NEW ORLEANS - Wendell Pierce, Irvin Mayfield, Trombone Shorty, Ellis Marsalis, Glen David Andrews, Shannon Powell, Don Vappie and Peter Harris will officially kick off the "Turn the Page" literacy campaign by attempting to break the Guinness World Record for "Largest Reading Lesson" with an interactive lesson to more than 500 local elementary school students. The dynamic kickoff event will celebrate the sights and sounds of New Orleans, as well as the importance of increasing literacy in the community with music and a reading of The Bourbon Street Band is Back by author Ed Shankman and illustrator Dave O'Neill to local first and second-grade students.

 

Turn the Page is an important initiative with a bold goal - to make New Orleans the most literate city in America by its 300th birthday in 2018, which will be accomplished by raising awareness of issues, available resources and programming related to early childhood, school success, digital literacy and adult literacy. The campaign, an inclusive, collaborative literacy campaign spearheaded by the New Orleans Public Library and 10 regional parish libraries across southeast Louisiana, is designed to increase literacy in New Orleans and the southeast Louisiana region.

 

The kickoff event will be followed by '30 in 30,' or 30 events in 30 days, targeted at moving the needle on literacy in Southeast Louisiana.

 

WHAT:       The kickoff of the "Turn the Page" literacy campaign, which will attempt to break the Guinness World Record for "Largest Reading Lesson."

 

WHEN:        Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014, 10 - 11 a.m.

 

Note: Event will being promptly at 10 a.m.; media should arrive no later than 9:30 a.m., at which time "Turn the Page" spokespeople will be available for advance interviews.

 

WHERE:      New Orleans Public Library, Main Branch

                     219 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, La.

 

WHO:           Wendell Pierce, Irvin Mayfield, Trombone Shorty, Ellis Marsalis, Glen David Andrews, Shannon Powell, Don Vappie and Peter Harris

                      

The Bourbon Street Band is Back author Ed Shankman and illustrator Dave O'Neill

Librarians from 11 regional parish libraries, including New Orleans, Tangipahoa, Lafourche, St. Charles, St. Tammany, St. John the Baptist, Terrebonne, Jefferson, Ascension, Livingston and St. Bernard

 

Greater New Orleans area elementary students

 

WHY:            Turn the Page and its supporters believe that through creating a positive awareness of literacy in our city and region, this campaign can help make a difference in increasing literacy in New Orleans and the southeast Louisiana region.

 

This kickoff event is invitation only. The New Orleans Public Library Main Branch at 219 Loyola Avenue will be closed to the public for the duration of the event, until 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 22.

 

 

About Turn the Page

Turn the Page is a collaborative effort by the New Orleans Public Library, the New Orleans Public Library Foundation, Friends of the New Orleans Public Libraries, Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities and library systems from the southeast Louisiana region. More information is available at letsturnthepage.com.

 

This campaign is not affiliated with the program "Turning the Page," an advocacy training program developed by the Public Library Association.

 

 

 

 

WHAT: Voters and Organizations in New Orleans East and the Historic Lower Ninth Ward will host a CANDIDATE FORUM.  Currently, many organizations are actively a part of the collaboration between these to communities.  They include A Community, ENONAC, Holy Cross Neighborhood Association, VAYLA-NO, Sierra Club New Orleans, Lower 9th Ward Village, Center for Sustainable Engagement and others which have committed to lend their name and support as partners (see below).  We will continue to work towards consolidating the power of the people East of the Industrial Canal with voter engagement and community organization.

  

WHY: We are voters who represent communities situated east of the Industrial Canal (New Orleans East and the Lower Ninth Ward), encompassed within Districts D and E.  We value healthy families, strong communities, and a sustainable future for the next generation in this city and we firmly believe that it is imperative for voters in our community to have an accurate understanding of the supported issues of candidates seeking elected positions in our City.  As a unified community, we believe it is our responsibility to facilitate discussion and raise awareness of issues deemed important to all the residents and stakeholders east of the Industrial Canal. A public forum is an effective means for all candidates to share their vision regarding revitalization efforts for our community.

  

HOW: We believe this can be achieved initially by UNITING to host a Candidate Forum East of the Industrial Canal beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 22 in the Historic Lower 9th Ward which will feature all of the Mayoral and Sheriff Candidates.  Follow-up and results will be distributed throughout the community.  

 

CONTACT:

Press packets are available for all news media upon arrival to the Forum.  For more information, please contact:   Kim Ford 504-248-8594 or Corinne M. Villavaso 504-905-2892.  

 

 Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development
Community Legion
A Community Voice
East NOLA Clean Sweep
East New Orleans Neighborhood Advisory Commission (ENONAC)
The Guerrilla Gardens
Holy Cross Neighborhood Association
Lower Nine Stakeholders Coalition
Lower 9 Vision Coalition

Lower Ninth Ward Neighborhood Association
Lower Ninth Ward Village
Maple Ridge Neighborhood Association
Mary Queen of Vietnam Community Development Corp.
Sierra Club New Orleans
VAYLA-NO
Village de l'Est Neighborhood Improvement Association
The Villavaso Group, LLC
Vietnamese Initiative and Economic Training
Willowbrook Neighborhood Association 

  

  

NEW ORLEANS - Students from local schools in the New Orleans metropolitan are invited to take an artistic stand against bullying during the second annual Anti-Bullying Quilt Initiative of The New Orleans Chapter of The Links, Incorporated. The program allows students to creatively express their thoughts, fears concerns and ultimately their resolutions concerning the issue, in hopes of putting a stop to bullying.

The registration deadline is Friday, February 28, 2014. A maximum of three submissions per school will be accepted. Quilt submissions are due to the organization on Thursday, April 4, 2014.

Basic guidelines are:  

 

Quilts should be dropped off on Thursday, April 4, 2014 between 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm to the NIMS Meeting Room along the entry plaza of Audubon Zoo, 6500 Magazine Street, New Orleans during the chapter's monthly membership meeting.

"Bullying and Trash Talking: It's No Joke," is an opportunity to share with others about this critical issue impacting our youth. The goal of this program is to increase awareness and to effectively create an arts renaissance throughout the city against bullying.

For more information about the program and to a receive registration packet, contact Janet Roberts at 504-301-1097, 302-547-1423 (cell) or janetaka@verizon.net or Nailah Jefferson at 504-895-1339, 504-858-2979 (cell) or nailahjefferson@gmail.com.

  

About the New Orleans Chapter of The Links, Incorporated 

Since it was chartered on November 20, 1957, chapter members have engaged in implementing program services through the four National Program Facets: Services to Youth, International Trends and Services, National Trends, Services and the Arts and Health & Human Services. The chapter's major initiatives include co-sponsoring the local competition for the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee; a partnership with Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School; and Law Day, in which Bethune students are trained in legal proceedings and participate in a mock trial. The main focus areas are: education and youth activities to assist youth in fulfilling their intellectual potential; addressing issues affecting the African American community through health and wellness projects; fostering cultural appreciation through the arts; and collaborating with other Link chapters to provide services and assistance to global friends. Verdie Farmer Richburg is the president of the chapter. For more information, visit www.nolalinks.org and follow the chapter on Twitter @NewOrleansLinks

About The Links, Incorporated
The Links, Incorporated is an international, women's non-profit, social welfare and service organization of over 12,000 members in 270 chapters across the United States, and the Bahamas. It was founded in 1946. From its inception, the organization's members have been developing and implementing programs that target issues
affecting its members and communities. Community service has been the corner stone of the organization's outreach with members contributing more than 500,000 documented hours of community service annually. For the past 60 years, The Links, Incorporated has been internationally known for its programs that are focused on
topics such as health, economics and education, youth, and policy efforts. Please visit http://www.linksinc.org for more information.  

  

  

Contacts: Janet Roberts - 302-547-1423
Janetaka@verizon.net
Nailah Jefferson - 504-858-2979
nailahjefferson@gmail.com