VOICES OF HOPE Productions | Media and Pop Culture with a Socio-Political POV

Breaking News: Governor Christie Officially Vetoed the LNG Project Today!

2011-02-08T13:54:00.000-05:00

Ensures Healthy Sea and Economy for Future Generations

*Public Hearings NOT POSTPONED*

Today is a great day for the ocean!

Demonstrating his commitment to protect New Jersey's coastal waters and natural resources, Governor Chris Christie today invoked his authority under the federal Deepwater Port Act, vetoing a proposed deepwater liquefied natural gas operation 16 miles off the coast of Asbury Park. The action prevents Liberty Natural Gas from constructing and operating its proposed offshore port to receive foreign vessels transporting liquid natural gas (LNG) to the U.S. for regassification.

"I take very seriously our obligation to protect the environmental health of our coastal waters,” said Governor Christie. “Offshore LNG poses unacceptable risks to the State's residents, natural resources, economy and security. We must ensure that our 126 miles of shoreline remain an economic driver for tourism and that our fishing and shellfish industries remain healthy and productive now and for future generations.”

“This is a clear victory for the ocean,” said Cindy Zipf, Executive Director of Clean Ocean Action. “It is our most treasured natural resource and it will now be free from harmful industrialization.”

“The ocean is the backbone of our state’s economy, it sustains and supports a multi-billion dollar tourism industry, provides endless hours of enjoyment on the beach and in the sea, and hosts a rich diversity of marine life. If we abuse it and put it in harms way our economy and way of life will diminish and ultimately collapse” furthered Zipf.

"The Governor’s veto today keeps New Jersey's eye on the prize -- environmentally and economically, we need to be developing clean renewable energy and becoming more energy efficient instead of relying on dirty and dangerous options like liquid natural gas on the Jersey Shore," said Dave Pringle, Director of the New Jersey Environmental Federation.

"The decision to veto the Liberty natural gas project protects the Jersey shore and decreases our reliance on fossil fuels. New Jersey is a leader in the renewable energy industry and the Governor's veto today helps us maintain this leadership position," said William Schulte, an attorney with the Eastern Environmental Law Center.

The next step, now that this latest battle is over, is to call upon our federal officials to step up and act to permanently protect our waters. They must pass federal legislation permanently protect our ocean waters off the New Jersey and New York coast from these and other types of harmful activities by making it a Clean Ocean Zone.

Offshore Liquified Natural Gas Project Background: Three liquefied natural gas import facilities were pending off the Jersey Shore: Liberty Natural Gas, four snake-like buoy/turret moorings off Asbury Park; Atlantic Sea Island Group, which proposed to build an island in the ocean off Sea Bright, NJ; and Exxon Mobile’s Blue Ocean Energy project which was planning to install an experimental massive storage facility off Sea Girt. Following the Governors announcement, and changes to the global LNG market, the latter two companies withdrew their plans last year. Only Liberty Natural Gas proceeded, taunting the Governor’s promise of a veto.

Resources and Links

Governor Christie's Release

Governor Christie's Statement

Thank Governor Christie and DEP Commisioner Bob Martin for keeping their word and stopping Liberty Natural Gas and all LNG projects off NJ and NY.

Email

By mail or phone:
Office of the Governor
PO Box 001
Trenton, NJ 08625
609-292-6000

Bob Martin, Commissioner
401 E. State St.
7th Floor, East Wing
P.O. Box 402
Trenton, NJ 08625-0402
609-292-2885

Find out more about Clean Ocean Action

Keep our ocean wild & industry free!

Stay informed and involved in future Clean Ocean Zone activities.

Hearings about LNG Projects in NJ - Wed 1/9 and Thurs 1/10

2011-02-06T14:13:00.000-05:00

Public hearings are scheduled to gather public comments on the Liberty Natural Gas LNG project. Liberty Natural Gas is a project proposed to import foreign LNG off the coast of Asbury Park. The gas will come onshore via a pipeline through the Raritan Bay into Perth Amboy, Woodbridge, and Carteret to the main gas hub in Linden.

This project will industrialize the ocean, allowing a dirty and expensive foreign fossil fuel to be brought to our shore, putting us at risk.

Please Come to the Hearings and Be Heard!

Wednesday, February 9th
Long Branch Middle School, 350 Indiana Ave
Long Branch, NJ 07740, (732)-229-5533

and

Thursday, February 10th
NJ Convention & Exposition Center, 97 Sunfield Ave
Edison, NJ 08837, (732)-417-1400

All meetings will have an open house with informational displays from 5-6pm and a comment period will begin at 6:30pm and last until all comments have been heard.

Although the meetings will begin at 6:30pm you should plan to get there by 5:30 in order to get a seat. There is an open house with informational displays from 5 to 6pm. Clean Ocean Action and their coalition partners will be having a press conference and rally before the hearings in Long Branch and Edison.

This is your chance to speak out for the ocean and oppose this harmful energy plan. Liquid natural gas (LNG) threatens our environment, our wallets, our safety, our energy security, and our way of life.

Please RSVP for the meetings!

Details About Liberty Natural Gas Project:

• 4 underwater snake-like turrets that will scour and damage up to 76 acres of seafloor habitat,

• LNG Tankers up to 4 football fields long,

• Located at the gateway to the Port of NY/NJ- raising serious threats,

• Sources of LNG include Libya, Tunisia, Trinidad & Tobago,

• Three-foot wide industrial pipeline coming onland through one of the most densely populated areas in the region.

WHY LNG is NOT in Our Interest:
• LNG is up to twice the cost of domestic natural gas,

• LNG is up to 40% more polluting that domestic natural gas,

• LNG will shift us from energy independence (98% of natural gas currently used in the US is domestic) to energy dependence on foreign sources such as Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, and Libya,

• LNG is not needed - domestic sources are vast and can meet future energy demand,

• LNG Facilities will destroy essential fishing grounds.

More about LNG and the Gas Pipeline Proposed to run through NJ

Listen to NPR's Leonard Lopate: Underreported: Offshore LNG Terminals in NY and NJ

The Liberty LNG Port off NJ Coast Presents Significant Impacts

Groups want say on gas pipeline

Gov. Christie opposes proposed natural gas facility off Asbury Park

Download Clean Ocean Action Special Report - "LNG: An Un-American Energy Source, Liquefied Natural Gas: An Expensive, Dirty, Foreign Fossil Fuel that Threatens Our Natural Gas Energy Independence"

Find out more about Clean Ocean Action

Keep our ocean wild & industry free!

Hope you can come out for these important hearings...

MLK- Day of Service at Bridges Outreach - In Pictures

2011-01-26T15:09:00.000-05:00

REENTRY FILM SERIES SCREENING AT BRIDGES OUTREACH ON MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY OF SERVICE

2011-01-14T21:09:00.000-05:00

Voices of Hope Productions is pleased to be screening the Reentry Film Series on Monday, January 17th as part of a Martin Luther King - Day of Service at Bridges Outreach, in Summit New Jersey.

Youth and adults will come together to participate in various volunteer activities, including wrapping books and gifts, making quilts for sheltered children, sorting donations and toiletries, making brown bag lunches and creating a letter writing campaign.

Bridges began in 1988 with just one suburban couple. Today, Bridges’ Outreach includes over 1,500 kind and caring volunteers delivering over 100,000 bagged brown lunches, 40,000 breakfast bags, literally tons of clothing and toiletries and other necessities each year.

Their special program is called the Bridges' Run, where they visit with street friends. At each Run stop, volunteers distribute clothing and toiletry items, serve soup and a beverage, and ensure that every street friend who visits the truck receives what they need. Most important, volunteers mingle with Bridges' street friends and share conversation. The bond established during the Run has enduring value for both volunteers and street friends.

Bridges' staff is responsible for scheduling and managing more than 160 Runs each year, reaching out to 500 to 700 homeless friends every week, in Newark, Irvington and New York City.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Day of Service
at Bridges Outreach
Monday, January 17, 2011
10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
120 Morris Avenue
Summit, New Jersey

Film screening to begin at 11:00 am with discussion to follow.

Directions or for more information

The Reentry Films Series includes three short films: A Failed System, Nowhere to Go and Healing Justice: Transformed Lives. The American Friends Service Committee and Voices of Hope Productions joined forces to support, through the medium of film, community groups and policy organizations devoted to men and women returning home after incarceration. American Friends Service Committtee and Voices of Hope Productions encourages you and your organization to use each of these films with the FREE accompanying screening guide and advocacy toolkit to further your organization’s goal of developing thriving communities and productive lives of dignity.

Best Wishes for Peace, Health and Happiness

2010-12-23T18:19:00.000-05:00

2010 started with a bang and opened many doors to new relationships.I worked on multiple media projects throughout the year and have had the good fortune to collaborate with passionate allies along the way. Let's continue to join together to advocate for a better society with greater equity for all people. Thank you for taking part in my journey to tell visual stories of hope and inspiration.

Boutique Owner Grows Small Business by Using Social Media and Cause Marketing

2010-12-18T11:13:00.001-05:00

Carla Gizzi knows her business. She's had a vintage inspired home and jewelry boutique in Red Bank, New Jersey for fifteen years. She says that business has slowed in the past few years, but with a loyal following it hasn't disrupted her passion for buying merchandise and finding new ways to promote her shops. By using a combination of social media and cause marketing strategies Carla is bringing in new customers and growing her business.

Real Stories. Real People. Webisode by Lori H. Ersolmaz

VOICES OF HOPE UPDATE

2010-11-05T10:56:00.001-04:00

Find out where the Reentry Film Series was screened or on TV.

>>>>>>>>>>

Ojore Lutalo | Art of Struggle Exhibit and Lecture

Voices of Hope Productions sponsored an art exhibit and lecture with activist Bonnie Kerness and ex-political prisoner Ojore Lutalo. Both kept the audience in "shock and awe" with stories of Ojore's experiences while held in solitary confinement for over 22 years in New Jersey State Prison. Bonnie explained that when Ojore first contacted her she had no concept of the conditions of, or how many people were tortured in control (isolation) units. Bonnie went on to say that while people in the US and the rest of "the world were shocked by what happened in Abu Ghraib and Guantanomo Bay, 2.5 million prisoners, families, lawyers, and activists understood this was business as usual."

Look for scenes of Ojore's Art Exhibit and Lecture in an upcoming segment on NJN's Due Process starting November 21, 2010.

Ojore said that he experienced some of the same tactics and torture that terrorists or prisoners of war experience due to his personal and ideological belief system. He was placed in prison to break his mind and spirit, and to neutralize his radical and anarchist ideas. For instance he believes that "people have the capacity to govern themselves through the process of consensus." A good-looking and mild mannered man, when asked if he felt any sense of freedom, Ojore simply remarked, "I've never experienced freedom in America, and I don't think anyone who is black has either."

Ojore will be featured in an upcoming episode of New Jersey Network's Due Process that will air on November 21 at 9:30 AM and 6:30 PM, and again on November 23 at 11:30 PM. During that week, the episode will also stream on
their website at www.njn.net/dueprocess. Click here for channel listings for the various cable and satellite providers. http://njn.net/television/channels

Resource
An incredible list of companies that hire people who were formerly incarcerated.

A word about Healing Justice: Transformed Lives
"Wow how awesome!!!!! There is hope. My brother-in-law was incarcerated for over 21 for a crime that he didn't commit. He has been home with us for nearly 4 years. He has friends that are now coming home and they have no family and no where to go. Some friends got together to purchase a building to house them in while the get on their feet. I believe that people can change if the are willing to do the hard work. Healing Justice: Transformed Lives really drove this home for me. Great job! I will pass this one."

What Do You Know About Clean Water?

2010-10-15T17:09:00.004-04:00

Did you know that nearly 1 billion people lack access to clean water, which causes a litany of struggles, diseases and even death?

Here are some of the FACTS:

African women walk over 40 billion hours each year carrying cisterns weighing up to 18 kilograms to gather water, which is usually still not safe to drink.

Every week, nearly 38,000 children under the age of 5 die from unsafe drinking water and unhygienic living conditions.

In July, to address the water crisis, the United Nations declared access to clean water and sanitation a human right over. But we are far from implementing solutions to secure basic access to safe drinking water.

The US, Mexico and China lead the world in bottled water consumption, with people in the US drinking an average of 200 bottles of water per person each year. Over 17 million barrels of oil are needed to manufacture those water bottles, 86 percent of which will never be recycled.

What are the SOLUTIONS?

Building Wells: Organizations like Water.org and charity: water are leading the charge in bringing fresh water to communities in the developing world.

Conservation Starts at Home: The average person uses 465 liters of water per day. Find out how much you use and challenge your readers to do that same.

Keeping Rivers Clean: We can all take small steps to help keep pollution out of our rivers and streams, like correctly disposing of household wastes.

Drop the Bottle: Communities around the world are taking steps to reduce water bottle waste by eliminating bottled water.

Blog Action Day 2010: Water from Blog Action Day on Vimeo.

Consider contributing directly to clean water projects abroad. Our partners charity: water and Water.org are both working to bring clean water to communities around the world. A donation of as little as $25 to Water.org can give one person clean water for life.

Let's work together to make sure every human being on the planet has access to clean water.

TODAY | The Art of Struggle

2010-10-09T09:59:00.005-04:00

TODAY | Saturday,

October 9th, 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Art Exhibit and Lecture

The Art of Struggle

Sponsored by Voices of Hope Productions

United States Political Prisoner, Ojore Luttalo’s Art reflects the subterfuge of solitary confinement in the Management Control Unit for 22 years. Bonnie Kerness is a humanitarian on the front line as coordinator of the Prison Watch Project, on behalf of political prisoners for over 30 years. Luttalo’s art is a collection of ideas enhanced by gripping images that brings light to an unforgiving prison system that uses isolation and torture to maim and destroy political prisoners.

Ojore was interned in this unit in an effort to break his mind and neutralize his radical political beliefs stemming from the Black Liberation Movements of the 1970’s. Ojore is a political anarchist believing that people have the capacity to govern themselves through the process of consensus. Ojore, and other political radicals in US prisons have evidence of ongoing government surveillance.

His release from this documented torture was ordered in 2009 via a court order. Ojore’s freedom was interrupted last January 26 when he was “disappeared” from an Amtrak train, arrested and charged with “endangering public transportation”. All of those charges were dropped. His story is the story of how the US uses psychological and physical torture for political reasons.

Ojore’s story is embedded in a report submitted to the United Nations Universal Periodic R

eview Working Committee which is due to review US political repression and the existence of US political prisoners this November.

Bonnie Kerness, Human Rights Activist

Bonnie Kerness has been an anti-racist activist since she was 14, working at the University Settlement House as a volunteer on issues of housing, neighborhood and gangs. In 1961, at the age of 19, she moved to Tennessee to participate in the Civil Rights Movement. In Memphis she was trained as a community organizer by the NAACP. She continued her work and training at Highlander Training School in Knoxville, where organizers from throughout the Civil Rights movement met for training and brainstorming. Bonnie moved back North in 1970 and became active with welfare rights, tenants rights and anti-war issues.

Bonnie gained her Masters in Social Work and has served as a human rights advocate on behalf of prisoners since 1975, working as coordinator of the American Friends Service Committee’s re-entry services project for over 15 years. She currently serves as coordinator of AFSC’s Prison Watch Project, which has had the use of isolation and devices of torture in US prisons as a primary focus. She has served as Associate Director and Acting Director of the AFSC Criminal Justice Program in Newark and the National Coordinator of the Campaign to Stop Control Unit Prisons.

She has helped publish, “Our Children’s House”; “Torture in US

Prisons – Evidence of US Human Rights Violations;" and “The Prison Inside the Prison: Control Units, Supermax Prisons and Devices of Torture”, the "Survivor’s Manual" and ”Inalienable Rights”. Bonnie speaks widely on behalf of men, women and children in prison about US human rights violations of the UN Convention Against Torture. She has been quoted in articles, books and other publications on prison related subjects.

Come meet the artist, Ojore Luttalo and hear from human rights activist extraordinaire, Bonnie Kerness about how torture and isolation continues to be used in New Jersey and throughout the United States.

The Art Exhibit and Lecture will be held from 3pm - 5pm

at Frank Talk Art, Bistro and Books, 163 Shrewsbury Avenue,

Red Bank, NJ.

Hope to see you there!

Voices of Hope UPDATE: Busy, Busy, Busy!

2010-10-04T15:45:00.008-04:00

The past month has been quite busy with a host of Reentry Film Series broadcasts and distribution:

September 28, 2010 | Frank Talk with Host Gilda Rogers

Second run on Comcast and Verizon Cable- Monmouth County

September 14, 2010 | WGLS-FM Radio 89.7

Interview on Dr. Candace Kelley's League of the Extraordinary

Listen to the Podcast

September 10, 2010 | Faces and Voices of Recovery

Reentry Film Series mentioned as a resource in their bimonthly e-Newsletter. Several people contacted me nationally to use the films to engage people in their states.

September 7, 2010 | Frank Talk with Host Gilda Rogers - 26 minutes

First run on Comcast and Verizon Cable- Monmouth County

Available online

August 26, 2010 | Greater Camden County Renaissance Group

Reentry Films Series linked on website

There are several public access stations across the state who plan to run the series, and I will keep you updated about where they will run. Princeton Community TV has committed to showing all three films and can be viewed on cable channel 30 throughout Princeton Township and Princeton Borough on the Comcast cable system and on channel 45 of Verizon’s FiOS system.

SCREENINGS

October 2, 2010 | NCADD-NJ screened Healing Justice: Transformed Lives for the new class of Advocacy Leaders.

The Reentry Series Screening Guide and Advocacy Toolkit are now ready! To host a film screening in your community Simply go online now and apply for your free DVD, screening guide and advocacy toolkit.

Stay tuned for upcoming screenings!

Please provide a link to the films on your website, facebook, twitter, or linked-in pages. I'll be happy to help facilitate the link exchange so that more people can be educated about the issues of reentry.

~~~~

Art Exhibit and Lecture

The Art of Struggle

Sponsored by Voices of Hope Productions

Saturday, October 9th

3:00 - 5:00

United States Political Prisoner, Ojore Luttalo’s art reflects the subterfuge of solitary confinement in the Management Control Unit for 22 years. Bonnie Kerness is a humanitarian on the front line as coordinator of the Prison Watch Project, when it comes to working on behalf of political prisoners.

Luttalo’s art is a collection of ideas enhanced by gripping images that brings light to an unforgiving prison system that aims to maim and destroy political prisoners.

Luttalo’s work is a captivating collage exhibit that reminds us that the freedom of expression, otherwise known as art, is limitless. Come meet the artist, Ojore and hear from activist extraordinaire, Bonnie Kerness about how torture is used in New Jersey and throughout the United States. Art exhibit and lecture will be held at Frank Talk Art, Bistro and Books, 163 Shrewsbury Avenue, Red Bank, NJ.

Say YES To Clean Energy

2010-09-30T11:43:00.003-04:00

This short video was developed to emphasize the need for clean and renewable energy and was produced by Voices of Hope Productions for Clean Ocean Action. New Jersey residents, nonprofit organizations including the Alaska Wilderness League, Edison Wetlands Association, Environment New Jersey, Sierra Club, Surfrider Foundation and elected officials joined together to create the largest global gathering against offshore drilling as part of an international "Hands Across the Sand" day of action. However, as Asbury Park Mayor Ed Johnson stated "This event has to be more than a one day event, it has to be about each and every one of us going home to our lives and making a proactive change in our energy use and how we affect the environment. We are all at fault for the great destruction of the Gulf and we must be part of the solution."

VOICES OF HOPE Reentry Film Series Interview to Run on Public Access TV

2010-09-06T15:26:00.012-04:00

On Tuesday, September 7th a 26 minute segment about the recently launched Reentry Films Series will run at 9:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m., and 9:30 p.m. on Channel 21 on Comcast Cable and Channel 46 on Verizon FIOS in Monmouth County.

I was interviewed last month by Gilda Rogers of Frank Talk and had an opportunity to discuss the challenges and possibilities facing formerly incarcerated people. The segment includes excerpts from the film series, and we also spoke in detail about the historic reentry legislation that passed early this year, as well as public policy issues that still need to be addressed.

American Friends Service Committee and Voices of Hope Productions launched the Re-Entry Film Series last month in Newark at the Paul Robeson Center where over 90 people came together to see the films and discussed how to spark discussion in communities throughout New Jersey.

The Reentry Film Series is also available online and a comprehensive Film Series Guide and Advocacy Toolkit is near completion. The Toolkit will also include reentry links and resources which are already available online.

Nowhere to Go and Healing Justice: Transformed Lives are now on YOUTUBE.

Continue to check back for updated information on the Voices of Hope and American Friends Service Committee website.

To host a film screening in your community contact Voices of Hope Productions (voices@voicesofhope.tv) for a free DVD, screening guide and advocacy toolkit.

~~~~~~

The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) is a Quaker organization that includes people of various faiths who are committed to social justice, peace and humanitarian service. Our work is based on the principles of the Religious Society of Friends, the belief in the worth of every person, and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice.

~~~

Voices of Hope Productions, LLC is a woman-owned multi-media production company dedicated to creative and community-based communications and documentary filmmaking as a means to educate, engage, empower and entertain while fostering leadership, citizenship and inspiration in adults and youth to make a difference in our society.

~~~~

Supporting Organizations

New Jersey Institute For Social Justice

Integrity House

Women Who Never Give Up

TWO NEW REENTRY FILMS NOW ONLINE

2010-08-12T23:12:00.009-04:00

The July 26 reentry film screening brought over 90 people to the Paul Robeson Center at Rutgers Newark to see two new reentry films, Nowhere to Go and Healing Justice: Transformed Lives. It was great to see so many people come out to support the films. After the screening the audience discussed using the films as part of a communications strategy to engage others in understanding the issues of reentry, and through dialogue helping to solve the problems in communities throughout New Jersey.

Elizabeth Enloe, American Friends Service Committee Regional Director and I spoke with the group about the associated screening guide and advocacy toolkit and asked for feedback on ways that people could use the films in their communities.

Rafiq Saleem, who came to the screening after having been released from prison just that day said, "I appreciate programs such as this and really encourage the outside world to get more involved. I believe these films should be given to every house in the 'hood' so that the young gang members, the pregnant women—no fathers, no mother figures—they should see these films because this is a form of encouragement."

After viewing the films a survey was conducted and two thirds of the audience participated. 92% responded that the films "clearly explained the issues", and more than three quarters said the film educated them on the issues and provided them with ways to get involved.

Participants were encouraged to use the films in multiple ways. The screening guide and advocacy toolkit provide a road map for holding screenings and engaging varied audiences in grassroots solutions to reentry problems throughout the state.

The films can be used in suburban and rural areas to educate the public and help them understand how they are impacted by the costs and public safety issues associated with the revolving door of incarceration. Arthur Townes, Alumni Director from Community Education Centers (CEC) stood up after the screening and said, "I think these films create a message of hope. They can be used to inspire others and to expose a light on the issues around reentry in communities that don't necessarily see this as a problem."

Youth and adults in the prison system are a good audience for Healing Justice: Transformed Lives. Michael Jackson, Founder of Prison Nation Radio (www.jointfx.com) who was interviewed for the film stated, "Personally the thing that made me believe I could do it was when I saw someone else who had done it. Films like this about people who have been successful need to go to the people inside [prison] because once people see others saying that it can be done--that's when people can do it on their own—so that they can start their healing."

Additionally, one third of the people who participated in the survey said they were interested in hosting a screening in their community and a third said they would contact their elected officials.

A comprehensive screening guide and advocacy toolkit are in development and when complete the package will include:

• Screening Guide: Background and Discussion Questions

• Potential Audiences/Partners

• Invitation Poster/Flyer

• Sign-in Sheets

• Event Press Release Template and Video Clip Photos

• HANDOUT: Become Involved Action Sheet

• HANDOUT: Fact Sheet/Resources

• Letter to Editor Template

• Legislative Action Sheet

• Petition

• Youtube Video

• Audience Surveys

Please share the videos widely, embed them in your websites and blogs, and create a social media buzz. Updated information will be available on the Voices of Hope website and on AFSC's website as well. To host a screening in your community email voices@voicesofhope.tv for a free DVD, screening guide and advocacy toolkit.

Thank you for your attention to this very important issue!

~~~~~~

The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) is a Quaker organization that includes people of various faiths who are committed to social justice, peace and humanitarian service. Our work is based on the principles of the Religious Society of Friends, the belief in the worth of every person, and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice.

~~~~

Supporting Organizations

New Jersey Institute For Social Justice

Integrity House

Women Who Never Give Up

No Where to Go and Healing Justice: Transformed Lives were made with generous funding from the New Jersey Department of State/Office of Faith Based Initiatives.

VOICES OF HOPE PRODUCTIONS AND AFSC LAUNCHING 2 REENTRY FILMS

2010-07-19T17:54:00.005-04:00

Voices of Hope Productions and American Friends Service Committee with Integrity House, New Jersey Institute For Social Justice and Women Who Never Give Up, Inc.

Invite you to a

SCREENING OF TWO REENTRY FILMS AND THE LAUNCH OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TOOLS

WHEN: Monday, July 26th, 2010, 4:00 to 6:00 PM

WHERE: Paul Robeson Campus Center, Rutgers University, 350 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Newark, NJ-07102 Directions

This event will interest stakeholders committed to overcoming the challenges to reentry for formerly incarcerated persons.

Please RSVP by email: ZEaton@afsc.org or phone 212-598-0950.

ABOUT THE SHORT FILMS

No Where to Go highlights the need for and barriers to safe, stable housing. Through testimonies of impassioned advocates and previously incarcerated individuals, this video presents the options of housing including streets, shelters, transitional living facilities, family homes, and permanent supportive housing. As formally incarcerated people are often challenged by issues of addiction, mental health, and violence, the type of housing available to a person drastically impacts their ability to successfully re-enter society and realize their full potential. No Where To Go provides urgent and critical insight into how we can provide the best supportive structure possible to ensure their success.

Healing Justice: Transformed Lives gives voice to a remarkable group of formerly incarcerated men and women who have overcome extreme adversity and successfully turned their lives around upon release from prison. Many of the individuals interviewed wrestled with drug addiction, homelessness, and recidivism. Now they are advocates and role models, helping others make the difficult transition from prison to the outside world. Their stories provide a road map to others struggling to reintegrate, and as a guide to their friends, families, and allies wishing to provide critical assistance. As dire as life after prison can be, the women and men in Healing Justice: Transformed Lives offer hope and a glimpse of a better future for all those making this journey.

Copies of the videos will be distributed for individual and organizational use.

~~~~~

The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) is a Quaker organization that includes people of various faiths who are committed to social justice, peace and humanitarian service. Our work is based on the principles of the Religious Society of Friends, the belief in the worth of every person, and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice.

Copies of the videos will be distributed for individual and organizational use.

“Bottom line--if you don’t do something to ease up all these barriers and restrictions on people who are trying to do the right thing, that keeps kicking them back down, then public safety is going to suffer and people are going to suffer.” Michael B. Jackson, Founder/President – Prison Nation Radio

~~~~

"We’re just advocating for those who want to make a change in their life, who want an opportunity." Harvey George, President/Founder – Friends of the Lifer’s Youth Corp, Inc.

SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS

Integrity House

New Jersey Institute For Social Justice

Women Who Never Give Up, Inc.

ASBURY PARK: Citizens Join Hands Against Offshore Drilling

2010-06-27T11:25:00.010-04:00

Yesterday, Saturday June 26th, NJ residents joined together to create the largest global gathering against offshore drilling. Citizens met at the Asbury Park Boardwalk and joined hands along the shoreline as part of an international Hands Across the Sand day of action.

"Today we join in unity and solidarity with the community of the Gulf of Mexico to express outrage against the perils and horror caused by our addiction to oil and to resolve to clean up our act. Hands Across the Sand is an unprecedented global call to action. The power is within our hands: we must convince President Obama to rescind his expansion of oil drilling. We must also declare a personal war against oil—conserve energy, drive less, swear off of single-uses renewable plastics, and rally others to do the same," stated Cindy Zipf, Executive Director of Clean Ocean Action.

"This event has to be more than a one day event, joining hands on the beach to protect the environment. It has to be about each and every one of us going home to our lives and making a proactive change in our energy use and how we affect the environment. We are all at fault for the great destruction of the Gulf and we must be part of the solution," said Ed Johnson, Mayor of Asbury Park.

"The Gulf disaster is proof-positive that what happens in the Gulf can happen here except the destruction would be infinitely worse because the survival of our entire Atlantic coast is tied to the health of our coastal waters. Economics and environment go hand in hand, and the disaster would dwarf any minimal economic benefits gained by these short-sided wells. Today, thousands of Americans are offering a helping hand not only to our oceans, but to Americans long-term economic security," said Edison Wetlands Association Executive Director Robert Spiegel.

"Instead of just being mad as hell, we have to channel our energy to protect our oceans and our beaches," said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. "We need to stop the drilling off our coasts and instead build a green energy economy."

The Hands Across the Sand events are aimed at steering America's energy policy away from its dependence on fossil fuels and towards clean energy. The goal is to convince leaders like President Obama to abandon offshore oil drilling and adopt policies that encourage clean energy instead.

For more information go to Clean Ocean Action, Sierra Club or SurfRider Foundation.

HANDS ACROSS THE SAND: JUNE 26

2010-06-25T13:04:00.007-04:00

On June 26, New Jersey residents will join the largest nationwide gathering against offshore drilling ever held.

Hands Across the Sand is a movement made of people of all walks of life and crosses political affiliations. This movement is not about politics; it is about protection of our coastal economies, oceans, marine wildlife, and fishing industry. Let us share our knowledge, energies and passion for protecting all of the above from the devastating effects of oil drilling.

"On June 26th we will link hands for the future of America, for the environment and the economy," said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. "We can continue failed policies of the past that have risk our coasts and our economy, or we can protect our coasts, tourism, and our economic future."

“As summer rolls into the Shore, we can’t forget that oil companies – even in light of the disaster in the Gulf – are still angling to drill off the Atlantic Coast,” said Doug O’Malley, field director for Environment New Jersey. “Across the state, the public is going to tell the President hands off our beaches and urge him to ban new off-shore drilling.”

Now is the time for America and our leaders to join hands and steer our country’s energy policy away from our dependence on fossil fuels and into the light of clean energy and renewables.

Join hands tomorrow, Saturday, June 26th at 12:00 and draw a line in the sand against offshore oil drilling.

Where:

Asbury Park, Asbury Park Boardwalk

Meg Gardner

citizens@cleanoceanaction.org

732-872-0111

Please meet for this location on the Asbury Park Boardwalk across the street from the Stone Pony (913 Ocean Ave). Take the Garden State Parkway South to Exit 102. Bear right off the exit ramp onto Asbury Ave and continue heading east all the way to the ocean, following the signs to Asbury Park. *When you reach the ocean, bear left onto Ocean Ave. The Stone Pony will be on your left, two blocks up at the corner of Second and Ocean; walk across the street to the boardwalk. Garden State Parkway north to Exit 100A. Bear east on Route 66 and continue heading east all the way to the ocean, following the signs to Asbury Park.

For more information go to Facebook

RSVP on Facebook:

Seaside Heights

For more information go to Facebook

Other New Jersey Beaches Near You:

What You'll Do:

STEP 1

Go to the beach at 11 AM in your time zone for one hour, rain or shine.

STEP 2

Join hands for 15 minutes at 12:00 forming lines in the sand against oil drilling in our coastal waters.

STEP 3

Leave only your footprints.

Hands Across The Sand was founded by Floridian Dave Rauschkolb in October of 2009. Hands Across The Sand is endorsed by national environmental organizations including Sierra Club, Audubon, Clean Ocean Action, Environment New Jersey, Surfrider, Oceana, Greenpeace, Defenders of Wildlife, Alaska Wilderness League, Ocean Conservancy, Friends of the Earth, Environment America, 350, MoveOn.org, Center for Biological Diversity and CleanEnergy.org

BP RUN ADS "TO MAKE THIS RIGHT"

2010-06-03T17:31:00.006-04:00

BP ran ads in New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today and the Washington Post according to AdAge.com. Their tagline, "We will get it done. We will make this right" hardly provides a warm and fuzzy feeling about the worst U.S. environmental disaster in history. Everyone knows oil is still spewing from their pipeline and after over a month they have been unsuccessful at capping what seems like a never ending crude oil flow. Placing the new ad with the 2004 versions I posted last month add to the irony of their meaninglessness.

BP will most likely never recover from this catastrophe, which should have been prevented to begin with. Now it seems obvious that there aren't other oil companies that have a contingency plan for the problem either. If they did, they would come forward as a PR hero to fix the problem. It's quite discouraging that the public was told that oil rigs were safe because nothing had ever happened before. Beyond that, not having a plan for how to deal with a huge environmental blow like this is unconscionable. The best we have is a "unified command established to manage response operations" at Deepwater Horizon Response. Stay up-to-date on the latest news.

Live feeds from various remote vehicles (BP site)

Photos

US Coast Guard Photos

BEYOND OIL: BP's OLD AD CAMPAIGN REVISITED

2010-05-23T18:29:00.009-04:00

In light of the catastrophe with British Petroleum's off shore drilling rig, and the terrible environmental issues that have been caused because of it I decided to search for an old campaign that BP ran in 2004. What stuck in my mind the most about those ads is how much BP professed to be so environmentally responsible. The print ad campaign was created by NY ad agency Ogilvy & Mather. It's just too ironic, and certainly worth remembering. I hope beyond darkness that there's light—responsibility too.

Here's the text from the "Beyond Oil" commercial:

Beyond darkness there is light.

Beyond a thorn there is a rose.

Beyond practice there is perfection.

Beyond fear; courage.

Beyond 10 seconds; nine.

Beyond danger; a thrill.

Beyond power; responsibility.

Beyond patience; Fulfillment.

Beyond crisis; a solution.

Disease; a cure.

Beyond pain; joy.

Effort; reward.

Beyond winter; summer.

Beyond darkness there is light.

Beyond petroleum; BP.

For BP, I think it's certainly time for them to think outside the barrel—and hurry it up.

MILLION DOLLAR AD BLITZ TO KILL NET NEUTRALITY ~ SAVE THE INTERNET

2010-05-18T21:09:00.002-04:00

On Tuesday morning, an AT&T-funded front group, Americans for Prosperity, announced a $1.4 million advertising blitz to try to convince Americans that the FCC is plotting to "take over the Internet." Last week, the FCC simply proposed to “reclassify” aspects of broadband under Title II of the Telecommunications Act to better advance its goals of bridging the digital divide and safeguarding the free and open Internet. But AFP is spinning this into, laughably and somewhat ironically, a “government takeover.” During yesterday’s press conference, AFP trotted out Grover Norquist, the right-wing hit man perhaps best known for threatening to “drown the government in a bathtub,” to put his stamp on their cause.

Read Full Story

Posted using ShareThis

BUCKETS FOR THE CURE CAMPAIGN

2010-05-04T20:21:00.006-04:00

What were they thinking? There's plenty of data that supports the fact that diet plays a significant role in preventing cancer. So how did the fundraising team at Susan G. Komen decide that a partnership with KFC was a good fit? A KFC press release states, "KFC is joining the fight against breast cancer with a national “Buckets for the Cure™” campaign aimed at educating more women about breast health, generating support for the cause and attempting to make the single largest donation in the history of Susan G. Komen for the Cure." According to bucketsforthecure.com, KFC is contributing 50 cents for each "PINK" bucket sold and their goal is $8.5 million. To date they have raised over $3 million, but only have until May 9th to reach their goal.

Susan G. Komen has long been a recognized and respected brand, but they have led the organization into an ethics quagmire. Unfortunately, by adding KFC to their "Million Dollar Council Elite" the message to women is that funding is more important than women's health.

BOOK | THE AMERICAN WAY TO CHANGE

2010-04-29T10:43:00.007-04:00

Last week was National Volunteer Week, but as far as I'm concerned volunteerism is a year-long effort. With that in mind, I found that Shirley Sagawa's offers a compelling argument about the responsibilities that nonprofit and political leaders need to take in working with individual volunteers in changing the nation's most pressing social problems. Her approach offers a refreshing nonpartisan point of view.

"Our nation faces crises in nearly every important aspect of American life—struggling students, poor health, climate change, and limited economic opportunity to name a few. Many people look to government to solve these problems. But while government has an important role, none of these problems can be solved by government alone. In fact, none can be solved without the committed efforts of the American people, taking action on their own or in concert with others.

Service is the American way to change America. Unfortunately, service—by volunteers and national service participants—is often left out of the public problem solving tool box. It is time to get serious about solving the problems that are holding us back as a nation by making it possible for ordinary citizens to play a part."

~The American Way to Change- How National Service and Volunteers Are Transforming America~

Shirley Sagawa's book, us through the stages of "powering life" transitions and describes how, through service and political activism citizens can help transform the United States. Sagawa also addresses that nonprofit organizations do not often employ strategic measures to effectively engage volunteers for compelling "citizen engagement outcomes". Sagawa goes on to explain, "Lack of civic discourse leaves citizens vulnerable to negative campaigns, and partisan polarization leaves policy progress stalled."

Ordinary citizens must be encouraged to come forward and serve. Sagawa is correct in stating that philanthropists, nonprofit organizations and political leaders need to promote and encourage community service. It's not appropriate for citizens to constantly blame government, corporations and nonprofit organizations for the nation's inequities without stepping forward to be part of the solution. Armchair activism and charitable donations are fine, but they are not the be-all-end-all for a vibrant democracy.

But, Sagawa believes that nonprofit leaders should think of volunteers as "important partners in achieving their mission". They also need to recognize and address each person's strengths, interests and motivations for serving, and respect and support them in attaining their goals. Political and nonprofit leaders should truly empower ordinary citizens to take part in problem solving and change. By promoting volunteerism and providing an outlet for intelligent and skilled individuals to take part in the nation's societal solutions human capital and public dollars can be utilized effectively as well as furthering the real characteristics of a democratic society.

Listen to an interview with Shirley Sagawa

STRIPPED, GREG FRIEDLER'S NAKED LAS VEGAS

2010-04-21T11:04:00.007-04:00

The subculture of Las Vegas bares all in this documentary from filmmaker David Palmer that follows avant-garde photographer Greg Friedler as he compiles the fourth and final book in his critically acclaimed “Naked” series.

In August of 2007, with no confirmed subjects nor a location at which to shoot, Friedler and Palmer embarked on a highly emotional 30 day roller coaster ride that would eventually bring together 173 naked human beings of every shape, size and walk of life. Entering a single white room with a red curtain, the participants of “Naked Las Vegas” open themselves up, baring not only their bodies, but also their souls.

Greg Friedler says he is "completely mesmorized by people, by raw humanity. What do people do for a living? How does this in some way define a person? Where does a person fit into Society? What do people dream of doing or being? What class is someone? Can we arrive at a person’s essence based solely on their raiment?"

Check out Stripped.

NONPROFIT CREATES MEDIATED ENVIRONMENT IN NYC STREETS

2010-03-28T12:46:00.004-04:00

The March 25th edition of the Chronicle of Philanthropy highlights an effective use of new technologies like SMS mobile marketing and building projections to create a mediated environment. Nonprofit organization, Pathways to Housing in NYC uses video projection as an awareness and fundraising effort to effect change in the homeless population. Although many people just walk past homeless people on the streets of Manhattan, this projection installation forces citizens to see that there is a way they can get involved without directly interacting with homeless people on the street.

Pedestrians are asked to make a small donation via their cell phone that would be added to their mobile phone bill in a similar fashion to what was recently used to provide financial support in the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti. When a donation is made by a donor-pedestrian the video projection reacts to show the person who was seen sleeping at the bottom of the building get up and walk through a doorway of an apartment. The projection was set up at nine locations over a three-day period.

MARIN INSTITUTE: 2010 “FREE the BOWL" VIDEO CONTEST

2010-03-11T10:12:00.007-05:00

Marin Institute launched its second annual, nationwide anti-alcohol-advertising contest, FREE the BOWL. This year’s theme is “Free the Bowl from Big Al” (a.k.a. Big Alcohol). The contest for youth and young adults ages 10 to 25 seeks original ads 30 to 60 seconds long to counter excessive alcohol advertising. The alcohol industry watchdog launched the contest at www.FreeTheBowl.com and is using YouTube to showcase entries.

1st Place Winners

“Day after day, year after year, youth and young adults are bombarded and harmed by Big Alcohol,” stated Michael Scippa, Marin Institute advocacy director. “This year’s contest asks for help identifying “Big Al’s” many faces, especially those that encourage underage drinking. We’re challenging young filmmakers to show us what Big Al looks like, where they see Big Al, and how Big Al harms them, their friends, and families.”

Research estimates 85,000 American deaths are caused by alcohol consumption annually while economic costs exceed $220 billion. More than 10 million underage youth drink alcohol annually, while 7 million binge drink. As a result, 5,000 youth under age 21 die, while hundreds of thousands more suffer alcohol-fueled sexual assaults and other injuries.

3rd Place Winner- from New Jersey

Between 2001 and 2007, Big Alcohol (global beer, wine, and spirits companies) placed more than 2 million alcohol ads on TV. This year, foreign-based alcohol corporations will spend half a billion dollars advertising during TV sports programs alone. These programs have the largest youth ad viewing audience of any type of programming with alcohol ads. It’s no secret Big Alcohol experiences its largest overall sales increase during the two-week period surrounding the Super Bowl.

“Big Al’s ads create an environment that promotes unhealthy consumption among youth and adults,” said Scippa. “That’s why Marin Institute is excited to host FreeTheBowl.com as a fun channel to protest oppressive alcohol ads.”

Big Alcohol’s Influence Peddling(Federal Figures):

• Anheuser-Busch spent $3.46 million on lobbying expenditures on 13

different lobbying firms in 2008

• MillerCoors and its two parent companies (SABMiller and Molson Coors

Brewing Company) spent a combined $2.5 million on lobbying expenditures in 2008.

• From 2004-2008, Molson Coors, Miller Brewing Company, and Coors

Brewing Company contributed nearly $1.08 million in political donations

Get the facts about the big brewers

Go to Free the Bowl

The Marin Institute is an alcohol industry watchdog.

TOLERANCE MAGAZINE: HOW WE LIVE OUR LIVES

2010-01-22T09:06:00.005-05:00

The great promise of the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision Brown v. Board of Education was that children would grow up in integrated schools. The latest issue of Teaching Tolerance magazine shows that's just not what has happened.

Unmaking Brown

America's schools are more segregated now than they were in the late 1960s, and statistics show that the problem is getting worse. To reverse the trend, we need to radically rethink the meaning of "school choice."

The Only One

When you're the only person of color in your class, school can become a struggle between two worlds. Students in that situation are often expected to represent and explain their ethnic or racial group, and this can create a lot of stress.

Toward a More Civil Discourse
There is a pressing need to change the tenor of public debate from shouts and slurs to something more reasoned and effective. But it is difficult for teachers already burdened with standardized tests and administrative duties to find the time to craft lessons to teach civil discourse in their classrooms. To support teachers working to change the terms of our national debate, Teaching Tolerance offers a new curriculum entitled “Civil Discourse in the Classroom and Beyond.”

‘I Don’t Think I’m Biased’

Multicultural understanding and proficiency have never been more important to teachers than they are right now. Never before have we had so many young children entering schools populated by teachers who reflect neither their race, nor their language tradition, nor the communities from which they come. This growth in culturally diverse classrooms has unfortunately coincided with an “achievement gap” of historical proportions.

Get ideas for Mix it Up Lunch Day

The event is a simple call to action: take a new seat in the cafeteria. By making the move, students can cross the invisible lines of school division, meet new people and make new friends. Mix it Up at Lunch Day helps students become more comfortable interacting with different kinds of people.

Check out Tolerance Magazine's Teaching Kits for all grades (FREE)

Teaching Tolerance

c/o Southern Poverty Law Center

400 Washington Ave.

Montgomery, AL 36104

Visit their website

NEW JERSEY PASSES SWEEPING REENTRY LEGISLATION

2010-01-15T15:58:00.005-05:00

To Stop the Revolving Door of Recidivism, Strengthen Families and Cut Costs to Taxpayers

TRENTON, NJ – The New Jersey Legislature passed a historic package of bills – with broad bipartisan support – that will stop the revolving door of recidivism, strengthen families and cut costs to taxpayers by preparing incarcerated individuals for work and removing barriers to work after they are released from prison. The bills have been sent to Governor Corzine for his signature into law.

The sponsor of the three bills (A4197/S1347, A4202/S11, and A4201/S502), Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Mercer), partnered with the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice and its Second Chance Campaign of New Jersey to convene a year-long series of ‘Counting the Costs’ public hearings to create the legislation, which The New York Times called, “a model for the rest of the nation.” The Institute has been the state leader on these issues since 2002, when it convened the New Jersey Reentry Roundtable, which provided policymakers and practitioners with a comprehensive blueprint of reforms designed to enhance public safety and save taxpayer dollars.

“After a certain point, the public can’t sustain throwing money at a problem and failing all the while talking about being tough on crime,” says Cornell William Brooks, Executive Director of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice. “The best way to be tough on crime is to reduce it – this historic legislation is tough on crime because it will do just that: reduce it. We do not have lives or tax dollars to waste. Equipping ex-offenders to become responsible citizens, productive workers, and taxpayers means not only safety but savings.”

“Those who violate our laws will still serve their time – that will not change under these new laws,” says Assembly Majority Leader Watson Coleman. “But the way they serve prison time will change as they will be prepared to reenter society as productive citizens, which will save lives and taxpayer dollars.” Highlights of the bill provisions include:

Strengthening Women and Families Act (A4197/S1347)

• Lifts the ban on food stamps and TANF benefits for individuals with felony drug convictions who have dependent children, which will leverage federal funding, saving state dollars, to support families as well as provide federal dollars to support treatment to keep addicts off drugs, away from crime, and from returning to prison.

• Establishes a commission to strengthen bonds between incarcerated parents and their children.

• Encourages incarcerated individuals to be placed in facilities as close as possible to family.

Education and Rehabilitation Act (A4202/S11)

• Requires the New Jersey Department of Corrections (NJDOC) to ensure that incarcerated individuals attain the 12th-grade education proficiency level.

• Reviews vocational programs in order to meet demand job skills and standards.

• Places all incarcerated individuals with less than two years before release in community corrections.

Reduction of Recidivism Act (A4201/S502)

• Provides individuals leaving prison with written notification of fines, outstanding warrants, voting rights, and expungement options; a government-issued ID card; birth certificate; a list of prison programs participated in; medical records; Social Security card; medication; a one-day bus or rail pass; and a rap sheet.

• Eliminates the post-release Medicaid enrollment gap.

• Requires the NJDOC to report to the Governor and Legislature on the results of recidivism-reducing measures.

Read News Stories:

N.J. Legislature approves welfare benefits, job training for ex-offenders
By Chris Megerian/Statehouse Bureau
January 11, 2010, 6:44PM

TRENTON -- Lawmakers approved today three bills aimed at reducing the number of former inmates returning to prison. The legislation (A4202 and A4197) would allow ex-offenders to receive welfare benefits and require most inmates to receive job training and high school educations while behind bars. The third bill (A4201) would ensure inmates receive copies of personal documents like birth certificates upon release.

~~~

N.J. job training programs reduce risk of relapse, ex-inmate says
By Sharon Adarlo/The Star-Ledger
January 10, 2010, 5:05PM

TRENTON -- Arthur Townes robbed people to feed his drug habit and landed in prison as a result. While incarcerated, he received counseling and job training that helped him turn his life around. Now Townes and other ex-inmates are encouraging the state Legislature to approve a package of bills tomorrow that would create and expand similar counseling and job training programs to help others and reduce the recidivism rate. See Arthur Townes in Voices of Hope Productions Video on reentry.

VOICES OF HOPE VIDEO: REVOLVING DOOR OF INCARCERATION

2009-12-16T13:55:00.009-05:00

This video by Voices of Hope Productions illustrates the difficulties many ex-prisoners encounter after paying their debt to society and release from prison. Incarcerating nonviolent drug offenders in New Jersey prisons to the tune of $39,000/inmate per year is not making our communities safer. The film also addresses several unfair and unjust practices that make it impossible for ex-prisoners to become productive citizens causing a revolving door of incarceration. We cannot simply continue to do nothing.

Watch the video and become informed on the simple math and compelling logic of proposed legislation that will cost virtually nothing, yet will create millions of dollars of savings to New Jersey taxpayers. Additionally, they will also provide equitable solutions to the recidivism problem in our state.

We need your help now to ensure that the prisoner reentry reform bills pass in this legislative session. After watching the film, please contact your Senators to support the following six bills, which will enhance our public safety and save our taxpayer dollars: S11, S12, S13, S502, S531, and S1347.

Please take a short survey after viewing the film as it would be greatly appreciated.

SIGN THE PETITION FOR PRISONER RE-ENTRY REFORM IN NJ

2009-11-30T08:52:00.004-05:00

To: The Governor of NJ, The NJ State Senate and The NJ State House

A sweeping bill package sponsored by six Assembly Democratic legislators, lead by Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, to improve rehabilitation in New Jersey prisons and to save taxpayer dollars by cutting recidivism and giving released inmates an improved chance of success was advanced Monday November 22, 2009 by an NJ Assembly panel. Make sure that needed criminal justice policy changes take place under this administration!

Show NJ Legislators the support for YOUR Public Safety and Prisoner Reentry Bills:

A4197 – Strengthening Women and Families Act
A4198 – Post-Release Employment Act
A4199 – Administration of Correctional Facilities Act
A4201 – Reduction of Recidivism Act
A4202 – Education and Rehabilitation Act
A4203 – Criminal Penalties Act

or, Start a Petition

ART HEALS: TAKE A WALK IN MY SHOES

2009-11-24T09:58:00.008-05:00

A traveling exhibit by clients at 180 - TURNING LIVES AROUND, INC.

180 Turning Lives Around is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to ending domestic and sexual violence in our community. The shoes represent each clients journey. The process of creating these shoes has touched many women, men, and children. Telling their story of abuse is one of the first “steps” in healing from the devastating effects of domestic violence. Art provides a safe and non-threatening way for survivors to speak out and release the pain that has been part of their lives. These shoes are their way to break this silence and share their story with you in a safe and confidential way.

The hope is that the powerful messages in this exhibit raise awareness of the affects of domestic violence and abuse within our community.

The SHOES will arrive at CARLA GIZZI on DECEMBER 3rd with a WINE AND CHEESE RECEPTION. All are welcomed, please bring a friend. The exhibit will be on display till December 10th. A portion of all sales at Carla Gizzi will be donated to 180....so SHOP FOR THE CAUSE!!

LOOKING FOR EXTRA HOLIDAY CASH?? Do you have any old or outdated jewelry just taking up space in your jewelry box? Earth Treasures will be present to buy your old Gold and Silver jewelry at its weight value and you will be paid CASH ON THE SPOT! Earth Treasures will also donate a portion of each transaction to 180.

Don't miss it!!!

Step Up—Help create awareness for domestic violence in Monmouth County.

Step Out —Visit this powerful exhibit.

THURSDAY DECEMBER 3rd.

Carla Gizzi - Jewelry & Home Decor

169 West Front Street ~ Red Bank NJ 07701

732-450-0122

NOVEMBER 20: PUBLIC SAFETY & RE-ENTRY PANEL DISCUSSION

2009-11-19T13:29:00.007-05:00

~Frank Talk Panel Discussion Series~
Arrested Development: Prison vs. Education, Who’s Footing the Bill?

Friday, November 20th @ 7:00 p.m.
FRANK TALK ART, BISTRO & BOOKS
163 Shrewsbury Avenue, Red Bank, NJ

• 95% of those incarcerated will be released

• $1.2 billion/yr. on corrections with a 67% re-arrested within 3 years of release (costing $39k/inmate)

• People of color comprise just 28% of the population but account for 83% of the prison population

• The average person in NJ prisons functions at grade 6th reading level and grade 5th math level; only 2% of corrections budget is spent on educational programming

• NJ ranked 44/50 US States in a national report card for the number of barriers to successful reentry/reintegration

• 50% are nonviolent and New Jersey has the highest proportion of nonviolent drug offenders in the nation

Such alarming statistics should be enough to arouse your interest.
This is a very important topic in righting societal ills. Learn about how you can help support legislation that is being put forth to aid in the re-entry process for inmates. A coalition to reform our prison system starts here. Short film to be screened with community discussion to follow.

PANELISTS:

• NJ State Senator Jennifer Beck, District 12, Judiciary Committee
• Vincent Baker, Owner, Jennies Restaurant
• Lori Ersolmaz, President, Voices of Hope Productions

WHERE: FRANK TALK ART BISTRO & BOOKS
Friday, November 20th @ 7:00 p.m.
163 Shrewsbury Avenue, Red Bank, NJ
Where art, culture and good conversation are always on the menu

Snacks and refreshments to be served

Call (201) 320-4920 or email lorihope732@gmail.com to get more information and to RESERVE YOUR SEAT

Sponsors: Frank Talk Art, Bistro and Books and Voices of Hope Productions

Illustrations by: Todd Hyung-Rae Tarselli

RE-ENTRY LEGISLATION

2009-11-10T09:43:00.007-05:00

After years of work, Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman has put together a comprehensive package of bills, which reflects the tremendous outpouring of information, experience, expertise, and recommendations that were made by citizens across the state at the “Counting the Costs” public hearings.

These bills simply cannot make it through both houses of the Legislature without your help! To ensure that the bills get passed, you need to take action now by doing two simple and immediate things:

1) The legislative leadership needs to hear from you directly. They will be the first to see these bills and so it is critical for them to know the level of strong support behind the bills. Therefore, it is urgent that you call your local legislators and soon as possible and tell them: “Please support the following six bills, which will enhance our public safety and save our taxpayer dollars: A4197, A4198, A4199, A4201, A4202, A4203.”

Find local legislators in your municipality.

An attached handout has detailed information about the bills as well as speaking points that can be used to educate others.

2) Forward this information to as many of your colleagues, friends and family as you possibly can, including placing in list servs, newsletters, blogs, fliers, meeting agendas, etc.

Read what some people who participated in the Counting the Costs public hearings had to say.

Proposed Bills
Strengthening Women and Families Act (A4197)
Post-Release Employment Act (A4198)
Administration of Correctional Facilities Act (A4199)
Reduction of Recidivism Act (A4201)
Education and Rehabilitation Act (A4202)
Criminal Penalties Act (A4203)

For more information visit the Second Chance Campaign website.

Why Does New Jersey Hate Formerly Incarcerated People?

2009-10-28T11:10:00.007-04:00

On Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 7:30 pm Michael B. Jackson will begin a series of broadcasts asking that question. “The NJ Corrections budget is $1.2 billion a year and still 65 percent of the people who get out of prison are back within 3 years,” says Jackson. “The average person in prison reads on a 5th grade level yet only 2 percent of that $1.2 billion is spent on education programming. NJ ranked 44 out of 50 US states in a national report card for the number of barriers to successful reentry. What’s up with that?”

The series will commence with the NJ Juvenile Justice Commission (JJC). “The Juvenile justice Commission promotes, tolerates and encourages discrimination and human rights violations against it’s employees with prior convictions or incarceration in their backgrounds, by virtue of it’s policies and failure act against, speak against or even acknowledge, such behavior within the JJC, time and time again”, stated Jackson. “ I will begin the series with my own current personal situation of injustice and workplace hostility as a formerly incarcerated employee.”

PNR will also unveil the historic “Counting the Costs”: Public Safety and Prisoner Reentry Bills, that will be introduced and moved for committee and floor votes during the upcoming “lame duck” session of the NJ legislation. “People who care about improving public safety and reducing the costs of incarceration will be excited about these bills,” says Jackson, with a big smile on his face. “Getting these bills through is something the people can rally behind and get done.”

Michael B. Jackson, Founder, Executive Producer and Host of Prison Nation Radio says the broadcasts serves a public service by giving incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people and the prison-affected community a voice and point of view rarely offered in traditional media. The weekly talk formatted broadcast includes guest interviews, listener call-in, news/information updates and art & entertainment with special attention to issues important to the Prison Nation audience. Jackson also covered the entire Counting the Costs hearings which can be heard on his website. Jackson is the Publisher and Author of three books; "How to Do Good After Prison: A Handbook for Successful Reentry," "How to Love & Inspire Your Man After Prison," and "Como Cumplir Con Tus Obligaciones Al Salir De La Prision: Guia practica para una vida mejor."

PNR can be accessed at www.JOINTFX.com. The mailing address is PMB 104, Postnet, 621 Beverly-Rancocas Rd, Willingboro, NJ 08046.

The program call in phone number is 1-347-215-8904.

DISNEY OFFERS REFUNDS ON BABY EINSTEIN VIDEOS

2009-10-27T09:57:00.006-04:00

The Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood is Victorious! Their successful campaign to persuade Disney to give refunds to parents who purchased Baby Einstein videos has become a huge international story. Media coverage includes a front page story in The New York Times ("No Genius in Your Crib? Get a Refund"); stories on Good Morning America and the CBS Evening News; and articles in hundreds of newspapers throughout the United States and Canada. Parents in other countries are now demanding their money back.

Many, including | THE EYE |, have virally spread news about commercialism for babies and children—on blogs, Twitter and Facebook. Screen time for babies and more recently Disney's deceptive marketing has become a hot topic, especially on parenting blogs and listservs. Pediatricians are also planning to distribute information about the refunds in their offices.

The message? Baby Einstein DVDs are not educational. The New York Times called the refunds "a tacit admission that [Baby Einstein] did not increase infant intellect." Now parents will be able to rely on honest information and solid research - not marketing hype - when making important decisions about if and when to let their youngest and most vulnerable children watch screen media. One mom said, "It's great that parents will now have one less thing to worry about. No longer will they feel the pressure to have their babies watch so-called educational videos or risk falling behind."

For a refund go to CCFC's website where there are instructions for how to get a refund, more about CCFC's campaign, a fact sheet on baby videos, and links to all the press coverage.

CALL FOR ARTISTS: 2 EVENTS

2009-10-26T10:48:00.009-04:00

EVENT 1

The 7th Annual Outdoor Art Exhibit Celebrating Diversity Call for Art and Quotations from around the Globe. Cash Prizes.

A Juried Show of 39 Billboard-Size Selections on display April and May 2010 in Sarasota and Sarasota County

Submission Deadline: Saturday January 9, 2010

The mission of Embracing Our Differences® is to use art as a catalyst for creating awareness and promoting, throughout our community, the value of diversity, the benefits of inclusion and the significance of the active rejection of hatred and prejudice.

The Embracing Our Differences® exhibit features 39 billboard size images (16 feet wide by 12 feet high) created by professional artists, art students, and school children from Florida and around the world. Their creations reflect their interpretation of our message: "enriching lives through diversity."

An interesting and inspiring feature of the exhibition is the inclusion of the quotations that accompany each image. These quotations were chosen from entries submitted by members of our community and speak of the value of respecting the differences of others.

Since 2004, the exhibit has been viewed by more than 700,000 visitors. During that same period, over 50,000 students and teachers attended the exhibit for firsthand observation and discussion concerning the importance of diversity in our lives.

2010 CALL TO ARTISTS & QUOTATION WRITERS
What does the theme “embracing our differences” mean to you? What message would you like to share with our community?

A Juried Show of 39 Billboard-Size Selections on display April, 2010
Island Park, Sarasota Florida and May, 2010 South Sarasota County
Submission Deadline: Saturday January 9, 2010

See official submission form for more details

Contact:

Embracing Our Differences
A Project of
Coexistence, Inc.
P.O. Box 2559
Sarasota, FL 34230-2559
Visit the Website

~~~~~~~~~

EVENT 2

2010 National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY)

NFFTY has become the largest and most influential film festival and support organization for filmmakers age 22 and under. Founded by 2 teenagers in 2007, NFFTY occurs each spring in Seattle, Washington and includes 100+ film screenings, filmmaking panels, concerts by youth bands, and opportunities for young filmmakers to network with industry professionals and each other. NFFTY filmmakers have ranged in age from 7 to 22 and represent broad cross sections of ethnicity, geography and socio-economic backgrounds. Young filmmakers from throughout the U.S. have submitted films, as well as those from 12 countries around the world. The NFFTY is the largest and most prestigious youth film festival in the country, consisting of 4 days of youth-made films, industry panels and workshops, as well as concerts and parties taking place April 29 - May 2, 2010 in Seattle WA

Early Deadline is October 31, 2009
Regular Deadline is December 15, 2009
Final Deadline is January 15, 2010
To submit, please visit the website
Still have questions after reading the Rules?
Contact: filmmakers@nffty.org

AMERICA FOR DUMMIES

2009-10-15T14:05:00.005-04:00

"Witnessing and experiencing the apathy and ignorance of American youth towards the world and the people that govern it has become an astonishing aspect of the “American Lifestyle.” Growing up in a third world country, traveling the world and really seeing both sides of the picture made me question the capability of the future leaders of our world. America for Dummies is my quest to uncover why we are so apathetic about the world, let alone our nation, especially in our post-9/11 atmosphere."Niaz Mosharraf

Winner of the Youth Voice Award from the 2009 Media That Matters Film Festival.

WHAT PUBLIC POLICY REALLY LOOKS LIKE AND WHY IT NEEDS TO CHANGE

2009-10-09T14:08:00.008-04:00

Here is a creative and effective video/lecture by Harvard Law Professor Lawrence Lessig. Author of numerous books including Free Culture he simply explains the economy of how the U.S. government works. The lobbying industry is now a 9-12 billion dollar business. "Every single issue that you care about is fundamentally affected by this corruption of the process of government. That corruption leads to a complete collapse of trust...88% of people believe money buys results in Congress leading to an extraordinary level of cynicism of that institution." All good reasons for citizen lobbyists to push back. Solutions are provided...

DOCUMENTARY SERIES: BRICK CITY

2009-09-22T15:31:00.007-04:00

If you live in New Jersey, this documentary series on the Sundance Channel shouldn't be missed. BRICK CITY is a five-part documentary series that fans out around the city of Newark, New Jersey to capture the daily drama of a community striving to become a better, safer, stronger place to live. Against great odds, Newark’s citizens and its Mayor, Cory A. Booker, fight to raise the city out of nearly a half century of violence, poverty and corruption. In the five one-hour episodes of BRICK CITY, the lives of Mayor Booker, citizens on the front lines, and key figures re-making the city – from developers to ex-gang members - intertwine in a portrait of a city at a critical moment in history. Produced by Forrest Whitaker. Airs every night this week, 10 pm - Sundance Channel. Also available on demand. Don't miss it.

RAISE ME UP LAUNCHES FOSTER CARE MEDIA CAMPAIGN

2009-09-14T09:11:00.006-04:00

A lot of people are under the impression that in order to impact the life of a child in foster care, they have to become a foster parent. Raise Me Up wants to show people how easy it is to dramatically change the life of a vulnerable child in foster care with just a small commitment of time. Get the facts.

The message of the Raise Me Up campaign is: “You don’t have to raise a foster child to raise them up. You just have to raise your hand and say you’ll help.” New Jerseyans will be invited to visit the Raise Me Up Web site through powerful television, radio and transit advertisements where they will learn about a variety of ways to

volunteer and help youth across the state and right in their own community.

Goals of the Raise Me Up campaign:

• Strengthen families and improve the lives of millions of children.

• Inspire action and engagement.

• Focus people on the real challenges facing children in foster care.

Hear personal stories

GET INVOLVED.

Find opportunities to volunteer in New Jersey.

Find opportunities nationwide

For more information contact:

New Jersey Department of Children and Families

Office of Communications and Legislation

222 South Warren Street – 3rd Floor

P.O. Box 729

Trenton, NJ 08625

Phone: 609-262-0422

Fax: 609-777-0443

Email: Communications@dcf.state.nj.us

Web site: www.nj.gov/dcf

HOW CAN YOU WORK IN YOUR COMMUNITY?

2009-09-02T11:33:00.004-04:00

President Obama has said that the challenges America faces are unprecedented, and that we need to build a new foundation for economic growth in America. The President has also announced a new program called United We Serve that is designed to encourage Americans to volunteer more. The Administration has already begun work with dramatic new investments in education, health care and clean energy, but it cannot be done alone.

Consider volunteering in your community even if it's only an hour a week. With all the cutbacks to nonprofit organizations with the recession and the Madoff scandal, your community needs you more than ever. And it's great work experience for the resume! Consider the ways you can use your talents to help in your local area. It will surely be worth it.

Find volunteer opportunities in your area with this great resource:
ALL FOR GOOD

FOR THE LOVE OF READING

2009-08-31T20:54:00.004-04:00

Reading Rainbow, a children's reading show hosted by LeVar Burton ended broadcast on Friday, August 28, 2009 due to lack of funding after a 26 year run on PBS. The multi Emmy award-winning show had not produced any new episodes in the past three years due to a $210,000 per episode price tag. Not only was funding support unavailable to renew the show's broadcast rights, through research the Corporation for Public Broadcasting found that a shift in educational television programming had taken place in recent years. Reading Rainbow's concentration was initially based on teaching kids why to read as opposed to teaching them how to read through phonetics and spelling. This recent policy change seems to have smothered the idea of inspiring children to read just for the love of it as well as for the sake of enjoying and understanding storytelling. The affiliated Reading Rainbow website will also cease production in December. The program was popular for use in the classroom setting and will continue to be available for screening in schools.

Carrying on a Legacy - Representative Patrick Kennedy

2009-08-29T13:01:00.006-04:00

I first met Congressman Patrick Kennedy a few years ago at a hearing in Trenton. At that time he was traveling around the country meeting with ordinary citizens to hear their mental health and addiction-related stories as well as their difficulties in getting appropriate healthcare treatment. The Congressman was the chief sponsor of and reintroduced a bill named The Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act, a landmark legislation that became law in 2008. The Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act ensures that mental health benefits are offered at parity with medical benefits, providing access to mental health services for approximately 113 million Americans. This legislation sought the breakdown of discrimination in insurance coverage for mental health compared to physical health care. No small feat. Especially since it took over ten years to pass the legislation.

Patrick Kennedy, a Democrat of Rhode Island saw the bill as a civil rights issue and openly described his own drug dependence and depression as a mental illness and felt fortunate as a Congressman to get the best healthcare treatment for his own problems and wanted to make sure every American could receive the same level of healthcare. This sounds quite reminiscent of his father Edward Kennedy.

The media eulogies abound this week for Senator Ted Kennedy, rightly so. However, repeatedly we are being told that the Senator is the last in the line of the Kennedy family legacy. Why do they not refer to Patrick Kennedy? If anyone will continue the work of Senator Teddy Kennedy it will be his son, Patrick. Patrick Kennedy sits on the Subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; and on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs. He is also a member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and has introduced several bills which would strengthen laws regarding handguns. He may not have the same dynamic personality as his father, but I can say he was very warm and kind when I met him.

The next time someone in the media acts like there is no one left in the Kennedy family to continue the legacy or replace Edward, let us consider Patrick Kennedy and recognize that he has the political where-with-all to continue empathetic and realistic work on healthcare reform and other social issues. But the values and principles of Senator Ted Kennedy can-and-should be realized in each of us as American citizens, as well.

NEWARK URBAN PLANNER MAPS MORTGAGE CRISIS

2009-07-10T09:03:00.004-04:00

City of Newark waterfront urban planner and artist Damon Rich developed a visual playground for adults, called the Red Lines at the Queens Museum of Art. Calling it an experience of the United States mortgage crisis, Rich mapped neighborhoods in dire circumstances using the 1964 World's Fair Panorama of the City of New York.

NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE PULLS PHOTOGRAPHIC ESSAY

2009-07-08T16:16:00.008-04:00

Edward Martins, a Portuguese photographer living in London has had his photo essay about the U.S. mortgage and real estate bubble removed from The New York Times online slide show due to digital cloning and manipulation in photographs that were promoted as manipulation-free. A blogger initially noticed that three of Martin's photos were indeed digitally enhanced and manipulated in Adobe Photoshop. Photo District News an industry tabloid paper picked up on the story.

Although the manipulations might appear as a minor indiscretion, when understanding the nature of cloning, unfortunately for the New York Times' special presentation of an historical event in this country, an artist making aesthetic corrections to enhance journalistic photographs poses a major breach of ethics. It's bad enough when ordinary readers often don't recognize a construction for what it is, especially when dealing with issues like women's representation and body image, where a great deal of human flaws are removed or repaired. That's advertising. But Martin was commissioned to take photographs that were meant to serve as a historical document of our economic times. Good thing someone was paying attention and deconstructing the images.

See the manipulated photos.

Read Simon Owen's interview with the blogger who exposed the manipulations.

Inside Out: Voices from New Jersey State Prison

2009-07-01T15:30:00.004-04:00

A powerful collection of poems, stories, memoirs and commentaries by 43 inmates who took part in a creative writing workshop. Compiled and edited by Kal Wagenheim, who directed the workshop, similar to one he directed for college students at Columbia University in New York City.

CLOSING THE ADDICTION TREATMENT GAP

2009-06-12T10:03:00.009-04:00

On Wednesday, as a legislative leader for Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap (CATG), along with peers who did the same statewide to their legislative districts, I delivered a package and postcards to my district office (11) in Monmouth County to Senator Sean Kean, Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini and Assemblyman David Rible. The legislators where not in the office when I arrived, but I spoke with their Chief of Staff, Ryan Sharpe. He listened carefully and respectfully as I explained about friends of mine who had sons who died while trying to access addiction treatment, and another who had no access through their own health care policy and had to pay for treatment out of their own pocket. They ended up sending their son out-of-state for treatment. Ryan Sharpe said that Assemblywoman Angelini was supportive on the issues.

The package I delivered held NCADD-NJ’s new primer detailing the state’s addiction treatment gap and the savings the state would see by providing more treatment. Also included were individual cards from other citizens who support increasing a small tax on beer distributors—just 5 cents a gallon to raise over 7.5 million for treatment. The money would go into the dedicated Alcohol Education Rehabilitation and Enforcement Fund (AEREF). With the Closing the Addiction Gap proposal, not only will lives be saved, but New Jersey would save money in its budget by reducing health care costs and the criminal justice system.

Advocates in photos: Alice Silverman visits Assemblyman Jack Connors (top left) Sue Foose, whose son Brian died due to lack of treatment resources (middle right) and Jeanette Grimes with Senate President Dick Cody's staff (bottom).

DONATE A USED BIKE | Pedals for Progress (P4P) Bike Drive

2009-05-24T10:10:00.009-04:00

When:
Saturday, May 30th
12:00 to 3:00

Where:
The Grove West
Shrewsbury, NJ
exit 109 off the
Donate and Enter to win
a *new* Beach Cruiser
~~~~~

What a great idea! Pedals for Progress is putting unused bikes to good use in the developing world. For many families in developing countries, a bicycle is as important to their well-being as your car is to you. Too often, though, these families don’t have a bike and must walk everywhere. A bike from P4P changes this almost overnight. Instead of walking at three or four miles per hour, someone can pedal a bike at 10 to 15 miles per hour. Destinations that were once hours away are easily within reach. These could be new opportunities for employment, schools, health facilities, markets—just think about all the places you need to get to in the course of a week. With no public transportation and no car, what would you do? Bikes have been sent to Nicaragua, Ghana, Moldova, Sierra Leone and Guatemala to help people take part in their local economy. Over 118, 000 bikes have been donated since 1991.

Please donate only 2 wheelers, without rust and no tricycles. Flat tires and in need of some repair are accepted. Pedals for Progress also collects sewing machines, which have been distributed in El Salvador, Uganda and Jamaica, as well. Only sewing machines in working condition are accepted.

Pedals for Progress is a nonprofit organization based in High Bridge, N.J., that has collected bikes to send overseas for the past 18 years. David Schweidenback, president of Pedals for Progress, referred to the recycling chain of the bikes as a "transfer of wealth between nations." Learn about the NJ Based non-profit charity, Pedals for Progress, the world's largest recycler of used bicycles. Bikes and donations are tax deductible. It takes $28 to ship one bike overseas, so please include a $10 donation to defray shipping costs.

Summer Collection Schedule for bike drives around the state.
Review their current partner locations
Organize a Pedals for Progress Bike Drive in your community.

LENS: NEW FEATURE OF NEW YORK TIMES WEBSITE

2009-05-19T09:43:00.001-04:00

Lens is the photojournalism blog of The New York Times, presenting the most interesting visual and multimedia reporting — photographs, videos and slide shows. A showcase for Times photographers, it also seeks to highlight the best work of other newspapers, magazines and news and picture agencies; in print, in books, in galleries, in museums and from around the Web. And it will draw on The Times's own pictorial archive, numbering in the millions of images and going back to the early 20th century.

Go to Lens

Clay Shirky: Wikipedia and Seeds for Transforming Capitalism?

2009-05-08T06:44:00.006-04:00

I just finished reading three chapters of Clay Shirky's book Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations. I think Shirky just might gives us a possible site to think about how capitalism can be altered through the Wikipedia model of doing good — just for the sake of it. No monetary remuneration. He makes a compelling argument for exactly why Wikipedia is revolutionary and human beings have the power to be the same. He goes on to explain that we are living through the most "human expressive period in history." The potential to alter life as we know it through collective action, participation and organization that in turn gathers knowledge, distribution and speed to make change. Group action.

Shirky explains that wikis are only worth their salt if people care about them, and that "a wiki is a hybrid of tool and community."Experts, professionals and amateurs alike make additions and corrections to Wikipedia out of the pure love, enjoyment and for betterment of everyone who uses it around the world. I repeat. They don't get paid to do it. Isn't that the old adage we've all heard— to do great work you have to do what you love? Somewhere in Shirky's book is a balance between working collectively, making change, doing it in a nearly effortless manner and loving it.

Protest Culture -- Ad Hoc vs Institutional, and What it Means (Event Video/Audio) Clay Shirky joined an intimate group at the Berkman Center for a deep dive discussion on one chapter of his book, Here Comes Everybody, which deals with protest culture -- ad hoc vs institutional, and what it means.

MAY DAY-MARCH FOR WORKER AND IMMIGRANT RIGHTS

2009-05-01T08:54:00.006-04:00

Today, May 1st at Union Square in NYC at noon.

It's crucial that everyone; immigrants, trade unionists, youth, the unemployed, the foreclosed and all progressive forces come out in support of May Day to demand humane immigration reform end of raids and deportations, and money for people not war, prisons or Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detentions.

SAVE-THE-DATE | OUT OF THE DARKNESS COMMUNITY WALK

2009-04-23T09:38:00.007-04:00

In light of recent news about the suicide of David Kellermann, 41, acting Chief Financial Officer for Freddie Mac, this morning ABC News also reported that phone calls to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline had increased in the past months.

Considering this, please save-the-date for The American Foundation For Suicide Prevention (AFSP) Central New Jersey Chapter who will be hosting their 6th Annual Central Jersey/New Brunswick Out of the Darkness Community Walk on October 4th. Registration is now open for the event— taking steps to help save lives. Walk to raise awareness and to honor a loved one.

Visit the web site for the Out of the Darkness Community Walk

If you have any questions email Cmanzo@afsp.org

IT'S EARTH DAY! PUT ON YOUR CARBON CAP

2009-04-22T10:48:00.005-04:00

Capping Carbon...

What Is Cap and Trade?
It's the policy that stopped acid rain. The Environmental Defense Fund's goal is to apply the same principles to stop climate change:

Cap: Limit carbon emissions
Trade: Get environmental results at lowest cost

The "cap" sets a nationwide limit on emissions, which is lowered over time to reduce the amount of pollutants released into the atmosphere. The "trade" creates a market for carbon allowances, helping companies innovate in order meet, or come in under, their allocated limit. The less they emit, the less they pay, so it is in their economic incentive to pollute less.

Find out more about carbon capping

FEDEX WINS AT 1ST CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP FILM FESTIVAL

2009-04-01T16:53:00.004-04:00

A short video produced by FedEx took top honors in the first annual Corporate Citizenship Film Festival organized by the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship in coordination with their Corporate Citizenship Conference, Leading Change, Finding Opportunity held March 29th to the 31st in San Francisco. The FedEx video demonstrated how the company uses its transportation and logistical skills to meet the needs of communities around the world. The video powerfully demonstrated the value of moving vital relief supplies into communities following humanitarian crisis such as the Chengdu earthquake. The film also featured community groups and a broad range of FedEx employees working together with the common goal of making a positive impact during difficult situations.

Rose Flenorl, FedEx’s manager of social responsibility, accepted the award for the company at the 2009 International Corporate Citizenship conference in San Francisco and said “As a corporate citizen, we are committed to building stronger communities through volunteerism, corporate donations, charitable shipping and sponsorships with major charities. Our story is a salute to the amazing work of nonprofit organizations and our FedEx team members who are making an incredible impact in the lives of people worldwide.”

This is the first year of the Boston College film festival, and there 15,000 votes cast in the competition. Judging by the comments, it was apparent that a good percentage of the voter were cast by “average citizens” who came across the film festival through a variety of paths and were simply gratified to see companies’ good works in their communities. Companies that entered their work in the film festival were: Accenture, Aetna, Allstate, Amway, AT&T, Bank of America, Best Buy, Campbell Soup Company, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, Exxon Mobil, FedEx, Hitachi, Intel, Mars North America, McDonald’s, Microsoft, Northrop Grumman, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Pitney Bowes, PricewaterhouseCoopers, UPS, Western Union and Whirlpool.

The videos can be viewed online at the Boston College Center website. Each video is between 1 and 3 minutes in length and captures each company's positive impact, typically in partnership with nonprofits, customers and employees, on social and environmental challenges.

FILM | THE PERSUADERS

2009-03-24T15:56:00.004-04:00

"Advertising wants to become the air we breath. It wants us to not be able to find a way outside of the world it creates for us." ~~Mark Crispin Miller, Media Critic ~~

The producers of the film "Merchants of Cool" developed the film "The Persuaders" which outlines how consumers are now being sold on products through the use of emotionalism, narrow casting and niche marketing. In order to cut through the tremendous media clutter, companies and advertising agencies are scrambling to find ways to get us to purchase things...anything and everything. Very much like Steven Baker's book, Numerati, this film explains the future of selling and advertising and how companies seek to differentiate, not just the brands but the audience. By playing on individuality, companies are inducing Americans to consume while reinforcing their emotional attachment to the brands. This film was made several years ago prior to the current economic crisis but it surely illustrates the direction that political and consumer advertising will be taking in the near future. Concepts discussed in the film range from product placements, creating brands as cultural meaning systems to language decoding and testing—all to sell us on political ideas or material consumption.

Watch the Frontline film online.

Printed Interviews:
Mark Crispin Miller

Naomi Klein on Brands

The future of marketing and advertising

Stay abreast of the issues of commercialism

MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Will NBC continue with Brian William's 2 minutes worth of good news?

2009-03-17T10:31:00.003-04:00

Hallelujah. Have you caught this? It's been a week and it sounds like they're getting millions of responses from ordinary people who are doing good things around the country in what appears to be random acts of kindness. Apparently the idea came from William's wife and in blog-like style for the past week, at the end of the 6:30 broadcast up pops a little blue "making a difference box" with a few good things that Brian Williams reads. They send out a camera crew for some stories in an effort, I HOPE to finally perpetrate good, rather than the usual bad that we see on the evening news. Of course it still needs to be constructed within the subject of the "economy," but I think it's a good start. Do you think they will keep this feature at the end of the broadcast for longer than a week?

Here's their request: We are always looking for good news, especially in this economy. Specifically, here's our request: nominate people who are doing good things where you live or work...perhaps a random or regular act of kindness in a cruel economy.

Add your story and keep good news alive on television!

WHAT'S UP WITH MEDIA TECHNOLOGY CONVERGENCE?

2009-02-20T10:22:00.006-05:00

The New York Times recently ran an article, What Convergence? TV's Hesitant March to the NET, about how we aren't going to see the Internet on television screens any time soon. This boils my blood. Ok, I'm probably one of the few who is chomping at the bit to get the Internet on the fabulous flat screen TV we have in our family room. Since we purchased and installed the TV sometime last year I have been dismayed over the fact that although the TV is great with high definition (HD) content, anything produced prior to HD is blurry and low quality at best. Albeit it's large and we can see the TV from a great distance, but three fourths of all content is not HD, so the quality is mediocre. Ok so I'm getting used to this fact. The public has been sold on how great the TV's are, but we also have to purchase other media devices, all which don't work together. And according to the New York Times article, spokespeople from SONY and Sharp basically think people don't care to get the Internet on their televisions. I'm pretty sure that people would like to be able to multi-task, and search the Internet to gain a multitude of media at the same time as watching the broadcast programming.

The TV manufacturers don't want to deal with all the problems that come with the concept. According to the New York Times article, mainly viruses. These companies have made money from the multiple devices that we have in our homes. If we have one large screen at home that does it all, that will begin to cut out the need for multiple devices like stereos, movie download devices, DVD players, etc all which will cut down profit. But, that seems like short term thinking. With media the opportunity for innovation and profit is wide open. So what's the problem? According to Convergence Culture, Where Old and New Media Collide, by MIT Professor, Henry Jenkins, "Delivery technologies become obsolete and get replaced; media, on the other hand, evolve. Recorded sound is the medium. CDs, MP3 files and 8-track cassettes are delivery technologies."

Media is a cultural production and a business. Every type of media whether we see it on a hand-held device, a PC or on a large screen television will continue to evolve. As Jenkins explains, "The perpetual tangle of cords that stands between me and my "home entertainment" center reflects the degree of incompatibility and dysfunction that exist between the media technologies...The old idea of convergence was that all devices would converge into one central device that did everything for you (a la the universal remote). What we are now seeing is the hardware diverging while the content converges."

Media content is growing and can be found everywhere. In window displays, digital billboards on the Turnpike, digital displays in elevators, at the grocery store and in train stations. We are watching a redefining of culture that is shifting all around, us every day. We are inside and outside of it, whether we are producing or consuming it. Media never stops converging, regardless of the devices available to incorporate the media we want to produce and consume. While the device manufacturers and technology companies try to sort it all out, consumers will continue to seek and use the media they want and work-around the devices. Anyway, a few months ago we were at a friend's house who had a device that allowed Internet browsing on a flat screen TV. I was very disappointed to realize that the text was so tiny it was impossible to read unless you were a foot away from the screen. Images were great, text not so great. I generally sit about 9 to 14 feet away from the TV. Oh well. I'm fine with my large computer screen.

SCHOLASTIC SELLING KIDS ON TRINKETS, NOT BOOKS

2009-02-09T10:21:00.005-05:00

For many of us, Scholastic's book clubs played an important role in our childhood by providing the opportunity to purchase low-cost, high-quality literature in schools. We remember the excitement of thumbing through the monthly flyers to make our selections and the thrill when our orders arrived.

But something has changed. Scholastic's book clubs have become a Trojan horse for marketing toys, trinkets, and electronic media-many of which promote popular brands. A review by Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) of Scholastic's elementary and middle school book clubs found that one-third of the items for sale are either not books or are books packaged with other items such as jewelry and toys.

CCFC reviewed every item in Scholastic's 2008 monthly Lucky (for grades 2-3) and Arrow (grades 4-6) book club flyers. Of the items advertised, 14% were not books, including the M&M's Kart Racing Wii videogame; a remote control car; the American Idol event planner; ("Track this season of American Idol"); the Princess Room Alarm ("A princess needs her privacy!"); a wireless controller for the PS2 gaming system; a make-your-own flip flops kit ("hang out at the pool in style"); and the Monopoly® SpongeBob SquarePants™ Edition computer game. An additional 19% of the items were books that were marketed with additional toys, gadgets, or jewelry. For example, the book Get Rich Quick is sold with a dollar-shaped money clip ("to hold all your new cash!"); the Friends 4 Ever Style Pack consists of a book and two lip gloss rings; and Hannah Montana: Seeing Green comes with a guitar pick bracelet.

The opportunity to sell directly to children in schools is not a right. It's a privilege - and an extremely profitable one at that. Last year, Scholastic's book clubs generated $336.7 million in revenue.

It's bad enough that so many of the books sold by Scholastic are de-facto promotions for media properties like High School Musical and SpongeBob. But there's no justification for marketing an M&M videogame or lip gloss in elementary schools. Teachers should not be enlisted as sales agents for products that have little or no educational value and compete with books for children's attention and families' limited resources. If Scholastic wants to maintain their unique commercial access to young students, they need to do better.

In the past Scholastic listened to the concerns of parents. When 5,000 wrote to them demanding that they stop promoting the highly sexualized Bratz brand in schools, they discontinued their Bratz line. It's time to consider the danger of Scholastic's marketing and promotion practices in schools and voice your concerns.

Visit the CCFC website to let Scholastic know it's time to return to selling books - and only books - through their in-school book clubs.

Embrace Change: Redesign the Oval Office

2009-01-21T12:32:00.005-05:00

Have an interest in designing President Obama's Oval Office? Here's your chance. Ikea the Swedish furniture company has created fun drag and drop furniture to place inside an illustrated Oval Office. The site actually allows you to change color and rotate the furniture too. You can even share your email with a secret service man. I'm not sure a canopy bed, piano or bunkbeds make sense in any office, but certainly Ikea's great design and economical DYI prices may not be a bad way to help "Embrace Change."

"We have never had an opportunity to do anything surrounding the message of change from a national standpoint," says Ikea PR manager Marty Marston, "[Obama's] notion of change and his commitment to fiscal responsibility match the Ikea philosophy of practical and affordable home furnishings for all."

Gotta love the little dog and mat. Very creative!

Exploiting Media-George Monbot's Way

2009-01-07T19:24:00.005-05:00

For the last few months I've been working on an advocacy video. I thought it was especially ironic that today while reading a guide for using media and research for advocacy: low cost ways to increase success, that I happened to find a case study from George Monbiot. I wasn't familiar with Monbiot's work, but he certainly has produced a succinct and straight-forward activists guide to exploiting the media. He should know. He started his career in the BBC's Natural History Unit as a radio producer and he's a contributor to the Guardian with a series called Monbiot Meets. Here's the ironic part. Just as I'm reading Debra Efroymson's media and research for advocacy guide with Monbiot's case study, up pops an email with my daily digest from the Real News Network. The subject header: George Monbiot Challenges Chief Executive of Shell. Well of course that made me curious. The activist/journalist/producer is doing exactly what he tells others to do. Get up and act. Although Shell Oil is happy to advertise their commitment to renewable energy they are not terribly transparent about exactly what that commitment is. Monbiot finds Shell exploiting the media for their own selfish interests. Advocates take heed. As Mobiot explains in his activist guide it's all part of 'news management.' See Monbiot in action.

Do download Using Media and Research for Advocacy: Low Cost Ways to Increase Success. It's one of the best and most comprehensive guides on the topic that I've read.

Slumdog Millionaire: Mesmerizing Story and Film

2009-01-03T12:40:00.006-05:00

Writing. One writes when they get inspired. I've been inspired by Slumdog Millionaire. What a fantastic film. I loved it. I think it's also a terrific film to break down and analyze. I'm not going to do that now, but I think this is the kind of film that would be very good for teachers and the classroom.

Just in case you haven't heard critics talk, or read anything about Slumdog Millionaire, here's the basic story-line. Jamal Malik, a young man from the slums of India appears as a player on India's version (which looks exactly like the US version) of Who Wants to be a Millionaire. We see Jamal as a boy growing up with his brother Salim and true love, Latika—all orphans who make their way from the slums into adulthood through thievery and gang activity. The brother's mother dies early on in Muslim raids, leaving her children to fend for themselves. But, they turn out to be very scrappy kids.

The story creatively unfolds through torture, then dialogue with a local police inspector who has been told by Millionaire's host that he believes Jamal cheated in order to win. Slowly we see that Jamal's answers came from his youth-filled experiences as he and his brother tried their best to survive without parental guidance. Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire's director was interviewed by Gotham Chopra and I was struck by a simple thought he brought forward. It was the same thought that struck me after my visit to a Zambian community. Humans can do much with very little. In fact, we don't need to have much more than the basics. Food, clean water, a roof over our heads and safety. Our Zambian driver told us exactly that. As Americans we often forget that we don't need much to be happy.

Slumdog has many elements that I personally enjoy in a film. Beautiful cinematography and an interesting story—one I've not seen or heard before. Well developed, real, human characters. A culture that is especially exotic and exciting. I am so interested in visiting India now. This film is full of eye-popping symbolism and metaphor that can keep you thinking for days after watching it. It reminds you that life is not easy no matter who you are, where you live or how much money you have. It is impossible to go through life without challenges, problems, and the ups-and-downs of daily living. We all go through it. But, this film shows us the possibilities for happiness. With all the negativity that we see daily, on screens of every size, it is refreshing to witness an upliftingly positive story. We need to be reminded often.

"India has an "upward energy...moving toward happiness."
Danny Boyle

VOICES OF HOPE VIDEO DOCUMENTS AN HISTORIC ADDICTION RECOVERY JOURNEY

2008-12-10T15:15:00.005-05:00

Join Together, a program of the Boston University School of Public Health recently highlighted the Voices of Hope video that documented an historic journey of over 5000 addiction recovery advocates who came together to demonstrate the strength of addiction recovery and their determination to have addiction accepted and treated as a disease.

National, NYC metro and New Jersey participants made their way from Liberty State Park in Jersey City to the Brooklyn Bridge and back on Saturday, September 27, 2008. This year's Friend's Addiction Recovery Cruise and Rally was supported by the Recovery Project and the A&E Network.

SCREENS: HERE, THERE, AND EVERYWHERE.

2008-12-01T16:41:00.005-05:00

There was a very interesting and exciting discussion that was published in the New York Times Sunday Magazine a week ago about the proliferation of screens and how it’s changed advertising forever. Benjamin Palmer, Lars Bastholm and Robert Rasmussen, three advertising guys spoke forthrightly about the state of advertising today. They discussed the fact that advertising has always been persuasive, but now it needs to make a shift into the authentic zone because young people can actually check on the Internet to see if the claims are even close to being true—creating a new marketing “transparency”. That can throw a real big curve ball to advertisers and their creative people. Lars Bastholm, who has worked onXbox, Coke and Motorola campaigns, sets the record straight, “Most media, like television, used to be a kind of flow. You’d sit down, you’d turn it on and you’d watch. The reason advertising is completely broken is that the flow doesn’t exist anymore. There’s no prime time. There’s no such thing as must-see TV. Everyone’s composing their own flow.”

We are still in the age where the advertisers are trying to figure out how to deal with all the content creation and the lack of the Millennial audience’s interest in television, the old-time prime advertising vehicle. Brands need to find a way to have a relationship with their audience. In 2006, BBDO ’s GenWorld Teen Study argued, “If your brand wants a relationship with this generation (Millennials) connect them to each other…hype causes apathy, but meaning energizes. To stand out, be a brand that matters.”

Bastholm provides an incredibly astute case study about EA Sports, a brand getting it right and interacting with its audience. “On YouTube, someone posted a clip of himself playing the company’s Tiger Woods golf game. He put it up as a joke, laughing at EA Sports, because he had discovered a glitch in the programming that allowed Tiger to walk right out onto a pond next to the golf course and shoot his ball from there. So the company saw the video, and in response, it uploaded this ad to YouTube that said: “It’s not a glitch. He’s just that good.” The ad showed the real Tiger, in live action, actually walk on water and shoot a ball.” This shows an ingenious ability on the part of an advertiser to take a risk and fly with it. However, according to Benjamin Palmer that’s certainly not the norm at the moment. Advertisers are resistant to changing with the times and the shift in audience, “They assume their business practices will carry on forever.”

Well they simply won’t be able to afford to do that any longer. In February the digital signal will take over from analog and it won’t be too long before the “TV” just becomes a big screen to view all the content available—at home. There will be billions and billions of websites and other media and pop culture, and advertising will need to find its place, but not in its typical “overkill” manner. Then there’s the wide world of the mobile screen, as well. Brands will need to figure out how to make a long term, “authentic” connection between their brands and media consumers. They better get crackin’. In the meantime, it’s fun to watch and be a part of what’s happening.

Voices of Hope Featured in Special Events Publication

2008-11-01T08:28:00.002-04:00

Voices of Hope Productions is featured in the October issue of Special Events Galore, a monthly Stevenson publication to give nonprofit event planners tips on how to create a comprehensive media kit. Cited are 7 tips that should keep the media kit simple: Don't overwhelm the audience, photographs are essential, create a template and brand, include a dvd or streaming video of past events, include testimonials, promote your website and use e-marketing. Media kits can be used for distribution to a wide and diverse audience. Download publication article

Magazine | Dangerous Assignments

2008-10-30T15:18:00.005-04:00

At least seven Mexican reporters have vanished in just three years, most after probing the connections between criminal groups and public officials, Monica Campbell and María Salazar reveal in the new edition of Dangerous Assignments, now available from the Committee to Protect Journalists.
“ Mexico is already one of the world’s deadliest nations for journalists, with 21 killed since 2000,” Campbell and Salazar write. “But the spike in disappearances suggests a significant shift in the dangers facing the Mexican press.”

Also in the new issue of CPJ’s magazine ... Elisabeth Witchel reports on Russia ’s lagging investigation in the murder of Paul Klebnikov. … in Tunisia , Joel Campagna finds a government aggressively silencing critical writers …. from Sri Lanka, Agence France-Presse Bureau Chief Amal Jayasinghe describes the challenges in covering the country’s civil conflict … Gambian reporter Ousman Darboe gives a first-person account of his hunt for missing colleague “Chief” Ebrima Manneh. … from Azerbaijan, Nina Ognianova examines the unsolved murder of editor Elmar Huseynov ... and in Gaza, Reuters Bureau Chief Alastair Macdonald remembers slain cameraman Fadel Shana.

FIXING THE FINANCIAL CRISIS: NOT SO EASY

2008-10-27T14:16:00.005-04:00

Danny Schecter, "The News Dissector" at the MediaChannel talks with Paul Jay of The Real News Network about the financial crisis in "Media and Bailout Failure." Schecter's website looks to 5 viewpoints in fixing the crisis. On The Real News Network, Schecter tells about Andrew Ladhe, a highly successful investor who closed his firm, “Recently, on the front page of Section C of the Wall Street Journal, a hedge fund manager who was also closing up shop (a $300 million fund), was quoted as saying, ‘What I have learned about the hedge fund business is that I hate it.’ I could not agree more with that statement. I was in this game for the money. The low hanging fruit, i.e. idiots whose parents paid for prep school, Yale, and then the Harvard MBA, was there for the taking. These people who were (often) truly not worthy of the education they received (or supposedly received) rose to the top of companies such as AIG, Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers and all levels of our government. All of this behavior supporting the Aristocracy only ended up making it easier for me to find people stupid enough to take the other side of my trades. God bless America.”

Watch part 2 of Danny's interview in "One Nation Under Debt."

ECONOMIC MIGRATION TAKES PART IN artHARLEM EVENT

2008-10-02T09:37:00.009-04:00

freeDimensional's Action Lab on Economic Migration will be on display at the Harlem Studio Fellowship (HSF) during artHARLEM, Oct 4 & 5. HSF will also host an opening reception of Abacism by French artist France Languérand, co-curated by Stéphanie Jeanjean and Raffaele Bedarida Opening reception: Friday, October 3rd 2008 (6-10 pm)

The Harlem Studio Fellowship is located at 128W 121 Street (between Lenox and Powell) / Subway: 2-3; A to 125 st.

artHARLEM will be held this Saturday, October 4th from 12 noon - 6 p.m. and Sunday, October 5th from 1.p.m. - 6 p.m.

The freeDimensional Action Lab on Economic Migration has been in development since 2006. Starting with an fD resident artist in NYC, Bara Diokhane and the Gowanus Canal "Empty Vessel" Boat Project, and leading up to the artHARLEM tour on October 4/5, the project has no intention of slowing down. The project has found a great deal on momentum in 2008. Beginning with an event during New York City's Immigrant Heritage Week, on to a one week workshop on Economic Migration at the Santa Fe Art Institute and ending the spring season of events with a media intervention in Dakar, with their partner center the Atelier Mustapha Dime, during the Dak'Art Biennale.

There are a number of community based organizations that are focused on Economic Migration from Central America to the US as well as West Africa to Europe that fD has been working with. fD looks to further the discussion by bringing organizations and community art spaces to work together to focus on the situation at hand.

The artHARLEM tour The freeDimensional Action Lab on Economic Migration has been in development since 2006. Starting with an fD resident artist in NYC, Bara Diokhane and the Gowanus Canal "Empty Vessel" Boat Project, and leading up to the artHARLEM tour on October 4/5, the project has no intention of slowing down. The project has found a great deal on momentum in 2008. Beginning with an event during New York City's Immigrant Heritage Week, on to a one week workshop on Economic Migration at the Santa Fe Art Institute and ending the spring season of events with a media intervention in Dakar, with their partner center the Atelier Mustapha Dime, during the Dak'Art Biennale.

There are a number of community based organizations that are focused on Economic Migration from Central America to the US as well as West Africa to Europe that fD has been working with. fD looks to further the discussion by bringing organizations and community art spaces to work together to focus on the situation at hand.

The artHARLEM tour is a free event of 100 Artists who open their private studios and talk about their work once a year for one weekend only. Purchase art directly from the artist.

BOOK | THE NUMERATI

2008-09-29T16:27:00.005-04:00

Every day we produce loads of data about ourselves simply by living in the modern world: we click web pages, flip channels, drive through automatic toll booths, shop with credit cards, and make cell phone calls. Now a savvy group of mathematicians and computer scientists are beginning to sift through this data to dissect us and map out our next steps. Their goal? To manipulate our behavior -- what we buy, how we vote -- without our even realizing it.

Journalist Stephen Baker provides us with a fascinating guide to the world we're all entering -- and to the people controlling that world. The Numerati have infiltrated every realm of human affairs, profiling us as workers, shoppers, patients, voters, potential terrorists -- and lovers. The implications are vast. Our privacy evaporates. Our bosses can monitor and measure our every move (then reward or punish us). Politicians can find the swing voters among us, by plunking us all into new political groupings with names like "Hearth Keepers" and "Crossing Guards." It can sound scary. But the Numerati can also work on our behalf, diagnosing an illness before we're aware of the symptoms, or even helping us find our soul mate.

By analyzing the data they gather about us, retailers are learning how to lavish big spenders with special attention and nudge cheapskates toward the door... The same algorithms originally used to combat e-mail spam by predicting its mutations are now being used to predict the mutations of the HIV virus...Researchers at Carnegie Mellon are studying the patterns of office e-mail to spot signs of subversive networks taking shape within a company...

Meet Stephen Baker on October 6, 2008 at the Princeton Barnes & Noble.

JOIN THE HUMAN BRIDGE TO ADDICTION RECOVERY

2008-09-23T07:05:00.004-04:00

The Recovery Project— Recovery Cruise and Rally, Saturday, September 27, 2008

Thousands of addiction recovery supporters from the tri-state area will come together to form a human bridge - a living symbol of recovery on the Brooklyn Bridge. The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence-New Jersey (NCADD-NJ) and sister organization, Friends of Addiction Recovery, partnering with A&E Television with alliances from the tri-state area will come together to raise awareness that addiction is a chronic but treatable disease that affects more than 22 million people nationwide.* The Recovery Project is a new initiative that confronts the stigma of addiction and unites people in the fight for effective treatment and support against this misunderstood disease. Recovery is possible, and we can all help. A&E Television's Recovery Project is a new initiative that confronts the stigma of addiction and unites people in the fight for effective treatment and support against this misunderstood disease. Recovery is possible, and we can all help.

The day will include:

• Recovery Cruise to Brooklyn Bridge (registration required)
• T-Shirts for Cruise participants
• Live Entertainment/Celebrity Guests
• Walk across Brooklyn Bridge to form the Human Bridge of Recovery
• Cruise back from Manhattan to Liberty State Park, including free lunch
• Liberty State Park Rally for Recovery
• Keynote Speaker: David Carr, New York Times Journalist
• Battle of the Banners
• Recognition of NJ Recovery Delegates
• Recovery Voices Count ~ Voter Registration
• Shout Down Drugs Performers and other musical entertainment
• POWER OF THE CIRCLE and much more

*SOURCE: Overview of Findings from the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health

DEVELOP PROJECTS FOR NATIONAL DESIGN WEEK

2008-09-21T16:57:00.007-04:00

National Design Week- October 19-25, 2008

On Oct. 19, Cooper-Hewitt will launch its third National Design Week, an initiative that aims to draw national attention to the ways in which design enriches everyday life, through outreach to school teachers and their students, and partnerships with design organizations across the country.

Nominate Your Favorite Design. This year the ceremony includes the People's Design Award, determined by an online voting system. Starting September 22, until October 21, the public can nominate and vote for their favorite designs. The winner will be announced live at the National Design Awards Gala in New York City.

Design in the Classroom. Are you looking for new ideas and methods to engage your students? Design makes any subject immediately relevant to students by directly relating to their real-life experience. How can design enhance the teaching of any subject, including mathematics, science, environmental studies, language arts, history, and art? Get free design lesson plans. | Conversations with educators
Celebrate National Design Week October 19–25 with free admission to Cooper-Hewitt all week long.

Journalists Arrested in USA and Africa

2008-09-02T14:44:00.006-04:00

The FreePress report that police in St. Paul arrested several journalists yesterday, including Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman and an AP photographer as they were covering protests of the Republican National Convention Stop the Arrests of Journalists in the USA. Sign the Letter. And earlier this weekend, police raided a meeting of the video journalists' group I-Witness.

ABC News reporter arrested

A similar situation has been reported by Mohamed Keita in Senegal. "Senegal, once considered a haven of press freedom in Africa, has seen an unusual level of venomous rhetoric against the independent media, fueled by Senghor and President Abdoulaye Wade, once an ally of the press. Several independent Senegalese journalists have told CPJ that this rhetoric from the highest levels of government encourages attacks and suggests that there will be impunity for those threatening the press, including security forces, government supporters, and members of the politically influential Mourides Muslim brotherhood."

Singer/Songwriter/Producer/Guitarist Tomas Doncker Releasing World/Soul EP "SMALL WORLD and Fundraiser

2008-08-25T09:19:00.006-04:00

Brooklyn based Singer/Songwriter/Producer/Guitarist Tomas Doncker is releasing his World/Soul EP "Small World" due out in August independently on his own label GroovySexMusic. This new collection of songs mixes the flavors of World Music with the in-depth Soul progressions that makes up the sound of Tomas Doncker. His music has
been described as earthy, sultry and sophisticated, focused on poignant lyrics and soulful grooves. His music appeals to a global community that bridges the unity of listeners with spirit and harmony.

In celebration of the launch of the EP, on THURSDAY, AUGUST 28th @ SHRINE World Music Venue a concert will be held. There will be a $5 cover charge, but Tomas Doncker has been generous enough to give 50% of all the money raised at the door to freeDimensional. freeDimensional is an organization that links artistic communities to International Social Justice. This is a wonderful way to help freeDimensional in their work in NYC and Internationally. Show your support by coming out to SHRINE on 8/28 and listen to some amazing new music by Tomas Doncker.

The first single "Children of Darfur" has caught the interest of such humanitarian organizations as freeDimensional, The Solar Cooker Project and Jewish World Watch. Co-producing the new EP with Tomas is master percussionist Daniel Sadownick along with the production team of Hollins Steele. The album is being recorded at The Steele Factory in Brooklyn, NY. He has recently finished up recording the EP Small World after touring around the country in support of his CD "InsideOut". He has used the same band to record both recordings and has received critical acclaim around the country for their live performances in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, DC. His longtime band is comprised of Daniel Sadownick on Percussion (Steely Dan/Matisyahu/Raul Midon), Booker King on bass (Santana/Lila Downs), Etienne Lytle (Freddy Jackson/Elizabeth Withers) and rising star Camelia Qabazard on backvocals.

"Small World" features guest appearances by Soul and World music luminaries Martha Redbone, Karen Bernod, Audrey Martells, Keith Fluitt, KUKU, Ayib Dieng, Karma Johnson and Caitin Meissner. Tomas has upcoming dates in NYC at The Blue Note, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Shrine Cafe, Solomon's Porch, Frank's Lounge and has just been asked to participate in the New York City River to River Music Festival which brings Free music to the public.

Tomas Doncker's music is available on
www.iTunes.com
www.CDbaby.com
www.dustygroove.com
and www.myspace.com/tomasdoncker

Zambia and its People

2008-08-20T10:57:00.018-04:00

Yesterday the Wall Street Journal reported that Zambia's President Levy Mwanawasa died after being hospitalized 2 months ago for a stroke. The WSJ article went on to say that Mr. Mwanawasa won praise for his anti-corruption and economic modernization plan, but had "failed to lift the Zambian people out of crushing poverty."

My husband and I visited a typical Zambian village set on the Zabezi River about 30 miles from the historic colonial city of Livingstone, which is very close to the Zimbabawe border. The evidence of the anti-corruption campaign came in the form of a billboard that I happened to capture while driving in Livingstone. Although the people lived in small mud huts and structures, they did not live in the same poverty that we see in cities like Trenton and Newark. The main difference is that these people feel safe in their villages and there is little evidence of violence within these communities.

The children and the adults looked very happy and were pleased to see us, even though in most cases we did not speak the same language.

The villagers who did speak English were complimentary about their country and the government. They seemed quite concerned
about Zimbabwe's President Mugabe and when we went briefly passed through Zimbabwe we could feel the tension in the people. From what the villagers told us, Zambia appears to be a stable country and one that is concerned with educating its young people. There were quite a few educational campus' in Livingstone. In some villages the children may have to walk a long way to go to school, but they do have schools. We were told if anything was lacking it was a place to homestead the teachers.

I loved Zambia and its people--they were warm, open and constantly smiling. I certainly hope that a change in leadership won't bring major negative changes to the country.

And perhaps it might be a good idea for New Jersey to put up a few of its own anti-corruption billboards. Mwanawasa's message is right on target.

ARE POSITIVE NEWS STORIES POSSIBLE?

2008-07-18T07:51:00.002-04:00

Recently the Romanian Senate unanimously voted in favor of a law that would require fifty percent of the news reported by media outlets in that country to distribute “happy news.” One senator, from the opposition Social Democrat Party (PSD), argued newscasts show too much of the "dark side of life". The Romanian's National Council for Audiovisual Broadcasting is to validate the law - under which it will have the responsibility to decide what constitutes good or bad news. But the Council swiftly criticized the law. "News is news, it is neither positive nor negative, it simply reflects reality," said the Council's president, Rasvan Popescu.

Good news is a good idea. All you have to do is watch mass media news at night to witness that there's about a minute and half of positive news reported. Why do we have inspirational speakers who constantly tell us that if we believe and stay positive then good things will happen to us? Then there's the old adage about "looking on the positive side of life". Well that's no easy feat when the media is so negative.

I recognize media conglomerates have to make money, but what's so wrong about good old inspirational stories? There's a ton of them around. Stories that make us laugh and feel good about being human. If big media isn't going to tell them, even a quarter of the time, maybe there should be a law to ensure that daily we see good things about good people.

Perhaps it's just not possible. Humans have been drawn to hype and negative news as far back as the Socrates and Salem Witchcraft trials. Today we are lucky to have many news sources to gather our news from. We owe it to ourselves to verify whether the information we get is accurate, and to accept listening and reading different opinions and sources than the tried-and-true that we habitually listen to in agreement. And with the advent of the Internet it’s never been easier.

If a magazine can offer Pitt-Jolie 10-15 million dollars for photos of their twins, then we know what the majority of the people ultimately want. Who's to say that if the media were forced to report fifty percent of the time on positive things that anyone would even watch or care? I still think there’s something to be said about “good things”—and not just tips from Martha Stewart. Positive stories are out there—we just have to search for them. Hopefully in the age of Youtube we might just see those good stories begin to develop when all the silly pet and baby tricks have trended downward.

PARODY THIS!

2008-07-15T16:11:00.007-04:00

Ok, I couldn't pass this one up. My very last post was about an engaging artist exhibit that parodied the media's depiction of the democratic candidates Obama and Clinton. Now that Obama has come out as the candidate for the Democratic party, we have a fresh new media parody with the New Yorker magazine cover. But unfortunately for the smart and witty New Yorker magazine, even the Obama campaign is denouncing the cover as "tasteless" and "offensive" and of course McCain is on the same bandwagon. There's been so much outrage about this cover in the past 2 days and it just seems ridiculous. But then again we have to be sensitive about the US constituency. That's the problem with satire, it's risky and can be high-brow and people just won't get it. Messages have to be "watered down" and even the candidates who do get it, prefer to act like it's an outrage. What happened to clear communication and talking about a subject. Like parody and satire are a solid asset of our democracy. Perhaps the outrage is that we can't seem to criticize or poke fun at anything in the political and corporate arenas anymore. Funny thing is that The New Yorker knows what they're doing. They had to know this would cause a fuss. They've been known to work with companies to take over many advertising pages and integrate them into the look, feel and image of the magazine. I think there's more than meets THE EYE here.

SOHO ARTIST INSTALLATION SATIRIZES MEDIA'S TAKE ON CANDIDATES CLINTON AND OBAMA

2008-06-17T13:55:00.004-04:00

Recent installations, "The Assassination of Barack Obama" and "The Assassination of Hillary Clinton "explore the figurative, but highly effective attempts by the American populace to assassinate both candidates reputation during their historic candidacy for president. Reflecting the sentiment that no one is without blame or responsibility, artist Yazmany Arboleda's installation shows the extreme effects of a society's intent on castrating anyone in power.

Everyone is responsible, no one - and no group - is safe in this highly evocative and controversial exhibit. In the all-encompassing installation that explores the themes of sexism, racism, ageism and homophobia, one questions to what end we are willing to go to tear down our leaders in the process of electing them.

The installations can be viewed online.
The Assassination of Barack Obama
The Assassination of Hillary Clinton

WHAT'S THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IN PHILANTHROPY TODAY?

2008-06-17T13:34:00.003-04:00

What's the biggest problem needing attention in the philanthropic world today? "Getting Americans to realize that their future — safety, the taxes they pay, quality of schools — is linked to addressing social problems. People need to feel that not contributing and being involved directly hurts their children. We apologize for asking for funding instead of reminding Americans that they chose this system — compared to Europe and Scandinavia, which have higher taxes — that depends on philanthropy and volunteering to compensate for our lower taxes."
~Allan Luks, Departing Executive Director, Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York

TEACHERS LEARNING THE VALUE OF MEDIA LITERACY

2008-06-08T11:34:00.010-04:00

Filmmaker George Lucus has been interviewed discussing how we should rethink the way we teach communications skills to young people and that should not only be about grammar and punctuation, but other associated skills like interpreting art, color, and perspective. Lucus, who is also the publisher of Edutopia Magazine says, “Art and music are usually thought of as therapeutic or fun, but not approached as a very valid form of communication.”

An eight minute video by the George Lucus Foundation includes a segment on the Greater Brunswick Charter School in New Brunswick, NJ where a teacher works with the class to analyze an advertisement. Voices of Hope Productions also interviewed numerous teachers, staff and kids at this school for the New Jersey Community Capital (NJCC) short film, Invest in Change because NJCC helped to finance the school. The Jacob Burns Center in Pleasantville, New York is also highlighted for their work with 8000 children who can access communications classes. 4th graders are shown learning how to produce animated shorts.

Students and teachers throughout the country are not only making media, but are dissecting newspapers and advertising and critically analyzing the messages held within. This video illustrates that writing along with critical thinking skills and media analysis instructs young people on how to become well-rounded individuals. Hopefully in the future we will see this more consistently as the traditional classroom experience. One where the student will not only learn grammar and writing, but will also be exposed to graphics, cinema, illustration, animation and music--taught in a basic class called communications. As Lucus explains, communications should be taught as a language all its own and not as an “arty thing, but a practical tool to be used to sell, to influence people, get your point across and to communicate with other people, especially at an age where kids are using more and more multi-media.”

Read the Edutopia article

Watch the Voices of Hope Productions’ video "Analyze this: Message in the Media"

VOICES OF HOPE PRODUCTIONS NAMED AS "STEVIE AWARD" FINALIST

2008-05-19T12:51:00.005-04:00

Consistent with the philosophy that Non-profit organizations should have the same access to effective and successful communications, media and video documentary resources as corporations do, Voices of Hope Productions was named a Finalist in The 2008 Stevie Awards--The American Business Awards.

More than 2,600 entries from companies of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted for consideration in more than 40 categories. Voices of Hope Productions is competing in the Non-profit PR fund raising category for directing and producing the short documentary, Invest in Change, developed as a fund raising tool for New Jersey Community Capital also known as the Community Development Loan Fund. New Jersey Community Capital is a community development financial institution (CDFI) that invests in communities throughout New Jersey providing capital for affordable housing, education, and cultural and health services in low income communities.

"From the very beginning, we knew that Voices of Hope Productions was right for our short documentary fund raising video. We were even more pleased with how well they grasped our industry and how strongly they felt about it,” said Jennifer Bredehoft of New Jersey Community Capital, located in Trenton, New Jersey. “A Certificate of Finalist status in the Stevie Awards confirms their commitment to quality Non-profit storytelling. We congratulate Voices of Hope Productions on their achievement and wish them well in the competition.”

The American Business Awards are the only national, all-encompassing awards program honoring great performances in business. Finalists were chosen by business professionals nationwide during preliminary judging in April through early May. “Being named a Finalist is more of an accomplishment than ever before,” said Michael Gallagher, founder and president of The Stevie Awards. “It means that independent business executives have agreed that the nominee is worthy of national recognition.”

Stevie Award winners will be announced during the annual gala on Thursday, June 12 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. The Global Sponsor of the 2008 Stevie Awards is Dow Jones. Supporting sponsors of The 2008 American Business Awards include FIS Softpro, High Performance Technologies Inc., John Hancock, RCN Corporation, Richardson, and Ultimate Software. Media sponsors include the Business TalkRadio Network, CRM Advocate, and Human Resource Executive.

For more information go to the Stevie Awards website.

Bloggers Unite for Human Rights Day: Voices of Hope and Economic Migration

2008-05-15T10:03:00.007-04:00

I am pleased that Voices of Hope Productions has worked on a very worthwhile human rights project about economic migration in collaboration with freeDimensional (fD) and the New School University Media Studies Department.

Economic migration has been a concerning issue over the past few years and from May to June 2008 at the Dak'Art Biennale, fD is supporting its Dakar partner center, Atelier Moustapha Dime, to raise awareness on the growing number of West Africans dying at sea while attempting economic migration. Multi-site, in-depth focus on economic migration using the experience of 14 Senegalese men who traveled from Goree Island off the coast of Dakar to within a hundred miles of Brooklyn before being picked up by the US Coast Guard. These men were summarily detained in a New Jersey ‘warehouse’ afterwhich 10 were quickly deported. In May 07 the Associated Press stated that in 2006 more than 30,000 African immigrants were caught trying to reach the Canary Islands.

Voices of Hope Productions’ role in this project evolved into the creative direction and design of a hybrid newspaper/poster called the Goree Gazette that was printed in Senegal and will be handed out month-long at the 2008 Dak'Art Biennale. The accompanying media campaign interviews and press conference) in Dakar public spaces – including the central marketplace, city center, fishing boat launches, and the exhibition venues of the 2008 Dak'Art Biennale – will be created in an archival process of sharing, trust and consensus-building with Dakar pedestrians, and is intended to provide a robust version of the situation that faces economic migrants seeking opportunities in Europe, North America and elsewhere.

Voices of Hope Productions, fD and New School Media Studies provided a journalistic tone and artistic treatment to the English/French/Wolof text moving it from mere content to an aesthetically viable pamphlet dynamically designed to capture the attention of Dakar citizens, art world visitors and international journalists covering the Biennale. The hybrid newspaper opens up to an impactful and educational poster that includes an artistic rendering by a detainee of the inside of the detention center in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The global awareness and reach of this important issue will continue beyond the Biennale through the Dakar Action Lab on the Taking IT Global Web site. The project will also be included in TransCultural Exchange’s Here, There and Everywhere: Anticipating the Future of Art 2009 conference and catalog.

More links:
Mother's migration outreach
CBS 60 minutes segment on Detention in America
Dakar Action Lab
Download the Goree Gazette (web version 16mg)

WHY WOMEN ARE THE MARKET FOR CHANGING THE WORLD

2008-05-14T11:09:00.005-04:00

According to The She Spot co-authors, Lisa Witter and Lisa Chen, the secret to changing the world is hidden in plain sight—in fact, it’s half the population. Women vote more, volunteer more, and give to more charities than men do. They control over half of the total wealth in America.

Witter and Chen reveal surprising insights into women’s real social priorities (for example, in one poll only 7% of women identified “protecting reproductive choice," supposedly the women’s issue, as a top priority for Congress). They describe four core principles—care, control, connect, and cultivate—for designing messages that will resonate with women of all ages and backgrounds. And using case histories from companies like Home Depot, T-Mobile and Kellogg’s as well as nonprofits like MoveOn.org, The American Lung Association and The Environmental Defense Fund, they explain precisely how to put these four principles into practice.

According to Witter in a commentary in ODE magazine, one very good case study is that of the women of Rwanda. "The 1994 genocide in Rwanda left the country in tatters, its future fraught with uncertainty. Of the more than 800,000 people killed, most were men and boys. Rwanda’s remaining population was 70 percent female. Fast-forward to the present day: The economy has revived and is holding steady. Major road arteries between cities and outlying villages, which were destroyed, have been rebuilt. Today, the Rwandan lower house of Parliament is nearly half female, the highest percentage of women in any parliament worldwide. Girls are attending school in record numbers.

The women of Rwanda are behind one of the most inspiring comeback stories of national transformation in recent history. And while their story is dramatic, it’s not unique. Indeed, in the field of international development, women have emerged as the not-so-secret secret to changing the world."

Read the transcript of the Chronicle of Philanthropy's Live Discussion What Women Want

IS MEDIA INDUCED PHILANTHROPY A GOOD THING?

2008-05-06T11:46:00.004-04:00

Are shows like Extreme Makeover or more recently Oprah's “Big Give” (both on ABC) really philanthropic or just ratings boosters and product placement vehicles? Over the years I have been wondering whether these free handouts are truly successful and who they actually benefit in the long run.

We are all told the American dream is all about owning a house with a little white picket fence. Perhaps these reality television make-overs appeal to us in that same dreamy sense. Wouldn’t we all just love for someone to recreate our homes for free? Or is this show popular because people think by watching from their own TV they too are somehow part of the volunteer and philanthropic movement?

On the ABC, Oprah’s Big Give website it states, “In eight one-hour episodes, a diverse, determined and competitive group of ten people are given the challenge of a lifetime — to change the lives of complete strangers in the most creative and dramatic ways.” I think Oprah is probably one of the most ‘activist’ celebrities on television today, but perhaps rather than using contestants, her producers should consider actually highlighting “real people” who are really living this work daily across the country.

Although bad-luck-gone-good might make for interesting television I often wondered how did the people on Extreme Makeover handle the renewed sense of home ownership in the long-term? The show has been on for a long time, but I’ve never seen a reunion show highlighting “where they are now” …like measure the outcome/investment of the work done and money that’s been spent.

What’s prompted me to write about this is that the Marrero family, in Camden, a recipient of an Extreme Makeover home built by JS Hovnanian and Sons in 2007 has now put their home on the market for sale at $499K according to an Asbury Park Press article. I thought a reaction to the story by someone on the APP website hit the proverbial nail-on-the-head. Is the family advised and consulted on how to pay for the house and the bills associated once the film crew leaves? This house was built in Camden. Or does a show like Extreme Makeover get involved or care about how the home may-or-may not fit into the city's urban renewal planning?

Apparently the land the home was built on is owned by Urban Promise, which curiously has a video piece from ABC’s 20/20 on children in Camden that takes you to an affiliated story on “Waiting on the World to Change”. The article goes on to talk about Camden being the most dangerous city in America to children.

So one has to scratch their head and ask, why when the family had lived in a cockroach infested brownstone prior, would Extreme Makeover build a huge house in Camden where there are nearly no comparable homes in that price range which is at the top of the market. And why is the family trying to sell the home less than a year later?

Is this really responsible philanthropy? In an article by Joshua Horwitz for the Chronicle of Philanthropy he explains eloquently, “Television offers a great opportunity to educate and to make people passionate about causes — especially when a philanthropist and television personality as popular as Oprah Winfrey is sponsoring the lessons.” I agree. But like everything else in the media, we really need to think about the messages we are taking in and be aware of their strengths and weaknesses. Maybe a few inconsistent and ill-informed philanthropic messages are better than none. But I'm not sure. Perhaps it's just fertilizing the ground for telling the real stories about volunteerism and philanthropy.

What do you think?

SHAKESPERIENCE:NJ | STUDENT SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL

2008-05-05T15:50:00.003-04:00

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey presents 2nd annual SHAKESPERIENCE:NJ. The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey will host teachers and students in grades 5 through 12 from across the state for Shakesperience:NJ -- three full days highlighting and celebrating the study of Shakespeare through performance on May 5, 6 and 7 at The Theatre's Main Stage - the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre in Madison. The initiative offers an opportunity for middle and high school students to spend an entire day sharing the excitement of Shakespeare as actors and audience members. Each group of students will take the Main Stage at the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre to present a 20-minute Shakespeare scene to an audience of their peers, teachers, parents and professional actors from The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey who will serve as commentators. Twenty-three schools will participate in this year's three-day festival. "As a teacher, I am most grateful for the fact that my students could share their work with peers from different schools and learn from other groups," said May Fung from the Faith Hope Love Academy in Somerset, a participant in the 2007 Shakesperience:NJ festival.

In addition to the student performances, each day will include entertaining educational interludes such as Shakespeare trivia games and swordplay demonstrations. For more information about Shakesperience:NJ, call 973-408-3980 or e-mail jbgrant@ShakespeareNJ.org.

THE CASE FOR MAKE BELIEVE

2008-04-28T11:01:00.004-04:00

Dr. Susan Linn, the co- founder and Director of the Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood has recently released The Case for Make Believe: Saving Play in a Commercialized World.

In The Case for Make Believe, Linn demonstrates that, while creative play is crucial to human development, nurturing make believe in modern day America is not only countercultural - it's a threat to corporate profits.

At the heart of the book are gripping stories of children at home, at school, and in a therapist's office using make-believe to grapple with real-life issues from entering kindergarten to the death of a sibling. In an age when toys promote TV shows, dress-up means Disney costumes, and parents believe Baby Einstein is educational, Linn lays out the inextricable links between play, creativity, and health, showing us how and why we need to protect our children from corporations that aim to limit their imaginations.

Listen to Dr. Susan Linn on the Leonard Lopate Show.

Get a signed copy with your $75 donation to the organization.
Or just buy the book.

SEEDS OF COMPASSION | DALAI LAMA VISITS SEATTLE

2008-04-27T10:28:00.009-04:00

“Compassion arrived with the sunshine in Seattle,” said Dan Kranzler, Seeds of
Compassion co-founder.

A celebration of the many cultures that can be found in the Northwest kicked off the event, as 1000 people of all ages, representing 40 cultures, processed onto the field and joined the crowd in the stadium. The procession included groups representing Tibetan, Native American, Chinese and Latin American cultures.

As part of the procession of cultures, His Holiness the Dalai Lama entered the stadium and took center stage. Valued members of the community, including Governor Christine Gregoire, representatives from local Native American tribes, local youth and partners in the Seeds of Compassion efforts joined His Holiness to address the crowd.

“Today is not about international politics, but about coming together to plant the seeds of compassion for a more peaceful world,” said Governor Gregoire and honorary chair of Seeds of Compassion.

Seeds of Compassion is an initiative of the Kirlin Charitable Foundation. The purpose of the initiative is to nurture kindness and compassion in the world, starting with children and all those who touch their lives. Seeds of Compassion is partnering with early-childhood-development advocates and organizations, foundations, educators, scientists, business leaders and the greater community to highlight and promote the evidence-based programs, tools and strategies that greatly assist with the healthy development of children as happy, compassionate members of society.

A diverse group of youth from across the world that have come together to share their unique perspective of the Seeds of Compassion events on a blog.

Learn how to get involved in the Seeds of Compassion.

REFUGEE REALITIES GAME

2008-04-08T10:48:00.006-04:00

A few years back I wrote a story about the Games for Change Conference, which is slated this year for June 2 to 4, with Sandra Day O'Connor as the closing keynote speaker.

Recently, Oxfam Australia developed a Refugee Realities game that is a free interactive experience that puts you in the position of a refugee or internally displaced person trying to find safety from war. Each year over 500,000 people are killed in war, the livelihoods of many more are destroyed, and families are torn apart. Often they are left with no choice but to live in camps, which are usually unplanned and occupied by thousands of people.

Refugee Realities is both an interactive performance event involving moving image, improvised theatre, audio-visual and photographic art forms as well as an ongoing online project to document the various realities refugees face.

Refugee Realities will navigate you through a mine field, find you on your way to a refugee camp, and have you search for basic needs like water and food and building a temporary shelter. At the end of the game experience you will have the opportunity to try to seek a permanent solution to displacement, outside the conditions of the camp.

Find out more about Games for Change

WHAT'S THIS I HEAR ABOUT WORM POOP?

2008-04-04T15:17:00.008-04:00

I don't know what it was this week, but I ran into worm poop several times. I was looking for websites to post intern jobs and happened upon an environmental company in Trenton that I never heard of before—Terracycle. They seem to have a pretty extensive internship program and their entire communications and PR team seems run by interns. Smart idea. They pay a stipend of 100 bucks per 40 hour work week, which likely pays for gas and lunch. They post on numerous job sites and I kept running into them on every site I posted which piqued my curiosity. When you read "changing the way the world thinks about waste" you wonder what that means.

When you get to their website you are introduced to the company which makes products that are organic and they package them in recycled soda bottles. Their plant food product is made by "feeding organic waste to millions of worms"—better known as worm poop! Interestingly the company also pays people to recycle plastic bottles, energy bar wrappers, yogurt containers and drink pouches. They've even held Annual Worm Poop Factory Graffiti Jams with graffiti artists painting to beautify the community and raise community spirit.

I thought all of this was cool, but clicked out of the website without thinking much more about it. The next day I got my advance email copy of the Stanford Social Innovation Review and what was the lead story? Worm poop. And the talented social entrepreneur whose idea it was—self-described eco-capitalist and co-founder Tom Szaky. Who would ever believe you could turn millions of worms to work to generate $8.6 million in projected sales for 2008? Szaky also has a blog on Inc.'s website and he's giving out free advice. Listen up. This 27 year old Princeton University dropout gives a little insight on how to generate FREE buzz. And he's right.

Smart, resourceful guy. Interesting idea. Free labor. Social entrepreneur with waste solutions. Eco-capitalist: sounds like an oxymoron.

SECRECY REPORT CARD

2008-03-30T08:28:00.005-04:00

OpentheGovernment.org, a coalition of government groups, journalists, consumers, and environmentalists who focus on making the government more transparent and to strengthen the public trust in government has published in 2007 Secrecy Report Card. According to the report:

• Classified information has remained significantly higher than in the years prior to 2001

• States continue to enact laws that limit access to government information with 114 bills that expanded executive powers and closure of otherwise public forums due to security reasons

• 108 patents have been kept secret, with inventions kept under "secrecy orders"

• More than 25% of all Federal contracts are not competed on openly and fairly

The "Secrecy Report Card 2007, shows both a continued expansion of government secrecy across a broad array of agencies and actions and some, limited, movement toward more openness and accountability. While every administration wants to control access to information about its policies and practices, information created by or for the federal government belongs to the American public and should be open."

Read Report