Awesome Foundation - Projects

Yerevan – Put the pedal to the metal!

2017-03-16T00:00:00Z

Vedi (Ararat Province), being a rural small town, remains far from the main civil, political and innovative activities occurring in Armenia. Socio-economic grave situation and, as a result, high level of unemployment cause people and youth to lead a sedentary and non-healthy lifestyle (lack of exercise, smoking, depression, etc.). With an aim to break this negative cycle and in order to promote certain positive and healthy habits among citizens of Vedi, our team aims to install an electricity generating exercise bicycles in a public park in the very center of Vedi Town. The energy, which will be generated through pedaling, will feed a battery, which consequently will serve as an energy source for new LED lighting in Vedi Park. Through this innovative approach we wish to tackle several problems: • Promote healthy lifestyle. The more people will use the exercise bicycle, the more electric power will be generated. In that way, locals will have a strong motivation to exercise more and even compete against each other in order to perform better athletic results. • Promote the use of LED lamps. Not every resident of Vedi is aware of energy saving features of LED technology. We get a chance to provide those people with a true illustration of cost-effective energy consumption. • Improve park appearance. Our project will give a new look to Vedi Park and will make it more modern and attractive for residents. • Promote science and education among young people. In other words, we will demonstrate them that knowledge has a great potential to benefit all of us. • (last but not the least) Promote bicycle culture! We will support the use of bicycles, and promote the idea that cycling is cool and healthy. We clearly recognize that our project might be too ambitious, challenging and peculiar for a rural town like Vedi. But, on the other hand, we also believe that big things have small beginnings.

Chicago, IL – YogaCare: Training Yoga Teachers on the South Side

2017-03-16T00:00:00Z

Our project supports two amazing rockstar women of Englewood in becoming yoga teachers and developing their own classes! YogaCare's Scholarship Fund helps train teachers in underserved neighborhoods where we offer free or donation-based yoga programs to make yoga accessible for all. Each year, two students are awarded scholarships to further their yoga education by participating in a teacher training course of their choice. The two current Scholars (Class of 2017), Darlene Blackburn and Yahdina U-Deen, have been strongly active with YogaCare since its inception as a non-profit organization in 2014, and both play key roles within their own communities in Chicago. As someone who has transitioned through stressful times and physical aches and pains, Darlene has grown to understand herself on a deeper level through yoga. she wants to help others transcend their own self-imposed limitations and experience yoga’s physical, mental, and spiritual benefits. She is an internationally-known African and Caribbean dance instructor, choreographer, and founder of her own dance company! In addition, as a (now-retired) physical education teacher for the Chicago Public Schools for 26 years, Darlene believes in giving back to communities through teaching. Yahdina U-Deen is a mother, grandmother, and a professional singer and actor. She is a senior member of the Black Ensemble Theater Company and has performed around the United States and abroad. Love and thankfulness pour throughout her veins for the many opportunities her Creator has allowed. “Learn, grow, teach, and repeat!” is Yahdina’s motto in life, which fits perfectly into her yoga journey. She was referred to yoga as a means of stress management. And with a new-found awareness of self, yoga has taught her the importance of living from the inside out. Both women have the intrinsic desire to teach, and we are thrilled to co-create this opportunity to cultivate yoga knowledge and share it with their future students!

Yerevan – Բացօթյա պարահրապարակ Նոր Բրաջուրի երեխաների համար

2017-03-16T00:00:00Z

Նոր Բրաջուրը Արցախի Հանրապետության ամենաակտիվ համայնքներից մեկն է՝ չնայած այն հանգամանքին, որ կարծես աշխարհից կտրված վայրում լինի: Այստեղի դպրոցահասակ երեխաների ուղիղ կեսը (20-ը) սիրում են պարել հայ ազգային պարեր, սակայն դրա համար նախատեսված համապատասխան վայր չունեն: Նրանք ստիպված են պարապել փոքրիկ դպրոցի առավել փոքրիկ սենյակներից մեկում, որտեղ միաժամանակ դպրոցի գրադարանն է: Մոտակա համայնքների (Նոր Գետաշեն, Նոր Վերինշեն) երեխաները նույնպես ցանկանում են պարել սովորել, սակայն տեղի բացակայության պատճառով նրանք զուրկ են մնում այդ հաճույքից: Գյուղում կա պարուսույց, ով անվճար հիմունքներով երեխաներին է փոխանցում դարերի, հազարամյակների խորքից մեզ ավանդված պարերը։ Անցած տարի Սուրբ Զատիկի տոնին մեծ թվով մարդիկ Դադիվանքի հոգևորական համալիրում վայելեցին Բրաջուրի երեխաների անզուգական ելույթները, սակայն ոչ ոք անգամ պատկերացում չուներ, թե ինչպիսի պայմաններում են նրանք պարել սովորում: Իմ արշավներից մեկի ժամանակ նրանք ինձ հյուրնկալեցին իրենց գյուղում, և ես իմ աչքերով այդ ամենը տեսա: Այս տարի երեխաները որոշել են մայիսյան եռատոնին նվիրված մեծ միջոցառում կազմակերպել, այդ կապակցությամբ ես ու Բրաջուրի համայնքապետը ցանկանում ենք անակնկալ մատուցել երեխաներին և նրանց համար համայնքում 5x7մ չափերով բացօթյա պարահրապարակ կառուցել Տրտու գետի ափին: Այդտեղի եղանակային պայմանները թույլ են տալիս, որ գարնան հենց սկզբից մինչև խոր աշուն բացօթյա դասեր անցկացվեն։ Հայաստանում նման պարահրապարակների դեռ չեմ հանդիպել, սակայն վստահ եմ, որ շատ հետաքրքիր նորություն կլինի: Բնակիչները երեկոյան ժամերին կհավաքվեն և կպարեն ուժերի սպառման աստիճան: Համայնքի բնակիչները պատրաստ են ինքնուրույն կատարել ամբողջ շինարարական աշխատանքները: Նշեմ նաև, որ Նոր Բրաջուրով է անցնում Քարվաճառյան հայտնի «Ջերմաջուր» տանող ճանապարհը, իսկ այնտեղ գնալիս, եթե կայանեք այս համայնքում, երեխաները իրենց ազգային պարերով հաճելի անակնկալ կմատուցեն ձեզ:

Boston, MA – The Davis Square Symphony

2017-03-16T00:00:00Z

As the son of a research scientist, (my Dad researched fished that lived in isolated springs in the desert comparing them to their fossil ancestors), I spent every summer in the western U.S. deserts on his scientific expeditions until I was 18. This experience had a strong effect on my outlook as a musician and composer where the themes of nature, extremes, self-reliance, and a deep sense of time recur in my work. For one of my latest projects, I conceived the DAVIS SQUARE SYMPHONY as a populist work for orchestra with a film component, based on traffic patterns in Davis Square. I wanted to see how the daily life of Davis Square could become a symphony. I filmed Davis Square from five different locations in the four different seasons. This footage was edited down to 18 minutes and forms the structure for the composition. Each season has a different harmony with spring the most consonant; winter the most dissonant. The score was created by applying grids with the appropriate seasonal harmony to the footage. Vehicles are strings, pedestrians are woodwinds and brass, bicycles are snare drums, etc. Once various decisions were made concerning harmony, instrumentation and dynamics, the piece played itself based on what shows up on-screen. People will see their every-day lives transformed into music. The DAVIS SQUARE SYMPHONY was initially conceived of as a performance for a full live orchestra with film. A high quality MIDI orchestral score will also be created for the film. In this manner it can be shown as a film or an installation at an art museum. After hearing the DAVIS SQUARE SYMPHONY, I hope people will view their daily environment with new eyes and ears. Exposure to this piece will give individuals a different sense of meaning to their routine actions. In a society where everyone is pressed for time, helping people consider how their movements can be musical will be a successful outcome of this composition. It is an active way of looking at the world.

Cass Clay – Addie's Pretty Princess Lemonade Stand/bake sale

2017-03-15T00:00:00Z

Four years ago I found out I was being granted a dream come true from Sunshine Foundation. It was so exciting and brought me so much happiness that I told my mom "I want ALL the dreams to come true!" My mom helped me set up a little lemonade stand and bake sale on my street corner. Each year my lemonade stands/bake sales have become bigger and more visible. Because my dream was to meet the Disney Princesses (and because princesses are AWESOME!) I started having princesses visit the stand to help with lemonade, cupcakes and to visit with the kids. My last lemonade stand made nearly $4000 and so far I have raised about $13,000 to help Sunshine Foundation make dreams come true!! I have been a part of helping grant the dreams of 4 other kids from Minnesota! This year I am going to work really hard on getting a celebrity Prince Charming to visit the stand (I have a little something up my sleeve). If this works out it might be the biggest Princess cupcake/lemonade stand ever!!

Los Angeles, CA – P-22 Coloring and Activity Book

2017-03-15T00:00:00Z

Who could be more awesome than the most famous resident of Griffith Park? When life feels hard, we think about P-22, the lone mountain lion living in one of North America’s largest urban parks. Originally from the Santa Monica Mountains, this nimble young puma has faced much adversity to travel to and survive in our beloved 4,300-plus-acre Griffith Park: He’s crossed two freeways, been poisoned by rodenticides, and trapped in the crawl space under a hillside home (his fate captured by news helicopters). Oh, yes, and there was that koala incident. Without a mate, he lives fragmented from the rest of the puma community, an apex predator alone in a small habitat. This beautiful, big cat beat the odds and his continued survival makes him an apt mascot for our city. P-22’s story is about being scrappy and making do; it’s also about the importance of preserving native wildlife, parks, and a recognition of the interdependence of our species. No other major city in America has the volume of wildlife that L.A. does. Our park is P-22’s home. We want to pay tribute to P-22 in a medium that kids can interact with and help them learn about their incredible neighbor and the importance of protecting his habitat. The goal is to teach the next generation to respect urban wildlife. Kiddos love to color and we want them to have an awesome, educational book featuring line art by local artists who share an appreciation for this amazing character living in our midst. Part of the proceeds from the coloring book will go directly to the nonprofit organization Friends of Griffith Park, which works to protect P-22’s habitat. That’s the main reason why we are doing this: We want to do something to help P-22 and to educate the public about how amazing—and how endangered—his life is.

Rotterdam – SPAAK

2017-03-14T00:00:00Z

SPAAK is a rental company for personally designed bike tours on a special SPAAK bike, in which two participants collect parts of a meal throughout the city and cook/eat their meal at the end of the tour. The tours take the participants past entrepreneurs, places and people that contribute to a better city or surrounding. You can call them idealistic or ambitious, but they take the Rotterdam saying ‘Niet lullen maar poetsen’ really serious. SPAAK has two goals: -Bring two people closer together and let them experience real life adventures - Show people where food comes from and show them that urban farming really exist. Research told us that experiences make people happier than products. This includes us and is an interesting fact to be aware of! That is why we want to bring people together with an adventure. Besides, in this way we support projects and entrepreneurs in Rotterdam who contribute to local food production. Not many people in Rotterdam (and tourists) are familiar with the possibilities of local food production, green spots in the city and the effect ' sustainable grocery shopping' can have on the environment. Still, there are many entrepreneurs, farmers and local initiatives that stimulate this thought in Rotterdam. SPAAK stimulates all this, with bike tours. To show two participants an awesome side of food, Rotterdam and each other.

Stockholm (Inactive) – Co-Grow: Let's GROW together

2017-03-14T00:00:00Z

Ever longed for a garden? Or ever had a garden but then no time to take care of it? The winner of our February grant found a missed opportunity somewhere inbetween those two questions and so co-grown was born. Simply awesome. This is how the winners themselves describe their idea: Co-Grow is a match-making service connecting people who want to grow food with people who has land of any kind. By connecting resources – gardens with growers – Co-Grow is offering a smart solution within the realm of the sharing economy and an answer to one of the most pressing issues of our time: how to feed a growing population without further pushing the planetary boundaries. Garden-sharing is not only a smart solution for making use of unused land in urban areas, it is also a way of creating new opportunities for people and neighbours to meet.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Building Community through Storytelling

2017-03-13T00:00:00Z

We want to create a storytelling event in the evening monthly for the local Wabanaki community (and others who wish to attend). We will plan a story cycle over the course of one year that will cover the local stories of Native American Maine, from creation through refinement of creation through the creation of the medicine through management of contemporary relationships. The Wabanaki Confederacy comprises the 5 tribes of Maine: the Penobscot, the Upper and Lower Passamaqoudy, the Micmac, and the Maliseet. The language is shared with minor variations among these Nations. Tremendous problems of alienation and disenfranchisement exist within the indigenous nations of Maine. Cultural alienation is prominent. Many members of Maine's aboriginal nations do not know any of their traditional cultural stories. Opportunities for connecting with others around culture are lacking. Small cultural enclaves exist, but they are often exclusive and not open to all members of these indigenous nations. Listening to stories is an amazing way to create community. in this project, we will begin with storytelling of a story relevant to the time of year in which we find ourselves. After the storytelling, we will have a talking circle in which people talk about how the story affected them and anything else they are moved to say. The talking circle is a unique Native American format for communication, often attributed to the Lakota. In the talking circle, a topic is introduced for the group to consider, followed by a song and a prayer. Then, a decoated stick is passed around the circle and whoever holds the stick may speak for as long as he or she wishes without interruption. The stick goes around the circle until everyone is silent or the premises must be vacated. We have published research on the use of talking circles in primary care clinics, finding that they are more effective in reducing subjective distress than actually seeing the doctor.

Ottawa – Apidictor Symphony

2017-03-13T00:00:00Z

March’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Deborah Margo and Annette Hegel to support an outdoor art installation examining the flight paths and sound-making of bumble bees. The project, which they are calling “Apidictor Symphony,” will be shown as part of Fieldwork’s 10th anniversary exhibition, in rural eastern Ontario, from May to November. “Fieldwork’s meadow,” Deborah explains, “will contain a mowed series of wide, crossing paths reproducing the complex pattern and scale of the bumble bee’s actual flight path. Visitors will be able to walk the pathways, listening to her pollinator conversations and songs. These soundscapes will relate to each other like movements of a symphony.” “As part of the installation,” Deborah continues, “we are creating a series of giant nectar pods made of honey-coloured fiberglass, housing solar-powered amplifiers and speakers. The sounds will be collected and transmitted from apidictors, measuring and recording devices filtering bumble bee ‘music’ to make certain frequencies easier to hear. They will be placed in nectar-rich areas of the terrain, with their contents subsequently transmitted to the pods’ amplifiers in the meadow.” “Apidictor Symphony is a celebration and warning about environmental well-being,” Deborah explains. “If we want bumble bees to continue their work, we need to learn to listen a lot closer.” You can follow their project and have a listen at https://apidictorsymphony.wordpress.com. Deborah and Annette are Ottawa-based visual artists interested in the confluence of art, nature, and science. They are also avid growers of plants and self-described fierce guardians of pollinators.

Philadelphia, PA – Not in Philly

2017-03-10T00:00:00Z

Philly has a litter problem. It is an issue that effects not only our environment and waterways, but instills hopelessness in its people. As our city is slow to help, it is up to us. In return for a 6-month commitment to going out once a week to pick up litter in your neighborhood, Not in Philly provides tools needed to quickly clean a block as well as small incentives. The resources are bags and grabbers and the incentives are through members taking a picture of their cleaned block, then #notinphilly on Instagram. We then raffle off gift cards from an area business, HubBub coffee being the first, from those who post. Right now, all organizations that combat litter in our city do so as large, one day, community-based activities. These are important, but they do little to hold back the tide of litter as it accumulates between mass cleanings. Not in Philly will provide opportunities for citizens to clean their blocks between these organized cleanups， empowering a network of neighbors across Philadelphia. NotinPhilly.org, is what we believe to be the first map enabled adopt-a-block site in the country. No other site or city has their blocks segmented and selectable. We are hoping to prove the concept so that other cities can copy what we have done. Next City, which shares best practices between cities, covered us last month at: https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/philadelphia-clean-up-litter-website

Philadelphia, PA – Muslim Girls Culture Club

2017-03-10T00:00:00Z

Northeast High School (NEHS) is the largest public school in Philadelphia, is one of the most diverse high schools in the nation, serving over 3,000 students, with 56 languages spoken and 750 ESOL students. Due to limited school resources, these cultural divisions are largely left unaddressed and dedicated faculty and staff struggle to meet the needs of their growing ESOL population. This project began last year in response to Muslim female students expressing feelings of isolation from their peers and even teachers as a result of the political climate. The Muslim Girls Culture Club is open to students in the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program and girls who identify as Muslim or are interested in Muslim culture from a female perspective. This project creates a safe space for Muslim girls to openly talk about issues/concerns, connect with and mutually support their peers, and develop skills/tools the arts as a means for self-awareness, expression, community building, and collective empowerment. We will build off the work from last year by continuing to meet them twice a month to enhance their research, writing, creativity, critical thinking, and public speaking skills with program content focused on future goals and career path development, which we have started to do by exploring their own interests, passions, and hobbies and bringing in local Muslim female mentors for college applications. The girls will research successful women from their home countries, the US, other countries, and/or of Muslim affiliation to understand their challenges and accomplishments. We plan to invite local female artists and other professionals to lead arts workshops, motivational talks, and networking opportunities. Merging their interests, research, and arts skills, the girls will have opportunities to produce artwork that is reflective of themselves and the women they identify with. Their artwork will be shared publicly in various forums in and out of the school.

Birmingham, AL (Inactive) – The 1st One-Job Readiness Program for Teens

2017-03-10T00:00:00Z

The 1st One: Workforce Development and Job Readiness Program for teens 15-19 years of age. Purpose: Workforce Preparedness for first time jobbers. This program will help teens learn the skills and etiquette of obtaining and keeping their first job. Target Goal: Enroll 10 teens in the program that are committed to 12-week program. The program will consist of 6 weeks of training, 1 week-financial literacy, 1-week refresher, and 4 work weeks. Parents and teens must complete application, sign consent forms, have own transportation, and commit to completing the entire program for 12 weeks. Anticipated Outcomes: The outcomes of working with teens through this capacity are to gain focus on career goals, training, and development, life development, develop relationships, strengthen communication, problem-solving, critical-thinking, and teen building skill. The anticipated outcomes will help teens transition productively into society and become responsible adults. This program is set to produce hands-on experience and training for teens in 2017. Our goal is to reduce the teen drop-out rate by implementing a job readiness program that will help teens focus on career goals early. As they develop career goals they will be more focused on completing the action steps to get them into a sustainable career. As they obtain knowledge-based training they will use this as the building blocks to obtain hands on training in Phase 2 of the program.

Piqua, OH (Inactive) – Teacher Appreciation 5K

2017-03-10T00:00:00Z

To honor our wonderful teachers and to promote health & wellness, Piqua City School district is conducting its first ever 5K. Our plan is to have the 5K be the grand finale to teacher appreciation week. Where students across the district run in recognition of their favorite teacher. We have an assortment of ideas to make the event exciting and enjoyable for all that attend. One of those ideas is to perform a Color Toss, also known as a Color Rush. A Color Toss is a colorful way to bring joy and excitement to everyone. Our goal of the Color Toss is to make our 5K unforgettable! The color powder used for the Color Toss is completely safe and environmentally friendly, with all materials being U.S. FDA approved. However, in order for this colorful celebration to occur we will need the help of Awesome Piqua!

Detroit, MI – Seraphine Collective's Beat Match Brunch

2017-03-07T00:00:00Z

DJ Culture, in Detroit and elsewhere, is male-dominated: VICE Magazine reports that women make up under 10% of all DJs at music festivals. There is also a high barrier to entry — the cost of equipment can be prohibitive, and as beginners, women are less likely to have access to technical mentorship, practice space and booking opportunities. In April 2016, we rose to this challenge by launching our first workshop series: Beat Match Brunch, a month-long introduction to the fundamentals of the art form for aspiring female-identified DJs. The first workshop, facilitated by Detroit DJ Mother Cyborg, had to turn away about half of the applicants, which highlights the series’ potential to breathe fresh air into the city’s electronic music scene. In April, we invited eight women with diverse musical tastes and cultural backgrounds to learn how to use turntables, handle, select and “read” vinyl records, isolate sounds, and use BPMs to beat-match, all in a supportive and collaborative environment. Following the end of the workshop, several of the DJs have continued to independently borrow equipment, organize practice sessions, and perform at dozens of events around town. Seraphine Collective hopes that the Beat Match Brunch program will become self-sustaining, with graduates teaching later generations and performing at fundraising events. In short, it’s been awesome, and we are so excited to lay the groundwork for this workshop to become a permanent part of Seraphine Collective’s programming, and a fixture in the Detroit music scene.

Detroit, MI – Asset Based Resource Center

2017-03-07T00:00:00Z

Detroit Phoenix Center is a community based, nonprofit organization that exists to improve the outcomes for youth who are experiencing homelessness. Our services empower young people, ages (14-24) to improve their health, wellness and self-sufficiency. Homeless youth, also called unaccompanied youth, are defined as“individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.”(NAEHCY, 2016). It is estimated that 1.6 to 1.7 million youth experience homelessness each year (NAEHCY, 2016). Homeless youth are at a higher risk for substance abuse, mental health issues, and sexual exploitation. In addition, many lack proper health care, job readiness skills and are predisposed to educational barriers. In, Detroit MI, it is estimated that ten to thousands of youth are homeless. These youth aren’t receiving the services they need because they are invisible. The Asset Based Resource Center will be a safe haven for homeless youth ages 14-24. Services at ABRC include will include basic necessities such as food, clothing, personal care items, a place to rest, lockers, access to phone, computers and email. Showers and washer and dryer facilities will also available free of charge. Supportive services will also be provided at the ABRC. These services address a variety of needs including help getting ID’s and birth certificates, housing referrals, mental health services, job readiness training, education support, counseling, education, parenting and independent living skills workshops and computer training. The ABRC will serve as a one-stop shop where homeless youth will have immediate access to a combination of services, rather than having to go to various locations for different services.

Detroit, MI – Berm Wave Field Meadow

2017-03-07T00:00:00Z

I recently purchased a vacant side lot at 1991 Seward in the LaSalle Gardens neighborhood of Detroit adjacent to a rental property I own and have been rehabbing. I am planning to put a wildflower meadow on half of the lot, and a vegetable garden on the other side. I will maintain it and will seek assistance from residents and property owners in the neighborhood. For the wildflower meadow portion, I would love to put in a berm wave field, similar to that on the University of Michigan's North Campus (https://campusinfo.umich.edu/article/wave-field-north), but with wildflowers instead of grass. I would plant water-loving wildflowers in the valleys and flowers more tolerant of drier soil on the peaks.

Asheville, NC (Inactive) – The 90-Second Newbery Film Festival

2017-03-06T00:00:00Z

The 90-Second Newbery Film Festival, which I founded in 2011, is an annual video contest in which kid filmmakers create weird short movies that tell the entire stories of Newbery-winning books in about 90 seconds. On April 22, 2017 we plan to bring the festival to the Pack Memorial Library in Asheville! Ever since 1922, the Newbery Medal has been recognized as the most prestigious award in children’s literature. But any classic book, no matter how worthy and somber, turns into something fresh and bonkers when compressed into 90 seconds. Here are 25 standouts from the 100s of kid-made videos we've received over the years: http://bit.ly/2cbDC1r The best of each year's movies are shown at FREE yearly screenings across the country, in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Portland, Minneapolis, and starting in 2017, ASHEVILLE -- co-hosted by me and other children's authors. These free shows combine screenings of the kids' movies with comedy cabaret bits, and have been "sold out" from the start, with crowds of hundreds, including the young filmmakers themselves. Our mission: 1) Entice students into reading and discussing classic Newbery-winning books. 2) Encourage the close reading necessary to write a script that wittily sums up a book in 90 seconds. 3) Give opportunity for students to use new technologies, such as video equipment and editing software, in a constructive way that promotes literacy. 4) Throw awesome screening parties to celebrate the kids' great movies! I'm looking forward to bringing the 90-Second Newbery to Asheville! We already have a team of enthusiastic supporters. The organizer in Asheville is local Elliot Weiner. The Pack Memorial Library has offered use of their auditorium for the 4/22 screening. North Carolina author Alan Gratz will co-host with me. Carolina Day School has contributed many great movies to the festival over the years. With these allies plus more, we plan to put on an unforgettable show at the library.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Aravani Art Project

2017-03-06T00:00:00Z

Indian history and mythology is rich with evidence of Transperson*s holding important positions in the royal courts and society. According to several mythological stories they are believed to be bestowed with divine powers. However, in today’s society they are faced with severe forms of marginalisation, exclusion and discrimination – socially, culturally, economically, politically and legally – which has lead to them being denied livelihood opportunities, therefore forcing them into begging and sex work. As a result of which they have been further marginalised and excluded – given that neither of these livelihoods ensure any form of dignity and are frowned upon in Indian society. Transpersons are a sexual minority, which like all other sexual minorities in India have been robbed off their identities. The lack of understanding and negative perception of these individuals coupled with general apathy, stereotypes and stigmas has manifested in the form of limited interactions and conversations with other sections of society, further subjecting them to more severe forms of discrimination -sometimes even by their own families. Public (wall) art has known to be a powerful tool for enhancing community participation, mobilisation and for enhancing public interventions and support systems. The Aravani Art Project, aims at organically bringing together individuals from the Trans*community, the communities they live in and local artists, to collaborate and paint public spaces. With this we intend to use it as a medium to initiate conversations, in this case the aspiration of creating some amount of awareness, the Art projects provides for a forum for interaction among members from the Trans community and those from the public; providing an opportunity for open interactions through which issues of stereotypes, stigma, discriminations, marginalisation and exclusion would get addressed.

Northampton, MA (Inactive) – Welcoming Immigrants: An Immigrant Artist's View

2017-03-06T00:00:00Z

Center for New Americans, a community-based immigrant education and resource center located in a city-owned building in Northampton would like to commission one of our students, an immigrant artist from Costa Rica, to create a mural to welcome students and constituents into our building. Our constituents are not native English speakers, but they would quickly recognize the services we offer if they were portrayed in images by an artist who has been welcomed and served by our program. The artist has been recognized in her home country of Costa Rica and in the U.S., where she has had exhibits. The City of Northampton has expressed a willingness to support this project if they are shown a sketch first.

Liverpool (Inactive) – "...Shouldn't throw stones"

2017-03-06T00:00:00Z

I have begun to photograph and film the inner workings, remains and archives of the old Pilkingtons Glass HQ (currently Alexandra Business Park) in St Helens. The site is a vast complex filled with historical rooms, objects and varied artefacts of by gone eras. The site is also a working office space (in parts) for NHS, Game Designers, local businesses and charities who reside in the ‘Shell’ of the listed/dated brutalist architecture and 1960’s, 70’s, 80’s to present day décor. It is my intention to create an installation for exhibition that relates to the historical/current impact and legacy of the Pilkington ‘Empire’. I also will investigate what contributed to its fall from grace, discover what remains there are and how the site will fare in the future. I would like to photograph and interview any ex members of staff/workers and record their stories and hopefully create a form of digital archive of people’s history with the site. It is also my intention to collaborate with other creatives, musicians, writers and artists to create a body of work which contributes to the exhibition. This would be a rare chance to open the site to the public (Exhibition would be held on site). It is also a chance for a variety of creatives from Merseyside to collaborate in creating an art installation around a subject matter that holds a great deal of historical and cultural significance to Merseyside.

Liverpool (Inactive) – Microbes to Mosquitoes: Workshops for Young People

2017-03-06T00:00:00Z

“Microbes to mosquitoes” aims to deliver high quality informal education to disadvantaged children and young people who as a result of their circumstances may find it difficult to engage with STEM subjects. Using interactive and artistic workshops I hope to get “scientists” out of their comfort zones in explaining their research to young people. The youth club at Centre 63 is Knowsley’s oldest surviving youth club which works with 8-18 year olds who come from disadvantaged backgrounds and have a wide spectrum of needs which makes it difficult for them to access positive leisure opportunities and make friends. Within Kirkby 20% of young people are classified as NEET (not in education, training or employment). Knowsley is the worst performing local authority at GCSE level in England and funding cuts within the borough have seen the end of A-Level provision. Consequently, this project will foster an enthusiasm for further education and training with the hope that it will encourage young people, who may feel abandoned by academia, to engage with research and develop themselves academically and creatively in order to achieve their goals and raise their ambitions. The project will involve the delivery of monthly sessions on a range of topics related to global health in collaboration with students and researchers from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and University of Liverpool. Each session will consist of interactive and informative workshops focused on a particular subject (e.g. venomous snakes, disease causing insects). While each month the workshops content will educate users about a specific topic, overall the project aims to encourage open discussion of scientific ideas, empower young people to ask questions and engage with research, and encourage a positive collaboration between scientists and the public.

Liverpool (Inactive) – Fomo Cam

2017-03-06T00:00:00Z

Fomo cam is an IoT camera designed to overcome the common feeling at public events that something even more incredible is happening somewhere else. Loosely based on Tween bots we want to build cameras that are given to attendees at public events to record their impression, and then passed on. It's experimental, we don't know how people will respond or where the cameras will be taken. But throughout the event we'll have a live stream of perspectives, we can post online. Fomo cam will be a large decorated enclosure containing a camera taking photographs at regular intervals. Also in the enclosure will be, mobile data conectivity, auxiliary power and a micro controller to provide visual feedback showing when a photograph is due to be taken. Images will be posted to a monitored social media stream, or bespoke site. It was conceived with Light Night in mind and we have submitted a provisional application to be part of this years programme. We would also be interested in recording activity at Liverpool Make Fest. The project will be documented on the DoES github account and available for other groups to recreate,

Singapore – Climate for Change

2017-03-05T00:00:00Z

Climate for Change aims to reach those sympathetic to environmental concerns, but who are not actively engaged. Although scientists and our government have for a long time warned us of the importance climate change, it has been a long standing challenge to effectively engage people to help solve climate change. Climate for Change connects new people that have not previously been engaged on the environment through their friends. We do this through one of our favourite things: good food. Those who are concerned about climate change organise a small gathering of friends (10) to enjoy a meal together and a conversation about climate change. Climate for Change guides them in organising the gathering, and we send a trained volunteer facilitator to guide the conversation. This kind of engagement has been run in other countries and has proven not only effective, but personal and meaningful as friends discover the shared concern they have for our environment and become closer through caring for it together. Each gathering aims to inspire at least 2 participants to host their own gathering, so as to grow exponentially (gatherings in Australia have averaged 2.5). Since EarthFest, we have trained 5 volunteer hosts (including one team member from Ugly Fruits) who are preparing to conduct focus groups. The focus groups will inform how we tailor the conversations and facilitator training for a Singapore audience.

Sarnia (Inactive) – Strange Listenings

2017-03-03T00:00:00Z

Oakland, CA (Inactive) – Anti Lab: A Creative Resistance Resource Center

2017-03-03T00:00:00Z

In the wake of Trump’s election, Bay Area artists wasted no time producing creative resistance projects. Lukaza Branfman-Verissimo made a shirt and poster design reminding everyone to step up as allies to marginalized people; Stephanie Syjuco created elaborate sewn banners accompanied by a make-your-own guide; and the Yerba Mala Collective published a poem online asking its readers to print out excerpts and disseminate the fighting words far and wide. “These pages have no names,” the poem reads, asserting that the work belongs to anyone who finds them useful in fighting for justice. Because of the political climate, the Bay Area art scene is surging with artworks that belong to and can be authored by all of us. Rather than producing singular objects, many artists are creating templates for replicable aesthetic disruptions that can be set into motion by two things: resources and participation. Recognizing this exceptional moment for otherwise non-creative citizens to take part in Anti-Trump resistance through easy activist art projects, Holly Meadow-Smith and I conceptualized Anti Lab. The Anti Lab will be a showcase of creative resistance artworks and resource center for replicating projects that are anti-fascism, anti-racism, anti-patriarchy, anti-oppression, and anti-complacency. It will be launched at Gallery 2301 (Telegraph and 23rd St., Oakland) in early April and live through May, 2017. The gallery will be outfitted with free stations for sewing banners, xeroxing and printing posters, screen-printing shirts/flags/patches, pressing pins, and assembling personal information packets — and each will feature examples and templates designed by local artists. There will also be a robust calendar of events featuring everything from film screenings, to cyber-security workshops, to call-your-rep-athons. Oh, and one crucial draw: free coffee. With Anti Lab, we hope to offer a creative community hub for diverse groups of people to come together and organize change.

Atlanta, GA (Inactive) – Mini City

2017-03-02T00:00:00Z

Mini City is a tech start-up based in Atlanta that is committed to empowering one of America’s most vulnerable and often overlooked populations: the homeless. Mini City arose from the ideation of activists, developers, and strategists with a single vision. We utilize strategic community development and ground-breaking technology to alleviate homelessness. Having gone through the social enterprise start-up hack-a-thon that is Goodie Hack, we have emerged prepared to affect lasting change in the city that we call home. In order to bring about said change we are seeking funding to support Mini City’s initial pilot services programming. Mini City uses wearable Near Field Communication (NFC) technology (similar to FitBit and Nike Fuel) to unlock vital services for the homeless. Through membership, Mini City provides legal identification, employment, nourishment, and wellness services to those in need. This has been made possible by Mini City’s tech sponsor, Tagstand (a leader in NFC and tech-enabled wearable devices). There is no other nonprofit or social enterprise in our nation, that employs this type of tech solution to alleviate homelessness; placing Mini City firmly on the forefront of bridging tech and community development. In the six short months since Mini City's founding, we have partnered with influential frontline organizations such as the Salvation Army’s Red Shield Services. Red Shield is one of the largest homeless shelters in Atlanta which serves veterans, children, LGBTQ youth, individuals living with HIV/AIDs, and the disabled. Slated to begin this February, Mini City and Red Shield are teaming to launch the pilot program for our services. The pilot, which is free to the shelter and participants, will be used to gather data and measure the effectiveness of our solution. We will pilot the program at two additional partner shelters in February.

Annapolis, NS (Inactive) – Easter Eggstravaganza

2017-03-02T00:00:00Z

Easter Eggstavaganza is happening again for the 11th year, this time with the help of Awesome Annapolis. The money will be spent on purchasing treats to fill the eggs, paying for the use of King's Theatre, buying prizes and advertising. The day is full and exciting with people travelling from all over the province to enjoy. We have a giant Easter Egg Hunt at Fort Anne with over 10,000.00 tasty eggs hidden around the fort! Later on in the day we offer a free movie for the children and after the movie, prizes including the chance to win a bike. It's a great family day and we encourage people to spend the entire day in the town of Annapolis Royal Come join us Saturday April 15th at 11 am. Photo copyright of Kate O'Rourke & used with permission. http://themaritimer.ca/2014/easter-egg-hunting-annapolis-royal/

Twin Cities, MN (Inactive) – Woolly mammoth puppet

2017-03-01T00:00:00Z

Imagine a woolly mammoth striding down Reverand Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd in downtown Saint Paul. It’s Earth Day, and thousands of Minnesotans are marching in support of climate science and action. The woolly mammoth, while magically life-like, is actually a giant puppet built by master puppeteer Alison Heimstead. We are proposing to build a nearly life-size woolly mammoth puppet to be animated at parades, demonstrations and public events to draw attention to humans’ relationship to and responsibility for climate change. The woolly mammoth, as arguably the first human-caused extinction, is a symbol for what we stand to lose in the face of accelerating climate change. Yet, although the mammoth carries a serious message, it delivers it in a lighthearted way that appeals to our natural sense of wonder. The sight of this mythic animal in a modern, urban environment will open people up to new possibilities for action, rather than paralyze them with fearful rhetoric. Local playwright and performance-maker Elle Thoni came up with the idea to build a woolly mammoth puppet while writing a full-length play about mammoth de-extinction, a real scientific endeavor that has recently taken social media by storm. While Elle hopes to fully produce her play Woolly in 2018, she has been inspired by this new era of renewed civic action to animate the central figure of her play with the hope that it will serve as a playful prompt for conversations about climate change in the public sphere. For Alison, the woolly mammoth is the next step in her artistic exploration in the intersection between puppetry and taxidermy, creating puppets that are as realistic and textured as they are whimsical. As a seasoned builder, she will construct a puppet that is lightweight enough to be operated by four puppeteers for long periods of time and can also be easily broken down and transported.

Washington, DC – Tightshift Laboring Cooperative

2017-03-01T00:00:00Z

Hello family! My name is Juan and our organization is called TightShift Laboring Cooperative. Tightshift's goal is to provide quality employment to returning citizens and troubled youth while providing excellent moving, hauling, landscaping, cleaning, and other home improvement services. It will be also one of the first worker-owned cooperatives in the District, which means it will be owned and managed by its workers. I returned home from prison 3 years ago after a 14 year sentence. Trying to find work was hell for me. Even though I had already served my time, finding a living wage job was nearly impossible. During some of this time I had been homeless. I did laboring work to get by. My clients were always impressed with my services, but because I wasn’t incorporated and formalized I couldn’t charge the same as others with my skill level. I’m so passionate about TightShift Laboring Coop because it will allow me to provide quality employment for myself and others who have faced similar difficult situations, and to provide training and support to the larger community through Buildin’ Bosses. We will show the world what we are capable of, and that we can be our own bosses! The big vision is to change the economy, so everyone's needs are met and everyone has the opportunity to have dignity and respect. Tight Shift Laboring Coop will show the world what the future of work looks like – where the workers have a say in their workplaces, while looking out for their community and the earth. Here are some videos and articles that came out recently that tell a little more about us: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgrYyPwmRTQ http://dcist.com/2016/12/tightshift.php http://www.shareable.net/blog/this-co-op-gives-formerly-incarcerated-people-jobs-and-community

Ottawa – Retro Photos

2017-02-28T00:00:00Z

February’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Jen Rosenthal to support construction of a travelling photo studio — mid-1800s style — which she will use to take pictures of ordinary Canadians in Confederation-era costumes to mark Canada’s 150th birthday. “Before the invention of photography,” Jen explains, “the only way to have a likeness of oneself captured was to commission a portrait painted by an artist. Obviously not something that would have been accessible to many people. Then, around the time of Confederation, the photographic image became a reality and photographic technology developed to an extent that even regular folks could afford to get their portraits taken by the itinerant portrait photographers that made their living travelling from town to town.” “My project is a sort of educational initiative,” she continues, “aimed at celebrating the history of portrait photography and fashion from the Confederation Era. I have sewed a collection of Confederation Era costumes — for all ages and sizes, and made from 100% recycled fabric — and my plan is to create a travelling portrait studio to set up at events, museums, and historic sites in the Ottawa area and offer people the opportunity to have their portrait taken in the old fashioned style while learning a bit about portraiture back in the mid-1800s.” The support from Awesome Ottawa will allow Jen to construct an old fashioned wood caravan, built over a trailer, that she will be able to pull behind her car. Inside will be the costumes, equipment, and props, and it will also serve as a change room. Jen is a fashion and textiles historian and a former museum educator. You can follow her project on Facebook and Twitter.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – ZumaPoop - How do you use a toilet without water?

2017-02-28T00:00:00Z

How do you use a toilet without water? ZumaPoop is an awesome project to provide dignified and playful ecological restrooms for kids in Moctezuma, an informal community in the suburbs of Oaxaca, Mexico that lacks water and sanitation infrastructure, and to teach these kids how to use these sustainable facilities. ZumaPoop is composed of 2 parts: 1) The construction of beautiful waterless compost-toilets and hand-washing units. 2) A fun educational program about sustainable hygiene tailored for children. This project was conceived by myself and La Casita, a local, women-led, civil organization that provides free daycare to children from low/no income families in Moctezuma. La Casita will host and maintain the sanitary facilities and has already started the educational program, its been a lot of fun! The children activities include games and songs that teach about hygiene, importance of water, use and maintenance of compost-toilets and composting practices in general. Compost-toilets require no water and all the waste is composted through a natural, proven process based on WASH (Water And Sanitation for Health) principles. It is safe, clean and odor-free. The fertilizer is then distributed to the local community or used in La Casita’s organic farm. Hand-washing units use harvested rainwater collected from the roof. In February of 2017, we will build the children-centric restrooms in a sustainable way by using local construction techniques like rammed earth walls and locally produced materials including roof tiles, wall tiles and reclaimed wood. These are also the cheapest materials locally available! An awesome idea isn’t created alone. Parents, educators, and of course, the children themselves have been involved in ZumaPoop from the beginning. The restrooms will be built by community volunteers together with skilled construction masters. Once completed, anyone in this waterless region can proudly build and use his or her own sustainable restroom!

Rockport, MA – New storage shed at Evans Field

2017-02-28T00:00:00Z

Four students from our Technology/Design class would like to construct a new storage shed. This project would not only educate students on how structures are built, but also open up new doors to students who would like to peruse possible careers in construction/contracting. Our project will benefit the entire community. Evans Field, which is where the new shed will replace, the old storage shed next to the dugout, is a central location where many different people from Rockport go to enjoy all levels of baseball games, youth soccer games, sled in the winter, and use year round for any other activities they have in mind. The field equipment tools are vital in the upkeep of the field so all may use it. The lack of a fully functional storage shed for the equipment puts stress on the tools that leads to unnecessary replacements. A well constructed shed would essentially eliminate these problems and will allow better protection from the elements which will lead to longer usage for tools.

Jumbos (Inactive) – Seeing Breastfeeding

2017-02-28T00:00:00Z

I will host a one-day photographic event open to the public at Project for Empty Space in Newark, NJ, called Seeing Breastfeeding. This project would be an all-day event held in the front gallery space in which breastfeeding mothers of Newark, and surrounding areas, would be invited to sit for a free studio portrait while breastfeeding their child. Breastfeeding is a vital, beautiful, and connective act that is still unsupported in many areas of women’s lives -- the workplace, the government, by commercial industries, in hospitals and medical centers, and even in their homes by their own partners or families. My goal is to further the awareness of the beauty and importance of breastfeeding, and to, in particular, empower the mothers of the Newark area to be even more proud of breastfeeding their children. Practically, this event will be open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis, and the studio will be set up in the window space of PES so that passers-by can observe and learn from the agency of these women. Mothers will be invited to have their portrait taken in whatever manner is most comfortable, exposing their breasts or keeping their chests more covered. This project is intended to make breastfeeding mothers feel supported and proud, no matter how they choose to do it. The event will be promoted through various local Facebook groups, such as Black Women Do Breastfeed, Best for Babes Foundation, the Center for Parenting Artists, the New Jersey Breastfeeding Coalition, as well through local medical centers. Each sitter will receive a printable JPEG file, with permission to make reprints for themselves, along with two 5”x7” prints, at no charge. Additionally, several groups and services will be invited to table at the portrait event, or share resources there, including: Planned Parenthood, Black Women Do Breastfeed, Best for Babes Foundation, Newark WIC Program, University Hospital Newark Breastfeeding Mothers’ Group and others.

Newmarket – Modern Learning Commons Club

2017-02-28T00:00:00Z

I am a teacher at a small school in Newmarket whose community is largely made up of lower income families. We would like to further develop our Modern Learning Commons where students come to explore their creativity using various materials and resources that they would not typically have the opportunity to explore. We would like to expand our S.T.E.M areas and expose students to new learning opportunities in this area. We currently have 6 stations set up for students to choose from. The majority of these stations are geared towards the older children. We would like the opportunity to expand the number of stations we have and gear these new stations towards the younger students in our school so that we are providing everyone with an equal opportunity to embrace their creativity and take risks learning new technologies.

Melbourne (Inactive) – Friendship Dog Foundation

2017-02-28T00:00:00Z

The human-dog bond is many centuries old, and is an immensely unique one that doesn't exist with any other animal. There are countless stories of how a dog has helped enrich our lives. Examples include helping a blind person cross the street, giving disabled people independence by retrieving them objects, providing an aged person with calming emotional support during cancer treatment, making a PTSD-suffering combat veteran feel safer by turning on the lights and giving autistic children confidence by acting as a conversation ice-breaker in social settings. The human-dog bond improves well-being, provides mental & emotional & physical support and saves lives. I want to help solve two problems in our society by harnessing the awesomeness of dogs: (1) re-homing shelter dogs and (2) alleviating loneliness. Loneliness is a silent epidemic in Australia. More than nine million people are "always or often lonely" and would never admit it to anyone else. Loneliness isn't just unpleasant to deal with, but also possibly harmful to our health. As someone that struggled with loneliness, a dog was a wonderful companion, was always there for me and showered me with love daily. Dogs are amazing animals that are filled with happiness, friendship and loyalty. Therefore, my awesome project will help create a new type of service dog: friendship dogs. These dogs help provide friendship, companionship and support to lonely people. But these aren't just any dogs, though. These are dogs from shelters, that were abandoned by their owners. They're also sad, neglected and alone. These dogs would do anything to be put in a home with an owner that cares for it, understands it and appreciates it. And what better than a person that is also struggling with the same problem? Because a friend in need is a friend indeed. The Friendship Dog Foundation will pair abandoned dogs from shelters with people feeling lonely.

North Minneapolis, MN – African Drums for Franklin Middle School

2017-02-28T00:00:00Z

I just started teaching an African / World Drumming as elective class at Franklin Middle School. The class has 18 students and only 3 drums. We need enough congas and djembe drums (and some mallets) so everyone can participate. Also teaching a guitar band (we need cloth carry cases for donated guitars) and computer music production (need 10 sets of decent headphones-- $10 each)

Adelaide – The Mary Lee Exchange

2017-02-27T00:00:00Z

The Mary Lee Exchange aims to create and nurture a new public forum. It provides a space for women, and gender diverse people, to hear stories from leaders and role models in a relaxed and inspirational setting. The Mary Lee Exchange values open dialogues and story sharing between and across communities, generations, and cultures. Through intimate, but open and multi-directional conversation between speakers and audience members we hope to build networks of women and feminists that are strong and supportive. We launched the Mary Lee Exchange in August 2016 with our first event at the Wheatsheaf Hotel. We invited four panellists to share their stories on the theme of Work; Kristin Alford, Barbara Pocock, Angela Schilling and Cassie Alvey, followed by a DJ set from Angela Schilling. The next Mary Lee Exchange event will focus on Family and Relationships and will be held at Nexus in January. The Mary Lee Exchange purposefully selects accessible, queer and family friendly venues. To further ensure accessibility tickets will be kept as cheap as possible ($5) to ensure the event is as inclusive as possible. We value diverse perspectives and this is reflected in the age, race, sexuality and socio-cultural backgrounds of the panellists. Mary Lee Exchange #2 will again be hosted by award winning South Australian theatre maker, Sarah Dunn. Our aim in putting on these events is to create an open community of women and gender diverse people that will provoke new ideas, strengthen the knowledge and confidence of these audiences and, by sharing their stories, help to empower and encourage leadership amongst historically marginalised groups. With the success of these events we hope to continue them into the future as an ongoing series, further building this community.

Adelaide – Queer Youth Camp Mural Project

2017-02-27T00:00:00Z

In April this year we are running the FIRST camp for LGBTIQ Young People in South Australia. LGBTIQ young people continue to face discrimination, in all areas of life, with 80% of homophobic abuse happening within school settings. The mean age of first suicide attempt (rates of which are significantly higher for all LGBTIQ people) is 16, often before coming out. Risks of experiencing mental illness and ongoing mental health challenges are higher across the board for LGBTIQ people as a result of discrimination. But, we also know that where young people experience a sense of belonging and connection to their LGBTIQ peers, those risks decrease dramatically. We have been working for over 2 years to create safe spaces for young LGBTIQ people including Drop-in services and special events like the Same Sex and Gender Diverse Formal. Our staff and volunteers are LGBTIQ identified and provide peer support as well as role models that can be sorely lacking. This camp will enable the young people to experience a sense of belonging and uniquely safe space for self expression. The camp is going to run for 5 days and 4 nights with 30 young people between the ages of 12 and 17. We will be running a variety of activities including sport, craft, cultural and educational workshops and art. We are lucky enough to have a talented young local artist from the LGBTIQ community, Azzurro, enthusiastic about facilitating a collaborative painting of a mural with the group across the 5 days of the camp. This would be a unique opportunity for the young people at the camp to be mentored by one of their peers and connect through art. Azzurro started out his prolific and burgeoning career doing wall art in community services such as Headspace and Onkaparinga Youth. He has produced incredible works across Adelaide and is now excited to run workshops and take on more instructive projects. He is passionate about connecting community through art and we are thrilled to work with him!

Alaska (Inactive) – Read On the Fly - Books for traveling kids

2017-02-27T00:00:00Z

As Alaska's only family travel journalist, I see the most rural and urban stretches of our state. Alaska's literacy falls in the bottom third of the nation, with many children unequipped for school due to a lack of reading materials in the home, and little access to preschool programs. Reading is an activity overshadowed during travel by electronic devices, so in an effort to increase access to books, and inspire traveling children to open their minds to other people, places, and ideas, I started Read On the Fly in June 2016 at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. Kids can take a free book with no obligation to return it, in the hopes they will read, read, and read some more during their air travel. My team of all-volunteer helpers has stocked our four shelves with 2,000 books since June, spending a few hours each week at the airport, meeting kids, parents, and airport/airline staff, all of whom react with a "WHAT A GREAT IDEA!' sort or response. I have a fiscal sponsor - but we just launched this effort, and I am a lowly freelance writer trying to good where I am. I love books. I love kids. And I am passionate about the idea that books and travel are similar: both can open kids eyes to the world around them. I don't often get big ideas like this - but clearly - this one stuck.

Boston, MA – Ten Footer

2017-02-23T00:00:00Z

At the birth of industrialization, in a desperate attempt to preserve their way of life, bands of craftsmen in Europe threw their wooden shoes (sabots) into the cogs of the Mill gears, hoping to grind the wheels of change to a halt. Their protest survives still in the word saboteur. Across the sea, similar independent shoemakers around Lynn MA (soon after to become the Industrial Shoe Capital of the World,) worked in small shops adjacent to their homes called “Ten Footers.” These craftsmen would be the last of their kind in the region to produce a complete shoe by hand, using age-old techniques and simple tools. These workers determined their own pace of life and the conditions of their labor, they fit their craft seamlessly into the rhythm of their families. Ten Footers were ubiquitous. The atmosphere and the work in a Ten Footer defined the shops as community gathering spots, fostering social conversation that bound the neighborhood and promoted discourse. As large mills materialized they drew craftsmen away from their art into an industrial life of assembly. By 1890, the Ten Footer was obsolete. Industry grew, as did the disparity of wealth and classes. The Individual Shoemaker, and his knowledge, were no more. By 1990, the cycle of large-scale manufacture had eliminated shoemaking entirely in the Greater Boston area. Shoecraft was by all determining factors a good, true, decent way of life both for the shoewrights and for their communities. In most communities of Greater Boston, suburban Zoning Bylaws prohibit the conditions of a Ten Footer studio. I am building a Ten Footer and working with Wakefield’s Town Planner to refine language to allow for and support these creative pursuits townwide. I endeavor to establish a new generation of the Ten Footer, to reinstitute a vernacular way of life, space and tradition. A Ten Footer will strengthen a neighborhood, Zoning support will pave the path to Open Studios where Ten Footers will strengthen the Town.

Oahu, HI – Stage curtains

2017-02-23T00:00:00Z

In February, we began renovation

Newcastle – Deeper Voice of Textiles project

2017-02-23T00:00:00Z

DVOT is a unique project. 20 iconic Newcastle businesses, that primarily employ men will create work that celebrates the skills of their trade. Skills that have, traditionally, been passed on from one generation of men to another. Men would be working with UK based International artist Tim Johnson, with the support of Graham Wilson, a well-known local artist. There will be a series of hands on workshops where participants will create sculptural artworks using the tools and skills associated with their specific trades. The resulting artwork will be installed at a three-day exhibition event in a Wheeler Place (adjacent to the Civic Theatre) on Friday 28th April 2017. The exhibition is like a smaller scale version of Sculpture by the Sea. Following this exhibition, the individual sculptures will be displayed in the participating local business that created them. This will result in an engaging artist trail of ‘DVOT’ works hopefully in May 2017.

Amsterdam (Inactive) – ChillBoat 2.0

2017-02-23T00:00:00Z

Sometimes you just want to take fun to the next level. Sometimes you don't want to choose between having a BBQ, boating and sitting extremely comfortable. Sometimes, you just want it all. At least, I wanted it all. For those situations, I designed and built the ChillBoat. With a new summer approaching, I want to add extra awesomeness by building the ChillBoat 2.0, a bigger and potentially faster version of the original ChillBoat.

Baltimore, MD – LGBTQ Youth Prom

2017-02-21T00:00:00Z

LGBTQ Youth Prom is solely for LGBTQ youth and supportive youth allies between the ages 16 to 19 years old who want to experience prom within a welcoming and safe space. The LGBTQ Prom has quickly become an essential component to Baltimore’s LGBTQ culture, and is seen as a space to celebrate LGBTQ youth gender expression, gender identity, and sexual orientation without fear of prejudice. Youth who attend will enjoy food, entertainment, and an interactive community resource fair.The LGBTQ Youth Prom planning committee is comprised of community members and youth-serving organizations such as STAR TRACK Adolescent Health Program at the University of Maryland, Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Community Center of Baltimore (GLCCB), and the Baltimore chapter of The Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN Baltimore). The prom planning committee members are Jabari Lyles, Michael Franklin, Anastasia Pierron, Eva Fury and Kurt Ragin.After some discussion, it was decided to pursue hosting a prom event. The planning committee immediately got to work, and produced Baltimore's first LGBTQ Youth Prom in May 2015. In November 2014, a small group of youth-focused, nonprofit organizations and coalitions in Baltimore met to discuss possibilities for an event that would provide a safe, affirming, positive and magical place for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer (LGBTQ) young people. This event provides a safe space for LGBTQ youth to enjoy their special night while being validated and honored. Over 300 young people attend the event, with schools represented across Maryland and continuously growing each year.

Tallahassee, FL (Inactive) – Community Kitchen

2017-02-21T00:00:00Z

Bread & Roses Food Cooperative is a non-profit, member-worker food cooperative opened in Tallahassee, FL since 2009. We are currently located at 915-2 Railroad Ave. in the heart of the All Saints District, walk able/bike able from both FAMU and FSU. We are a great place to shop for affordable, healthy, organic, vegetarian/vegan, local, and ethically-sourced products. We do our absolute best to provide the most sustainable, ethical, and healthiest products we can for the best prices we can. We have the space and ability to create and sustain a commercial kitchen that can be used by local entrepreneurs who would like to take their market products to the next level.Meaning they can move from only being able to sell at farmers markets to being able to sell to grocery stores and restaurants. Being located on the south side which is known for being a food desert we have seen and heard the need for this service in our south side community. On top of this we have recently teamed up with a youth outreach program that is interested in starting their own catering company. This would empower youth who may have a hard time maintaining employment to take control of their lives and see value in their hard work. The building we have is older and needs repairs to ensure the space is safe and running efficiently. Once the initial costs are covered we will be able to maintain the space so that it can be used for year and years. As a grocery store that runs solely with volunteers this project has been out of our reach simply because of the start up cost to make the needed repairs. with your help and generosity we will be well on our way to strengthening the community and allowing so many marginalized communities the leg up they need and deserve.

Gloucester, MA – Salt Marsh Farm Agroforestry Project

2017-02-21T00:00:00Z

Liz Jaeger and Edgar Foudray are the co-owners of Salt Marsh Farm of Gloucester & Essex MA. Working on leased land around Cape Ann, Liz and Edgar strive to improve environmental health on local landscapes through the ecological applications of intensive livestock grazing systems and the planting of perennial fruit and nut-bearing trees and shrubs. The Salt Marsh Farmers believe that good, wholesome food can be grown locally while improving the environmental quality of Cape Ann's diverse landscape. Educating people about Agroforestry practices is one of the multiple benefits of the Salt Marsh Farm Agroforestry Project. Residents of Cape Ann can benefit from taking part in the Agroforestry Project by planting fruit trees and nut-bearing shrubs at the residences and in public community greenspaces.

Boulder, CO (Inactive) – Colorado Teen Retreat

2017-02-21T00:00:00Z

Inward Bound Mindfulness Education (iBme) is a nonprofit that offers in-depth mindfulness programming for youth. Our main office is located in Concord, MA, but we host residential mindfulness retreats across the United States and in Canada. Our programming guides teens and young adults in developing self-awareness, compassion, and ethical decision-making, and empowers them to apply these skills in improving their lives and communities. iBme is committed to caring for the natural world and addressing issues of social justice in all that we do. Our vision is to support future generations of heart-centered, diverse leaders who are prepared to respond to the challenges of our time with focus, resiliency, and compassion for themselves, their communities and the global environment. The majority of iBme’s programs are residential teen retreats, and each weeklong retreat teaches proven awareness and concentration practices to youth ages 15-19. Through guided mindfulness meditation, small group discussions, and mindful movement, participants learn how to settle a busy mind, direct and sustain attention, investigate emotions and thoughts, cultivate compassion, and communicate with their peers. This summer, we will host a Colorado Teen Retreat at The Blazing Mountain Retreat Center in Crestone from July 2-8. Blazing Mountain is a beautiful center in the spectacular Sangre de Christo Mountains - a beautiful backdrop among which we will introduce young people to mindfulness. Through guided meditation, mindful movement, small group discussions, and fun group activities, participants in our retreat will learn self-awareness, empathy, techniques to calm and focus the mind, and mindful communication – the foundations for success in all areas of life. NOTE: We will also be submitting applications to The Awesome Foundation chapters in Boston, Northern Virginia, and the Twin Cities to support residential retreats in those regions.

Antigonish, NS (Inactive) – Musical Instruments for In-Patient Mental Health

2017-02-21T00:00:00Z

As a pharmacist who is also a musician, I know that music is a powerful drug. It was music that helped me cope with very stressful personal circumstances this past year, and the AWESOME Foundation that allowed myself and those I consider my "weekly music therapy session" to record an album of ourselves playing the music we love to raise money for the local food bank. While working at our local hospital I witness an actual Musical Therapist, Tom Curry, working with patients. He provides therapy on the in-patient Mental Health unit, Geriatric/Stroke unit, and Transitional Level of Care unit. Sometimes patients who are unwilling to take part in other offered therapies will anxiously await Tom's arrival. I have seen patients who are unwilling to interact with staff open up and transform during music therapy, some whom I've thought could have likely been professional singers given different circumstances. Not everyone is blessed with with the confidence or talent to sing out loud, but still enjoy and benefit from his sessions. I would love for patients to have musical instruments available to have another way to actively participate in Music Therapy, and to have them available as a therapeutic way to pass the time while admitted to our mental health unit. I brought up the idea to apply for an AWESOME Foundation to the Unit Coordinator; she agreed that instruments on the unit would be a great addition, and supported the idea. We brought the idea to Tom Curry, and he was in favor of the idea as well. He has lent the unit an extra guitar of his own, which many patients have used, but I am sure there are other instruments which he could engage people with. For now I would like the project to focus on the Mental Health Unit and musical Instruments, but after discussion with Tom I discovered he would very much like to be able to have I-Pods for patients in the Stroke Unit. I am unsure how far $1000 will go, but perhaps that could be a second project.

Pittsburgh, PA – Kenny's

2017-02-20T00:00:00Z

Working in Homewood for the last seven years allowed me the opportunity to hear first-hand what one of the most disenfranchised neighborhoods in the city desires to see in its future. Once you meet a resident who has lived in Homewood for decades, one of the first conversation topics will assuredly be about ‘the way Homewood used to be’ – the liveliness, the bustling businesses, and the sense of community. Presently, Homewood does not have an outdoor community-friendly space to host various activities. There are countless positive, enriching ideas in the works, art in the making, and conversations in process without a space to engage with and elevate them. While Homewood is often portrayed negatively by the media, it is actually asset-rich with an expansive cultural history and houses many current newsmakers ranging from makers to musicians to craftsmen. Kenny’s will be a platform for these creatives to showcase their product, whether that be artwork, music, or classes for wellness. The events schedule will reflect the residents’ vision for the site, including regular outdoor yoga classes, an art market, and a music showcase featuring musicians from the community and regional acts. We will also have annual signature events: a fundraiser, an open spoken word community day, and Cancers and Cookies - a summer birthday celebration. The site will also be available for usage by community members for activities such as family reunions, networking events and mixers, community days and cookouts, etc. Bringing the residents’ vision to life and giving the neighborhood a positive, open atmosphere to promote health and wellness, arts and culture, and entrepreneurs and existing businesses will be a tremendous win for the community. For more information, please see the video on this link: https://vimeo.com/198507279

Austin, TX – A Girl Named Sue: world premiere

2017-02-20T00:00:00Z

The Austin Awesome Foundation is excited to support the production of A Girl Named Sue, a new play by Vietnamese-American playwright Christine Hoang with songs by award-winning Korean-American singer/songwriter BettySoo. A Girl Named Sue is an important work that will shine light on stories from within the Austin community that have not historically been told. This play deals with romance and racism between Black and Asian-American communities in America. The story is centered on a fictitious Vietnamese-American college student named Sue Nguyen and the storytelling is woven through theatre, poetry and music. A Girl Named Sue will also be the first bilingual play in Austin, Texas to prominently feature a Vietnamese-speaking character.

Sydney – Comedy Of Art

2017-02-20T00:00:00Z

“The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of the child into old age, which means never losing your enthusiasm.” Alders Huxley Our vision is to help adults to get in touch with their inner child. To do this we employ techniques from Commedia dell'arte or Comedy Of Art a traditional Italian Improvisational theatre, whilst at the same time, we are giggling due to the fact that we've put fart into a domain name. Comedy Of Art has creating spectacle, joy and exuberance as a theatre troupe at festivals attended by over 50000 people, going undercover as Insecurity Officers, travelling across space and time as Future Scientists and playing Adult Charades to name a few...and now, we feel like it's time to share it with even more, namely Sydney Fringe Festival, where we want to set a World Record For The Number of Spinning High Fives. Why and how do we do it? It's s all to do with a well of joy bubbling in our minds. That we want to share.