Awesome Foundation - Projects

Kitchener-Waterloo – Lunches for the Hungry

2019-02-06T00:00:00Z

We go out every Tues and Friday and hand out bag lunches to the low income and homeless people downtown. Once a week we take 40 bags of food to forty men that are the over flow of men from shelters that are staying in motels and have no access to food. this is our third winter handing out food.

Kitchener-Waterloo – KW Poetry Slam Team

2019-02-06T00:00:00Z

We are 4 competitive poets, going to represent Waterloo Region at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word in Winnipeg, Manitoba in October 2016. Last year, the Kitchener-Waterloo Poetry Slam Team came 5th on the national stage, and we are ready to go even further this year. We want to put Kitchener-Waterloo on the map of Canadian Spoken Word & Poetry. All teams are responsible for paying for their own travel costs, accommodations, food, and incidentals, and this adds up to a substantial amount of money. In order to put our best foot forward, we need to fundraise from the community we represent. We are fundraising in many ways, performing all over the region, creating and selling merchandise, running poetry showcases and workshops. We are all pouring our hearts and energy into this endeavour. We are asking for KWAwesome’s help in reaching our fundraising goal. By investing in the team, KWAwesome will be giving us the opportunity to represent the hometown at a national level, and beyond that, to bring back a new set of skills gained through competing at such high level. The Canadian Festival of Spoken Word includes workshops, showcases by successful poets, and dialogue sessions. Which we will give right back to the community through slams workshops and events. KWAwesome’s grant money would be invested into the team’s travel fund, allowing them to purchase airline tickets that will get them to Winnipeg where they hope not only to make all of KW proud, but to bring back knowledge that can be shared with others, to show KW and especially young people how powerful poetry is. Since the finals in April KWPS has been planning and looking forward to attending and competing on a national level, some of us for the first time, we have the opportunity to attend our first national competition by representing KW and our awesome community. The excitement is only growing as october approaches, we want all of KW to get hyped with us, and that includes you!

Melbourne (Non-active) – Day Hospice guest bus pick up

2019-02-06T00:00:00Z

Anam Cara House Geelong is a community Hospice which provides day and overnight palliative respite and end of life care; we also have an equipment loan bank and a community outreach nurse. All our services are funded through donations and grants; we do not have a fee structure. We provide care to people with life limiting illness in the greater Geelong region. Our current site is in Geelong CBD, in a house that was built when dinosaurs roamed the area, for some people in the Northern suburbs of Geelong it is unobtainable due to transport costs. We are setting up a satellite service in Norlane; Norlane is an area were there is a large proportion of people who rely on government benefits; for people with a life limiting illness living in that area Geelong is too far away due to transport costs, even with half price taxi fares. We have a mini bus and would like to set up a local Norlane/ Corio bus run to assist people in accessing our services. Obviously we need to fuel this bus, which will be driven by a volunteer, and that is our need - money for fuel vouchers. Fossil fuel probably generated by the bones and waste of dinosaurs. Palliative day respite allows the patient a chance to have a break from the sick role and the carer a break from the caring role. Carers can use this time for whatever they want or need to do knowing that a specialist palliative care registered nurse and specially trained palliative care volunteers are caring for their loved one. Having a regular break also assists the carer sustain the ongoing caring role. The patients are assessed and monitored by a nurse who will refer issues to the doctor and other services as required. All our patients have a hand print done by one of our very talented volunteers who then finds out things in their life that are important/memorable and sets about finding trinkets and photos that represent these things. These are then mounted around the hand print and displayed, a photocopy is given to the family. Thx

Kitchener-Waterloo – Good Green Death Projecte

2019-02-06T00:00:00Z

The GGDP is working to make available more eco-friendly alternatives to our current death and dying options. Cremation uses fossil fuels and emits greenhouse gasses, and traditional burial requires and buries valuable resources such as exotic woods and metals, while doing everything possible to prevent the natural process of body decomposition. We're working towards establishing cemeteries that protect existing forests and that will be reforested by using composted human remains to plant new memorial trees. Our work is closely following Recompose in Seattle Washington, where a peer-reviewed paper on the process and a bill has been introduced to legalize Recomposition to Washington State. The work of the GGDP is to be the next location in Waterloo Region. Because everyone wants to be a tree after they die.

Kitchener-Waterloo – Waterloo City Limits: Bike & Folk Fest

2019-02-06T00:00:00Z

The Region of Waterloo has a country side boundary line (see map: http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/regionalGovernment/resources/ROPMap7new.pdf) that it created to protect farmland and sensitive environmental areas. This line faces regular challenges from housing developers looking to create new suburbs. The last time that the line was challenged, the Region was forced to push the boundary line back. To protect the country side boundary line it is important to embed it in the culture of our community by building awareness of both the existence of the boundary line, and its significance for the sustainable development of Waterloo Region. So let's have a party that celebrates the boundary line and all that it gives us! This summer, we will be hosting Waterloo City Limits, a bike and folk music festival just past the St. Jacobs Farmer's Market at the Waterloo Rod & Gun Club (think, Red Green Show club house!). Here's how it will work: -Cycling: The circumference of the boundary line is approximately 120km. The day will start with cyclists having a friendly & fun ride that (as much as possible) follows the line. -Activities: Back at the Rod & Gun Club, bike tuneups will be offered, a course will be setup to teach safe biking skills to kids, and local sustainability & cycling groups will have booths for those looking to engage beyond this day. -Food: Super tasty locally-sourced food will be available. We are thinking Tex Mex! -Folk: Richard Garvey is a great local musician who has put on a small folk fest the last few years with other local artists. Richard will be hosting a local folk music fest at the Rod & Gun Club to welcome cyclists as they ride in and engage attendees who aren't cycling. Cyclists & attendees will be invited to donate a suggested amount, and food will be sold at accessible prices. Local craft beer will also be sold. Profits will seed a boundary line action fund to pay expenses of local NGOs if they need to defend the boundary line in future.

Kitchener-Waterloo – Beecuz

2019-02-06T00:00:00Z

Beecuz is a youth-led organization that seeks to develop a future generation of passionate, confident and compassionate people by inspiring critical and creative thinking through education, awareness and design. We believe that everyone has an inherent talent, an authentic personality and the potential to succeed, even if it comes in a unique form. Beecuz uses education, awareness and design to provoke thought and discussion around current social standards while establishing self-efficacy and hope. Beecuz is founded in three main principles: the power of passion, the art of mastering self-belief and the science of happiness. Through several workshops amongst elementary and high schools in the Kitchener Waterloo region, Lena has been able to share a powerful message with students about overcoming mental illness and utilizing these three philosophies to live a healthier and happier life. As Beecuz expands, Lena hopes to further her public speaking services across the province and create a national youth event. To date, she has been able to connect with over 1,000 students and has made a profoundly positive impact on her peers. Beecuz also incorporates aspects of design through a clothing line that inspires, challenges and reminds individuals of their values and beliefs. The T-shirts display motivational messages and help spread the word about this movement of mental wellness and self-efficacy. The Beecuz motto is based on a quote that states that bees are not supposed to fly: their heads are too large for their small wings, which shouldn't be able to keep the bee in the air. However, the bee refuses to accept what it cannot do because it knows its strength. What makes you buzz?

Kitchener-Waterloo – Friendzone Collective

2019-02-06T00:00:00Z

We are a Kitchener-Waterloo arts collective working in all thing DIY, independent and weird. Founded in January 2016. We aim to promote music and art through events, live shows and resource sharing. Safety, inclusivity and open dialogue are prioritized in all that we do. We have been collaborating with countless individuals, artists, spaces and organizations within the city and have continued to gain more and more support from our community. This money will be one more step in making a thriving, radical arts community.

Kitchener-Waterloo – The Kitchener/ Waterloo Library of Things

2019-02-06T00:00:00Z

The Kitchener/ Waterloo Library of Things, which aims to open in late summer 2017, will be a space where community members can borrow infrequently used items such as tools or camping equipment. Members will reduce their impact on the environment and this library will provide opportunities for people who face barriers to employment to earn a livable wage. The duties associated with these jobs have been designed by individuals with disabilities. In the process of creating the Library, we realized that there is very little research about the impact that these kind of libraries have on the environment and on one’s sense of community (which can act as a barrier to obtaining funding). As a result, we are also building the library in such a way to ensure we can monitor the impact that this library has on the environment and on its nearby communities.

Louisville, KY (Non-active) – Louisville Drone Academy

2019-02-05T00:00:00Z

The purpose of this project is to implement a drone curriculum and apprenticeship program across JCPS. Students will earn drone industry specific certifications at the end of each learning pillar. Louisville Drone Academy’s apprenticeship program will allow graduating students an opportunity to work with local companies utilizing drone technology. This curriculum is designed to teach students how to use drones as an advanced tool and how to secure sustainable, higher paying careers utilizing their certifications and technology experience.

Digby Neck, NS (Non-active) – Digby Neck & Islands Web Site

2019-02-05T00:00:00Z

Jonathan White, a resident of Little River, Digby Neck, created an awesome website focused on beautiful Digby Neck and Islands, Long Island and Brier Island, in Southwest Nova Scotia. Everything you need to know to visit and lots of useful information for the folks who call this corner of the world home! Explore!

Louisville, KY (Non-active) – Lemonade Day Louisvile

2019-02-05T00:00:00Z

Lemonade Day is a national organization that focuses on empowering youth by teaching them the fundamentals of entrepreneurship. Each lesson covers a different aspect of building a business-from obtaining investors to creating a marketing plan, these lessons are then put into action as the kids execute their own business-a lemonade stand. The curriculum also focuses on setting of clear goals related to what the kids will choose to spend on themselves, what they will choose to save for the future, and what they choose to share back with the organization of their choice. Lemonade Day is currently in a number of surrounding cities (Indianapolis, Chicago), and our focus is in bringing it to the Louisville area. We are working with the Louisville YMCA as well as Global Game Changers to be the cornerstones for distribution of this project to kids ages K-5. Additionally, parents/mentors can sign their kids up online and work directly with us. The first ever Louisville Lemonade Day will be held Saturday April 29, 2017. Our goal is to have 500 kids participate in year one, and grow to 2000 kids by year 3.

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – Student Scholarships and Research Grants

2019-02-04T00:00:00Z

The ASHFoundation supports innovators and sparks innovation in the communication sciences. We give early support to promising students, researchers and clinicians exploring bold ideas to transform the field and improve the lives of people challenged with hearing, speech and language problems on a daily basis. One in six Americans has a speech, language or hearing disorder that can keep them from reaching their full potential in school, work and life. That's 50 million people with conditions that can make human interaction a struggle to connect and convey ideas. ASHFoundation grants recognize the talent of passionate and promising innovators exploring forward-thinking solutions for our field. These investments in their ingenuity empower our grantees to chart new paths and pursue new breakthroughs, and ultimately, change people's lives.

Miami, FL – Literature Forest Reading Room

2019-02-03T00:00:00Z

My project will address literacy by creating a Literature Forest reading room that encourages students to grab a book and let the pages come alive through their imagination. My goal is to donate 1,000 books, 772 collected thus far. Many of the books are Accelerated Readers which test and develop reading comprehension skills. I will also have a "Giving Tree" that will provide free books to the students to keep or return so another student can enjoy the book. My project will also launch a reading tutoring program to improve literacy and reading comprehension skills amongst the students. The project is sustainable because it will be actively used by the Reading Coach at the center to provide one on one tutoring on one side while silent reading occurs on the other.

Liverpool (Non-active) – YPAS SOS

2019-02-02T00:00:00Z

YPAS (The Young Persons' Advisory Service) is a mental health charity for young people from 10-25 years. This particular project has been proposed by our Sky group (16-25) as they feel it is something that will massively benefit our organisation. The project is to inject some life into our computer room. This is the room that is used for one to ones, job searching and the room where new service users have their first point of contact (as the welcome packs are completed with them in that space.) The room is small, bare, run down and drab, making it not a very nice space for service users to have one to ones and take some time out. As it is also where we complete welcome packs with new service users, this is not a particularly welcoming room and we feel it may affect peoples urge to come pack and get the help and support they need. The room is also not suitable for those with sensory issues or disabilities, due to the size and bright harsh lighting. We have quite a few young people who have sensory issues due to to Autism who have said they really can't be in this room as it is sensory overload. It needs to be a place of calmness and serenity as we often have young people come to YPAS in a state of crisis, and that is the first room we have to use. In our Sky group, many of the young people are NEET, so we encourage job searching as much as we can. However, it is not a nice room to be in so young people are deterred from spending time in there. Our young people also require online access to other services, such as Property Pool, which is a very stressful experience. Having a more suitable calming space will help our young people utilise the room and the internet facilities to help them keep on top of things in a calm and comfortable setting. This room would benefit all groups, as they all use it for the same reasons, but our Sky group want to take charge of the project and create something amazing.

Brumadinho (Non-active) – Intervenção Saúde Mental

2019-02-02T00:00:00Z

O projeto tem como objetivo prioritário oferecer atendimento psicológico a comunidade de Brumadinho visando minimizar os impactos a saúde mental da população. Para tanto, serão realizados atendimentos individuais e em grupo por dois psicólogos àquelas pessoas que necessitarem de tal atendimento, identificadas a partir de um mapeamento que ocorrerá em paralelo a tais atendimentos. Caso identificado a necessidade será encaminhado também a comunidade um psiquiatra para intervenções medicamentosas e técnico de enfermagem. Visando o suporte a potenciais casos de surto e outras necessidades estabeleceremos contato com a rede municipal de saúde de Brumadinho, no sentindo de disponibilização de transporte, medicamentos e encaminhamentos. Além disso, é necessário a articulação com equipes de saúde mental municipal em outras cidades para atendimento das pessoas atingidas pela tragédia da Vale e que estão alojadas fora de Brumadinho. Anteriormente, é necessário a identificação das pessoas atingidas que evadiram da cidade de Brumadinho, para esse trabalho contaremos com as Instituições, ONGS, voluntários e etc, que estão atuantes na cidade. Valor: R$1060

Tallahassee, FL (Non-active) – Know Endo March for Awareness

2019-02-01T00:00:00Z

Endometriosis affects women, teen girls, and preteen girls everyday. They suffer silently, and have to diminish debilitating pain to "bad cramps" to solicit even just a little sympathy for their chronic condition. As the reigning Ms. Black Florida, USA my platform is to bring more awareness, concern, and resources to those dealing with this condition. It affects our lives and the lives of those around us, but most just don't understand. It leaves us feeling alone, unsupported, and embarrassed. I hope that with having a day dedicated to teaching, learning, celebration and support that our community (and even beyond) can stop for a moment to understand their mothers, wives, daughters, nieces, sisters, and even classmates' and coworkers' pain.

State College, PA – Portable Podcast - A Mobile Community Studio

2019-02-01T00:00:00Z

I am looking to remove all the barriers to creating a quality podcast episode for anyone anywhere who is interested in telling their story. Portable Podcast would be a mobile podcast station that would include everything you would need to create a quality podcast on location. There are several groups already interested in using Portable Podcast at this time: -Me: As a ph.d. student studying education, I am interested in creating a podcast called"Teach Well" with a primary audience of commuting teachers in PA and the US. I would interview teachers and researchers about the inspiring and amazing projects they are involved in. -a 6x6 Women in Action project member (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uXOnmyMgVs&feature=youtu.be) who intends to create a podcast about her work developing early education programs in rural Indonesia for local and international audiences. - A group of local teenagers interested in creating a podcast about their experiences with mindfulness and how it has informed their lives. This resource would be available for community members to borrow and could also be paired with workshops on techniques and best practices.

Minas Gerais (Non-active) – Seu nome, seu bairro

2019-02-01T00:00:00Z

O projeto Seu Nome, Seu Bairro está sendo desenvolvido na Escola Estadual Divina Providência situada no bairro Regina. Os estudantes estão pesquisando as histórias de seus nomes, bairros e de Belo Horizonte, assim como a história da formação do transporte urbano/coletivo, peça chave para o desenvolvimento da capital. Desse modo, estamos trabalhando dentro de sala de aula com os materiais produzidos pelo Arquivo Público da Cidade - História dos Bairros: Regional Barreiro; exposição virtual da História do Barreiro; livro Ômnibus da Fundação João Pinheiro e o livro Barreiro: 130 anos de História: da argila ao aço. Ressalta-se que o Barreiro é mais antigo que a própria Belo Horizonte. Nesse contexto, estou trabalhando com os estudantes o nosso papel de sujeitos históricos e agentes de mudança numa cidade constituída tanto no projeto de Aarão Reis como no jogo de interesses entre o público e privado. Na especulação imobiliária que impossibilita muitas pessoas de terem sua própria casa e quando possível moram muito longe do centro da cidade que concentra serviços, cultura e melhor atendimento seja no transporte urbano seja nas demais áreas de saúde, educação etc. Assim, muitos cidadãos e pais dos estudantes são obrigados a gastar horas no transporte público para se deslocar até o centro da cidade pagando um preço alto na passagem. Entender a cidade é também compreender a sua formação do transporte urbano. Diante disso, estamos com uma parceria com o coletivo Tarifa Zero que reivindica entre outras coisas: passe livre, mais linhas de ônibus que atendam a periferia de BH e auditoria independente nos contratos de concessão das linhas de ônibus. Contudo, devido ao descaso do Estado com a educação não temos verba para fretar um transporte ao Museu Abílio Barreto e para o Arquivo Público da Cidade que contam a História de BH. Cabe salientar que a maioria dos estudantes nunca visitaram um museu, pois a maioria está localizada na região centro-sul, longe de suas residências.

North Minneapolis, MN – Black Women’s Empowerment Summit

2019-02-01T00:00:00Z

A Mother’s Love Initiative is a grassroots organization that is galvanized toward uplifting the family unit through mentoring, education and economic training of the African American mother to reclaim the Village to its position in society. Our mission is to help them develop and create a new reflection of themselves through workshops and hands-on training that will prepare them to break down barriers to embrace their greatness. A Mother’s Love Initiative was founded by Alisa “Lisa” Clemons in 2015 because she saw the need to empower Black women to: • Love themselves, • Be a voice for our children, • Be empowered to be a life-long leader, • Be a financial provider so they could lead a successful life, and • Become a voice for other women.

Alaska (Non-active) – Phones for Homeless Youth

2019-01-31T00:00:00Z

At the time of this grant application, the KPBSD Students in Transition Program for Homeless Children and Youth has identified 156 students as meeting the homeless definition this school year. Of these, 49 are homeless, unaccompanied youth - those youth meeting the homeless definition and also not in the physical custody of their parent or legal guardian. The majority of these youth are teens, many couch-surfing amongst friends or family members for short stints of time. These youth often have higher rates of absenteeism, and many are without a cell phone, They are also ineligible for programs such as Lifeline due to age restrictions (must be 18 to apply). This makes it nearly impossible to check on their general well-being or to see if supports or services are needed that may be able to get them back to school. In addition, youth have difficulty reaching out to/being reached by local community support agencies. Ultimately, we believe this barrier to communication is a safety issue.

Disability – Disabled And Here

2019-01-31T00:00:00Z

Disabled And Here is a portrait and stock photo series highlighting disabled BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and additional people of color) around the Pacific Northwest. I want to literally show people how wide the spectrum of disability actually is (including invisible disabilities!) through beautifully affirming portraiture accompanied by interviews AND provide inclusive stock photography options for disability and chronic illness that’s shot from our own lens for once. Media portrayals of disability tend to be homogenous and one-dimensional, focusing primarily on children and elderly folk, who tend to be white and either appearing sad or serving as inspiration porn for non-disabled audiences. There's also a strong emphasis on physical disability, particularly those requiring wheelchairs, even though mobility aids come in all kinds of varieties and customizations. Disabled And Here is a reclaiming of our depiction, celebrating and featuring disabled adults with different diagnoses (or lack thereof), body sizes/types, sexual orientations, and gender identities. And as the BIPOC acronym implies, Disabled And Here will prioritize Black and Indigenous folx, since they've typically been the most impacted by systemic oppression. To ensure that our stock photo collection is accessible, Disabled And Here will have high and standard quality downloads available online for free under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licensing, with image descriptions included. Ultimately, Disabled And Here hopes to empower BIPOC with disabilities and chronic illness, with representation and education as the first steps towards social change. What our grantee is saying: "Thank you so much for propelling Disabled And Here forward! Fundraising is super exhausting, so Awesome Disability's support is both a huge emotional and financial boost. With this grant, I can finally officially recruit disabled people of color for the first installment of the photo series, with the peace of mind of having their compensation covered. Here’s to creating better representations of disability and chronic illness that are by and for us!"

New York City, NY – Women's Weekend Film Challenge

2019-01-30T00:00:00Z

The Women's Weekend Film Challenge (WWFC) is a response to the underrepresentation of women in film which perpetuates negative stereotypes of women and can lead to harmful working environments for female filmmakers. The organization is run by Katrina Medoff and Tracy Sayre who **recruit female filmmakers and place them on crews with women in every single role of production**. WWFC provides production insurance, equipment and stipends for the crews and gives the crews one weekend to make a short film. They host a screening for all the completed films to celebrate the work and to help broadcast the talents of these filmmakers. Women's Weekend Film Challenge has two goals: * To help female-identifying filmmakers network with each other so that they can hire and recommend one another in the future. * To tell women’s stories on film with women behind and in front of the camera. In less than one year, WWFC has produced 17 short films with over 300 women. The films have gotten into several film festivals, including HBO's Women in Comedy Series, and they have won major awards, such as a the Spy Who Dumped Me Female Storyteller contest. In a recent survey, nearly 75% of our participants have gotten work based on recommendations from fellow participants of the challenge. **Their third challenge will be held from April 4-7, 2019 in NYC. Anyone who is interested in participating should [sign up for their mailing list](http://eepurl.com/du9vdr) for more details.**

San Antonio, TX – FABMOSA

2019-01-30T00:00:00Z

Hi there! My name is Angela Covo, editor of Edible San Antonio magazine. In 2013, with Freddie Covo (the publisher), we started a quest to have San Antonio designated a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. We worked with three mayors and an amazing team of individuals drawn from the private sector (including Chef Johnny Hernandez, who helped spearhead the effort), the public sector (Mayor's Office, Economic Dev, OHP and World Heritage Office) and academia. On Oct. 31, 2017, UNESCO designated SA a Creative City of Gastronomy. To underscore the prestigious designation, Freddie and I are now working on a new AWESOME project, FABMOSA, the Food and Beverage Museum of San Antonio. Mayor Nirenberg, Judge Nelson Wolff and several community leaders have expressed support for the idea, which is still in its earliest stage. Cruz Ortiz agreed t design the logo! FABMOSA will showcase our innovative culinary landscape (Tex Next), help preserve San Antonio's culinary heritage (online home cooks' recipes, strong focus on local ingredients, cultural and native contributions and historical dinners) and will function as an inclusive, interactive hub to help educate students, tourists and the general public about why SA is a Creative City of Gastronomy, our local foodways and where our food comes from with interactive exhibits, events and Additionally, FABMOSA will help connect everyone in the local culinary industry and act as an inclusive organization that will host all aspects of San Antonio's culinary scene, including resurrecting the San Antonio chapter of Slow Food and starting the FABMOSA Society of Food Writers and Scholars and Society of Food Photographers and Filmmakers. We will also partner with all the local culinary schools and organizations, such as the Dames d'Escoffier, et cetera. We envision FABMOSA will also serve as a master resource, where aspiring culinarians and local entrepreneurs can learn about all the help and assistance available in San Antonio to succeed.

Leiden – Plant to make us smile #7

2019-01-30T00:00:00Z

Het singelpark/de stad Leiden op een awesome manier versieren/promoten. De kades/taluts versieren met symbolen, tekst, smilies om een glimlach op de voorbijganger te doen ontstaan. Er word bijv. een groot rood bloemperk aangelegd in de vorm van een hart met daar achteraan het netnummer van Leiden, 071 in het wit.

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – Windom's Dancing Classrooms

2019-01-28T00:00:00Z

Windom Elementary (a Minneapolis Public School* system) would like to form a long-standing partnership with Heart of Dance (a Minnesota-based nonprofit**) to bring Dancing Classrooms to our fifth-grade students. This innovative and comprehensive program provides 20 ballroom dance lessons (twice-weekly for 10 weeks) to fifth-grade students during their school day. But, this program is much more than just dance! This program is AWESOME because it is about developing respectful, socially, and emotionally mature students who are better prepared for the challenges of middle school and beyond. The students are challenged to learn something that, for most, will be entirely new and different: ballroom and social dance. The physical and mental challenges of learning dance include moving bodies in rhythm with music and precise physical coordination over one’s movements. Social challenges include learning to work with different classmates; increasing self-esteem by mastering a new skill; and practicing respect and social etiquette. Cultural challenges include learning about new and different cultures and overcoming stereotypes. This program is an excellent opportunity to make messages of diversity and inclusion come to life for 10 and 11-year olds. What funding for this project would get…Among student participants, Dancing Classrooms has documented success in building self-esteem, confidence, discipline, increasing gender respect and awareness, improving conflict resolution skills, providing team-building experiences, and offering an understanding and practical application of social etiquette standards. In addition to enriching young lives through social and emotional learning, Dancing Classrooms have also been shown to enhance academic achievement and improve physical fitness. *http://windom.mpls.k12.mn.us/About_Us **https://www.heartofdancemn.org/history/

Kingston – GRID Stage Company 2019 Season

2019-01-28T00:00:00Z

GRID Stage Company is a emerging stage company that focuses on interdisciplinary collaboration and creation for the stage. Our goal is to engage artists of different art mediums to collaborate and create within the work we do. GRID has two exciting new project platforms planned for 2019: “GRIDlock Creation Project” is an experimental creative group session that meets once a month. This project is structured to challenge artists to use new approaches and explore innovative ideas. Through this process we will develop an original piece for the stage that will be created, assembled and workshopped in Kingston. The intention is to submit the pieces to various fringe and theatre festivals across Ontario. Our “Off The GRID Series” will stage four visceral and engaging works from established, emerging, obscure, and original creators. This work will be curated in small non traditional theatre spaces in Kingston. We plan on using reclaimed materials for our sets, costumes, props and lighting while also executing efficient marketing tactics through using less paper. Another element of our company is mentorship between and across various art forms. We aim to provide our members as well as participants and audiences with opportunities for personal and professional development and self growth. We hope our company model and season programming will invite young adults and new audience demographics to attend the theatre.

Boston, MA – 7000 Languages

2019-01-28T00:00:00Z

7000 Languages is a non-profit that creates free language-learning software in partnership with Indigenous communities around the world. Research has shown that kids who learn their heritage language have higher self-esteem, do better in school, and are more likely to graduate. But in many communities, the last remaining speakers are too old to teach in schools. Take, for example, Sarah Silas. She’s the last speaker of Benhti Kenaga’ (an Alaska Native language) and she’s 93 years old. Sarah has priceless knowledge, but she can’t easily share it with the hundreds of kids who want to know about their culture. That’s where we come in. We’re helping Sarah and her community create a free online course. When it’s finished this spring, kids all over the world will be able to learn Benhti Kenaga’ as if Sarah were in the room with them. Each course would normally cost $200,000 to create, but we charge nothing. Instead, we adapt software donated by the language-learning industry and raise our operating funds from donors who are passionate about language. This means that the funds that would have been spent on software remain in the community, where they can make an even greater impact. We’ve done the same thing in 15 communities across the US, including the Ojibwe, Cree, and Dakota nations. Next year, we’re set to double our impact, publishing courses for 16 more communities in 2019.

Washington, DC – Eat Your Hart Out: A Fat Burlesque Revue

2019-01-28T00:00:00Z

As a fat queer performer of color (QPOC), I have faced countless obstacles since beginning my career as a burlesque dancer. Today, I tackle those issues as a performer, producer, and activist by opening doors for other fat QPOC. Eat Your Hart Out: A Fat Burlesque Revue was born in 2017, from my frustration with producers who openly discriminated against fat performers, and especially fat performers of color, along with my disappointment at the treatment of marginalized communities in this industry. EYHO creates an intentional safe space for fat performers of all genders, races, sexualities, ages, and abilities, while giving casting priority to performers who exist at the intersection of various marginalized identities. EYHO is a chapter in the story of more inclusive burlesque in Washington DC. It showcases large bodies as beautiful, capable of creating art, and deserving of the same respect as thin bodies. Moreover, it shows local producers that arbitrary size requirements are harmful, damaging, and fatphobic. In its mission of inclusivity, EYHO also addresses the other issues that plague the casting process of many burlesque shows, from ableism to racism. EYHO is attempting to flourish in Washington, DC where economic obstacles, social media censorship, and changes in venues are creating a dangerous environment for the variety arts. Venues are closing, rebranding away from the variety arts, or increasing their prices. This lack of access to venues has been killing many productions, and Eat Your Hart Out -- the city's only fat burlesque revue -- is not immune to these changes. Our home venue is closing, and all theaters are not financially accessible. In an effort to keep Eat Your Hart Out alive, I am attempting to raise funds, through grants and personal donations, to rent the Gala Hispanic Theater, pay a cast of performers, and engage in an integrated marketing approach to advertise the show.

Oahu, HI – Project Lemon Tree

2019-01-25T00:00:00Z

Our project is call Project Lemon Tree brought to us through the Bizgenics organization. This project is to bring awareness to health, carbon footprint, and environmental impact using STEM curriculum for students. This is a completely student led project. Students learn, build, and create their own lemon trellis. Students have already learned about the many benefits of lemon trees, including health and environmental. We have discussed how the trees are the highest CO2 sequestering trees you can plant, and Oahu imports 98% of the lemons they sell! Lemon tree are also extremely easy to care for. All of the sixth grade students at Kaimuki Middle School then learned how to create a trellis for the trees. In groups of five, students designed their own trellis for lemon trees and presented their design. After the design, students built their trellis out of various materials to see if it would withstand a stress test. This included wind, shaking, and weight. The students discussed what worked and what did not work. Now, we would like to students to bring their project to life! The students will vote on the best trellis, and KMS would like to build it on campus. The lemon trellis would be used by all students as an area that showcases student work, health, and environmental awareness. Each year the new six grade class will learn about the benefits of the trees. The seventh graders will learn about using the lemons by cooking or making products. And, the eight graders will be in charge of bringing community awareness to the project.

Birmingham, AL (Non-active) – The WILAH Project

2019-01-25T00:00:00Z

What I Learned At Home (WILAH) is an At Home Foundation, Inc. program that teaches women living in underserved communities about home and life repair using actual home repair tools and life parallels. Because of changing dynamics at home, these women are required to maintain the security, stability and value of their homes and families while assuming traditionally male dominated roles. These women are the sole or primary provider in 40% of homes with minor children. Additionally, they suffer the highest rates of domestic abuse. This successful, much needed program provides a unique means of practical/social intervention! The successful 12-week dual-phased project focuses on teaching single mothers home repair and life management skills. In phase one of WILAH, certified contractors introduce women to the proper use of household tools (hammers, saws, power drills, etc.) and provide the opportunity to apply the learned skills in a simulated at home repair setting. In the second phase, instructors and certified counselors challenge and inspire the women, teaching resilience by aligning their tools with life parallels. A small group approach offers individualized attention. With their new skill sets, women enjoy a more accurate knowledge of home repair, which reduces their need to hire contractors for simple, yet costly repairs. Instructors and counselors work to restore hope to this often-isolated population and women increase their ability to engage and to trust their own value. With additional funding, AHF will include a two-generational element via our recent program innovation that includes the children of our participants: WILAH Kids. Moms will use three classes to work with kids and do three separate “At Home” work assignments with their young ones. We will know WILAH is successful when we increase participant count from 19 to 36. 75% or more women will complete WILAH. 90% or more women will gain proficiency in home repair skills and earn a full toolbox.

Orlando, FL – Community Chalk Art Festival

2019-01-24T00:00:00Z

Presented by Gateway Orlando Arts in partnership with Halifax Health Hospice and the Community Improvement Initiative Event Date: Saturday March 30 2019 Location: Gateway Village Time: 10 AM – 5 PM 5463 Gateway Village Circle 32812 Contact: Susan Wilcox Email:chair@gatewayorlando.org Background Overall the Orlando area has much to offer in terms of art and culture; however in East Orlando there is a scarcity of exposure of opportunities to engage with the arts and to experience cultural enrichment. Roughly one third of the population is considered minorities, with Hispanic/Latino being predominant. The average annual income in this area is $32,841 and the educational attainment level is 80% with high school diplomas and 20% with college degrees. Furthermore, of these households, over 16% are single females with no husband present and have an average annual income of $21,000. Additionally, of the total population, over 25% are children under the age of 18 years old. This data is derived from the 2010 CDP for the Azalea Park zip code of 32807. Event Description Keeping these facts in mind, we are proposing a community building event that will allow our residents to experience art as it emerges. This cultural event is called “Faces and Places of the World” and is designed to enhance understanding and appreciation of our community’s diversity, while simultaneously providing exposure to the arts. This form of performance art began in 16th century Italy with itinerant artists, many of whom had been brought into the cities to work on the huge cathedrals. When the work was done, they would often recreate the paintings of the Madonna onto the pavement. They became known as I Madonnari. The creation of a large and intricate chalk painting may take hours or days to complete, only to be gone after the next rain. The artists will tell you that the process is more important than the finished piece and that spectators are a vital part of the performance as they

Yerevan – Band Battle Armenia

2019-01-24T00:00:00Z

On April 6th and 7th, students in UWC Dilijan are organizing Dilijan Arts Festival (DAF), which aims to turn the city into an artistic place for two days by gathering young artistic souls from all over Armenia. As a part of DAF, this year we want to start an awesome project: first Band Battle for youth in Armenia. There are a lot of young artists who want to start band activity but are hesitant because of the lack of environment. We believe that by providing an opportunity in which they can share their music, interact and learn from each other, the musical culture in Armenia among youth will be developed and become richer. A stage will be set up inside the huge tent built in the central park in Dilijan. On the first day of the Festival, there will be the first selection in which three most outstanding bands out of ten bands will be selected. On the second day, those three bands will be performing during the main concert for the final selection in front of a huge audience and the famous musicians as judges. The winner will be awarded the prizes, including free music video shot by the professional creators. The band can come from any genre; the only requirement is to have at least one member under 20. We will give them 15 minutes of performance time for them to create their own program and perform whatever they like to do. We want to invite famous musicians from different fields to attract participants and offer a fair judgment. Through the event, participants will get experience on the stage, which is important for their growth as musicians. In addition, listening to the other bands and interacting with each other will help them to see their performance critically and to create new connections. The prize for the best band can help the band to encourage the career as a professional group. By continuing the project regularly, the Band Battle can be recognized as the first step for being popular.

Almere (Non-active) – Nederlandskampioenschap kersenpit spugen

2019-01-23T00:00:00Z

Het idee is om op de grote markt/belfort plein tijdens het floriade festival van 2019 het nederlandskampioenschap kersenpit spugen te organiseren voor jong en oud. Hoe gaaf zal het zijn om in ons eigen Almere het wereldrecord te verbeteren,dan is Almere een wereldrecord rijker. Wellicht wordt dit een jaarlijks terugkerend evenement tot aan de floriade. Uiteraard zullen er in verschillende leeftijdcategorieën verschillende prijzen te winnen vallen waaronder oudste deelnemer (hopelijk verliest hij of zij niet een kunstgebit) en de jongste deelnemer. Dit leuke evenement zal opgeluisterd worden door wat muziek in de vorm van een DJ die ook de deelnemers aankondigt en aanmoedigt. Misschien is het wat overdreven maar wel awesome als we met een tribune kunnen werken. Al met al een hoop kersenspektakel. Durf jij het aan

Almere (Non-active) – Compost Company Almere

2019-01-23T00:00:00Z

Wij zamelen wekelijks GFT-afval in bij Almeerse bewoners en bedrijven, dit wordt door onze wormen omgezet in hoogwaardige compostproducten. Onze klanten krijgen iedere maand de producten terug die gemaakt zijn van hun afval, zo kunnen zelfs Almeerders zonder tuin hun planten de beste compost geven. Compost en andere bemesters die bij het tuincentrum te krijgen zijn worden vaak gemaakt van grondstoffen die van ver aangevoerd moeten worden zoals turf uit Polen. Tegelijkertijd wordt ons GFT-afval ingezameld en naar andere plekken in Nederland vervoerd om daar verwerkt te worden tot laagwaardige compost. Dat kan ook anders! Er zijn een heleboel duurzame initiatieven op het gebied van voedselproductie, moestuintjes en hergebruik in Almere, maar het onderwerp van keukenafval en compost wordt vaak gezien als 'vies' terwijl dat de bodem is waarop ons (duurzame) voedsel groeit. Om de hele voedselketen duurzaam te maken moeten we niet vies zijn van ons eigen afval maar het juist zien als grondstof voor iets heel moois! De Compost Company wil laten zien dat lokaal afval ook lokaal verwerkt en weer hergebruikt kan worden, en dat deze producten van hele hoge kwaliteit kunnen zijn. Zo dragen we ons steentje bij aan de circulaire economie en verbeteren we de bodemkwaliteit in onze stad.

Portland, OR – Paper Flower Installation at PDX

2019-01-22T00:00:00Z

Imagine a fanciful journey through Forest Park and into the Rose Garden, created entirely from paper. You are lost in a forest of paper ferns and evergreens, and emerge to find yourself surrounded by hundreds of hand cut paper roses. Along the way, you discover giant paper mâché mushrooms and delicate crepe paper butterflies. I was selected by the Portland International Airport to create an installation in a glass display case that is 39' long x 4' deep x 9' high. The installation will be up for one year starting in April 2019 and will potentially be seen by 20 million travelers.

Newburgh, NY – Newburgh's International day of Happiness

2019-01-22T00:00:00Z

On Tuesday, March 20, 2019 Safe Harbors of the Hudson will host its third celebration of International Day of Happiness. It will be held in the Safe Harbors Lobby at the Ritz and historic Green Room, located at 107-111 Broadway in Newburgh, NY. A profound shift in attitudes is underway all over the world. People are now recognizing that 'progress' should be about increasing human happiness and wellbeing, not just growing the economy. March 20 has been established as the annual International Day of Happiness (IDOH) and all 193 United Nations member states have adopted a resolution calling for happiness to be given greater priority. The pledge for IDOH is “I will try to create more happiness in the world around me". This campaign is a global celebration, coordinated by Action for Happiness, a non-profit movement of people from 160 countries, supported by a partnership of like-minded organizations. Safe Harbors, along with Jacobowitz and Gubits, Recap and other organizations, will be featuring food, live entertainment, community workshops featuring circus arts skills including balancing each other, balancing objects, juggling, rolling globes, Zumba and other types of dance, jokes, storytelling, joke telling, karaoke, music, hula hoops, a drum circle, a photo booth, Bingo, conversation corner, pop-up kids performances, a human checkerboard, art projects, and much, much more. We hope as many people from the community will attend and carry forward this happiness campaign in their own lives.

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – #Standing Rock Will Vote

2019-01-21T00:00:00Z

The North Dakota state legislature passed a law that negatively affects voters that do not have identification that includes a street address. Many voters that live on reservations in North Dakota, including the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, have never had a street address. Per past practices, most mail on our tribal land is delivered to PO Boxes. Also, there has never been a comprehensive effort to assign addresses to all properties on our tribal lands. We seek to help all eligible voters to overcome all the barriers that have been put into place that make it difficult for them to exercise their right to vote.

Tallahassee, FL (Non-active) – Tally Zine Fest

2019-01-21T00:00:00Z

Tally Zine Fest (TZF) is a grassroots art book fair focusing on handmade books, zines, and printed ephemera from near and far. TZF will take place on Saturday, February 23rd at The Bark in Tallahassee, Florida. We have and continue facilitate free workshops for the community leading up to the event, teaching book structures, how to make zines, and the history of zine culture. In February 2018, the first fest took place at The Bark, 621 Gallery, and The Plant with over 30 participants tabling, sharing their art with the Tallahassee community. It is a community event, but also seeks to draw outside talent into Tallahassee to promote growth within the artistic community, add to the local economy, and deepen cultural diversity. Each table is facilitated by the makers of zines, screen prints, and artist books, available for free or purchase at the discretion of the artist. Through the event, we established a zine library at 621 Gallery, creating a lasting legacy of TZF. We've developed integral platforms through the web, with a website, social media integration, and reaching out to student radio stations (at FAMU and FSU).

Raleigh, NC (Non-active) – My Own Raincloud

2019-01-21T00:00:00Z

Jeff Chelf is just dying to make his own rain cloud. The Raleigh-Durham chapter of the Awesome Foundation is just dying to give him the money to do just that. So we have. Now Jeff will create a bicycle with a perpetual shower over the rider's head (that's him). As he rides through the streets of Raleigh and Durham he will be stuck under a perpetual storm while spectators watch from the sun. Why? Because watching someone ride a bike around getting soaked would be a joyous, perplexing, and likely entertaining experience. The project will challenge us all to examine our usual avoidance of rain, and engage with a new crowd each time the bike goes out for a spin. Having struggled with his own personal raincloud in a figurative sense, Jeff wants to put this darkness out into the light to turn the metaphor around.

Singapore – TreeDots - Tackling the problem of B2B food waste

2019-01-21T00:00:00Z

TreeDots is Southeast Asia's first wholesale distributor of surplus and imperfect food supplies to food service providers. Our mission is to tackle the colossal issue of food loss (edible food that is discarded) by leveraging on technology to better match supply and demand, and streamline transactions. We are the industry's food meister to help our suppliers recover cost from perfectly edible, imperfect and unsold inventory, and to assist food service providers in sourcing for affordable food supplies, while fulfilling our mission to save our dear planet. Within our first year of operations, TreeDots has saved more than 173 tons of food that would otherwise end up in landfills in Singapore alone. These foods have a water footprint equivalent to providing 3.8 million people with drinking water for a year and a carbon footprint equivalent of taking 336 car off the road for a year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6afq0Wh_kYg&t=2s We would like to use the $1,000 to buy an industrial refrigerator to store about 100 irregular sized fresh chickens that a slaughter house in Singapore throws away every day as they do not fit the customer of the slaughterhouse's requirements.

Austin, TX – Write! Austin

2019-01-21T00:00:00Z

Write! Austin is a queer poetry writing workshop curated by poet + writer, ND. Headquartered in Austin, the public is invited to attend passion-filled monthly workshops at dope creative spaces in + around the city. The inaugural workshop will be held at CRAFT on Saturday, January 19, 2019. The workshop caters up to 40 people for casual writing sessions amongst fellow LGBTQ+ writers for connection + community among queer people.

Pittsburgh, PA – Orchestra Park

2019-01-21T00:00:00Z

I'm in the development phase of a pubic art installation with the working title "Orchestra Park". Using found objects like fence posts and reinforced concrete for the main structures coupled with customized pneumatic and electronic controls, I envision a garden of recycled sculptures that visitors interact with to activate a symphony of unconventional musical instruments; "flute flowers" with steel stems and PVC petals that spin on their axis create whistle tones to stand in for whole wind sections, "brass bulbs" on illuminated trellises play morning glories as trumpets and bluebells for horns, while paths of reclaimed wood marimbas provide percussion. While these interactive structural elements are the main focus of the project, I would also like to see the space under and around the sculptures used as a working garden to promote local environmental causes like native plant cultivation and sustainable landscaping. The installation will be wind and solar powered and designed to withstand being outdoors in all seasons.

Aviano (Non-active) – Awesome Aviano Art

2019-01-21T00:00:00Z

I’ll use free spaces in Aviano to do awesome art murals with volunteers interested in art and design.

Newmarket – Outdoor Learning Loose Parts Collection

2019-01-20T00:00:00Z

My name is Amanda Kennedy. I am a grade two teacher and the Chair of the Outdoor Classroom Committee at Phoebe Gilman P.S. We are currently in the process of building an outdoor classroom and need to accumulate materials to facilitate outdoor learning activities. Eventually, these materials will be kept in a storage bunker by our future outdoor tree circle classroom. Our staff, as well as the YRDSB, see how students benefit from outdoor learning experiences on a regular basis. We have a large school population and expanding our outdoor learning material collection will allow for more staff to take their classes outside.

Chicago, IL – Crafternoons with LGBTQIA Elders

2019-01-17T00:00:00Z

My proposed project Crafternoon with LGBTQIA elders at the Center on Addison will be in dedication to the many elders who paved the way for the LGBTQIA community in Chicago and beyond. By providing a safe, encouraging space, I anticipate that participant’s stories will surface about the first time coming out, relationships, the times when they had to live a life in the closet and fears of being arrested for just being themselves in public. Through a relational cultural approach, the elders and I are partners in crafting. The group goals will include; relaxation, connection, confidence, social engagement, self-expression, relaxation, and connection. Most excitingly, members will have the opportunity to make art because they will have access to art materials. As a group of artist, we will create a community for the members to enjoy art-making together and relieve feelings of isolation. We will work together to create craft projects such as totes, hats, weavings, and so on. These projects will provide a space for problem-solving, creative thinking, exercise motor skills, and promote concentration. As we begin to sew, memories from childhood, school, and queer identity will unfold. The art materials provided us a bridge to connect cross-culturally and generationally. I will look to group members for inspiration to create a sense of mutual learning, and to provide a sense of collaboration for the members. As a group facilitator, I will definitely bring my cartoony, playful and colorful art-making into the groups. I’ll provide unique materials for the groups that branch out of the typical crafting ideas, as well as, best fit the needs of the group!

San Jose, CA – Forget Me Not

2019-01-16T00:00:00Z

Once a vibrant individual, Pete now spends his days quietly in the corner of the activities room of his nursing home. As someone with few visitors, Pete must rely on short conversations from local volunteers to boost his spirits. Until I began volunteering at an assisted living facility, the idea of elderly social isolation was almost foreign to me. Social isolation is when an individual has such little social interaction that he or she feels extreme loneliness and depression. Isolation can affect anyone, and is a little known public health crisis. Without proper attention to this issue, it can lead to mental health issues, complications from chronic illness, and even death. However, it can be combated simply with human interaction. Through interaction with people like Pete, I learned how prevalent this issue is amongst the aging population. Three years ago, I founded Forget Me Not to connect my peers to people like Pete in a mutually beneficial way. Forget Me Not is an intergenerational program based in San Jose, CA that partners compassionate teen volunteers with isolated older adults in weekly social phone calls. While the teens provide companionship, the elders provide endless wisdom and support--all to form unwavering intergenerational bonds. The idea is simple. First, older adults are referred to the program from our partner organizations, or sign up by filling out a simple registration form. Next, teen volunteers are paired with 1-2 registered older adults. Before working, volunteers complete a mandatory training that equips them to handle any challenge they may face over the phone. Then, once a week, at a predetermined time, the volunteers make social phone calls to their respective older adults. The calls are supervised and take place in Forget Me Not-sanctioned high school chapters. Forget Me Not already partners with several regional and national organizations, including Meals on Wheels, Episcopal Senior Communities, and Wish of a Lifetime.

Rochester, NY (Non-active) – Glass Cotton Candy

2019-01-15T00:00:00Z

I have stumbled onto an beautiful and unique glass process. I make specialized molten glass containment devices, put molten glass into them, and then spin then at extreme speeds. Hot threads of glass spray all over the shop in beautiful patterns. I have made a temporary containment device that is seven feet tall, seven feet wide, and two feet deep, but it is in need of an upgrade. At the moment, the only way to allow an audience in is through video documentation. I hope to change this and share this with the public.

Cass Clay – Additional lighting for Hawley Art Show

2019-01-15T00:00:00Z

A little over 51 years ago some forward thinking citizens of Hawley MN decided to host an annual art show to promote the arts and provide exhibition opportunities to regional artists. The show was and still is a success. It is an open show where anyone can exhibit and throughout the years it has remained popular with both the exhibiting artists and an appreciative public. The future of the show looks good. The srt show does have a small budget that is used for yearly expenses and is replenished with monies from the modest entry fees charged the exhibiting artists. We have always been able to meet our expenses and remain solvent but our annual carryover is typically in the low hundreds of dollars. A perpetual problem of the show is providing adequate lighting for the paintings. The show is held in the old gymnasium of the Hawley community building which, is a neat old art deco building but unfortunately has rather bad lighting even for an old gymnasium. We supplement the available light with some floor lamps but we still find that there are darker areas in the room. We feel that is unfair to the artists that have their work in those areas. We would desperately like to purchase additional lighting so that our show can continue to thrive. We would purchase floor lamps, clamp on lamps, and the additional heavier extention cords with any money that you could offer us. We have a great art show that we feel contributes to the quality of life in our small town. We intend to keep the tradition of putting on a quality show. Your financial assistance would help us greatly in achieving our goal.

Ottawa – Th3rd Fridays

2019-01-14T00:00:00Z

January’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Alea de Castro to support free monthly dance battles in the city. These dance battles, taking place under the name Th3rd Fridays, have been running for just over a year. A DJ plays various types of music and dancers compete against each other, freestyle, one on one, until there is one winner left. A judge, explains Alea, picks who has won based on criteria such as musicality, creativity, skills, competitiveness, and confidence, and the winner takes home a pot to which each dancer has contributed a minimum of $2. The audience watches for free, but is welcome to donate toward the next event. “To understand street dance culture,” explains Alea, “you have to go back to the roots of hip hop and black culture. The hip hop dance battle concept, specifically breaking or break dancing, emerged during the late 70’s as a response to heavy segregation, drugs, and police brutality. To get away from the negativity, young black and Latino kids in The Bronx started breaking and battling to express themselves in a positive manner.” From there, she explains, street dance has become a positive and empowering movement for youth, women, marginalized people, LGBTQ communities, people of colour, and more. To see some Th3rd Friday dance moves, check out this Ottawa Minute produced by 613TV. Alea is a Registered Nurse working at The Ottawa Hospital, and co-founder of MOOV Ottawa Dance.

San Francisco, CA – Star Stories Live, a Podcast

2019-01-14T00:00:00Z

Media Art Xploration, Inc. (MAX), in partnership with Notes for Notes and its Program Director Bisi Obateru, is seeking funding for “Star Stories Live, a Podcast.” This live sound installation created by youth from the Excelsior Chapter of The Boys and Girls Club of San Francisco will compliment the “Star Stories” installation created by the Boys and Girls Club of the Rosebud Reservation and both will be presented at MAX 2019: A Space Festival - each its own take on the stars and their relationship to our planet earth. Through “Star Stories” MAX is bringing Lakota youth from Rosebud to one of its venues, The California Academy of Sciences, to share their traditional Star Knowledge and present alternative perspectives of space and discovery. The Lakota youth will present their celestially inspired work and experience the impact their stories can have. The Awesome Project ,“Star Stories Live, A Podcast,” enables Notes for Notes to leverage “Star Stories” and engage San Francisco youth by setting up an interactive storytelling and recording installment at the Festival in Cal Academy. It will enable young people to connect across cultures and produce a series of podcasts exploring the Lakota star stories and those of visitors to the exhibition. San Francisco youth participants will have the chance to learn how to build their own podcast in a professional recording studio. By participating in the Notes for Notes podcasting program, they will learn everything from researching, to interviewing and audio engineering. Youth will work directly with skilled mentors to interact and story tell with others confidently as they explore the stars.

San Francisco, CA – Song of Songs Seder Celebrating Queer Sexuality

2019-01-14T00:00:00Z

My AWESOME project is a seder celebrating queer sexuality. It is in its 6th incarnation and is ever changing to be the most engaging, joyful, embodied, educative, delightful, empowering ritual filled with ecstatic dance, song, and radical liturgy it can be. It will be held on May 19th 2019. Last year 60 people participated in the seder. It’s a uniquely Bay Area event that utilizes the bold and sensuous language of Song of Songs, an erotic love poem in the bible, to celebrate the unique gifts that queers and our culture bring to society with the intention of sharing these gifts with the larger world; not to create a queer only space. A variety of voices, experiences, sexual practices and viewpoints are shared throughout the ritual with the intention being that no ONE of these represents queer culture AND all are embraced. The haggadah, which is like a script that everyone at the ritual reads from throughout the event, is central to the experience of the ritual. Images, readings, and prayers included in the haggadah are sex-positive. They also work towards decentering whiteness, and dismantling transphobia, ableism, sexism, heterosexism, coupleism, and assumed monogamy. Throughout the text these readings and images are paired with direct quotes from the Song of Songs. Ritual foods and drink that are symbolic are consumed. Their meanings are explained in the text. The seder ends with conjuring a magic spell based on Allen Ginsburg’s 1955 poem “Excerpts from Footnote to Howl.“ That poem is inspired by a traditional Jewish prayer that repeats “Holy, Holy, Holy.” Ginsberg, the out Gay Jewish Beat poet, that he was, celebrated cocks and assholes as holy in this poem. Chanting of the poem is used to raise energy and take the Jewicy JeWitchy experience of knowing, deeply in our bodies, the sacredness and power of sexuality, as exemplified by queers, and sending that magical energy out to all who need it to transform the world.

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – RSVP Volunteers are Awesome

2019-01-14T00:00:00Z

All of the RSVP volunteers are 55 years of age and older and do fantastic things for Marshall County, Kansas. The main focus for the volunteers is keeping elderly people in their homes longer; without the need to move into nursing facilities. The volunteers do this by delivering Meals on Wheels and Freezer Meals to elderly, home-bound and disabled individuals; providing grocery shopping for this same population and delivering the groceries to their homes. Other means of assistance comes in the way of Medicare counseling and helping the beneficiaries make the decision on choosing Medicare Part D prescription insurance. One RSVP volunteer is the only unpaid Affordable Care Act Navigator in the county.