Community Empowerment Programs Incorporated (CEPI) is pleased to announce that our organization will be working extensively with
Leroy F. Moore Jr., Founder of Krip-Hop Nation (KHN) on programs that empower persons with disabilities (PWDs) in arts, self-advocacy, and music.
KHN and CEPI share common goals in community integration, professional development, and leadership development of PWDs across the country and internationally. It’s been nearly two decade since the combine work of Moore and KHN his/its advocacy, outreach, education policy, and African American Leadership programs. CEPI began its nonprofit venture during 2008 with a focus on providing education to families with children which includes working with and on behalf (PWDs) through its outreach, disabilities, and self-advocacy department and believes strongly in the practice of nothing about us, without us across platforms.
Leroy More, Founder of Krip Hop Nation says: “Very rarely for me that I find myself in spaces where music and activism flow together with political and historical expressions on people of color around disabilities but when it does happen it opens up new friendships, partnerships, education, trust and deep conversations.”
Chester Finn, Professional, Self-Advocate, As a Leader in the Self-Advocacy Movement, and Co-Founder of Community Empowerment Programs, Inc. I enjoy working on local and national self-advocacy, community integrated services for PWDs, and presenting during workshops to a variety of audiences and stakeholders who share common goals of help families and individuals enhance their personal and professional lives.
John McKnight, Co-Founder and CEO: Having worked with a variety of populations in the social service sector one thing has always stood out for me. That is, we all share a common goal of helping other people achieve better outcomes in one way or another. Whether it’s through creating microfinance opportunities for targeted community members, creating livelihood programs with the help and support of community based organizations, non-government organizations, local states and government partners, and educational institutions. The residual effects are long lasting and impact families, children, and youth in ways that affirm for me the value of giving back through the level of appreciation that has been shown to me.
KHN’s International Movement travels around the world to provide workshops on disabilities initiatives and Human Rights for PWDs through music and hands on workshops/lectures & performances. Moore helped produce Pushed Limits 3 part radio series on Hip-Hop & artists with disabilities at KPFA 94.1 FM Berkeley, CA. in 2004 and also coordinated a workshop on Hip-Hop with community advocates with disabilities and LGBTQ persons at University of California at Berkley. KHN has performed at other prestigious universities/colleges like New York University, NYU and more. KHN also traveled to annual festivals like DADA Festival in Liverpool, UK and other venues in Germany, all over the US and Canada and is planning an Africa tour.
Upcoming venues & other Krip-Hop Nation’s work in 2014 are run by a core group of Krip-Hop Nation who are people from around the world like Binki Woi in Germany, Lady MJ in the UK, Ronnie Ronnie in Uganda Africa and Leroy Moore in the US who all provide advocacy and outreach and information can be found in the Poor Magazine online publication, San Francisco Bayview newspaper, and the Philadelphia I.D.E.A.L Urban Magazine. Self-Advocates & others gain a perspective on what it takes to run self-advocacy organizations around the country by participating in activism, arts, and music workshops.
Combined with CEPI’s local early intervention provider programming, national policy and governance outreach, and international Tools for School Kids Abroad program in Eastern Visayas municipalities of the Philippines, it makes practical sense to combine our expertise around education, arts, outreach, music, and advocacy to co-develop programs and services that continue to strengthen the knowledge-base of beneficiaries across the nation and internationally.
Beginning in January 2014 the partnership will start working on its first annual Activism, Music, and Arts event facilitated by African American leaders hosted in Albany, NY and a location to be determined in New York City shortly thereafter. Future 2014-2015 plans include scaling up the program on an international level by establishing a networking music conference in Africa. This will be exciting and the partnership is support in the form of sponsorships for PWD attendance, donations of conference facilities, air-travel, and lodging for participants and presenters.
Contact info:
Leroy Moore
510-649-8438
John McKnight
518-892-5285
Chester Finn
518-779-8626