13th Annual MALCOLM X Arts, Culture & Education Festival

at Audubon Middle School

(Los Angeles, CA)The 13th Annual MALCOLM X Arts, Culture and Education Festival will be held this year at Audubon Middle School on Saturday, May 21 and Sunday, May 22, 2005, Noon – 7:00 PM. Audubon is located in the heart of the Leimert Park neighborhood at 4120 11th Avenue and is the last predominately African American middle school in Los Angeles County.

In association with

UCLA African Student Union & Awesome Productions KPFK 90.7 FM – Media Sponsor

Hosted by FAMLI, Inc., the festival is the nation’s largest cultural tribute to Malcolm X (El Hajj Malik El-Shabazz). The great human rights advocate and family man would have been 80 years old on May 19 in this 40th year observance of his death. The festival is the main fundraiser for the many educational and cultural enrichment youth programs organized by FAMLI, Inc. such as the Annual Strategies for the Development of the African American Manchild Conference, I’ve Known Rivers Black History Video & Discussion Series and the See A Man, Be A Man and From Princess To Queen mentorship programs based at Audubon Middle School.

The decision was made to have the festival at Audubon to emphasize the importance of the educational component of the event and the need to connect to the youth in our communities and to remember three Audubon students that died needless deaths, Devin Brown, Marcel Belcher and Clive Jackson. Ironically and quite tragically, See A Man Be A Man organizers had just met with Audubon student, 13 year old Devin Brown to enroll him in the mentorship program just days before his death. Michael Franklin, See A Man Be A Man, Director, expressed his commitment by saying, “There is nothing more important than working with the youth and the issues they face.” The success rate of the mentorship and after school programs is such that is has caught national attention and other educational facilities are looking to model those programs. Academy-award winning actor and humanitarian, Louis Gossett, Jr. will be partnering with the FAMLI, Inc. on innovative and all-encompassing educational programs.

Festival organizers say so often in the community the question is asked, “What can we do?” They say a sure way to show your caring is to support those organizations that are out there in the community, consistently doing the work with the youth. Innovative ways of showing support include becoming a mentor, local businesses adopting the school and sponsoring school activities and providing scholarships.

The theme for the festival this year is “Education Is Our Passport To The Future, Solutions To Save Our Youth.” Festival highlights include morning youth workshops, a hip-hop summit and youth caucus; science and technology robotics interactive; and an announcement of Audubon Middle School Malcolm X essay contest winners. Daylong weekend activities include arts & crafts vendors; literary arts and spoken word village; health/wellness & recreation village; History video series with rare archival footage of Malcolm X; dance and musical entertainment; food; children’s play/carnival area; and a chess/domino game area. Suggested donation for the festival is $5.00, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

An reception will be held on Thursday, May 19, 2005 in recognition of Malcolm X’s birthday and honoring community, business, education and religious leaders that best exemplify Malcolm’s legacy of activism and commitment to excellence. This years honoree recipients include publisher, author and businesswoman, Dr. Rosie Milligan; Reverend

Dr. Richard Byrd (Meri Ka Ra), minister of KRST Unity Church and community activist; and Mrs. Laverne Brunt, Principal, Audubon Middle School. The FAMLI Malcolm X Festival Lifetime Achievement Award in Arts & Culture will be given to Mr. Louis Gossett, Jr.


Parking on the neighboring side streets for the festival will be extremely limited. Festival patrons are advised to park at the Magic Johnson Theater on Crenshaw and
King Blvd.
or the Leimert Park public parking lot on Degnan and
43rd Street
and use the DASH Shuttle for .25 cents, which runs every 25 minutes between the hours 9:00 am to 6:30 pm on Saturday. There is no Sunday Dash service.