TARGET INITIATES SCHOOL PROGRAM WITH JMU'S FURIOUS FLOWER

From: Media Relations

 January 12, 2007

From a Target Corp. news release:

MINNEAPOLIS — "Young women, young men of color, we add our voices to the voices of your ancestors who speak to you over ancient seas and across impossible mountain tops," begins the latest poem by Dr. Maya Angelou, "A Pledge to Rescue Our Youth."

On Jan. 15, Americans will honor the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s commitment to community service and civic engagement by commemorating his birthday. In tribute to this legacy, Target will sponsor more than a dozen local King Day events across the country and kick off "Dream in Color" — a yearlong campaign to encourage the celebration of diversity and make a real difference in the lives of children through arts and education.

In partnership with Angelou, the Poetry Foundation and The Furious Flower Poetry Center at James Madison University, Target invites students to enliven their creative voices through its online curriculum at www.target.com/dreamincolor. Educators of elementary, junior-high and high-school students will have access to a collection of works from African-American poets — present and past — who inspire us all to continue to dream, including Paul Laurence Dunbar, Langston Hughes and Kevin Young. Additionally, Target will provide Dream in Color posters to 100,000 schools across the country to further encourage classroom celebrations.

"One way Target celebrates diversity throughout the year is by supporting local organizations that give back and provide opportunities for people of all cultures to come together," said Laysha Ward, vice president, community relations, Target. "Above and beyond that, as part of our ongoing commitment to diversity, we're excited to invite our guests to dream without limits through our online Dream in Color campaign."

Like the Dream in Color campaign, Angelou's "A Pledge" also was written to encourage support for America's youth "with ourselves and our resources" and marks her continued contributions to poetry. In 2004, Angelou published a cook book, "Hallelujah! The Welcome Table: A Lifetime of Memories with Recipes" and, last September, she began hosting a radio show on XM Satellite's Oprah & Friends Network.

"I admire Target for doing this, because we owe it to our young people to help them see they are loved and find the inspiration to raise their voices. I am still inspired every day to find my creative voice, and I challenge all of us to pledge to one another the commitment to rescue our youth," said Angelou. "Encourage them to take life by the lapels and say, 'I'm with you, kid. Let's go.' Then, all their conscious energies will be devoted to the deliberation of the human mind and spirit, beginning with their own. That's what dreaming in color means to me."

A message for all races, "A Pledge" concludes with "[young people] are the best we have. You are all we have. You are what we have become. We pledge to you our whole hearts from this day forward."

For more information about Dream in Color, visit www.target.com/dreamincolor.

Continuing its support of the arts in local communities, Target also will host and participate in King Day events throughout the country that recognize the rich history and heritage of African-Americans. Dream in Color audio or video of Angelou will be featured at select King events across the country.

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