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Carmen Perez

36 – New York, NY

What Are You Most Passionate About?

I’m most passionate about advocating, providing leadership opportunities and helping transform the lives of young people. I am grateful for the investment that was made in me and feel it’s my responsibility to pay it forward.

Who Is Your Hero? Why?

My father is my hero. He has taught me to have patience, love, humility and compassion. I am blessed to have such a wonderful father like him in my life

What Is Your Favorite Sound?

The sound of the ocean is my favorite sound. I grew up going to the beach as a child and in my adult life I find it to be my serenity and reminder of home.

What Project Would A Laptop Help You With?

Youth Empowerment Project, The History of Hip Hop and the Myths of the Industry, Music Theory and Recording

Short Description Of Project

Our program supports incarcerated youth [ages 11 to 17 years old] from underserved communities of color and traumatic circumstances with an opportunity to be mentored and supported by positive individuals through the vessel of hip hop music and culture. Although The Gathering has been able to facilitate programming, we have had difficulties acquiring technical equipment, specifically laptops for the incarcerated youth, to support our planned activities. These activities involve writing, music engineering, music software training, etc. It is our hope to inspire and support our youth, who are writers, poets, artists, musicians, with positive outlets and a connection to community members that support their gifts.

How Would A Laptop Help You?

The laptops will be used to create “mobile recording studios” within the detention center so that all participating youth will have access to a computer. This will make it possible for every participant to make the most of the time allotted. After the completion of this program, the laptops will be used by staff and interns of The Gathering for Justice in support of other programming initiatives including the ongoing leadership and nonviolence training of groups like Dream Defenders, the Fortune Society and Gangsters Making Astronomical Changes, among others, as well as being used during The Gathering’s 3 day juvenile justice conference “Growing Up Locked Down” (or GULD) at The New School this September.

We are asking for Mac’s to make this project possible.

What Languages do you speak?

English and Spanish

Laptopped By

Seymour Miles

Judy Freedman

Amy Gomez