Basketball Player Shareef Abdur-Rahim's Foundation Seeks To Implement Changes In Southwest Atlanta

(Note: Some of you don't appreciate how I put myself at risk to document what is going on WITHIN the Black Community. To capture the picture above I had to park my car on the side of the interstate to get the picture of the billboard. This is scary stuff with tractor trailers and cars zooming by at 70 mph.)

The billboard posted above was captured in College Park, GA at I285 and Old National Highway. No more than 3 blocks away from where the two females where shot in the head and killed by a group of Pirates after being forced to strip naked about 5 weeks ago.

I had passed by this sign about 4 times before I was able to put the pieces together and understand what the sign said in its totality. The first time I drove by I saw the message "What Has Hooking Up Exposed You To?". I first thought that it was a "Wrap It Up" type of marketing program. The second time I drove past I thought that it was a local dating service because I saw (what I thought was) "ATL Connections".

Finally I decided to bring my camera with the 70x zoom, park my car and see what I was not able to see while zooming down the highway.

As I drove to a meeting this morning, going northbound on I285 I saw a billboard put forth by Atlanta Hawks player (possibly former) Shareef Abdur-Rahim. This second billboard had the message "Will you help me guide the young people in Southwest Atlanta?".



On this billboard I saw the url for the Future Foundation along with Abdur-Rahim's picture plastered on it. It was not until I zoomed in on the original billboard that I realized that this was the same organization. The first billboard is a bit too busy to read in a speeding car. They should consider moving this particular information packed board to a street where people walking by can spend time reading it.

CONSERVATIVE MESSAGES?

Today was the first time I had noticed the "Abstinence" message on the billboard. In the Black community the "Wrap It Up" message is getting plastered in far more places. There are billboards, television ads and magazine placements. "Wrap It Up" assumes that young people are going to have sex and since this is the case - they should "put a hat on it".

My first impression of the "Future Foundation" is that they plan to develop more purpose in the minds of these young people and thus challenge them to consider their behavior in the context of this greater view.

At this point I will be open minded on how this message will be accepted by the Black community in Southwest Atlanta and College Park. We all know that "Abstinence Only" has been branded as a "Bush/Conservative initiative". For some of the operatives within our race this type of association is all that is necessary to undercut the initiative EVEN IF it is in our best interests. (I am not arguing that this is the case or not. I am only speaking about how the "Republicanification" of ideas is a sure shot way of undermining them among some folks who have "loyal tendencies" trumping their thought processes).

If Shareef Abdur-Rahim can allow his own brand to lend some credibility to the initiative then some people who had closed minds might listen.

In any event - I will be watching this brother's efforts, may even sign up and participate. I am glad that he has decided to use his time, his wealth, his notoriety and his talents to help with the problems at hand.