*Los Angeles, CA – To honor loved ones who’ve passed on, including the anniversary of Tupac Shakur’s death, the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation hosted a National memorial planting ceremony in Marin City, CA, Queens, NY, Trainer, PA and Fayetteville, NC on Sunday, September 13th.
TASF’s President and Tupac’s sister, Sekyiwa Shakur, expanded the Memorial Planting ceremony and made it available to the public so everyone could collectively take time to cherish those who are no longer here with us.
The Memorial Plantings Program is below:
- Introduction / Greeting led by Community Leader(s) included Sekyiwa ‘Set’ Shakur, Felecia Gaston, Pastor Keith Collins, Carolyn Dixon, Atisa Smith, Dr Fatima Hafiz, Jamilah Barnes and Paul Austin amongst others in various cities.
- Community Leader personal message or prayer offered by Councilwoman Adrienne Adams, Queens Borough President Sharon Lee, Commissioner Charles Evans, Calandra Hartwell, Donna Barrett, Larry Washington and Ty Shakur.
- Moment of Silence
- Libation
- Calling of the Names: Legacy Recognition
- Calling of Afeni Shakur’s name
- Calling of Tupac Shakur’s name
- All Together: Everyone called out names of their loved ones at the same time
- All Together Memorial Planting: Everyone placed the flowers/seeds into the Earth together, to symbolize that we are all on solid ground together
- Drumming / Dance / Poetry / Words of Expression by Youth
- Ceremony Ends
In 2005, TASF founder, Afeni Shakur began this tradition at the TASF center in Stone Mountain, Georgia, to honor loved ones who’ve passed on, including her son Tupac Shakur. TASF President and Tupac’s sister, Sekyiwa Shakur, has expanded this Memorial Planting event and opened it up to the public nationwide so everyone can collectively take time to cherish those no longer with us.
PHOTO CREDIT:
Getty Images – Photographer (Steve Jennings)
TASF Event Gallery – (TASF Photographer Credit is listed in photo description)
If you would like to host your own planting memorial, details are provided at TASF.org/memorial. For additional details on the memorial plantings, please contact [email protected]. And to support with a donation please text SHAKUR to 44321.
ABOUT THE TUPAC AMARU SHAKUR FOUNDATION
The mission of the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation is to address mental health conditions and to eradicate the effects of trauma on our community by providing access to therapeutic resources designed to support mental health, physical wellness and overall development. Founded in 1997 by Afeni Shakur, mother of the multi-talented Tupac Shakur and visionary daughter Sekyiwa Shakur, the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation, Inc. (TASF) originally began as the Shakur Family Foundation. Afeni formed the Foundation to bring quality arts training to young people. Today, under the leadership of Sekyiwa Shakur, the Foundation has expanded its mission to leverage the arts as a healing tool to support mental health and wellness. With a core focus around addressing mental-health challenges caused by trauma, TASF has partnered with several organizations to bring resources to many underserved communities across the country, including rapper YoYo’s School Of Hip Hop; Safe Places International; Where Do We Go From Here; Marin City School District; PACs Kids; Performing Stars and Play Marin (Feeding Marin City).
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source:
Michelle Huff Elliott | Simone Smalls
Strategic Heights Media
[email protected]
