For immediate release, for info contact Randy Fisher at: 917-567-9294
THE HIP-HOP SUMMIT YOUTH COUNCIL (HHSYC) WAS INVITED TO THE WHITE HOUSE BY PRESIDENT BIDEN AND FIRST LADY DR. JILL BIDEN TO CELEBRATE THE FIRST OFFICIAL JUNETEENTH EVENT AT THE WHITE HOUSE SINCE THE PRESIDENT SIGNED THE BILL IN 2021 MAKING JUNETEENTH A NATIONAL HOLIDAY
In May, The HHSYC Was Recognized By The President With A Special Presidential Message Of Support For: Hip-Hop Against Gun & Gang Violence Month, Hip-Hop Against Gun & Gang Violence Week, And The Groundbreaking Report: Correlation Between Education, Incarceration And The Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation Issued By President Lincoln In 1863 Was The Beginning And Two And A Half Years Later In 1865, Juneteenth Was The End Of Slavery
New York, NY, June 22, 2023 — In recognition of Juneteenth, which celebrates the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans, the Hip-Hop Summit Youth Council (HHSYC) was invited to the White House to a star-studded concert with a host of celebrities in attendance including: Method Man from the Wu-Tang Clan and Power Book 2: Ghost, who was the Master of Ceremony for the pre-event. He also recognized Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary while addressing the crowd of over 1000 guests with his Juneteenth message. Also in attendance was Jennifer Hudson, Colman Domingo, Audra McDonald, Patina Miller, Step Afrika!, Ledisi, Fisk Jubilee Singers, Maverick City Music, Hampton University Concert Choir, Morgan State University Marching Band, Tennessee State University Marching Band and a host of others. In 2021 President Biden signed the bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday, but due to Covid-19 no official celebration has ever been held at the White House until this year.
The event celebrated “Community, Music and Culture” as Vice President Harris introduced 96 year-old retired teacher Opal Lee, known as the Grandmother of Juneteenth. Her tireless work to declare Juneteenth a National Holiday finally paid off, as she was recognized for her gallant efforts by the Vice-President and President Biden.
Said Opal Lee “Make yourself a committee of one to change somebody’s mind, if people can be taught to hate, they can be taught to love, it’s up to you to do it. Continued Opal “We must get together, and get rid of the disparities, the joblessness, the homelessness, the healthcare that some people can get and others can’t, and climate change that we are responsible for. If we don’t do something about it, we are all going to hell in a handbasket!”
The President was introduced by his daughter, Ashley Biden who spoke about her father’s ongoing work to heal America from the scars of slavery and bringing in a new era of justice and equality for all citizens. Stated Ashley “America you are so lucky to have Joe Biden as your President, I don’t know anybody who really, truly works harder for you.”
Said President Biden “To me, making Juneteenth a federal holiday wasn’t just a symbolic gesture. It was a statement of fact for this country to acknowledge the origin or the original sin of slavery, to understand the war was never fought over it. It wasn’t just about a union, but it was most fundamentally about the country and freedom.”
Continued President Biden “To remember the Emancipation Proclamation wasn’t just a document. It captured the essence of freedom that galvanized the country. It proved that some ideas are more powerful; they can’t be denied. It’s a reminder that the promise of America is we all are created equal in the image of God, and we deserve to be treated equally throughout our entire lives.
Said Vice-President Harris “And on this point, let us be very clear—Black history is American history. So, in conclusion, as we gather tonight, let us remember the words of the great Coretta Scott King. She said, “The fight for civil rights must be fought and won with each generation.” She reminds us that our freedoms will not be permanent unless we, in each generation, are vigilant to protect them. So let us stand together as Americans to teach and honor our history, to protect our liberty, and to continue the fight for freedom.”
“Being back at the White House was a good feeling and I want to thank the President and the First Lady for inviting us to celebrate such a glorious and memorable occasion. As the HHSYC celebrates their 22nd anniversary in July, and the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop in August, I’m excited about the future of Hip-Hop and the role we will play over the next 50 years in music, culture, art, education, politics, healthcare, diversity & inclusion, social justice, economic equality, and criminal justice reform” Stated Charles Fisher, Founder, HHSYC.
Continued Fisher “Through our groundbreaking report; Correlation Between Education, Incarceration, and the Emancipation Proclamation, which we officially released to support Hip-Hop Against Gun & Gang Violence Month, Juneteenth, and Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary, we discovered that in the greatest county on earth, with all the technology and money we spend on education, that the reading levels of Black children today are worse than the period of slavery; can you imagine that? More important, what are we going to do about the nation’s failure to teach Black children to read so they have a real chance in life?”
“After 45 years of community service, what I have witnessed is that we are never going to politically solve the gun problem in America any time soon, but we can help reform Gang members through education, mental health, and economic empowerment. Just look at how Hip-Hop was founded, it was Gang Leaders who wanted something better for their family and community than drugs, crime, and violence” said Fisher.
Stated Fisher, “I believe the new focus should be on how to solve the gang problem in America, and not through policing because we can’t arrest our way out of the problem. When 33,000 gangs, representing 1.4 million members, commit 48.9% of the nation’s most violent crime, and I’m sure all the numbers are much higher since the last F.B.I. count nearly a decade ago, it’s time to focus on other alternatives to fix the problem. Gangs need guns to handle their business, but if we remove the threat of gangs from the equation guns will be less of an issue in America. Guns are now the leading cause of death for children 2-19 years of age, surpassing car accidents.”
Continued Fisher “Now from where I stand, if almost half the violent crime in America is caused by gangs, it’s time to label this a “National Crisis.” Just think about how safe our country would be if we fixed the Gang problem in America. We can no longer just give “Thoughts and Prayers” to victims of gun violence. We have to walk and chew gum at the same time and more attention needs to be focused on our Gang problems in the U.S. and abroad.”
Randy Fisher, Executive Director of HHSYC stated, “I want to thank the President and the First Lady for the invite to such a special historic event. I also want to thank the President for the outstanding Presidential Message in support for our 2nd annual Hip-Hop Against Gun & Gang Violence Month and Hip-Hop Against Gun & Gang Violence Week. We are presently working with White House officials to possibly coordinate an event at the White House in August during Hip-Hop Recognition month around Gun & Gang Violence Prevention in America. At HHSYC we have a track record of success when it comes to reaching out to disconnected youth and gang members who are looking for a way to turn their life around. This is how we truly reduce crime and violence in our country.”
Continued Fisher, “If we help young people fulfill the American Dream, they will not have the desire or time to be a part of that Street Life that can land a person in prison. “A man with nothing has nothing to lose.” If Black children are reading worse now than during slavery and 48.9% of violent crimes in America are gang related, both of them should be declared a “National Crisis” and it’s up to concerned citizens, elected officials, celebrities, and business leaders to step up to the plate and help put out the fire in our communities.”
Shout-out to Power 105.1, 105 Days of Summer, iHeart Media, “The People’s Shark” Daymond John, and host of other partners who have helped us create a viable antidote to address gun and gang violence. Through the Hip-Hop and Daymond on Demand Project, which uses the power of Entrepreneurship to end Poverty, Academic Failure, Gun & Gang Violence, the HHSYC will be able to save America Billions of dollars annually and a lot of young lives. To make America the Dream that Dr. King envisioned we must address the many DEMONS that prevent us from “Building A Better Nation.”
For more info contact: RandyKfisher@gmail.com. Check out the HHSYC on social media @hhsyc on all platforms (instagram, twitter and facebook).
Juneteenth link for Proclamation
105 Days of Summer LINK
https://power1051.iheart.com/featured/power-1051s-105-days-of-summer/
HAGGV 2023 REPORT
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1t-8hW3A6LR0X_XYAT6I0jN-5BtWO-J4K/view
Proclamations