Awesome Foundation - Projects

Gloucester, MA – Private Freedom

2014-07-22T00:00:00Z

I am drawing upon my background as Honor Guard team leader (we did ceremonies, parades, and memorial services) to support veterans. The Private Freedom website, twitter feed, and Facebook page are all integrated towards that cause. The Private Freedom project will either help raise money for veterans who have returned home and/or collect food and other daily needs for care packages to send to the troops still overseas. However, it is not totally "Gloucester-centric". I am working with the DAV in Gloucester, with the goal of also lending a hand to the AMVETS and the American Legion (I guess it depends on how big it grows!). But I am also working with Operation Troop Support, located in Danvers. Private Freedom's overarching philosophy is to increase public awareness of the weekly needs of our veterans and troops still deployed and not just the handful of times per year of "peak interest".

Awesome Without Borders (Inativo) – Awareness and Prevention Through Art (aptART)

2014-07-21T00:00:00Z

Our group is called Awareness and Prevention Through Art (aptART). In partnership with ACTED, we organize educational workshops for children affected by the war in Syria who live in host communities and refugee camps in Jordan. Each workshop is led by a local or international artist and results in the creation of a piece of street art made through a collaboration between the artist and children. Workshop themes are based on issues affecting the children such as peace, hope, education and hygiene. The work of the children is then shared with an international audience through exhibitions serving to raise awareness about the issues the children face. The murals give the children an opportunity to take ownership of shared spaces, have a creative outlet, learn to work together and share their voice with the larger community. The process of painting also allows children to regain the feeling of childhood that has often been lost through displacement and the effects of war. The murals are an effective means of communicating messages because of their lasting presence in the community and their public locations. So far, aptART and ACTED have worked with over 3,000 children across North Jordan and inside Syria. We have created almost 100 murals and put on four exhibitions. We plan to continue our work by launching a regional project in July 2014 that will bring street art to refugee youth in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq.

Washington, DC – STEAMfwd ™Creating socially responsible innovators

2014-07-21T00:00:00Z

DiversiTech will be holding its third youth outreach program, “STEAM fwd ™: Creating socially responsible innovators” in Arlington, VA, 9:30am- 5:00pm, on Saturday July 19, 2014. STEAMfwd™ is a platform that allows DiversiTech to curate impactful programming to build a bridge and expose future socially responsible innovators from underrepresented and under-served youth demographics (ages 14 to 18) to various aspects of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering/Entrepreneurship, Arts and Mathematics). Students will have the option to select from the following tracks during the day program: 1) BUILD IT! - Students will individually select a problem relevant to their interests or community and create a mobile app product to solve their identified topic. The curriculum includes an overview of concept development and introduction to creating a mobile app, led by DiversiTech Ambassador Kristin Bolton-Keys. 2) MAKE IT! - Students will gain hands-on experience with tools and machines, build leadership and community engagement skills to identify and develop their own technical solution for a problem in their community. TechShop staff and instructors will assist students in the design, production and assessment of the use of their machine. Student/mentor partnerships will be sustained in order to further support skill development and continue exploration of new technology concepts and design solutions beyond the tech day. Through our youth technology programming, we have also sought to increase the number of culturally responsible and diverse individuals who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact society by encouraging students to develop solutions for their communities. Past programs have taken place in the Washington Metropolitan area and Baltimore, Maryland. Participants have hailed from the mid-Atlantic region - Philadelphia to Northern Virginia, 40 to 75 students.

Oahu, HI – KIS Band Instrument Repairs

2014-07-18T00:00:00Z

This year the Advanced and Beginning Bands consists of 115 students in the 7th and 8th grade. The band program is growing each year, and next year enrollment is expected to be around 140 students. The KIS band program teaches students not only how to play an instrument and read music, but how to work together. Our teacher, Ms. Kusunoki, emphasizes life lessons like responsibility, teamwork, respect, leadership, compassion and how to be a good person. Our students live in Kailua, Waimanalo, Kaneohe MCBH, and as far away as Waianae. We perform multiple concerts a year and hold many fundraisers to cover the costs of transportation, purchase of music and supplies, and instrument maintenance. With so many more students next year, we need more instruments. The band loans instruments to students for no charge. The school only budgets about $9000 for the program, which covers the cost to buy one instrument among other necessary items and services. The KIS Band Boosters 501(c)(3) non-profit organization holds fundraisers to help with expenses. Fundraisers we held this year were: malasada and sweet bread sales, a rummage sale, two recycling drives, two McDonalds fundraisers, two bake sales, a silent auction, food concessions at concerts, and concert DVD sales. However, these fundraisers are not enough to cover all of the needed expenses. [Because of the increase in band students we need to repair at least 15 more instruments for the 2014-15 school year.] We want to help the KIS band program because we want others to have this great experience. This program has taught us that if we try our hardest, we can succeed and accomplish our goals. We have become more responsible and mature after only 1 year in the band program because of the experiences we have had and the challenges we faced.

Oahu, HI – Getting to Know the Ko'olaus

2014-07-18T00:00:00Z

Our project is focused on developing a hands-on community outreach program so that residents and visitors, but most importantly youth/students, recognize and appreciate our native forests. People will only understand the difference between a weedy, unhealthy forest and a diverse, water-generating forest when they get out and see both types firsthand. This project will allow us to raise awareness of watershed conservation on O‘ahu and raise our profile in the community. Most importantly, however, the work that volunteers will conduct through our volunteer work trips will significantly contribute to the forest conservation and restoration work that needs to get done. Small environmental management organizations like us rely solely on grants to fund our entire program. We simply do not have the staff or monetary capacity to accomplish everything that must be done. Until just recently, KMWP never had an outreach program or position dedicated to developing and managing an outreach program. Our recently hired outreach specialist has selected volunteer work sites throughout the Ko'olau mountain range that are appropriate for a range of skill sets and fitness levels. Volunteers will directly and positively impact the watershed by removing invasive weeds fragmenting the native forest and outplanting native plants. They will learn about the flora and fauna of each area, field safety and work techniques, and the importance of maintaining healthy forests. Volunteers will also be involved with data collection for progress monitoring, using tools such as GPS units, compasses, and clinometers. Some of our proposed project outcomes include but are not limited to: 1. At least 24 volunteer trips coordinated in the year 2014 2. At least 240 volunteers and others reached through outreach events and media in the year 2014 3. Presence at five community outreach events minimum in the year 2014

Chicago, IL – Beach Party at the End of the World

2014-07-17T00:00:00Z

The Walkabout ensemble along with 35 Chicago-based dancers and performers will create a flash-mob summer spectacle that will travel to eight Chicago beaches during the first two weekends of August, 2014. The 25 minute performance will materialize unexpectedly for beach-goers as the Walkabout performers create a instantaneous beach party. The spectacle will explore a world of Midsummer magic, the “Beach Party” film craze of the 1960’s, the transformative power of water, and the unbridled passion of young, epic love. Featuring new choreography, flash-mob antics, live music along with choral singing, acrobatics, and lyrical water staging, Beach Party at the End of the World will capture the surging power of youth and transformation on the very edge of Chicago's magical Lake Michigan. In our June – July rehearsal process, our multi-disciplined ensemble will team up with Chicago-based artists to develop choreography, music, and a visual tale of star-crossed lovers. June will be spent engrossed in a few weeks of intensive research with the ensemble; experimenting with sound, light, costumes and props, and adapting our vocabulary of physical training to embrace our new sand and water-filled playing space. In July, we welcome our fellow artists and friends into the process to begin building the show. In August, we’ll arrive at eight of Chicago’s beaches at sunset and treat unsuspecting beach-goers to the fruits of our labor. A visual, aural, joy-issuing spectacle, it promises to be part Annette Funicello, part Beyonce, part 2012 USA Women’s Gymnastics Team, and ALL Chicago heart.

Kingston – Rhythm and Spirit

2014-07-17T00:00:00Z

My project is called Rhythm and Spirit. When I care for individuals in homes, retirement homes, and long term care facilities - I often sing softly. One time I was with a client with communication struggles and we sang together. We walked by a recreation room with other individuals, and they joined in. I would like to make instruments out of recycled materials if possible, and low cost supplies. I would like to offer group activities around making or personalizing hand made instruments. I would like it to be a weekly activity if different retirement and long term care facilities, and for those interested, have a performance night where they can invite their families and friends. The performance may include playing music, singing, and dancing. These are activities which lift my spirit and it would be a joy to start this project. I feel this idea will enhance the quality of life of many individuals as well as their families their families. All individuals will also gain awareness of the Kingston Drum Circle and gives a possibility, for those able, to join the the open community drum circle. Some hand made instruments will also be brought to the community drum circle to ensure that all individuals have an opportunity to play music and enjoy being included in this growing community. I greatly enjoy organizing events and the 'performance days will be a celebration of accomplishment, and each practice day will be a celebration of life. These ideal lightweight drums will make it feasible for me to carry in my bicycle carrier and not require to use the car. I have a variety of heavy djembes; however, it is not feasible to carry them with me unless I use the care. This these made instruments will help the environment, engage creativity, and enhance quality of life.

San Antonio, TX – Humans of San Antonio

2014-07-16T00:00:00Z

The Humans of San Antonio Project (HOSA) is a documentary blog that shares visual images along with a short written phrase that is focused on revealing the real life diversity and individuality of our city, and the hidden beauties in between. HOSA thrives on social media that acts like a "digital water cooler", where discussions and healthy debate take place on unique topics that affect our daily lives and experiences. HOSA is evolving, and we inspire to turn HOSA into a platform where citizens can voice their opinions and address social issues in their communities to the public without having to compromise their daily routines. What is great about HOSA is that it has the ability to capture our city perspective as it evolves from a street level point of view on a daily basis. The ultimate goal of this project is to enhance and diversify our downtown community through photojournalism and with the help of our city organizations.

Perth (Inativo) – IndGenius

2014-07-15T00:00:00Z

IndGenius is a social enterprise which aims to support Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander youth with their secondary and tertiary education. Our goal is to recruit and train tutors with cultural awareness so that they may support students academically and pastorally. We have identified a massive lack of transitional support for remote indigenous students relocating to Perth to continue their studies, as well as cultural and stigmatic issues. IndGenius recognises the growing number of Indigenous students attending high school and tertiary institutions, and the need for academic support to achieve their goals. We also recognise that Aboriginal Liaison Officers are frequently time-poor and unable to find, hire and monitor academic tutors to advance their students. IndGenius solves this issue by providing a selection of academic tutors through a tailored, bespoke program. We propose a casual tutoring workforce with demonstrated academic ability, commitment to the project’s objectives and employment, comprehensive training as well as tailored, bespoke tutor selection/match making.

Nairobi (Inativo) – Silent Stories

2014-07-15T00:00:00Z

Silent stories would be a series of photography workshops for disadvantaged children from Mathare slums by Mathare Foundation.The project will conducted in Mabatini area in Mathare slums. The children who will undertake the trainings would tell unknown stories in their neighborhood.The stories will be through photographs that have taken and captioned. In each story there will be a series of photographs and an article to summarise. The training would be conducted for 20 kids from Mathare slums and their will be 2 facilitators to train the young children in photography.The workshop will focus on both theory and practical classes for a period of three months.The first 2 months the training will focus on practical classes.The third month which will be the final month the trainees will only focus on practical sessions.After the 3 months we will conduct 2 photography exhibitions,one will be in Mathare slums and the other one at the German Cultural center ,Goethe Instut in Nairobi.The photographs will be printed in A3 size. Why is the silent stories project so important to the Mathare Child?The chief reason is that children from the slums are vulnerable to child abuse,drug abuse,prostitution,crime and early marriages and pregnancies.Anita a 12 years old girl who lives with her mother,has been practicing prostitution.She is one of very many children who we have restored hope to them by giving them a platform to develop their talents and avoid vices that would jeopardize their lives. The silent stories project is in place to not only develop the young children talent but also to give them alternative measures that will enable them to restrain themselves from the vices. The project would be one of a kind since it will be able to bring children together and tell stories of their own community through the lens of a camera.The uniqueness of this project is that we will replicate this project in other parts of the slums so that other children can benefit. Find out more at http://www.matharefoundation.org

Pittsburgh, PA – Mobile Sculpture Workshop

2014-07-14T00:00:00Z

The Mobile Sculpture Workshop, a pilot program of The Industrial Arts Cooperative, is a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based summer workshop aimed at demonstrating the techniques of safe and proper welding and metal fabrication while producing a large-scale sculpture for public display. This program is an effort to inspire the youth of Hazelwood and its neighbors with an opportunity of design, conception and completion of public art. At the end of the workshop, student apprentices (Pittsburgh-area high school youth, grades 9-12) will: Know the basic fundamentals and terminology of welding and metal fabrication, including safety procedures, welding preparation, operation of a welding power supply, basic horizontal/vertical welding, torch cutting, and the bending/shaping of metal. Learn and exhibit the imagination and design knowledge necessary to conceive a large-scale piece of public art. Be able to efficiently work within a team and recognize the importance of organizational cohesion. Understand the history of welding and sculpture, and what it means to the community and beyond.

Ottawa – Breathlace - The Breathalyzer Necklace

2014-07-13T00:00:00Z

July’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Britta Evans-Fenton to support the development of a breathalyzer necklace she is calling Breathlace. “Made up of a breathalyzer sensor, sewable LEDs, thermal colour-changing fabric, an e-textile micro-controller, and a battery,” Britta explains, “Breathlace will be an interactive piece of jewelry to encourage fun and break down barriers at parties, while also supplying a hint of safety. As people consume alcohol they will be able to breathe on the sensor, and the more alcohol they have consumed, the more the necklace will light up.” “Wearables — electronics that are sewn into fabric — are still quite new to Ottawa, with very few people working on projects that include them,” says Britta. “I’m hoping this project will not only be fun to have around, but will also encourage people to try more of these types of projects.” Britta is the Technical Coordinator at Artengine, a technology-based artist-run centre in Ottawa, as well as the host of Modlab, Ottawa’s first hackerspace, and a co-organizer of the Ottawa Mini Maker Faire.

Ann Arbor, MI – National Association of Black Accountants (NABA)

2014-07-13T00:00:00Z

The project is to establish a multicultural organization that will assist the needs of students who are intersted not only in the field of accounting, but any field that has to do with business. This program will provide a diverse group of individuals with similar academic and professional interest in accounting and finance, with a desire to unite in a professional organization to advance professional development, to instill a desire for self-improvement, to foster moral and ethical standards, to encourage and recognize academic and professional achievement, to encourage a sense of civic responsibility and service, and to promote the study of accounting, finance, and business related subjects. Also, we will provide our members with great professional networking opportunites through the 2 confrences held every year, regional and national. The organization would be based at the University of Michigan- Ann Arbor. The goals of this inclusive program include: a) To promote and develop the professional and technical skills of our members b) To encourage and assist minority students entering the business profession through mentoring c) To provide opportunities for members to fulfill their civic responsibilities through volunteer events d) To promote public confidence in our members and the services they provide by enhancing their public speaking skills e) To encourage cordial relations among diverse members and cooperative relationships with other professionals during our networking sessions and guest speakers f) To represent the interests of current and prospective business professionals h) To provide professional development and employment opportunities to its members

Miami, FL – ART | History - Miami Marine Stadium Mural Project

2014-07-13T00:00:00Z

The goal: Help preserve MIami Marine Stadium and return it back to the people of Miami as a public park The project has 3 phases. 1. 20 street artists paint murals at Miami Marine Stadium. The roster is full of world renowned artists, including some of Miami's bests. 2. Produce a series of prints that help raise funds for Friends of Miami Marine Stadium. 3. 2 shows, one in fall in Wynwood, one during Art | Basel - Miami Beach 2014 We have been active since Feb 2014 and will continue producing murals till Nov 2014. The print production has already begun and will continue through 2014, with sales of prints extending into early 2015. The two shows are Sept 2014, and December 2014.

Baltimore, MD (Inativo) – Mammoth Sun Movers

2014-07-10T00:00:00Z

Our project is grand yet simple: put sunflowers all over the place! Mammoth Sun Movers’ mission is to create grassroots flower interventions in urban neglected spaces in Baltimore. We will grow each one in its own container and move them around to different locations in the city, erupting in small and massive flower installations. We are particularly interested in sites where light rail passengers and pedestrians are frequently passing, yet not noticing. This is the focus of our botanical oasis. MSM is a mobile operation, where plants are grown in containers and are moved to spontaneous locations to create site-specific installations. All plants are adoptable, and can be taken home by visitors. Signs attached to the containers provide plant care information, a project description, and recruitment details encouraging individuals to get involved. The containers will be assigned individual numbers in an effort to track the movement and involvement of the community. Adopters can also post pictures, register their sunflower, or post comments to our website. Other guerilla gardeners can also post pictures of their own Baltimore city adventures. Our flower of choice for this project is the Mammoth Sunflower which towers up to 15’ tall. Through our own experience as gardeners, this plant routinely commands attention in the garden because of its grand scale and “feel good” quality. They are the perfect symbol for this project because: they stand tall and proud, thrive in a variety of environments, are drought tolerant, attract pollinators, and are a food source for people and birds. At times the city’s problems and complexities can seem daunting, but the sunflower is a straight-forward symbol of hope and light. In the crevices of the places you least expect to see flowers, along the undefined boundaries of neighborhoods, in the zones that seem to separate and distance people from one another, those are the places MSM want to infiltrate with Mammoth Sunflowers.

Liverpool – Wooden it be nice.

2014-07-07T00:00:00Z

I am undertaking a project to build a yurt by hand in order to sell or rent out. This will be the start of a long term project which will eventually lead to me buying land out in nature to set up a yurt community. The plan is that people will live and work together growing food and helping each other create a sustainable life for themselves, without some of the unnecessary stresses of modern day life. I am currently in the process of building the first yurt, which has a solid oak frame consisting of trellis framework walls and a "wheel" as the crown with "spokes" for roof poles. The outside will be a waterproof canvas stitched together with a door, window and chimney. The reason for using solid oak rather than a cheaper and lighter alternative is that the oak frame will last a lifetime and will never need to be replaced and would only need to be repaired if accidentally damaged. I have already had interest from buyers looking to both buy or rent the yurt, with demand for more. However at the moment I do not have the money or the tools to be able to produce yurts quickly enough. The plan for the money from the yurt sales is not for personal profit. It is to go back into the company in order to be able to make more yurts, buy and look after land and teach people (through workshops) how to live a more sustainable and eco-friendly life.

Yerevan – Guerrilla Gardening

2014-07-07T00:00:00Z

Ok, well as you know the government has been spending a pretty penny in what they like to call the 'yerevan beautification project' where much of the money has disappeared and a lot of the actually realised projects would fit the textbook definitions of 'kitch' and 'rabiz'. In many cases, gardens are very ugly, badly planted, then either not watered or watered so much that they choke, and instead of having a beautiful garden city, we are left with mud lakes. Furthermore, the dust and soot from increased pollution has meant that our once 'pink city' has reverted to a 'grey city'. Our project involves getting a number of volunteers with some gardening experience to wear balaclavas, and secretly plant beautiful, sustainable gardens in some of the worst affected parts of town. furthermore, we would like to purchase a pressurised water gun in order to clean some of the buildings, again during the night, as well as to use our ninja stealth to pick up garbage so that when the townsfolk wake up in the morning, they will be amazed at how grassroots activism can turn their habitations into beautiful living spaces overnight.

Lusaka (Inativo) – Teledoctor mHealth App

2014-07-07T00:00:00Z

Teledoctor is a start up that is using technology to make healthcare services accessible to many Zambians. Zambia currently has a doctor/population ratio of 1: 17,589 and Nurse/population ratio of 1: 1,864-and over 60% of Zambians have to travel over 5km to access health services. We believed by using technology we make healthcare available to over 8million Zambians who have access to a mobile phone. The ubiquity of the mobile phone makes it a valuable tool for health service delivery. We have developed an application that allows users to chat directly with qualified doctor, access a health directory of health services in Zambia and is able to direct them to the clinic nearest to them using GPS. The application is currently available on android phones and we plan to launch on blackberry, windows and iOS. In addition we intend on integrating the service to SMS and USSD type applications so as to allow all mobile phone users to access this service.

Orlando, FL – If Parramore Could Talk...What Would It Say?

2014-07-03T00:00:00Z

Phase I: The downtown Parramore neighborhood in District 5 is an undeserved low-income population, currently facing urban redevelopment. Citizens are projecting a numerous range of emotions such as anxiety, stress, fear, and anger relating to the renewal process. Through, "If Parramore Could Talk…What Would It Say?", we are giving student residents a voice funneled through the neighborhood. If Parramore could talk, what would it say? It would say, “Dream Here”, “I Am Not Broken”, “I Am Strong”, “Everything is Going to Be Okay”, “Respect Me”, and so on. After deciding on the phrases, the students will begin constructing three-foot tall letters that will form inspiring slogans spoken by the Parramore neighborhood. Residents, business owners and the City of Orlando will permit our group to place the phrases throughout the area. The oversized words will provide a moment of relief and glimmer of hope from the overwhelming stresses of life, while giving the kids a chance to speak out. Phase II: Photography students, from a PLHP after-school program, photograph the oversized phrases strategically placed in Parramore. The photographers then place the photographs in a 32-page sketchbook, purchased from the Brooklyn Art Library. After filling the sketchbook with photographs and other media depicting a living historical Parramore, the book is returned to Brooklyn where the works are digitally scanned for worldwide access. In addition, the sketchbook tours nine North American museums located in the following cities: Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Austin, Atlanta, Miami, Chicago, Toronto, and Brooklyn, in 2015. Currently, the Brooklyn Art Library has accumulated 30,000 books from 135 countries. This project is providing a voice, relief, hope, and solidarity for Parramore residents, and while supplying international digital access to the photos through the Brooklyn Art Library. The convenience of this project overcomes time and location restraints.

San Francisco, CA – Changing the world one love note at a time

2014-07-03T00:00:00Z

I will paint and hang love notes in each of the 26 San Francisco zip codes, geotagging the locations to the love note map at LoveYou2.org. What started as a fun love note for my kids has turned into a passion for finding, documenting, installing and sharing love notes. At www.LoveYou2.org I post about my adventures documenting signs of love, installing public art love notes, and reflecting on life’s loves. Guests are invited to share their "get love. give love." stories finding or sharing a love note. LoveYou2.org has become a hub for the exchange of love in its many forms; a place to practice, to be inspired, to share, a place to get love when you need some and give love when you have it. To date, I’ve post more than 2,000 i love you, too fliers, created several hundred public displays of affection or street art love note signs, a deeper expression of my get love. give love. concept. LoveYou2.org has received hundreds of comments and guest submissions about readers’ own experiences finding and sharing love notes. Watch this 2-minute mini documentary for scenes from one night of renegade street art love note installing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ry3xkuNSchE I found my heart in San Francisco; there is an ever-growing map of San Francisco in my mind, comprised of locations embedded with people and experiences coupled with awe. Installing love notes in each of San Francisco's 26 zipcodes will be my love note back to this glorious city,

Sarnia (Inativo) – Bluewater Beach Fest

2014-07-03T00:00:00Z

Today I am submitting this application as I mentioned earlier I love our community! I don't like when people say there is nothing to do in Sarnia. That's why I want to offer a free community event called Bluewater Beach Fest. The idea behind Bluewater Beach Fest is to offer a free family fun event where people can enjoy our beautiful beach front while at the same time learning about all of the benefits of having a natural un-groomed beach and how as a community we can do our part. The event will have several different aspects; we will be having master sand sculptors on the beach creating masterpieces as well as local entertainment in the band shell, vendors, different eco and charity organizations taking part in the festival as well. My goal is to make this an annual event attracting people from all across Ontario.

Sarnia (Inativo) – Balloons to the Moon...or as close as we can get!!

2014-07-03T00:00:00Z

My awesome idea is to release helium balloons with laminate cards attached that read.."You're Awesome. If found go to https://www.facebook.com/balloonstothemoon and tell us about yourself" I would create and manage a facebook page that people could upload pictures of them with the balloon, tell the story of how they found the balloon and where they are from. This idea would be fun because it would bring lot's of people together for some laughs and who knows were the balloons will land.....maybe the moon.

Connecticut – 48 Hour Film Project New Haven

2014-07-01T00:00:00Z

The 48 HFP is the longest running timed film competition in the world. Currently ist is taking place in 130 cities world wide. It is open to film makers of any skill level. Each team that signs up will gather on the Friday night of the city's filmimg weekend. Once assembled they pick a film genre out of a hat. All teams are also assigned a specfic character, prop and line of dialogue. The teams are then set to go forth and create a 4-7 minute film in just 48 hours. It's part mud rucker part, amazing race and all fun! A few days later all the films are screened at a local theatre. A few weeks later some of the films screen again at the red carpet awards night. The best film of New Haven will go on to compete against all the other city winners and screen in Hollywood. From there about 15 films go onto screen at the Cannes Film Festival. It's an exciting thrilling filmmaking experience!

Connecticut – Bikeport Co-Op

2014-07-01T00:00:00Z

The Bikeport Co-op is a community development bike program for Bridgeport, Connecticut. Bikeport replicates the “earn-a-bike” program model, where youth can earn bikes they wouldn’t be able to afford by attending bike safety and maintenance courses and performing volunteer hours with selected organizations. Bikeport works to break the cycle of poverty and violence in low income youth by teaching them about bikes, engaging youth on a personal level, providing structured after school activities, and giving youth the chance to earn and own a valuable possession while making a difference in their community. Bikeport will also make Bridgeport a better biking community by improving the quality of biking experience in the City. Bikeport has worked with the City of Bridgeport Government to install bike racks if we are able to acquire them. Bikeport will work to enact safe biking measures in Bridgeport such as complete streets. For the launch of our program, we are looking to hold a "Bike Month" in July, where we will invite we will hold bike promotion, safety, and maintenance events every day from July 5th to 26th, and give away bikes to Bridgeport students who participate in the month of events.

Awesome Without Borders (Inativo) – TentEd

2014-06-30T00:00:00Z

TentEd was created to support existing efforts to provide education (and a little joy) to Syrian refugee children, starting in the camps in northern Iraq. Fortunately children are able to attend school in the camps, but many are doing so without what we would consider the basics - backpacks and notebooks- and teachers are instructing class without any teaching aids or material. This adds up and impacts the quality of education they are receiving.One of Zack's first friends in the camps, Hassan Azadeen Ayoub, is an assistant principal of an elementary school in Gawilan Refugee Camp, an hour drive outside of Erbil, Iraq. Hassan asked Zack for pretty specific help: 250 backpacks, a handful of shelves for the storage room and help fixing a leaking toilet. All these items -- the backpacks, the shelves and the leaking toilet -- needed to be addressed immediately. An investment of a just few thousand dollars would make school more pleasant for 250 children, the courtyard smell a whole lot better, and Hassan a happier assistant principal. While other NGOs in the area are doing good work, they aren't set up to do smaller scale support, which is why TentEd was created to fill this specific gap. TentEd is not looking to duplicate work that is already being done. Our goal is to complement the efforts of the established organizations and meet a set of narrow needs defined by the beneficiaries themselves. We at TentEd see ourselves as a small but essential part of a larger effort, an effort requiring gears of all sizes to effectively provide real and lasting support to a vital cause. When you donate to TentEd, we guarantee that your generosity goes directly into a classroom. The impact will be immediate.

Chicago, IL – Memoir Writing Workshops for Seniors

2014-06-30T00:00:00Z

I started a writing workshop for youth in 2008, and then from 2009 - 2012, I conducted memoir writing workshops for seniors. The latter is the awesome project for which I am seeking funds. I enjoy working with seniors in bringing forth their memories. After an eight-week workshop, I have books made of their submissions. Each senior gives me three stories that I edit and then have made into books. When the books are published, I give each senior 10 - 15 books apiece that they distribute at a Reading and Book Signing Ceremony where they have invited family and friends. The seniors are very excited about the workshop and are very proud to see their stories in print. Some seniors have been in two workshops because they enjoyed it so much, and two of them are moving forward with manuscripts of their lives that they hope to publish. Older adults have lived through a changing environment, from an industrial revolution to a technological age, from an extended family unit to the nuclear, and from cohesive communities to transient ones. It is living through these changes that is of interest to younger generations. It has been said that there is a generation gap. One way to bridge this gap is for older adults to transfer memories of a remote past into present day narratives with which the younger generation can relate. The seniors' stories tell of them coming of age, lazing in a secret place, planning for the future, finding that first job, meeting someone famous, taking part in a civil right movement, and of an accident or illness that threatened their quality of life. Memories can also be painful, they can be difficult to capture with the written word. Memories are private and not often disclosed. Too often, they die with the person. Memories written and shared become historical records. They tell of the thoughts, actions, and deeds of the storyteller and become roadmaps for their descendants in understanding them, and can become trailblazers for them.

Austin, TX – HOPE Outdoor Gallery: Showcasing Austin street art

2014-06-30T00:00:00Z

The HOPE Outdoor Gallery (HOG) is a three-story community "paint park" project located at 11th & Baylor St. in the downtown Austin/Clarksville neighborhood. Known historically as “the Foundation,” this community art project was ofﬁcially introduced to the community as the HOPE Outdoor Gallery (HOG) in March 2011 with the help of artist Shepard Fairey and Obey Giant Art. It is one of the largest outdoor galleries in the USA and was developed to provide muralists, street artists and community groups the opportunity to display large scale art pieces driven by inspirational, positive & educational messaging. Currently it is recognized as one of the Top 10 tourist destinations in Austin and is visited regularly by up to 100 people per day. Over the past three years the purpose of this “Paint Park” project has broadened based on the response from families, community members and other artists within the Creative Class. It has become an inspirational and creative destination for all that come to visit. HOG will use the Awesome Foundation's $1000 grant to create and install a recycled aerosol can fence program that will act as an ongoing interactive educational element for participating artists, community residents and every day tourists.

New Orleans, LA (Inativo) – The Large Printing Press Project

2014-06-30T00:00:00Z

I'm working on a series called "Otherness and American Values" which I started a few years ago, but because of the lack of access to proper printing equipment, I haven't been able to finish this series. I've only been able to work on it during a residency at a printshop. For instance, I was awarded an Artist in Residency at Anchor Graphics in Chicago 2 years ago to work on the series. That was the last time I was able to truly work on the series. Being back home, I've had to work to smaller, and working smaller really doesn't suit my content. I bought a house 2 years ago that has a raised basement where I carve my large woodblocks and store them. I have 5 large woodblocks that have the initial carving already done and ready to go, but I have nowhere to print them. I have been fortunate enough to be allowed to go back to my alma mater to print, and also 2 universities in town allow me to use their printshop. Only my alma mater in Baton Rouge has the equipment that I would need to finish my series, but Baton Rouge isn't close, and I have a job and other immediate obligations in New Orleans. I'm telling you all of this so that you can have a better understanding of the lack of equipment and materials for any printmaker living in New Orleans. Therefore, I'm starting a Kickstarter campaign, as well as writing grants, in order to put together a decent printmaking shop in my basement. In the future I hope to move the shop from my basement into an independent studio space where more people could have access to it (like a co-op).

Ann Arbor, MI – Scarlett Summer Music Academy

2014-06-29T00:00:00Z

For 3 years I have been running a summer band program at Scarlett Middle School called the Scarlett Summer Music Academy. I started this to ensure that there would be a way for Scarlett kids to work on their playing skills close to home in the summer. The remaining summer music classes offered by the Ann Arbor Schools are located "up north" or "out west" at Clague, Forsythe or Tappan which is too far for some of the students to get to when their parents are working or don't have a car. Students come for 3 hours each day for 3 weeks in July. While I am paid for this work, I use my stipend to hire about 10-12 high school and college musicians to work as coaches with the middle schoolers. Every participant gets an individual or small group lesson each day from one of these more advanced players and plays in a coached ensemble. We also learn band music together and play a concert at the end of the program. The more advanced students help the less experienced students make their way through the more challenging pieces and the coaches sit in playing alongside the students. We have a saying in our full band sessions which was borrowed from a good friend. "When you are feeling a little lost, just keep on swimming." This is a great life skill to develop. Last year we added a hot dog cookout during the final week. Several of the students have limited family resources so we also provide a healthy snack from the A2 Farmers Market at the end of each day's work. This year I would like to add a small community performance either at Scarlett or at a local community center. The Scarlett Music Academy provides a little taste of music camp to many students who can't afford to go to Interlochen or Blue Lake during the summer. It also gives advancing high school and college music students a chance to work on their teaching skills. My favorite thing is hiring Scarlett Middle School alumni and watching them coach the developing young musicians who will follow them at Huron.

Melbourne (Inativo) – TEAM OF LIFE

2014-06-27T00:00:00Z

KAGE is developing a new performance work entitled TEAM OF LIFE, which uses sports metaphors that are powerfully resonant within Australian culture to illuminate stories of young culturally diverse people who have experienced hardship. Developed by writer/community worker David Denborough, the TEAM OF LIFE methodology is being used in Australia to respond to young people from refugee backgrounds and young people in rural, remote and urban Aboriginal communities. TEAM OF LIFE enables young people to come to terms with traumatic experience without speaking directly about it. The TEAM OF LIFE production that will harnesses the power of two great dramatic traditions - sports and theatre. By honouring the great Australian game (AFL), and the World game (soccer), TEAM OF LIFE will tell stories of young people’s search for different kinds of freedom. Performed by professional dancers, actors and rising sports stars, and informed by workshops with young refugees and young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, this production will dissolve the boundaries between sport, theatre and identity. When the final siren sounds, signaling the end of TEAM OF LIFE, the way you understand sports, theatre and even your own life, will no longer be quite the same. This project is an innovative, effective and positive way to engage with distadvantaged, targeted communities, and aims to lesson discriminatory attitudes towards these communities while contributing to social inclusion and a celebration of diversity. The project will to contribute to the cultural expression of a contemporary social issue of significance and increasing relevance. It will be a high profile performance of meaning and identity and a celebration of survival. The work as been in research and development for the past 2 years and are now gearing up for the world premiere performance of TEAM OF LIFE in October 2014. Head to www.KAGE.com.au for full details and to buy tickets to the performance.

Miami, FL – MIA Made's Wynwood Maker Camp

2014-06-26T00:00:00Z

MIA Made's Wynwood Maker Camp is the 1st of its kind in South Florida. Over the course of the summer, instructors will take 85 students (age 14-18) through a curriculum that covers robotics, 3d printing, software development, and entrepreneurship. The goal of the camp is to encourage youth to be innovative thinkers by exposing them to cutting-edge technology in a way that is comprehendible and applicable. The camp will run five 2-week sessions with 17 students each (4:17 instructor to student ratio). During the 1st week, students will learn in a collaborative, hands-on environment how to work with the raspberry pi, Little Bits circuits, 3D printing, and business plans. The 2nd week, students will go on a field trip to a local technology company and then spend the rest of the week developing their own individual project using the technologies they learned the week before. The session will end with a showcase of the student’s various projects and subsequently be invited to show their projects off again at the Miami Mini Maker Faire in November 2014. Two scholarships per session have already been secured for the purposes of providing access for underprivileged student applicants. Finally, so that students have continued access to the knowledge being imparted, the camp will come with an online learning companion that has the curriculum as well as video tutorials and informative materials on other projects students can pursue with the same know-how. The expected outcomes of the camp will be increased appreciation for makerism in all its forms, better understanding of how to integrate makerism into youth education, and better understanding of how parents can encourage their children to pursue STEM careers.

Miami, FL – ReFemme - Social Interruptions

2014-06-26T00:00:00Z

As a newly formed artist activist team, we want to have ongoing “social interruptions” to bring attention to practices in our society that are absurd and unequal. In the same vein as Guerilla Girls or Banksy, we will use our performances, happenings, and humor to get the people of Miami to question the status quo. Miami, which seems to be the center of beauty obsession and plastic surgery, is the perfect place for these happenings. Whether it’s an anti-plastic surgery flash mob or posters with eye-opening facts about last name (surname) equality, we want to get our messages out to the public. The Stay Small poster campaign is a message to those with small breasts to not succumb to the ubiquitous breast enhancement surgery. The Not Chattel poster campaign reveals the origins of women changing their last names after marriage and encourages the public to re-think this sexist practice. Another interactive project is Beauty Box, which invites the public to enter our temporary tent during Basel or Fashion Week. Here, instead of giving beauty tips, we will point out all that is beautiful about them and then hand them a medal for being who they are. We also want to continue the Vanity Unfair flash mobs throughout Miami Beach and Miami, where our group appears with exaggerated “enhancements” made of balloons and giant wax lips to push the point of the absurdity of plastic surgery. As a team, we will execute these ideas for public display and interaction. We hope to interact with the public through our performances, happenings, and posters in Miami. Awesome Foundation will help this become a reality! This link is a sample of the Vanity Unfair exhibit and flash mobs: https://vimeo.com/82734017

Miami, FL – Connective Quotes

2014-06-26T00:00:00Z

The idea for this project came from my desire to help people on a more personal level. It often seems that we forget how small gestures can have a great impact on a person's life. You never know when the person standing in front of you in line may be feeling helpless and lost. We've all had moments where we just wish someone would understand and sympathize with our troubles. This applies to all the people we meet, and to those we may never encounter. The goal of Connective Quotes is to lift our spirits. It involves creating a minimum of 2,000-3,000 handmade cards (or more, if we are able--we will be using a die-cut machine) made using ONLY eco-friendly papers and inks. Each card will contain an inspirational message on one side, and a succinct mission statement on the other. The cards will be left in various locations around the city (e.g. coffee shops, supermarket, bookstores, car windows, etc.) for people to find, read, and pass on to others. The second part of our goal is to create a website where people can track the movement of an individual card. Each card will have a number stamp for this purpose. This information will help us determine if, and where, our cards are successfully traveling. We will also encourage people, who log onto our site, to submit their own messages for future card productions. Card/website design, production, and distribution will be done by me and my friend Meghan Hartman. Anyone interested is free to help. There really isn't much more to it. Connective Quotes is just a simple way to give and receive happiness.

South Shore – Rural Arts and Life Tour

2014-06-25T00:00:00Z

In June our winners wowed us with a planned tour highlighting many of the Awesome things going on in Lunenburg County, from Arts to Food to Outdoor fun, the tour will take you on a magical ride around 5 communities to learn more about what they have to offer. Come out and join the tour on Saturday Sept. 13. Learn more at www.ruralartsandlifetour.com/what.html

Newmarket – Bringing FACED to deserving Faces

2014-06-25T00:00:00Z

I was inspired by the Women's Centre of YR's new fundraising project "In Her Words" and want to do something for these courageous women who have taken this next crucial step in their lives. I think that they would love to have a new look to go with their new 'outlooks' in life.I want to offer a free 'makeover' day with hair, makeup and a photo shoot for these women and perhaps their teenage daughters to allow them to look as beautiful and strong on the outside as they feel on the inside after having taken this next step in their lives. We could perhaps also invite young women from the Rose of Sharon and TLC to participate. All of them probably have more important things to do with their lives than to worry about their 'beauty' - but especially looking good will help them to continue to feel good on the inside and continue to grow. I want to offer them an opportunity to make a lasting record of a one day makeover that they would likely never think of doing as an important change in their lives. I realize that in the scheme of things it may be totally inconsequential to their lives and all the issues they face on a day to day basis, but as everyone knows - looking good totally changes the way you tackle life!

London, ON (Inativo) – An Open and Shut Case.

2014-06-24T00:00:00Z

An Open and shut case is a local documentary that would focus on a slice of London that isn't talked about a lot. You see it, give it a brief glance and you carry on with your day. The slice I speak of is the busking community of the Forest City. Unlike Toronto, Vancouver or Montreal, London doesn't have hundreds of buskers. In the Forest City, we have a dedicated group of fine musicians (and even finer people) who, on a regular basis heft their cases in rain, shine, hot or cold, take their positions and play for all of us. I know, because I used to be among these fine people. Before I got married and had a child, I used to play with a few other musicians on Richmond row in front of Gift of Art. An Open and Shut Case will document 10 of London's most prominent and recognizable buskers. The aim of this documentary is to educate and inform the masses that these people are NOT homeless and are NOT panhandling. Busking is an art that is thousands of years old and should be cherished as a part of our local art culture and hopefully any young, aspiring musicians won't be nervous to open his or her case along with a generation of musicians before them and continue the tradition. Other cities have busker festivals and such and I think that this documentary would help open a lot of eyes and turn a lot of ears towards London that may not have before. London is already a city that is so proud of it's art culture, let us together help embrace this last piece of the picture.

San Francisco, CA – Wildcat Hauling

2014-06-24T00:00:00Z

Wildcat Hauling is a coalition of East Bay haulers working with our neighbors to conduct coordinated, guerrilla-style pickups of illegal dumping sites in West Oakland. We’re fed up and taking matters into our own hands. (It’s what haulers do.) We know that dumping is a complex issue, and that to really tackle it, we need to do more than just remove junk from the streets. So we’re also working with neighborhood groups and government to lobby for appropriate laws to prevent dumping and ensure equitable access to disposal services, and educating the community on recycling and waste issues. However, changes in policy can take a long time. Meanwhile, our streets keep filling with garbage, and the City crews can’t keep up. A creative response is needed. Everything is ready. We have a diverse group of junk haulers on board, from all over Oakland, and we’re still recruiting more. We can use SeeClickFix - the same reporting tool the City uses - to efficiently locate dumping sites, and follow trends and the impact we’re having. We’re arranging neighborhood Bike Scouts with the help of West Oakland bike non-profit Bikes 4 Life, Spanish translation from our Spanish-speaking haulers, and outreach efforts with longtime resident and recycling advocate Violet Henderson. We just need $$ to start the pickups. Ultimately, this project is not simply about illegal dumping, but about the power of communities to respond creatively to our surroundings and work together to solve our own problems. In a neighborhood like Oakland, with a diverse mix of people and businesses and agendas, it can be hard to find an issue on which everyone can agree. But illegal dumping is such an issue: everyone who lives or works in the neighborhood has to experience it, and is united in wanting it to end. Neighbors at my hauling jobsites often come up and beg me to take that pile of trash that’s been at the end of the street forever. With Wildcat Hauling, I now have a response.

Kingston – On the Wall

2014-06-19T00:00:00Z

ON THE WALL, Kingston's first ever street art festival, aims to become an exciting annual event where the work of local Kingston street artists as well as artists from the broader Canadian artistic community can be celebrated in a unique waterfront venue. Artists have been wanting to do something on this wall for years but have been prevented by the City's graffiti by-law. Permission is being requested from Council on May 6 to waive the graffiti by-law for the event. Unanimous approval is expected. The ground work has been thorough. This exciting event will showcase Kingston's only North End waterfront park and show both Kingstonians and visitors to the City not only what an incredible community asset we have in this wall but how truly beautiful Douglas R. Fluhrer Park is. Most Kingstonians have never been there! Artists and community groups will be invited to submit projects in a juried competition. Jurors include Julian Brown (Portrait Prize), Su Sheedy ( Artist and Curator, Modern Fuel and Pump House Museum), Karen Peperkorn (Art teacher, QECVI), Primrose Craig, (Kingston School of Art) and Owen Santyr (Art student) Submissions will be based on Originality, Breadth of Appeal, Emotional Impact, Technical Expertise and their ability to survive one year. As ON THE WALL is projected to be an annual event, each year new works will be created on the wall to continually re-invigorate the wall and the park. This year, the event will occur the week of Aug. 18-24. Artists will be free to prepare and make sketches on the wall on the Monday and will work Monday through Sunday. On Saturday, a celebration is planned that will include exciting novel family activities as well as opportunities for children to make chalk drawings on the wall. Healthy food and drinks will be offered.

Portland, OR – Street Books

2014-06-18T00:00:00Z

Street Books is a bicycle-powered mobile library, serving people who live outside in Portland, Oregon. Patrons are issued an official Street Books library card without being required to show proof of address or identification. Inside the cover of each book is an old-school library pocket and card that patrons sign and leave with us. During our thrice-weekly shifts, librarians bicycle to one of our arranged locations, display the library selection, and patrons stop by to check out and return books. They are invited to be photographed with their books of choice, and these photos and stories are collected at our website: streetbooks.org. Now entering its fourth year, Street Books has provided more than a thousand books to one of Portland’s most vulnerable populations: those who lack shelter. In the years since we founded the project, we have built our library collection and expanded to serve people on the eastside. This fall we were able to hire a longtime patron, Ben Hodgson, to be our Inventory Specialist. Ben got an apartment in February, after living outside for three years, and he is an invaluable asset to our team.

Detroit, MI (Inativo) – ∞ mile (infinite mile): a journal of art + culture

2014-06-18T00:00:00Z

∞ mile (infinite mile) is a monthly, online Detroit-based art + culture(s) journal launched in December 2013. Through reviews, interviews, articles, writings and photo essays, ∞ mile aims to foster critical discourse in support of art and culture in Detroit. Inflecting on Detroit and its nuanced, experimental and diverse art scene, ∞ mile seeks to proliferate and formalize discussions and critique. ∞ mile does not employ a traditional vertical hierarchy with an editor or editorial board (although editing assistance is provided). Instead, ∞ mile uses a horizontal cooperative structure where 30+ persons from the arts and cultural community are invited to make two contributions throughout the year on issues and topics that they find relevant and important to write about and discuss in the public realm. ∞ mile contributors range from individuals whose writing has never been published to seasoned academics, all with varying ages, gender, race, backgrounds and voices. ∞ mile continually seeks to diversify its contributors, audience and viewership. Each month, ∞ mile receives about a thousand (and growing) visitors, many of whom come from the U.S. and abroad. At this time, all of our contributors are donating their time, talents, experience and expertise to ∞ mile because they believe in our mission. We appreciate all of them and proceed to find ways to pay them for their efforts and cover the cost of maintaining the journal. Plans for developing funding underway and receiving an Awesome grant will allow us to pay the contributors who have made ∞ mile possible thus far.

Rio de Janeiro (Inativo) – Liberte seus sonhos

2014-06-18T00:00:00Z

Um projeto que transforma a arte relacional em um movimento livre, urbano, afetivo, interativo e poderoso chamado Liberte seus Sonhos, que visa criar murais convidativos para a interação, onde a frase Meu sonho é ______, aparece incompleta inúmeras vezes, chamando as pessoas a pegarem um pedaço de giz, refletirem sobre seus desejos e entrarem nesse espaço/tempo dos sonhos em um local onde antes era apenas visto como espaço de passagem. Até hoje o projeto aconteceu de maneira orgânica e colaborativa, onde em um ano e meio, 12 murais foram criados, em 6 cidades, 4 estados e 2 países, impactando diretamente mais de 5 mil pessoas e gerando muita mídia espontânea, chegando aos grande veículos. ----- This is a project that transforms relational art into a movement called "Free Your Dreams", which is free, urban, emotional, interactive and powerful. It's about creating inviting murals that are open to interaction, where the sentence "My dream is ______" runs several times down the wall and people can pick up a piece of chalk, think about their wishes and, at a location until then seen only as something to pass by, enter the space/time of dreams. Up to now, the project has unfolded in an organic and collaborative style, with twelve murals created in six cities, four states and two countries, directly affecting more than five thousand people and spontaneously generating media coverage, including in mainstream vehicles.

Gloucester, MA – The Man Who Photographed the Man at the Wheel

2014-06-17T00:00:00Z

In 1926 a Russian immigrant by the name of Levi Blinder (Americanized to Louis Blend) installed himself as a street photographer of tourists, taking "instant" photos for money in front of the Fisherman's statue on Stacy Boulevard. He eventually settled in the Jewish neighborhoods of Dorchester, MA, but every tourist season until his retirement in 1976 found him in front of the statue plying his trade. Fifty years is an almost unheard of amount of time at this particular trade. During his time there he became a celebrated part of the culture on Stacy Boulevard and was even regarded as a protector of the statue. Over the years he photographed tourists, soldiers, and local people posed in front of the statue for souvenirs of their visit to the island. He photographed the rich, middle class, working class and poor, usually with the statue as a backdrop but sometimes pointing his camera out to sea. Louis is a unique example of the immigrant experience--particularly the Jewish immigrant experience--in Gloucester. I've interviewed many old timers in Gloucester and he is well remembered. I have been researching Louis Blend's life and collecting what I can find of the photos he took for more than 10 years. I have more than 100 examples of his photographs, plus newspaper and amateur photos of him at work and other ancillary material. I gave a talk about Louis Blend at Cape Ann Museum last year about him and have included a discussion of him in a street photography lecture at the George Eastman House in Rochester a few years back. I've seen great interest in the subject wherever I've presented. I would now like to turn this and future research into a book. The book will not only be about Louis Blend and his career, but will also include material about Leonard Crask, the sculptor of the statue, the cultural life of Stacy Boulevard, Louis's personal life in the Jewish community of Dorchester, and a discussion of his photographic process.

New York City, NY – Little Hackers; hacking museums for NextGen NY

2014-06-17T00:00:00Z

Museums Are F***ing Awesome. So awesome that we’ve built a company around them. Museum Hack and our renegade guides give epic Private Tours of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Natural History. We want the next generation to get excited about museums. That's why we created Little Hackers. Little Hackers will get young low-income kids into and excited about museums. The Museum is for everyone, it's an amazing resource, Museums can be engaging if you connect the way that works for you, and that it's the sort of place to visit over and over. Making an impact is in our DNA and we want to make sure that everyone can see Museums. We are really excited about inspiring one person. Understanding that inspiring one person creates a ripple effect, you can help us impact 80 people. That’s countless lives positively impacted through the Awesome Foundation! Why? Because Museums really are F***ing Awesome and every child deserves the chance to find that out.

Boulder, CO (Inativo) – SLAB

2014-06-16T00:00:00Z

SLAB, a World Premiere, is adapted from the forthcoming novel by Mississippi born, Denver-based writer Selah Saterstrom, who approached us with the text several years ago after seeing a few of our productions, primarily TORNADO SEASON, which also explored post-disaster landscapes. Saterstrom, who currently serves as Associate Professor & Director of Creative Writing at the University of Denver, has given us free reign to adapt her novel, providing input as needed. SLAB follows the story of Tiger, a plucky ex-stripper whose impoverished American existence is turned upside down after a hurricane destroys her town. As Tiger waits for salvation on the slab that is all that remains of her home, she begins to tell her story, her memories flashing to life before the audience's eyes. Born of the debris of Hurricane Katrina, SLAB explores the essential human need to create narrative as a means of survival and transition, honoring what we can take with us when there is nothing else to take: our story. The title itself represents the space where a home once stood: it is simultaneously a stage, a blank page, an altar; it is a place where a body is prepared for burial, it is a tombstone. SLAB has been in development for more than three years. It is the most challenging material we have ever taken on. The piece has an epic quality and requires the use of a great deal of technology, incorporating innovative video and sound elements, including a film/video installation and live sound score that run the duration of the play. There is no other theatre group in Boulder incorporating video and sound elements in quite the way we're attempting with this piece; SLAB will truly be a sensory experience on multiple levels. Our video installation artist (Christina Battle) and sound designers/composers (Janet Feder & Paul Fowler) are incredibly well known for what they do and their contributions will help square rise to a new level of artistry and innovation.

Pittsburgh, PA – The Global Switchboard

2014-06-15T00:00:00Z

Pittsburgh is a global city. It was built and continues to grow from an ever-changing group of immigrants, and the contributions of their children. We believe The Global Switchboard will both export the best practices of community development that we have pioneered here, and begin to import new ideas from our friends around the world. The Global Switchboard will be a physical demonstration of the city's global home, it will bring new resources, both financially and socially to the city, and it will be a comfortable space to engage pressing global issues. There are dozens of organizations in the Pittsburgh area working on global/local connections every day. Organizations that focus on hosting visitors, conversations about global events, and connecting Pittsburgh’s resources to the rest of the world. These organizations are connecting Pittsburghers to the Brazilian Amazon through health-service, educating educators about the Syrian conflict, providing leadership skills through soccer in Cameroon, empowering families in Haiti, supporting cooperative weavers in Peru, educating girls in rural Nepal, and so much more. By creating a coworking and event space, together, we will: 1. Increase global engagement and accessibility in the Pittsburgh area 2. Cultivate young Pittsburgh-based global organizations 3. Attract new resources to our city for internationally collaborative projects In the short term, we plan to grow membership, increase visibility for global-focused organizations in Pittsburgh, and launch joint ventures. In the long term, we hope to bring more resources to the city for internationally collaborative projects and cultivate new world-changing ideas. These projects will range from innovative global youth exchange programs to education projects abroad. We believe that we will be stronger and more able to advocate for positive change as a group than individually. Right now, we have a total of 10 organizations who will be housed in The Switchboard.

Ottawa – _____ Make(s) me Happy

2014-06-15T00:00:00Z

The second of June's two Awesome Ottawa awards goes to Anne Wanda Tessier to support bus shelter “advertisements” breaking convention and provoking reflection. Anne has actually already carried out her project. In fact, she didn’t apply for an Awesome Ottawa award at all, but is receiving one in recognition of her initiative, as well as to encourage her to continue the awesomeness. “I wanted to create something that people would not expect to see in public spaces,” says Anne, “so I designed and created two bus shelter advertisements which are not trying to sell you anything. Both are meant to be reflective about where you are in your life and what makes you happy. One is a sweet letter that could apply to anyone, and the other is a list of things that make you happy, collected from people in Ottawa. It was interesting to note,” Anne mentions, “that most of them have to do with nature and people, and not about accumulating money or things.” “We often see so many negative messages from media, and advertisements,” says Anne, “that we always need to be more of ‘something.’ We are constantly reminded of all that is negative in the world, and I just wanted to make a comment that, although everyone has to go through some tough moments, and although there are a lot of negative things going on, life still has some positive things to offer, and to appreciate these small things.” Anne is an artist, printmaker, painter, and yoga teacher.

Ottawa – Dau

2014-06-14T00:00:00Z

The first of June's two Awesome Ottawa awards goes to Magill Foote to support a short video about a Russian film called by some the most insane such project ever undertaken. “Nearly a decade ago,” explains Magill, “a Russian filmmaker named Ilya Khrzhanovsky began shooting a highly ambitious biographical film about physicist Lev ‘Dau’ Landau. Most of the filming was done on a 12,000 square meter recreation of a 1940’s Russian city, complete with a functioning newspaper and university. Over 300,000 extras were employed to live on the set and be filmed with hidden cameras. Fines were imposed for anachronistic items, clothing, and language. Pre-production for the film took two years, and filming lasted for three.” Although the film was originally set to be released in 2010 at the Cannes Film Festival, it has not yet seen the light of day. Recent reports suggest that the film could finally be released as soon as this summer. “My project is an informative short video,” says Magill, “that uses kinetic typography and 1940's-era Soviet iconography to educate the people of the world about this fascinating film project, which has gone largely unreported outside of Russian media.” He shared a short preview to whet appetites. Magill is an independent filmmaker based in Ottawa.

San Antonio, TX – “The OCTA-TETRA Museum”

2014-06-13T00:00:00Z

The OCTA-TETRA Museum is my “pay-it-forward” project whose goal is to have an educational impact on the young people of San Antonio. Here are some excerpts from my “Museum Flyer” (email me at uncledan@homespun4homeschoolers.com to request a copy) Mission Statement: 1) To inspire future architects, engineers, designers, artists, and mathematicians to pursue educations and careers in those fields. 2) To advance the understanding that the above-named fields of endeavor are not mutually exclusive; but rather that they may overlap significantly. 3) To celebrate creativity in all of the arts. Students: If you come by at a time when I am not too busy with other visitors, I would be happy to help you with your math homework - - - arithmetic through pre-calculus. Browse through the “OCTA-TETRA Files”, a chronology of my OCTA-TETRA adventure, and also a treasure trove of material on art, architecture, engineering, and all the creative arts. Take part in Hands-On activities building OCTA-TETRA and Modular Origami models So one facet of the project is the people coming to the Museum, and another is my going out into the community to do presentations and workshops. One of my recent visitors gave me the ultimate compliment by saying, “You are like Mr. Magorium and this place is like ‘Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium’” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8Y6NRrSdT8). The magic only happens when there are kids in there.

Seattle, WA – Massive Break Challenge, Breakdance League

2014-06-13T00:00:00Z

My awesome project is called Massive Break Challenge Grand Finale. It's the official school vs school breakdance league for middle school and high school students. If basketball, baseball, football and soccer can have their league, why not breakdancing. Throughout this year we've had 3 Massive Break Challenge battles and we are now going into our grand finale. This will be our 4th year doing the grand finale at the Bagley Wrights theatre in Seattle, which holds 800 seats. The event is entirely FREE for everyone. In the competition there will be a 1 vs 1, 3 vs 3, Iron leg battle (a contest on footwork endurance) and school vs school. This year we will have over 90 students participating from 15 different schools. Teachers, families, students and friends will have the chance to cheer on their dancers! Massive Break Challenge prelims: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IL2S-vFDcXk Massive Break Challenge 2013: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiVhoqnxuBM Our non profit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwcRnkDhT-E Our group Massive Monkees: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUGrlERWxqo www.massivemonkees.com

Awesome Without Borders (Inativo) – Health Navigators - Mfangano Island, Kenya

2014-06-09T00:00:00Z

OHR works on remote Mfangano Island in Western Kenya, where over 30% of people are HIV+, a critical mass that has taken a significant toll on the island’s economy, environment, infrastructure and public health. In 2014, OHR is piloting the Health Navigator Program, a novel initiative to improve community health by helping expectant mothers and injured patients access the emergency health care they desperately need. The program will help to fill a critical need for timely and effective connection to health care for Mfangano Island’s 20,000 residents. Few facilities exist for health care on the island, and families are frequently faced with critical decisions about when and how ill patients can access higher levels of care on the mainland, a 3-hours away. Delays in making and enacting these decisions can have disastrous consequences for expectant mothers and critically ill patients. This summer, OHR will recruit and train 10 local Community Health Workers as the region’s first Health Navigators, who will intersect patients at the critical crossroads of their illnesses to act as clinical liaisons and patient advocates. During stressful emergency situations, a Health Navigator will facilitate clear communication between the patient and provider, ensuring that each patient understands the severity of the illness and the potential care pathways. Utilizing up-to-date knowledge of the regional resources, the Health Navigator will assist the clinician and patient in making safe and individualized triage decisions. The Navigator will then coordinate the swift response of OHR’s Emergency Boat – the only of its kind in the region – and communicate advanced notice to mainland health providers. Successful Health Navigators will also provide emotional support to distressed families as an experienced and trusted community advocate. The project’s pilot phase will last 6 months, during which OHR will evaluate patient satisfaction, adherence to protocol and patient outcomes.

Awesome Without Borders (Inativo) – Dancing Hearts Foundation 4 Kids

2014-06-09T00:00:00Z

I am the founder and artistic director of Dancing Hearts Foundation 4 Kids (DHF4K). My foundation uses dance as an outlet for children 4-15 years of age who is dealing with stress at home. My mission is to educate, mentor and empower children while using dance as a tool and an outlet for them. Our foundation targets those children in low to mid level income brackets. Our organization's mission is to provide them with the tools needed to help them overcome issues while providing them with a positive outlet while educating them on how to turn stress, depression, and negative energy into positive energy. We children feel they do not have a voice or cannot find their voice, we allow them to find their voice through dance. The children we are currently working with were all very shy and timid. Some of them had been bullied at school, had low self-esteem, or felt they had no voice. Our students are now smiling, and building strong friendships and falling in love with dance and the freedom it gives them.

Yerevan – Kind Refrigerator for Leftovers

2014-06-07T00:00:00Z

We are going to buy a big refrigerator with 2-3 years warranty service and install it in one of the Yerevan's popular places. I negotiated with AEON anti-cafe. So, the refrigerator will be placed there for collecting leftovers from big restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs, supermarkets and individuals for later delivery to the needy families (we have a friend who visits them periodically). Besides that from time to time we will invite Sonia Tashchyan, the popular master of traditional Armenian and Lebanese cuisine, and Sargis Mkrtchyan (Քարից Փափուկ) and organize open-air hospitality to promote the idea of using the food we buy more effectively. The logos of the supporting restaurants, supermarkets, cafes and pubs will be placed on the refrigerator and we will promote them also via Facebook page of the Refrigerator. By doing this we will reduce the amount of quite normal food that is usually being recycled, we will create a new food culture in Yerevan and help people in need.