WASHINGTON, March 14 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to leverage the historic
youth voter turnout in 2004, a cadre of young activists across the country
have identified issues important to them and are visiting state
representatives to discuss how they will address those issues. The task is a
pre-conference assignment for the Fifth Annual Black Youth Vote! (BYV!) Civic
Leadership Conference (http://www.bigvote.org), Hip Hop Activism: Revolutionizing
Black Power, April 7-9, at the National Education Association in
Washington, DC.
*(Logo: http://Send2Press.com/mediadrome/logo-blackvote_72dpi.jpg)
"Learn by doing," charged Earl O'Neal, a board member of the National
Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP), parent organization for BYV!.
"You successfully registered and mobilized thousands of new voters across the
country, now its time to hold those elected officials accountable."
Acting on the charge, Steven Waddy Atlanta BYV! coordinator, recently
accompanied ten students from the Atlanta University Center to meet with
Georgia committee chairs, local state representatives and senators.
"Just seeing the shock on the faces of legislators once they found out who
requested to speak with them made many of the BYV! participants giddy with
anticipation on how they could influence the next legislator on their list,"
said Waddy.
According to conference manager, Nancy Harvin, the assignments will be
used as case studies during a series of workshops designed to train the youth
to identify local issues that affect their community, equip them with the
tools necessary to make change, and teach them to develop an action plan to
execute locally and nationally.
Speakers include BET's Jeff Johnson aka "Uncle Jeff," Dr. Maya Rockeymore,
author of "The Political Action Handbook: A How To Guide For The Hip Hop
Generation," and members of congress, among others.
Sponsored by the NEA and State Farm Insurance, conference highlights include a
Thursday morning legislative briefing on Capitol Hill, and a debate, "Is Hip
Hop the Next Civil Rights Movement?," at the National Council of Negro Women
Headquarters, that evening. Moderated by radio personality, Mark Thompson,
this intergenerational dialogue will examine the impact of youth activism
during the civil rights era and address the influence of hip hop on the
political system.
"The Black youth electorate, many voting for the first time in 2004, felt
the power of voting. The conference will prepare them to leverage that power
and have an impact on their communities," says Melanie L. Campbell, executive
director and CEO of the NCBCP.
Recently profiled in Black Enterprise Magazine (Feb. 05), BYV! is a
coalition of organizations committed to increasing the political and civic
engagement of Black youth under the age of 35. The NCBCP is a 501(c) 3
nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to increasing African American
participation in civil society.
For more information visit http://www.bigvote.org or call 202.659.4929.
This release was issued on behalf of the above organization by
Send2Press(TM), a unit of Neotrope(R). http://www.Send2Press.com
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SOURCE Black Youth Vote! and NCBCP
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Related links:
http://www.bigvote.org
CONTACT:
Edrea Davis of the National Coalition on
Black Civic Participation, +1-818-613-9521 or +1-202-659-4929,
edMedia@dogonvillage.com
NOTE TO EDITORS: Youth/panelists available for interview. Video
footage of youth available.
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