49% of all fathers in American prisons are African American according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Kent State University’s Focus on the Future organization held a benefit showcase highlighting the disproportionate ratios of black fathers in prison to stress the need for understanding in the community. Reporter Jasmin Sparkman explored this phenomenon and caught up with the artists striving to help the world understand it.

[bbrvideo]BBR_SPARKMAN_S5_FOF[/bbrvideo]

Focus on the Future held it’s 5^th annual Benefit Showcase Tuesday night in the Kent State University ballroom.

This year’s them focused on the cradle to prison pipeline issue that exists within African American Society. According to the Children’s Defense Fund, The cradle to prison, or school to prison pipeline represents the statistic that a black boy born in 2001 has a 1 in 3 chance of going to prison in his lifetime in comparison to a white boy who has a one in 17 chance.

 

Spoken word artist and Kent State student Jakim Harvey performed in the talent showcase. Harvey believes that a key to helping fix the problem is a concept called Sankofa.

“Sankofa . . . it’s like looking back, keeping in contact with our roots,” Harvey said. “We really don’t know where we come from because we are so far detached. Just taking different pieces from cultures in Africa and just holding onto something.”

Harvey went on to say that the concept of Sankofa means a lot to him. The symbol for the West African word can be found in tattoos on his arm.

Like Harvey, many of the artists performing at the showcase felt that a strong message needed to be sent to the masses.

Laurent Che is a graduating Senior, the founder of the popular Fluidity Dance Crew and a spoken word artist who performed Tuesday night.

Che thinks the main message to be gained from the benefit is all about showing love to the community.

“I definitely want to get that message across that its okay to show love to your fellow man, your fellow brother, and sons,” Che said. “Especially fathers; I think its important that fathers out there don’t try to be so hard all the time because as a young man you’re not thinking about being hard, you just want to feel love from your mom and especially your dad.”

Che’s spoken word piece focuses on a boy without a father and how the experience scarred the young child.

All proceeds from the benefit will go to the Children’s Defense Fund and ending the cradle to prison pipeline.

SCRIPT:

NAT: Singing — “I was born by the river . . . “

 

ANCHOR: Focus on the Future held it’s 5^th annual Benefit Showcase Tuesday night in the Kent State University ballroom. This year’s them focused on the cradle to prison pipeline issue that exists within African American Society. The cradle to prison, or school to prison pipeline represents the statistic that a black boy born in 2001 has a 1 in 3 chance of going to prison in his lifetime in comparison to a white boy who has a one in 17 chance, according to the Children’s Defense Fund.

 

NAT J. HARVEY: “I wasn’t always this animal you see, I was once a young black boy with a dream.”

 

Spoken word artist and student Jakim Harvey performed in the talent showcase. Harvey believes that a key to helping fix the problem is a concept called Sankofa.

 

HARVEY: Sankofa . . . it’s like looking back, keeping in contact with our roots,” Harvey said. “We really don’t know where we all come from because we are so far detached but just taking different pieces from cultures in Africa and just holding onto something.”

 

ANCHOR STANDUP: Like Harvey, many of the artists performing at the showcase felt that a strong message needed to be sent to the masses.

 

NAT L. CHE: “I ain’t really know my pops, so, like, I always kinda thought I been a lost individual.”

 

ANCHOR: Laurent Che is a graduating Senior, the founder of the popular Fluidity Dance Crew and a spoken word artist who says it’s okay to show a little love.

 

CHE: “I definitely want to get that message across that its okay to show love to your fellow man, your fellow brother, and sons. Especially fathers; I think its important that fathers out there don’t try to be so hard all the time because as a young man you’re not thinking about being hard, you just want to feel love from your mom and especially your dad because that’s who you emulate as a young man.”

 

ANCHOR: All proceeds from the event will sponsor the children’s defense fund and ending the cradle to prison pipeline.

 

For TV2 KSU, I’m Jasmin Sparkman.