Mumtaz Morris & Dennis McKinley Among Judges for U*nity Diaspora Coalition Census Poster & Social Media Competition
Director Dennis McKinley Among Judges for Unity Diaspora Coalition Census Poster and Social Media
Competition
scholarships, hi-tech gift cards and laptops
DC – Talented R&B/hip-hop artist/producer/singer and son of music
icon Stevie Wonder, Mumtaz Ekow Morris, and music video
director, Dennis Mckinley, will
join representatives from community based organizations as judges for
the National Coalition on Black Civic
Participation’s Unity Diaspora Coalition (UDC) Census Poster and Social
Media Competition.
The
National Coalition’s UDC is sponsoring the competition in cities where
they have Census activities on the ground working to decrease the
undercount of the Black population, says executive director and CEO Melanie L. Campbell. Participating
cities are: Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Gary, IN; Houston, TX; Jackson,
MS; Los Angeles, CA; Miami, FL; New Orleans, LA; and New York, NY.
opportunity for parents, educators, service providers, clergy, and
youth organizers to help young people understand the importance of the
Census with a civic activity that is educational and fun.”
Participants can use any talent to
communicate the importance of the Census and encourage people to return
their Census form. Poems, posters, paintings, spoken word, songs,
YouTube videos, comedy skits, rap, and other artistic expression is
eligible. Students and young adults have until April 16, 2010 to enter the competition and must live in
one of the cities listed above.
Judges will select five local winners from
each participating city including: elementary, middle school, high
school, undergraduate, and young adult categories. Local winners will
receive a certificate of recognition and a $25 – $100 gift card and will
be entered into the UDC Census Poster and Social Media Competition.
Five national winners will be selected from the local winners. National
prizes include a $1,000 scholarship, $500 gift card, laptops and a
Nintendo WII Sport.
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“I am eager to check
out the creative ideas from talented young people,” said McKinley. “I
hope to see some captivating viral campaigns that will motivate young
people to be civically engaged and persuade their parents to return
their Census form,” adds the director of Travis Porter’s hit single “Go Shorty Go,” voted the
number one song in Atlanta two weeks in a row.