‘Thanks’ from Uzuri

Dear editor:

The Uzuri Project Youth Institute, Emerging Leaders, the primary program of People Helping Others Excel By Example, along with its board and advisers would like to thank everyone for their support of our 2018 Graduation and Black History Month Celebration!

Thanks to The Sentinel-Record for its coverage, The Hotel Hot Springs, past grad Jamaal Hollinshed and state Rep. Mickey Gates. Kwik Print and Legacy Printers, not only did you make us think about what we were looking at, but our programs and flyers made us smile.

We thank our instructors/teachers Adrienne Conley, Mike Davidson, LayToya Randall, Teji Ramos, Richard Moore, Alan Bass, David Reagan, Hayden Shamel and author Linda Pennington Black. Mr. Bud Kenny and Miss Gin Hartnett, thank you, you gave countless hours to make sure “Now, We Speak!” and “Dr. Kings’ America” would be exciting and easy for us, especially when Eli Evans, our only team brother, was suddenly out of pocket. Thanks to Raven Turner and Georgia Grimaud, our alum sisters for their speeches pointing us to our occasion and history.

The Black History Commission of Arkansas, state of Arkansas Fair Housing Commission and Entergy, our sponsors, made it possible for the research of our Pleasant Street Voices Speak! Black History Month piece to be more than we expected. We were so busy rehearsing and attending classes, we didn’t know what it would be like until our final rehearsal. They make it possible for our upcoming field trip to Memphis to The Slave Haven, the continuation of our September 2018 workshops to be a reality and gives us something to look forward to!

“Our sisters,” the Hot Springs Dance Troupe, has been with us since they started their drive to go to Europe! We wanted them to go too. They represent us … as the majority of us are in the Hot Springs School District. Their interpretation of “Strange Fruit,” sung by Billie Holiday, made the evening even more of a culturally rich and educational family-friendly evening! Thanks, Mrs. Amy Bramlett-Turner, for sharing your direction and choreographical skills with our sister students!