The crew at 826 NYC have put together a star-studded lineup for their annual fundraising event Revenge of the Book Eaters. The show will feature various celebrity readings, a play and several music acts including a special appearance from Paul Simon. All the money raised goes to support the outstanding 826 NYC programs for young people. If you are in New York, you should definitely check it out. To find out more about 826 programs and how you can get involved with locations near you, click here.
“Reconnecting families separated by conflict in Northern Uganda”; that’s the goal in the new online video game Traces of Hope, which was launched, earlier this week, by the British Red Cross. The treasure-hunt style game requires players to sign up to participate. The action starts when you receive an email from Joseph, a 16-year old refugee who gives you details about his situation. Using information he shares, and clues found on various real websites, players help Joseph find his family.
Actor Kirk Cameron’s new film Fireproof, tells the story of a firefighter who is a hero to everyone except his own wife; and the challenges he must go through to win her over and save their marriage. In the interview above, Cameron talks about his own marriage and a commitiment he made to his wife to be the only woman he kisses, even in movies. As fleeting as love often is in Hollywood these days, we appreciate Cameron’s positive example. Be sure to check out the film when it opens in theaters across the country this Friday.
Playing video games is viewed by many as a waste of time. But, what if the game you were playing could help find cures for major diseases like HIV/AIDS and Cancer? Researches at the University of Washington have created a new game called FoldIt, a Tetris-like competition in which players use their puzzle solving skills to build new protein structures. Figuring out the right combinations can give researchers the data they need to create proteins that fight various diseases.
So, if you’re going to spend hours playing video games, you might as well download FoldIt and do something meaningful at the same time.
As we’ve told you before, Seattle has a lot to offer in the way of unique “neighborhood cafes”. This weekend we had the opportunity to spend time at one of our favorites, the Q Cafe (shameless plug - my wife Danielle was playing a show there).
The Q is a non-profit coffee shop that really puts a focus on being a contributor to the community. In addition to serving direct trade coffees and teas, the cafe donates 10% of all sales to local and global causes. They also support area artists and musicians through regular exhibitions and live shows, host many community events, and help collect resources for the homeless as well. Overall, its an innovative way of using “cafe culture” to do something significant; we definitely recommend you check it out.
Back in February Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrel made headlines when they each agreed to play a version of Heath Ledger’s character, Tony, in his final film, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus. This past week news leaked that, in addition to taking on the role, the high-profile trio is also donating all their earnings from the film to Ledger’s three-year-old daughter Matilda. Ledger, unfortunately, had not updated his will since Matilda was born; but thanks to his pals she will now be well taken care of.
“There are more slaves around the world today than ever before in human history…it cannot be stopped by governments and non-profits alone, it requires comminty-based participation.” That’s the call from the new “rockumentary” Call + Response which will be released in theaters this Fall. In the film, hidden camera shots from various chlid slave operations in Asia, and interviews with modern abolitionists like Cornel West, Madeline Albright and Ashley Judd are tied together by a stirring soundtrack featuring acclaimed artists like Natasha Bedingfield, Talib Kweli, Swithchfoot, Matisyahu, Imogen Heap, and more.
Since it was funded completely donations, 100% of the proceeds from the film (including future dvd and soundtrack sales) will go to global field projects on the front lines of the abolition movement. Check out the above trailer or click here to find out how you can get involved.
If you’re not one of the millions who have already seen Pixar’s latest release WALL-E, I highly recommend you jump on the bandwagon. We don’t want to spoil anything, but we will say this is an artistic masterpiece that breaks from many of the patterns seen in most animated features, yet still remains entertaining for the whole family. Along with the heart-warming storyline and loveable trash-collecting lead, we also appreciated the underlying message that pokes fun at apathetic living and encourages viewers to take personal responsibility for making the world a better place.
There is an old saying that says “laughter is the best medicine”. If that’s the case, Cherub Improv may be the answer to America’s healthcare needs. The Manhattan-based volunteer improv group performs free of charge at various hospitals, senior centers, and homeless shelters to help bring joy to those in need.
The group, which was founded by Jonathan Evan Goldberg, a full-time lawyer, performed over 100 shows and workshops in their innagural year and already has a packed calendar for the year ahead. Audiences have praised their quick-witted humor, but in addition to making people laugh, CI also aims to teach viewers the importance of helping and supporting those around them, a valuable lesson for improv and life.
London’s Hyde Park will be the site of a historic concert tomorrow night in celebration of Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday (which is actually July 18th) and his retirement from running his nonprofit organizations. The concert is a culmination of several events that have taken place over the last couple days raising money and awareness for Mandela’s various charities.
Proceeds from the show benefit Mandela’s 46664 Foundation, which gets its name from his prison number. The idea is to send a message that we can never reduce people mere numbers-we are all human beings and deserve to be treated equally. 46664 is mainly focused on raising awareness for governments and individuals about HIV/AIDS and educating them on how they can help eradicate it; however, they also support several major treatment funds in Africa.
Tomorrow’s event also marks the 20th anniversary of the Free Mandela Concert (also held in London) which demanded the South African government to release the anti-apartheid leader who, at the time, had been imprisoned for nearly thirty years. Two year later he was finally freed, and the rest was history.
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