deaths.
We
wish to send a message, as well, for all to honor this solemn occasion by having
a moratorium on murder during the Father’s Day Weekend.
There
will be a press conference at the National Press Club this Thursday, June 17, at
10 AM to announce our intentions. We
are asking for your participation and support in making this a worthwhile event.
Join
with us in solidarity this Thursday at the National Press Club,
529 14th St. NW, 13th Floor, at Freedom Plaza on Sunday, June 20 at
Freedom Plaza, and at all of our events throughout this memorable weekend.
Kenny
Barnes
ROOT, INC. HOLDS IT’S
2ND
ANNUAL FATHER’S DAY WEEKEND
COMMEMORATION
Acclaimed
Actor, Playwright Malik Yoba of New York Undercover Fame will be the
Special
honored guests include: Winky Wright (World
Welterweight Champion),
WHO: Concerned
organizations will unite to call a moratorium on murder, including; No Murders D.C., Cease Fire-Don’t Smoke the
Brothers, Survivors of Homicide, Parents of Murdered Children - D.C. Chapter,
African American Holiday Assoc. (AAHA), Alliance of Concerned Men, East of the River Clergy Police Community
Partnership, The National Alliance for Change, The Holy Christian
Missionary Baptist Church All People,
The Nation of Islam, Former Chief Isaac Fulwood,
The Union Temple Baptist Church, Former Deputy Chief Carl Profeater, Clarence Edwards, (Former
Chief of Police for Montgomery County and current President of NOBLE), and over 60 organizations participating, including
family members of homicide victims, many other groups,
celebrities, public officials, clergy, media and private citizens.
WHAT:
ROOT (Reaching Out to Others Together) 2nd
Annual Fathers Day Celebration Events Theme: ‘Moratorium on Murder in DC
Area’; Launching of Guns Aside Campaign
WHEN: Events Thursday, June 17 - Sunday,
June 20, 2004
June 17 - Thursday, Press Conference, National Press Club. - 10am
June 18 - Friday, Working Seminar- Dynamics of Murder, UDC - 8:30am-1pm
(by
registration only)
June 19 - Saturday, Man to Man Conference, Ballou High School - 9am-3pm
June 20 - Sunday, 2nd Annual Father’s Day
Rally, Freedom Plaza - 1pm-6pm
WHY: After the recent violent deaths of 2 high school
students and 47 youths under the age of 25 in 2004 in the Metropolitan area, a
moratorium on violence and homicide is being urged by ROOT (Reaching Out to
Others Together) and a host of partner organizations and supporters as they
launch their 2ND Annual Father’s Day Commemoration from June 17th
–20th, 2004. All of
the events will recognize victims of crime and their families and will applaud
positive father role models and encourage non-violent methods of conflict
resolution. ROOT also will be launching the first campaign against gun violence
specifically targeted towards the urban community – “Guns Aside
Campaign.”
PRESS CONTACT:
Priscilla or Don Clarke at (pclarkepr@aol) Clarke
& Associates,
202-723-2200
or visit www.clarkepr.com
EVENT INFO CONTACT: Ava Harrison 202-332-1642, avaharrison@aol.com
ROOT, INC. 2ND ANNUAL FATHER’S
DAY
Thursday, June 17 thru Sunday, June 20, 2004
Thursday, June 17th
National Press Club - 529 14th St.
NW, 13th Floor - Washington, DC 20045
ROOT will announce the efforts of a
number of entities, including media, celebrities, sports figures, politicians,
and individuals, to ask for a Moratorium Against Murders in honoring slain
homicide victims and their family members and to stop the violence; to announce
efforts to register voters in alliance with Russell Simmons, Hip-Hop Summit
Action Network; to kickoff the first major orchestrated campaign against gun
violence targeted specifically towards the urban environment – Guns Aside.
Friday, June 18th
(Registration required)
UDC - Van Ness Campus at 4201 Connecticut Ave;
Building 38, Student lounge, 2nd floor.
Saturday, June 19th
MAN-TO-MAN
CONFERENCE
3401
4th St SE. Washington, DC 20032
Hosted by East of the River Clergy
Police Community Partnership, the Washington Informer, Abigail, DC’s Promise
East of the River and COPS/ERCPCP Value Based Initiative.
Constitution Ave., - Department of
Human Services, Youth Services Administration and Sponsors
20 Cars Prepared for Race.
For youth ages 8-17.
Tunnel
Night Club, 2135 Queens Chapel Road, NE, Washington, DC
ROOT and the National Alliance for
Change, will hold a Stop the Violence, Stop the Murders and Register to Vote
late afternoon concert for D.C. youth at the Tunnel Night Club.
Over 2000 youth are expected to come out to the Tunnel Nightclub for a
rally and concert. Youth will hear
from respected celebrities and community leaders about how violence is affecting
our community and individual families, remember and honor their slain friends,
and the importance of registering to vote.
Sunday, June 20th
2nd Annual Father's Day
Rally at Freedom Plaza - 1 PM - 6 PM
Freedom Plaza - Pennsylvania Ave.
between 13th & 14th Street, NW
For the second year, ROOT, No
Murders DC, Cease Fire Don’t Smoke the Brothers, Survivors of Homicide, and
Parents of Murdered Children - D.C. Chapter, as well as numerous organizations,
celebrities, public officials, clergy, media, and private citizens will ask our
community and our City to gather downtown at Freedom Plaza, one block away from
the White House and in the direct view of the Capitol.
There will be a series of awards ceremonies, safety presentations,
speakers, and survivor testimonies. The
closing ceremony will be a candlelight vigil in memory of the victims of
homicide and their families.