Celebrate! Maya Project’s Second Regional FriendRaiser was held in Pine Bluff on Nov. 18 at the Pine Bluff Jefferson County Library System main library.
Janis F. Kearney, Celebrate! Maya Project president and founder, shared the history, mission and future plans with the small group gathered for the event.
Angelou died in 2014. Kearney reminded people of Angelou’s legacy as an entertainer, Civil Rights leader, author of such works as “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” and world-renowned poet, who spent much of her time in Stamps, Ark., where she found her voice again after not speaking following a tragedy in her life.
Kearney said the purpose of the event was to share Celebrate! Maya Project’s story with southeast Arkansas residents, community leaders and nonprofit organizations.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
“We have served youth and communities in Arkansas for nine years, but we’d like to do more — especially in areas where we don’t now have a presence. Our children are in need, and we want to be part of the safety net that addresses those needs — especially in the areas of literacy, writing, poetry and history,” she said.
Kearney said the organization is in the middle of a fundraising campaign to renovate an almost 100-year old home that will become the Dr. Maya Angelou House and CMP’s headquarters. The home is located in the Little Rock Central High School historic district.
“After nine years, and some wonderful collaborations and partnerships around the state, we are so excited that this house will be the very first place we can call home. We are excited that with our own space, we’ll be able to do more intentional and creative programming for youth, and more creative ways to honor the memory of Dr. Maya Angelou, for youth and for the general public,” she said.
Speakers also included Division 2 District Court Judge John L. Kearney; Bob Nash, former presidential personnel director; Janetta Kearney, Celebrate! Maya Project chair and Hot Springs board member, Brenda Johnson, Pine Bluff board member, and Teija Kearney-Ramos, Pine Bluff native and project volunteer.
Kearney said the committee did an excellent job planning the friendraiser at the Pine Bluff library.
“While we didn’t have the crowd we were hoping for, it was a wonderful program, and we made some great connections,” she said.
Celebrate! Maya Project holds annual friendraisers in Little Rock, but decided that this year they would take the event out into the state. Their first 2023 regional friendraiser was held in Rogers. A third regional friendraiser is planned for Eastern Arkansas in January 2024.
“If you are interested in hosting a Celebrate! Maya Project FriendRaiser and Storytelling event in your community in 2024, you can email celebratingmaya@gmail.com,” Kearney said.
For details on the Celebrate! Maya Project, visit www.celebratemayaproject.org.
Judy Kearney-Ramos signs the Maya Angelou Birthday card. The card featured various pictures of Angelou along with signatures of people who attended gatherings honoring her legacy. (Special to The Commercial/Tanja Enoch)