African American Music Association

Corporate Neighborhood Youth Project

The primary goals of the Corporate Neighborhood Youth Project are to improve the quality of life for 30 youth, ages 16-21, who live in Ward 7 and are at risk for drug and alcohol use; and, to develop them as model human beings who know how to organize, understand power, understand wealth, understand business, and understand America.

The project has three principle objectives:

1. To heighten the awareness of youth through multi-media productions using music and other forms of fine arts that feature drug prevention messages as the main theme;
2. To stop unhealthy behaviors by getting facts and encouraging healthy lifestyles; and
3. To promote individual and group responsibility.

SPONSOR: APRA

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: The African American Association (AAMA), a 501 (c) (3), non-profit organization, was established in 1992 primarily to preserve, protect and foster the continued development of African American music along with the legacy of those who composed, recorded and performed the music. The AAMA is organized exclusively for charitable, cultural and educational purposes. Its primary goal is to offer programs and activities to the Washington, DC community that will assure a better quality of life for those persons who have an interest in pursuing the performing arts as a career. Human and personal development through cultural arts activity is the overall goal.

The AAMA has learned that East of the Anacostia River, there exists a high rate of criminal/gang activity among the youth population, meaning that the young people in the community lack several things: parental guidance, positive role models and structured activities that will have a positive impact on their natural development.

We have further learned from our research that the majority of inner-city youth have an interest in music and other cultural arts forms and that there are no youth programs East of the River that appropriately address or support this interest. With our presence and cultural arts programming we envision a major influx of participation through popular demand, which subsequently will decrease negative behavior patterns among this particular age group.

The AAMA has created an entrepreneurship program that teaches middle and high school students business planning, marketing and accounting skills with the focus on the entertainment industry. Many youth from impoverished neighborhoods perceive the entertainment industry as their most viable and available option for escaping and relieving the poverty of their families. Cognizant of this perception among such youth, drug dealers and other criminal elements have used the lure of entertainment success to exploit the various “hoop dreams” of those youth. The intent of our program is to offer a meaningful alternative to the enticements of those whose purpose is to misuse the ambitions of our youth whose desperation often makes them vulnerable. Thus, the first segment of our training program focuses on the well being of our youth. Among the topics explored include values clarification and moral consciousness, health, nutrition, physical fitness, self-awareness, conflict resolution and professionalism. The second phase of the program addresses the following issues: what is the entertainment industry?; business careers and opportunities within the entertainment industry; preparing to become a “player” in the entertainment industry; understanding contracts and other legal issues in the entertainment industry; and planning for longevity in the entertainment industry.

The AAMA exposes youth to the various aspects of the business, particularly what goes on behind the scenes in a production company form of business, and how to set up a business that will address their interest in music and other forms of performing arts.