The Admit Program - Alternative Directions Music Industry Training

Progress report from the Partners for Peace (P4P) nonviolence CD recording project as of July 9, 2012

Greetings from the ADMIT Program!

The Atlanta Partners For Peace (P4P) nonviolence compilation CD project is nearing completion! At this point a month ago we had 4 songs and now we are up to 14 already, with another one being recorded tomorrow morning with high school students from all over the country in a summer camp at Spelman College! Many of you have either recorded your group with us or have been very influential in announcing this opportunity to get other groups to record, and for that we are very grateful. The most recent local youth groups to create and record nonviolence theme songs for the CD include 14-year old activist Mary-Pat Hector and her acclaimed youth activist organization National Action Network Youth Move (with two songs which include “Shake Off The Violence” and a poignant speech entitled “Wisdom From Mary-Pat”), Poems Over Pistols (“That P.O.P.”), two groups from Atlanta Police Department’s Police Athletic League (“Peace, Love and Unity” and “Be Somebody!”), and the Favor House Track Program out of College Park (“We Run It!”). Samples of their songs (which often capture and promote the purpose or theme of the participating organizations) are attached, as well as CD labels for individual presentations for their songs by some organizations.

The compilation CD, which will also include nonviolence songs and shout-outs from yet to be named young celebrities, will be released in late August or early September at a gala release celebration where the recording youth will receive red carpet treatment, sign their CDs to distribute them to attendees, and have a chance to perform their songs in front of concerned celebrities, community leaders, media representatives, youths invited from schools and programs, and the general public. Given my vast experience at managing these projects, we fully expect that this will lead to a process of distributing over 30,000 of these free CDs to schools, programs and other locations where kids congregate. It will also be available for free download.

There are several things we need to complete this project:

1. SONGS BY TWO GOSPEL YOUTH CHOIRS
Most of our songs recorded are heavily hip-hop flavored, which is great of course because it supports ideas expounded by The ADMIT Program, National Action Network and others that hip-hop can be used for the benefit of our young people. However, to show musical diversity and spirituality among our youth, we are requesting original nonviolence songs written and recorded this week by gospel youth choirs of from 10 to 20 members who would do all writing and recording on this project over a 3 to 4-hour period at our studio located at 4960 Covington Highway. If anyone knows any groups from your church, school or circle of influence who would like to participate THIS WEEK ONLY in this soon-to-be highly promoted and widely distributed nonviolence CD project, please contact me at 786-287-1184(cell) or 404-534-2600 (office). We are not recording individual singers since one of our goals is to increase youth collaborations and teamwork in addressing issues. No prior song is needed because it will be written and recorded in our studio by the youths themselves in less than three hours! Just remember that all available youth group recording will likely be completed by this Saturday and recording opportunities are available each day this week, including evenings. What better way to get young people involved in combating violence than to have their messages and voices on a hot and influential CD, while uniting with other young people and celebrities for an important cause? Community service has never been this much fun!

2. CELEBRITY INVOLVEMENT AND OTHER PARTNERSHIPS
We also need celebrity partnerships to help attract the young entertainers to appear on this important CD to try to reach out to their peers through music. Local celebrities we would like to reach out to for support of this project include Greg Street, Frankski and Wanda and other prominent connectors who have demonstrated concern for our youth. Locally connected young artists or producers with foundations who would be ideal for collaboration on this project as spokespersons include T.I., Usher, Big Boi, Missy Elliot, Ludacris, Nitti, Jermaine Dupri, Cee-lo Green, or any other artist not named above who would be interested in helping our youth people get their messages of nonviolence heard while giving youth a chance to help make a difference in eradicating violence in our community. We can also benefit from other partnerships as well in providing various means of support, including public relations and marketing, to this project. We would love to include the name and logo of a major sponsor on the billing of the CD because we believe that it takes many levels of support to complete, distribute and market this important project. Please direct this correspondence to any of these persons you know or even to their family members, management staff, friends or associates to try to get them involved or pass on their contact information to me so we may begin a dialog with them.

3. CD DESIGN IDEAS FROM YOUTH ART ORGANIZATIONS
We need for youth art organizations to ask their students to draw a sample that best describes for them the concept of “Partners For Peace (P4P)” and get this to us as soon as possible for consideration for the CD art design. The selected design will be further developed if needed by professional designers, then used for the CD label and cover, as well as promotional items like posters, flyers, web pages and other items connected with the program. As in the recording process, all efforts will be contributed with no payments to be made to the contributor. Individually submitted ideas may be combined by our staff to get the design that best fits the needs for this project, and the person(s) whose idea is selected will receive recognition at our CD release celebration as well as a scholarship award!

4. FUNDING TO RELEASE THE CD
All of my recording and mixing services have been provided at no cost to participants or their organizations. Funding is needed in the near future however to facilitate the marketing, release and distribution of this potentially influential CD. Please advise me of any governmental entities, corporations, persons, programs or agencies that would like to donate to our 501 (c) (3) nonprofit agency to facilitate this process, and who would not mind having his or her company’s or foundation’s name and logo on at least 30,000 nonviolence CDs to be distributed to young people through schools, youth programs and agencies all over Atlanta and beyond.

5. TESTIMONIALS FROM PARTICIPATING KIDS AND, TO A LESSER EXTENT, THEIR ORGANIZATIONS
For youth groups who have recorded with us for this project, we urgently need written testimonials (on your letterhead if possible) from your kids addressing how they enjoyed the songwriting and recording process, and how they feel about having the opportunity to contribute to the process of spreading peace and nonviolence throughout their community through their music and their messages. Please email these letters to my attention by this Wednesday evening to [email protected]. Also please send a letter from your director indicating how you think your young people benefitted from their participation. If you must comply with this request later than this week, then we have to gratefully accept that; however, the sooner we get these letters (during this week if at all possible), the sooner we can prepare and submit documentation to request funding and other support to complete this effort.

Please see the attached copy of a previously completed nonviolence project completed and released to 20,000 youths in Miami, Florida through the primary partnership of the Miami-Dade County Juvenile Services Department’s Violence Intervention Project (VIP). We expect to have an even greater impart in the Atlanta area, where the ADMIT Program has recently relocated, due to the likelihood of more expanded music industry support, national media networks to get our children’s nonviolence efforts and messages heard and adopted, and more concern for youth of color, who appear to be disproportionately affected by many of the problems that lead to violence. Our young participants are instructed before they collectively write their songs to not just state in their lyrics that violence exists, but what can be done to help prevent it. With their rhymes so far addressing preventive strategies such as education; physical activities; community service; self control; goal setting and achievement; perseverance through difficult times; loving each other; respect for each other; community pride; and communication; as well as innovative strategies such as doing the “P.O.P. Stance”, and “shaking off the violence”, we can be proud of the diverse efforts that our young people are making to make a difference in their lives and the lives of others. As requested before please do what you can and send this correspondence to others who can join me in supporting their efforts to have a voice in dealing with this critical problem.

As a final note, when I announced this project in late April, the response was lukewarm at first because people did not understand how all the activities related to recording different youth groups in such a short time can be done. Now we are already nearly completed with the most difficult part, which is the recording process! What many did not realize is that I have many years of experience in working with youth groups either through my own record label and recording studio, or through our nonprofit ADMIT Program, which teaches young people about music industry careers while helping them to record their own positive songs, regardless of their musical backgrounds. Through my program, I also have released several full length CDs of youth music in the Miami area. Be assured that it is never too late to become an active part of this project, and I am still seeking to partner with Atlanta agencies, corporations or individuals to help our youth make a difference. Thank you for your support and I look forward to further discussing this efforts with many of you, and seeing you all at the early Fall CD release event at a location and date in which you will be advised! Congratulations also to our participating youth recording groups so far which represent Brighton Academy Pop Choir (our very first group!), Berean Christian Church, Atlanta PAL, Youth Move, Poems Over Pistols, Charles Drew High School’s P.E.A.C.E. Club, In His Great Name Ministry, Be Pro-Active, Just Us Girls, Favor House, Youth Empowerment Program (YEP), M.E.N.S. Wear, Inc., and those to follow including Spelman College’s Summer Youth program (recording Tuesday July 10), the Hip Hop Ensemble of Atlanta (proposed) and Fulton County Juvenile Court (Saturday July 14th). It is hoped that their efforts, and those of the supporters of this project, inspire others to practice nonviolence and to replicate this concept by producing and distributing more music that uplifts our youth and enhances the community.

Sincerely,

Thomas W. Demerritte, MPA
President/Producer
The ADMIT Program, Inc.
4960 Covington Highway, Suite 6
Decatur, GA 30035
404-534-2600 (office)
786-287-1184 (mobile)[email protected]
www.TheADMITProgram.org
www.ThatsARapBook.com

Greetings -
The ADMIT Program is still here in Metro Atlanta area making progress and the contacts needed to take our mission to its next level. While it has been a difficult journey into unfamiliar territory, I am a true believer that nothing worthwhile is achieved without some struggle and sacrifice. We have been constantly developing and expanding our network of contacts in order to establish effective partnerships, and we expect to see a breakthrough in the very near future. Keep us in your prayers and feel free to look at our website at www.theadmitprogram.org to let me know if you have contacts in Atlanta's music, government, mass media, corporate, educational or community program arenas who we can partner with to expand our program in this area. Thank you for your support and realize that the ADMIT Program WILL make it happen for our young people!

Thomas W. Demerritte, MPA
Director, The ADMIT Program, Inc.

The ADMIT Program Home Page To take advantage of the increased media exposure spreading positive messages produced by our program participants, the ADMIT Program has recently moved our main operations to Decatur to serve youth and children in the Metro Atlanta area! Featuring professional recording equipment and music industr...

Happy Holidays!! Please go to our PayPal page at our website at www.theadmitprogram.org to help support the ADMIT Program's expansion mission to Atlanta through your tax exempt donations! Thank you and continued blessings to all who love our children.
Thomas W. Demerritte, President, The ADMIT Program

http://www.theadmitprogram.to/

As the ADMIT Program close out the end of the 2011 year. Take a special interest in our youths unbelievable talent for the New Year. Be wise, because music opens up a world of opportunities to learnand enhance, skills in computer technology, math, engineer and science. Merry Christmas and PEACE (RH)