Carl Azor--Black Lives Matter

            The African American culture is currently facing dark, scary times primarily due to various cases of injustice and police brutality. This leaves blacks to ask the question “do black lives matter”? My project will cover the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement as it challenges the corrupt ways of the institutions in American society. The BLM movement does not only stand for the black men and women being mistreated by the police, but also for the brave souls who are part of the black LGBT community as well. I want to produce multiple sources of media that can gain the public’s attention in different ways. 

For the project as a whole, I want to first write a research paper on the movement using black figures that specialize in advocating for victims, but lack the platform necessary for their voice be heard. I also want to write an article about how Democratic Presidential hopeful, Bernie Sanders’s support of the BLM movement can propel him into presidency. Lastly, I would like to compose a series of podcasts pertaining to the movement as well.

My research will focus on a myriad of sources. My sources will include teachings from author and professor Bell Hooks, Melissa Harris Perry, and the great Minister Louis Farrakhan. My research will also rely on political officials such as President Barrack Obama, Senator Ted Cruz, and Senator Bernie Sanders on their opinions of the movement alone. I also want to use the views of sports and music figures as well because their voices are important to a lot of the younger audience that the BLM movement caters to. There was a very interesting program on VH1 called LHH: Out in Hip Hop, which included a discussion of homophobia in Hip Hop culture and where they see it going in the future. The intended audience of my piece is the 18-30 year old black demographic in America who need  awareness to what is really going on in the black community. This knowledge can help spark change within our culture. The more attention the movement gains the more unified our culture will become. If the entire culture becomes aware, we would then have enough power to not only make a change to the institutions that plague our country, but also make changes within our own community.

I feel that the article about Bernie Sanders can get African Americans and Hispanic Americans to vote him into office. At the Democratic Presidential debate, he spoke on changing the corrupt mass incarceration regulations and fixing poor public schooling in areas which blacks and Hispanics live. Sanders also touched on supplying them with jobs and programs that can potentially steer them away from any wrongdoing. I believe that helping Bernie Sanders get into office can lead to a great change in society for blacks and Hispanics, and I plan on playing my part in this process. In addition, playing a role as a journalist in this political process can also help my brand, which focuses on media, clothing, and community outreach. Any involvement in this movement will be published on our website, and we hope to reach other media outlets such as the school newspaper and local papers like the Star Ledger. To encourage the increase of voter registration among the black community, my brand co-owners and I plan on being involved in the voter registration process, setting up tables in various Newark communities to stress the importance of voting at this crucial time. We plan to educate the people on the bigger picture and stress the importance of every single vote.