The Black Eyed Peas will play a free concert in New York's Central Park to benefit Robin Hood, a non-profit that fights poverty in New York. Robin Hood's website points out that 55% of children born in New York City are born into poverty. They also look at poverty as not a single problem, but as a "series of overlapping issues that feed upon each other". Robin Hood is there at early childhood, and extends into adulthood where they are trained to work and survive in the world.
The concert has been put together by Robin Hood, The Black Eyed Peas, Chase, DAS Communications, NYC Department of Parks & Recreation, the Central Park Conservancy and Clear Channel Radio. It will be their first-ever live concert in Central Park, which will be held on June 9, 2011. The concert will benefit Robin Hood and its mission to fight poverty in New York City, as well as fund the creation of three new sites for The Black Eyed Peas' Peapod Academies in New York City.
The Black Eyed Peas are especially excited about their youth academies, which are part of their Peapod Foundation. The academies are cutting-edge schools that cater to disadvantaged and foster kids, and was started back in 2008 on South Central Los Angeles, and they are now expanding these academies to New York.
As they say on their "Peapod Website":
"The Peapod Music & Arts Academy (PMAA) seeks to give foster and at-risk youth the necessary technical skills, educational supplementation and social awareness to initiate social change and to act as their own advocates by using their voices and creative vision.The PMAA has a unique structure that is simultaneously curriculum driven and project-based to ensure the youth are having an educational experience, as well as developing a personal vision for social change and having an opportunity to express their voices creatively."
Although the concert is free, concertgoers must have tickets to attend the event. For more information please go to:
Peapod Foundation Website:
http://peapod.dipdive.com/
Robin Hood Website:
http://www.robinhood.org/home.aspx
