MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - There’s nothing funny about the needs of Montgomery’s less fortunate. There’s no laughter in the face of deadly conditions for children and adults alike.
But one self-described amateur comedian is doing more than his part to make the situation better for others, providing leadership and a message of hope to stop the violence.
“I’m an activist for the city of Montgomery,” said Comedian Blueski Blue.
When Blue was a child named Brian Smith, he and his single mom didn’t have a lot. “We had to make due with what we had,” he said.
What he had in abundance was a sense of humor, and Blue took that with him every day at Carver High School.
“I’m not going to lie. I was a little class clown back in the day, making jokes and everything,” he said.
It gave Blue an idea of how to help his family’s situation. “I saw on TV they were actually making money off of being funny,” Blue said. “So at a young age, I was like I could do that.”
The punchline was his mom’s reaction to the plan: “No.”
So Blue continued his education instead, and went on to attend Alabama State University. “But I also had comedian on the back burner,” he said.
Within his internal mix of fun and faith grew the desire to help others living in the same conditions his family faced, or worse.
“I prayed to God,” Blue said. “I told him, ‘If you get me out of this situation, as I get older I will start helping people in the same situation.’ And that’s what happened.”
Today he leads the nonprofit group BlueHeart Foundation, a community organization that helps underprivileged families and youth in Montgomery. He gives credit to his mom for serving as an inspiration.
“My mom was a person who gave a lot, but didn’t have a lot,” Blue said. “I used to watch her put together care bags for female prisoners at Julia Tutwiler Prison. I used to ask her all the time, why are you giving? You know we don’t have money and stuff like that. Why are you giving so much? And she told me that the more that you give, the more blessings will come your way. I never understood that until I got older.”
Now he feels blessed by helping people, especially in these virus-stricken times.
“The pandemic left a lot of people unemployed, a lot of people not knowing when their next meal is,” Blue said. “A lot of people not knowing how they’re going to get school supplies for their kids.”
One of the recent examples of his foundation’s work was in August at Eastdale Mall. They gave away school supplies, backpacks and hygiene packs to hundreds of kids.
“I’m happy that it was successful, because the smiles on the kids’ faces were priceless,” Blue said.
These days, people often ask Blue the same kind of questions he asked his mom as a child. Why does he do this? Why does he give so much time? Why does he push so hard to help?
“I’m a person who wants to see everybody succeed,” Blue said. “It’s to the point now that we have to lean on each other and ask for help… I want to be that person to help any and everybody.”
WAKE UP MONTGOMERY
Blue and positive Montgomery hip hop artist YunRo have partnered in a new anti violence campaign called Wake Up Montgomery. The campaign was sparked by the August shooting death of 13-year-old Ceyeria Lee in Oak Park.
“That was the final straw,” Blue said.
The idea behind Wake Up Montgomery is to find new ways to keep Montgomery kids busy, and away from the streets and guns.
“It’s like a routine for single-parent kids. If you don’t have anything to do, you’re most likely going to get into trouble,” Blue said.
Blue and YunRo have joined with producer Noah Baker to bring in guests like Lawn Boyz, RLE King Ant and Diamond Tyleir for video podcasts on Baker’s The Platform. They talk about music and influences, and what it will take to get kids to stop using guns to deal with problems.
BRING ON THE BANDS
For kids in negative situations, Blue said the best way to get out of it is to start thinking positively. One positive thing he knows will make a difference is getting more students into marching bands.
“I support the band programs 100 percent,” said Blue.
As a teen student, Blue was kept busy as a marching band student at Carver.
“The marching band saved my life,” he said. “If I wasn’t in marching band, I would have been in the streets. If I was in the streets, I would have been in trouble.”
He’d like to help the city’s high school bands and encourage students to be a part of them. Blue said he knows first hand that band practice will burn out all the extra energy kids have.
“I’m trying to get funding for all the high school marching bands in Montgomery,” Blue said. “These band programs are actually saving the lives of kids, whether people know it or not.”
Up ahead on Sept. 26, Blue is making plans with Eastdale Mall for an outside the box project: a drumlines showcase on the ice rink.
“I thought it would be cool to showcase what the students have worked so hard for, and why we need funding for these programs,” Blue said.
No the drummers won’t be on skates. They’ll have a stage and carpet out there.
“I’m going to have drumlines from the colleges, and we’re going to have the local high school drumlines showcasing their talents,” Blue said.
JOIN THE CAUSE, ESPECIALLY MEN
Volunteers are always welcomed for The BlueHeart Foundation.
“I need people to help with projects to give back to the community,” Blue said.
It’s especially helpful to have men from the community get involved as volunteers, said Blue, who was raised by his mom in a single-parent home. When he had a chance to talk with older guys in his community as a child, he found role models.
Today, Blue is the father of a one year old who makes him laugh.
“Some of the kids that are in trouble come from a household with no father there,” Blue said. “With the kids coming to these projects and seeing all these males, talking to them and getting to know who they are, they will feel that fatherly presence.”
The BlueHeart Foundation is currently planning a Community Organizational Fair. The goal is to help people find jobs and give resource information to help families with mental health, suicide, pregnancy, and homelessness.
To find out how to get involved with The BlueHeart Foundation, or to seek help from them, call 334-296-8200. Visit Facebook @blueheart334 and message Blue, or email him at mr.blueskiblue@gmail.com.
“Let me know what you need help with, and maybe I can find a resource to help you,” Blue said. “It’s not all the time I can help everybody, but as much as I can, I will. I think that’s God’s will. That’s God’s calling.”
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