As Black History Month comes to a close, we want to remember that history is always being written and we are grateful for those who pioneered and continue to pioneer against the odds.
We would like to dedicate this Highlight to Community Activist, Educator, Entertainer, and Motivator, Mr. Alex-Zan. Mr. Alex-Zan began his activism when he was one of the 12 youths who integrated Charlottesville City Schools. These individuals are formally known as the Charlottesville 12. Alex-Zan was also very instrumental as an equal rights activist in the 1970s when police brutality and racial violence were prominent in the City of Charlottesville.
Since then, Alex-Zan began dedicating his work to motivating youth by creating memorable characters with positive messages behind them. Some of his most memorable characters include CYM, which stands for Close Your Mouth, encouraging us to open our ears and close our mouths, and his most recent character, YOGO, which stands for
Yo, Let it go, if you don’t feed it, it won’t grow.
We are thankful for Alex-Zan and his friendship with the ministry and our Executive Director, Eddie Howard. Abundant Life was happy to be a part of CYM-Day last fall which was held to educate youth on closing their mouth and opening their ears. His work in the City of Charlottesville has encouraged youth and adults alike to stand up for what they believe in and think about the outcome of a situation before taking action.
Sources: https://alex-zan.com/,
