A month after the movie depicting the life of James Brown arrived in theaters, one of the late entertainer's daughters is out with a memoir and partnering with a charity that serves victims of domestic violence.
In "Cold Sweat: My Father James Brown and Me," Dr. Yamma Brown shares tales of her sometimes turbulent childhood and her own experience with domestic violence as an adult. She is the honorary chairman of the Purple Purse Challenge, which is aimed at benefiting the YWCA of Northwest Georgia.
“I feel good!” she said during the event, held Tuesday on the Marietta Square. “Let’s raise some money!”
The YWCA of Northwest Georgia serves women and children seeking emergency shelter due to domestic violence and serves clients with a number of programs. Tuesday’s event kicked off the “Purple Purse Challenge,” meant to secure a $100,000 grant. The Allstate Foundation is donating $500,000 in matching grants to charities benefiting domestic violence survivors. The charity that raises the most throughout the 30-day challenge period receives $100,000.
For more information or to donate, see www.ywcanwga.com or call 770-427-2902.
Condace Pressley, assistant program director of News 95.5 and AM 750 WSB, emceed the kickoff event.
“Domestic violence affects one in four women and one in six men in their lifetimes,” she said. “Still, more than one-third of us have never discussed the issue. Domestic violence doesn’t discriminate. It happens to people of all races, genders, religions and income levels.”
Brown, known as "Daughter of Soul" on Twitter, lives in Atlanta now and has been traveling to speaking engagements recently in support of both the movie "Get on Up," starring Chadwick Boseman as her father, and her book.
“I don’t call myself a victim. I call myself a survivor,” she said during a recent speaking engagement in Augusta, where her dad grew up, where his memorial service was held after his death on Christmas Day 2006 and where the Augusta Museum of History now houses a trove of James Brown memorabilia including costumes, vintage concert posters, and his 1986 Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male, for “Living in America.” “Through prayer, you can get through anything. I thank my family above all for all the support they have given me.”
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