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Ludacris Launches Cerebral Palsy Awareness Campaign
By James Bartlett
January 13, 2006 - Ludacris' non-profit organization, The Ludacris Foundation, has partnered with United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) to launch a public awareness campaign focused on bringing attention to the disproportionate rate of disability in minority communities.
Studies show that while African-Americans make up only 13 percent of the U.S. populations, they account for almost 20 percent of all people with disabilities. More than 35 percent of African-American families reported having a family member with a disability in 2000.
To highlight these disparities, Ludacris will appear in a public service announcement entitled "Dream," along with Ruje'anne Duplessis, a teenager born with cerebral palsy, whose dream was to have Ludacris take her to prom.
Ludacris heard about Duplessis' wish after she contacted BET for some help in finding the Atlanta rapper. Jumping at the chance to make her wish come true, Ludacris flew to Massachusetts to escort Ruje'anne to the Central High prom.
"The prom is a very important part of a young lady's life, and it hit my heart to share it with her," Ludacris told the Sacramento Observer. "Ruje'anne might have a disability, but that doesn't make her different from anyone else. She's still dreaming and making a difference."
The new public service announcement featuring Ludacris will run in select cities nationwide and is available online at http://www.ucp.org.
LUDACRIS TEAMS WITH UNITED CEREBRAL PALSY: Rapper wants to raise public awareness about rate of disability among minorities.
January 13, 2006 - *The Ludacris Foundation, established by rapper-turned-actor Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, has teamed with one of the nation’s leading advocates for Americans with disabilities to launch a new public awareness campaign designed to shed light on the disproportionate rate of disability in minority communities.
Luda is featured in the United Cerebral Palsy public service announcement entitled “Dream,” featuring Ruje'anne Duplessis, a teenager born with cerebral palsy. In 2004, Duplessis wrote BET to request help in reaching Ludacris, her dream prom date. When the rapper got wind of the teen’s letter, he flew to Massachusetts and escorted her to the Central High prom.
"The prom is a very important part of a young lady's life, and it hit my heart to share it with her," Ludacris told the Sacramento Observer. "Ruje'anne might have a disability, but that doesn't make her different from anyone else. She's still dreaming and making a difference."
According to the newspaper, studies show that African Americans account for nearly 20 percent of all people with disabilities despite making up just 13 percent of the U.S. population. In addition, more than 35 percent of all African American families reported having a family member with a disability in 2000, the second highest rate of disability for any racial group.
The new public service announcement featuring Ludacris will run in select cities nationwide and is available online at http://www.ucp.org.
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