Last night in Los Angeles was the 2016 BET Awards. There were a lot of amazing performances like the incredible Prince tribute and the fiery acceptance speech from Grey Anatomy's Jesse Williams. One of the highlights of the evening was when Milwaukee's Marcus Duke was honored with the "Shine A Light" award for his amazing work in the community with his organization Club Kids.
Founded in 1996 by Duke, Club Kids mission is to empower the kids with the knowledge, strength and determination to become a better person and citizen of the community. By educating them with the skills they need to succeed. The organization provides a fun and safe environment where kids take part in creative activities like arts, sports, recreation, and entertainment.
Currently, the organization is planning to open a "Theater and Student Center." This center will be for kids of all ages where they can hang out after school and on the weekends. From their website:
With great options like dances, arts & crafts, community service, a recording studio, arcade, study center and a computer lab dedicated to educational activities, the center will offer the kids an environment that will keep them occupied and out of trouble. To do this, we need your help! For our headquarters and community resource center, we need a commercial building (10,000+ sq ft) in the Milwaukee area and a 10 year lease. In addition, we need to raise approximately $125,000 to get us up and running. In other words, we desperately need donations!
To learn more about Club Kids and how to help, visit their website. You can watch the video of BET presenting Marcus Duke with the "Shine a Light" award below.
