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THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS AprU 2-April 8, 2009 7

Stop the killing! life Camp and Queens youth create anti-violence initiatives By MARYAM ABDUL-

ALEEM Special to the AmNews

Teen violence is a problem in every borough, but one non-for-profit organization, Life Camp Inc., did some- thing proactive to stop the killing of the youth in a Queens, N.Y., high school on March 26.

Life Camp Inc. brought a silver casket into Excelsior Prep High School to show the students where they could end up at the hands of "senseless violence."

Before a rapper from the Bronx did a dedication song for a friend that he recently lost to violence for the students, a few young men and Erica Ford, community organizer and founder of Life Camp Inc., brought in the casket from the back of the auditorium to the gasps, tears, shock and awe of some 200 students.

That could be "your casket, with your name on it because you're not loving your life and not making the right deci- sions" and choices in life, Ronald Menitt, a 22-year-old member of Life Camp, who lost two friends to a drive-by shoot- ing in Jamaica, Queens, on

Ufe Camp Inc. with supporters and Erica Ford (r)

Jan. 11, 2009, said he wanted the students to take away from these events.

The idea for the "Bury Da BeeP campaign was birthed after four girls from East New York were shot in separate incidents last month. Ford told the Amsterdam News. "After those shootings and the tables were turned that now little girls were getting shot," she said, she went and got some of the top-notch street organiza-

tions and violence prevention teams to collectively combat violence head on.

Life Camp ordinarily goes to high schools in the tristate area to give a positive message to the youth about education, employment and social oppor- tunities that many of them may not be aware of within their urban environments. However, Life Camp Inc. decid- ed to do something different to kick off the 2009 I Love My

(Larry Love photo)

Life Tour that many may think was a little extreme.

"We are going to go hard to save our kids," Ford, told the Amsterdam News.

Ford said that, we're not making the guns. The guns are coming from somewhere and ending up in our community. It's escalating. If we as a collec- tive whole don't take care of our community, then who will? Ford said. No one else is going to go to the extreme.

"I speak at so many funer- als," but the youth seem to not understand what's actually happening. These are drastic times that we are in and dras- tic times call for drastic meas- ures. Ford said.

Merritt, a 22-year-old who lost two friends earlier this year, met Ms. Ford at a funeral for a friend he lost almost six years ago. After Ford spoke, he began to hang around Life Camp Inc. and now he is the cameraman for the LIFE.

"This beef has got to stop," he said. "We've got to stop doing this senseless killing and come together as one" because that is the only way we can accomplish anything. Merritt said he shouldn't have to look over his shoulder when he is walking out of his moth- er's apartment to go to his grandmother's place when they live only two buildings away from each other. "I thought we were free," he said.

LIFE stands for Love Ignites Freedom through Education, and Life Camp Inc.'s mission is to provide and inspire young people with practical and transfor-

(Continued on Page 35)

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C A R E E R O P P O R T U N I T I E S BNY (Continued from Page 5) "That was my first 9 to 5 IjobI ever. My wife said I would need a hobby." Women's intuition proved his wife correct.

"About 12 to 13 years ago, my wife got me a bow for my birthday," he said. "I don't even recall mentioning it to her. But that's what started the addic- tion. It has consumed my life." It didn't take long for Davis to pick up where he left off at Hunter. He began to compete and travel around with archery clubs.

During the 42nd World Archery Championships in Van Cortlandt Park in 2003. Davis shared a volunteer booth with then Columbia

University head coach Larry Brown. Brown mentioned he was looking for an assistant and inquired about Davis' availability.

"No, no, no, I don't have any experience. I have a 9 to 5 job and a family," Davis said he told Brown. "He said there's no money in it, I can keep the 9 to 5 and it would be great." Davis took the position. It only paid $2,000 annually. After an uneventful first year in the job, Davis received some interest- ing news.

"At the end ofthat year, he IBrownl resigned. In retro- spect; I think he was looking for a replacement and not an assistant," said Davis. He might not have taken the job if it weren't for the players and members of the athletic

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department pushing him to do it. He eventually accepted the head coaching gig. It was still full-time and it took its toll on him while he attempted to bal- ance his day job and family with his coaching job.

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Africa (Continued from Page 2) negotiated a Declaration of Principles that they convinced the Sudanese govemment and all insurgent groups to sign.

Having established a politi- cal basis for peace in the Sudan, the AU was working assiduously to consolidate its gains when the ICC insouciant- ly ignored its efforts and issued an arrest warrant for President Bashir.

President of the UN Gener- al Assembly, Miguel d'Escoto Brockman, criticized tbe ICC's decision. Calling the decision by the ICC to indict President Bashir an affront to the AU, Mr. Brockman said that "it did not help [the situation in the Sudan] not to heed the request

of the African Union" to give peace a chance.

Many African diplomats execrated the ICC's decision for its lack of consensus. "It was a decision not fully carried by all states," remarked one diplomat, who requested anonymity.

According to Mahmood Mamdani, a professor at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs in New York, the war in Darfur will expand if the UN Security Council only focuses on criminal justice instead of peace and political justice as the AU does.

"If you want the fighting to stop and the living to have a sec- ond chance, then peace and polit- ical justice" is the answer that will resolve the conflict in the Sudan, Dr. Mamdani said at a

UN forum. Ambassador Abdalhaleem,

Sudan's permanent representa- tive to the United Nations, observed that "the ICC's decision is a recipe for disunity and frag- mentation" in the Sudan and reiterated his government's com- mitment to establish peace in Darfur.

Commenting on the AU's position on the Sudan, Ango- la's permanent representative to the United Nations, Gaspar Martins Ismael, said that the future in Africa is for dialogue, not conflict, and that the AU's position underscores Africa's determination to "see our own problems fixed as we see them."

Meanwhile, since his indict- ment, Bashir has visited several countries, including Eritrea, Libya, Egypt and Qatar.

Casket (Continued fí-om Page 7) mative tools to create person- al responsibility, leadership skills, critical thinking, pro- fessional skills and motiva- tion to stay out ofthe criminal justice system. It uses per- formances as well as speaking platforms to reach young adults ages 13-24.

In addition to those "holistic strategies," the Life Camp par- ticipates in other programs for the community, such as Real Talk, Women on the Move, Real Men Read and I Love My Life Tour, along with other pro- grams.

Life Camp Inc., along with Man Up! and a host of other community organizations, are collectively referred to as the

New York City VIP (Violence, Intervention and Prevention) All-Stars. Ford said the organi- zations can turn New York City around if they are given the tools and the resources needed.

In a released statement. Life Camp Inc. said, "We believe that to combat violence in our community, we must draw on the wisdom and resources of the people who live there." Ms. Ford told the Amsterdam News that she wants to work with the board of education because most schools are not equipped to deal with the pain that these students are facing and teach them at the same time. Utilize us, she said.

For more information on Life Camp Inc., visit their web- site at www.lifecampinc.com.

Naya (Continued from Page 8) nity," said Lateefah Carter of the December 12th Movement. "She is politically astute and understands the responsibility that comes with her profession. Naya dares to tell the truth about our struggle and has made herself a strong voice for our people. She is truly a part of our family. That's why we celebrate her priceless contri- bution to our fight for justice ahd human rights."

A myriad of journalists, community leaders, elected officials and cultural artists came out to take part in recog- nizing Arinde's principled work and to let her know her signiñcant impact in raising the issues facing our communi- ty. The speakers included Nana Camille Yarhorough, who opened with a special libation to our ancestors and linked Naya to carrying on the legacy of so many others that came before us. Tulani Kinard, candidate for NYC Council's 41st District, paid tribute in beautiful song and words.

along with Black radio person- ality Bob Law, veteran journal- ist Herb Boyd, NYC Council- man Charles Barron, Bernard White of WBAI, attorneys Roger Wareham and Michael Tarif Warren, photographer Lem Peterkin, Assembly- woman Inez Barron, Esther Armah of WBAI and Dr. James Mclntosh of CEMOTAP. New York State Senator Bill Perkins' office issued an offi- cial proclamation, and April Silver of Akila Worksongs was the mistress of ceremonies for the evening.

"Navaha Arinde comes in

the tradition of an Ida B. Wells, a pioneer journalist who used her skills to fight against lynching and promote self defense among our people in the 1890s," said Omowale Clay of the December 12th Move- ment. "She uses her journalism skills to fight for a better qual- ity of life for us. She fearlessly stands up against police hru- tality, the mis-education of our children and political corrup- tion. And she boldly supports the leaders in our community who sacrifice, struggle and love our people," he continued.

"Naya is truly a champion

of the pen, and the pen is mightier than the sword because the first battle is the battle for ideas. So when we pick up the sword, we are clear about what we are fighting for. It is important for us to recog- nize our warriors as they fight and to give them strength. Fight on. Naya!"

Straight ahead!

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