Causecast’s Music Manager Brandon DeRoche is constantly traveling the country documenting  how musicians are doing their part to influence positive change in the world.

He’s ended up in some pretty odd places, and sometimes when the pictures come back all we can wonder is… where the hell was DeRoche?? This photo is fresh off the wire, and leaves us here baffled.

My best guess? Chuck D’s grandmothers house.

Quote of the this weeks travels?

“According to Flava Flav I look like Jack Black, followed by ‘WOOOOOW” - Brandon Deroche

by Brandon Deroche

Within the past 5 months or so I’ve had the opportunity to do nearly 100 interviews with musicians discussing issues surrounding social change and the causes they care about.  Although ‘what’s your favorite color’ is an important question to ask, it’s been such an amazing opportunity to get to talk to people with such great influence about things that matter.  There have been many highlights along the way, this past week being one of them as I got to talk to Slash about the benefit show he’s throwing for LAYN (The Los Angeles Youth Network).  For those that don’t know, Slash is that guy from the Guitar Hero commercials and he actually used to play in a little known band called Guns N Roses.

Below are some pics from the interview which will be available tomorrow.  For more information on the show, please visit http://laynrocks.eventbrite.com/

By Phil Ross

The headline reads: “U.N. facing severe food shortage in Kenya”(msnbc.com). For many of us, our innate, human reaction is to want to get food to those people as fast as possible. Some inner conviction steers us to work towards the obvious solution to a problem: hungry people need food, so send food! There’s nothing inherently wrong with this at all. The beauty of the human spirit is our awareness of our own humanity, our collective correspondence with one another that allows us to recognize the suffering of our fellow citizens of earth, and to respond. But could foreign aid possibly be doing more harm than good? Of course, this is purely for dialectical purposes. I don’t want to suggest that donating to a charitable cause that keeps people alive through food and aid are, in any sense of the word, hurtful. I like to believe I’m a fan of anything that promotes human life. I just think it’s critical we challenge our notion of “foreign aid,” a notion that perpetuates a donor-recipient relationship with people in poverty. I think we need to question whether or not, in the long run, this relationship does more harm than good. The implications of these words alone are pretty severe. Recipient implies that the receiver can’t fend for themselves and must rely on someone else to provide. Donor implies an endless supply of goods and services, given freely from a position of power and authority. In contrast, people of all economies, all ways of life, are resilient, ingenious, adaptive, and capable. It would be a mistake for us to undermine the creativity and ingenuity of the human race. But unfortunately, certain systems, certain exploitations, particular situations and specific structures keep people in subservient states, stifling these human qualities. Corrupt governments. Lack of access to education, healthcare, and clean drinking water. The failure of law to provide a safe environment for economic activity to flourish. These are the culprits of such deprivation. By creating a dependency on an outside organization, we remove the sense of responsibility from local governments to take care of their own people. Sudan produces enough food to feed much of northern Africa, yet the people in the country are starving. The government has realized they can make more money selling off their produce to other countries than they can by feeding their own people. In the minds of these leaders, why create structure, spend tons of money on infrastructure to produce food, when food is already pouring in for free from the US and other donor countries? While food aid for areas in crisis keeps people fed, it also keeps those individuals in a state of dependency on outside agencies. Of course, many of the governing bodies in countries high in poverty are corrupt systems. Leaders that won’t relinquish power, even when popular vote says otherwise; bureaucrats that hoard money rather than distributing it to those in need; regimes that use force and intimidation to maintain authority; these are all characteristic of many governments in the global south. So what’s to be done? How can we end the donor-recipient relationship between us in the prosperous North and those in poverty without seeing people die from hunger, disease, and disaster? We can’t simply let go. But we also can’t continue to just cover up the problem, like a band-aid over a festering wound. We have to work to promote systems, structures, movements, and social organizations that allow people the means to grow their own food, drink clean water, visit a nearby doctor, and vote freely for their leaders. This is just the tip of the iceberg, of course. And all of this must be accomplished through peaceful means, with love and understanding, not war. But what do I know, I’ve only been to four years of college, traveled a bit, read a few books – filtering everything through my own limited perceptions of life – so I really don’t think I have many answers at this point. More just curiosity. And concern. And a willingness to learn, converse, and work towards something better with anyone who’s willing to do the same.

Check out that sticker

Hey there!

Anyone go to the U2 Concert at the Rose Bowl on Sunday night? Or, perhaps, were you one of the millions who watched it streaming live on Youtube? It was only the largest livestream youtube video ever in history!

Yes yes, U2 was great, they blew away a totally packed Rose Bowl… but that’s not  what matters (at least to us.) IF you were there, or watching, you may have noticed the dedicated WALK ON by volunteers from Amnesty International, Burma Global Action Network, Greenpeace, and even Causecast’s own VP Levi Felix  as they took the stage wearing a mask of Aung San Suu Kyi to show solidarity and raise awareness. In addition, there were people throughout the audience holding a familiar poster to any Causecast or Shepard Fairey fan- the “Freedom To Lead” campaign poster.

It was a huge step for the movement. Imagine, not only a sold out Rose Bowl (close to 100,000 people), but millions of people on 5 continents across the globe, seeing the face of Aung San Suu Kyi on stage with Bono. The concert will be released on DVD in the near future, so keep an eye out for it. It was truly a historic event!

Until next time,

J

To All Nonprofit Organizations:

We’ve all been told that we need to embrace new technology and change, that we need to be on Twitter, and make things go VIRAL.  But how do we do this?  How do we achieve real results with our limited budgets and resources?  To be honest, sometimes we find that technology can even hurt us by creating more problems than solving.  Causecast has learned a lot since it began, and we’re always looking for the opportunity to really help our nonprofits.

With that said and done, it’s conferences like NTEN’s Nonprofit Technology Conference where we feel we can truly help ALL nonprofits.  So we submitted several panel and workshop ideas to NTEN, and they were ALL accepted!  Below is a list of the topics we submitted.  If you’re interested in any of the topics, we’d love your support, and for you to vote for it using the stars.

Going Mobile: SMS at the Forefront of Mobile

Social Media Best Practices

Effective Storytelling in Video

Don’t Make Me Think! Why Design Matters

Alternative Ways to Collect Donations

Brand Symbolism Online and Offline

How to take advantage of Causecast

Thanks again, and we hope to see you at next years NTEN Nonprofit Technology Conference!

By Tammy Rosecrans

As an avid adventurer, activist, and snowboarding enthusiast, you may assume that i would also be the typical tree-hugging, enviro-addict that you often see braving the streets of Venice Beach. Well, truth is… I am writing to you from the local Coffee Bean with my non-reusable coffee cup in hand. Sad, but true. The point is, I am not perfect, in fact, I am far from it. We are all living in a world where sustainability should not only be a trendy topic but a way of life, yet it has not made that leap, not even close.

Let’s get serious, if you haven’t realized that all causes: human rights, animal rights, poverty, injustice, slavery, climate change etc., are inherently connected than you must be living with your head in the clouds. Hopefully, when you awake from your daydreaming you will take a look back at all of us here on Earth to realize that yes, we only have one planet. The way we live our lives each day impacts all other aspects of life… from the laborers forced to harvest the beans that made your morning brew, to the carbon foot-print it created to make it into your hand, to the styrofoam cup that you toss to the ground once you’ve enjoyed that last sip (FYI, you will soon realize that I have a slight obsession with caffeine, and tend to reference it often). Every moment we are faced with a decision, save the planet, or continue down the road to destruction. Yeah, that does kind of make us all sound like super-heroes, but who’s to say we can’t each be a super-hero in our own right? What would you rather have; a world of villains or one of super-heroes?

If my ranting hasn’t drastically shifted your perspective (sarcasm people, get used to it), than hopefully a few ‘fun’ facts will persuade you. Steak lovers, this one is for you. Did you realize that Brazil is the fourth largest contributor to greenhouse gases? No, well then you would also fail to realize that the reason for this might be found on your dinner plate. Check out my latest article and perhaps you’ll rethink your dinner tonight.

–(http://www.causecast.org/news_items/9088-cattle-industry-drives-brazilian-amazon-deforestation)

Surfers, swimmers, and sushi lovers unite for this quick bite of information. Ever heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? If not, well, take a lengthy sip from that water bottle and contemplate this one. Far out in the Pacific Ocean there is a swirling vortex of waste, and not just any waste, plastics. In fact, the plastic to plankton ratio is 6:1. Plastics don’t biodegrade so they simply break down into smaller and smaller particles, filling the stomachs of marine life. Furthermore, plastics not only contain toxins, but attract them as well, poisoning our food chain all the way from plankton to our plates. So, how big is this thing… a few dozen miles perhaps? Nice try, this trash vortex is about the size of Texas, some say it may even be twice that. Take a bite of that.

–http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/oceans/pollution/trash-vortex?

VIDEO– http://www.youtube.com/strangedaysaction#p/a

Ready for one more? Oh, come on, show some enthusiasm… it is our planet after all! How about a water break? I mean, all this ocean talk can make a girl pretty thirsty. If you have the opportunity to raid your kitchen right now and enjoy a clear, crisp glass of water, consider yourself lucky. One out of six human beings don’t have that option. 1.1 billion people do not have access to safe, reliable drinking water. Wasn’t that refreshing? –http://www.causecast.org/org/charity-water

Now that we are all thoroughly depressed, what can we do about this mess (literally) that we got ourselves into?

Well, that is where I come in. May I remind you that in spite of my environmental ingenuity (sarcasm… again), I drive an SUV (thanks Dad!) and my poor bike was quarantined to a dark corner in the Causecast office over a month ago. We all contribute to the problem, but the thing is, I want to change. I consider myself an activist, once a Rescue Rider for Invisible Children, and a volunteer for educational programs in South Africa, I have realized that you can not be an effective activist if you disregard all other causes. They are connected; there is no avoiding it. The extra long shower I took this morning impacts the children I so desperately wanted to help in South Africa. So I am willing to take the challange, what will it take to get me back on my bike, or finally give up my sushi addiction?

Since I have been working at Causecast, I have noticed quite a few things, positive and negative. We are so enamored with the idea of saving the world, and being on the forefront of all causes, yet we sometimes miss the daily gestures that make such a huge impact overall. With that in mind, a fellow intern, Amy Tanaka, and I, Tammy Rosecrans, have adopted the overwhelming yet exciting project of ‘greening’ the Causecast office. This, of course, should be highly entertaining… seeing as how we know so little about the issue. But this is why we invite you to join us on our journey. All too often we are bombarded with the horrific facts, people telling us what we are doing wrong, well this time we want you to know that we’re people too and we’re far from perfect. I’m not going to point fingers and scold you like a misbehaving child, I want you to work with us as we change the world for the better, one day at a time. Follow us through our successes… and epic failures; learn along side us and become apart of the solution. We will focus on topics ranging from sustainable, eco-friendly fashion, carbon-footprints, eco-decor, green art, the basics of recycling, and soooo much more!

To kick it off we will be following the Huffington Post’s No Impact Week. Download the guide and remember… don’t print it! If you haven’t heard about this guy, you should definitely check him out. Colin Beavan, writer of No Impact Man, led his family on a yearlong, sustainable living journey where they decided to reduce their environmental impact to… get this, zero! Take the challange and see what you can do to keep Mother Earth around for a few more years. Colin recounts, “In many ways, we lived just as happily and sometimes even more happily maintaining a lifestyle that weighed way less heavily on the planet. Good lives, it turns out, need not cost the earth”. So what’s stopping you??

–Colin Beavan speaks on No Impact Week http://www.huffingtonpost.com/colin-beavan/no-impact-week-taking-the_b_322061.html

–No Impact Project http://noimpactproject.org/

–No Impact Man, The Documentary http://www.noimpactdoc.com/index_m.php

–The No Impact Week Guide http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/12/the-no-impact-week-guide_n_317277.html

If I brought you to tears with those startling facts earlier, I promise I can make up for it… check this out for a good laugh. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/08/no-impact-man-on-the-colb_n_314530.html

By: Stephanie Park

Every Wednesday here at Causecast, we have an “all-hands” lunch where everyone in the office has a delicious lunch together. We catch up on everything going on at Causecast, our lives, and simply take a moment to step back a bit from all our hard work. It’s all very refreshing. I actually happened to miss out on today’s lunch because I was dropping off my roommate and her boyfriend at the airport (they’re going to Tokyo for two weeks, how exciting), but it got me thinking about the value of community.

The word community can elicit so many different thoughts and images. One thing I value about community is its flexibility in its meaning. Everything from eerily Pleasantville-esque gated communities in Southern Californian suburbs to crazy hippie communes like the one Peter Fonda and Dennis (not Ed, the American painter) Hopper visit in Easy Rider, can be considered as being a community. During college, I lived in the one cooperative housing building in Westwood. I have to say, it wasn’t much of a true co-op; however, I learned a lot about the concept of community and what it means to me.

One of the things I value most about community is the inclusion of varying skills and strengths of individuals. I really do believe that everyone has the potential to contribute to a collective effort, regardless of the way they do it. It’s a matter of figuring out what you love doing, what you are good at doing, and then combining that coupling with a shared goal or intention. One obvious example of a community would be found in the work done here at Causecast. Individuals with different experiences and skills, fitting them all together in order to produce the social action network known as Causecast. I found another, more understated, example of community in action taking place in my own apartment.

Something as simple as having dinner with friends can be a community building experience that nourishes the body and soul. A few weeks ago, my roommate decided to throw a dumpling making dinner event at our apartment. Each person there was given a task to finish (mine was chopping up baked tofu into a million little pieces), so that it could be added to the final product. After all the ingredients were ready and mixed, we all sat down and made dumplings. We made potato + bacon + chives, traditional pork, cheeseburger (ground beef with cubes of cheese inside), and veggie (baked tofu + noodles + mushrooms) dumplings. Oh yeah, I know you’re all drooling by now. Some were prettier than others, but they were all essentially filled with love and good intent. Ok sure, the vegetarians, myself plus a party of two, were somewhat ostracized since we were making our dumplings in the living room due to lack of space, but it was all still part of a collective effort. All in all the night ended well with some drinks, blankets, and good conversation, outside under the moonlight. Community doesn’t need to be a big, complicated organization with millions of components. It can easily be a discreet experience to enjoy with others. I implore you all to take part in community in any way you see fit. I can promise you that it will bring a smile to your face and fill your heart with satisfaction.

Beginning with food and ending in food. Typical.

By Sarah MacKinnon

Let's Dance

Technically this post was supposed to go up yesterday, but how could I even begin to write when Causecast literally imploded and exploded Tuesday with do-goodery. Banners to be built out, stories to be posted, Huffington Post Impact to be launched, Free the Slaves Freedom Awards to be coordinated, live web feeds to be established, signs printed, lunches scarfed. Yesterday we both changed a family’s life and simultaneously commended the lives of those who continue to perpetuate change for those who are unable to do so for themselves. In our typical company culture, everything seems to happen here all at once; to take the time to reflect seemed almost wasteful in light of participating in the simple fervor of getting things done. I love the days that I can get wrapped up in the excitement and actually see the building blocks of months of meetings and production, late night texts and Friday nights’ dissipation turn into something tangible, something you can point to and say “I was involved in this, in some small way, along with a multitude of others to make this happen and ultimately be successful.”

The bottom line? I’m proud of us, pure and simple, and I feel on this day the velocity of the aftermath of Tuesday, which encourages the reflection I may not have been capable of expressing yesterday. It also inspires a sense of excitement, because really, what’s next? And before this turns into a “Congratulations Graduating Seniors of 2009!” address, I just have to delve into the old colloquialism that I truly feel we are standing on the precipice before some vast abyss of potentiality with our shirtsleeves rolled up halfway, ready to be pushed further up or ripped off all together, you know, humanitarian Hulk style. But really we don’t get mad at Causecast, no. We get it done. And at least with some attempted grace and style coming from my end…well, when it’s not a pajama day of course.

By Rene NG

On Saturday I went canvassing for Vote For Equality(VFE) which is an organization dedicated to create marriage equality for the LGBT community. This time I was a lot better prepared for the talks that I’d be conducting with various people. The first time I did it I was nervous as hell and it was difficult for me to sound natural because of all the material VFE has you memorize. The point of the conversations is to ask people whether or not they voted on Proposition 8 last year. If they’re against it then you need to have a conversation with them trying to elicit an emotional response- this is key. They’re very much against getting into a logical debate and especially any biblical based discussions/arguments about the issue.

This time around I was sent into the heart of Glendale into a largely Armenian community. The parks were filled with old Armenian men playing chess in large packs. The smells of stews wafted out from the homes. I had a lot of difficulty because most of the people I encountered couldn’t speak English or the people on the voting list had moved away. The most interesting discussion I had was with a mother and her daughter, the mom was dead set against the whole thing because according to her, “That’s the way things are”. The daughter too was against it but I pushed a bit harder and I asked her if homosexuals are worse than heterosexual people and whether or not they should get equal rights. The daughter thought about it for a minute and said, “No you’re right everybody is equal”. At the end of the conversation the mother was still against it and the daughter decided to vote for LGBT marriage rights.

At times when I’m canvassing I feel as if I’m not really making any kind of difference but I think it’s good to bring up the issue and talk about it with people regardless if they’re going to shift their mindset. With that young woman she hadn’t even thought of equality as being an issue. Equality was one of the things that she did believe in and just by bringing that to light made all the difference. I guess sometimes you do make a difference one conversation at a time. To get involved please contact: https://secure2.convio.net/laglc/site/SPageServer?pagename=YW_Vote_for_Equality

By Lisa Riggs,

In addition to my intern duties here at Causecast, I am finishing up my last year of college, and as part of my illustrious position as a senior I’m taking those classes, that glorious mixture of graduation requirements that you’ve put off until the last minute (international trade theory may be the death of me) and the fun, fluff classes such as modern dance or… Earth and Space Sciences 19.  Now while ESS 19 may sound intimidating, the course load is fairly light and most importantly includes a weekend adventuring in the Eastern Sierras near Yosemite.

Last Friday, after lugging our rucksacks across campus, our class of 15, including the prof and grad students, embarked on a three day hiatus from the usual hustle and bustle of Los Angeles life to enjoy some true blue sky while learning a bit about the natural history of California, and learn we did.

During our day hikes through the Sierras and moon-phase studying nights, not only did I come to understand more about ice ages, the names of the features within Yosemite’s mountains, and the history of the naming of Mt. Whitney, I had a chance to connect with other students.  We discussed the best ratio of garlic to olive oil in bruschetta while we made dinner, AIDS education and prevention policies over late night hot chocolate, and environmental issues surrounding LA’s ownership and use of Owens Valley as its water source as we walked the dusty valley floor.

Weekends like these remind me why I love communities like my Earth and Space class and Causecast.  Living and working with others can be a platform for gaining new perspectives and appreciating other people’s passions.  The opportunity to commune not only with nature but with one another is one I hope to pursue more often in the future.  Maybe a Causecast camping trip could be in the works?