This was recently e-mailed to me.
(Hyattsville, MD) – On Saturday, May 24, Derrica Wilson, president and CEO of Black and Missing, Inc. (BAM), announced the launch of a free, Web-based service whose mission is to maximize exposure of missing persons of color so that they can be reunited with their loved ones.
The service uses a formal, technology database to create a personal profile of missing individuals and will include biographical and physical information.
“As a police officer, mother, and member of the African-American community, I have witnessed first-hand the disparity in media coverage for missing persons of color,” said Wilson. “BAM was created to change that disparity by being the voice of the missing.”
BAM will create public awareness campaigns for public safety and provide parents, other family members and friends with a forum for spreading the word about the disappearance of missing persons. A variety of media, including print, television, and the Internet, will be used to help locate the missing.
BAM is also dedicated to educating individuals on personal safety, and providing tips on what to do if a loved one is missing.
Statistics for missing persons are alarming. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation statistical report published in January 2008, there are more than 65,000 persons missing. Of that number, more than 25,000 are persons of color.
For more information about this service, please visit BAM’s Web site at www.blackandmissinginc.com.
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Natalie Wilson
Director of Public Relations
Black and Missing, Inc.
202-341-4072
