It takes a village is one of the most shared clichés in communities of color. This resonant “Black Family” sentiment had its roots in Africa, but made universally popular by Hillary Rodham Clinton in her 1996 book, “It Takes a Village.” The extent to which this African proverb is practiced in communities of color is questionable in most instances as very few resources and support systems exist to engage, inspire or motivate kids to pursue their dreams and ambitions.
Clearly, before we can inspire and motivate our kids we must first recognize and embrace them for who they are. It is only then that we are informed enough to begin to inspire our youth to become their best selves. Too often the proverbial village becomes either distracted or suffocated by its own dysfunctions.
Schools are more concerned with security than they are the children’s needs, too many teachers are more concerned with their compensation plans than they are with the curriculum, while parents are overwhelmed by all the above while having to raise the children.
So the call to Embrace Ya Kidz is a call to action that we ignore at our own peril and that of our children.
Detective Patrick Blanc a New York City Detective, has been sounding the alarm to Embrace Ya Kidz. He is by no means the only voice advocating for our kids. For those who do, we sincerely applaud them. However, Patrick has publicly and consistently put his money where his mouth is in an effort to inspire and motivate our kids in the same way he was inspired and motivated by a New York City police officer when he was a kid. Patrick’s dedication and commitment to recognizing and embracing kids are shared by his childhood friend, Barrington White.
Barrington still remembers with fondness and great pride his early days as a kid growing up in Queens, when he would march proudly in his baseball uniform along Linden Boulevard in Cambria Heights. He still remembers the admiration he got and the self-esteem he felt, as he was met by the admiring glances of his friends and parents alike.
These two men sincerely believe that if they can direct recognition and love to our kids and create opportunities to engage them in sports, allowing us to genuinely begin to embrace our kids.
So together they are announcing the launch of the South East Queens Youth Empowerment Day Parade to spotlight the students of all the High Schools in Southeast Queens, with the emphasis on academics and sports.
Their focus and emphasis are to recognize the importance of education while saluting the achievements of our kids, as well as creating the foundation for the resurgence of sports leagues in our community. Patrick has a long and admirable record of doing just that, so does Barry who has been supportive of many athletic programs and youth empowerment in our community.
The inaugural Southeast Queens Youth Empowerment Day Parade is set for Saturday, June 16, 2018, and will travel west, from 235th Street along Linden Boulevard – formation at 9 am and Parade begins at 11 am, to culminate at the famous Andrew Jackson High School, now the Campus Magnet High School at Francis Lewis Boulevard. Providing all goes well, this will send a clear message to our kids that we Embrace them as well as their dreams and aspirations; planned as an annual event this event promises to be an economic stimulant for a business community that needs all the help it can get.
This planned South East Queens Youth Empowerment Day Parade promises to make a difference in the lives of our children and our communities, hence we at Whereitzat have taken the liberty to secure assurances from the organizers that they will demonstrate professionalism and best practice methods and comply with all City and State regulations to ensure the safety and security of our best assets – our children.
For more information call Det. Patrick Blanc at 646 996 6623 or Barrington White at 646 346 3490, EMAIL seqparade2018@gmail.com
