This weekend a group of influential adults in our community gathered together at my store Tees and Quotes to speak about the Black Lives Matter movement. This is the third event for “SPEAK ON IT” a community forum which allows healthy dialogue and debate for its guests.
The panelists that participated in the third event were Melinda Santiago of the S-Firm, a celebrity management firm; along with two of her clients Michael Keith of the Grammy Award Winning group 112, and Michael McFadden author of TRUISMS and radio personality. They were joined by Drew Peterson an actor and model currently starring in the Vampire Diaries; Toi Green of Green Room Entertainment – an A&R Music Veteran who is CEO of her own entertainment consulting firm; and Mocha of MocaMixx radio – a radio personality. For this event, a twenty-seven year Fulton County Detective William Sanders from the Fulton County Solicitors Generals Office shared insightful information on how we should response when approached by law enforcement to minimize unwarranted conflict.
It was a packed house and we learned so much about law enforcement officers and their role, our role, and our responsibilities as civilians when stopped or approached by law enforcement officers. We learned that the goal when approached by police officers is to try to successfully resolve the conflict by being respectful and asking open-ended questions.
The mission of “SPEAK ON IT” community events is to create constructive debate forums on topics in which our community have a vested interest. Mainly the topics focus on relationships of all kinds: domestic, social, business, community, and government. The goal is to motivate our audience to get involved in our community and make their voice count, and to be more proactive rather than reactive.
The events are insightful and fun all at the same time. TaShanda Howard sister of basketball great Dwight Howard, brings the flair and fun with her Fashion Show: Talk that Walk and Walk that Talk to celebrate creative women and men who are business owners in our community. Sakonja Ragland, owner of InDavision, LLC, the organizers of the event said, “It is our goal to educate our audience and celebrate our community. We are forever grateful to Freddyo owner of Tees and Quotes for allowing us to use his business at no costs to have this much needed forum.”
She also would like to thank the sponsors who have brought food and other items to make each event at Tees and Quotes a success: Carlos Hicks, general manager of catering at Moe’s Southwest Grill on Cumberland Parkway in Cobb County Georgia; The Sheryl and Dwight Howard Foundation, a youth mentoring program and provider of summer basketball camps. Tony Franklin of the Steve Harvey Mentoring Program; and members of the music group Another Bad Creation former hosts and cash donors.
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