Causecast

by Ashish Sharma

So the other day I was talking to Shams and he noticed my soccer jersey, which prompted our conversation on soccer. We talked about European soccer, the LA Galaxy and all that good stuff. The UEFA champions this year were FC Barcelona and I remembered that their primary sponsor was Unicef. It’s a really smart move on Unicef’s part because FC Barcelona is a prime-time team so it’s great for publicity. Then I wondered how much Unicef paid for the spot on the jersey. In research mode, I looked it up and I was completely wrong. But I’ve never felt so good about being wrong in my life. It turns out that it’s a sponsorship deal where FC Barcelona pays $1.9 million per year to Unicef. Props to them for doing something good with their money. Philanthropy is making its way to other sports too. The NBA had a ‘green week’ where they focused on the environment and how people can get involved. I think that now is a great time to be a sports fan.

check it out:

http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/spain_39295.html

http://www.nba.com/green/greenweek2009.html

Brandon Buck - Amateur Extraordinaire

by Brandon Buck

Last week I was doing my morning run (and by “run,” I mean walk halfway down the block and have 2 grilled cheese bagels sprinkled with smore’s flavored protein powder), and down the block were two men crouching next to a company van. Did they hit something? Didn’t look like it. Then I noticed two large paint buckets, one of them being poured out by one of the men. I moved a little closer and saw that the van was a carpet cleaning service, and the water they were dumping out was blue and foamy. They were dumping their waste cleaning chemicals down the storm drain! As I walked up faster and pulled out my iPhone from my pocket, the two men saw me and quickly got in and drove away before I could take a picture.

I’m still amazed at how people do something so clearly illegal in broad daylight in open public. How stupid could they be to do this in the suburbs and think no one would notice? Or how inconspicuous it looks to quickly drive away when someone walks up? I was furious for the rest of the day that my phone was too slow to load up the camera and I could have emailed the pictures on the spot to the Santa Monica police.

The term “Citizen Journalism” has been tossed around a lot for the last few years. “Little Brother,” the reversal of 1984’s “Big Brother” to describe how we’re being watched by the common everyone, has been used for decades. It’s always been a pretty novel movement and a huge headache of dead-tree newspapers for the last ten years. In fact traditional news sources were pretty dumbfounded on how to handle it (remember Steve Jobs’ death? No, the one before that that headlined CNN for a day). Major things happen everywhere all the time, the challenge has been getting the information out. Thanks to the digital age, information is fast (and as the case with Steve Jobs’ falsely-reported death, sometimes too fast). But ways to take action are limited. Sometimes impossible.

The first step to making a difference is to know the problem at hand. The second step is knowing how to take action, and the third step is informing those who need to help you take action. We here at Causecast spend every day just filtering through the information to try to give you the second and third steps. But that’s a truly daunting task. There’s nowhere near the capability for us to cover it all. So we have to rely on our users to tell us what’s going on.

We’ve been working really hard on the new Causecast site to do exactly that: give you the tools to let let the world know what needs to be done and how to take effective action. There’s no one more excited about Causecast 2.0 than us, but what’s really exciting is seeing what you guys are able to take out of it.

If you followed Causecast in June, you know that we spent much of the month covering LGBT issues. We showed you the best gay pride events throughout the month, told you everything you need to know about the gay rights movement, and finally answered the question: why is gay marriage not like turtle marriage?

We’re continuing our monthly theme this July by focusing our energy on the issues that face children. It’s much more than just education. We’re going to be exposing the obesity crisis in America, shining a light on child labor and abuse around the world, and giving you the resources you need to raise a healthy child.

We’ve already been busy the first few days of the month. You can look at some great ways to volunteer with your kids or read our top 10 things you should know about child health.

Keep up with Causecast throughout the month and make sure to follow us on Twitter @Causecast for the newest articles as they’re published!

We’ve got an impressive group of interns working at Causecast HQ in Santa Monica this summer and thought they could use a personal introduction to our community. These people are the best of the best, the leaders of tomorrow, the children of their parents, the tireless workforce of Causecast:

Jin Yoo-Kim: My first name is Jin and my two-part last name that confuses everyone is Yoo-Kim and I am a grad student at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. I am excited to be a video intern at Causecast because I’m passionate about eradicating human slavery through media and using my voice as an artist and an activist to communicate to the world.

Kristen Green: I have worked on independent and feature films for the past seven years, some of which include The Chronicles of Narnia and Little Miss Sunshine. Last year I was struck by a video I saw on CNN.com of a 17 year old girl in Afghanistan being stoned in the streets for holding a boys hand. Since then I have been looking for a way to make a full time transition into media for non-profit causes and am ready to jump in feet first at Causecast!

Alex Levin: I’m a student from Philadelphia, currently attending Temple University. My passion for video began in middle school with filming and editing skateboarding videos and continues to this day. I feel that, in Causecast, I’ve found a way to benefit not only myself, but others as well, through the use of video.

Ashish Sharma: I grew up in the Bay Area and came down to Los Angeles for school. I’ve worked on many humanitarian campaigns and hopefully this will help me at Causecast. I’m excited about this internship because it’s a unique opportunity to help make a difference in the world.

Jenny Woudenberg: By changing my world I can “be the change I wish to see in the world.” With causecast I can use my creativity to network and be a voice for social consciousness in today’s world. I live for adventure, peaceful protesting and the beauty of community.

Sakshi Tandon: Born in India, I completed my undergraduate studies in business administration from Canada. I love dancing, am passionate about making a difference in this world, and am a marathon runner. I am excited about Causecast because of its people, vision and leadership.

Katie Pena: As a Film/Video/Animation major entering my senior year at the RISD, I have found it difficult to discover a balance between creating entertainingly innovative art while working to serve the greater good of the general public. Upon beginning my Video Internship at Causecast, I found a unique balance and abundant resources enabling me to make real contributions for the greater good of the general public.

Christina Guzman: I am a native Angeleno who is obsessed with books and sushi. I also have a thing for Russian history. I celebrated President Obama’s election in Tanzania, Africa. I am proud to be part of an organization that is working hard to achieve peace and stability across the globe.

Pooja Verma: I’m excited to be at Causecast because they utilize collaboration to address the causes we are all passionate about and move them forward. Change is possible! I’ve graduated from UCLA with a double major in International Development Studies and Geography/Environmental Studies. I enjoy dancing, traveling, and eating cookies, of course. I look forward to an amazing summer ahead with Causecast.

Heidi Genrich: At Vassar College I majored in Political Science, my studies focusing on discourses of social change. My work with nonprofits and student organizations has shown me that there is a tremendous amount of talent and energy clamoring to become involved. Causecast is an exciting opportunity to develop a network of socially conscious actors, organizations and supporters, uniting their diverse efforts to build a better world.

Chris Barclay: I am interested in the lengths of collective activism and its ability to change the world. With design I hope to influence others to become involved and take action in their community. Here at Causecast I am excited to have the opportunity to work alongside a cast of passionate individuals also dedicated to making a difference in their world.

Natasha Kilibarda: I’m not what they call “normal.” In fact, I’m a little bizarre. East Coast bred, I’m spending my summer on the Westside ready to make a difference. Yeah, whatever that means, right? Hey, just watch me, you’ll find out. I’m changing the world quicker than you can change the toilet paper roll.

Erica Liepmann: My cause is international women’s rights. But the beautiful thing about working at Causecast is the opportunity to educate myself about the causes I didn’t already support. The first step in fighting for a cause is raising awareness – and that is exactly what we do in the editorial department. When we write stories about brave individuals and organizations that are making a difference, we get their stories into the hands of Causecast readers everywhere. We’re building a movement here people, one blog at a time!

James Rocchio: My name is James Rocchio. I live in Boston and I like bicycles, bass guitars, and books. Working as an editorial intern at Causecast, I manage meaningful content that can help people help people.

Eric Andrew Mackey: I’m a 24-year-old Florida State graduate working in the music section of Causecast. I got involved with Invisible Children while in college and have always had a mind for social change. I learned about Causecast on the Rescue Rider bus from LA to Chicago. Now, I’m here, excited to be a part of changing the world.

Say hello to the 2009 Causecast Summer Interns! They’re a great group and we’re so excited to have them involved in our annual slave labor camp giant psychotropic drum circle enriching summer experience!

by James Sutandyo

I just wanted to invite everyone to one of our new productions, A Cause for Comedy, benefitting NextAid on June 11th!  It’s a monthly show that we’re holding at The Hollywood Improv, putting together some funny comedians and featuring a different Causecast nonprofit every month.  We’d love it if we saw you AT the show, but if you can’t be there you can still tune in LIVE and FREE from our livestream on the night of.  If you’re in town on the night of the show you can buy tickets for $10, $20, or $50… depending on how generous you’re feeling… since NextAid receives 100% of the net proceeds.

Feel free to grab our press release below!

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LOS ANGELES (June 1, 2009) – On Thursday, June 11th, Causecast will officially launch A CAUSE FOR COMEDY, a live-streamed monthly comedy series, partnering top nonprofits from the Causecast community with a rotating slate of comedians, all to raise funds and awareness for worthwhile causes.

The June 11th show will take place at the world-famous Hollywood Improv, with 100% net proceeds from ticket sales benefiting global nonprofit NextAid. In addition to host Ben Morrison (Punk’d), this month’s line-up includes Dan Levy (Comedy Central’s “Premium Blend,” “Chelsea Lately,” “The Late Late Show”), Bryan Callen (”MADtv,” “Sex and The City”), the beautiful Whitney Cummings (”Chelsea Lately,” HBO’s “Down and Dirty,” “Made of Honor”), Daryl Wright, and a musical act by J Chris Newberg.

Local Los Angeles residents are encouraged to buy tickets to the show at The Improv. Ticket buyers will be able to choose between $10, $20, and $50 tickets. The only difference between the tickets is how much benefit NextAid receives. Those not able to attend in person can watch A CAUSE FOR COMEDY LIVE and FREE via Stickam at ACauseForComedy.org. From the site, viewers will also have the ability to donate to NextAid, learn more about the comedians, and sign up for the newsletter to find out about future A CAUSE FOR COMEDY shows.

About NextAid

NextAid is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization committed to developing and implementing innovative solutions to the challenges facing African children.

Proceeds from A CAUSE FOR COMEDY are going toward NextAid’s pilot project, the building of a community center and children’s residential village in Dennilton, an impoverished and AIDS-affected community in rural South Africa. The center will not only provide much needed shelter and care for 30 children but will also provide for hundreds of other children, teens and adults in the community with after-school programs and economic enterprise opportunities. NextAid broke ground in 2005 working with green builders and ecological architects and has since completed 16 structures, with a goal to complete the entire project in time for the World Cup in 2010. You can see NextAid’s work http://nextaid.org/photogallery.htm

About Causecast

Based on the understanding that all causes are inherently connected, we believe global change must be achieved through collaboration and individual action. Causecast is an online global community and social action network that connects, promotes and empowers individuals, businesses and nonprofits with resources and groundbreaking tools that transform interest into action, directly influencing positive change. By measuring our progress, we will have an increasingly large impact on the course of history. Join us at Causecast.org

By Kristen Irving

One of the privileges and blessings of my life, my job and my personal and professional relationships is the opportunity to have access to stories, images, breaking news and information that isn’t necessarily mainstream yet.  Like many blessings, it comes with the reality that when these images and stories are coming at me at such a constant and fast rate, it often becomes easy to detach or become slightly numb due to oversaturation.  I’d say this is especially true of the use of images of young, impoverished children from all over the world.  We’ve all seen them.  They are often skin and bones, large bellied, flies using their faces as a runway, and generally not white.  Often these images are used as a fundraising tool, and the line between exposure and exploitation is frequently a blurry one.

Every so often a piece of media comes along and sets themselves apart from the rest.  I often reference Invisible Children and their films as the new model of story-telling from the nonprofit perspective, compelling, smart, thoughtful, well-produced and respectful of their subjects, in my opinion.  If you’ve known me for any length of time, I’m sure Participant Media has come up in conversation at some point.  I am a huge fan of documentaries and docu-dramas, with my favorite production company being Participant, producing such films as The Kite Runner, An Inconvenient Truth and next month’s Food, Inc. (go see it!).  I love the idea of utilizing arguably the most influential tool, film, to reach those who wouldn’t otherwise have access to the stories, images and lives depicted in each of Participant’s films.  When you are watching a Participant film, suddenly the world isn’t so big, and you are invited into someone else’s reality that you probably wouldn’t otherwise have access to.  You also leave the theater with a sense of responsibility, and hopefully, the tools to respond and take action.

I wasn’t surprised then, when a friend very recently introduced me to another film production company called Mpower Pictures, that I immediately fell in love with their mission, vision and films.  With my personal life mission statement being, “to be a voice for the voiceless,” and in an industry where the current trend is to manufacture low budget, high concept films that generate lots and lots of money, (think horror) there is much to be said for a film company whose mantra is the following:

“Mpower seeks to create films that empower audience, profoundly impact culture, and entertain. Mpower is committed to telling stories that are compelling, bold and uncompromising.”

In the last month I have seen two of Mpower’s films, “The Stoning of Soraya M.” (due out end of June) and “As We Forgive” (available on DVD).  While both films deeply moved me, The Stoning left a particularly strong aftertaste.  Without destroying the film for you, I will briefly share that the true story is set in a remote Iranian village, and traces the story of Soraya, a beautiful young wife and mother, who is wrongly accused of a crime that sentences her to death by stoning.  A frightful look into the treatment of voiceless women, one woman boldly challenges status quo by telling this story to a visiting journalist.  The film is controversial, nothing less than chilling, and I encourage you to see it (disclaimer: the film is not for the faint of heart or stomach, think The Passion of Christ).  As someone who likes to talk, a lot, I found myself literally speechless for some time after viewing The Stoning.

I recently had a conversation with a friend who saw The Stoning.  My friend expressed anger and frustration at the film, stating that it was “almost too much.”  “I got it, I got the point, why did they need to show so much, for so long, ” she questioned.  We went back and forth a bit on the “why.”  Had they numbed it down, how would it be any different than any of the other several films we have seen recently, or would we have immediately thrown it into the “over-saturation” category and dismissed it and its message?  Would telling a less intense version of the story held true to the reality of the situation?  This actually HAPPENED to someone and why shouldn’t her story be told and known?  Will telling such a story create as much outrage on a larger level and lead to action, pressure and change?  Would that be possible had a milder version of the story been told?

I don’t know the answers to those questions, but I do admire Mpower for telling a compelling, bold and uncompromising story, and I hope you’ll go see the film in June and mull over the same questions.

View the trailer:

• http://thestoning.com

Where to see the film:

• LA Film Festival (June 20th): http://www.lafilmfest.com/tixSYS/2009/filmguide/Search/the%20stoning/AL

• Look out for it’s release on June 26th across the country in select theaters

How to learn more about an organization that is addressing issues of women’s rights around the world, and take action!

• Human Rights Watch: http://www.kintera.org/c.nlIWIgN2JwE/b.4567395/siteapps/advocacy/ActionItem.aspx