City of Philadelphia - File #: 110450

• File #: 110450
• Version: 0
• Type: Resolution
• Status: ADOPTED
• File created: 5/26/2011
• In control: CITY COUNCIL
• Final action: 6/2/2011
• Title: Recognizing and Honoring Mister Mann Frisby for his Accomplishments as a Novelist and his Commitment to Helping Young People Particularly African-American Males Reach their Full Potential.
• Sponsors: Councilmember Blackwell, Councilmember Clarke, Councilmember Kenney, Councilmember Greenlee, Councilmember Goode, Councilmember O'Neill, Councilmember Reynolds Brown, Councilmember DiCicco, Councilmember Rizzo, Council President Verna, Councilmember Jones, Councilmember Tasco, Councilmember Kelly, Councilmember Green

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
6/2/2011	0	CITY COUNCIL	ADOPTED
5/26/2011	0	CITY COUNCIL	Introduced and Ordered Placed On Next Week's Final Passage Calendar	Pass

Title
Recognizing and Honoring Mister Mann Frisby for his Accomplishments as a Novelist and his Commitment to Helping Young People Particularly African-American Males Reach their Full Potential.
Body
WHEREAS, Mister Mann Frisby, a South Philadelphia native, is nationally renowned for his passion for writing and empowering young people. He has thrived as a force in the literary world, and has also succeeded as a mentor and community activist; and

WHEREAS, Frisby, 35, began his journalism career at the Philadelphia Daily News in 1997 and was only the second person in the newspaper's storied history to be hired as a staff writer immediately after completing a three-month internship; and

WHEREAS, He made a name for himself by covering fast breaking news and writing features on everyone from A-list celebrities, to convicted murderers. He stepped out on faith in 2000 and left his highly coveted reporting job to pursue a career as a novelist. At the time of his resignation, he was one of the most popular entertainment columnists in the City; and

WHEREAS, The Penn State graduate self-published his first novel, "Blinking Red Light," in May of 2002. After selling more that 15,000 copies mostly from the trunk of his car and local bookstores, he was given a two-book deal from Penguin Books. Penguin re-released "Blinking Red Light" under its Riverhead imprint in May of 2004, and followed with his second novel, "Wifebeater," in March of 2005; and

WHEREAS, In January of 2006, he released a motivational book for teenagers entitled "Holla Back, But Listen First: A Life Guide for Young Black Men" under his Skye Larieux Publishing imprint, named for his 8-year old daughter.The theme of Arcadia University's annual "Black Male Development Symposium" was changed that year to reflect the principles of "Holla Back..." after the event's founder read the book; and

WHEREAS, Frisby is quoted as saying that, "It is my calling to create literature that will entertain a...