Title
Proclamation recognizing the Royal Tribe arts organization for the success of its Stand Up Now Tour.
Body
WHEREAS, December 2007 marked the conclusion of STAND UP NOW, a revolutionary arts tour that featured performance demonstrations and artwork created by an unprecedented collective of urban artists and which aimed to allow the featured artists to showcase their work and to challenge community members of all ages to explore creative solutions to eliminate violence and encourage educational development; and
WHEREAS, STAND UP NOW was sponsored by the Royal Tribe arts organization and received overwhelming support from the community, including the City of Pittsburgh Department of Parks and Recreation, Chief Executive Dan Onorato, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, and other local elected officials, schools, businesses and residents, as well as nationally recognized activists and performers; and
WHEREAS, during STAND UP NOW's seven-month tour, free outdoor events and cultural programs were presented in ten local communities-- East Liberty, Carrick, the Hill District, Homewood, Beltzhoover, St. Clair Village, Manchester, Braddock, Rankin and Wilkinsburg; and
WHEREAS, STAND UP NOW included four additional elements-- a Celebrity Gala, the community Art to Heal the Village Exhibit, the S.U.N. Tour Film Documentary which educated the general population about social issues impacting the region and highlighted the many wonderful activities taking place in underserved communities, and the Urban Roots Hip-Hop Arts Symposium and Job Expo, which also raised food donations for the local food bank and conducted voter registration; and
WHEREAS, the success of STAND UP NOW was so impressive that it was filmed for a Comcast/HBO pilot television documentary;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, Allegheny County Council congratulates the Royal Tribe arts organization and all those involved with the 2007 STAND UP NOW Tour for a successful program. Your commitment to providing our community with an entertaining yet educational arts tour is an inspiration to the Members of this Council and to all the residents of Allegheny County.