Special to The American
The Universal African Peoples Organization (UAPO) recently took its Pull Up Your Pants and Help Pull up Your Community Campaign to a second school, Fresh Start Academy located at 2615 N. Billups.
In two sessions, the UAPO sponsored a panel of community activists who spoke words of encouragement and inspiration to an all-male audience of students as to why they should embrace this campaign.
The five-member panel included Michael “Spud” Johnson, a young entrepreneur and owner of VIP Studios. He told students he was a former gang-banger who had been shot nine times. Through his near-death experiences, he decided to refocus his life on a spiritual level and dedicate himself to uplifting the community. He urged the young males to do likewise.
Kenneth Boyd, president of Kennyboy Productions, encouraged students not to follow his earlier life path to crime that led to his incarceration for 19 years. He described the origins of sagging in prison life and the homosexual connotations of this fashion style within the prison system. To positively influence the youth, Kenny shared his song “Pull Up Yo Pants.”
UAPO member Kandis Hendrix shared a female perspective on the subject. She pointed out that every decent and self-respecting woman wants a male companion or husband with high self-esteem, and anyone showing their underwear in public obviously has no respect for themselves or others.
The Rev. Elston K. McCowan, Minister/General of the UAPO, encouraged students to learn the history of our people’s struggle here in America and throughout the world. He asked them to emulate freedom fighters such as Nat Turner, Frederick Douglass, Marcus Garvey, Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. E. B. Nixon and Huey P. Newton.
Zaki Baruti, President/General of the UAPO, served as moderator. Zaki unveiled the UAPO Basic 10 Point Action Plan for youth/young adults to support the campaign. After each session, those students who agreed to embrace the campaign were asked to stand, and the response was very positive. As a keepsake and to help spread the campaign message, each student was given a “Kings Don’t Sag” button.
The progressive principal of Fresh Start Academy, Sean Nichols was very pleased with the sessions.
For more information the campaign, call (314) 454-9005 or e-mail zakibarutiuapo@hotmail.com
