Date Archives → June 30, 2010

Gulf Coast Benefit Concerts on CNN’s iReport

A huge thank you to Jill Foster, Geoff Livingston, Dan Morrison, and May Yu. Through Citizen Effect’s #CitizenGulf campaign, they came to explore the Gulf Coast, meet with nonprofits and find out how they could best help the efforts going on here for recovery and to encourage citizen philanthropy (a favorite topic of mine you all know).

Since I’m smack in the middle of co-producing tomorrow night’s Gulf Benefit Concerts (85 and counting in 11 countries), I couldn’t be with them during the day as they went to St. Bernard Community Center, to visit Catholic Charities and other wonderful groups, but we did get together for dinner last night at Cochon to talk about giving, New Orleans, my experiences here (and frankly travel stories I hadn’t told in awhile including tales from my Burma trip last summer).
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Groundswell Growing for Gulf Coast Benefit Concerts Thursday

gulf coast benefitThis Thursday, July 1st, music venues and activists worldwide will unite to benefit those directly impacted by the Gulf Coast Oil Spill. Proceeds from all participating venues will be donated to The Gulf Restoration Network, a nonprofit committed to uniting and empowering people to protect and restore the natural resources of the Gulf Region for future generations.

This is the beginning of a blog post that I am seeing coming flying into my google alerts and into my inbox. It’s the start of a groundswell for tomorrow night’s Gulf Coast Benefit concerts.

Current stand is 60 Meetups, about 45 which are music venues and the rest are awareness get-togethers. It’s grown to 5 countries too (shout out to the Montreal and Paris contingent in particular)! 100% of online donations and the ticket price at venues is going to Gulf Restoration Network. Those who know me, know that I look to inspire others to find ways to give back and this benefit series is speaking to the passionate resolve we all have to help others in times of need.

How can you get involved? Make a donation, whatever amount you can give. Every dollar counts. Then, how about asking 5 friends to match you? Send an email or post to your Facebook wall and say something like:

I just donated $10 to support Gulf Benefit Concerts, will you match my donation?

You can attend. Full listing of venues is on the Meetup Everywhere page.

You can blog about the events. This takes our message to your fans, supporters and friends. A blog post goes a long way! An article in your local paper helps tell more people about what we’re up to. To give you inspiration, here are links to some of the most recent press we’ve gotten. (And huge thanks to everyone below).

  • Antiquiet Interview with Co-organizer Casey Phillips:

    New Orleans has been in a fight for survival for the past decade. In terms of the deep musical spirit of the area, what’s the general atmosphere among local artists in relation to this crisis?

    The strength of the NOLA musical community is a force that some may have doubted before Katrina, but few question anymore. They have lead by example these past 5 years by refusing to let our musical heritage disappear. To me they represent pillars of strength for others to draw inspiration from. The cajun culture of the bayou regions is as important to Louisiana’s heritage as jelly-roll jazz. Right now the future for the fishing communities looks bleak, however, but I can say with certainty that the cajuns are proud people, and the backbone of Louisiana – we will not let them down.

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Gulf Tides: BP’s Oil Hits Home

This post originated from an email blast to supporters and is written by Aaron Viles, Campaign Director for the Gulf Restoration Network, the nonprofit partner of the Gulf Benefit Concerts that I’m co-producing on Thursday. I couldn’t say much of this better myself, so I’m sharing his message and hoping you’ll DONATE or ATTEND one of the 55+ shows happening across the U.S. and in four other countries on Thursday night.

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As the BP deepwater drilling disaster stretches into its third month, the community impacts are significant and getting worse.  For the newest episode of our ongoing YouTube series, we revisit the Atakapa-Ishka people of Grand Bayou Community in lower Plaquemines Parish.  Please watch as tribal representatives recount the oil in their marsh, covering their oyster leases and jeopardizing their future.  This was a tough video to create, and the impacts of this disaster really hit me hard as I was seeing it through the eyes of the people who live off this land, now ruined by BP’s crude.

Heartbreaking images of oiled pelicans, sea turtles, and marsh underscore the environmental crisis facing the region.  The Gulf Restoration Network continues to push for a more effective clean up and containment effort, and remains committed to bringing you authentic voices from the Gulf’s affected communities.
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Open Up and Say Ah!

Every Thursday this summer, come back to The Causemopolitan to read a guest post that will inspire you right up out of your seat to get involved and give back in a special series called Cause It’s Summer! Featured bloggers will be sharing their own reflections and stories, tips and resources, and perspective on philanthropy, social entrepreneurship and their own cause-filled life. This week welcome Joey Soto, and her courageous transition from Water Resources Consultant to Teacher of Yoga.

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On the 43rd floor in Downtown Los Angeles, I trouble-shoot multi-million dollar water projects with a talented team of engineers at a corporate civil engineering firm. Although I’ve served as a water resources consultant managing Southern California’s water issues over the last decade, I had recently found myself longing for more. There was something inside of me that was trying to come forth; it was a piece of me that I had not yet explored.

At the age of 29, I was somewhat familiar with this feeling; the inkling to grow, give, foster. I knew that volunteering was a great way to discover a little more about myself, as I had experienced through philanthropic efforts with Answer With Action, Step Up Women’s Network, and Thirst Project. My career as a water resources consultant gave me much to be proud of; I had secured over $25 million in funding for water projects and managed the implementation of $500 million under the Proposition O water quality bond measure for the City of Los Angeles. I was implementing innovative engineering projects to protect our natural environment and public health. However, my life was off balance, my passion was fading and I was searching for that something else.

In January 2010, there was a feeling in the air. It was the start of a new year and I was at the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market when I received a flyer about a new eco-friendly yoga studio opening up just down the street from my apartment. YogaCo was a new donation-run studio in Santa Monica offering a Yoga Teacher Training program. After 10 years of practicing yoga, I wondered if there was more to yoga aside from all those postures. I decided to say yes to this new opportunity and I enrolled in the course.

Tamal Dodge led me through 3 months of intense study of Yoga Asanas (postures), Anatomy, and Yoga Philosophy. An amazing group of 25 individuals embarked on this journey with me. Over the course, I felt that inkling inside grow and expand until it took over my entire body and it became me – or rather I became it. I was full of wanderlust and enthusiasm. It was as if I became a child again, curious about life, people, energy, beliefs. I let go of fear, societal expectations, and insecurities and what I found was more profound than any sweat-dripping, back-bending, arm-twisting, vinyasa flow sequence; I found myself.
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Nationwide Gulf Benefit Concerts July 1st to Benefit Gulf Restoration Network


I’m really excited to officially announce that I’m part of the team producing a series of nationwide benefit concerts July 1st benefiting the fishermen & wildlife affected by the Gulf Coast Oil Spill called Gulf Coast Benefit Presents Coast to Coast. < -- VISIT THE WEBSITE!

What to help and GET INVOLVED? Read more or skip to the get involved part!

Along with Nic Adler, owner of The Roxy on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles, CA; Megan Jacobs of The Roxy, Casey Phillips, talent buyer for venues including Tipitina’s in New Orleans and Viper Room & The Mint in Los Angeles, and a terrific support team, we have over 25 venues on board nationally to support this effort with 100% of proceeds going DIRECTLY to the Gulf Restoration Network (@healthygulf on Twitter) and their community-based effort called Gulf Future.

Daryl Hannah, Dave Faustino, Ed Begley Jr., Rebelution, Nicky Avalon and venues like The Roxy, Viper Room, Spaceland, The Echo, The Mint, Fais Do Do, The Comedy Store, Tipitina’s, Press Room and more are involved have enlisted their efforts to help! Volunteers in each city and music industry heavy-hitters are jumping in. Now it’s YOUR TURN!

Is it ambitious to gather music venues around the country to donate ticket sales on July 1st and create an online giving platform that encourages donations to the relief efforts? You betcha. But the people, wildlife and wetlands affected need our support and we’ve combined efforts and networks to make this successful and meaningful for those in the Gulf Coast.

Revenues from ticket sales will be donated to help the fishermen and their families along the Gulf Coast cope with this disaster and aid wildlife and wetlands restoration for the Gulf Coast. Over 25 venues have been confirmed and more are being added every day. Artists performing include national as well as local acts across the US.

“We know through music and the generosity of people that we can help make a difference in the Gulf Coast.” Adler says. “We hope this inspires others to make a donation, attend an event and get involved.”

The wetlands and wildlife are in desperate need of our attention now and we can’t wait for BP to take care of those in need. Many of our fellow Americans will have no livelihood, are preparing to leave their homes and are now lining up for food handouts. With hurricane season on the horizon, there is reason for great concern and it’s crucial the affected communities be prepared for the worst.

What YOU can do! Continue reading →