Dr. Rick Wallace & The Odyssey Project Launch "Music is Life" Program for Black Youth

DALLAS - July 12, 2016 - PRLog -- Over the years, Dr. Rick Wallace, Ph.D., has become a constant fixture in the fight to empower African Americans. In addition to his work as a published author, research director and lecturer, he has also designed and implemented a number of programs created to positively impact Blacks, primarily in inner-city communities. Through the Black Community Empowerment Initiative, Dr. Wallace has addressed cultural deficiencies, such as economic castration, the destruction of the Black family nucleus and the holistic education of African American Youth. In a quest to expand his efforts to holistically educate and empower Black youth, Dr. Wallace has created and launched the Music is Life Program.

The Music is Life program is a program in which Black youth will be introduced to every area of music, from learning to read, write and play music to operating in the music business. When Dr. Wallace was questioned concerning the program, he had the following to say:

"Black youth are being mis-educated and indoctrinated at an alarming rate. By the time the average Black child reaches the second grade, they have been indoctrinated into a mindset of inherent inferiority. This type of indoctrination is present in the TV programming, the public education system, and even perpetuated by Black parents, who are struggling with their own identity crisis.

There is a wealth of empirical data that reveals that music has an immensely powerful impact on how the brain functions, and it also functions as an effective teaching and conditioning mechanism. Unfortunately, most of the music that our children are being exposed to is not designed to empower them by offering a positive image of who they are. By introducing our youth to music at an early age, we will help them improve their self-concept, their confidence, their ability to interpret and process information and so much more. Additionally, music provides us with a very powerful mechanism through which we can properly socialize and educate our youth. It is my position that every Black child should learn to read music, write music and play at least one musical instrument.

It is the goal of The Odyssey Project to start a movement that will facilitate the process of immersing our youth into positive cultural and racial experience through music. So, we started the Music is Life program."

Currently, Dr. Wallace is looking for help with the Music is Life program in a number of ways. He is asking individuals, schools, musicians and churches to donate old instruments and musical equipment to the program. He is also asking music professionals to donate their time to teach the kids about the world of music. Music pros can email The Odyssey Project at info@theodysseyproject21.com. The organization also needs financial support for the program. Those who wish to offer support can donate at http://www.theodysseyproject21.com/donate