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DEPRESSION DEALT WITH IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY: Author Terrie M. Williams presents 'The Open Book' on Broadway, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday.
Featuring a rare, live performance by Heavy D., Grammy nominee for Best Reggae Album, 'Vibes'
*New York, NY - Terrie M. Williams and Xavier Artis, co-founders of "Stay Strong: Healing Starts With Us" (HSWU) - a national campaign addressing depression in the Black community, announced today that it will present "The Open Book" on Broadway, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday.
The production will open Thursday, January 15, 2009, 7 p.m. - 9:30 p.m., at Symphony Space, located at 2537 Broadway @ West 95th Street and is open to the general public.
Tickets are just $25 and come with an autographed copy of Terrie M. Williams' ground-breaking book, Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We're Not Hurting.
A press conference will be held at Symphony Space on January 15th at 10 a.m., where the HSWU Campaign will announce the details of key strategic partnerships for 2009 with The Ad Council, The Source Magazine, and Macy's. Representatives from these organizations, along with a number of celebrities, will be present.
"The Open Book" documents the March 18, 2008 HSWU launch event held at the historic Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial & Educational Center.
Hosts Susan L. Taylor and Geoffrey Canada welcomed an overflow of support from community leaders and entertainers including Academy Award® nominee Ruby Dee, John Amos, Mo'Nique, Terry McMillan, and HBO's The Wire co-stars Jamie Hector and Felicia "Snoop" Pearson.
Celebrities and audience members alike then shared their personal and moving stories of their pain and depression in what is now a trademark segment of the HSWU national tour entitled, "The Open Book" testimonials. Click the following link to see clips from "The Open Book," www.youtube.com
"Depression is not a crime - it's an illness," said Williams. "The Open Book" documents the beginnings of this powerful movement in a very special way by helping us name our pain. We also welcome the support of The Source magazine, and our other new partners who are joining us in this movement."
"The source of depression in the Black community is silence," added L. Londell McMillian, renowned entertainment lawyer and new executive publisher of The Source. "Throughout the new era of The Source , we will continue to champion movements that change the world for the better and are happy to join Terrie and Xavier in this movement. The founding generation of hip-hop owes it to the next generation of hip-hop to break the stigma and silence associated with depression in the Black community."
The gathering will honor the full measure of Dr. King's life, just days before what many regard as the culmination of his dream - the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States. What many do not know is that, for all of his accomplishments, Dr. King fought a valiant battle with depression toward the end of life. In addition to the live performance by Heavy D, a number of celebrity guests will attend the event. New York's famed Cake Man Raven (who has also been selected to prepare his renowned Red Velvet Cake for the Presidential Inauguration) will provide a one-of-a-kind confection in honor of Dr. King.
Xavier Artis, president and CEO of the Studio9 Media Group and "The Open Book" on Broadway producer/director adds, "Terrie Williams is using her personal experience with depression and her influence in the entertainment industry to issue a wake-up call to all of us with this movement. Each one of us has either suffered from depression or knows someone who has. It is past time and necessary that we share the full and inspiring story of Dr. King's life, and, more importantly, begin to share our own."
"The Open Book" on Broadway is made possible, in part, with the generous support of MACY's, EmblemHealth, Inc., WBLS, The Loreen Arbus Foundation, Studio9 Media Group, SoulPurpose Lifestyles Company, Mt. Vernon Chamber of Commerce, The Curtis Martin Job' Foundation, The Shark Bar, The Source Magazine, Blue World Travel, Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial & Educational Center, Hue-Man Bookstore & Café, The Long Island Barber Institute and the HSWU Relief Team (Danette Wills, Michelle A. Pascal, Thysha M. Shabazz, Scotland Davis, Taylor Hill, Michelene Hill and Ryan Stewart). This event will be interpreted for the deaf and hearing-impaired by Theressa DuBois of The Deaf Welcome Foundation. "The Open Book" is a Studio9 Production.
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[Editor's Note: Antonique Smith, who stars as Faith Evans in the highly anticipated bio pic, "Notorious," will not perform as previously announced due to an increased media tour surrounding the film.]
For more information on tickets, call 212.864.5400 or visit www.symphonyspace.org. For information about pledging and supporting the HSWU Campaign, visit www.healingstartswithus.net or www.thestaystrongfoundation.org call 212.222.6960 or email Info@TheStayStrongFoundation.org.
About the Stay Strong Foundation
The Stay Strong Foundation (SSF) is a 501(c)(3) organization that provides training for youth through life skills preparation, leadership exercises, and apprenticeships. Built on the principles introduced in Terrie M. Williams' book, Stay Strong: Simple Life Lessons for Teens, The Stay Strong Foundation's philosophy is: "If we don't give our kids time, the system will." The Healing Starts With Us national campaign (www.healingstartswithus.net) - a mental health awareness initiative directed toward the Black community - was launched in March of this year by Terrie M. Williams and Xavier Artis to address the crisis of untreated mental depression in the Black community.
# # #
source:
Thysha M. Shabazz
THE TERRIE WILLIAMS AGENCY
thysha@studio9pro.com
Danette Wills
THE TERRIE WILLIAMS AGENCY
danettewills@yahoo.com
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