HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – Praise and gospel music blew the roof off of Bridge of Hope Fellowship in downtown Hopkinsville as a passionate crowd of Men 2 Be supporters attended a benefit concert in support of the Attucks High School restoration.
Founder of the non-profit, LaDessa Lewis, revealed their lofty $1 million fundraising goal they need to raise in order to transform Attucks into an inclusive community center and functioning apartments bearing the Men 2 Be name.
Emotionally overwhelmed by the support of the community as people filled the seats of the church, Lewis shared that this vision for transforming the long-abandoned school into a hub for its neighboring communities has been passed along for years without being fully realized, until now.
“The vision that we have for Attucks is not necessarily something I had, this is something that they came up with 30 years ago,” Lewis told the crowd. “The same vision, the same apartments, the same community center, places for people to get food, groceries. It may not have been time then, but it’s time now.”
Baskets were handed around amid powerful performances and worship throughout the night, with people donating electronically all evening. Singers from the community took the stage during the concert, moving the audience with gospel classics. Talented young members of Men 2 Be also sang for the audience with the Nashville Community Gospel Choir bringing down the house at the end of the night.
Design plans
In 2024, the Attucks Alumni Association gifted the building to Men 2 Be for the cost of just one dollar. Interior and exterior repairs and renovations will have to be done to bring this new vision to life, with the goal of opening the building to the public in the summer of 2026.
The sleek design in the new renderings show an updated facility that not only has space for community meetings, gatherings, and classes, but also houses 20 apartments. The school will also function as an emergency shelter and food pantry.
A large community garden is the heart of the outdoor space, with a National African American Educational Museum housed inside. One and two-bedroom apartments cover both floors of the building, with 7,400 square feet of space going toward a state-of-the-art gymnasium.
Building history and past fundraising
Men 2 Be was created to empower young men in the community to reach their full academic, social, and personal potential. With support from her husband, volunteers, and mentors, Lewis has created a powerful brotherhood among black youth in Hopkinsville whose mission extends beyond their organization and into the restoration of Attucks.
Built in 1916, Attucks High School is a former school facility in Hopkinsville that served as the first public school for black students in the area. In 1988, the school closed and ceased operations leaving the building to deteriorate. Since the fall, members of Men 2 Be have collaborated to tackle landscaping projects outside the school to boost its curb appeal.
In 2024, LaDessa Lewis announced that they were raising money to transform building, launching into fundraising $13,000 to cover the costs for the renderings needed to initially tackle the project.
Lewis previously told Christian County Now that once the fundraising goal has been met, the group will hold community forums to gather input on how the center can best serve the community’s needs. Following these forums, Lewis plans to seek grants to start phase one of the project which is the gym.
“This is just the beginning of what is to come,” said Lewis at the end of the benefit, continuing to thank the community. She encouraged the community to help the non-profit every day however they can, including donating snacks and food and assisting with ongoing programming that transforms the lives of youth.
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