Organizers from the nonprofit Melquain Jatelle Anderson Foundation (MJAF) are calling on the community to participate in their “Disrupting the Hate Week” running Oct. 21-25.
#DisruptingTheHateWeek is MJAF’s annual social media campaign to promote positivity, artistic expression, and community healing. MJAF, which offers emotional and financial support to families affected by gun violence, says “Disrupting the Hate Week” encourages everyone to challenge hate through creativity, art, and love.
“After losing my only child, Melquain, I wanted to create something that helps our communities heal and stand united against gun and urban violence,” states Michelle Barnes-Anderson, founder of MJAF. Her son Melquain was shot and killed while waiting for a bus outside of the Farragut Houses in Downtown Brooklyn in 2017. He was, at the time, a student at John Jay College.
Though Melquain’s life was cut short, his mother and aunts — Rev. Xenia Barnes and Khadedra Miller — established MJAF to honor his memory and inspire community transformation. “Disrupting Hate Week is a time when people can engage in the arts — whether through fashion, poetry, music, or any form of expression — to choose love over hate and unity over division.”
Mel’s Law, enacted by the state of New York, requires SUNY, CUNY, and community colleges to establish procedures for students’ families to obtain posthumous degrees. The law was signed on October 25, 2023, marking the sixth anniversary of Melquain’s passing. Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez has introduced a federal bill that is based on New York’s Mel’s Law. The bill also ensures that posthumous degrees are granted to college students who pass away before completing their coursework.
“With the signing of Mel’s Law in Melquain’s honor,” Barnes-Anderson said, “we are showing that every life taken too soon still matters. The powerful work Melquain was already doing to uplift and add value to his community continues through this legislation. This act gives siblings and children of the fallen — like his daughter, Melkenzye, who was born two months after his murder — a sense of hope and dignity, knowing their loved one’s academic journey and purpose will never be forgotten. It restores dignity to families and reminds us all that healing is possible when we come together.”
During the last week of October, MJAF tries to promote positive content through social media. It begins on his birthday, Oct. 21, which was established as “Melquain’s Day” by Mayor Eric Adams when he was Brooklyn’s Borough President. Oct. 25 marks both the anniversary of when Melquain was killed and the day Gov. Kathy Hochul signed “Mel’s Law” into New York State law. Assemblymember Phara Souffrant Forrest and State Senator Jabari Brisport introduced the bill.
Those who want to take part are encouraged to celebrate by sharing artwork and creative expressions — fashion, tattooing, sketching, painting, music, poetry, photography, or Brooklyn-made creativity — tagged with #DisruptingTheHateWeek, honoring Melquain’s spirit and commitment to community.