AU alumnus Daniel Maree received the 2013 Do Something Award for his efforts to raise awareness of racial profiling and gun violence.
Viewers selected Maree, 25, via text out of five other finalists competing for the $100,000 prize at the Do Something Awards on July 31. The Do Something foundation has been supporting and celebrating leaders who are 25 years of age or younger since 1996.
Maree’s organization, Million Hoodies Movement for Justice, uses multimedia to fight gun violence, racial discrimination and profiling with chapters in 12 cities. The project was sparked by Trayvon Martin’s death and the resulting trial.
“We’ve had quite a huge impact in terms of people we mobilized across the country in a short period of time,” he said.
Maree, who graduated from AU in 2008, attributed his success to his professors in the School of Communication and Department of History, and Psychology.
“It’s really important to me that they be recognized,” Maree said.
Maree plans to use the $100,000 prize to expand Million Hoodies Movement. He hopes to influence gun violence and profiling the same way the Truth campaign affected big tobacco companies, educating the public about the harmful effects of tobacco.
“We are going to be deciding what we do with that money in conversation with Do Something and our board of advisors and our executive organizing team,” he said.
Million Hoodies Movement for Justice began as a Facebook event created by Maree. He gained the support of AU alumna Amy Frame, Andrea Ciannavei and Thenjiwe McHarris, who soon became part an integral part of the executive organizing team.
“Since then they’ve been critical to helping me organize people around the country and continuing throughout this year as well,” Maree said.
Together, the four of them have worked to attract attention to gun violence and discrimination.
“Racial stereotyping shouldn’t be an issue, even though it very much is,” Maree said.
Maree focuses on the prevalence of deaths among African American or Latino teenagers due to gun violence. The Million Hoodies website cites other gun violence victims in addition to Martin, including Amadou Diallo, Sean Bell and Ramarley Graham.
“People have realized that this needs to stop, and that racial profiling as institutional racism in this country still exists,” Maree said.
According to Maree, Do Something and their sponsors, including JCPenney and PostIt, took a risk in supporting an organization focusing on gun violence.
“We are exploring the best ways possible to protect young people and especially young people of color, and if that means taking on the NRA, then that’s what we will do,” Maree said.
The organization is also expanding on a digital level.
“We are trying to create a virtual study guide for children and students which will allow to train them on basically lowering the bar of entry for civic engagement for social media and technology,” Maree said.
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