Erykah Badu is stepping up to help a Detroit program aimed at getting justice for victims of sexual assault.
According to the Detroit Free Press, the singer will donate a portion of the proceeds for a planned August 12 concert at Chene Park Amphitheatre to the African American 490 Challenge.
The African American 490 Challenge is part of the Enough SAID (Enough Sexual Assault in Detroit) campaign and was started after officials in Detroit discovered a storage unit more than five years ago containing more than 11,000 forgotten rape kits — many belonging to black women who were victimized.
Prosecutor Kym Worthy has been the driving force behind raising funding to get all of the kits tested. “This is a huge day for Enough SAID/AA490,” she said in a statement, according to the Detroit paper.
“Everyone knows that Erykah Badu is a major, major talent in the music and song-writing industry. For her to lend her name, talent and time to this work is nothing short of a miracle. Justice for these forgotten sexual assault victims has been given a phenomenal assist.”
Badu is partnering with Right Productions for the effort.
Shahida Mausi, president and chief executive officer of Right Productions, told the Free Press that $5 from each ticket sold as well as the proceeds from a $100-per-ticket reception before the show and $1,000-per-person VIP reception with Badu after the concert will be donated to the African American 490 Challenge.