Acclaimed Vocalist Lizz Wright Releases New Music Video “Painted Sky” (Don’t Give Up On Us) In Celebration of the National Day of Racial Healing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 12, 2017
Media Contact: Jesse P. Cutler, JP Cutler Media jesse@jpcutlermedia.com

W.K. Kellogg Foundation and A Broad Coalition of More Than 130 Partner Organizations
Call for National Day of Racial Healing on January 17, 2017

Asheville, NC – Thursday, January 12, 2017 – Renowned singer Lizz Wright joins the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and more than 130 organizations committed to its Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) enterprise, for a National Day of Racial Healing on January 17, 2017. Wright releases a soaring new single “Painted Sky” (Don’t Give Up On Us), a co-written song with Maia Sharp featuring Kenny Banks Sr. (piano) and Ted and Angela Jenifer (vocals), as the anthem for the National Day of Racial Healing. Wright is available for interviews, and you can view the video at https://youtu.be/eWZ_ebqr6j0 .

The National Day of Racial Healing is a response to the broad call for racial healing following the recent contentious rhetoric, hate crimes and vivid expressions of racism. Calls for healing have come from both President Obama and President-elect Trump, as well as 32 states. Individuals, organizations and communities across the United States will participate in activities, events and actions to heal the wounds created by racial, ethnic and religious bias and build an equitable and just society so that all children can thrive.

In President Obama’s Farewell Address on January 10, 2017, he commented on the state of racism in America, “For race remains a potent and often divisive force in our society. I’ve lived long enough to know that race relations are better than they were 10, or 20, or 30 years ago – you can see it not just in statistics, but in the attitudes of young Americans across the political spectrum. But we’re not where we need to be. All of us have more work to do. …Going forward, we must uphold laws against discrimination – in hiring, in housing, in education and the criminal justice system. That’s what our Constitution and highest ideals require. But laws alone won’t be enough. Hearts must change.”

The National Day of Racial Healing follows the TRHT Summit (December 5 - 8, 2016), where 570 representatives from committed organizations and communities gathered in Carlsbad, California, to discuss implementation of TRHT in communities, organizations and by individuals. Underscoring the widespread reach and influence of TRHT, the community, corporate and non-profit partners have a collective network of more than 289 million Americans. The National Day of Healing will kick-off a year-long effort to bring healing to different parts of this country.

Lizz Wright says her latest song, “’Painted Sky’ (Don't Give Up On Us) is an invitation to be courageous, real and to end the suffering of denial. It’s time to come out from beneath our confining constructs of unnatural thinking about who we are and who belongs. We have the ability to rewrite our narrative as Americans to one that welcomes and embraces the fullness of our individual and collective humanity. The dream of equity and fairness for all is not enough as just a dream. We must welcome it and live it as we open our minds and hearts. Our greatest strength is when we reveal our ability to see ourselves reflected in one another.”

Join the National Day of Racial Healing on January 17, 2017 to help heal the wounds created by racial, ethnic and religious bias and build an equitable and just society together. Here are a few suggestions on how to get started.

*Have an open, compassionate and constructive conversation about race. Be sure to listen well. Listen until you can easily identify the basic human emotions and needs of each position and story of the discussion.

*Introduce more diverse reading material to your children. Here are some beautiful suggestions referenced in The New York Times’ story, “Children’s Books That Tackle Race and Ethnicity.”

*Host a healing circle at home and invite your family members, friends and associates to participate. Whenever possible, invite people from different cultures.

*Create a short video of your own cover of "Painted Sky" (Don't Give Up On Us), and post it on social media.

*Gather with friends and create vision boards that reveal and celebrate your vision for racial healing. Share your interpretations in an open discussion.

What Can Be Done In 10 Minutes Or Less:

*Reflect on your experience of diversity in your life. Consider how can you create more positive and natural opportunities to experience it. Travel? Public service? Volunteering? Reading?

*Use the TRHT logo as your temporary profile picture on your social networks announcing the date of the National Day of Racial Healing.

*Create a brief video addressing why racial healing is important to you and post it on YouTube and social networks.

*Identify and lend your support to organizations in your area that work towards racial healing.

About Lizz Wright
Lizz Wright is a steward of American music bringing brilliant color and vibrancy to singular original compositions and works by the foremost songwriters of our time. Since the breakout release of her debut album Salt, Wright has garnered widespread attention as one of the most venerable popular singers and songwriters of her generation. Standout singles from her five critically acclaimed albums have topped Billboard’s contemporary jazz charts. Her latest single “Lean In” (a co-written song by Wright and Jesse Harris from Freedom & Surrender) landed on President Obama’s 2016 Summer Playlist. The New York Times touts her inimitable voice as, “a smooth, dark alto possessed of qualities you might associate with barrel-aged bourbon or butter-soft leather.” Star Tribune exclaims, “Wright is equally capable of impressing a distinctive original on your memory bank or reorienting a familiar contemporary song via her personalized treatment and testimony, which ranges naturally through gospel, folk, jazz and R&B idioms.”

Wright sings with a soaring reflection of the cultural fabric of America. She lies beneath the script of human history transcending social divides with an offer of love and deep sense of humanity. Her music accepts the beauty of reality and a collective experience of belonging. For the listener, Wright’s songs embody a tradition that allows us to always feel at home, wherever we might be.

In celebration of the centennial birthday of Ella Fitzgerald, Lizz Wright released a video for “The Nearness Of You,” which garnered more than 1 million views on Facebook in just nine days.

Lizz Wright is available for interviews, and hi-res photos are available upon request.

About the W.K. Kellogg Foundation
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), founded in 1930 as an independent, private foundation by breakfast cereal pioneer, Will Keith Kellogg, is among the largest philanthropic foundations in the United States. Guided by the belief that all children should have an equal opportunity to thrive, WKKF works with communities to create conditions for vulnerable children so they can realize their full potential in school, work and life.

The Kellogg Foundation is based in Battle Creek, Michigan, and works throughout the United States and internationally, as well as with sovereign tribes. Special emphasis is paid to priority places where there are high concentrations of poverty and where children face significant barriers to success. WKKF priority places in the U.S. are in Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico and New Orleans; and internationally, are in Mexico and Haiti.




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This release was published on openPR.