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WELCOME TO MSM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

SCHOLARSHIP CEREMONY

July 15, 2003 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Publicist: Davida S. James
Culver City, CA 90230 Tel: (310) 435-5270*Fax: (310) 876-0120

MSM Presents College Scholarships to Los Angeles Students

In its first scholarship awards ceremony, attended by representatives from Councilman Bernard M. Parks’ and Yvonne Brathwaite-Burke’s offices, along with guest speaker Jewel Diamond Taylor, MSM Economic Development presented nine scholarships to students from Crenshaw and Palisades High Schools on Saturday, July 12, 2003. The event was held at Westfield Shopping Town Mall in Fox Hills and was attended by the award recipients, their families and supporters of the nonprofit organization.

“We are thrilled to have our dream of assisting the youth of our community become a reality so early in the life of our agency,” stated Mary Stevenson, MSM scholarship director. “Today’s event has further motivated us to continue working towards bettering the lives of those we serve.”

MSM Economic Development, a forward moving non-profit agency just formed in 2001, provided scholarship applications to several L.A. County High Schools in the spring of this year. The agency has several components: urban housing redevelopment, college scholarships, clothing/furniture distribution for needy families, and a teen group home.

Only in its second year, the nonprofit received a number of scholarship applications. The successful awardees each received $5,000 to be distributed over the course of their college educations. The five students from Crenshaw High School were: Brenda Barahona, Tanita Renee Corley, Tammisha Griffin-Cannon, Ashley Lanisha Griffth, Fanniel Marie Jones. Scholarship recipients from Palisades High School were: Garrett Joseph Durand, Ralph Lawrence Franklin II, Brandi Lonae Parr, and Dominic A. Quiller. The students have been accepted for fall 2003 to colleges ranging from UC Berkeley and Loyola Marymount to Cal State Dominquez Hills, among others.

Yolanda Allan of Councilman Bernard Parks’ office offered inspiring words for the students, reflecting on the many challenges she faced and overcame to achieve her goals. Councilman Parks’ office presented each of the students with a certificate from the City of Los Angeles. Del L. Huff from Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite-Burke’s office also offered words of encouragement to the scholarship recipients whose families were in attendance.

Writer and inspirational speaker Jewel Diamond Taylor received rousing applause for her motivational remarks as guest speaker. The theme of her presentation, playing on the notion that the students should “look up, move up, save up” and so on, challenged the students to see themselves in the future they dream for themselves and then to move steadfastly towards those dreams. Ms. Taylor also presented the scholarships to the students.

CEO for MSM, Shirley J. Mitchell commented, “we are honored that Councilman Parks and Supervisor Brathwaite-Burke were able to send representatives to the ceremony. We are a young agency, but their support is the encouragement we need to continue to move forward.”

Lionel Hill, vice president of MSM, shared information on other plans in the making.

“Among our many projects in development, MSM is in the early stages of organizing a clothing/furniture distribution program called “Hearts Giving Back,” said Hill. “This program will make a major impact by distributing brand new clothing and furniture to needy families. We will be sharing more details about the “Hearts Giving Back” program in the near future. Today is all about our scholars.”

The awards ceremony was partially sponsored by contributions from Ralph’s, Village Nutrition, Simply Delicious Cake, Westfield Shopping Town Mall, Albertson’s, Creative Images Photography, Simply Balloon Design/Events, Trader Joe’s, Money U.S.A., Shelter First and Budget Real Estate.

PLEASE NOTE:
Contact publicist Davida S. James for an electronic copy of this release, photographs from the event or to arrange interviews with MSM directors. dsjwriting@earthlink.net