Disabled Veteran-Owned Festival Launches National Campaign to Protect Black-Owned Trademarks

Disabled Veteran-Owned Festival Launches National Campaign to Protect Black-Owned Trademarks

George Ransom Turner III Calls for Federal Protection, Creator Education, and Legal Sponsorship to Defend Black Intellectual Property

📍 Atlanta, GA — — In a bold call to action for creators nationwide, George Ransom Turner III, a 100% Disabled Veteran and the federal trademark owner of Orange Crush Festival®, has launched a high-impact national initiative titled #ProtectTheMark. This campaign seeks to secure the intellectual property rights of Black-owned businesses, brands, and cultural events—and to build public understanding of how legal protections equal power.

With Black creators continuously facing theft, appropriation, and erasure of their cultural contributions, Turner’s campaign is not only timely—it’s a legal and moral necessity. Rooted in veteran discipline and civic empowerment, #ProtectTheMark merges education, action, and allyship to support the next generation of entrepreneurs, artists, and innovators.

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A Veteran Fighting a New War: For IP Ownership

Turner is no stranger to battles. After serving his country, he turned his energy toward protecting the cultural legacy of his community. As the official, federally recognized trademark owner of Orange Crush Festival®, Turner has spent years defending the brand from misrepresentation, exploitation, and unauthorized usage—especially from media outlets and competing event organizers.

“Too many Black creators are being erased from their own ideas,” said Turner. “I trademarked Orange Crush Festival® to protect what our culture built—and now I’m using that protection to help others do the same.”

His brand now spans:

• 🎓 Orange Crush University, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit

• 🏖️ A fully permitted multi-city festival & touring series

• 🪙 A blockchain-based cryptocurrency: Crush Coin™

• 📰 A student-led digital media platform: Crush Magazine

• 🛡️ A trademark enforcement unit across entertainment, merchandising, and licensing

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Campaign Goals of #ProtectTheMark

The #ProtectTheMark campaign is structured around three urgent goals:

1. 🔊

Raise National Awareness

Turner will lead a press tour and educational speaking series targeting:

• HBCUs, creative academies, and business incubators

• Black-owned startups and fashion/music creators

• Online audiences through influencer partnerships and podcasts

Key topics include:

• What a trademark is—and isn’t

• How to protect your name, event, or brand

• When and how to stop unauthorized use of your work

2. 🛠️

Launch a Free Legal Toolkit

Through Orange Crush Festival’s digital platform, the campaign is releasing a creator-friendly trademark protection toolkit at

👉 www.OrangeCrushFestival.org/legal

It includes:

• Step-by-step guidance to file a federal trademark

• Pre-filled cease-and-desist templates

• Video explainers from IP experts

• Success stories from Black business owners

• Links to the USPTO and funding resources

3. 🤝

Secure Legal & Corporate Partnerships

Turner is calling on:

• IP law firms, Black attorneys, and HBCU law programs

• Corporate sponsors, brands, and civil rights organizations

…to offer:

• Pro bono legal services

• Trademark filing clinics at festivals and universities

• Legal sponsorships and micro-grants to cover filing fees for small creators and students

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A Movement for Legacy, Not Just Liability

For Turner, protecting intellectual property isn’t about filing lawsuits—it’s about building legacy.

“We’re not protecting trademarks just to sue someone. We’re protecting them so our kids can inherit them. Culture is capital. Ownership is the foundation.”

In a time when “Black-owned” can become a branding buzzword without legal backing, Turner’s campaign demands clarity, control, and consequence. The goal: to ensure that Black communities benefit from what they create—and aren’t excluded when those creations scale, sell, or go viral.

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Get Involved

Legal professionals, brand owners, and cultural institutions are encouraged to partner with the campaign:

• Contact: George Ransom Turner III

• 📧 info@orangecrushfestival.org

• 🌐 www.OrangeCrushFestival.org/legal

• 📱 Instagram: @OrangeCrush.Festival

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About Orange Crush Festival®

Orange Crush Festival® is a federally registered trademark owned and operated by George Ransom Turner III. It is one of the first veteran-owned cultural trademarks in the U.S. spring break and music festival industry. What began as a community event has now expanded into a full national ecosystem of education, crypto-finance, fashion, and civic engagement.

Powered by veterans, students, and culture creators, Orange Crush stands as a model of what happens when ownership meets opportunity.