ROOT, Inc. Holds It's 2nd Annual Father's Day Weekend Commemoration to Call A Moratorium On Murder in the DC Area, Remembering Homicide Victims and Honoring Their Families

Acclaimed Actor, Playwright Malik Yoba of New York Undercover Fame will be the Honorary Chair of this years Fathers Day Weekend Celebration; Co-Chairing will be WPGCs 'EZSTREET

(PRWEB) June 13, 2004 -- WHO:    Special honored guests include: Winky Wright (World Welterweight Champion), Kenny Burns (VP Roc-A-Fella Records) Congresswoman Eleanor Homes Norton, Judge Eugene Hamilton, Police Chief Charles Ramsey, Dr. Benjamin Chavis, Ernest Thomas (Roger of Whats Happening" and Malcolm X) and Joe Madison (The Black Eagle, WOL and XM Satellite Radio Personality)

Concerned organizations will unite to call a moratorium on murder, including; No Murders D.C., Cease Fire-Dont 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, Former Chief Isaac Fulwood, 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 (complete schedule attached)

June 17 -- Thursday, Press Conference, National Press Club. -- 10am Luncheon at the District Building -- 12:30-2pm (invitation required) June 18 -- Friday, Working Seminar- Dynamics of Murder, UDC- 8:30am -- 1pm                    
June 19 -- Saturday, Man to Man Conference, Ballou High School -- 9am-3pm; Stop The Violence Concert, DC Tunnel -- 2pm -- 8pm; Soap Box Derby, Constitution Avenue - All Day June 20 -- Sunday, 2nd Annual Fathers 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 R.O.O.T. (Reaching Out to Others Together) and a host of partner organizations and supporters as they launch their 2ND Annual Fathers 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, LLC,
Tel. 202-723-2200

EVENT INFO CONTACT: Ayo Handi Kendi, 202-667-2577, ayomeansjoy@yahoo.com; Rhonda Thomas, 202- 545-9574, rhondathomas@starpower.net.    

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ROOT, INC. 2ND ANNUAL FATHERS DAY
WEEKEND COMMEMORATION
Thursday, June 17 thru Sunday, June 20, 2004

Thursday, June 17th

Press Conference at the National Press Club. -- 10 AM
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.

Luncheon at District Building -- 12:30 PM -- 2 PM (invitation required)
District Building - 1350 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Award presentation to include Malik Yoba, Winky Wright, Welterweight Champion and Kenny Burns (VP Roc-A-Fella Records).

Friday, June 18th (Registration required)

DYNAMICS OF MURDER AND VIOLENCE IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - UDC
Open Space Working Seminar at the University of DC; 8:30 AM -- 1 PM
UDC - Van Ness Campus at 4201 Connecticut Ave; Building 38, Student lounge, 2nd floor.
John L. Johnson, Ed.D, Convener; CO-hosted by the University of the District of Columbia and the National Alliance for Change

Saturday, June 19th

MAN-TO-MAN CONFERENCE
Workshop and Seminar at Ballou High School -- 9 AM -- 3 PM
3401 4th St SE. Washington, DC 20032
Hosted by East of the River Clergy Police Community Partnership, the Washington Informer, Abigail, DCs Promise East of the River and COPS/ERCPCP Value Based Initiative.

Soap Box Derby, Constitution Avenue - All Day
Constitution Ave., - Department of Human Services, Youth Services Administration and Sponsors
20 Cars Prepared for Race. For youth ages 8-17.

Stop The Violence Concert, Tunnel Night Club -- 2 PM -- 8 PM
Tunnel Night Club, 2135 Queens Chapel Road, NE, Washington, DC

ROOT, the National Alliance for Change, and The Hip-Hop Summit Action Network 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 Dont 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.

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