holiday gift drive
At 1-800 Happy Birthday
Sunday, December 4 from 12-5pm
The 3rd annual Holiday Drive organized by Black Women’s March is hosted by WORTHLESSSTUDIOS this year fulfilling the wishes of children at Albemarle Family Residence. Join us for a full day of holiday celebration, conversation, art, healing, and music.
Gifts can be dropped off between 12-5pm at the 1-800 Happy Birthday exhibition at WORTHLESSSTUDIOS.
12:00-5:00pm - Black Women’s March: Gift Drive Gift Collection
1:00-1:15pm - Partners Introductions 1:15-1:30pm - Billie Allen
1:30-2:30pm - Youth Represent: Community Engagement Advocacy Discussion
2:30-3:00pm - Black Voices Matter: Meditation
2:30-4:00pm - MINKA Healing Clinic: Reiki
3:00-4:00pm - Black Voices Matter: Imagining a Safe Space Open Conversation
4:00-5:00pm - Klaudia Ofwona Draber and Cameron Bertrand: Healing Walk
4:00-5:00pm - Black Voices Matter: Face Painting for Kids
About 1-800 Happy Birthday
1-800 Happy Birthday is an exhibition honoring Black and Brown lives killed by police. Originally a voicemail project, now transformed into a large-scale exhibition in a 10,000 square-foot warehouse, 1-800 Happy Birthday is created by artist Mohammad Gorjestani and Even/Odd, curated by Klaudia Ofwona Draber, with artistic direction by Neil Hamamoto, and presented by arts nonprofit WORTHLESSSTUDIOS with the aim of honoring the lives of those lost too soon. The families of Dujuan Armstrong, Sandra Bland, Philando Castile, Stephon Clark, Fred Cox, Eric Garner, Oscar Grant, Xzavier Hill, Donovon Lynch, Sean Monterrosa, Tony Robinson, and Mario Woods are participating in the exhibition.
about black women’s march
Black Women’s March is a coalition of Black women that have teamed up to uplift, protect and fight for Black women. We were born out of the 2020 Black Lives Matter uprising. We are a group that centers and fights for all Black Lives while prioritizing the voices of Black Women.
Black Women's March was founded out of the necessity to bring Black Women voices and issues to the front of the movement that started in NYC at the end of May 2020. As we protested for days all around the city, we noticed there were many Black Women leading this movement. We therefore understood the urgency of creating a group focused specifically on Black Women. We also felt there was a need to center and create adequate representation for black women issues and cases such as those of Breonna Taylor, Tanisha Anderson and Sandra Bland and so many more. There was also a need for Black Women centered protests in the movement as Women's March had not been on the ground, supportive of or speaking up for Black women. They were not visible at Black Lives Matter Protests either.
Black Women's March was also founded as a platform of support for Black Women and children in need as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic and the way they were affected disproportionately.
We are committed to taking the streets and making sure that everyone marching with us is safe at the same time. In addition to that we are committed to supporting Black women as directly as we can.
ABOUT black voices matter
Black voices matter is a community based on love and education. We are curating spaces where we can be our authentic selves while practicing abolitionist values and unlearning toxic white supremest ideals. We will empower each other to discuss the harmful conditions of our communities with intentions to build new sustainable systems of education, empowerment and care through mutual aid. We aim to bring in our community members, our neighbors, our friends, and our coworkers, to create a critical mass. We shall teach each other while also growing with each other to achieve our collective vision. Radical change through radical love.
About Cameron Bertrand
As an international community activist and youth development professional, Cameron Bertrand specializes in mental health awareness and community engagement. Cameron wears many hats-- CEO, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, veteran, sociologist, published author, mentor, legislative leader, organizer, and developer. Cameron is a gun violence survivor and a patron for equity and civic engagement; he provides the community with trauma-informed approaches, as well as opportunities of enrichment to students and families, in dozens of cities spanning across the US & Kampala, Uganda.
Cameron is the founder of Violence Intervention & Prevention VIP LLC (VIP LLC), BuyBackTheBlock, Beyond The Bullet, VIP Inc., and the Gun Violence Intervention & Prevention Outreach & Research Center. VIP LLC provides free counseling and mentorship necessary to help youth and adults transition from experiences with violence and trauma. Cameron is an advocate for justice, advocating for policies and legislation that provide trauma informed, evidence-based, outcome driven, grassroots oriented solutions to prevent violence and/or generational trauma in our communities.
Cameron is an alumnus and community partner of Christopher Newport University, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Criminology and is a US Army military veteran where he served as a paralegal specialist. Cameron also ran for political office in the year of 2020. Over the years, Cameron has been recognized by several national organizations for his dedication to his community.
about vip llc and buy back the block
Founded by a mental health professional and community activist Cameron Bertrand, VIP LLC provides free counseling and mentorship necessary to help youth and adults transition from experiences with violence and trauma. BuyBackTheBlock is a streetwear brand that represents equity and justice to take back our communities by being the change we need to see. BuyBackTheBlock is a proud sponsor of VIP LLC programs and community outreach.
About Youth Represent
Youth Represent is a non profit aimed at advocating for youth in all forms from the courtroom to the community.
BILLIE ALLEN
Billie Allen is a Black man from St Louis who has been incarcerated in Terre Haute, on federal death row, for 25 years, for a crime he did not commit. Throughout the years he has been tirelessly claiming his innocence, rigorously arguing that he was wrongfully convicted and that key evidence was ignored in his trial. Under Trump's presidency he has witnessed death coming as close to him as ever, with 13 executions carried out by the former president at Terre Haute. Most recently, Amnesty International has chosen his case to make their point about how faulty death sentences can be. His case was also the subject of an 8-minute documentary produced as part of Georgetown University’s Prisons and Justice Initiative: Making an Exoneree. Billie uses art to channel his frustration and support his quest for justice, he is a talented and prolific artist who keeps creating to stay alive.