Author Ralph E. Godbolt to sign his book, Kickin' the Ballistics, Saturday in Pottstown

There's a book-signing this weekend right here in Pottstown. I copied the below information from Sue Repko's Positively Pottstown blog, which is hosted on The Mercury's Town Square page. Like the blog name says, Repko's blog promotes great things happening in my town. The indefatigable Repko also hosts popular happy hours once a month at different businesses in town.

Book Signing at ArtFusion 19464 this Saturday

 MOSAIC Community Land Trust and ArtFusion 19464 have teamed up to host Ralph E. Godbolt, author of Kickin’ the Ballistics:  Reflections on the Hip Hop Generation, Poverty and Power. He will speak this Saturday night at ArtFusion, formerly the Gallery on High. 

Author Ralph Godbolt will discuss his book and the realities of urban violence, the high school drop out crisis, misogyny, the war on drugs, sexual orientation and the Hip Hop Generation in the aftermath of the American Civil Rights Movement. “He takes aim at generations of harsh public policies, unequal access to opportunity and discriminatory practices that has led to a generational cycle of poverty, violence, addiction, under education and unemployment in America’s urban centers by using Hip Hop culture and rap music as a means to communicate the deep despair, but enduring faith of young urban Americans.”

The book signing and talk will take place this Saturday, October 20th, 7– 9 PM at 254 E. High St., Pottstown, Pa. Light refreshments will Be Served.  

A portion of the proceeds from each book sold will be donated to both  MOSAIC and ArtFusion.

About Ralph E. Godbolt (from his website):

Ralph Edward Godbolt has earned national recognition as an expert on issues of urban affairs, public policy, non-profit management and the Sociology of the Hip Hop Generation. As Executive Director of the COLOURS Organization, Godbolt is recognized as one of the first straight African American males to serve as Executive Director of an African American LGBT based organization. COLOURS is committed to addressing issues of HIV/AIDS and supporting the unique needs of the African American LGBT community. Godbolt is the Founder, and Chair of the Board of Directors of HIP HOP, Inc., an organization committed to leveraging the human capital of the HIP HOP Generation to directly address issues of poverty, community empowerment, the high school dropout crisis and violence. 

Ralph Godbolt also serves as a Professor at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania where his research and teachings focuses on the intersection of public policy and poverty and formerly at Chestnut Hill College where his teachings and research focused on the Sociology of the Hip Hop Generation. Godbolt is also a writer for PULL Magazine, a publication dedicated to reaching the untapped young urban American reader. 

Since his days as a youth in inner-city Pittsburgh, Godbolt has been committed to social justice, community empowerment, and educational equality. In addition to his work in the field of academia, Godbolt has served as CEO of Special Olympics Philadelphia where he led an aggressive effort to provide services to youth and adults with special needs. He also served as Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Child Advocacy Centers - an organization committed to supporting children who are victims of physical and sexual abuse. 

 

As the former Executive Director of the West Philadelphia Alliance for Children, Godbolt developed and implemented programs that reduced the risk factors for youth identified as potential high school dropouts and developed a coalition of funders, volunteers, academics, and community members to provide low income youth with essential in-school library access.
Godbolt recently published his first book, “Kickin' the Ballistics: Reflections on the Hip Hop Generation, Poverty and Power.” Godbolt has been educated at Clarion University of Pennsylvania, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania and Indiana University of Pennsylvania.