Awesome Foundation - Projects

Philadelphia, PA – Mosaic Pothole Installations

2016-07-26T00:00:00Z

3 years ago, Chicago-based mosaic artist, Jim Bachor got tired of his city’s pothole problem and started installing his beautiful mosaics in them, making them more than just axle savers. 3 successful Kickstarter's in, and he's become well-known nationally for these outdoor art installations. He's hit Chicago's list of the city's greatest public art. The first year his theme was flowers -- long stemmed vibrant roses, tulips, and lilies burst out of Chicago streets. The 2nd yr, the pothole installations were called 'Treats in the Streets'. A perfect name for the creamy white tiles bordering brightly colored popsicles seemingly tossed off a Good Humor truck -- that year Finland invited him to continue the series there. He creates mosaics that speak of modern things in an ancient voice. His work surprises the viewer while challenging long-held notions of what a mosaics should be -- just like our other mosaic rock star, Isaiah Zagar. Hundreds if not thousands of tiny, hand-cut pieces of Italian glass and marble comprise his work. We've been watching Jim's series since the beginning. The public loves him and the press (including The Inquirer, who called him up to see if he'd thought about bringing the project to Philadelphia). We're excited to say we've arranged to bring Jim's project to Philly in August! He'll to do a handful of installs with imagery synonymous to Philly, in selected neighborhoods. Not only will we fill a couple of car breakers, but what a delight and surprise it will be for people to look down and see these beautiful mosaics in a city that already has a bond to that artform. There will be fun interactive supplements to this project including an art scavenger hunt - residents can win fun signed art prints from Jim for finding the mosaics. An artist talk/ Q&A with Jim will take place at a local gallery so the community (families will be targeted for this fun chat) can learn more about the project and ask questions.

Kingston – Adventure Gear Stash

2016-07-26T00:00:00Z

The Kingston Outdoor Adventure Club began in August 2015, and has grown to 730+ members! The Club is free to join and asks for a $2 event fee (plus event costs) to cover liability insurance. One of the hurdles we've encountered is having members who would like to participate in events but who don't have the money for outdoor gear. We would like to create a stash of gear to help reduce the barriers for active participation in outdoor activities. Event something as simple as hiking can be a challenge without a quality backpack.

Newmarket – Commons Coffee and Catering

2016-07-26T00:00:00Z

Commons Coffee and Catering is a not for profit business. We have a booth at the Newmarket Farmer's market for 26 Saturdays (May-October) and for the past 3 years have been training adults with autism and developmental differences at our booth to learn various skills while working on a real job setting and being included in the community , showing their abilities. Our dedicated job coaches and volunteers provide the support We have started our 4th year of operation at the market. This year we have about 10-11 individuals working short shifts. We have been participating in all the events organized by the town of newmarket (i.e. Multicultural Festival, Buskerfest,, Winterfest, as well as Windfall Ecofestival, Caribbean Festival and Jazz festival. This year we have been receiving a number of requests for catering for meetings and smaller events. As our catering demands have increased (we have had 10 this year including Earth Day at the Regional Admin building our equipment needs updating and replacement. We also need some new equipment for our indoor catering requests. As well as replacing damaged tent from last year's Jazz festival storm.

Portland, OR – The Johnson Creek College

2016-07-26T00:00:00Z

The Johnson Creek College is an experimental school that offers classes in exchange for unique forms of payment and barter that aid in the awareness and restoration of Portland's Johnson Creek. Founded by artists Adam Carlin and Kristina Dutton, the Creek College fosters a shared positive vision and active community stewardship. Classes offer opportunities for community members to learn new skill sets, and restoration efforts create a healthier environment for a diversity of people represented along the 26 mile watershed. Our mission is to encourage the development of deeper relationships to nature, self, and community through mentorship, arts-based learning, and environmental education. The Creek College simultaneously addresses multiple needs; Climate change is already bringing warmer, drier summers, and higher intensity rainstorms, which negatively affect aquatic life. Stewardship and restoring actions will increase ecosystem resilience to climate change and ongoing development. The Creek College is an opportunity to increase interest in and awareness of these issues. It is also an opportunity for a natural setting to function as a classroom in a very broad sense; through art participation, as a place to cultivate new skills sets, a platform for environmental awareness education, and a bridge for diverse communities. The college originated in the form of a question; what do we, as artists, have in our toolkit to create the broadest impact in aiding restoration efforts? We decided to create an opportunity for local residents of all ages and backgrounds to work together over the course of multiple events, ensuring a sense of connection to each other, the project and the creek environment. The Creek College, in partnership with Johnson Creek Watershed Council, offers a chance for people of various backgrounds and interests to feel empowered in working together for the betterment of this vital and fragile ecosystem, as it weaves its way through our neighborhoods.

Jumbos (Inactive) – Child Sex Trafficking + Medical Education

2016-07-25T00:00:00Z

I first learned about child sex trafficking at Tufts University through the Love 146 club, and I was immediately moved to do something to combat this atrocity. I participated in advocacy and awareness initiatives while at Tufts and when I started medical school at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, I wanted to integrate my knowledge of human trafficking into my medical school experience. At Einstein, I met Dr. Kanani Titchen (another Tufts alum!), who has focused her career on human trafficking. Through her mentorship, I learned about child sex trafficking in the context of the medical profession. By a modest estimate, 100,000 – 300,000 international and domestic minors in the United States are at risk of being trafficked for sex each year, and previous research demonstrated that 50-88% of trafficking victims have contact with a healthcare provider, presenting an important opportunity for intervention. While healthcare providers are potentially able to identify and assist victims of sex trafficking, unfortunately, most trafficked patients are not assisted in these encounters. Why? Physicians don’t know how to recognize trafficked patients. Most medical schools lack formal training to teach students about the scope of sex trafficking, the methods to identify a patient who is trafficked, and the resources available to these patients. I propose to develop an evidence-based curriculum for medical students to learn how to identify children and young adults who are victims of sex trafficking. My goal is to make a workshop curriculum that is short, easy to learn, and replicable across medical schools so more medical students can feel confident in identifying and assisting trafficking victims as future physicians.

Alaska (Inactive) – Guys and Gals Read, Inc.

2016-07-25T00:00:00Z

The 11th year of the Fairbanks-created Alaska Guys and Gals Read programs will send teams of volunteer readers into all 18 local public elementary schools this coming school year (2016-17) to read the first parts of heavily-illustrated books to 4th grade boys and girls. They read each book one time for 20 minutes (all the time we have in one lunch period, but long enough to engage the kids' interest) and donate 3 copies of each book to the school libraries. The programs draws nearly 100% of all the kids, and the books become the most popular in school, across ages and sexes. The program is entirely volunteer-based, and raises all its funding through small local contributions. Guys Read has won two major national awards (2012 National Assn. of Counties Academic Achievement Award, and 2013 Public Library Association Innovations in Literacy Award. Libraries in Alaska (Nome, Barrow, Wasilla, Sitka) and the Lower 48 (2 library systems in Maryland) have adopted our approach, using the downloadable manual from our website.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – 826 Valencia Tenderloin Center

2016-07-25T00:00:00Z

826 Valencia is dedicated to supporting under-resourced students with their writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write. We achieve this through unique, free programs that are fun, inspire imagination and wonder, and ignite a love of learning through special projects in the classroom, writing workshops, after-school & evening tutoring, field trips, and summer programs. After 13 years of free writing, tutoring, and publishing programs at our flagship site in San Francisco’s Mission District, we have expanded to the Tenderloin neighborhood, an area with the second-highest rate of food stamp use in the city and home to 3,000 children. The neighborhood has a bounty of services available, but none that specifically focus on writing. We've created a wondrous, magical space that inspires creativity and gives kids a safe place to learn. In classic 826 style, the center will be fronted by King Carl’s Emporium, a weird and whimsical store featuring souvenirs gathered by a traveling royal pufferfish. Through this community gateway, students will discover a place where they can build the writing skills that are fundamental to their success in school and beyond.

Miami, FL – Bee Brave Buddies Corporation

2016-07-24T00:00:00Z

I have designed 3 adorable beautifully bald dolls for children in treatment with cancer called Bee Brave Buddies. . Kids shouldn’t have to deal with Cancer or other life-threatening diseases, but they do! My dolls were created to make these children brave(R) than they should every have to be. There are three Bee Brave Buddies to chose from, Buddy Brave, our boy super hero doll, Bestie Brave, a best friend forever super hero for girls and Catie Cuddles, our fancy lacey girly doll. My dolls are created in my Miami Beach based studio. All fabrics are printed in the USA from my exclusive whimsical designs. I have personally gifted hundreds of dolls for the past 15 months and now proud to announce I have become a nonprofit 501(c)3 ”. Each doll is soft, colorful, cuddly and bald, showing children that they can still be beautiful and strong even without hair. Each doll comes with a matching hat or headband. The super heroes come with soft minky cape. The girl dolls have special words printed on their long leggings such as giggle, hope, brave, cuddle, snuggle, dream, hugs, smile, laugh, play. Each doll is available in a Caucasian or African-American version. Each doll has a big heart printed on the back of their bald head. Any family or friend who has a child with cancer can request a doll on our web site (nomination page) and we will send the doll as a gift from Bee Brave Buddies to that child. We also partner with any accredited pediatric cancer hospitals or clinics across the US to give boxes of dolls monthly to the children. Our mission is to provide support to children and young adults with cancer and other serious illnesses through gifting of our dolls, books and other gifts. Every week, I receive pictures of these children hugging their new Bee Brave Buddies. Their smiles are beautiful. I hope to be able to give these dolls to every child with cancer across the US. Your help would make a big difference!

Santa Fe, NM (Inactive) – Indoor Playroom Remodel

2016-07-23T00:00:00Z

Casa Familia is one of five residential facilities operated by St. Elizabeth Shelter. Last year, it served 339 people, providing them with 8,903 bed nights of shelter, 18,960 meals, 5,964 units of case management and, most importantly, successfully moved 247 of them -- 78% of those leaving the program -- into housing. Since studies have shown the less time families spend homeless, the less likely they will be homeless again, securing housing for these families and children is our ultimate goal. We want to remodel the indoor children's playroom at Casa Familia, our emergency shelter for homeless single women and families with children. It has 10 beds for women, 8 rooms for families and can accommodate up to 40 people. It is the only such facility in Santa Fe and all of Northern New Mexico, and one of 5 residential facilities operated by St. Elizabeth Shelter. Families now constitute 37.4% of the overall homeless population. Prior to its opening in 2009, there was only one room available to one family in Northern New Mexico. By contrast, Casa Familia housed 50 families with 98 children last year.. Numerous studies have documented the deleterious effects homelessness has on children -- more physical and mental health issues, more developmental issues, increased school absences, poorer academic performance, etc. At Casa Familia, our goal is to immediately stabilize these families in a safe and secure environment and then begin working with them on the issues leading to their becoming homeless. Children are assessed for healthcare issues and referred to our more specialized partnering agencies, if appropriate. They are enrolled in school with their attendance and academic performance monitored. Tutors are provided if needed. At Casa Familia, we want to provide the children with the ambiance and experiences similar to their non-homeless peers. For those who have been living in cars or shuttled among relatives, our playroom is the place to rest, relax and socialize with others while learning useful interpersonal skills. Families, too, finally will have the precious time and opportunity to laugh and learn together. The remodel will feature a redecorated room with playful simple murals, child-sized furniture and a cedar playhouse to inspire and promote healthy engaged play while reducing parental stress. It also will serve as an example to the parents for creating a similar space for their children in their own future home. We will use the funds to purchase a playhouse, children's table and chairs. We will fix minor problems with electrical wiring in the play area to make it safer. We will purchase a magnet wall, chalkboard wall and paint for the floor. Then we will use volunteers to install the wall, decorate the room with playful simple murals and paint a playscape onto the floor, sealing it so it will be durable.

San Jose, CA – Virtual Reality Painting Station

2016-07-23T00:00:00Z

Hello! My awesome project incorporates a virtual reality painting station for the public to use during our gallery showings! We have a mobile gallery that has done shows from California to Nevada, this month we will have shows in San Jose and end in Oregon, yet most of our shows are based in San Jose, we have continuously participate in First Fridays and SubZERO festivals for years. Our exhibitions feature art from emerging artist as well as offering a platform for theater and performances. We offer listening stations and a coloring decompression area for adults and children. We would love to incorporate a VR painting station into our gallery for the public to experience the awesomeness of virtual reality! But not just any old VR will do, we want to use VR with tactile response and a program that enables users to paint in 3D! Our virtual reality painting station would be like a listening station but outfitted with VR gear that is easy and intuitive to use. Once the gear is slipped on, a person is inside a virtual reality world with a set of brushes, tools, colors, and textures that can be used to create anything that person can think of. Imagine it like a blend of sculpting and painting in thin air, that's the type of wonder we want people in San Jose to experience! Yes, we want our gallery to feature a 3D Virtual Reality painting Station in order to explore new realms of creativity in three dimensions! it will be the first of its kind in San Jose available to the public. Imagine walking onto the hard wood floors of our gallery, then sliding on the 3D gear and having the ability to paint the space around you, the power to literally paint a cloud above you, the ground below you, and what ever your heart desires in front of you! This is the goal of our project, it will add to the experience of our mobile gallery and be enjoyed by thousands! With your help, we can make the joy of painting in virtual reality a reality! Thank you for your support.

Seattle, WA – Peacemaking Photo Project

2016-07-23T00:00:00Z

I am working with female photographers around the country to create a first-of-its-kind collection of images that breaks down negative stereotypes of Muslim women and decreases islamophobia by providing visual evidence of how much we have in common. The problem of islamophobia and the marginalization of Muslims in America is a problem everywhere, including the Puget Sound region. The threats against 2 local mosques just a couple of weeks ago is proof of that. I started this project 9 months ago when I felt the need to respond to this growing problem and unfortunately the need just keeps growing. I currently have 17 photographers in 7 states working on the project, although the majority of the photographers (including myself) are in the greater Seattle area. I also have nearly 100 women who have volunteered to be photographed, 70% of whom are Muslim. Each photographer has been tasked to create a set a photos - one of a Muslim woman and one of a non-Muslim woman - both engaged in a similar activity. So far we have photos of female politicians, activists, fashion designers, snowboarders, law enforcement officers, athletes, teachers, medical professionals, students and more. Once the collection is complete (I hope to have a minimum of 20 sets of images), we will host a series of gallery events to bring women together to view the images and engage in dialogue about both their differences and their similarities. Research says that personal interaction is the best way to combat prejudice, and this gallery will provide that. The first gallery event will take place in Bellevue in August. After that, I hope the gallery will travel around Washington State, and even around the country. I am also working on creating an online version of the gallery in order to expand the impact of the images. It's time to tell a different, more accurate, story about our Muslim neighbors...one that spreads love (and awesomeness), instead of hate. That is what I hope to do.

New York City, NY – ID Shop

2016-07-22T00:00:00Z

AwesomeNYC is pleased to support the 2016 edition of ID Shop, artist Sue Jeong Ka's project that operates as a liaison between art and public institutions to help homeless and immigrant youths apply for federally issued ID cards. Since 2014, ID Shop has offered letters of proof of residency and other legal documentation to these youths, including those struggling with residential and gender issues, through collaboration with organizations including the Art & Law Program at Fordham University, More Art, South Asian Women's Creative Collective, Sylvia Rivera Law Project, Sylvia’s Place, and the Queens Museum. The ID Shop’s purpose is twofold. The first is structural: textually triangulating relationships between nonprofits, participants, the artist, and individual supporters via legal contracts. The second is practical: providing the opportunity for marginalized participants to apply for IDs and gain legal recognition as persons by offering proof of residence in cooperation with art institutions. The art institution’s address legally serves as the recorded residence of the participants, exposing some of the loopholes in the process of establishing a legal identity and reimagining how art institutions interact with local communities. ID Shop is thus a performative platform, benefiting members of marginalized ethnic and gender groups, that re-examines the practice of hospitality within the legal structures of contemporary politically-defined territories. ID Shop will be collaborating in 2016 with the film/video collective WRRQ to run the WRRQShop in Brooklyn, and with Arts In the Woods, for a summer retreat version of the WRRQShop. As for the future, Sue tells us, "Beyond my collaboration with art institutions and homeless youth shelters, I plan to serve shelters that fell out the Department of Homeless Services system through my work and will attempt to change homeless and housing policies of both NYC and NYS." More about can found on the artist's website and Facebook page.

Tallahassee, FL (Inactive) – The 100 Hall of Fame Legacy Foundation, Inc.

2016-07-21T00:00:00Z

The 100 Hall of Fame Legacy Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit charitable musically based organization, certified in the State of Florida, that targets children age 7-17. Our mission is to provide positive events/activities for families of children in the lower income areas of our communities. The activities are designed to mentor/impart upon our children with opportunities other than their current environment can provide, (i.e., positive messaging, cookouts filled with fun and games with a message, encouragement to continue higher educational dreams, knowing the difference between right and wrong decision making and the consequences for both, self-worth, community respect,self respect, respect for authority, (teachers, parents, law enforcement officials, etc.). We also, when the time comes, sponsor high school students that have the required criteria to attend a college/university, in the area of music education, but not limited to, and do not the financial resources to attend. We hope to develop these young minds into productive adult citizens that will impact our community here in Tallahassee and other communities in a positive way.

Ottawa – Bike Repair and Pizza Fair

2016-07-20T00:00:00Z

July’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Clayton Dignard to support a bike fair in the Bayshore community — a low-income, mostly-newcomer neighbourhood in Ottawa’s west end. In addition to free bike repairs, distribution of lights and reflectors, workshops on cycling safety, and information from community groups, the bike fair will feature pizza made in an outdoor community oven — with local youth engaged as oven operators in training. Clayton has been organizing bike fairs in low-income neighbourhoods for the last three years. “I have witnessed,” he says, “how strong and immediate an impact a free bike repair has on a child’s mental and physical health. This is why my volunteers and I continue to do this.” Clayton is a youth worker and community organizer based at the Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre.

Bend, OR (Inactive) – Central Oregon Sk8 Share

2016-07-20T00:00:00Z

Central Oregon Sk8 Share is a grassroots program for the Bend and outer Bend/Central Oregon community. It was founded in May 2016 to connect under-supported youth in Central Oregon with skateboards and skateboard gear. These are youth that are interested in getting into skateboarding but might not otherwise be able to afford it, or youth that already skateboard and do not have the means for replacing damaged equipment. · We believe skateboarding is a healthy, life-long, enriching sport that teaches patience and perseverance while building confidence and self-esteem. Skateboarding naturally fosters positive interpersonal connections. · We believe skateboarding is a positive outlet that should be accessible to all youth of our community regardless of their privilege or resources. · Some youth in our community live in circumstances where access to skateboarding seems unattainable. We feel this is a gap that can easily be filled by our local community. TO GIVE: Our starting goal is to collect enough gear to put together 20 complete skateboard decks with helmets and pads. We accept any skate gear, and it can be used, we just ask that it be in good and safe condition. TO RECEIVE: In exchange for a skateboard, we ask for a one-page essay from the youth recipient that includes a little bit about themselves and how they feel having a skateboard will improve or enhance their lives. The essay and exchange should be completed through a community partner to maintain confidentiality. So far I have collected several donations. Donation boxes are set up in two local skateboard shops. I have already connected three youth with boards! I have achieved this by reaching out to several community agencies that work with Central Oregon youth. Getting this grant will enable me to stretch these donations and reach more youth, ensure all youth are provided with safety gear, purchase supplies that don’t get donated, and provide lessons to get youth safely started.

Austin, TX – Austin Archives Bazaar 2016

2016-07-20T00:00:00Z

The Austin Archives Bazaar is a FREE, fun, and engaging event open to the general public and appropriate for all ages that will be held on Sunday, October 16, 2016 from 2-6pm at Saengerrunde Hall in downtown Austin. At the heart of the event are booths from over two dozen Central Texas archives showing off their amazing collections and services in one big room and promoting the diverse cultural heritage resources available to the public in our region. Other planned attractions include: an oral history storytelling station, an archival film showcase by the Texas Archive of the Moving Image, a Preservation Station where people can get help preserving their family photographs, papers, and other materials, a historic photo booth, and a program of speakers The Austin Archives Bazaar is organized by the Archivists of Central Texas (ACT), a non-profit group of local professional archivists.

Boston, MA (Inactive) – Guhumura: Nosy Interviews from Rwanda

2016-07-19T00:00:00Z

A Nosy Interview consists of just two simple questions: “What do you smell like?” & “What do you like to smell?” But these two disarming questions yield rich, textured, weird, evocative, funny and beautiful answers. We become more human to each other when we think of the ways we smell. Smell is intimate, unsettling, powerful, and strange—we have to invent a language just to talk about it. (Consider perfume copy—sometimes it’s poetry, other times it’s word salad.) I am sitting on a trove of roughly 100 amazing Nosy Interviews collected in Rwanda over the course of a year spent living there. With the help of my partner, an anthropologist fluent in Kinyarwanda and Swahili, we gathered interviews from people throughout the country—people living in refugee camps, working in the country’s first ice cream shop, learning English, giving tours in a wildlife preserve, managing hotels, weaving baskets, drumming and dancing, exporting coffee, farming the land, and so much more. Rwanda continues to be reduced to a single story, but meeting people from Rwanda is the best way to expand that story. In lieu of traveling to Rwanda (recommended if you have the chance!), it is my hope that sharing these Nosy Interviews will help expand a person’s notion of this place and the people who live there. In the past I have featured Nosy Interviews on my website (the currently semi- dormant nosygirl.net), but I hope to showcase these in a place where people will encounter them without seeking them out. A venue like Harvard’s Sensory Ethnography Lab might be a natural choice, but I’d hope to put up an exhibit in a place/places where there’s more foot traffic (coffee shops, the library, Somerville winter farmer's market, etc.). I would welcome suggestions as to the best venue(s) for this!

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – ByKids

2016-07-18T00:00:00Z

BYkids is a non-profit organization pairing master filmmakers, including Albert Maysles and Ric Burns, with youth (ages 8-21) from around the world to create short documentaries that educate Americans about globally relevant issues. By giving kids the tools and mentoring to make documentary films about their lives and packaging those films for a wide American audience, BYkids gives voice to youth from diverse cultures, and encourages international understanding and engagement by giving viewers concrete ways to respond. Each year, the Story Selection Committee — UNICEF and a group of nationally-recognized journalists, filmmakers, teens and non-profit leaders — creates a list of potential stories from which five are chosen. These five stories carry the universal values of courage, perseverance and dignity. Each story is given to a BYkids' Film Mentor who spends one month helping the young person make the film. UNICEF provides transportation, lodging, communications, security, local networking and other diplomatic resources in each project country.

Pittsburgh, PA – John Riegert

2016-07-18T00:00:00Z

Since February 2015, I've been working on a project that's brought 250 Pittsburgh artists together—each one making a portrait of the same person: John Riegert. John's been my friend for over 20 years. He's an artist who was once one of the most engaging people I've ever known. 15 years ago, he started struggling with mental illness. It led to him losing his job, having his marriage break up and almost becoming homeless. It also led to a suicide attempt that put him in a coma for four days. It was heartbreaking to watch John lose his will to be around others and to give up on his art. I thought a project like this could be of great benefit to him and be something to keep him going. Plus being an artist himself, he would know how to relate to many different people and be sympathetic to what they might need him to do. So I invited 400 artists and was shocked when 250 said "yes." They include Diane Samuels, Robert Qualters, Delanie Jenkins, Dee Briggs, John Carson, Ron Donoughe, Jon Rubin, Lenka Clayton, Dylan Vitone, Gavin Benjamin, Ryder Henry, Alisha B. Wormsley, Stephanie Armbruster and Mia Tarducci Henry. Work ranges from paintings to sculptures to conceptual pieces to performances to photographs to films and videos. Some artists worked from a photo of John I sent with the invitation but many wanted to meet John. This has led to a journey through coffee shops, museums, parks, universities, riverbanks, a cemetery, and artists' homes and studios. Each of the artists has been so generous with their time and their talent. In June, the portraits will be part of an exhibition at SPACE gallery. John will will present for the entire run and act as a “docent." So someone coming into the exhibition will be see hundreds of portraits of the same subject—each done by a different artist—and then realize that the person telling them about a particular portrait, answering their question or telling a story about his life, is the subject himself.

Boston, MA (Inactive) – The Body of The People

2016-07-18T00:00:00Z

The Body of the People is a site-specific art installation and performance that interweaves iconic language and visual imagery into a poetic discourse concerning current socio-political disruptions. Installed and performed at The Old South Meeting House in Boston on September 29, 2016, The Body of the People will be a reflection upon the state of current protest movements in the United States at the site of the very first protest in America: The Boston Tea Party in 1773. The work draws on protests that I have participated in and documented to create an immersive artwork that questions individual and class representation in the political upheavals taking place in the United States today. For this project, I have created a series of large-scale drawings (see attached image) of protesters and have compiled slogans, mission statements, and manifestos from the major protest movements in the United States today, including Democracy Spring, Democracy Awakening, Black Lives Matter, etc. From these documents, I have created a surreal and poetic text that will be delivered as an address and sung by an opera singer, accompanied by a jazz trio for the duration of the performance. Hosted in collaboration with Arts Administration at Boston University and a range of international and Boston-based institutional and private partners, the Body of the People will premiere at the Old South Meeting House as part of THE SOCIAL, the International Association for Visual Culture’s Fourth Biennial Conference at Boston University. The event will be free and open to the public. http://www.bu.edu/artsadmin/2016/05/13/the-body-of-the-people/

Boston, MA (Inactive) – iCanHelp

2016-07-18T00:00:00Z

Society, philanthropic organizations, and insurance companies often dismiss individuals combating chronic illnesses because their pain tends to be “invisible” and/or incurable. Several Harvard students, some who are diagnosed with their own chronic conditions, came to this realization and set out to create a service that would directly benefit such individuals. In April 2016, they launched iCanHelp. iCanHelp’s mission is to provide free, empathetic help and companionship to individuals of all ages who struggle with chronic illness or disability. iCanHelp is a website (and soon to be app) where individuals can sign-up to give or receive help. When individuals visit the iCanHelp website, they create a personalized profile and enter their location and upcoming availabilities. Matches are then made based on two criteria. The first criterion is that the helper and helpee’s availabilities overlap. The second, vital, criterion is that the helper be asked to travel no more than 15 minutes (based on their preferred method of of transportation) to the helpee’s location. Once a match is made, both parties are contacted and introduced to one another. The helpee can ask for companionship and help with tasks such as: grocery shopping, packing, basic tidying, food preparation, and laundry. However, the helper is only asked to complete tasks that they feel comfortable doing. After the match-date has come and gone, both the helper and helpee can rate their experience, leave feedback, and enter their new availabilities!

Chicago, IL – Water for a Thirsty Therapeutic Garden

2016-07-16T00:00:00Z

In 2014, our block club received a $5000 grant to create a therapeutic garden for the clients of Envision Unlimited. Located on the north side of Chicago at 4919 N. Clark Street, Envision’s Kathryn Kruger Center serves ten seniors with developmental disabilities and 17 adults with autism. With this grant, we transformed the Center’s outdoor space from an unwelcoming asphalt pad into a vibrant green space for both clients and community members to enjoy. Since the garden was created, community members, Envision clients, and staff have worked together to tend to the flowers and plants. In 2016, we added a small vegetable garden. Unfortunately, our only water source is inside the Center. To water the plants, we must snake a hose across a bathroom and through a side window. Because of the hassle involved, the plants don't get watered frequently enough, and the clients don't spend as much time outdoors.

Madison, WI (Inactive) – For the One Who FInds Me

2016-07-15T00:00:00Z

For the One Who Finds Me seeks to create more magic and more kindness in the world--one tiny hashtagged bouquet at a time. I founded this project in June 2015 in Madison, Wisconsin. I purchase the flowers myself and buy the vases at thrift stores. I tag each one with the social media accounts and hide them in public places such as: the cereal aisle, the public library, art museums, coffee shops, etc. People find them and sometimes tag me back! It's a really exciting random act of kindness that strangers in other states have taken on (leaving their own bouquets and using the hashtags). This is a community-building project that promotes kindness, connection and collaboration between strangers. I hope to build it into a larger and larger movement that has a ripple effect of reminding us all we can commit a random act of kindness at ANY time.

Madison, WI (Inactive) – Walk-in Bike/Theater Series

2016-07-14T00:00:00Z

I am the Neighborhood Police Officer for the Triangle Neighborhood. I am asking for the financial means to purchase an outdoor movie screen and the rights to show 2-3 films on the green space near Braxton Place this fall (see attached map). My reasons for doing so include: Both residents of Bayview and CDA properties do not have extra money to go to the theater, but they love watching movies. It's difficult to find events that both the disabled/mentally ill residents from CDA and the immigrant population at Bayview can both enjoy, and enjoy it together as a neighborhood. This would be an ideal location for Vilas and Brittingham Neighborhood residents to bike to as well. Other neighborhoods could benefit from the same outdoor movie screen. The Bayview Foundation has agreed to be the financial receiver and CDA has agreed to allow the events to occur on the green space (owned by CDA) off of Braxton Place.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Born Just Right 3D innovations

2016-07-11T00:00:00Z

I'm building a 3D printed glitter-shooting prosthetic arm. I'm also trying to build an arm that can hold a phone to take pictures and so I can watch movies. When I get better at building 3D printed arms, I hope I can build things for other kids and adults.

Tilburg (Inactive) – Smile Tile

2016-07-11T00:00:00Z

De standaard 30x30 cm stoeptegels zijn grijs, standaard en uniform. Dat kan dus veel interessanter en leuker. Stel je voor dat je op een dag met een chagrijnig hoofd over straat loopt en een van deze tegels ontdekt. Deze kleine ingreep in de publieke ruimte zal je dag net wat leuker maken.

Singapore – Before I die (CBD edition)

2016-07-11T00:00:00Z

Started in 2011 in New Orleans, Before I Die is a global public art project that invites people to reflect on their lives and share their personal aspirations in public space. People are invited to continue the phrase “Before I die I want to…”. More than 1000 Before I Die walls have been created by people all over the world. We are the two volunteers that are striving to organize the next Before I die project in the heart of the Singapore CBD in August 2016 (subject to permission from the authorities), in order to remind the Singapore business community about their childhood dreams, celebrate life, and help to connect to the most important things in life. If we can break through the shell and remind a few hundred people about their dreams, that would be the best outcome. This is a not-for-profit project, and we are seeking help from Awesome foundation to support the execution.

Sarnia (Inactive) – South Sarnia Community Fair

2016-07-10T00:00:00Z

Over the last seven years our church has been making efforts to bring a quality family friendly event to the southern part of our city. Our Community Fair is designed to have rides, inflatables, candy and a bbq all at no cost for the families of this community. Additionally, we also invite non-profit organizations to participate in the fair. Each organization supplies an interactive game. This provides a fun and exciting end of summer event for hundreds of people in south sarnia. Among the communities who benefit from the fair are families who participate in Circles and also families who have children with Autism. Through our existing partnerships with the organizations that serve these families this enhances the sense of belonging for all involved.

Oakland, CA (Inactive) – Through The Walls

2016-07-08T00:00:00Z

Our awesome project is about overcoming loss and obstacles, the power of music, and how to create positive change. A rare documentary shot inside San Quentin State Prison and throughout Oakland, we're exploring issues of violence, going inside and out, and the nature of freedom. We are halfway through making a feature-length film showcasing Oakland youth activists and the great city of Oaktown itself. Our story follows a local mother, Mona Hall, who lost two sons, and those who go inside prison and out again, including the film's female director and a lifer, who got out, continuing activism and music on the outside. Ours is a story that's both inspiring and entertaining, provocative and moving. Our film features talent rarely heard or seen. We put on a historic anti-violence concert inside where inmates performed original music and spoken word alongside outside kid activists from Oakland. Unfortunately, three months to the day following the concert, one of the young "stars" --- whose own older brother was killed in an act of random violence --- was shot and killed himself in a case of mistaken identity. Since that happened, our film is taking on a new direction. Rather than merely a concert film showcasing inmate talent (which is vast and impressive) we are focusing on telling the tale of the interaction between the inmates and Bobby Hall, the young man killed, and others on the outside. The inmates were so impacted by Bobby that they wrote him a Tribute Song and we were able to record the performance for Bobby's family to see. The Hall family, extremely touched by this act of reaching out, were granted permission to come inside and thank the inmates. We have many harrowing tales of what it's like in SQ and what life on the streets is like in Oakland. We have footage at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-7px-mdX44 & https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbYRI5KyRVo as well as on FB & the site. What can you do to reach beyond your own walls?

Gloucester, MA – Pay It Forward Pink Envelope Initiative

2016-07-08T00:00:00Z

In partnership with one another, Awesome Gloucester and Awesome Rockport will distribute 134 pink envelopes containing undisclosed amounts of cash across our neighboring communities. Together, our chapters will give away a total of $2000 in free cash over the course of a single weekend. The dates of distribution are July 16 and July 17. In addition to the cash, we will also insert a brief note in each envelope requesting that recipients (a) do something awesome with the money and (b) share a story about what they did via email or through social media. We intend for our guerrilla philanthropy effort to persuade our fellow community members to help us spread the interests of awesome in the universe.

Rockport, MA – Pay It Forward Pink Envelope Initiative

2016-07-08T00:00:00Z

San Francisco, CA – Deej - community engagement campaign

2016-07-07T00:00:00Z

Deej is a soon-to-be-released documentary film: Abandoned by his birth parents and unable to speak for himself,” DJ Savarese (“Deej”) found not only a loving family but also a life in words, which he types on a text-to-voice synthesizer. As he makes his way through high school and dreams of college, he confronts the terrors of his past, obstacles to inclusion, and the sometimes paralyzing beauty of his own senses. In his advocacy on behalf of other nonspeaking autistics, he embraces filmmaking and poetry, and discovers what having a voice can truly mean. We will use this funding to convene a meeting of leaders in the Bay Area disability rights movement. We are excited to share the film with these advocates; learn more about their on-the-ground advocacy work; and design creative ways to screen the film in conjunction with their ongoing efforts. This will lead to a coordinated campaign of public screenings of Deej in schools, community forums, local libraries, independent living and other advocacy centers, with local and state policymakers, etc... The hope is to create local and national events around this film that raise awareness and debunk negative distorted beliefs about autism.

San Francisco, CA – Screen Queens Face Fail

2016-07-07T00:00:00Z

We live in a society of increasing datafication and surveillance, but haven't agreed on technologies' limits; facial recognition is ever-present in our daily lives, from social media software that recognize friends to police cameras that can ID individuals in crowds. Unfortunately, being recognized can have harmful impacts on marginalized communities, including LGBTQ people, people of color, and violence survivors. Many ask how to mitigate these effects when tech is too ubiquitous to truly opt out. This project looks at how drag makeup and performance can serve as both a metaphor and practical approach for resisting visual surveillance—and a fun one at that! While similar projects create masks to avoid facial recognition altogether, drag allows users to “hide in plain sight.” As a drag queen myself, I am particularly interested in its history not only of gender-bending, but of playing with all types of transformation and artifice that question what “realness” truly means and create new ideas of beauty. I envision this as a hybrid of art, research, and activism beginning with a series of portraits of drag queens made up in distinct looks: the first phase will result in photos for gallery exhibition, which will also be uploaded to social media sites to test how specific techniques affect software. A second phase will contribute to academic writing on facial recognition, and I plan to produce an educational toolkit (including how-to videos) highlighting methods that anyone can use, whether a drag queen or not, to create a more rebellious and fabulous appearance online and URL.

Orlando, FL – Art X Social Change Night in the Milk District

2016-07-06T00:00:00Z

Art X Social Change Night is a summer session of local art revolving around the theme of social issues and community action held at The Milk District's Spacebar. The goal of this event is to encourage civic participation and create communities that are engaged with social issues and change through art. The event will feature visual art, music, song, spoken word, poetry, plays, dance, print graphics, and more all around social themes such as the environment, gun violence, lgbt rights, justice, women's rights, equality, world peace, civil rights, education, mental health, and more. Goals  create communities that are engaged with social issues and change through art  encourage civic participation  inspire the community to come together to take action  advocate for issues  community building  facilitate dialogue about issues  register people to vote Advocacy Groups Present  League of Women Voters  Sierra Club  Equality Florida Event will feature  visual art, music, song, spoken word, poetry, plays, dance, print graphics, Social Justice Themes  environment, justice, women's rights, equality, world peace, civil rights, education, mental health, and more Performances will be held inside, Artist displays, vendors, food trucks will be surrounding the Milk District's parking lot area. Media  WMFE, Orlando Weekly, Bungalower Proceeds to benefit  ArtReach Orlando, a local nonprofit arts outreach program that works with children in under- served communities exploring the nexus between art and social justice in Orange County, Florida  Equality Florida’s Pulse Victim Fund

Yerevan – TOPRAK PETQ CHI / ՏՈՊՐԱԿ ՊԵՏՔ ՉԻ

2016-07-05T00:00:00Z

The functional lifespan of a single plastic bag in one of Yerevan’s grocery stores is literally minutes, from the moment the merchant gives you the plastic bag to transport your items to the moment you get home and remove your items from the bag. Soon after this, plastic bags re-enter Armenia’s environment as trash. It takes over 500 years for each of them to break down, and when they finally do, they poison the Earth and its wildlife for millennia. Here’s the question we want people to think about: Is 500+ years of damage worth 5 minutes of convenience? Toprak Petq Chi is an initiative targeting single-use plastic bags in Armenia’s grocery stores. It will consist of: 1) Pioneering an alternative. We will do this by launching a Design-Your-Own-Totebag Station in one of Yerevan's public spaces where we will invite passersby to stencil their own designs (or those of local graphic designers') onto blank canvas tote bags. People are more likely to use the bags if it has a special meaning. 2) Generating awareness by writing blog posts in Armenian and English on the issue as well as creating posters and slogans to help people "think outside the bag." We don’t have to wait for Armenia’s government to enact legislation to do something about this. Most Armenians are are not blind to the hundreds of plastic bags and bottles that litter the environment, but the perceived convenience and social pressure to use plastic bags is greater than the urge to refuse them, which often results in a verbal altercation between the cashier and the customer. Hence, the name of this campaign: “TOPRAK PETQ CHI”. These are the words we must use firmly and adamantly each time we leave the grocery store... until the day we don't have to anymore.

Liverpool – Bootle Buzz

2016-07-04T00:00:00Z

In Liverpool, beekeeping has become very popular. For many, I have found, it is the first step into learning about our wildlife. However, despite all the good people think they are doing with keeping hives, installing a hive in to a space is essentially like a factory going into a space and all the resources are gleaned - ie pollen and nectar, to keep the factory running. This creates a huge impact on other beekeepers in the area and more importantly, on honeybees that we do not monitor as closely as honeybees. This project will be to us an existing apiary in Bootle where I have 4 hives. It will be used for community groups, individuals, schools and the like to use existing hives to learn about bees, have a go at looking in side a hive, learning about which plants are good for bees and why honeybees are just as important as other bees (the honeybee is only 1 type of bee out of 250 in the UK but many people dont know this). I have been approached by 3 different Liverpool homeschooling groups over Merseyside who are keen on their children to learn about bees, our own Liverpool environment and more about nature and how we rely on insects, plants and trees in our everyday lives. The project will take participants through a season of beekeeping (april - August, we will cover all the seasons even if we start in august, wecan do the rest the following year and continue on) and end with a honey extraction and harvest. This is where we can taste our local landscape and see what the different forage tastes like in spring and in summer. With the existing apiary, this will reduce the need of hives being installed, it will be a place where others can learn about beekeeping in free, informative and in a friendly space taught by a an experienced beekeeper.

San Antonio, TX – Locolobo: A Punk Prometheus

2016-07-01T00:00:00Z

“Locolobo” is the first play written by Jens Rushing and features a fresh perspective of the trouble and love brewing at Drinkenstein's, the hottest joint in all of Texsylvania. The play follows themes of the strange yet familiar and the tension between wanting to be true to oneself while fitting in. Rushing allows the audience the luxury of observing from a distance while placing a mirror for introspection. Is it disturbing or inspiring? Will love overcome fear? Can monsters and people coexist? Will their music rock you into an alternate reality?

San Antonio, TX – SATX Social Ride - Safety and Education

2016-07-01T00:00:00Z

For the last few years, the SATX Social Ride has been introducing San Antonio residents to the joys of social (group) riding in the downtown area. We started off in 2013 with 6 riders and now average close to 300 riders on our weekly Tuesday rides. We strive to keep this a "no drop" ride and a ride which follows the rules of the road. We do this to make the experience less-stressful for new riders and teach safe cycling practices to all riders. In 2015 we had 43 organized rides which averaged around 140 riders. We put over 6,000 bike riders on the streets. We also rode a combined 70,700 bike miles all starting within the downtown area. That's pretty impressive for an all volunteer crew with no working budget (in my opinion). Our group has about 30 "ride marshals" who assist with flat tires, mechanical issues, coaching and occasional first aid. This is definitely a group effort and it takes a dedicated and motivated team to marshal 300 cyclists 10 to 14 miles around the downtown area. We do this a safely as we possible. We use free smartphone apps to maintain contact and awareness. We also have a pre-ride safety huddle to discuss roles and responsibilities. Occasionally we have an "after ride review" to discuss ways to improve future rides. In the past few years we have organized several charity rides and provided material support and promotion for: The Texas Diaper Bank, The Chow Train, Inner City Development, Earn A BIke and Cycling without Age. We will continue to support these, and other, charities with our future rides and activities. This summer we will also start a new monthly ride for families with really small kids who want to ride (think training wheels). It is my goal to grow this group in a sustainable manner and keep our safety standards and practices intact. We are also in the process of becoming a 501c3 non profit organization.

San Antonio, TX – Hearts Need Art

2016-07-01T00:00:00Z

Cancer patients are often stuck in the hospital for weeks and even months at a time. When I started volunteering to sing for cancer patients at a local hospital, I was overwhelmed by the need for a more enriched healing environment. The patients I work with need comfort, they need distraction from their pain, and they need hope. When I walk into their hospital room and sing for them they feel comforted, gratefully distracted, and hopeful. Music and art provide a respite for hurting souls. The need is so great and I want to do more to help them by bringing in more artists to work with patients.

Sydney – HSCHero

2016-07-01T00:00:00Z

You know how Year 12 students often crumble from stress due to the HSC? HSC Hero is a website that provides free online video tutorials for HSC 2016 students especially those who are financially and geographically disadvantaged students. We're a team of 3 under 21, living in South Western Sydney and our vision is to encourage and empower others to learn. As recent graduates from high school, we felt as though it was really unfair that some of us could not afford extra help and tuition simply because our parents didn't have enough money. So after high school we wanted to make learning easier for everyone especially those who need extra help. We used our graphic design experience and worked with HSC tutors, teachers and students to create short video tutorials based on each of the dot points required in the syllabus. This way learning can be interesting, easy and affordable. We love to learn and it makes us saddens us when students hate learning. Most of the times, it was because they didn't understand the material being taught and this had an extremely negative impact on their lives and even their mental health. We not only want to help students access awesome resources but to motivate them and show them that there are many great opportunities in life! We are currently funding HSCHero ourselves. I created a graphic design business to ensure that HSCHero stays afloat, especially in the beginning. We had a soft launch last month and are currently talking to over 5 disadvantaged schools in the West and have around 80 sign ups growing more everyday. Our aim is to help over 2,000 HSC students and 20 high schools before the HSC Exams and finish more subjects. We are currently working on Chemistry and Physics and should have them ready in the next few months. We're extremely passionate about empowering others to learn and we believe that humanity's problems can be solved through education, learning and awareness.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Mr. SOUL! The Movie

2016-07-01T00:00:00Z

Before Oprah, before Arsenio, there was Mr. SOUL! From 1968-1973, America got SOUL! – TV’s first "black Tonight Show." Mr. SOUL! The Movie is a mulit-platform project centering around a feature-length documentary. The film celebrates SOUL!, the groundbreaking PBS series from its genesis to its eventual loss of funding, against the backdrop of a swiftly changing political and social landscape, while profiling Ellis Haizlip, the charismatic man behind one of the most culturally significant and successful television shows in U.S. history. The film explores how, at a pivotal moment in American history, SOUL! changed the country’s perception of African American culture, identity and experience. Once completed, the film will be distributed theatrically and offered to PBS for national broadcast. The immersive, robust website will engage audiences and connect them to others in the space driven by advocacy around the larger political issues of diversity in media.

Newcastle – Adopt A Singer - Singing For Aged Care Residents

2016-06-30T00:00:00Z

Adopt a Singer is a program where Adam Price (an interactive seniors entertainer) goes into aged care facilities, hospital geriatric and palliative care wards and gives joy and happiness to lonely, scared or otherwise lost souls. The project has been going for some time now, but it's become apparent that quite a few aged care facilities just don't have the entertainment budgets to pay for professional entertainment which brings their residents joy and happiness. The other part of Adams project is that he's on call to visit seniors and perform when they become too ill to get out of their room, or go to hospital or into palliative care. With this grant money, Adam intends on performing for residents who otherwise couldn't afford it, and to look into increasing his reach through training others.

Washington, DC – Tour De Bike Lane

2016-06-30T00:00:00Z

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/tripping/wp/2016/06/20/tour-de-bike-lane/ Tour de Bike Lane is something we usually do 4-5 times annually, We go to different locations and gather alongside bike lanes, cheering on commuters and other fellow cyclists going about their everyday business. We believe that riding bikes is fun & super awesome, and we want to make these people feel like they are athletes in the Tour de France, the Giro d' Italia or any other huge bike race by celebrating the act of riding a bicycle in the city. We often have people who come through the cheering section stop and ask about what we are doing, then join us in cheering on more cyclists.

Washington, DC – Punk Shot

2016-06-30T00:00:00Z

I am seeking support for “Punk Shot” which will turn the sound waves from local punk music into healthy wheatgrass shots. I propose to invite 10 DC punk bands to play at Hamiltonian—an art gallery in the historic U Street—as part of my exhibition which opens on August 13th to September 10th, 2016. The shows will not only open DC punk culture to a broad audience on U Street, but will also help test the scientific theory that punk music helps plants grow. Over the duration of the exhibition, we will grow wheatgrass plants, while all visitors are invited to take a free shot of nutritious wheatgrass infused with the energy of DC punk music and its culture. Ultimately, the project will energize the wider DC community. Hamiltonian Gallery will be transformed into a garage-like greenhouse and music venue. We will build a structure where eighty pots of wheatgrass will grow along the interior, resulting in up to 160 shots of wheatgrass offered weekly. Accompanying the wheatgrass, a series of free punk shows will be hosted to cultivate new audiences and enrich the plants. The shows will occur approximately four times over the course of the exhibition and will be free and open to all ages. Photosynthesis helps to explain how punk music helps plants to grow. Sound waves coupled with the increased exhalation of carbon dioxide from the showgoers circulate air around the plants. In return, the plants accelerate the production of oxygen for the punk celebration. The two not only coexist, but form a mutually beneficial ecosystem which extends to our everyday life. Wheatgrass and punk culture share intensity, youth, and raw energy. Drawing from the idiosyncratic ecosystem between plants and music, “Punk Shot” highlights the rich history of the local DC punk scene. Simultaneously, we inclusively energize the wider DC community as they partake in the holistic benefits of this communal wheatgrass shot.

Twin Cities, MN (Inactive) – Learning from our Seniors before it's too Late!

2016-06-29T00:00:00Z

Too many kids are spending time on computers and not interacting with real people or real materials.. I would like to get my 27 students as well as the other 4 classrooms of 27 students at my school to interact with people in a nearby senior center. Together the seniors and kids would create projects. As a result the seniors will teach and the students will learn. Discussion and shared information will happen as well. Ideas include: *taking apart and/or putting together small machines. *hand work such as cross stitch, knitting, crocheting, quilting *writing projects where we listen and write one another's stories * creating Art Students will be matched with seniors interested in sharing their expertise. Students will be far from their "devices" and interacting with people to learn new things.

Tallahassee, FL (Inactive) – Ukulele Players of Pyramid (UPP)

2016-06-29T00:00:00Z

The Ukulele Players of Pyramid is a program recently started at the Tallahassee Pyramid Program, a day-treatment program for adults with developmental disabilities. Pyramid offers a wide range of visual and performing arts activities, in addition to services including physical, nutritional and behavioral assistance, social and life-management skills, and educational classes. Arts activities include painting, sculpture, jewelry making, dance, theater, and a variety of music groups. For example, the Electric People is a group of musicians and singers who perform rock and roll and contemporary songs. The Blues Lab is a group who perform original and standard Blues songs. A new music group, the Ukulele Players of Pyramid (UPP) has recently started under the direction of Ken Winker with assistance of Pyramid music staff who identified students interested in learning how to play the ukulele and to perform songs. Ken meets weekly with the group and teaches them strumming patterns in a variety of tempos, and how to play a sufficient number of chords which lets the group perform a wide range of songs, including original songs. Ken is applying music and music-based experiences to help students develop and re-gain life skills including communication, physical movement, attention and memory, emotional growth, and lots of fun. The Ukulele Players of Pyramid have been provided with a small number of ukulele instruments. However, these instruments must remain on site for the class. Students are unable take the ukuleles home where they could practice more and also share their music with their family and friends. A goal of the group is to perform in shows at the Pyramid Program and at venues and events in the community. And, to share the inspirational efforts of these very special people with the Tallahassee community through UPP- lifting performances. The purpose of the requested funds will be used solely to purchase between 20-25 ukuleles and bags to allow for each student in the group to have their very own ukulele so they can practice and play music for themselves and family and friends and to have a sufficient number of instruments left in the classroom for the group to use during class should they forget to bring their ukulele to the facility. Funds will also be used to design and buy unique t-shirts for the Ukulele Players of Pyramid.

Jumbos (Inactive) – Bringing Pulp to the People

2016-06-28T00:00:00Z

Keep the art of papermaking alive! We are turning a food truck into a mobile studio to teach & sell our wares all around the Portland, Oregon area. Pulp & Deckle is a community studio and small business that is dedicated to sharing the art, science, history and craft of handmade paper with others. We launched our small business in the fall of 2012. Over the past 3.5 years we've grown exponentially. Here's a bit of what we've been up to; -Teaching workshops and classes to hundreds of students -Making and selling thousands of sheets of paper crafted from recycled materials, plants, and textiles - Partnering with the arts non-profit c3:initiative to launch a residency program focusing on introducing artists to the medium of handmade paper and giving them a group exhibition showcasing their work - Providing studio access to artists and students via monthly memberships - Demonstrating papermaking at farmers markets, maker fairs, and street and craft festivals - Selling handmade paper based goods and art via our Etsy shop - Exhibiting our artwork at gallery spaces - Partnering with other organizations to offer free and/or low cost workshops If you live in Portland you probably know all about the housing crisis and massive surge in population growth. As real estate prices have risen many artists have been priced out of living and working in this beautiful, creative city. When we started mapping out our future studio plans and toured potential new locations, it quickly became clear that the neighborhoods where we would be centrally located are out of our price range. So we decided to get creative. How can we stay in Portland and afford our operating costs, while staying accessible for our students and clients? WE GO MOBILE! By turning a food truck into a mobile studio we will increase our community partnerships and have more flexible class offerings for students.

Minas Gerais (Inactive) – Promoção da saúde para as profissionais do sexo

2016-06-28T00:00:00Z

A Associação de Prostitutas de Minas Gerais (Aprosmig) é uma entidade sem fins lucrativos que atua nas áreas de promoção da cidadania e busca por direitos das mulheres profissionais do sexo, segurança no trabalho e reconhecimento da profissão. Dirigida exclusivamente por prostitutas, a Aprosmig visa ampliar a discussão sobre os direitos e luta contra o estigma e o preconceito que envolvem a atividade de prostituição. Desde a fundação da Aprosmig, a associação tem como uma de suas ações a promoção da saúde entre as profissionais do sexo por meio da distribuição de preservativos sexuais, materiais informativos e realização de palestras sobre DSTs/AIDS e Hepatites Virais. Além disso, a APROSMIG desenvolve atividades lúdico-políticas para fortalecer a autoestima e a auto-organização das profissionais do sexo, valorizando elementos culturais vinculados ao trabalho sexual. Para ampliar o impacto das ações de promoção da saúde, queremos fortalecer a "Campanha Saúde nas Esquinas: uma puta transa de direitos". Esta é realizada pela Rede Brasileira de Prostitutas (da qual a associação faz parte) e foi elaborada durante maio, em uma oficina democrática e plural. Foram produzidas fotografias, peças gráficas, depoimentos em vídeo, etc. Essa campanha ocorre a nível nacional, porém não chegou em Belo Horizonte. Queremos distribuir este material nos 28 hotéis da Guaicurus e realizar palestras cujo objetivo é tornar as prostitutas multiplicadoras das ações de prevenções, ou seja, elas são orientadas a como conscientizar os seus clientes sobre o tema. Nas palestras será usada, também, a metodologia de abordagem entre os pares.

Rio de Janeiro (Inactive) – PROJETO TANTA MÚSICA

2016-06-27T00:00:00Z

O projeto Tanta Música é uma iniciativa desenvolvida no bairro Praça Seca (RJ) pelo casal Marcelo Serralva e Marissa de Brito. A meta do projeto é oferecer aulas de música gratuitas ao menos 2 vezes por semana, para crianças e adolescentes, em um bairro com poucas opções culturais. O casal já possui experiência em realizar projetos culturais no bairro e outros locais. Em 2015 eles mantiveram atividades em 2 empreitadas: a Livrocicleta, que doava livros gratuitamente nas ruas para quem se interessasse, e o Praça Seca Cultural uma ocupação mensal da praça com música, que ainda acontece mensalmente e já dura 2 anos. O Praça Seca Cultural foi recentemente chancelado pela prefeitura no edital Ações Locais. O que faltava para o casal era um espaço próprio para desenvolver suas próprias atividades. O que aconteceu recentemente: os dois alugaram um espaço bem amplo no bairro, na rua Florianópolis, e já estão atuando por conta própria, sem apoio oficial ou patrocínio, contando apenas com doações de alguns incentivadores. O espaço, que estava fechado, foi reformado e já recebeu os primeiro instrumentos – violões, ukuleles, bateria, percussões em geral, e um piano que foi doado por uma moradora do bairro. A oficina gratuita de música terá início em agosto e as inscrições serão abertas em julho. Esta iniciativa ocorrerá em um bairro acossado pela violência e necessitado de uma programação cultural que seja realmente voltada para a comunidade. A proposta da oficina será oferecer aulas de percussão com material reciclado para os alunos iniciantes e, de acordo com o interesse e talento, que o aluno possa aprender outros instrumentos como violão, piano, ukulele e bateria. Apesar de gratuita, a oficina cobrará assiduidade e responsabilidade das crianças e adolescentes envolvidos. Além da oficina, há a idéia de se montar uma mini-biblioteca com os livros que sobraram do projeto da Livrocicleta (quase mil) e a participação em eventos beneficentes para a comunidade. O próximo evento já está agendado: uma festa junina bem tradicional (Arraialzinho do Bem), que acontecerá no dia 10 de julho no espaço da Beneficência Portuguesa. ---- The Tanta Music Project is an initiative developed in Praça Seca neighborhood (RJ) by Marcelo Serralva and Marissa de Brito. The goal of the project is to provide free music lessons at least 2 times a week, for children and adolescents in a neighborhood with few cultural options. The couple has already carried out cultural projects in the neighborhood and other places. In 2015, they held activities in two projects: Livrocicleta, who donated books for free on the streets, and Praça Seca Cultural, a monthly occupation of the neighborhood with music, that still happens every month. The Praça Seca Cultural was recently sanctioned by the city in the announcement Local Actions. Marcelo and Marissa rented a space in the neighborhood and are already acting on their own, with no official support or sponsorship, just some donation from few supporters. The space was renovated and has already received the first music instruments - guitars, ukuleles, drums, percussions in general, and a piano that was donated by a neighborhood resident. The free music workshop will start in August and registration will open in July. This initiative is taking place in a neighborhood in need of a cultural programming that is truly oriented to the community. The purpose of the workshop is to offer percussion lessons with recycled material for beginners and students, and according to the interest and talent, that the student can learn other instruments such as guitar, piano, ukulele and drums. Although free, the workshop will charge assiduity and responsibility of children and adolescents involved. In addition to the workshop, other ideas are: setting up a mini-library with books from the Livrocicleta project (nearly a thousand) and charity events for the community. The next event is already scheduled: a very traditional Brazilian Festa Junina, which will take place on July 10 at Beneficência Portuguesa (RJ).

Alaska (Inactive) – Establishing a Natural Sound Monitoring Program

2016-06-27T00:00:00Z

Sound is a significant component of ecosystems and plays an important role in how plants and animals interact with each other and with their surroundings. The field of soundscape ecology studies the overall ecological significance of sound in the landscape. Larger and smaller landscape-scale soundscape research is proving useful in determining relationships of soundscape elements and landscape components. The study of sound as an important property of ecosystems over longer periods of time and across large and small spatial areas allows for a more complete understanding of the role sound plays in the environment. Protection of acoustical environments has received growing attention from managers and policy makers as a result of an increased understanding of its role in overall ecosystem health. Natural sounds are vital to the natural functioning of preserve/park ecosystems. Studies suggest that the acoustical environment is important to wildlife in a number of ways including: • Intra-species communication • Territory establishment, finding desirable habitat • Courtship and mating • Nurturing and protecting young • Predation and predator avoidance • Effective use of habitat Emerging research is finding that when technophony (sound produced by machines and technology) is introduced to a natural soundscape, significant changes can occur in the environment which can be indicators of a degrading natural environment. To establish a point of reference to note changes overtime in the environment, natural sound monitoring programs can be established to document the changes. This project would take the initial steps to establish such a monitoring program on the Inspiration Ridge Preserve, Homer, AK and begin to establish a baseline from which sound can be measured overtime. This project is unique as it has never been done before in the Kachemak Bay and could be used as a model to document change in the Homer area and Kachemak State Park and Wilderness Park.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Musical Playground

2016-06-26T00:00:00Z

Acton Elementary School (Acton, Maine – York Co.) is requesting a grant of $1000 from the Awesome Foundation to help purchase and install a large outdoor musical playground installation, called Percussion Play. These are giant musical instruments made of steel, and are installed outdoors for year-round play. Our goal is to be as inclusive as possible with all of our special needs students. Some students have physical and behavioral impairments, and one of our Kindergarteners has cone-rod dystrophy, which causes him to be legally blind. The instruments will provide auditory clues to help our visually impaired student determine where he is on the playground, what the layout is, and where the other children are at any given time. All children will use and enjoy these instruments as well! Inclusive playgrounds are ones designed specifically to ensure that children of multiple abilities can play together–not just alongside each other. Play, especially group play, is critical to the healthy growth and development of children. This is how they learn to solve problems, get along with others and develop the fine and gross motor skills needed to grow and learn. Research shows active music-making experiences can improve functioning in several developmental areas for visually impaired children. Children don’t realize that they are also learning and practicing non-musical skills, like turn-taking, joint attention, and visual imitation, all while they are just having fun together! The rewards of this investment by the Awesome Foundation would be enjoyed immediately, and by hundreds of children for years to come. Although our location is rural, using innovative, state-of-the-art solutions to help children learn and grow at Acton Elementary is what we’re all about!

Miami, FL – Telemedicine for Free Children's Clinics

2016-06-24T00:00:00Z