Hello. My name is TJ Griffin. I am the founder of The VISION Program, which stands for Values Inspiring Students In Overcoming Negativity. I have worked in the music business for many years and have always been a fan of Hip-Hop music. I am also a full time youth care worker at a program for troubled teens. Being that I was a kid submerged in Hip-Hop culture and also worked in the music business, I am fully aware of the powerful negative influence Hip-Hop and its artists can have on our youth’s physical, emotional, and mental well-being. I travel to different juvenile detention centers, placements, and programs all over the state of PA with VISION and I see the huge negative influence it has on our youth first hand. Some of these negative influences are the glorification of drug-use, drug selling, violence, gangs, guns, and the objectifying and disrespect of women. Part of what VISION does is to educate youth on Hip-Hop as a culture, its artists and how it is negatively affecting them. We also teach the youth the amazing, positive aspects of the music and culture, and teach them how to tap into the good of Hip-Hop to become successful in everyday life. Every youth receives a book from us at the end of the session. Purpose Driven Life and The MENTOR: The Kid and the CEO are the books we are giving out to youth currently as we push personal development and reading. I would like to reach our at risk youth with our new motivational and educational program before they end up in the detention centers, the court system, or even worse, death. The best way for us/VISION to reach these youth and be impactful is by running school assemblys and workshops and building on-going relationships. We have created a school assembly program called the Motivational Change Assembly. This assembly is a high energy, educational, and powerful presentation with a special guest speaker who is a platinum producer in the music business and world of Hip-Hop, and a live DJ. I have been contacting urban/city schools all over the state just to find out they don’t have funds for our program  because of budget cuts and other unforeseen cost in the schools. There is cost to bring in the special speaker from NYC and the DJ's equipment and time. I would love to be able to reach these kids, parents and educators, but need the public’s help. If we can raise the funds needed, our VISION program could get into many of these city schools and begin to educate, motivate, and inspire the youth that need it the most. The total amount of funds raised will pay for several P.A. city high schools. No one is educating our youth on these issues and topics except the rappers they look up to. VISION is meeting the youth right where they are: Hip-Hop Culture, and we do it in a way they can immediately relate to. VISION brings Hip-Hop credibility with us and in return we gain their full attetion and that is where change can be made! Please help if you can; I can not do it alone. Our youth are going to prisions and killing each other at an alarming rate. With Hip-Hop and VISION and you we can reach them!