DONATE LIFE ORGAN DONATION AWARENESS-PENNSYLVANIA-STEP UP TO SPEAK UP EVENTS USE SPOKEN WORD AND AFRICAN AMERICAN GREEK TRADITION OF "STEPPING"

Step Up to Speak Up Events Use Spoken Word and African-American Greek Tradition of 'Stepping' to Raise Awareness for Organ and Tissue Donation

HARRISBURG, Pa., March 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The tradition of stepping has been a part of the African-American sorority and fraternity experience for decades. Spoken word as a performance art dates back to the legacy of storytelling that has existed for generations.

For the first-time ever, an event that combines these two expressions will be featured as a part of the state's effort to raise awareness about the importance of organ and tissue donor designation among African-Americans.

The event, entitled Step Up to Speak Up, will feature step teams from historically African-American fraternities and sororities along with spoken word performers sharing their talents around the importance of organ and tissue donation for African Americans. The events are free with the first one taking place Friday, March 12 in Pittsburgh, 6 - 8 p.m., at August Wilson Center for African American Culture. A second event will occur in Philadelphia on Saturday, March 27, 6 - 8 p.m., at thePennsylvania Convention Center.

"While African Americans make up 11 percent of the state's overall population, they represent nearly 32 percent of Pennsylvanians waiting for organ donor transplants," said Department of Health Deputy Secretary Janice P. Kopelman. "People of color also suffer disproportionately from health conditions such as heart disease, hypertension and kidney failure for which a transplant represents a viable medical option. These two facts alone speak to the critical need for registered donors from the African-American community in Pennsylvania."

Step Up to Speak Up is an opportunity for student leaders and members of the spoken word community to educate their peers about the significance of organ donor designation. More than 2,550 African-Americans are in need of organ or tissue transplantation. More than half of these individuals will wait over a year for a transplant, with many waiting for at least five years. Since there is greater likelihood of transplant success among members of the same ethnic and racial group, it is important to continue providing awareness of the need for African-American donors.

Leading up to each event, a donor ambassador will be selected from participating campuses to organize events and educate their fellow students about organ donation and promoting Step Up to Speak Up. While both events are free, tickets will be required for admission.

"I decided to get involved with Step Up to Speak Up to help educate others about the overall importance of organ donation, and more personally, the importance of being an African-American designated organ donor. The opportunity to save a life is the most precious gift you can ever give someone, which is why I decided to become a donor," added Cory Johnson, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Temple University.

Step Up to Speak Up is part of a statewide Donate Life campaign by the Pennsylvania Department of Health through its two organ procurement organizations [Gift of Life in Philadelphia and the Center for Organ Recovery and Education (CORE) inPittsburgh] to raise awareness for becoming registered as organ and tissue donors within the African-American community.

Statewide retailer Villa is one of the event's sponsors and will outfit the performers while providing participants who attend with coupons and gift cards for merchandise. For more information about Step Up to Speak Up, visitwww.StepUptoSpeakUp.org. For more information about becoming an organ and tissue donor, visit www.donatelife-pa.org.