NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / May 14, 2021 /One Hundred Black Men of NYC (OHBM) has announced a pair of powerful initiatives to mark Juneteenth 2021. The first is a citywide cultural competition for high school students from the five boroughs. The second is a virtual teach-in, the Juneteach Virtual Village, exploring the intersection of racism and politics. Geared to high school and college students, it will be held Friday, June 18.

"While African American families have celebrated Juneteenth since the late 1800s, the real significance of the holiday has only recently gained mainstream awareness," said Courtney A. Bennett, OHBM's executive director. "Our goal in creating these two events was to help our community's future leaders explore and reflect on the true meaning of Juneteenth, both through a historical lens and in the context of critical issues that continue to impact Black Americans today."

High School Creative Competition
Through June 6
OHBM is inviting high school students from New York City's five boroughs to submit original creative works to help advance the public's understanding of Juneteenth. Contestants are asked to create an original work that expresses freedom in the form of a dance, song, drawing, poem, or other style of art, and post it to TikTok, tagging @OneHundredBlackMenNYC. The deadline for posting entries is June 6. Winning entries will be announced and featured at the Juneteach event. For more information, visit ohbm.org/juneteenth/.

Juneteach Virtual Village: The Intersection of History, Racism, and Politics
June 18, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., EDT
Focusing on history not covered in the traditional school curriculum, this free event is geared to New York City high school and college students and their parents and will explore the two-party political system in the U.S., and the importance of youth voice on the impact of Black history. Speakers will include political leaders, artists and other luminaries from the Black community, among them Jamal Joseph and Michele Jones-Galvin. One of the Panther 21, a group of Black Panther Party members who were famously acquitted of conspiracy charges in 1971. Joseph is a full professor and former chair of Columbia University's Graduate Film Division, the artistic director of the New Heritage Theatre Group in Harlem and executive artistic director and founder of Impact Repertory Theatre. Jones-Galvin is a community service leader, descendant of Harriet Tubman and co-author of Beyond the Underground: Aunt Harriet, Moses of Her People.

In addition to live and recorded presentations, there will be small-group discussions on individual topics like mental health, racism, the Black church and politics, and online games to keep participants engaged. Registration for the teach-in at ohbm.org/juneteenth/.

Participants will also learn about OHBM's Junior Hundred Program, a leadership and business entrepreneurship training program for high school juniors and seniors. Junior Hundred scholars explore various industries and career paths as they develop character and gain financial literacy, college readiness and business and life skills. One hundred percent of Junior Hundred scholars graduate high school and go on to college, with 95% completing college within four years.

About One Hundred Black Men of New York City

One Hundred Black Men of New York City (OHBM) was founded in 1963 as a non-profit organization of like-minded leaders who met to advocate for improvement in conditions in their communities. Today, it leverages the collective talents, abilities and energy of its members and corporate partners for the intellectual development of youth and the economic empowerment of the Black community. based on the following precepts: respect for family, spirituality, justice, and integrity. To learn more about OHBM and its initiatives, visit www.ohbm.org.

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SOURCE: One Hundred Black Men of NYC

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