Advocates for children will share effective grass-roots strategies at an interactive symposium on Sept. 24 at the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts Center in Decatur.

The “Hope – Harm in the Hood” symposium will focus on infant mortality, black-on-black crime, child abuse, domestic violence, education impotency, health disparity solutions and HIV/AIDS, among other issues.

It is being held in recognition of National Infant Mortality Awareness Month, which is observed across the country in September.

“Hope – Harm in the Hood” is sponsored by Glorious Solutions, founder of the Angel of Glory Monument, an African-American angel monument created to memorialize the lives of children who have died too soon.

Annually, 2 million babies worldwide die within their first 24 hours. The United States has the second-worst newborn death rate in the modern world. For African-Americans, the infant mortality rate more than doubles the rate of all other races in the United States. Every eight hours a child in Georgia dies before his or her first birthday.

The 9 a.m.-to-noon symposium brings together health care providers, legal professionals, policy-makers, educators, law enforcement, church leaders, social workers, community leaders, and others concerned about black children and their families.

Registration is $20. A benefit concert – “Wings: Celebrating Love, Life & Legacy” – at 7:30 p.m. will feature local and national artists.

The Porter Sanford Center is at 3181 Rainbow Drive in Decatur. For more information, call 404-376-5066 or visit www

.angelofglorymonument.com/Events.html