The foundations main mission is the preservation of culture through the arts. Please see below for our goals and explanation of future events. The Walk With Me Foundation, born out of the creation and presentation of a musical narrative entitled Walk with Me, holds as its main mission the preservation of culture through the performing arts. Our global history is the foundation in which we function
in everyday life. The musical arts have acted as the thread that links the various patchworks that weave this tapestry of life. The musical narrative, Walk With Me, commemorates the 50th anniversary of the bombing of Birmingham's Sixteenth Street Baptist Church that killed four young girls and injured twenty-two others. It is based on the book While the World Watched by author Carolyn Maull McKinstry who was one of the survivors of that horrific act of injustice. The only written account by someone who was present on that Sunday morning in 1963, While the World Watched has been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show and C-SPAN2. It serves as a tool for the author's national and international work in a ministry of reconciliation, forgiveness and the relevance of dealing with terrorism in the context of today’s environment. Eleanor McClellan will narrate the program. Music will be presented by Dr. Terrance Brown, baritone, Dr. Tiffany Bostic-Brown, soprano, Mr. Karen Cantrell, piano. McClellan, Brown, Bostic-Brown and Cantrell are on the music faculty at the University of North Alabama. Mr. Thomas is from Birmingham, Alabama. The goals we wish to achieve with the foundation are as follows:
-A regional tour of Walk With Me throughout the southeast to various locations, mainly targeting those places where the classic arts are not openly accessible.
-Educational programs to primary and secondary schools.
-An arts scholarship fund for students who may display financial hardships. We hope to build these funds through charitable tax-deductible contributions to the foundation, as well as compensations received from various performances.
-Research of new historical documents and musical manuscripts.
-Presentation of operas that cover multi-cultural subject matters.
-A guest artist performing/lecture series presented by world class artist(s) to promote diversity in arts through their presentations.
-Mentorship of young musical scholars through our diversity ensemble. Our goal is to take this ensemble on a tour to various locations. This tour would serve a two-fold purpose: providing financial and performing opportunities for the singers, and demonstrating to young audience members that success can be achieved through education coupled with a good work ethic. The Diversity Ensemble will be in concert this summer at the Trinity Episcopal Church in conjunction with the Handy Festival.
-Lastly, we hope to start an artistic mentorship program where musicians, artists, writers, etc. can foster the growth of an aspiring primary or secondary school child with weekly lessons in both group and private settings. History and music are intertwined as the many threads that make up a rope. As individual entities, they can function alone. However, together they can reshape a community and bridge gaps that extend far beyond race, ethnicity, poverty, or religion. In order to fund the above mentioned items, a donor event will be held in May to solicit contributions to help spread the important mission of the foundation and to aid in the uplifting of our community. Sincerely,
Dr. Terrance D. Brown
Walk With Me Foundation, chair
Phone: 205-767-0399
Email: [email protected]
For contributions please contact Dr. Brown at the information listed above.
