Former Classmates of Hadiya Pendleton Launch Anti-Violence Movement ‘Project Orange Tree’
Fed up with the violence that has claimed countless young lives in Chicago – including their former classmate Hadiya Pendleton – a group of King College Prep students have launched an anti-violence movement, Project Orange Tree.
The group will wear orange this Monday; and plan to fast until April 4th, the 45th anniversary of Dr. King’s death.
They’ve chosen orange because it’s the color hunters wear while in the wilderness, so they won’t be accidentally shot.
“The fast signifies us eating with the dead,” Taylor said.
It’s uncertain how many people will wear orange or join the fast, both in Chicago and beyond. The Project Orange Tree Twitter account had more than 1,000 followers as of Monday afternoon.
But Project Orange Tree’s organizers say they’ve been overwhelmed by the support they’ve already gotten.
They also hope the movement will go well beyond next week.
“Hopefully it ends up being big,” said Rasia Khepra, the King senior who came up with the idea. “You can never know how it is going to affect people until it actually happens.”
Support for Project Orange Tree is growing; Lupe Fiasco, Tavis Smiley, pro baseball player Curtis Granderson, and Cleopatra Cowley-Pendleton are a few of their prominent supporters.
A fantastic initiative!
We are so proud of and impressed with these young men and women, and their commitment to raising consciousness about a crisis that threatens the lives of an entire generation of youth.
CLICK HERE to check out the group’s Twitter page
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