Awesome Foundation - Projects

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Little Lotus: the smart swaddle & blanket

2015-05-11T00:00:00Z

Little Lotus is a line of baby swaddles and blankets that keeps first world babies at the perfect temperature and helps babies in the developing world at the same time. The Little Lotus products are special because they: - Use a proprietary fabric first developed for NASA space suits that absorb or release heat to keep your baby at the perfect temperature. You will no longer need to worry if your baby is too hot or cold. - Have a unique design for swaddles and sleeping bags that make them extremely easy to put on and take off while your baby is sleeping, with a bottom zipper that allows for a diaper change with the baby still inside. - Feature artwork inspired by 'Touch our Future' which includes the hand tracings of mothers and babies from around the world. - Help babies in need! For every product purchased, a baby will be helped in a developing country by the Embrace infant warmer. The origins of Little Lotus go back to the Embrace infant warmer. Embrace was started in 2008 by a team of graduate students at Stanford, including co-founders Rahul Panicker and Jane Chen. We were challenged to develop a baby incubator that costs less than 1% the cost of a traditional incubator. Ultimately, we created a product that uses a phase change material, similar to what's used in the Little Lotus products, to keep give vulnerable babies the critical warmth they need. Embrace has been recognized internationally. We won the Economist Innovation Award, the Fast Company Design for Social Good Award, and have been featured in media around the world. Last year, Beyonce gave a donation to get the Embrace infant warmers to 9 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, through our partnership with the Millennium Promise. We also presented our work to President Obama at the White House's first ever Maker-Faire. To date, Embrace has helped 150,000 babies. But our goal was always to reach 1 million babies. We're hoping Little Lotus will enable us to do that.

Chicago, IL – "I Looked Up To The Screen Above"

2015-05-11T00:00:00Z

I have an opportunity to put up a huge photograph on the rooftop of the Lillstreet art center. This would be visible from the CTA train station and from the street in the surrounding neighborhood. The image is a photograph of the sky that I rephotographed on a smartphone screen through a microscope. It's part of a series of photographs that I've been making as a response to the ways that our smartphones and the ubiquity of screens change the ways that we engage with the world. I've made prints of this work before at increasing scale, but it's been increasingly clear this work needs to be big and able to be viewed at a distance. I've been given a one month residency on the Lillstreet rooftop, so this is my chance to go big. Lillstreet has had this rooftop residency for a few years, and in the past people have put up flags from the flagpoles, generally around 3' x 4'. My plan is a bit more ambitious: I want to put up a single continuous banner that is 50' x 8'. We're all excited to try something big and bold that will be impossible to miss from the neighborhood. The banner will be up for a month. One of the interesting things about these photograph is that they are legible image from a distance, but an abstract assortment of pixels up close. Counterintuitively, the photograph changes when viewed through a cameraphone - the pixels disappear, the information is compressed, and the low-res image becomes legible once again. I can say all sorts of art theory type things about this project too, about how photography lives on the screen, about how recorded images are more important than things we experience first-hand, about the work's relation to Hito Steyerl and the "poor image," about how simulations replace our experience of reality, and so on, but really the reason I want to do this is that this is going to be a big beautiful piece of public art that is going to grab thousands of commuters and lift their eyes to the sky. What could be more awesome?

Sarnia (Inactive) – Southwestern International Film Festival

2015-05-09T00:00:00Z

The South Western International Film Festival is an International, new media cultural event that will establish Sarnia-Lambton as a cultural hub for South Western Ontario. By focusing on artist engagement, youth participation, community enrichment and our evolving diversity, SWIFF will create a unique and exciting, cinematic experience for the community of Sarnia-Lambton while opening its doors to visitors far and wide. Our mandate is to bring culturally diverse, socially conscious, entertaining films that not only open doors to the world but also open up the dialogue on global and domestic issues. Our aim is to have several films spotlighting First Nations, Female voices, LGBT themes and films from the diaspora (Asia, Africa, Middle East). The idea is to use my position at the Toronto International Film Festival, to acquire films and bring directors, screenwriters and actors to Sarnia to engage our community and enrich our own artists through talk backs, workshops and panel engagements.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Publicizing, analyzing data where it's needed most

2015-05-06T00:00:00Z

Update: We applied a few months for this grant, but we were at a less developed stage than we are at now: - Our paper has been accepted for publication at Atmospheric Environment, here's the accepted article: http://tinyurl.com/nlqkwk8 - In Feb 2015, Dept. of State Sec. Kerry and Admin. McCarthy from EPA signed an agreement to expand air quality monitoring at embassies around the world. - Our co-author has published a related article in Wired Magazine: http://tinyurl.com/kj22wpz If we receive funding to make our paper open access, we will credit AWB in all subsequent related articles intended for a general audience. ** According to a report released by the WHO in 2014, 1 in 8 deaths world-wide is due to air pollution, yet the intersection of air quality and health is a field that lacks data in the most polluted places in the world. The U.S. Embassy in Beijing started measuring and tweeting air pollution data in 2008 from a rooftop monitor, and the impact of this real-time, transparent data has been documented in news media. Since the success of the air quality monitor in Beijing, the U.S. has begun measuring and tweeting data from four posts in other cities in China. To capture the power of air quality data and inform scientists of the existence of this new a source of info in these understudied areas, we have done the *first-ever* analysis of the historical record in all five cities. *For the first time, our study highlights the novel existence and potential uses of air quality data that is currently systematically being collected and made publicly accessible by U.S. embassies in polluted but under-studied locations. This work is a very valuable resource to those working on air quality issues in developing countries, where access to such research is often limited. It should be freely available to air pollution researchers in developing country communities.*

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Step By Step Haiti

2015-05-06T00:00:00Z

The Step By Step Haiti project (established in 2009 by Dr. Patrick DeHeer, DPM) seeks to aid diabetic Haitian citizens by establishing a wound care clinic for those who suffer from diabetic ulcerative wounds. Currently, the project uses the space given by a local hospital— Bernard Mevs Project Medishare in Haiti. Longer-term, a separate larger wound care clinic could serve a larger number of patients. Over time, this would vastly reduce the country’s mortality rate related to limb amputation and diabetes. Our goal with the Step By Step Haiti Project is to prevent diabetic amputations in Haiti. Studies show that when a diabetic patient has an amputation their five-year survival rate is less than 50 percent. The good news is studies also show that a comprehensive, formal diabetic foot program can reduce amputation rates by up to 80 percent. This rate equates to saving real lives in Haiti daily. Prevention is much more cost effective than post-incident care. The second mission of this program is to instruct the Haitian medical school teachers, who will then grow the program by teaching young physicians coming through the training system. Dr. DeHeer has been on over 25 medical mission trips throughout the last several years. He has gone from doing "helicopter medicine"—where he flies in and does multiple surgeries and then flies back home. Yes, he has helped a defined few people, but his impact is limited. Dr. DeHeer no longer does surgery unless a local physician is there assisting so he can share his knowledge and experience with them. The root of this program is knowledge-sharing to help Haiti establish diabetic amputation prevention programs that compare to those in first world nations. Then they will be able to share their knowledge and experience with young physicians coming through the system. This is why diabetic wound care prevention and education is critical to the patient’s overall survival.

Boston, MA (Inactive) – Arduino Lending Library at Parts and Crafts

2015-05-05T00:00:00Z

Parts and Crafts, the family hackerspace in Somerville Ave. would like to build a small collection of Ardunio hardware to loan out to families and teachers. The re-usable Arduino pieces would be loaned out through our Somerville Tool Library project, where borrowers will also be able to borrow wire strippers, meters and soldering irons to use on their projects. We will also put together small, reasonably priced component kits and instruction sheets for Arduino borrowers to buy when they borrow their Arduino and related tools & safety equipment.

San Francisco, CA – Grow'n & Chef'n Proper in Lower W. Oakland!

2015-05-05T00:00:00Z

An initiative to turn a community garden into a full-spectrum, urban food oasis that empowers the community to become more food secure, stoked about food, and engage in experiential learning. . Check it. We've got tons of veg and fruits in our garden. A garden that was built with scrap materials from construction sites, 'free' sections on craigslist, goods set outside for bulk pickup, and whatever other means necessary to turn this abandoned lot into an urban oasis. While we're pumping' out some significant lbs. of food and giving it away to community members who offer some time in the garden, we're seeking to launch the: Grow'n & Chef'n Proper Project in Lower W. Oakland. The Grow'n & Chef'n Proper Project is meant to further deepen the roots of our garden. We are seeking to construct an aquaponic system, renovate the site with micro-drip irrigation, and set up a PROPER outdoor kitchen set up for chef'n it up with the community. Let's break down the rational: 1. Aquaponics produces both fish and vegetables in a dynamic ecosystem. Thanks to the fish poo, we'll be able to have nutrient rich water for growing veg! Plus, having an aquaponic system will allow us to teach the community about the symbiotic relationships between water and food. We've got a 240-gal. fish tank waiting 2. Micro-drip irrigation! Considering that we're in a drought of epic proportions, it's only right that we retrofit our garden from hand watering by hose, to a micro drip irrigation system, on a timer, that waters the roots at night. This will ensure that over 90% of the water used is absorbed by the plants, rather than being evaporated… this will be inherently raise awareness on the drought! 3. PROPER outdoor kitchen, this is where it gets out of control. We've got veg on veg on veg in the garden but chef'n it up on site isn't easy. Considering that dozens upon dozens of folks come by the garden each week, we're missing out on the opportunity to chef up a proper meal on site. It's one thing to grow the food, share it and plant some more; but having the ability to harvest and then eat, that's major! Experiential learning is key developing to a food secure environment. . Bottoms Up Community Garden is a community-based organization, growing food, experimenting with urban agriculture and inspiring the local community to engage in food security. Bottoms Up Community Garden is a proud member of the IDEAS Movement. http://www.facebook.com/ideasforus On the corner of 8th and Peralta St., smack dab in the middle of a food desert in Oakland, California, is the Bottoms Up Community Garden. We're a bunch of passionate and resourceful folks trying to spread a positive stoke on food! We have a 5 year lease at this site at $1 per month, the lease begin in mid-2014. There isn't a single place to buy nor eat fresh food within .75 mile of our locale! Being in a neighborhood with a large number of low-income community members, including ourselves, we gotta be food resilient. That means learning to grow our own and cook our own! What an awesome glue this garden is for the community… this project will catalyze and empower folks to be more resilient, and thus awesome! . Feel free to come by any Sunday after 12:00 PM if you want to get your hands in the dirt.

San Francisco, CA – Villainette: Bangs

2015-05-05T00:00:00Z

A puppet-encrusted mechanical drum machine for making transgender-genderqueer pop music. . Accordions have a lot of buttons that make quite a lot of noise, but they’re not quite a full band, so I’m making a robotic drum machine to make my feminist/genderqueer rock & roll performances more awesome. For those who are already jaded about robots hitting drums, I am going to go further by carving whimsical wooden puppets over the mechanisms. Our ears naturally melt for the sonic qualities of unamplified chamber and folk music while our hearts are moved by thunderously loud enveloping sound. Robots have a physical strength that will allow me to combine these oft-estranged qualities without having to hire a symphony. This drum machine is specifically for making loud sounds that should require no electric amplification: in addition to traditional drums I am making gongs from salvaged metal (a truck’s suspension spring, a water heater, a gas tank), shakers from D&D dice and carpentry nails, and tonal drones using tuned power-tool motors. These aren’t just random loud things, though, as I am carefully curating the sounds to acoustically affect a 60s electric-guitar wall-of-sound which is coming back into style in SF. Video of drum test: https://youtu.be/34BwZ9H35g8 . These comically aggressive robots have a natural personality, which I would like to accentuate with puppetry. Instead of raw robotics, it will appear as if lawn-gnome-sized puppets are hitting the drums with various implements. To compliment my original repertoire of feminist pop/rock ballads, these carved wooden characters will include: a lady knight beating on the teeth of a patriarchal dragon, a riotgrrl shaking a fistfull of nails, a princess banging her head against a gas tank, etc. I have built a few percussion pieces, am satisfied with the mechanisms and motors that I’ve prototyped, so I am ready to go into production of the full set and associated puppets. I am setting myself a reasonable production schedule: the percussion in 2 months, the puppets in another 4 months, and a polished stage performance within a year. I need parts to expand the prototyped percussion pieces into a performance-ready drum kit: relays, power supplies, solenoids, motor speed controls and other hardware, a few more drums and musical power tools, and some chunks of basswood to make the decorative puppets. Any funds left over will go to prototyping a tunable air raid siren, experiment with custom large solenoids, and integrate PWM control for varied strike strength. Video of prototype test: https://youtu.be/iJe-okTY3o4 . Honestly there are more and more mechanical instruments being built by genius roboticists every year, and they’re all so much more awesome than what I’m proposing, but they’re also intimidating and the music they’re being used for isn’t so accessible. My dream is for mechanized music to become so common place that every college band uses them like they were any other guitar or synth, and I’d like to push that along by demonstrating practical, simplified machines in an accessible musical style (pop/folk). As with all my builds, I will be documenting all my successes and failures for youtube, on which I already have almost a thousand subscribers. I am a transgender-genderqueer full-time artist. My queer-themed graphic novel, Failing Sky, has been nominated for an Eisner Award two years running. I was apprentice to renowned Chicago puppeteer Blair Thomas while earning an MFA in Performance. For the last ten years I performed in bay area avant-folk band Corpus Callosum, writing, singing & playing accordion. I dropped out of music to start Failing Sky, but have been tinkering with mechanical music, which is now coming into fruition. You can see my last project, which was totally un-mechanical folk music, here: https://youtu.be/3_7UD23KsME And video of past puppetry projects can be seen here: https://youtu.be/k2E3DZ9PvIo

Yerevan – Գույնզգույն խցաններից պատրաստված մոզայկա

2015-05-04T00:00:00Z

Քանզի Գյումրիում աղբի վերամշակման գործարան չկա, եւ ամեն տեղ կարելի է հանդիպել աղբ կամ թափոն հիշեցնող ինչ-որ բանի, մենք երկու տարի է, ինչ ընկերներիս հետ հավաքում ենք տարբեր ձեւի, չափի, գույնի ու որակի խցաններ, որ դրանցից պատրաստենք գեղեցիկ մոզայկա: Մոտ 20.000 խցան արդեն ունենք: Ուզում ենք քաղաքը տեսնել առանց աղբ հիշեցնող խցանների եւ այդ խցաններից պատրաստված գեղեցիկ պատկեր ունենալ քաղաքում եւ այն տեղադրել քաղաքի բանուկ փողոցներից մեկում՝ նախապես համաձայնություն գալով Գյումրու քաղաքապետարանի հետ կամ բիզնես սեկտորի ներկայացուցիչների հետ:

Atlanta, GA – Robotics Team for Sophia Academy Project

2015-05-04T00:00:00Z

To enhance the Curriculum 21 skills, we would like to add a Lego Robotics team to work toward the state’s regional competition. A robotics program is basic to all STEM programs, and an example of multisensory instruction which is a hallmark of our curriculum. Students will develop a sense of community while working collaboratively to solve a complex technology-based problem through this proven national program. A group of 8-10 students 5th-8th grades will construct and program a LEGO ‘robot’ and will publish the written and video learning reflections and the history of their project. The first funding will purchase the materials and fees, and with sufficient funding, we will add an experienced Robotics Coach to assist our staff with this project.

New Orleans, LA (Inactive) – Dynamic Mindfulness in New Orleans Schools

2015-05-04T00:00:00Z

New Orleans public school students and teachers suffer daily from chronic stress and direct/vicarious trauma. Niroga has developed an evidence-based trauma-informed dynamic mindfulness program called Transformative Life Skills (TLS) that is designed for classroom instruction. TLS combines movement, breathing, and centering into a 5-20 min practice that is calming, healing, and fun for students. TLS has been field tested with thousands of students and we train hundreds of teachers annually to apply these practices in their classrooms. The latest research in neuroscience, developmental science, and trauma research supports that TLS: -Increases learning readiness -Helps student regulate their emotions -Enhances resilience to stress and trauma -Increases prosocial behavior TLS practices have also been shown to help students heal from trauma and symptoms of PTSD. A beautiful aspect of TLS is that it is not only transformative for students, but the practice is also healing for educators that suffer from daily stress and secondary trauma. 99% of teachers trained in TLS report that the practice has helped their own professional practice and sustainability. TLS is completely secular in language and messaging. There is no use of words like "meditation", "yoga" or anything that could be considered religious within our program. We focus on terms like breathing, movement, centering, stress-resilience, learning readiness, emotional regulation, and prosocial behavior when talking with parents and staff. For Elementary schools, we have mapped different sequences of poses that teachers can use depending on the time of the day or the effect they want the practice to have, ei: Morning Wake Up, Focus Time, After Recess Cool Down etc. Those sequences can be as short as 2 min or as long as 10mins and used at the discretion of the classroom teacher throughout the day.

Rio de Janeiro (Inactive) – Uma Bela Visita

2015-05-04T00:00:00Z

Uma Bela Visita é um projeto do grupo Teatro do Sopro, que trabalha com idosos em Instituições de Cuidados. Um casal de palhaços profissionais visita idosos com perda de autonomia, especialmente com demência. As intervenções são construídas com os pacientes de acordo como eles são e estão, com uma abordagem artística e relacional adaptadas aos gostos culturais dos idosos. Buscamos a individualização dos pacientes, encorajando suas capacidades afetivas e sociais. O projeto original foi desenvolvido pelos participantes do grupo no Canadá, e é resultado de 12 anos de pesquisa. Para viabilizarmos o projeto no Brasil de maneira regular, precisamos criar um vídeo promocional registrando a experiência das intervenções que começamos a fazer em alguns centros de cuidados. O prêmio da Awesome Foundation vai permitir sensibilizar o grande público sobre possibilidades de comunicação de qualidade com portadores de demência, Alzheimer e outras, particularmente familiares e profissionais envolvidos. ---- Uma Bela Visita (A Beautiful Visit) is a Teatro do Sopro project working with seniors in health care institutions. A professional clown duo visits seniors, particularly those with dementia, depression and autonomy losses. The interventions are set up around the patients, in accordance with their needs, the artistic and relational approaches adapted to their culture and tastes. We seek patient individualization, encouraging the development of their affective and social abilities. The original project, the result of twelve years of research, was developed by the initiators through their group in Canada. In order to implement the project in Brazil, a promotional video is needed, recording experiences in the interventions we have begun to carry out in some care centers. The award from the Awesome Foundation will help bring home to a wider public, including relatives and caregivers, the potential for quality communication with dementia, Alzheimer and other patients.

Melbourne (Inactive) – Up-skilling at Norm Community Workshop

2015-05-02T00:00:00Z

NORM is a volunteer run community workshop. We are about to embark on a new series of wood and metalworking classes aimed specifically at providing practical building skills to women, youth, asylum seekers and the unemployed. Our current workshops are all taught by volunteers, however with some funding we will be able to pay educators and offer more workshops, more often, to a greater number of participants. WORKSHOPS FOR WOMEN We have identified a need from women who felt patronized and excluded from other workshops in the past. The financial assistance from Awesome Foundation will help us to get a series of workshop classes – exclusively for women – up and running. This series will broaden the skill set and confidence of women, empowering participants to embark of craft-based or artisanal business enterprises or simply give them skills to become more independent. WORKSHOPS FOR YOUTH, ASYLUM SEEKERS AND THE UNELMPLOYED We have also been speaking with Moreland City Council who see a need for more projects that engage women, youth, the unemployed and asylum seekers. With support from both Moreland and the Awesome Foundation we will find and engage these groups, and offer some heavily subsidized places at our workshops. ADVANCED WORKSHOPS Finally, we wish to make the skills available at Norm even more Awesome by inviting highly skilled artists, designers and technicians in to run advanced workshops. We are exploring possibilities with Joshua Gardiner (Ars Electronica) about advanced hand-tool techniques and various digital art forms; with Studio Afterwards, a Coburg based design group, about applications of 3D printing in art; and Dr. Judith Glover, a ceramicist, designer, artist and professor at RMIT.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Kolossos Bike Zoo

2015-04-30T00:00:00Z

Kolossos is an organization of artists devoted to showcasing eco-friendly public art and performance to raise awareness for environmental and animal endangerment. With each new papier mache animal scuplture bike we are able to attract the attention of millions of viewers and spread our message. We have recently begun devoting our time to exclusively creating threatened and exploited species bikes. Recent art bikes have included an elephant and orca to showcase the majesty of these animals without the abuses of captivity. Other recent additions to our bike zoo have included a honey bee and panda to help raise awareness for these threatened animals. We would love to make more bikes and need money to do so. Future bikes we are excited about are a rhino, tiger and shark.

Paris (Inactive) – Création de liens par le recyclage du bois

2015-04-30T00:00:00Z

L’association FaSol - Fabriquons la Solidarité – organise des activités centrées autour de la fabrication de jeux à partir de bois récupéré. Dans un objectif d’insertion et de création de lien social, FaSol travaille avec des publics fragilisés, mais aussi avec des habitants du quartier, des établissements scolaires et des maisons de retraite. Ensemble, les participants découvrent le plaisir du travail du bois et le respect de l'environnement, tandis que d'autres apprennent les rudiments de la couture pour réaliser des sacs à pions destinés aux jeux réalisés. FaSol, projette d'organiser des ateliers pour les enfants de 8-12 pendant chaque vacances scolaires. Au lieu de passer leurs vacances devant jeux vidéo ou télévisions, ils bâtissent et décorent ensemble des objets en bois qu'ils remportent fièrement à leurs familles. FaSol is a non-profit that organizes workshops to create board games made out of reclaimed wood. In order to promote intergration and to strengthen social ties, FaSol works with underserved communities, local residents, schools and retrirement homes. Together, the participants discover the pleasure of working with wood and how to respect the environment, while other learn the basics of sewing to make bags in which to put the different pieces of the board games. FaSol aims to organizes workshops for children during the holidays. Instead of spending their time watching TV or playing video games, children will build and decorate wooden objects that they can proudly bring back to their families.

Stockholm (Inactive) – Talent Tribe Creative Breakfast Crunch

2015-04-30T00:00:00Z

Through this awesome project, Anna will invite foreign born academics, immigrants, entrepreneurial young men and women that lack valuable contacts and networks, and include ten of them to five different breakfast gatherings (50 of the talented individuals in total) at the Urban Deli in the suburb of Nacka and to do round-table introductions, speed-interviews and mentoring, with the ultimate purpose and intention of bringing them into the Talent Tribe and connecting them with know-how, role-models, contacts, valuable networks, experiences and references ahead. Awesome we say and good luck to the participants!

Ann Arbor, MI – Festival of the Honey Bee

2015-04-29T00:00:00Z

Festival of the Honey Bee is a three day festival dedicated to celebrating honey bees. It takes place in Ypsilanti, MI during the first weekend in September. Friday kicks off the weekend with a city-wide art show and live music, presented in partnership with First Fridays Ypsilanti. Saturday, we hold educational events for children and adults at the Ypsilanti District Library, and on Sunday: Bike2Bees, an urban hive bike tour, and the Bee Bazaar vendor fair round out the festival. The festival started in 2013, as an effort to raise awareness about honey bees and create a space for appreciation and creative expression about bees. People love the festival, and it has been very successful, all while run on a shoestring budget, personal funds, and with huge thanks to community partnerships and tens of hours donated by volunteers. Getting investment from the community would allow us to take the festival to the next level, stop funding it with personal funds, start to build a festival bank account, and share the celebration and appreciation of bees with more people in our community.

London, ON (Inactive) – Here Today

2015-04-28T00:00:00Z

I have 40 very large scale(4'x4'x2') four ply thick cardboard boxes. The core of my idea is to stack these boxes and paint murals on them. The idea is also to pop up(with permission) in several key london locations giving passers by something to check out. But only for one day in each location. The bigger plan within this plan is to create these murals for a gallery show. Popping up in locations for one day I'm hoping will generate interest for people to follow my art and promoting awesome london along the way. While painting I will also create a time lapse of each location. The back drops and passers by will be as big a factor as the art itself.

Washington, DC – Day of Archaeology Festival

2015-04-27T00:00:00Z

International Day of Archaeology was organized by a group of archaeologists with the intent of raising public awareness of the relevance and importance of archaeology to the modern world. The goals of the International Day of Archaeology project coincide with those of Archaeology in the Community (AITC). It a response to this global day of archaeology awareness, AITC established the first all science (archaeology) festival. ln 2011, hosted the first annual Day of Archaeology Festival. This became a way of gathering archaeology organizations from District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia together in one location—to inform our public about local archaeology resources. This year we will host our fourth festival. We have 15 archaeology organizations confirmed. The festival is free to all the participates, the attendees, and the entertainers. We host this event as a way to give the field of archaeology exposer in a fun way and spread archaeology awareness to students of all ages.

Toronto – Jour Vert

2015-04-27T00:00:00Z

The Goal: To turn Rexdale into a garden! The Rexdale Community Garden Network would like to host a one-day event called Jour Vert. A play on the event Nuit Blanche - this day will focus on the planting of Green Installations across Rexdale. Local schools, private businesses, service agencies, libraries and the local police station will convert their unused green spaces into flower and vegetable beds. Volunteer teams will visit the various locations across Rexdale and engage passersby in an impromptu gardening session.

Toronto – Walkable Planets

2015-04-27T00:00:00Z

I want to create scale solar systems in the city, one neighbourhood at a time. Last summer I started the project in the downtown west end. I put up a series of metal street signs that looked like parking signs, but they were really planetary wayfinding signs, set at relative distance from one another at a scale of one-to-five billion. That put the Sun at Bloor Street and Neptune at Queen, with the other planets in between. The project got lots of attention, including from the city's transportation department, which kindly asked me to take down my signs. This summer I want to put the signs up in another couple neighbourhoods -- this time in schoolyards, parks and on private property (with permission), where city transportation officials won't feel compelled to ask me to take them down. The aim of the project is to get folks outside, walking along a linear route, learning about the scale of the solar system and planets. I am also keen to connect with local teachers to get kids and their families to use the series as a learning opportunity. Most importantly, I want to provide yet another fun, random reason why living the city is awesome.

Miami, FL – ECI Community Garden

2015-04-25T00:00:00Z

Volunteer-organized a community garden at the Everglades Correctional Institutions focused on a small assortment of vegetables, medicinal/culinary herbs, and also native wildflowers. The work in this prison is meant to give a select group of volunteers the chance to develop their own garden, largely autonomously. Through this program the men can become agents of change in their new communities.

Bend, OR (Inactive) – We Are Remembering - Not Just A Number

2015-04-22T00:00:00Z

Since 2008, a group of Bend area residents have come together on Memorial Day to volunteer to conduct a continuous reading of the name, age, and hometown of every soldier (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, National Guard) killed in Afghanistan since 2001 and in Iraq since 2003. That first year the reading lasted almost nine hours and included, as a reader, Vicki Bellamy of Madras, OR. Vicki is the elder sister of Christopher W. Dickison, 26 of Seattle, WA. Chris died in Iraq, July 5, 2005. In 2014, the reading took its' volunteers a little more than 14 hours. By chance it fell upon Patty Smith, of LaPine, to read the name of her grandson John C. Johnson, of Phoenix, AZ. Corey, as his family and friends called him, died in Afghanistan on May 27, 2011. He was 28. Present that morning walking through the field of names, were the parents of Justin J. Wilkens, 26 of Bend, OR. Almost 14 years after the invasion of Afghanistan, this may be the only Memorial Service of its' kind in our Nation. This annual memorial is made possible only by the selfless efforts of many members of our "awesome" and diverse community. Teachers, artists, musicians, activists, city council members, retired Military members, business owners, athletes, children thru senior citizens, the well off and the not so well off, librarians, gay, straight, the religious and the non-religious, left, right or neutral. Each leaves behind their "label" to become just a voice to help remember those lost.

Newmarket – It Takes a Village - Youth Art in the Yard

2015-04-21T00:00:00Z

I would like to have an art in the yard for young school age artists in order for them to display and be proud of their accomplishments. To encourage them to further their exploration of art in their lives. It would be in the yard of the Ici Arte! Gallery at the corner of Main St. and Davis Dr. so would be very visible. We would set up and decorate the outside previous to and have an area where tea would be served. All of the young artists would be there to talk about their art and to get into the feeling of displaying and being proud of their creations. Having the townspeople come and see what they have as well as showing interest in young artists would be, I think, very encouraging to them. I think young artists need to be encouraged. Whether it be as a career or as a hobby, art has always been a large part of the human experience.

Gloucester, MA – Ma $ pa's Pickles

2015-04-21T00:00:00Z

Boulder, CO (Inactive) – Brainsong: Music for Autism (awesome-ism)

2015-04-21T00:00:00Z

The first awesome, joyous, summer outdoor interactive music and dance concert for kids with Autism and any disability -- and their families and friends... As a mom with a child with autism, I cannot bring my daughter to any of the many children symphonies or ballet events, just like all my friends in the disability community of Boulder. Our kids cannot sit still, be quiet and polite. They need to move and make noise. We are shunned as "bad parents" but our kids feel music; they learn from music and enjoy it if not more, just as much as all kids. They deserve to experience the arts at a high level. This concert by Awesome Boulder will allow our kiddos and the community the freedom to be center stage (rather than shunned by society). The musicians will love it! The dancers will love it! Boulder will love it! Please help us to launch the very first Inclusive Event in Boulder!

Lusaka (Inactive) – Kantemba Caria

2015-04-20T00:00:00Z

Kantemba is the name for each little corner stall selling talk time, tomatoes, popcorn, portions of roller meal, pawpaws, pineapples, onions, oranges, mangoes, masukus, freeze-its or cool drinks out of cooler boxes, fried fritters, eggs, cabbages, bananas and avocadoes - to list what I've seen. This project is boldly launched as Kantemba Caria and has as it's aims: Encouraging buyers to have respect for their environment, by first buying a 'Caria or carrier bag, and thereafter re-using the same bag in which to take their goods home. Teaching the makers of the bags design - i.e. simple but functional and attractive. Please note, that the emphasis will be on individual cloth bags made out of strong cotton chitenge so that they can be washed. The project has the scope to hold mini contests in the area to see which stand can design the best Caria - thus engaging women and youth in the community and encouraging interaction amongst the vendors. It is also hoped that talking about one's Caria becomes a play on words - intentionally Zamglish so that we begin to talk about 'career' and reduce unemployment amongst the youth by giving them something useful to do. Stage one Identify a committed starting group to the project. Introduce the how to make a simple Caria to this nucleus of people who can spread the idea in the vernacular to other Kantembas. Insist on excellence in the making of individual Carias. Stress that mass-produced designs will not gain 'points' in the competition. Here it is hoped that youth will express their individuality and protect it. Organise the first contest - for example in the Kabulonga/Ibex area, the designs could be taken to the Dutch Reformed Market and the public could judge which is the most attractive and practical Caria. Different Kantembas could have insignia on their Carias so that people know where to order/buy them. This is open to the smaller Kantembas only.

Pittsburgh, PA – Pittonkatonk Collaborative Workshop/Performance

2015-04-20T00:00:00Z

The Pittonkatonk educational component would be a 3 day, 3 part interactive between the Hill Districts University Prep Junior and Senior High Marching Bands and Pittonkatonk festival headlining band What Cheer? Brigade from Providence, Rhode Island. The workshop will begin with an overview and introduction to What Cheer? Brigade highlighting their role and identifying what it means to be a community band. We will talk about WC?B’s involvement with Building 16 (an artist space in Providence) and how they used their music to send a social message. Social Justice plays a large role in What Cheer Brigade’s ethos and we want to identify that and highlight how students can use music to send a message for change. We will outline the structure of the band, review individual responsibilities in and outside of the band, discuss their democratic approach to performances, their history of collaborations and a basic history of traditional balkan and carnival music. Students will be asked to identify these elements and show examples in both WC?B’s music and in popular music. We will also review the history and show video examples of Providence’s DIY music spaces and artists. Being a mobile acoustic band is an important part and helps to define at what capacity the band can perform. We will discuss the strengths and limitations of being an acoustic mobile band and review WC?B’s method of touring both in the states and in Europe. A 2010 WC?B European tour documentary will be shown to highlight the ups and downs of performance and touring including busking all the way to their award winning performance at a Brass Festival in Spain. Part 2 would be rehearsals and collaboration. We have asked both WC?B and UPrep to choose a song that they would like to perform and to teach each other. They would break down into "sectionals" and work together re-composing the songs in smaller groups. Part 3 would be a collaborative performance at Pittonkatonk on May 2nd at Pittonkatonk.

Oahu, HI – Kalaheo Athletic Trainers

2015-04-17T00:00:00Z

I am an athletic trainer at Kalaheo High School. My main responsibility is keeping student athletes safe during sporting events. We have a small budget and not enough resources to help the athletes to our greatest potential. The athletic training room is located in a separate building than the gym, and a small walk from the football/soccer field, making it difficult for some athletes with injuries to get to us. In emergencies, it is difficult to transport the athletes and carry some of the heavier athletes, off of the field and get them treated. For instance during an injury such as heat exhaustion, a slower response rate increases the risk of the athlete. When they are disoriented and sluggish, it becomes even more difficult to get the unresponsive athlete off of the field and the treatment they need. We're looking to better help our Kalaheo Sports community and treat our students faster and more effectively. We educate the athletes on proper hydration and nutrition, as well as educating them about their bodies. We assist students looking to enter a health-care field in college by letting those interested volunteer in the athletic training room, giving them hands on experience from cleaning wounds, to taping ankles, to learning budgeting and inventory. Working 6 days a week and on some nights (football games) until 1am, we are committed to our athletes as they are our primary concern. Our project is looking to aide the athletic trainers, as well as the athletes during practices and games and help keep safety our priority.

Sydney – Care to Converse

2015-04-17T00:00:00Z

Solemn stares, seldom smiles, this is what I see most days as I commute around Sydney city. My project involves creating a visual representation worn by those who are happy and willing to have a casual conversation. This will take shape in a badge or band which says “Care to Converse?”. The idea would be for everyday commuters to start having casual conversations with the awkwardness taken out. By wearing of a band/badge people will feel free to approach those that are up for the chat. We live in close accessible communities and yet we do not know the people who travel in the same space as us. I see this project as a way to continue the conversation, something similar to RU Ok day, but thought about every day. There is a phenomenon I call “Familiar Strangers” these are the people you see quite frequently on the commute or in your area, and they are familiar to you but you've never spoken. Who knows what you might find out, or what connections you might make from giving casual conversations a chance? Research has shown that there are benefits in conversing with strangers, including increased happiness. The Care to Converse project is a way to create support for friendliness and connection in the community. And if you don’t feel like it, you can always take off the band or badge or even pass it on to someone who does. Wearing the band/badge will make a big difference! Simply by seeing someone else who "Cares to Converse" you already have a sense of connection even without conversation. Like a visual community kinship. Furthermore it could bust discrimination as simply by wearing the band/badge you will have an instant talking point to start a conversation with someone you ordinarily wouldn't! The idea itself is a simple one, the concept easy to understand. All I need is people to participate, a motivated crew to help head the project to success and the bands/badges to spread the conversational love (which is where your awesomeness comes in)!

Antigonish, NS (Inactive) – No Need to Blow the Budget

2015-04-16T00:00:00Z

I would like to see education classes/workshops showing familes that a small income does not have to mean that nutrition has to be lacking in the meals they serve themselves or their family. I believe a lot of families need advice when it comes to shopping on a budget...what to buy for the best value, both monetary and health wise. Low income does not have to be Kraft dinner and cornflakes. There are so many ways to put healthy meals on the table and stay within a very limited buget. Take for example, what a single person could learn if they were guided through the grocery aisles and shown where the bargains were and how to prepare meals from everyday staples that are found there. They could learn that the most important meal of the day could be prepared for less than $2 !!...how to make a batch of soup that would give dozens of hearty lunches for mere pennies a serving, learn about batch-cooking and take away recipes and ideas that could save them dollars on the food budget.

Tallahassee, FL (Inactive) – HOPE Freedom School

2015-04-16T00:00:00Z

HOPE Freedom School will be a summer enrichment program serving 50, K-12, underprivileged, students from the Gadsden and south side Leon County areas. There is absolutely no cost for the students and transportation is provided. It will occur over 6 weeks of the summer from 8:30-3:30 PM each day. Each morning the students will be taught from an integrated reading curriculum that is aligned to common core standards, and uses culturally relevant materials. In the afternoon the students will participate in enrichment activities including instruction in; art, music, PE, dance, health and nutrition, etc. Students also are provided with two healthy meals per day, and weekly parent nights are held to empower community members. Fridays will be reserved for "Field Trip Fridays" where the students will get to visit local Tallahassee museums, parks, attraction, historical sites, etc. The National Freedom School program was founded by the Children's Defense Fund and it's history dates back to the Civil Rights Movement. The HOPE Freedom School staff members were hired locally from Tallahassee, and will be trained by the Children's Defense Fund to assure quality instruction and preparation. Culturally relevant materials will also be purchased through them, as many of these books are not available in mainstream stores and companies.

Detroit, MI (Inactive) – ComiqueCon

2015-04-16T00:00:00Z

Women make up 47 percent of comic book readers, but still make up only 29 percent of DC characters and 24 percent of Marvel characters. Futhermore, women rank consistently in the minority as creators at major comic publishers. Female comic creators deserve better, and comic readers need to be introduced to these creators. ComiqueCon celebrates the work of female comic creators, introduces readers to amazing female artists and highlights the need to continue increasing representation of women in comics. Conceived as a one-day convention, ComiqueCon will feature panels, workshops, vendors, and entertainment from the top creators in the comics industry. ComiqueCon has partnered with Green Brain Comics and the Arab American National Museum to host this convention. These two local, well-established organizations are providing our venue and our connection to professional comic creators. So far, we have six panelists signed on. These include Mairghread Scott, one of the creators behind Transformers, and Leila Abdelrazaq, author of Baddawi, which recounts her father’s experience in a Palestinian refugee camp. The growing popularity of women characters and the steady increase in female comic creators reflects both a diversified audience while simultaneously broadening the appeal of this unique approach to story-telling. The convention will hold something for everyone, including families. Workshops will give attendees a chance to create their own comic book or make their own superhero mask. The panels will be held throughout the day, presenting topics ranging from the changing role of gender in comic protagonists to how to break into the comic industry. Local businesses and organizations will also have ample representation as vendors. Join us in making our inaugural convention a success. With your help, we will host an engaging event that will introduce to some and further develop for others a broader discussion about the changing face of women in comics.

Kingston – Kingston Stilters!

2015-04-16T00:00:00Z

It is an average Friday in June. You are hurrying along King St. on your lunch break trying to fit in a few errands. You turn onto Princess St., and look up to see flashes of yellow and green; an exceptionally tall magical creature is peeking out of the Chez Piggy alleyway. A second character appears, popping out from around the corner and a third ducks into a shop entrance across the street. You realize that these tall creatures are playing hide and seek. A crowd gathers on the sidewalk, amused and charmed by the troupe’s antics. Imagine a band of stilt performers who pop up in public places, entertaining and delighting children and adults alike, bringing unexpected joy, magic, excitement and spectacle to all who survey. This is what Kingston’s new stilt theatre troupe will deliver to residents over the coming year. During 2014, our two founders have been stilting here and there at Kingston community events. We have been enthralled by the public’s appreciation for the art form. Witnessing the power of stilt walking to captivate the public has prompted us to form a stilting troupe. We are currently planning three performances over the next six months: one at the Skeleton Park Music Festival and two pop-up productions in public places in late summer and early fall.

Antigonish, NS (Inactive) – Antigonish Community Video

2015-04-16T00:00:00Z

I would like to produce a couple of Aerial videos of Antigonish County. The Scope of this video will encompass all of Antigonish County from Aulds cove to Arisaig, highlighting areas such as beaches, wharfs, hiking trails, the Keppoch, the town of Antigonish, St. Andrews, St.F.X. University and other places people can recommend I feature via a Facebook site. By the end of the summer 2015 I will have enough footage to produce the first video and over the Fall and Winter months I will continue to gather footage so that I can make a Winter video first and then a Full year video showcasing the Beauty of Antigonish in every season. i will then make this video available for use on Antigonish Town and County Websites and Social Media with Shared Rights. The videos will be between 2-3 minutes long and I plan on using music from local artists in the background. Other companies in Nova Scotia Would charge $3000 - $5000 to produce just one video so there is a lot of value in producing something like this for the Town and County.

Adelaide – Adelaide//Yogyakarta

2015-04-15T00:00:00Z

In an attempt to create a bond between local Australian artists and contemporary Indonesian artists, I would love the opportunity to curate an exhibition at The Mill featuring artists from Adelaide//Yogyakarta. Both laid-back and outrageously inspiring cities have such an untapped source of young creatives whose work deserves to be boosted and experienced in an atypical space. This exhibition would solidify a bond between these two cities, whilst adding to the thus-far minimally documented contemporary art scene in both areas. I strongly believe that this project is awesome for these reasons: Australia needs to form further, more personal bonds with South East Asia, particularly our nearest neighbour, Indonesia. As a recent student of the Indonesian language (and honours hopeful), it proved nearly impossible to find any legitimate literature on local contemporary artists in both Adelaide and Yogyakarta, which is unbelievable considering the sheer number of creatives in each city. Each artist contacted up until this point is excited to be involved in such a project and it would be wonderful to extend that excitement to likeminded folk.

New York City, NY – 4th Annual Sandwich Club Summit

2015-04-14T00:00:00Z

The official mission statement of the Sandwich Club is “to foster an enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and forward-thinking sandwich culture by encouraging the discovery and consumption of delicious sandwiches and sandwich components, both in the United States and abroad.” On September 12, 2015, sandwich-lovers will convene in Wassaic, NY for the 4th Sandwich Club Summit to discuss the fields of sandwich making and sandwich studies. Presenters will cover diverse topics including epistemology, art history, and the potential hazards of excessive mayonnaise application. The event includes panels, discussions, interactive workshops, a sandwich-themed art exhibition and grilled cheese sandwiches. The Sandwich Club Summit creates a window through which to poke fun at the alienating language of business, politics, contemporary art and social science while also indulging in a shared pleasure. AwesomeNYC is excited to support the work of the Sandwich Club and the work that they do to further the sandwich arts. Registration for the Summit will open in July 2015, and more details can be found on the Sandwich Club website. (All photos above by Danny Ghitis)

Chicago, IL – Making Hermosa hermosa!

2015-04-14T00:00:00Z

We are a new neighborhood group, called the Hermosa Neighborhood Association, which is located in the Hermosa community area. Our goal is to help make our working class community a brighter and safer place for all. Hermosa means "beautiful" in Spanish and our slogan for our group is "Making our Hermosa hermosa." Many neighbors have complained of a lack of vision in our community, and we're trying to combat that apathy through direct action and engagement. Our group is relatively new, only 4 months old, but we already have 25 members and we continue to grow. We've conducted several neighborhood cleanups, mostly around our neighborhood CPS school, Nixon Elementary. We want to go further this summer by conducting ongoing block cleanups and school ground cleanups. While this is meant to be the job of Streets and Sanitation and janitors at the school, neither institution is aiding us, so with your help we want to take matters into their own hands. We would like to purchase mostly native perennial flowers, grasses and shrubs and beautify some area roundabouts, as well as plant wildflower seeds to help beautify the metra track embankment near our homes. This would help brighten up these locations as well as attract insects and birds to the area. We would also purchased clean & green tools, such as trash pinchers, large trash bags, rakes and shovels to help aid in our cleanups. We regularly help neighbors clean the following blocks and locations: 2100 N. Keystone 2300 N. Keystone 2300 N. Karlov 2100 N. Kedvale 2300 N. Keeler 2200 N. Keeler 2300 N. Tripp 2200 N. Tripp 4300 W. Belden 2300 N. Kilpatrick Nixon Elementary Furthermore, we'd use some of the proceeds to produce "don't litter" signs which we have already designed.

Melbourne (Inactive) – The Man Cave

2015-04-13T00:00:00Z

With around 1/5 Australian males suffering from depression before they are 18 and suicide being the leading cause of death for men under the age of 25, The Man Cave is designed to leverage the power of masculinity in Australian culture and use this as an engagement tool to provide a structured transition for boys into adulthood. Through a series of expertly designed workshops which will deconstruct masculinity, understand the importance of emotional intelligence and provide a practical set of skills such as mindfulness, meditation and self awareness to guide this transition into adulthood. The Pilot was ran with 150 boys at Frankston High School in October 2014, the school said it was the best workshops they've had and have booked us in for next year. Never in my life did I think I'd see 150 year 9 boys meditating and calling it 'cool' afterwards! We have our next workshops locked in at Tamworth High School (country NSW), a flagship White Ribbon School, on March 12-13 with 150 boys over two days. Following that we have a workshops locked in Gunnedah (country NSW) and are also engaged in a number of discussions with Melbourne based schools. Dr Arne Rubenstein, a world leader in Rites of Passage for boys into manhood, sits as the mentor of The Man Cave and oversees program development.

LA South Bay, CA (Inactive) – The Body Family

2015-04-13T00:00:00Z

The Body Family is my poetry collection-in-progress which explores my family’s escape from Idi Amin’s Ugandan genocide and the aftermath of healing in America. In it, I reclaim my womanhood, culture, and spirituality from a legacy of violence. In preparing to write The Body Family, I earned an MFA in Creative Writing from New York University. I also taught writing at NYU, honing my skills as a critical analyst and writer of literature. I wrote some of the poems for the collection during that time. In 2011, I returned to Los Angeles to spend time with my parents, who were both ill, and with my grandmother, visiting from Uganda. My grandmother was 96; I knew that that might be the last time I saw her. So, from 2011-2013, I spoke with them concerning their experience in Idi Amin’s Ugandan genocide and journaled more drafts of poems. I then applied to Junot Diaz’s Voices of Our Nations Arts Foundation (VONA) to workshop these poems. I was accepted and spent a weeklong residency in June 2013 working on these poems. The experience at VONA was revelatory. I have also been fortunate to have poems from this work-in-progress featured in the North American Review, Kalyani Magazine, Ruminate Magazine, Potluck Magazine, Fjords Literary Journal, Joint Literary Magazine, Salamander Journal and Literary Mama. Essays exploring these ideas have also been published in The Daily Beast, Salon, Gawker, Ms. Magazine online, The Feminist Wire and The Root, among others. Now, I just need a few months of work time to edit the manuscript and send it out for publication.

Melbourne (Inactive) – Long Johns Condoms

2015-04-13T00:00:00Z

On a scale of 1-10, how awkward and embarrassing is the condom purchasing experience? No need to answer (it was kinda rhetorical) because we already know that it's like, at least a 7 or 8 for most guys and gals. But it shouldn't be! You're doing the right thing by being responsible and practicing safe sex, so why have the huge corporate condom manufacturers made it so awkward with their tacky packaging, ugly colours and crappy marketing campaigns? WHAT IF there was a new brand that aims to smash down that wall of awkwardness by actually being a cool company with cool packaging and a cool donation scheme? That's where Long Johns comes in... Specifically aimed at young (but clearly responsible) men and women, Long Johns aims to be on the ball with current trends and open up the communication around safe sex and contraception use by injecting some style and humour into the mix. Instead of ugly and wasteful single-use packaging, Long Johns will come in old school small square tins that can be reused (preferably) or recycled. Long Johns will come in 4 varieties - Tom, Dick, Harry and Slim Jims. Long Johns will feature in cool publications like The Smith Journal. Long Johns will be stocked in locations where you would never previously consider condoms to be sold - we're talking cool fashion retailers, barbers, quirky retailers and even bars! Long Johns will be involved in Indigenous health initiatives. Long Johns will also donate a portion from each sale to Indigenous and Third World sexual health and family planning programs. After a whole bunch of research it was discovered that these remote communities already have access to free condoms, which is great, but what they REALLY need also is education about sex, sexual health and family planning. There are existing providers and programs that are amazing at educating these topics but they are in dire need of funds to help continue and expand their work. That's pretty much Long Johns in a nutshell!

Melbourne (Inactive) – Second Star - Mermaid Bar

2015-04-13T00:00:00Z

Team Second Star aim to establish the first cafe/bar in Melbourne to feature an aquarium with live mermaid performers! Second Star will be a themed business, taking inspiration from the works of J.M. Barrie to create a space that speaks to the inner child of every customer. By day, Second Star will be a relaxed eatery, welcoming to both families and the lunch crowd. We will offer a range of vegan and gluten-free baked goods made in-house by our two Cupcake Geniuses, along with a range of specialty teas and a hearty lunch menu developed with locally grown produce in mind. By night, Second Star grows up, but our hearts never do! Our customers can enjoy locally sourced beer, wine or cider, or try out our magical cocktails and glittering Fairy Shots. Our kitchen will serve a wide variety of food from a tapas/izakaya-style menu, and our friendly mermaids will be around to say hi and give the visitors a wink (if they play nice!).

Melbourne (Inactive) – The Welcome Dinner Project Victoria

2015-04-13T00:00:00Z

The Welcome Dinner Project brings together people who are new to Australia with people who are established in their community over dinner in a local home. The aim of these pot-luck-style dinners is to create a platform for meaningful connection, sparking friendships between people of diverse cultures who are living in close proximity to one another but have not had an opportunity to connect in a supported environment. The project is also encouraging further local collaborative endeavours. It increases social cohesion by involving the broader community in building a welcoming Australian society, one which embraces and celebrates diversity. There is no cost to attend a dinner. Everyone brings a dish and a local resident generously opens their home to host the dinner. The dinner is organised and facilitated by 2 trained facilitators. In the future, we would like to be able to provide intepreters and transport for members of community who have low English language skills or no access to transport. Any newly arrived member of the community can attend - be they migrants, international students, asylum seekers or even an Australian interstate migrant. The project has recently launched in Melbourne by a small team of passionate volunteers and so far we have been 'testing the waters' and have run 3 dinners in local homes in the St Kilda and Brunswick. We now have huge demand! Over 250 newly arrived people have signed up to attend a dinner and they come from all over Melbourne. The concept is so simple and easy to participate in and our feedback so far from the dinners so far has been: 'I felt like a visitor before, and now I feel like a local' 'I am not sure what I felt about Melbourne before but now I feel really good about living here' 'It brings me hope' 'I feel renewed!' The potential to strengthen community through this project is huge and we are very excited.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – STARR Initiative

2015-04-13T00:00:00Z

Hollaback! Bahamas is part of a global movement (now in 92 cities worldwide) to end sexual harassment in public spaces. We launched in April 2014, and are currently unfunded and use personal income sources to fund the work which includes guest lectures at College of the Bahamas, production of print material, and social media campaigns. We would like to launch a Safer Spaces campaign. This type of program exists in other locations including Washington State (Collective Action for Safer Spaces). Hollaback! Bahamas' safer spaces campaign will be branded as the STARR Initiative. STARR: Safe space (with) Trustworthy management and staff (who) Act as an intermediary between community and Hollaback! Bahamas (to) Respond to complaints of inappropriate interaction (and) Report to Hollaback! Bahamas in a timely fashion The purpose of this project is three-fold: 1. Train management staff of local organizations (e.g bars, schools, malls) to safely and effectively intervene when patrons experience harassment or any form of violence - especially gender-based - on their premises. 2. Increase the number (and physical frequency) of places where people experiencing harassment or other threats can get help and access resources. 3. Create a source of funding for the continued work of Hollaback! Bahamas. This program will increase community participation and cooperation, increase Hollaback! Bahamas visibility by creating extensions of the organization through the initiative, and provide the community with easy access to relevant resources and support. Organizations will receive on-site/online/video training for management and staff in order to become a STARR space (where patrons/customers can be safe and supported, and passersby can seek assistance). Perks include PR through HB!B and associates' social media and traditional media, and visible door decals and pledge posters identifying them as a HB!B-approved space. Members pay nominal annual fee to cover costs.

Ottawa – Ottawa Community Beekeepers

2015-04-12T00:00:00Z

April’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Graeme Peterson, to support community beekeeping, as well as demonstration and education, by the Ottawa Community Beekeepers. “Ottawa Community Beekeepers,” explains Graeme, “is a community group whose purpose is to promote and facilitate beekeeping in and around Ottawa. If someone is interested in beekeeping in any way — whether just curious, or actively wanting to learn and keep bees — we will meet them at their level and do what we can to make their experience with bees and beekeeping as positive as possible.” “There are people in Ottawa,” Graeme continues, “who just want to get up close (fully protected!) and see what it's all about. There are others who want to try beekeeping to see if it’s for them before making an investment. Others are new to beekeeping but know they want to keep bees, and don’t have the space. Some are experienced beekeepers who no longer have hives but still want to keep their fingers in the pot, as it were. We want to provide the space, the equipment, the teaching, and the bees to meet all of their needs.” Ottawa Community Beekeepers currently has one communal yard in Munster, and is pursuing partnerships with land owners in and around the Ottawa area to set up additional yards. The award from Awesome Ottawa will support the group’s second yard — a partnership with Veggie Trail Farms, near Bayshore Shopping Centre. “It is a wonderful location,” says Graeme. “It meets all the zoning and bylaw requirements, it is on a bus route, and the owners are excellent people.” The award will also support the purchase of a glass-sided observation hive, some teaching and demonstration materials, and a banner or table drape with the group’s logo for education and community outreach initiatives in schools, at farmers markets, and elsewhere. Graeme is a software engineer living in Munster and working in Kanata. A father of three, he is one of the founders of the Ottawa Community Beekeepers, and has been keeping bees on and off for more than 20 years.

Oklahoma City, OK (Inactive) – All Kidz Activities and Community Events

2015-04-09T00:00:00Z

All Kidz is a not for profit organization that promotes and sponsors enrichment activities for children in foster care. We believe that all kids should be able to live happy, healthy lives, and we aim to encourage this vision by filling the gaps for foster children in Oklahoma City. Foster parents receive a small stipend to provide all of the basic needs for children in their care, but it is one of the lowest rates in the nation. This leaves little left over for those "extra" activities that are so important to a child's development. All Kidz sponsors enrichment activities like music lessons, sports, and art classes which contribute to development of self-esteem and social skills.

San Antonio, TX – Queen's Castle

2015-04-08T00:00:00Z

Dorothy. Alice. Scarecrow. The Mad Hatter. These are all names which generate images of yellow brick roads, evil witches, white rabbits and enraged queens. But these worlds have never met… until now. Queens Castle is a serial stage production brought to life from the imagination of its writer and director, Scott McDowell. In its second season, the production follows Dorothy and Alice, twins separated at birth, as they attempt to develop a government for the combined world of WonderOz, deal with the aftermath of a slain evil Queen of Hearts and a Wicked Witch suffering from amnesia in an asylum. But all is not as it seems. The Looking Glass Reflection has tricked Alice and pulled her through the glass, taking her place in WonderOz and reveling in the havoc and chaos she leaves in her wake and an opponent to Scarecrow’s running for Prime Minister may just be too good to be true.

Kitchener-Waterloo – Outdoor Classroom & School Yard Greening

2015-04-07T00:00:00Z

We are seeking match-funding for a partner project with the Toyota Everygreen Foundation to design and install an outdoor classroom and nature-based playground for students & community. Our Outdoor Classroom initiative will optimize the outdoor learning curriculum already in place. The school board has approved the project, and installation will take place in later summer 2015. ALL students from JK to Gr.6 will have access to the space, along with the community at-large. Along with the outdoor classroom itself, part of the initiative includes teacher training and loose-part teaching tools. Our outdoor classroom initiative will bring outdoor learning alive at Centennial Public School. We plan to create a natural area for art, exploration, and nature study. Using natural elements we will create outdoor classroom gathering areas, pathways, art panels, gardening beds (stock tanks), and seating areas. This project impacts several different facets in our community. The primary focus is for educational purposes of ALL students at CPS - the curriculum already includes many outdoor learning activities, and the FDK (full day kindergarten) program specifically has instigated 1-2 hours of outdoor learning each and every day. This outdoor classroom will enhance and support this curriculum, and the Evergreen foundation will be offering workshops and training for CPS teachers to further evolve their outdoor classes. Naturally, this facet is extended beyond students and school time, to neighbourhood children off of school hours. We hope that families will come together to enjoy the new space as community and neighbours. The increased shade canopy resulting from additional trees will augment their enjoyment of the area and therefore extend time spent benefiting from the natural space of our new and improved outdoor classroom.

New Orleans, LA (Inactive) – Adinkra NOLA

2015-04-07T00:00:00Z

Adinkra NOLA is an amazing un-schooling homeschool in the 9th Ward of New Orleans serving children ages 4 and up. Our mission is to develop life-long learners who value community, education, and culture. Adinkra NOLA attracts students and families from across the Greater New Orleans area interested in a more exciting and relevant educational format. Adinkra NOLA engages with the community regularly by traveling to various sites for workshops, field trips, and community service projects. Our upcoming endeavors include a series of computer programming courses in partnership with Ashe Cultural Arts Center as a part of our STEM curriculum, as well as participation in the Kid's Club program at the Geurilla Garden in the Lower Ninth Ward. Both of these workshops occur on Fridays.

San Francisco, CA – War Gastronomy - Recipes of Relocation

2015-04-07T00:00:00Z

War Gastronomy is a dual-industrial tricycle system that unfolds into a pop-up food cart and cultural archive of personal stories of relocation, dislocation and overcoming struggle. We see our project as micro-commissions where we give you a chance to express your personal or family histories. Then we share your stories and your food. Together, Chris Treggiari and Justin Hoover trade food for personal stories of relocation (cultural, geographic, emotional, psychological, etc) as told to us by participants. You write down a recipe and a short story of your own relocation and we will cook your recipe and tell your story. As you are hanging out eating, we tell you the personal story of the food you're eating, which was given to us by a former participant. We offer 150 small meals to our story-writing participants over 3 hours. For our newest manifestation of our project we will be working with local organization Peralta Hacienda and local Ohlone Nation cultural leaders to set up large tables in urban public spaces. These communal tables will be covered with a table cloth and we will serve their personal recipes of relocation. The tables are located in public and we will be allowing and encouraging anyone to sit at table, eat food and join in the conversation for free. However, the only requirement is that if you sit down you must write your own story of relocation directly onto the table cloth. The writing will be later turned into embroidery and displayed in art galleries and other cultural venues. The stories will also enter our archive of hundreds of recipes of relocation. This project will help break down the silos between the diverse people in our city. The tables will be set up in spaces such as on Market St. where young tech industry gurus are side by side with homeless, graffiti artists are next to lawyers but fail to communicate. This project brings all these people to the table. We need more chances to share and tell our personal stories of struggle and achievement. We need to meet each other, people outside our normal circles, and in ways that are harboring generosity and compassion, breaking down barriers between people even if just for a few minutes while you share a small meal, and awesome is learning the deep histories of a family that you'll probably never see again.

Kitchener-Waterloo – 12 Angry Filmmaker

2015-04-07T00:00:00Z

The 12 project has began making 12 short films to be screened at GRFF 2014.

Atlanta, GA – S.E.T. Hurt Park Greenspace Garden

2015-04-06T00:00:00Z

Hurt Park was originally built as part of the revitalization of the downtown area in the late 1930s; it was one of the first parks built after the Civil War Reunification era. Since its glory days, Hurt Park has fallen into disrepair and has become infamous for its homeless population and eroding hillsides. After Georgia State bought a portion of the park, the Sustainable Energy Tribe has made attempts to create an inviting garden for student and public enjoyment. This year, we are expanding our garden to include the entire hillside. From this endeavor, we hope to accomplish three main objectives: 1) to control erosion along the Gilmer Street side of the park through terracing; 2) provide a greenspace with edible vegetable and herbs as well as native plants which attract beneficial insects; and 3) provide a safer path across the park hillside. Our plan includes five 10' x 6' terraced beds to be placed along the deteriorating hillside across from Sparks Hall. The gardens will be built, planted, and maintained by members of the S.E.T. and fellow GSU students. However, the garden will also function to educate students on the potential of urban farming and erosion remediation, provide attractants and food for birds, squirrels, bats, and butterflies, and provide a safer cut-through path across the park.