Awesome Foundation - Projects

Asheville, NC (Non-active) – Cancer Transitions:Moving Beyond Treatment

2017-05-08T00:00:00Z

There is life after treatment! Cancer Transitions:Moving Beyond Treatment is a cancer survivorship program. This four-week session is the next step for cancer survivors completing active treatment. This program helps cancer survivors discover the benefits of exercise, nutrition, emotional well-being, side effect management, and support. This is their first step to move forward after treatment to restore health and thrive in life. Sessions are free of charge! We rely on program sponsors to cover the cost of food, program rental space, printing of handouts, and printing of flyers, Program facilitators are specially trained and volunteers.

Liverpool (Non-active) – Bootle tool shed

2017-05-08T00:00:00Z

Our project is a community workshop that brings adults together to partake in diy projects and repair or refurbish unwanted item such as furniture or other household items instead of them going to landfill, we encourage all adults to get involved rather than sitting at home alone. We are a newly formed CIO and we are members of the UK mens shed association, we work in a disused retail unit in the strand shopping centre Bootle, our aim is bring the community together and do our bit to end social isolation and create a safe creative place to socialise whether thats building a garden planter or having a game of pool in our comfort area where members can also sit and chat . All of our team are volunteers no one earns anything from Bootle tool shed any money raised or earned from sellung the odd bird table goes back into the project.

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Statue

2017-05-08T00:00:00Z

The Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Statue Fund, Inc. a 501 (c)(3) organization is raising funds for the creation, placement and endowment of a bronze sculpture of and honoring women’s rights pioneers Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. For the first time in Central Park’s 163-year history, there will be a statue of and honoring real women in Central Park. Erecting a statue honoring Stanton and Anthony will right a major historical wrong – there are presently 23 statues of and honoring real men and NONE of real women. Women are represented by statues of Mother Goose, Alice in Wonderland, and Juliet (embraced by Romeo). By honoring Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, New York City will be celebrating the largest non-violent revolution in the history of this nation – the battle for women’s suffrage. The monument will also highlight the participation of other women, including women of color, who were instrumental in the movement. With permission from the New York City Parks Department and support of the Central Park Conservancy, we have been given the site immediately south of the West 77th Street entrance to Central Park, ideally situated near the New York Historical Society and Museum of Natural History. Thousands of school children pass the site on school trips to those institutions. Contributions will help us meet a $500,000 challenge grant from the New York Life Insurance Company. We have raised over $250,000 to date; overall budget is $1-1.3 million, depending on final design and site modifications. The higher figure would include a docent program for outreach to schools and for other park visitors. Our goal is to unveil the statue by August, 2020, the 100th anniversary of women winning the vote by passage of the 19th Amendment. The statue will provide a focal point for celebrations of women's history, including the centennial of women winning the vote, when the statue is unveiled in 2020.

Whangarei (Non-active) – Art and Craft Supply De-stash & Swap

2017-05-05T00:00:00Z

There is a huge artistic community in Whangarei and after talking to a heap of different makers I know they have all said they have tonnes of unused art and craft supplies in their studios that they'd like to be able to hand on to others. AND they would also love the chance to swap or shop for new supplies they need. The purpose of this market will be to re-use, re-cycle and re-vamp the art and craft supplies that have been gathering in peoples storage areas and will most likely never make it to their production area. It's a chance to get your de-STASH and re-STASH on! I also want to have "FREE STUFF" tables where people can contribute and take from these tables as they feel they need to. Whatever isn't taken at the end of the day will be donated to Hospice. I hope this will become a regular event and will be run twice a year. If successful this Awesome grant will be seed funding to start the event off and I imagine it will then be able to fund itself from there on in.

Annapolis, NS (Non-active) – Teens & Kids Free Summer Art Workshops & Art Club

2017-05-04T00:00:00Z

Thanks to artist Monica Forrestall, and with the support of Awesome Annapolis, there will now be a FREE art-specific series of workshops for children and youth taking place this summer in Annapolis Royal. Two of the workshops also offer an opportunity for teens/kids to exhibit their artwork, if they choose, to a large audience at both the Annapolis Valley Exhibition and in collaboration with Fort Anne during Paint The Town weekend. The Fort Anne National Historic Site workshop, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the park, will be an added event to promote for this most wonderful celebration for our beautiful town. The creating of a summer arts club for kids offers positive creative-gathering opportunities for the youth of the town and area. With local artists agreeing to drop in on the workshops, there will be opportunities for more art relationships being forged between different generations of artists in the town. Email annapolis@awesomefoundation.org to be added to the list to receive details on how to sign up once they become available.

Oakland, CA (Non-active) – FIGMENT Oakland

2017-05-04T00:00:00Z

Stockholm (Non-active) – Utsattas röster ska eka!

2017-05-03T00:00:00Z

Vi tycker att det är dags att både politiker och allmänheten börjar lyssna på de våldtäktsutsattas röster! Föreningen Tillsammans är av och för personer som har blivit utsatta för sexuellt våld. De är en plats för stöd och gemenskap där unga kan omvandla sina erfarenheter till kompetenser och i sin tur skapa visselblåsare mot sexuellt våld. Awesome Foundation stödjer föreningen i att ta fram fyra kortfilmer till Almedalen som kommer visas på stängda möten med politiker, under debatter och för allmänheten. På uppdrag av regeringen har sexualbrottskommittén föreslagit att bland annat ändra dagens brottsrubricering från våldtäkt till sexuellt övergrepp. De menar att då fysiskt våld inte alltid förekommer vid våldtäkter är våldtäkt ett olämpligt ord. Föreningen Tillsammans hävdar motsatsen. Tanken med filmerna är att utsatta själva får berätta varför det är viktigt för just dom att ha kvar ordet våldtäkt. Det är de våldtäktsutsatta som i slutändan kommer drabbas mest av den här ändringen och då är det självklart att de ska vara drivande i debatten!

Atlanta, GA (Non-active) – Ladies In Waiting, Inc.

2017-05-02T00:00:00Z
Our community based program strives to Empower and Enrich the lives of teen girls in the Metro Atlanta area. We are a Girls Leadership/Mentoring Program. Our mission is to support girls in grades 8-12 as they transition from teen into adulthood. We encourage them to abstain from behaviors that may be detrimental to there well being, i.e. sex, drugs, alcohol, and gang activity, while helping them learn the skills they need to be successful after high school. We focus on teaching our girls about Life Skills, Character Development, Etiquette & Manners, while exposing them to life beyond where they live. We take them on field trips that range from educational and college tours to recreational experiences like Atlanta Hawks and Dream Basketball games. As a part of our program, our girls are also taught the importance of serving the community and we involve them in as many Community service activities that we can during the school year.

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – Shuar/ Saraguro Indigenous Artisen Jewelry Coop.

2017-05-01T00:00:00Z
Our goal is to establish a cooperative organization to promote and sell the artisanal beaded jewelry of the indigenous Shuar and Saraguro people of Ecuador. Located in Guadalupe, a small town in the Southern province of Zamora-Chichinpe, our project will enable indigenous women to increase regional and global market awareness of their uniquely beautiful hand-crafted beaded jewelry. Creating beaded jewelry is integral to the cultural identify of both the Shuar and Saraguro people. By enhancing artisans’ business skills and access to internet technology, the Shuar and Saraguro women will increase sales and help stabilize family income. In the mostly subsistence economy of southern Ecuador, Shuar and Saraguro women sell beaded jewelry to supplement their family income. Establishing a jewelry cooperative will enable women to expand the geographic market for selling jewelry beyond the surrounding area accessible by 5-10 hour bus rides. A jewelry cooperative will establish an internet presence to increase awareness and educate the world about the culture and ecological values of the Shuar and Saraguro people. Additionally, a cooperative will educate artisans about business planning and coordinate production among artisans’ to accommodate market demand. The Saraguro people, as an agrarian culture, have a history of using the cooperative organizational model to purchase and share trucks and tools for farming. Please see the twelve-page business plan: Preserving and Promoting the Culture, Heritage and Artisanship of the Saraguro and Shuar People 2017

Melbourne (Non-active) – Kitestring

2017-04-30T00:00:00Z
Despite the rise of social networking, close friendship is going the way of the dinosaurs: extinct. The average size of our close friendship circles is shrinking and as many as 1 in 4 of us have no close friends at all. So in an era where we are more connected than ever before, why do we have less close people? With increased mobility, how to do we get connected in new cities? In a radically changed 'village', how do we make sure parenthood strengthens our social connections instead of fraying them? Kitestring is Melbourne-based human-centred design project dedicated to answering these questions and more, for humans and dinosaurs alike. We've spent over a year on a design-research deep-dive, interviewing people from many walks of life and reading everything we could get our hands on. Out of this we've produced a report (a small book, really) summarising our insights so far. You can view our (nearly final) draft at http://bit.ly/2o9g3jM We are now at the stage of printing and launching this report. We will distribute the PDF and upload stories to our website, but having a high-quality hardcopy is critical to recruiting partners for the next phase: trying things out. I'm aware you don't like fund marketing, so rest assured spreading the report is more: it's core to the impact we've want to create. Friends who've read it have already gone and tried new things in their lives. I also hear you like projects that other people won't fund, so you'll love us. Most funders want you to start with an idea (we started with a question) or do academic research (we took an action-focused design research approach). So up until now we've poured our own time and money into this passion project. Unfortunately the quote we just got for printing has us digging so deep into our pockets that we're coming out with lint. Hence this awesome opportunity for you folks to help us avoid our own extinction event and get the project to the next stage.

North Minneapolis, MN – Jazz Soul

2017-04-30T00:00:00Z
I have been making food for the community, serving one "Soul" at a time. Food brings families together to be able to eat, laugh and make more memories. Everyone in the community reaches out to me to make them meals and deserts. I want to be able to expand what I am doing to reach more people. I have done free BBQs for the homeless, gave out free hygien kita for the homeless and bring good comfort food into peoples home. I want to bring the community together and do a big cook out, have games for the kids, activites and music.

Disability – Disability Arts Project Uganda

2017-04-30T00:00:00Z
Disability Art Project Uganda, (DAPU), is a community of people with disabilities who come together with the aim of empowering others with disabilities to develop practical skills, confidence and fulfill their creative potential. We offer art and design skills to such individuals who reside on the streets, villages and in the slums to create unique products with the goal of providing economic stability. We conduct our mobile workshops in different places which include Kansanga Kampala, and Mayuge district where we are afforded with free space to implement our vision. In Uganda it is estimated that 80%of people with disabilities are unemployed. This is attributed to the fact that most of them attain little to no education because of family denial and poor school grounds that lack accommodation to those with disabilities. This has led for such individuals to run to the streets, begging for survival and living in poor situations. DAPU believes that the arts and design are social tools that can solve these challenges given the fact that Uganda has a large arts community and a growing market. What our trustees are saying: "I like it because it's a great project by a person with a disability that addresses a real need and their goals are realistic. I especially liked that they created a detailed and accurate budget for what they plan to do with the money."

Libraries (Non-active) – Serbia: Refugee and Migrant Library

2017-04-30T00:00:00Z
Mainstream rhetoric conveys notions to refugee aid providers that all refugees and migrants need are food, clothing, and shelter. Because of this, a substantial amount of funding directly targets acquiring clothing donations, food distribution, and the running of refugee camps. While the need for these services were critical in the beginning stages of the refugee crisis and during the winter months, aid continues to disproportionately stream into these areas while leaving enrichment activities and basic education behind. For people forcibly displaced from their home countries, being surrounded by the Serbian language and script can be difficult and confusing. Having access to books in their native tongue would provide considerable comfort while waiting for asylum. In particular, aid groups have difficulty finding activities for female refugees that stay within the bounds of cultural norms. This project will create a library for refugees and migrants in transit in Belgrade, Serbia coming from war-torn and underdeveloped countries. Currently, around 1,500 to 2,000 Urdu speaking refugees and migrants from Afghanistan and Pakistan, 2,500-3,000 Farsi speaking refugees from Afghanistan and Iran, and 1,400 from Syria and other Middle East countries are stranded in transit in Serbia, attempting to find safety and security in Europe. In conversations, Jasmine discovered that many refugees requested access to reading material to expand their knowledge as they wait for their name to be accepted for various asylum enabling lists. Alongside their European language classes here in Belgrade, many refugees crave to fill their abundant free time with continued basic education while waiting for their refugee and migrant applications to be processed. With a grant from the Critical Language Scholarship Alumni Fund and help from on-the-ground activists in Pakistan, Jasmine was able to collect a number of books for refugee enrichment and learning in the Urdu language. With a successful GoFundMe page, Jasmine funded the shipping of the cargo from Pakistan to Serbia. The Awesome Foundation funding will add Pashto, Farsi, and Arabic language material to the library. With the availability of this material, Syrian refugees (who mainly live in refugee camps scattered throughout Serbia) and Afghani refugees and migrants who don’t speak Urdu will have access to reading material as well. Reading material includes textbooks, non-fiction books, poetry, novels, children’s books, and beginner script books for teaching language. Books will be purchased from bookstores in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran. The library will be maintained by the Education Center in downtown Belgrade and managed by the local NGOs Refugee Aid Serbia and North Star. This open library will be accessible to all refugees and migrants in Serbia. A webpage and social media presence, with bookstore contacts details, will highlight the libraries creation process in order to inspire similar projects in countries receiving refugees and migrants. {forthcoming} What our grantee has to say: “Aid culture praises projects that can report immediate results, such as numbers of refugees housed, clothed, or fed in a given month due to their funding. Education and enrichment from a library is more difficult to measure. I plan for this library to set an example for similar projects along the refugee path and in refugee camps. Through spreading positive impact anecdotes about refugee and migrants in this particular library on social media, aid culture as a whole can slowly shift to respond to real-time on the ground needs. More libraries and enrichment courses can be proposed and funded. I'm so grateful for the Innovation in Libraries AF Chapter for providing the resources to expand the refugee and migrant library in Belgrade, Serbia to include literature in Farsi, Pashto and Arabic. The grant will positively influence thousands of people enduring the treacherous journey from conflict stricken and opportunity deprived regions. Sustainable educational and enrichment efforts are crucial to making aid well-rounded. I hope this library inspires more of its kind throughout the refugee and migrant route to Europe." - Jasmine Passa, Fulbright Scholar, Niš, Serbia What our trustees have to say: “I find this to be quite relevant...and a creative way of addressing language barriers faced by refugees.” “This project is sustainable and has far-reaching results for the refugees and migrants who draw from it. It will be possible to maintain beyond the grant applicant's time in Serbia and will continue to provide resources for its community.” “This project showed a practical pathway forward to benefit a very real challenge facing the global community. Many studies have demonstrated the huge detrimental impact of the extended boredom and isolation refugees experience. The application showed a considered idea, including ideas of how the project would be maintained and shared.”

Alaska (Non-active) – Jim Bell Songbook

2017-04-30T00:00:00Z
I am currently producing an album of songs by the late Alaskan composer Jim Bell (1943-2007), thanks to an Individual Artist Award from The Rasmuson Foundation. For 40 years, Composer/Lyricist/Pianist James C. Bell entertained at the Palace Saloon in Fairbanks, Alaska. A consummate entertainer, "Jimmy Bluebell" captivated crowds with his catchy lyrics, beautiful melodies, and impeccable command of all things “show biz.” His timeless, uniquely Alaskan tunes captured the hearts of the adventurous souls who flocked to the Last Frontier in the 60s and 70s. In these rowdy Pipeline-era days, the Palace was the place to be. Can-can cuties kicked; mustachioed bartenders slung stiff drinks; and Jim’s songs pulsed with the lifeblood of the boisterous community. Jim’s music is dear to many Alaskans, but especially to me since my parents fell in love performing his songs at the Palace. I’m honored that Marlene Bell, Jim’s widow, has bequeathed the copyright to Jim’s music to me in her will. As the eventual heir to Jim's lifetime body of work, I feel a responsibility to celebrate the music that brought my parents and so many others together in Alaska's Golden Heart City. The Jim Bell Project is a synthesis of several of my artistic passions: vocals, piano, songwriting, and theatre/performance. There is something about Jim’s music that speaks to me on a cellular level. Since I quite literally heard his songs in utero, they stayed with me. I consider the songs Jim created a time capsule of Fairbanks life from Gold Rush days through the 80s. Watching Jim from a young age, I learned about the palpable energy exchange between stage and audience. I learned how to rehearse a single phrase until it was just right. I learned that pace and humor can separate an amateur from a professional. Above all, I learned that the community you create in the room is what keeps people coming back to hear more. Please let Jim's music speak for itself at: https://soundcloud.com/jimmy-bluebell

Austin, TX – The Dobie Middle School Family Resource Center

2017-04-30T00:00:00Z
The Dobie Middle School Family Resource Center is part of one of Austin Voices for Education and Youth’s Family Resource Centers. The resource center was created when concerned individuals noticed that the closest food bank to 78753 and 78758 was too far away to service those in need within the community. Ninety-six percent of the students who attend Dobie Middle School are on free or reduced lunch, so there was definitely the need for a food pantry within walking distance of the school. Subsequently, the Dobie Middle School Family Resource Center began operating in October of 2016. The primary activities of the Dobie Middle School Family Resource Center are supplying families in need with nutritious food, needed clothing, and various medical services. The Center also function as a wrap-around support for the surrounding community, with a social worker to refer families to needed services and a free library of books English, Spanish, Chinese, and Burmese for any family who wants them. A $1000 grant from the Austin Awesome Foundation will provide funding to keep the Center open during the summer months.

Northern Virginia (NOVA) (Non-active) – The Deaf Poets Society

2017-04-29T00:00:00Z
The Deaf Poets Society is an online literary journal that publishes poetry, prose, cross-genre work, reviews of Deaf or disability-focused books, interviews/miscellany, and art by D/deaf and/or disabled writers and artists. Founded in March 2016, our mission is to provide a venue for D/deaf and disability literature and art, as well as to connect readers with established and emerging talent in the field. But in addition to being an online journal, we're also interested in acting as a collective for the Deaf and disabled community. To do this, we're working on presenting events and workshops in the community. We're lucky to have our first reading coming up in mid-February at The Writer's Center in Bethesda, Maryland, and we're looking to host more in the Northern Virginia area, as well.

Northern Virginia (NOVA) (Non-active) – Legacy Farmers Giving Back

2017-04-29T00:00:00Z
Legacy Farms is a local nonprofit in Leesburg, Va. We provide agrarian based job training for adults with autism and other developmental challenges. Each year, we grow about a half acre of produce and donate it to the local food bank. Our participants have donated roughly 700 pounds in two years. Every year, our Legacy Farmers Giving Back initiative works with a local organization to build and maintain a garden, as long as it serves one of the requirements below: -To provide food for those in need -To use as a teaching resource -To use as a therapeutic resource This year we are partnering with a local home for people with disabilities to get a garden program started at the home. The garden would allow them to grow healthier food options, save money on produce and learn more about growing their own food. This is a community-wide effort between Legacy Farms and the residents and families of the home. There is a growing body of literature on the general benefits of community gardening. Many of them mention health and wellbeing benefits, while others focus on the therapeutic benefits of gardening itself. We feel this would be a great way to do both and provide

Northern Virginia (NOVA) (Non-active) – SCHS Lorton Library Tutoring Program

2017-04-29T00:00:00Z
The South County High School Lorton Library Program is reaching out to you, to help improve our local community and change the lives of high school students for the better. If you are not familiar with it, our after-school tutoring program was established to improve the grades and opportunities of students from low income neighborhoods within our local community, and it stems from the belief that every student matters. We work to promote student success and to provide accessible educational support. Through the program students receive tutoring in all of the core subjects but also we provide free food by both Panera Donations as well as food prepared by our high school Gourmet Foods Class. For some students this is some of the only warm food they will receive after coming home from school. It is our belief that education takes place both inside and outside the classroom, and our hope is that the connections we form with students outside of school will be as important is their in-school experiences. Lorton Library Tutoring provides opportunity for this kind of education; our tutors become mentors to struggling students and leave lasting impressions on the lives that they reach within our community. Unfortunately, we currently have insufficient funds to continue the program for the duration of this school year. Without your financial support, we will be forced to shut our doors before standardized testing begins in May, truly putting in jeopardy some of our most struggling students. However, your participation would allow us to continue impacting the lives of these students through academic help and mentorship. Please help us inspire, engage, and empower students to work towards their dreams. Please help them discover the power and opportunity education holds and ultimately change the world.

Yerevan – Ավիամոդելավորման Լաբորատորիա Եղեգնաձորում

2017-04-28T00:00:00Z
Մենք երկու ընկերներով Եղեգնաձորում փորձում ենք ստեղծել ավիամոդելավորման լաբորատորիա, որտեղ կպատրաստենք հեռակառավարվող ինքնաթիռներ, ուղաթիռներ ու կվադրոկոպտերներ։ Առաջին մոդելը, որի վրա արդեն սկսել ենք աշխատել ռուսական ՄԻ–24 ռազմական ուղաթիռի ռադիոկառավարվող մոդելն է 1/10 մասշտաբով։ Այս մոդելի ռադիոկառավառվող ուղաթիռն այս մասշտաբով շուկայում արժի մոտ $5000. Մոդելը պատրաստելուց հետո կարող ենք այն վաճառել և գնել նոր սարքավորումներ ու նյութեր լաբորատորիան ընդլայնելու համար։

Newcastle – PEACH NITE SPOT 40th Anniversary Mardi Gras Float

2017-04-27T00:00:00Z
PEACH NITE SPOT is a safe place for the LGBTQI community of Newcastle to be able to come and have a great night. The last 2 nights have pulled over 300 people and it's done on a very limited budget and often it comes out of organiser Luke's own pocket. He started Peach to get the community back involved in their scene. PEACH nite spot will enter a float in the 40th anniversary Mardi Gras called "Queen of the lighthouse". There will be a truck which will look like the Pasha Bulker at the from and it will lead back to Nobby's Lighthouse with the Queen of the Lighthouse watching over the marchers, dressed as stunning steel workers, lovely lifeguards, Lady Susan Gilmore's and other Iconic Newcastle attractions to show off how beautiful the city of Newcastle really is.

Twin Cities, MN (Non-active) – Drum, Grow, Sow!

2017-04-26T00:00:00Z
On a weekly basis during the summer months, Heart and Soul Drum Academy (HSDA) youth students from the Somalian Rondo Community will gather at Frogtown Farm (FF) to learn and participate in the universal language of music, specifically African drumming, as we revive the tradition of Griot (storytelling), which usually occurs around the simple pleasure of food from the good earth. By combining these two art forms in a community garden-fieldwork environment, our Somalian youth will gain hands-on experience playing music and gardening - cultivating the earth and themselves for a healthy wellbeing. Through HSDA and FF’s collaboration, we will help our youth develop creativity, discipline and leadership while showing them how to perform well with others in Common + Unity = Community, at the garden. HSDA teaches drumming and mentors students, ages three to 17. While doing so, HSDA also instills discipline and cultivates personal development of life skills such as leadership and management through the use of drum circles, which transfers into classroom, community and the world. Using the model of a 12-week summer drum and gardening program, students who have limited interaction with other diverse populations of our community will have the opportunity to learn the art of drumming and organic gardening. As the community responds to the universal language of music, their natural response is interactive communication. Using the adult mentorship of Babe Jesse (HSDA), the FF staff plus one interested Somali youth, who will learn to mentor HSDA students in the art of gardening through an internship role, the drum students and youth residents will learn life skills for the mind, body and soul as they share in the experiences of drumming classes and gardening activities. These skills include social interaction, leadership growth and development and personal knowledge of nutrition. Leadership skills will be developed by participating as drum circle leaders and fieldwork volunteers.

Minas Gerais (Non-active) – Garotas Amplificadas BH

2017-04-26T00:00:00Z
O Garotas Amplificadas BH consiste em oficina exclusiva para meninas adolescentes com aulas de instrumentos (baixo, guitarra, bateria e teclado), ensaio musical, espaços de expressão, reflexão de problemas de gênero e empoderamento de meninas através da música. Projeta-se uma atividade exclusiva para estudantes meninas com o fim de consolidar um espaço seguro onde a chave é estabelecer os laços de companheirismo e de solidariedade que desenvolvam ao máximo as potencialidades grupais e questionando o lugar da mulher na sociedade, sem competições. A escada da rocha é prototipicamente masculina e configuram-se estereótipos de gênero que interpelam sobre todas as jovens. Por isso, tomamos a música como facilitadora média para a reflexão sobre esses estereótipos, enganchar os horizontes de possibilidades das adolescentes e brindar ferramentas de empoderamento para aflorar a auto-estima. Objetivos: • Propulsar o protagonismo das estudantes; • Ferramentas de empoderamento; • Aflorar a auto-estima; • Reflexão sobre as construções de gênero; • Gerar os laços de pertencimento com a escola. As oficinas contemplam instrução de instrumentos, oficina de Stencil, oficina de defesa pessoal e da história da mulher na música/ empoderamento/ identidade e gênero. Somo um time de voluntárias formado por mulheres que acreditam que a música pode ser uma das chaves para a criação de laços de sororidade. Onde as meninas e as mulheres possam ser as protagonistas de suas próprias vidas.

Washington, DC – Literature & Laundry

2017-04-26T00:00:00Z
Literature & Laundry turns idle time into a fun time for kids "stuck" at a laundromat with nothing to do. Our unique literacy program gives away brand-new books to children at a DC laundromat and takes time to read with them. The impact is both intangible and measurable. Kids love getting new books and having an adult read with them or listen to them read. Parents love the positive attention we give to their kids. Other laundry patrons smile at the sight of the activity. And, the owner of the laundromat appreciates the wholesome atmosphere Literature & Laundry creates. Since 2013, we have enriched the lives of more than 100 young people, ages 3 – 17, and their families. Literature & Laundry is an original program of St. Timothy's Episcopal Church located in SE DC. Church members serve as volunteer "book buddies.” Volunteers must receive certification in Safeguarding God's Children, a child sexual abuse prevention training offered by the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. Literature & Laundry has raised books through donation drives and a Barnes & Noble bookfair. The vast majority of the books we give away are new (never been used). We shy away from gently used books because there is a wide variance in what people perceive to be "gently-used." We simply don’t want the kids we serve to get yet another hand-me-down. Additionally, Literature & Laundry asks for donations of Newberry award-winning books to ensure that kids get top quality stories for enhancing their perceptive reading skills. All in al, Literature & Laundry inspires joy for all involved. Thank you for this opportunity to share our story and request support.

Tallahassee, FL (Non-active) – Sell It Tallahassee

2017-04-25T00:00:00Z
Sell It Tallahassee is an event series created by Qultur, a local nonprofit that works with local artists and businesses to increase public safety. There is one question that we have heard more than any other in our one year of work here in Tallahassee: How can we bridge the gap between art and entrepreneurship? The answer thus far has been to hold community meetings, or panel sessions with entrepreneurs and artists and speak to them at that level. There are a couple issues with this solution. First, artists do not attend panel discussions. Second, the majority of artists do not consider themselves entrepreneurs, so when entrepreneurs are lecturing about that realm, artists feel uncomfortable. The solution that Qultur has come up with is Sell It Tallahassee: a community microfunding initiative to fund local artists, and also help artists hone in on and practice entrepreneurial skills. People pay $5 to get in. The money raised at the door is put into a pot. For example, if 100 people come, the pot would be $500. Three artists take turns “pitching” their art to the crowd. They have to tell the crowd their story, where they’re from, what their art means to them, and so on. By doing this, they are truly honing in on their entrepreneurial, social, and storytelling skills. After the pitches there is time reserved for a Q&A with each artist. After the Q&A the crowd votes on ballots who had the best “pitch.” The ballots are counted and the winning artist earns all the money raised at the door. The first Sell It Tallahassee was on Friday, March 10th 2017. The winning artist, Elton Burgest earned $70 to put towards his own unique clothing line. What makes this event special is that the money raised is thoughtful. People attend because they care. It shows the artists that there are people in this community who are interested in them and their work. Sell It Tallahassee is bridging the gap between art and entrepreneurship, microfunding for local artists, and building community.

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – Girl Represent

2017-04-24T00:00:00Z
Girl Represent’s goal is to inspire middle school girls of color to become civically involved in their community and connect them with women of color already involved in politics. Women of color only constitute 7.1% of the 115th Congress and 5.4% of state legislatures. This lack of representation reinforces the message that there isn't room at the table for girls of color. Girl Represent aims to change that by helping girls identify ways they can make an impact in their community and pairing them with role models. The current Kickstarter campaign is to fund the development of a workbook full of exercises that will help girls: - Identify problems opportunities in their communities - Identify strengths that they bring to the table - Define what makes a good leader (and how they can be one) - Define tangible ways they can make a difference - Articulate what they learned To refine the workbook I want to take it on tour this summer and hold workshops in cities around the country. The workshops will bring girls and women of color in politics together to walk through the exercises. During half-day workshops, girls will be paired with women who are involved in local politics or civic leadership. Together they will share their experiences and come up with ideas around driving impact in their communities. The workshop will follow a structure like this: 20 Min Warm Up 10 Min Introductions 30 Min Partner Sessions (partnering girls and women) 30 Min Q&A w/ the women 20 Min Breakout Activity 30 Min Action Sessions 20 Min Presentations 20 Min Debrief The first workshop will be in Nashville, TN on June 3rd at the Oasis Center. I have partnered with some amazing local youth organizations to help with recruiting and promotion, but I want to bring workshops to as many cities as I can this summer.

Sydney – Playgroups in The Park

2017-04-23T00:00:00Z
Playgroups in The Park is the only free family fun day available for children under school age (0-5years old) in City of Sydney LGA particularly in Redfern, Waterloo, Darlington, Eveleigh and Alexandria area. It runs from 10:00AM to 1:30PM three times a year. It has been running for 17 years with various support from local services to fund it as we never secure a continuous support from any government or non-government funders. The purpose of this event is to provide a safe, community focus event for parents with young children for free on regular basis. The aim is to facilitate a space for local service providers (child care centres, early childhood health services, women and children services, local schools and community/neighbourhood centres) to meet with the local community members, particularly the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse communities who reside in this area. We provide wide range of entertainments for children such as jumping castle, animal farm, puppet show, pony rides, music and movement activity, face painting and many others. The parents/carers will have the opportunity to enquire to the information stalls regarding their children or their needs. We provide light morning tea which includes fresh fruits, cheese buns, water and juices.

Moscow (Non-active) – "Сказки у камина" (связь поколений)

2017-04-22T00:00:00Z
Основная цель проекта – налаживание связей между поколениями невзирая на разницу в возрасте и расстояния – Каждому ребенку нужна настоящая бабушка, а каждый пожилой человек может дарить любовь малышам! Бабушки и дедушки приходят в детский сад почитать сказку, провести кулинарный мастер-класс по выпечке блинов или печений, поучаствовать в театральной постановке или уроке рисования. А малыши навещают бабушек и дедушек со своими концертами или спектаклями, для чаепитий или просто, что бы поиграть вместе. С одной стороны мы системно занимаемся организацией процесса дружбы и общения старичков и малышей, с другой стороны изучаем международный опыт, перерабатываем его и внедряем в России. Основных задач перед проектом поставлено несколько: 1) для пожилых людей 80+, проживающих в домах престарелых - это интересный досуг, это возможность общаться с малышами (не у всех есть собственные внуки и правнуки, а если они и есть, то могут редко навещать своих стариков), это возможность почувствовать свою социальную значимость, делая что-то с детьми и передавая им опыт, избавление от страха одиночества - ребята всегда радуются встречи с бабушками и дедушками. 2) для малышей - это возможность вырасти без страха перед старостью и без желания "спрятать" старость своих близких, как что-то не нужное и не угодное. Научившись обходиться со стариками, с людьми, страдающими от деменции, малыши, а позднее молодые и взрослые люди, смотрят в будущее проще - они знают, как это "стареть", они прошли этот опыт и впитали его разве что не с молоком матери. 3) средние поколения - это самые сложные участники проекта, так как именно им, родителям малышей и детям стариков в возрасте от 30 до 60, очень сложно принять старость в себе. Поэтому, открывая двери домов престарелых, мы показываем, что дети из детского сада и старики из дома престарелых - это путь не разных людей, а на протяжении жизни это один и тот же человек, чья жизнь может быть эмоционально наполнена или одинока и это в наших руках.

Detroit, MI – Hope House Detroit's & Teen Council's Cafe

2017-04-22T00:00:00Z
Hello! Hope House Detroit (HHD) is a small non-profit on the East side of Detroit, in the Jefferson-Chalmers neighborhood. What began as a couple buying a house to stay part-time in the community where they attended church has since turned into an amazing and safe place for the youth who live nearby. It started out small - a basketball hoop where mostly the teen guys came to play and hang out - and has grown into six programs being offered (serving kids from Elementary School through High School) and much more! One of our newest programs, spearheaded by my friend and co-leader, Riley, is a Teen Council (TC) which currently consists of three High School ladies who have exhibited consistent involvement and leadership skills in our community. We meet every other Friday to learn about, develop, and practice being leaders. These inspiring young people have done everything from assisting with the large, special events that take place at HHD throughout the summer, to researching and planning their own service projects. Now, as the founders of HHD have dreamed up their next project - a café-like space in the house where kids of all ages can hang out, read, and express themselves creatively - the young woman of Teen Council have been called upon to help design and plan the space, a super exciting opportunity! They have already visited a similar space for research purposes, have brainstormed ideas about the cafe's purpose and mission, as well as what the physical space will be itself. Now they are in the process of drafting a proposal for the project, which will be submitted to the founders and leaders of HHD for approval before the necessary construction work begins.

Moscow (Non-active) – В гостях у сказки

2017-04-22T00:00:00Z
В Республике Башкортостан близ города Благовещенск находится детский лагерь "Зарница". Долгое время он принадлежал нефтеперерабатывающим заводам, но они от него отказались. Хорошо, что нашлись люди, всей душой и сердцем переживающие за сохранение прекрасного уголка Детства. Не для кого не секрет, что организация летнего отдыха для детей - это не рентабельный, а социальный бизнес. Прибыли хватает только, что бы содержать жилые корпуса и хозяйственные постройки. Но детям нужны не только они. Детям нужна сказка. Мы совместно с детьми, разработали целую серию прекрасных сказочных островков на территории лагеря: "Лукоморье", "Дом для светлячков", "Скамья примирения", тропа здоровья. Для создания которых необходимы огромное желание, творческий подход и немного средств.

Kingston – Going to the zoo,zoo,zoo

2017-04-21T00:00:00Z
The Special Events Committee is a group of community members support by KCHC to provide affordable trips and events to community members. Many of our families would not be able to experience the beach or the Toronto Zoo without our efforts. Each year we strive to take 150 community members to Toronto Zoo. Each bus costs almost 1,000 dollars, many of our families save all year to take their children to the Zoo, the cost to the families is the reduced admission price. Imagine a family of 4 the cost is 90$ for 2 children and 2 adults, plus the cost of any food or memorabilia from the trip. Many of our families struggle to make it through the month. We always have 3 full school buses signed up to go. The testimonials from trips past are poignant and lovely. Mothers reporting that they are as excited as their child to see the zoo, young men and women who have never left Kingston in their lives and generational family members spending time together. The sense of community and excitement is joyful.

Baltimore, MD – Bus Stop Buddies

2017-04-21T00:00:00Z
This project will be a film highlighting youth that participate in Bus Stop Buddies, a mentorship program in central Baltimore's Greenmount West Neighborhood. Bus Stop Buddies is a program that has adults from within the community standing at the bus stop with students in an effort to provide a positive start to their day. Activities that go down at Bus Stop Buddies include daily games of tag, hot chocolate on cold days, check-ins from Mr. Joe who works at the corner store, and introspective conversations between youth and adult community members. The premise of this film is to show the youth and spotlight their personalities and unique perspectives of their community. The film will be screened at the Charles Theatre to a crowd consisting of family, friends and neighbors. At the film screening, youth from the film will have the opportunity participate in a Q&A panel about their experience making the film. It will be an opportunity to spotlight the youth. They are very much excited that they will be in a movie shown at a movie theater!

Boulder, CO (Non-active) – Go Big Or Go Home: A Big Print Weekend

2017-04-21T00:00:00Z
The Boulder Creative Collective and the Flatiron Press are hosting a large format print workshop at the BCC Warehouse. Most machines are too small or too expensive to print large images so the alternative is "renting a construction steamroller" to roll over an inked 4ft x 4ft or a 4ft x 8ft wood block. The machine is $550 to rent and materials more but we're hoping to get enough participants to pay for some of the cost. The super fun part is its also a spectator sport so kids and adults can come and watch the prints happen. We have reached out for local businesses to sell food and with it being a day event and just off the bike path, we feel we will have lots of viewers.

South Bend, IN – People Frame

2017-04-20T00:00:00Z
A people frame is an oversized open picture frame that is strategically located at a spot within the city (Near Riverlights?) which allows people to climb into the frame and take pictures with the scenic background. There are a couple in Napa, see attached photos. In addition, my idea is to coordinate with City of South Bend marketing to create or tie into a hashtag so the users can post their pictures inside the frame. By doing this we provide a place for visitors to create memories and also promote our city at the same time in an interactive fun way. The frames are steel or alumimum with a concrete base.

South Bend, IN – MAKE SOUTH BEND Community Expansion

2017-04-20T00:00:00Z
MAKE SOUTH BEND has been South Bend's neighborhood makerspace for two years. And this year, we want to expand our space to provide a better makerspace for the community. With the expanded space, we will host free monthly maker nights and hope to join forces with the MakerHive as well. This would allow community members to come in and create together, learn from each other, and use our tools and expertise for the evening. These nights will hopefully provide the catalyst our community needs to foster more entrepreneurial makers. In our current space, we are a little cramped, but we have the chance to expand into the storefront next to ours as well. This will give us a large open space to work in and allow us to have a tech lab built in as well.

South Bend, IN – South Bend Scholastic Chess Championship

2017-04-20T00:00:00Z
This project will bring together elementary and middle school students in a fun, competitive, and stimulating environment. The South Bend Scholastic Chess Championship will be a hallmark event of Michiana Chess Inc, held bi-annually. Students who may have only had the opportunity to play their classmates and family members will be able to test their mettle against cross-town opponents, and possibly bring home a trophy for their school. We are aiming to host 40-80 participants in an all-day, non-elimination team tournament, with each participant playing 5 games, and each team representing an area school. Lunch and snacks will be provided to all participants. Prizes will be given to the 1st place team and top 3 individuals. The date is scheduled tentatively for the first or second Saturday in May. If awarded the grant, we would hope to work with the Awesome Foundation board to find an ideal DTSB location. Our first tournament was made possible by private and corporate donors, who contributed over $2000 to our cause. This allowed us to purchase the boards, pieces, chess clocks, notation sheets, tournament pairing software, name tags, pencils, and prizes necessary, as well as rent a suitable space. Just last month, 29 students from South Bend's public and private schools, a Mishawaka private school, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County gathered at the Ray and Joan Kroc Center to crown a chess champion. The event was a huge success, and parents and children alike showed how excited they were for more opportunities to play chess. We hope to give that to them! *Michiana Chess Inc is a registered non-profit with the state of Indiana, and is currently applying for 501(c)(3) status.

Sarnia (Non-active) – 25th Anniversary Lambton College Pow Wow

2017-04-20T00:00:00Z
2017 will be the 25th anniversary of the annual Pow Wow held at Lambton College coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Lambton College and the 150th anniversary of Canada. For 24 years Lambton College has celebrated an annual Pow Wow hosted by the Aboriginal Student Council and the Aboriginal Cultural/Learning Centre. Each year, the half day Pow Wow is scheduled for the first week in April attracting dancers, singers, and spectators from across Southern Ontario. The Pow Wow at Lambton College has been a way for Aboriginal students to celebrate their cultural heritage and to serve as an awareness and educational event for the entire student population as well as the local community. In celebration of the 25th anniversary, we are hoping to make this cultural event a major community experience that everyone is welcome to attend. The event will be a three-day event, April 7, 8, & 9, 2017 with the first day as an educational awareness day for local secondary students and the following days as a two day Pow Wow open to the general public. For the educational awareness piece, several workshops will take place providing our local secondary students and teachers the opportunity to learn about First Nation culture and heritage. The two day competition pow wow, will draw in dancers, drummers and singers from many different First Nation cultures and communities providing the community the opportunity to experience a full scale pow wow within the city limits. As a larger scaled event, we are seeking out your financial assistance as any support will be greatly appreciated. Although if this is not a possibility at this time, we thank you for your time and consideration.

San Jose, CA – Loving Day 2017: San Jose

2017-04-20T00:00:00Z
San Jose is considered the “most diverse metro” in the U.S., according to Forbes. Taking this into account, add-in the fact that over half of 1000 polled, 18-34 year-olds have dated outside of their racial group. The results will include an increase of interracial relationships, marriages, and ultimately, children, and families. It was a short 50-years ago, that anti-miscegenation laws were in place in 42 states. Twelve of these states overturned these laws before 1887; fourteen of these states overturned these laws between 1948 and 1967; and sixteen of these states overturned these laws on June 12, 1967 (Loving v. Virginia) when the US Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Lovings, legalizing interracial marriages in all fifty states. Even though Loving Day is not yet recognized federally, many cities and municipalities do officially recognize it. I'm hoping San Jose is added to the list, which includes Washington DC, Caroline County, Virginia, and El Cerrito, California. In June 2015, I attended El Cerrito's Loving Day celebration and was blown away that San Jose, a city of a million, had not held a Loving Day event, while El Cerrito, a city of under 25,000, was successful in holding such an important event. I am currently working with a small group of dedicated volunteers and the city of San Jose on the inaugural Loving Day 2017: San Jose celebration. Attendees of Loving Day 2017: San Jose will enjoy music & cultural dance performances, hear from community-leader guest speakers, and will be able to interface with educational & community resources over the course of four hours (11-3 pm) on Saturday, June 10th at Loving Day 2017: San Jose. We hope you, along with other San Jose community members, come out to enjoy learning about Mildred & Richard Loving, their story, and the historical significance of the 1967 US Supreme Court decision. Thank you for your consideration in awarding funds for the very first Loving Day 2017: San Jose celebration.

Newmarket – STEM MINDS & Girls Inc.: Girls in STEM

2017-04-20T00:00:00Z
As part of the ongoing partnership between STEM MINDS and Girls Incorporated of York Region, we are hoping to further our combined mission of getting more girls involved in STEM. STEM MINDS will provide quality STEM-based after school programming developed to meet the needs and interests of participants in Girls Inc. programs on an ongoing basis. Through the provision of such programs and activities, STEM MINDS and Girls Inc. will share their knowledge, skills, and resources to break down the barriers that girls face when entering the world of STEM, increase confidence and self-esteem in participants, and provide participants with a chance to develop important skills and competencies for success in the 21st century. Some opportunities for participants include: 1. 3D Design and Printing: Our 3D Design program gives participants an introduction to digital design. Participants will learn a whole new way of thinking in three dimensions and are sure to enjoy having their digital designs come to life with our 3D printing technology. 2. Digital Media: Convinced you’re going to be YouTube famous? Well, here’s the chance to learn the skills you’ll need. We offer a variety of options including digital film, digital photography, digital music and more that give participants the chance to explore their artistic side in a digital context. 3. Coding: Participants will get the opportunity to learn another language; the language of programming! Through a variety of game-based activities that promote problem-solving and creativity, participants will get to explore the world of coding and maybe even learn what they want to be when they grow up. The opportunities with coding are endless! 4. Robotics: Our LEGO EV3 Robotics program gives students an opportunity to learn about Robotics and Coding. Using the ever-popular LEGO EV3 Robot, students will experience a variety of challenges and learn to problem-solve and collaborate in the process.

Antigonish, NS (Non-active) – Awesome to share.

2017-04-20T00:00:00Z
My name is Tyler Maceachern. My mom is Kate MacEachern. I have an idea for awesome antigonish and to help people share their ideas and thoughts. Also as a great way to have people communicate and stop and listen or read. It's all about being positive. Sometimes having a good distraction is a great thing. My idea is to put chalkboards on the side of buildings. In permanent paint or whatever you write the question or the sentence. Like for example. "I love antigonish because:" And then underneath you have a bunch of lines. People can write why they love antigonish in chalk. Or things like. "If I had one wish it would be" it's a great way to have people communicate and also really nice to see the amazing things written. I saw this done in a very small community in BC two years ago and I'll always remember it. There are lots of ideas for questions. Because it's chalk it's super easy to clean up once a week. Also great for tourists because they can also contribute. Thank you for your time.

Boston, MA – Boston #popscope: urban public astronomy

2017-04-19T00:00:00Z
When was the last time you looked at the Moon’s craters, Saturn’s rings, or Jupiter’s moons? #popscope, short for “pop-up telescope,” brings free astronomy observing to the public. When the skies are clear, we “pop-up” in different neighborhoods to promote community-building through science. We aim to 1) encourage social interactions that challenge norms and spatial boundaries, 2) contribute to discourse about how public spaces are used and allocated, and 3) educate diverse communities about science and astronomy. #popscope was started in Ottawa, Canada in 2014 and now has a presence in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Jacksonville, and NYC. The #popscope network is entirely volunteer-run and operates on a very lean budget. #popscope is highly mobile: we aim to bring science to the people by visiting diverse neighborhoods that can vary by race and class. To make our gatherings as successful as possible, we work with community leaders to bring telescopes to neighborhoods in an inclusive, safe, sensitive manner. We use social media to announce the location and date of events, and we encourage guests to post photos and ask questions on #popscope’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts. Though Boston is home to world-class institutions of higher learning, popular science museums, and a strong amateur astronomy community, there is appetite for more public astronomy outreach. With just one telescope over the last three months, for example, our team has hosted a dozen pop-up astronomy events for over 300 Bostonians of all ages and backgrounds. We also partnered with the Boston Children’s Museum to host two successful daytime solar observation events event for children. With the support of an Awesome Boston grant, Boston #popscope can do even more: connect the dots among Boston’s residents, K-12 schools, universities, museums, and amateur astronomers and make Boston a “Hub” for exciting community-based astronomy!

LA South Bay, CA (Non-active) – Generating a Generation of Givers in LA South Bay

2017-04-19T00:00:00Z
We believe that when people get involved in giving while they are young it establishes a pattern of giving that will follow them throughout their entire life. For most students, money isn’t often set aside to help others. As a result, world issues often revolve around what’s going on in their own lives instead of what’s going on around them. We believe that giving students the opportunity to learn about humanitarian issues and empowering them with a voice in how we should find and fund sustainable solutions is a giant step towards generating a generation of givers who espouse empathy, engage social issues globally, and are overall better neighbours to those around them. The Kutoa Classrooms platform addresses this head on by educating students and giving each one a vote, which in the end funds great projects that make a lasting difference to those in need. Kutoa provides educators with free curriculum that allows them to talk about sensitive humanitarian issues in age appropriate ways. From food security through the World Food Program to borderless medicine through Doctors Without Borders, Kutoa presents a different humanitarian theme each month and 3 project through our charitable partner that will address the need at hand. Each student is then given 1 vote for one of those 3 projects and the projects. Our platform is socially integrated so students can share what they are for with those they know and give them a chance to join in as well. The project with most votes at the end of the month is granted all of the funds collected that month. It’s that simple and it is that easy to engage a whole generation of future leaders. At present, Kutoa has classrooms in 4 countries (CAN/USA/AUS/NZ) and, as word gets out, is growing quickly at raising awareness, engaging youth and making a real impact through the projects we fund. Being web-based has allowed us a global reach while keeping our operating costs at a level way less than a bricks and mortar operation.

Ottawa – Torchlight Shakespeare: Fools in Your Park!

2017-04-19T00:00:00Z
April’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Alexandra Isenor and A Company of Fools to bring Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night's Dream to parks in the rural areas around Ottawa this summer. “Our goal,” explains Alexandra, “is to break down barriers between people and experiencing culture and art. One big barrier is distance and location. We overcome this by bringing our our work to our audiences, and this year we want to go to four new rural communities — Merrickville, Navan, Kemptville, and Carp — bringing our total to nine parks in such communities.” If you’d like to support this summer’s production, a fundraiser is taking place this Saturday, April 22nd — tickets are available at fools.ca. We’re told there will be trivia, “bardaoke,” dancing, a silent auction, food, games, prizes, and more. Alexandra is a local arts manager, director, actor, and creator, and the General Manager of A Company of Fools.

Oahu, HI – Lullaby Project

2017-04-19T00:00:00Z
The Lullaby Project began as a pilot project through Carnegie Hall in New York City in 2011. Musicians there facilitated lullaby writing with young pregnant teens at Jacobi Hospital in the Bronx in an effort to help create a positive support system for these new moms and to facilitate a loving bond between mother and infant. The project has grown over the past six years to include not only teen moms, but parents and caregivers who find themselves facing challenging situations as they care for their children (e.g., those who are incarcerated, living in homeless shelters). Last year was Hawaiʻi's first Lullaby Project with Leeward Community College's Hawaiian Ensemble performing and recording with singer-songwriters from the community who volunteered to help moms and dads create original lullabies for their children. There is no cost to participate in the project and typically parents have little or no musical training -- simply a desire to create an original lullaby for their baby, or infant that is on the way. Last year's partnering organization was Catholic Charities Mary Jane Home, and they have joined us once again along with parents from Pūlama I Nā Keiki (Alu Like), Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, and the foster/adoptive community for this spring's Lullaby Project. The local sponsoring arts organizations are Leeward Community College (LCC) Theatre and UH-West Oʻahu (UHWO) Humanities Department, whose students will be involved as musicians, volunteers, and parent-participants. Musicians from the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra will also assist with accompanying some of the performances. Our workshop with songwriting teams took place at the beginning of February. Song arranging is planned through March. Rehearsals and the final performance will occur in April 2017.

Bend, OR (Non-active) – Cycling Without Age Bend

2017-04-19T00:00:00Z
Cycling Without Age is based in Copenhagen, Denmark and has chapters all around the world. CWA brings the experience of riding a bike to our aging community members through the use of a "trishaw," a three-wheeled bike that comfortably carries two riders up front while a volunteer pedals. This enables those who are unable to ride a bike to feel "the wind in their hair." the exhilaration and pure joy that riding a bike elicits. The Guiding Principles of CWA are: Generosity: Cycling Without Age is based on generosity and kindness. It starts with the obvious generous act of taking one or two elderly or less-abled people out on a bike ride. It’s a simple act that everyone can do. Slow Cycling: Slow cycling allows you to sense the environment, be present in the moment and it allows people you meet along the way to be curious and gain knowledge about Cycling Without Age because you make time to stop and talk. Storytelling: Elderly people have so many stories that will be forgotten if we don’t reach out and listen to them. We tell stories, we listen to stories on the bike and we also document the stories when we share them via word of mouth or on social media. Relationships: Cycling Without Age is about creating a multitude of new relationships: between generations, among the elderly, between pilots and passengers, nursing homes employees and family members. Relationships build trust, happiness and quality of life. Without Age: Life does not end when you turn 75. Life unfolds at all ages, young and old, and can be thrilling, fun, sad, beautiful and meaningful. Cycling Without Age is about letting people age in a positive context – fully aware of the opportunities that lie ahead when interacting in their local community. A great origination story and description of CWA is in the TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6Ti4qUa-OU In the future, I'd like to incorporate the use of therapy dogs, especially for solo riders, for companionship and stress reduction.

Northampton, MA (Non-active) – New Century Theatre's Staged Reading Series

2017-04-17T00:00:00Z
This summer New Century Theatre, a Northampton based theatre company is performing in three new venues, two of which are in Northampton. In June NCT will present two staged readings of brand new plays that feature local authors Ellen Wittlinger and Eric Henry Sanders. Each play will receive a week of rehearsals and then present two performances to the public at First Churches in their sanctuary space. Both plays will feature locals actors and directors.

Awesome Without Borders (Non-active) – Neka Fieldwork Society

2017-04-17T00:00:00Z
The fishing villages of Southeast Alaska are separated by icy fjords, foggy bays, and forested mountains. Roads don't go anywhere. With my merry crew of intrepid makers, I'm preparing to expand on an experience we created in 2016. In a remote part of Chichagof Island we created a boat-in classical music concert. Now we're going to bring the concert experience on the road. But since there are no roads, we're doing it on the water. We have an historic 100' tugboat, and are preparing to tour villages and remote homesteads around Admiralty, and Baranof, and Chichagof Islands.

Pittsburgh, PA – Allentown Then & Now

2017-04-17T00:00:00Z
The Allentown Then & Now project will give students at the ALEC(Allentown Learning and Engagement Center) an opportunity to develop visual literacy skills and form a deeper connection to the history and identity of their neighborhood through photography. Archived images from the Historic Pittsburgh Image Collections will be used as a reference for youth to capture modern day images of the historic archived scenes. Printed and framed modern “Now” images will be presented alongside the historical “Then” images as a photography showcase in a space in the Allentown community. These images will go on to be displayed in various businesses and organizations throughout the community with information cards detailing the context of the archived images as well as links to the Historic Pittsburgh Image Collection and its contributors. “Now” images will also be submitted to a Pittsburgh image archive (Historic Pittsburgh Image Collection or Heinz History Center) and be made available for non-commercial use by non-profit organizations, schools, as well as the general public. Youth photographers will receive credit for their contributions within the archive, as well as a framed print featuring a collage of their “Now” image and the “Then” image it references. This project is made possible through the Arts MODE programming of New Sun Rising. Project partners include ALEC, The Hilltop Alliance, The Archives Service Center at University of Pittsburgh, and Work Hard Pittsburgh.

San Francisco, CA – Cyclecide Moving Fund

2017-04-17T00:00:00Z
Cyclecide is being forced to exit a wondrous and longtime workspace. SF Awesome Foundation’s support of the related costs may help in keeping this important network of inventors, educators and lunatics semi-functioning. In the tumult of legal and bureaucratic scrutiny that art spaces have encountered since the Oakland Ghost Ship fire, much of the intense focus of projects past will, sadly, be dissipated into practical matters. We must make sure some semblance of the creative and collective efforts that once flourished will endure. We can’t depend on municipalities to make it happen. We need to do it ourselves as a community.

Miami, FL – Ansanm

2017-04-15T00:00:00Z
Ansanm, meaning together in Kreyol, is a cultural project that aims to bring the arts to Miami's diverse working class communities through community-based events centered around the greatest equalizer: food. The act of eating dinner with a group of people is usually a joyous occasion and allows for long conversations. My hope is that by inviting members and participants from institutions such as FANM, which focuses on the Haitian-American community, and ICA Miami, which focuses on contemporary art, to have a meal together and share their ideas for progressing the communities that they share. Each event would happen in spaces within underserved communities and would include an activation from an artists/arts organization and activists like O Miami or the Dream Defenders to jump start the conversations amongst guests. Additionally, we would purchase food from local markets and restaurants to encourage the shared economic opportunity that exists within our city. I believe that Miami’s cultural community has been so closed off to working class communities because as cultural producers we find ourselves focussed on people we work with closely. Accessible is not always as accessible as we think and this working model aims to find a more accessible model for inviting community participation.

Cass Clay – Crack the Code: Summer Technology Camp for Girls

2017-04-15T00:00:00Z
uCodeGirl is hosting Crack the Code: Summer Technology Day Camp for Girls (June 19-29, 2017) is intended to bring together a diverse group of teen girls residing in the Fargo-Moorhead and surrounding counties attending public, private, including home school who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to come together. Together they experience cutting edge technology lessons from industry professionals, independent time to work on their individual projects, and opportunities to bond with new friends. Crack the Code summer event is focused on the three tenants of uCodeGirl: to inspire and build confidence, to equip with the knowledge and skills; and to connect to like-minded girls as well as STEM professionals for sustainable engagement, such as mentorship, networking, job shadowing. This eight days long summer immersion event for young girls will include programming through leadership training, and inspiring speeches by female role models, skill-building through entrepreneurial brainstorming and prototyping as well as coding web development, app development and programming robotics. This unique event is made possible through the collaboration of the STEM ecosystem of higher institutions of learning, such as North Dakota State University, Moorhead State University Minnesota and Concordia. Technology companies and STEM professionals as instructors dedicated to inspiring, connecting and equipping the next generation of leaders and innovators will also be involved.

New York City, NY – Devised Theatre Project

2017-04-14T00:00:00Z
The Devised Theatre Project is building a theatre and leadership-building program for young people currently living in the NYC shelter system. During the 12-week pilot, participants will collaboratively create an original piece of theatre, providing them with opportunities to practice creativity, build community, play, explore ideas, build confidence and cultivate leadership skills in a fun and supportive environment. The pilot is being run in collaboration with the CAMBA Flagstone Family Center in Brownsville Brooklyn and was launched in March 2017. Although centers such as CAMBA have funding for after school programming through city programs like School's Out, this funding does not cover weekend programming (Fri, Sat, Sun) and there's typically less for the kids to do during these times. The program's goal is to fill this gap with engaging programming that builds community, provides snacks, and allow participants to play and express themselves. Consistent programming like this provides these kids in transition a positive, stable place where they can build community, release stress, laugh, and express themselves creatively. In addition to providing participants with the opportunity to learn and engage in a theatre-arts practice; the workshop will build leadership skills in participants by providing opportunities to practice collaborative problem solving, negotiation, decision making, flexibility, and communication (presence, listening and responding, eye contact) throughout the process - all of which provide a foundation for success later in life.

Ann Arbor, MI – Parisa Ghaderi

2017-04-12T00:00:00Z
YES (YpsiExperimentalSpace) will be supporting a custom-built month long installation by recent U-M MFA graduate, Iranian born artist, Parisa Ghaderi. Parisa’s current work explores the humanitarian, historical, and emotional complexities inherent in the act of immigration. Parisa draws on her personal immigration experiences transforming this fundamental human odyssey into a visceral experience bridging the gap between immigration as concept and policy and immigration as a human condition. This creative installation aims to paint a portrait of immigration/emigration through the construction of a series of human-scaled “boxes” that reveal myriad cultural differences and connections through the presentation of a collection of focused sensory experiences. A teaser exhibit of Parisa’s work is currently on view at YES. (8 N. Washington St., Ypsilanti, 24/7) Parisa’s exhibition/installation is scheduled to be open to the public the entire month of June, 2017.