Rapper Saigon, Film Producer Larry Meistrich Team to Help Underserved Students
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Brooklyn rapper Saigon, best known for “The Greatest Story Never Told” mixtape series and singles such as “C’Mon” and “Nunya,” has teamed with film producer Larry Meistrich (a founding member of The Shooting Gallery and NEHST Studios whose credits include the Oscar-winning “Sling Blade” and the seminal hip-hop flick “Belly”) to launch The 13thMan for Youth Arts & Sports Foundation.
This 501-c3 nonprofit focuses on making music and filmmaking educational resources, as well as alternative sports programming support, available to underserved kids in middle and high schools where programs are being hit the hardest by budget cuts. The 13thMan Foundation seeks to provide funding, curriculum and expert and celebrity guest instructors to give kids the necessary tools, exposure and opportunity to create — be it in music, film or sports — while empowering them with information and confidence.
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“I’m excited about the launch of The 13thMan Foundation” said Saigon. “The foundation will identify and provide resources to underserved schools across the country that are in most dire need of better music, filmmaking and alternative sports programming. As a recording artist, I know first-hand the life-saving and life changing abilities of music and will do all I can to ensure that kids from every walk of life have the opportunity to realize their full potential with the power of music.”
The 13thMan Foundation’s first initiative finds itself serving over 1000 students across five middle schools in Newark, NJ with the After School All Stars, an organization providing free comprehensive programs to keep children safe outside of school hours and help them succeed. .
“Entertainment is the last industry that America still dominates, and we need to create a better pipeline of upcoming talent,” said 13th Man Foundation co-founder Meistrich. “We are beginning with serving a program that has 1,000 students with first class film and music classes. In addition to co-founding the 13th Man Foundation, I am proud to be a teacher of one of the first film classes that will launch in November.”
For information about the 13thMan Foundation, including how to donate to its digital fundraising campaign, visit www.13thman.net.
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