We Speak Events
Behind The Scenes with Elijah J On His New Single “Release” Video Shoot
Elijah J held a private video shoot Thursday night in Atlanta, GA. Elijah was on the scene conducting interviews and gave UMEEKTV an exclusive behind the scenes of his new music video Release feat Coy Stewart which drops later this summer.
Elijah ”EJ” Johnson is an True Triple Threat entertainer. Elijah J is a mix between a young Will Smith, Usher, & Michael Jackson all in one. At an early age Elijah J was invited to perform Jackson 5 mini concerts around the country, being that Michael Jackson was his biggest inspiration to perform. Then at 9yrs old, he was cast, out of close to 8,000 kids, to star in Disney’s Broadway Musical, “The Lion King” as Young Simba. Elijah J starred in the Las Vegas production, National Touring production & briefly in NYC’s Broadway production. Elijah J still is still the only child actor to play Young Simba in all three productions. At 13 yrs old, Elijah J was chosen out of thousands of kids who auditioned across the country to be one of five lead singers in the national TV/Live singing group, “Kidz Bop”. Elijah J was a Kidz Bop kid for over 3 years, being apart of the many commercials, cd’s Kidz Bop 20-Kidz Bop 24, all four albums made Billboard Top 5 (Hot 100) music charts & Three national tours. In 2013, Elijah J joined the Global R&B boy band “Mindless Behavior” as the Lead singer and signed to EPIC records.” On his 18th birthday, the group released their album “#OfficialMBmusic” as an Independent group with Distribution from ADA Warner Brothers, along with 3 music videos (linked below). He also most recently starred as the lead character, this summer in a feature film called “Misguided” that is set to be released by “Studio 11 films” in 2017. In this film, Elijah J not only starred in the lead role, but also helped shoot some of the film behind the scenes.
Special thanks to Catrice Armstrong for providing UMEEKTV with the bio of Elijah J. You can follow Elijah J on social media @iamelijahj
We Speak Events
Atlanta Screening of The Alabama Solution Brings Together Panel of Advocates, Leaders, and Community Voices
ATLANTA, GA — Community leaders, advocates, and residents gathered in Atlanta for a special screening of the Oscar-nominated HBO documentary The Alabama Solution, an evening centered on film, dialogue, and community engagement around issues of justice and incarceration.
Hosted at 2345 Cheshire Bridge Road NE, the event brought together organizations and community members for a formal evening of reflection and conversation following the powerful documentary. The film, co-directed by Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman and co-produced by Alex Duran, offers an intimate and unfiltered look into Alabama’s prison system.
At the heart of the documentary are the voices of justice-impacted individuals Melvin “Bennu” Ray and Robert “Kinetik” Council, whose experiences shed light on the realities inside the prison system while challenging viewers to consider deeper questions about accountability, dignity, and reform.
Following the screening, a panel discussion brought together leaders and advocates working in justice reform and community outreach. The conversation was moderated by Bridgette Simpson of Barred Business, who guided the dialogue with panelists representing several organizations committed to addressing issues within the justice system.
Panelists included Gerald Griggs of the NAACP, Kimberly Jones of Fork the System, Octavious Holiday of the Positive Outreach Development Society, Kevin Marshall of The Marshall Law Group, LLC, Kathryn Hamoudah of the Southern Center for Human Rights, and Christopher Willars of The Life Unit Inc.
Each panelist offered insight shaped by their work in advocacy, legal reform, and community engagement. Their perspectives highlighted the far-reaching effects incarceration can have on families and communities, while also emphasizing the importance of awareness, accountability, and continued dialogue around the issues presented in the film.
The screening was supported by several organizations dedicated to justice and civic engagement, including One for Justice, Dream.org, Barred Business, the Southern Center for Human Rights, The Life Unit, the Center for Civic Innovation, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), and the Free Atlanta Abolition Movement.
The evening also served as a moment of connection for those in attendance, including family members and advocates whose lives have been impacted by the justice system. Through film and conversation, the gathering created space for reflection and for communities to engage with the realities highlighted in the documentary.
As conversations continued after the screening, the event underscored the power of storytelling to bring people together, raise awareness, and encourage deeper consideration of issues that often remain unseen by the public.
As momentum continues to grow around conversations sparked by the documentary, organizers are encouraging community members to take an additional step by supporting efforts aimed at protecting justice-impacted individuals from discrimination.
Advocates are currently inviting the public to sign a virtual petition card supporting the establishment of a statewide Protected Class Ordinance in Georgia, which would help ensure justice-impacted individuals are protected from discrimination in employment, housing, and opportunity.
You may find and share the virtual petition here:
Statewide Protected Class
https://www.theprotectedclassnetwork.org/sign-our-petition
