News

Campaign Commits to Reach One Million Pledges

admin — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 20:44:00 GMT

New York, NY – March 28, 2008 – Today the “Healing Starts With Us” national campaign in conjunction with The Dixon Group Inc., launches the website Healingstartswithus.net to create a grassroots online network that will mobilize and promote the campaign’s goal to reach 1 million pledges by Independence Day, July 4, 2008.

The campaign’s website comes after an overflowing crowd of community, civic, social, political leaders and entertainers including Academy Award® nominee Ruby Dee, John Amos, Mo’Nique, Terry McMillan, HBO’s The Wire co-stars Jamie Hector and Felicia “Snoop” Pearson and Rev. Al Sharpton united on March 18, 2008 for the launch of the “Healing Starts With Us” campaign, moderated by Susan L. Taylor and Geoffrey Canada. More than 700 attendees gathered at the historic Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial & Educational Center (formerly known as The Audubon Ballroom) to listen as celebrity guests read excerpts from Terrie M. Williams’ latest book, BLACK PAIN: It Just Looks Like We’re Not Hurting. Following the dramatic readings, in what has become the campaign’s trademark, Williams engaged the audience in an “Open Book healing Q&A” discussion – which lead to an outpouring of audience members sharing moving testimonials that dealt with rape, death, and other traumas – including Terry McMillan, Felicia “Snoop” Pearson who shared incredibly touching stories of their own trials. Mo’Nique brought the evening full circle by sharing publicly for the first time her battle with depression, and credited her husband Sidney who recognized and suggested her need for therapy. Said Mo’Nique, “I thought depression was a white woman’s disease; my sistahs and brothas, I’m here to tell you that it does not discriminate.”

The historic launch marked an important day in the history of the community, recognizing the opportunity to raise awareness and voices about issues facing men and women at every age and stage of life. Echoing the words of Malcolm X, Academy Award® nominee and beloved matriarch, Ruby Dee told the attendees that, “We must take back our community and its well being…By Any Means Necessary.”

“We want to encourage 1 million people to commit in support of our mission, to provide a support network that encourages open dialogue about emotional distress”, said Xavier Artis, creative philanthropist and campaign creator. “With this campaign we can take back our independence and begin the process of healing individually and collectively, as a community. It is through the power of one that we will reach and exceed our goal of 1 million pledges on Independence Day.”

Growing support of the campaign to reach its 1 million pledges include several national corporations, non-profits, and community businesses that have joined forces to create the ‘Healing Starts With Us’ Committee of Sponsors including: The Dixon Group, Inc.; Forest City Ratner Companies; Macy’s; Coca-Cola; The River Room; Columbia University Office of Government and Community Affairs; The Jonathan M. Tisch Foundation; The Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial & Educational Center; The Loreen Arbus Foundation; Moet Hennessy USA; The Middleton Law Group; Shabazz Fish & Grill; The Terrie Williams Agency; Bad Boy Entertainment Worldwide; The Artis Connection; Planet Hollywood; BET; National Cares Mentoring Movement; Alpha International Travel; Sean John; and Blue World Travel; Hue-Man Bookstore & Café; The Shark Bar; Raven the Cakeman and Citrus Restaurant.

“We are proud of the partnership’s we are establishing with businesses and individuals. This movement plays a significant role in helping our community move further down a path of hope and healing, while also providing them with a nurturing environment,” added Williams. “With the website, we have the ability to use digital media to offer more opportunities for the community to embrace our, ‘open book’ dialogue with others, sign-up and pledge their support for the campaign as we tour the nation spreading the message that ‘Healing Starts With Us.’"

Campaign Launch Draws Considerable Press Coverage

admin — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 20:57:00 GMT

~ MSNBC online covers March 18, 2008 launch of The Stay Strong Foundation's 'Healing Starts With Us' National campaign.

MSNBC.com

~ Red Carpet takes over Uptown with Entertainment Tonight/The Insider's live coverage of Mo'nique at the launch of The Stay Strong Foundation's 'Healing Starts With Us' national campaign:

Entertainment Tonight

~ ESSENCE.COM Features Terrie Williams and The Stay Strong Foundation kick off the "Healing Starts With Us" national campaign with celebrities supporting the cause.

ESSENCE.com

~ Media Hits from March 18, 2008 Campaign launch at The Shabazz Center in New York City:

blackgivesback.blogspot.com

harlemworldblog.wordpress.com

KRNV News

www.wireimage.com

www.thequestforit.com

Letter of Appreciation

admin — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 21:41:00 GMT

Dear Friend,

The response to The Stay Strong: “Healing Starts With Us” campaign launch, at the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Educational Center on Tuesday, March 18th was truly overwhelming. Thank you for coming out to learn about the mental health crisis in our community—and congratulations to all of you who came to learn what to do about it. You are to be commended for honoring yourself.

We are also extremely grateful to the esteemed moderators Susan L. Taylor and Geoffrey Canada and our celebrity friends: Ruby Dee, John Amos, Mo’Nique, Terry McMillan, Jamie Hector, and Felicia “Snoop” Pearson. Each of them made time in their busy schedules to participate with us, to help bring awareness to the topic of depression and how it is linked to the high rate of violence on our streets and in our homes; to child abuse, rape, suicide as well as other heinous acts committed in urban communities around the nation. We extended to them a call to action and they answered, because they are equally concerned about how many of us are hurting ourselves and killing one other.

The Stay Strong Foundation’s, “Healing Starts With Us” event was offered as a free community event and we wanted our guests to have a copy of “Black Pain,” to learn more about depression from the book in the days to follow. However, due to the large turnout, it became impossible for us to seat some of our guests upstairs, as originally planned. As a result, some of you who purchased the book have expressed your disappointment. We had monitors set up in the downstairs lobby and the vast majority of guests were content. Still we honor the fact that your expectation was different.

We stand behind our belief that it’s important for you to have a copy of Black Pain that can be used as a personal resource tool. In the spirit of our message that “the healing starts with us,” we will refund your money to you and you may also keep the book as our gift. Our hope is, that it serves to help you as it has thousands of others so far, or that you identify someone in need of healing and pass it on to them.

The refund offer was made at the event on Tuesday and Hue-Man Bookstore began the process the following day. The deadline to receive a refund is Thursday, March 20th, from the Hue-Man Bookstore & Cafe, located at 2319 Frederick Douglass Blvd., between the hours of 10:00 am and 8:00 pm.

Again, we thank all of you for coming. Let’s focus on the daunting task at hand, roll up our sleeves and do this important life transforming work. All of us at The Stay Strong Foundation and Hue-Man Bookstore look forward to building this healing movement together with you. To repeat the words of Malcolm X, which were delivered at the end of our program by beloved matriarch, the incomparable Ruby Dee, “we must take back our community and it’s well being…by any means necessary!

Stay Strong,

Terrie M. Williams Xavier Artis
Co- Founder Co-Founder

Healing Starts With Us Campaign Launch -- March 18, 2008

admin — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:39:00 GMT

Welcome to the Stay Strong Foundation's "Healing Starts With Us" Press Room. We invite you to explore our press room for press releases, recent media coverage, bios, fact sheets, upcoming events and to find details about the campaign's goal to reach One Million pledges in support of the movement and encourage an open dialogue within the community. Thank you for joining us as we help millions help themselves. Here you can download our press release, media advisory and credential form for the March 18, 2008 Campaign National Launch event at The Shabazz Center in New York. For press inquiries, or to join our press list, please contact LaVenia LaVelle or Shanique Bonelli at PR@healingstartswithus.net

Welcome to the Healing Starts With Us Community

admin — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 17:04:00 GMT

Thank you for visiting the Stay Strong Foundation’s Healing Starts With Us Campaign community site. We hope that you will join this community, actively participate and come back often for updates.

Please donate your $1 pledge by clicking the button at the top of the page and don’t forget to invite 3 others to sign up to support our One Million Pledges!

Stay Strong!