Acclaimed filmmaker Byron Hurt addresses 260 South Coast teens on violence and masculinity in the hip-hop culture
| For Immediate Release | Contact: Joyce Faria Brennan |
| May 10, 2006 | 508-961-5270 |
| brennanj@southcoast.org | |
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| Documentary filmmaker Byron Hurt addresses more than 200 youths at the 2006 RAPPP Male Conference. | |
This year's theme was violence awareness and featured the acclaimed filmmaker, Byron Hurt, creator of the award-winning documentary, "Beyond Beats and Rhymes: Masculinity in Hip-Hop Culture."
Hurt spoke to the youths about the importance of being a responsible man with inner and moral courage.
"When you realize who you really are, you let your individual light shine across the world," Hurt told the teens. "Your generation of boys and men has the ability to set a standard across the nation and not fall into the trap of being hard and tough."
Hurt said he created "Beyond Beats and Rhymes" after realizing certain disturbing developments in the rap music culture. A self-proclaimed "Hip-Hop Head" and former college quarterback, he discussed his personal life experiences and shared his candid view and expos of rap's portrayals of violence, hyper-aggression, homophobia, sexism and masculinity. His messages were clear and direct, today's Rap icons and images lack respect, responsibility and cause more harm than good. The documentary is slated to air on PBS in the fall and subsequently distributed to schools across the country.
Hurt was joined by ABC 6-TV Sports Director Ken Bell; Patrick Pass of the New England Patriots; Keith Labelle, domestic violence specialist; inmates from the Bristol County Sheriff's Department, and Cecil Lopes Jr., who lost his son to gun violence for afternoon workshops.
For more information about Byron Hurt, log on to www.bhurt.com.
Workshop highlights:
- "First & Goal. Making the Tough Yards" ~ Fullback for the New England Patriots, Patrick Pass, returns to share his insight and experience on overcoming adversity both on and off the football field. Pass was the keynote speaker at last year's conference.
- "My Son" ~ Cecil Lopes Jr. offers a powerful recount of the tragic gun violence that lead to his son death. He discusses family pain endured by mothers, fathers, grandparents, sisters and brothers when a loved one is murdered.
- "Down for the hood" ~ Gang violence prevention presented by New Bedford Police Gang Unit. A reality based picture of the "hood" and how young men can avoid being sucked into a gang.
- "Rippin' and Runnin' Where are they now?" ~ Inmates from the Bristol County Sheriff's Department "Choices" and "Slam" will share their own experiences with gangs, violence, drug addiction and incarceration.
- "Control!" ~ Keith Labelle, domestic violence & dating violence specialist will discuss date rape, abusive relationships and the difference between "toxic" and positive relationships.
- Fairhaven Fairhaven High School.
- Fall River Durfee High School & Old Colony YMCA.
- New Bedford New Bedford High School, New Bedford Global Charter School & Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School.
- Rochester Old Colony High School.
- Taunton Taunton High School.
- Wareham Wareham High School.
About Southcoast Hospitals' RAPPP Program
The Southcoast Hospitals' RAPPP (Responsible Attitudes toward Pregnancy, Parenting & Prevention) program began as an adolescent pregnancy prevention program designed to be used within the curriculum of the health or science department of high and junior high school systems. Since its inception the RAPPP program has touched more than 20,000 teens and parents, including more than 12,000 students through its in-school programs at area senior and junior high schools. The Family Education Department at St. Luke's Hospital develops, funds and administers the RAPPP program in conjunction with school faculty and administration. All materials, models, staff support and training are free of charge to the participating schools as part of the Southcoast Hospitals Group community benefits program. Southcoast's Community Benefits Report can be found online at www.southcoast.org/news/benefits/.
The Southcoast Hospitals' RAPPP program also impacts adolescents, parents, young adults and professionals in the community through a number of outreach training programs and conferences. For more information on Southcoast Hospital's RAPPP program go to www.southcoast.org/rappp/.
The Southcoast Hospitals' RAPPP program also impacts adolescents, parents, young adults and professionals in the community through a number of outreach training programs and conferences. In November 2004 the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Family and Community Health, awarded the RAPPP program $542,500 as part of the state's "Science-based Teen Pregnancy Prevention in Select Communities" initiative.
About Southcoast
Southcoast Health System, a not-for-profit charitable organization, is a community based health delivery system with multiple access points, offering an integrated continuum of advanced health services throughout Southeastern Massachusetts and East Bay, Rhode Island. It includes Southcoast Hospitals Group, formed in 1996 from the merger of Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River, St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford and Tobey Hospital in Wareham.
Southcoast has more than 40 ancillary facilities, including the Southcoast Health Van, home health care, hospice and infusion services, numerous outpatient medical services, an assisted living facility and a wellness center. For more information visit www.southcoast.org.
Southcoast is one of three community hospitals approved by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to perform open heart surgery and primary angioplasty beginning in Spring 2002.
Media Contact
Joyce Faria Brennan
Phone: 508-961-5270
Pager: 508-387-9605
Fax: 508-961-5876
brennanj@southcoast.org
