CrisisCongress Photo Courtesy of Taylor Davidson on Flickr

As I’ve grown into my activist and humanitarian roles, technology has helped me find a place where I feel like I belong in the response. It’s not my primary profession, per say, in life. But it is a place where I feel like I can make a difference.

How?

Sometimes, from using our voice. Our voice online has the ability to multiply and make a bigger impact. Using your voice on the internet (and this could be Facebook or your own blog) is a way of standing up for what you believe, asking questions, and seeking answers.

That’s what happened to me in January. The earthquake happened and I turned to the Internet to see what the response would be. I had heard of Transparency Camps happening last summer, but only pieces, as I had been in the Philippines on my Kiva Fellowship. I had heard more about CrisisCommons from friends like Alex Rose and Chad Catacchio and with my incessant need for information learned more about the Camps. I started to see them pop up around the country and people were reaching out to me, since I now lived in New Orleans, asking to connect with people who had been instrumental in the response for Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and wondering when there would be a CrisisCamp in New Orleans.

From the bottom of my cause-filled activist heart, you could say this is how I was roped in to creating CrisisCampNOLA.

I was helped by Robert Fogarty, who himself has a nonprofit focused on evacuation techniques called Evacuteer.org and by Barrett Conrad, who leads up a monthly developer event in New Orleans and could tap into those networks to get developers to attend.

So I had Alex and Chad rooting me on, and Robert and Barrett partnering and helping shoulder the load, and the local New Orleans community donating space (LaunchPadNOLA), food (Naked Pizza) and press/promotion (New Orleans Tech) and all of the pieces were coming together. But more than all of that, all CrisisCamps would be remiss not to mention Heather Blanchard.

Heather’s passion for creating CrisisCamp and moving CrisisCommons into a viable entity were never far off from the overall goal of having a successful campaign.

Click here to view the embedded video.

We held CrisisCampNOLA, we invited local Haitians to come and tell their stories and we built a local response and also helped on the national scale. It was, by all means, a success.
Through the type of connections that we make online in this day and age (which makes me feel so old for saying this way but it’s true), Heather and I stayed in touch. In fact, we put together a CrisisCamp dinner during SXSW and we also put together a panel during SXSW about CrisisCamp. We talked many times after about how to move forward and then the Oil Spill happened.

That stupid Oil Spill. God, it makes me so angry and sad and frustrated and wondering what I could do to help. But to “help” I mean, we couldn’t clean the beaches and the catastrophe was so severe.

Again, there was Heather heading up a oil spill reporter app to help people create visuals of where the spill had hit and working with the technical resources at her disposal around the country to make an impact.

This leads me to two weeks ago when CrisisCommons held its first International Crisis Congress. City leads from around the world came together to meet in person (most for the first time) and talk about the future of CrisisCommons. Held in Washington DC on July 16th at the World Bank and travel grants graciously given by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, we all gathered for a full day of workshops. The mediator, Allen Gunn, for the day was the best, literally the best, I’ve ever seen. He kept us moving, laughing, engaged and thoughtful. We got up out of our seats and we interacted and asked the hard, tough questions necessary to build and grown CrisisCommons.

Would we be more open? Would we have more rules and legal protection or less? Where are we looking to go in a year or five years from now? We spared nothing to analyze those questions.

In the group, besides City Leads, were professors in emergency preparedness, social innovators, marketers and GIS professionals all bringing their perspectives to the table.

I walked away with a case of the “wow” at the talent that came together for a unified cause. We could have hit a dent in a “virtual conference” but to attend in person we accomplished much more than I ever would have fathomed.

I’d like to extend my sincere thank you and ever-admiration to Heather Blanchard for being the visionary around CrisisCommons. I’m honored to represent New Orleans, and truly moved to be part of the process and be able to flex my own creative muscles into being part of the vision moving forward.

I’m always looking for more passionate and talented people to help grow CrisisCampNOLA and if this is you, please send me an email to sloane@thecausemopolitan.com.

I’d also love to find a way to get training to be able to be a first-responder of some kind for future emergencies around the world. World Vision has people who jump in to assess the needs of an area (like a project manager) and other direct response agencies have people they train in mental health services to go in immediately and help people on the ground. I’m looking to combine my online experiences with real offline field work, so if you know anywhere I should look I’m all ears.

Until then, I’ll continue to search and seek out ways to help with disasters around the world through my contributions with CrisisCommons. I’m so happy to have found a place where I belong and where I can contribute to those in need during crisis.

(Topic for another time…defining crisis!)

Further Reading:

• CrisisCommons Roundtable Series + First International CrisisCongress from CrisisCommons
• How CrisisCommons Is Helping the Tech Community Help Others on Mashable
• UStream from CrisisCongress
• CrisisCongress Flickr Set from Taylor Davidson
• CrisisCommons and Congress on High Earth Orbit

*****

A creative society is a prosperous society! In some ways, we all seek to define creativity and prosperity as it means something different for each of us. My creativity has tended towards the curatorial process and my current application typically involves the fusion of creativity, innovation, sustainability, social & environmental awareness, and values-driven business principles. I define prosperity through a perspective of abundance versus scarcity. Therefore, prosperity for me is simply a state of mind that has an outward effect on my external environment.

For some time now, I have operated from the perspective that creativity is the most powerful access point to our own truth; a truth that ultimately links all of humanity and life in general. This creative flow manifests differently for each of us. Painting, music, cooking, writing, entrepreneurship and so on; it’s all creativity. It connects us with that conscious that links us all.

It is through the creative process that I become more conscious and ultimately more compassionate for all life that is linked by consciousness. In essence, it is by tapping into my creative flow that I resonate with the universal truth that ‘we are all one.’

From here there is no avoiding that what I must seek is a common good for all humanity. I must find harmony between self-interest and altruism. This is the seed or truth that drives the statement: A creative society is a prosperous society!

Once I was able to resonate with this truth, my life purpose become clear. I must use my creativity to promote a common good in the world so that all of humanity has the opportunity to live in harmony and prosperity.

The goal of my work in the world is to promote a world of ‘pure projects,’ which uses creativity and innovation to promote a common good in the world. By applying values-driven business principles to these ‘pure projects,’ they become sustainable storytelling devices that move through the world based on economic principles. These stories meet people where they are and allow one to consider what this story means for oneself. Take for example I buy a lemonade that is served in a cup made of plant matter verses petroleum-based plastic. And imagine that there is a clever and inspiring statement that is inviting verses intrusive. I, for sure, would be affected and after a series of related occurrences, would probably consider how I might apply these ideas to my own life. This is one of a million examples.

The point is this: all projects should have a ‘pure’ intention at their core and also be wrapped with a fully sustainable model, that considers social, environmental, cultural, and financial issues.

It is my firm belief that by promoting a world of ‘pure projects,’ we will accelerate the current global shift in consciousness. We are currently experiencing a breakdown in many, if not all, of our systems. It is time to evolve, to transform, to innovate in ways and at rates we have never experienced before. It is happening now and all around us. Tomorrow, the only constant will be change. We must embrace it and tap into our innate gift of creativity.

I urge you all to focus on what you love. Do more of it as it is your right to do so. By honoring your creativity in this way you will be promoting a common good in the world.

Thanks for allowing me to share this with you all and if your interested in learning more about our work, please have a look at Pure Project.

I’m looking forward to hearing about your ‘pure project.’

*****
Ryan Fix is the Founder of Pure Projects. Infused with entrepreneurial spirit, Ryan embodies a life dedicated to sustainability, environmental action, global social awareness, holistic health, wellness education, and artistic expression. Using ‘values-driven business principles’ as his vehicle of choice, Ryan employs his communication skills and vast networks to draw people together to effect a common goal.
Educated in Foreign Policy from American University, trained in Finance on Wall Street, engaged in Real Estate Marketing & Development in the Halls of NYC, and riding the dot-com wave of the late-90s, Ryan is well prepared for just about any mission. Defined by his heartfelt ambition, consistent drive, unrelenting spirit, and overwhelming love for life & mankind, Ryan greets every day and every opportunity with open arms.
Ryan Fix is the founder of PUREPROJECT, an organization that uses creativity and innovation to promote sustainable solutions that advance a common good in the world. After successfully incubating several ventures, they are currently building a platform and system to support others catalyze their own ‘pure projects.’

*****

You don’t have to start a charity or donate hours upon hours of your time to make a difference in your community. Just try cleaning out your closet! This is something that most of us do anyhow, and you can make the most of it by making sure that your gently used garments go to a thrift store or charity that benefits your local community.

Here in Pittsburgh, where I live, I have worked closely with the thrift and consignment stores owned by the National Council of Jewish Women, Pittsburgh Section. Their thrift stores accept all kinds of thrifty goods such as clothing, furniture and home accessories and at their upscale consignment store you will find women’s clothing, shoes and accessories with an exclusive pedigree. Donating items to these stores allows the NCJW to raise money for their many local projects such as Suit Yourself, which provides free business clothing to people re-entering the workforce, and Children’s Rooms in the Courts, which provides ano-cost place for kids to play rather than listening to their parents battle it out in court.

Working with the NCJW, I found that the way to really help them raise money goes beyond donating items, they need you to shop with them for new things! This is how the stores make money and the organization can continue to do good work locally. So if you want to have a cause filled summer, get out and shop for a cause!
Resale stores are not all outdated and unwanted items. I have found some of my greatest finds there. Actually, much of the wardrobe for Sloane Berrent’s Cause It’s My Birthday! tour was sourced from local resale shops that invest in the community. Discounted items were good for her pocket, and she was able to dress in style.

To find a resale shop near you check out the National Association of Resale Professionals. However, this site does not list if stores are charity-geared, so please call ahead to check.

If you are not in the mood to shop, there are many options for donating to charities where you know the pieces will be worn and loved by someone. You are never going to wear that prom dress or bridesmaid dress again and there are thousands of high school girls around the country who cannot afford a new prom dress. Try doing a search on DonateMyDress.org for a gown drop off near you. Rather than piling up in a thrift store, where your dress may be selected as a Halloween costume, the charities listed on Donate My Dress give the gowns to young girls who need them. This a great self confidence booster and can make such a difference in someone’s life.

There are many other options for how to donate your unwanted clothes and accessories in a meaningful way. What I really wanted to convey here is that giving back to your community can be as easy as cleaning out your closet, everyone can do it and it is a small amount of effort to make a big difference in the lives of those around you.

On top of all the goodwill that recycling your clothes will create, also consider the green aspect. If we all shopped more at resale shops, rather than buying new every time, there would be far fewer pesticides and less energy used to produce new fabrics and garments. The ultimate eco-friendly fashion is reusing existing items. Try hemming a vintage dress to mini-skirt length, or dying a yellowed white blouse hot pink to refresh pre-loved items.  Vintage items also tend to be better made and will last longer than fast fashion finds.

*****

Tori Mistick has been recognized as one of the top young professionals in Pittsburgh.  She has worked for a lifestyle magazine, an eco-friendly fashion accessories company, a national high-end retailer and for an ad agency as the in-house Social Media expert. Tori holds a Certificate in Fashion Promotion from London College of Fashion and a Bachelors degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from Duquesne University. Combing these two specialties and passions, Tori recently started her own eponymous company doing social media marketing consulting for small businesses and boutiques.

Tori believes the worst crime of fashion is to blend in, and vies to be unique in everything she does for herself and her clients. In addition to managing social media for a variety of clients, Tori can often be found in the city’s parks with her chocolate lab or putting the finishing touches on one of her own fashion designs.  She is continually inspired to use existing items in new ways, especially when it comes to fashion. Check out her blog Eco-Fashionista for eco-friendly fashion news and ideas. If you are up for it, also visit Tori’s other blog Free Fashion Advice for the ugly truth on Pittsburgh style.

*****

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.

Our call to action for this YouTube episode links to our new collaborative campaign, Gulf Future.  This effort lays out a simple three-part strategy to learn the lessons of this disaster:

• Clean up the oil industry’s mess in the Gulf,
• Get coastal communities the resources they need to fight for their future,
• Create a clean energy future so this never happens again.

So please watch the video, and learn more about the effect of BP’s oil hitting home. Then click through to Gulf Future, and help empower a community-led response to this disaster.

For the future of the Gulf,

Aaron Viles
Campaign Director

**Visit Gulf Benefit Concerts for more information**

*****

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.

It was at this moment that I opened up and said, “Ah!” and I knew that I was here to share this feeling of self-realization with others. It’s a process of letting go and reconnecting with who you truly are. I realized that the best way to change the world is not by mimicking Gandhi or Mother Theresa, but by simply being you. In our purest form, free of the world’s attachments, we are all perfect. After the training, I immediately reduced my corporate hours and started teaching Vinyasa Flow Classes at YogaCo, teen yoga at Crossroads, and private sessions throughout Los Angeles.

Teaching yoga has been an incredible experience. I watch my students blossom into being during every class. It has truly brought a balance into my life, letting me flow from the high rise to the yoga mat with ease. I am here to help others achieve this balance of pure joy and happiness, and I plan to do it one “Ah!” at a time.

*****
Joey Soto has served as a pioneer in water issues over the last decade through her work as a water resources consultant and community philanthropist. With her technical expertise and visionary perspective, she is known for bridging the communication gap between engineers and scientists with members of the community and public officials. She has voluntarily conducted presentations for community groups and served on panels related to water issues and social change. Most recently, Joey has assisted the ThirstProject with raising awareness of global water issues for schools across the U.S.

Joey has been a yoga practitioner for the past ten years and recently completed the 200-hour Yoga Alliance Teacher Training at YogaCo, a new eco-friendly studio located in Santa Monica, CA. Joey teaches Vinyasa flow – all levels classes to public and private clients. Ms. Soto currently teaches at YogaCo, volunteers at Crossroads High School, and teaches Private Classes throughout Los Angeles. You can find her on Twitter via @JSotoH20.

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!
1) Make a donation! We’re using a WhatGives donation widget where 100% of donations go to Gulf Restoration Network. GRN is distributing the funds directly to community groups after July 1st. You can also put this donation widget on YOUR site!

2) Attend one of the 25+ shows around the country on July 1st! The venue lineup is almost complete. The website and Meetup Everywhere widget are being updated daily. Or go DIRECTLY to the venue’s website and buy tickets. Invite your friends. Have them buy tickets. 100% of proceeds from the door are being donated. Venues from LA to Kansas City and Portsmouth to Aspen are participating. Don’t see a venue in your city? Plan an event of your own on Meetup Everywhere or make a straight donation!

3) Follow @gulfbenefit on Twitter and friend us on Facebook. Put our Twibbon on your Facebook and Twitter profile!

Stay involved! Post the following message:

#RockTheSpill with @GulfBenefit on July 1st at a venue near you! http://bit.ly/gulfbenefit #oilspill #gulf #bp

4) Blog about it! Email your friends! Tell your press and PR contacts that this is an awesome story to cover. You can use copy from our online press release or from this blog post. Every little bit helps.

5) Join the Google Group! We’re creating conversation about what people can do to help – yes for these concerts but beyond this as well. Join TODAY and enter our conversation about more ways to help.

There is a lot of work to be done between now and July 1st. I’m tireless and fearless when it comes to lending a hand and helping others. Are you? Questions, comments, feedback – I welcome them all!

Email me at sloane@thecausemopolitan.com or contact me via Twitter through @sloane.

To a better tomorrow than we have today,
Sloane

*****

9-to-5 life is over for me now replaced by up at 6, midnight emails and a nightstand notebook for those ideas that come later and later each week. While everyone else is sleeping, I’m sure I’m not the only one scribbling, blurry eyed first iterations of a better, wonderful world.

Hello, entrepreneurs.

I hope to shake your hands, because the feelings I have, I know you have too.

We’re in a club and the password is that pit-of-your stomach feeling. That draw it up idea and see it actually working feeling. That undeniable longing of wanting to do better today than you did yesterday.

But first let me tell you how I got here. And why I love right now.

New Orleans fascinates me. It’s the city of love, city of nowhere like it and the symbol of what happens when things goes perfectly, tragically wrong.

We’re close to five years now from the weeks the world watch New Orleans’ drown during Hurricane Katrina. We can now reflect and see a recovery, led by small businesses, neighborhood leaders, faith based organizations and gracious, determined Americans who’ve always called this City home and by many other who sometimes wish they could.

My calling is to ensure that the people who’ve lived and loved here, laughed and played here always have New Orleans to come back to. Specifically that means we protect our most vulnerable residents from future storms by ensuring they know and trust the City’s public evacuation option.

My organization, evacuteer.org, turned one just two weeks ago. It’s an expression in luck, belief and the hard work of some of the most beautiful and talented people I know.

Currently, we train, recruit and manage citizens who’d like to participate if the City activates it’s plan for residents without reliable evacuation transportation before a major hurricane.

30,000 residents are in this position. In 2005, a Harvard University study of evacuees who remained in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, 55% stated that the reason they did not evacuate prior to the storm was they did not have a vehicle or other method to evacuate. The same survey resulted in 42% of the evacuees stating that they did not think they could have found a way to leave the city.

And this may be the optimism of a new entrepreneur that veterans sometimes say is fleeting, but when we see problems, we want to solve them.

Thing is, the political and community capital we’ve built–official recognition by the City of New Orleans and 25 community partner organizations–now needs actual capital to accomplish our “keeps us up at night” vision for the organization.

We started as a volunteer management organization, and we’re confident we can become a leading, trusted voice in the City of New Orleans and beyond in emergency preparedness by exploring the potential of citizens simply willing to engage.

I invite you genuinely, and no jokingly, to read about our work here or watch some of it here. To sustain ourselves for one year, we’re looking to raise $150,000 privately to go along with public support from the City of New Orleans.

And to the entrepreneurs, still grinding, wondering if it’s worth it. If you feel the same feeling I do, you know it is. Tweet me at 3am if you’ve lost your notebook: @rxfogarty.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I thought about The Causemopolitan, the type of information that I want to be sharing with YOU. Many times people have been asking me about how to get involved in giving back and where to start. How to get inspired to finally take the first step to giving back.

I had an aha moment.

I’d like to introduce you to Cause It’s Summer. A fun new series on The Causemopolitan where guest bloggers tell THEIR stories and share their reasons of what giving back means to them, where to start, and how to get involved TODAY.

Posts this summer will include how-tos, reflections on personal experiences from starting a nonprofit to changing careers and include many ideas, tips and go-get-ems that you need to get thinking, “Hmm, maybe now is MY time to give back too.” So be on the lookout every THURSDAY starting tomorrow June 17th for this special “Cause It’s Summer” series.

This summer we’ll welcome posts from Robert Fogarty of Evacuteer, Alexa Brandt from Challenge Post, Olivia Khalili from Cause Capitalism, Ryan Fix from Pure Projects and many many more.

If you’re interested in contributing, just drop me a line at sloane@thecausemopolitan.com.

My inspiration for this series goes out:

* Karen Bantuveris who asked me to be part of her summer guest blogger series on Volunteer Spot. Since meeting Karen in March, barely a week has gone by that we haven’t been in contact and I love her ideas for giving back.

* Chris Brogan always talks about take what you are saying in email and saying to friends and make it a blog post because if two or five of your circle are talking about something it probably has value to the world at large. Share it and then everyone can see it. This summer series is a homage to that school of thought.

* Beth Kanter who is the ultimate inspiration for how to inspire others to give back. But more than that, I remember a few summers back she was moving from the East Coast to the West Coast and had a bunch of guest bloggers on her site during her travels. I thought what a great way to keep your blog going, while telling other stories, while engaging your readers and audience.

* Gabrielle Blair of Design Mom. I’m certainly NOT a mom, but I do have a thing for moms and for mommy bloggers. I love their close-knit circle and warm luscious photos of their kids and fun craft projects. I love the way they share with each other. Design Mom ran a series (on hiatus from the birth of her 6th child!!) to tell stories of other moms. I’ve read a bunch of them. I was so moved. I wanted to create a series with the same emotional experience.

ARCHIVE

Week 1: Dear New Orleans, I’m Yours by Robert Fogarty of Evacuteer

Week 2: Open Up and Say Ah by Joey Soto of Soto Yoga

Week 3: Shop For A Cause by Tori Mistick of Eco-Fashionista

Week 4: On Volunteering In The Summer (And Beyond) by Susan McPherson of Fenton

Week 5: The Impact Of Traveling Abroad by Drew Myers of “Oh Hey World”

Week 6: Daily Dose of Inspiration: The Changemakers Series by Olivia Khalili of Cause Capitalism

Week 7: A Creative Society Is A Prosperous Society! by Ryan Fix of Pure Projects

Chandeleur Islands Balloon Aerial Imagery from Grassroots Mapping

President Obama made a stop in the Gulf Coast region two weeks ago to survey the damage and while he was here issued a 6-month moratorium on new offshore drilling. Major news organizations have extended their stay on Louisiana’s coast, citing what residents already know, that the environmental and economic impact are far greater than anyone could fathom or dare imagine.

The “Crude Awakening” as it’s been called is causing a lifetime of damage to the Gulf Coast, spurring over 45 rallies nationwide to demand BP step up and take responsibility for its actions and that the government pass stricter regulations on offshore drilling. The spill, which occurred on April 20th, still hasn’t been stopped, and crude oil continues to spill into the Gulf Coast region.

In the mayhem and despair, citizens and activists are in a constant state of emergency and disaster mode. Anne Rolfes, Founding Director of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, told me, “Our office is bombarded every day by phone calls and people who walk through the door wanting to help in the face of this impossible situation. We are putting them to work to document the problem – gathering data, making the people-to-people connections that will help the real story be told. When the spill stops BP has a public relations machine ready to minimize this and pretend it didn’t happen. We don’t have a machine but we have something better – real people who are passionate and determined.”

The first week of June marks another important date for the Gulf Coast region. It’s the official start of hurricane season. With wetlands and marshes already under attack, meteorologists and hurricane experts warn this year’s hurricane season is more dangerous than ever. Imagine cities not only suffering water damage but covered in oil.

It’s hard not to be despondent, and worse, not know what you can do to help. Listed below are organizations making a difference and bringing together technologies being used to stop the oil spill from spreading and tracking the spill, providing a dataset open to the public.

Consider supporting these organizations and finding a way to get involved.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Grassroots Mapping, a creation of Jeffrey Warren from MIT Media Lab’s Center for Future Civic Media, is producing imagery created by volunteers and owned in the public domain. By using balloons and kites equipped with inexpensive digital cameras, these “community satellites” are able to georeference and create maps with 100x higher resolution than what is available on Google to be used in the environmental battle and litigation proceedings in the coming years. Orientation sessions are being offered in New Orleans or a DIY wiki is available on their website.

What you can do: Grassroots Mapping is currently running a Kickstarter project to raise money for more kites and helium tanks to put in the hands of volunteers in New Orleans. They are looking to raise $5,000 in the next 20 days. A donation of $10 or more gets you a print of any photo in their public domain dataset.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Matter of Trust – When hair can mean more than hair. Salons all over the country, and internationally from countries including the UK, France, Germany, New Zealand, Japan and Brazil, have been taking hair to drop-off points or sending discarded piles of hair to Matter of Trust to make booms by stuffing hair, fur, wastewool and other applicable material into the donated recycled nylons and mesh to absorb oil and stop the spill from spreading.

What you can do: Donations aren’t coming only from “people” salons but from pet groomers, and farmers sheering alpaca and llamas. The most recent call to action? Nylons. You can send nylons new or used (with runs) to their warehouses to help make booms. There are over 2,600 oil spills every year, so this otherwise discarded waste will continue to have a usage for other spills. Sign up here to get involved or make a donation.

Real time reports from Oil Reporter

Oil Reporter – The folks from CrisisCommons and Ushahidi (and scores of volunteers) have created free iPhone and Android applications that enables citizens on the ground to upload photos and videos and notes to report sightings of oil, harmed wildlife and conditions of the wetlands and beaches. Oil Reporter data is open and available to anyone via its open API. A team from San Diego State University’s Visualization Center will be the data repository for Oil Reporter. Oil Reporter will be hosting an Adopt-A-Beach initiative for virtual volunteers to adopt a span of beach along the Gulf Coast.

What you can do: Through the use of high resolution imagery, volunteers will be provided a specific location and training to map data elements of what they see such as perimeters of oil presence and injured wildlife in remote areas where physical assessment access is limited. Details and dates are being announced later this week.

Image courtesy of the Community Center of St. Bernard

Community Center of St. Bernard – St. Bernard Parish was overshadowed by the mass media post-Hurricane Katrina for the Ninth Ward. A working class community, only 2 homes in St. Bernard were not affected during Katrina. Many of these families still haven’t been able to return to their homes, almost five years after Katrina and are still struggling with debt and repaying their SBA loans, yet this community is being hit again by the oil spill. Commercial and recreational fishing bans are currently in effect, and as many of these residents rely on the fish and seafood industries, they are now being forced to sign up for food at the food pantry so that they will be able to feed their families until they can find other work.

What you can do: Donations go towards food, clothing and services for families in need.

More ways to get involved: A recent Gulf Aid concert in New Orleans on May 16th raised over $300,000 for families in need and included performances by Lenny Kravitz, John Legend, Ani Difranco, Allen Toussaint, The Voice of the Wetlands All-Stars and The Preservation Hall Jazz Band with Mos Def. Donations are still being taken through the Gulf Relief Foundation or you can text “GULFAID 10” to 27138 to donate $10 to Gulf Aid.

There are discussions that another series of concerts will be held on July 1st with all proceeds benefiting Gulf Coast families. If you’d like to be involved or create a fundraiser of your own, it’s easier than you think. Identify an organization to direct your donation and contact them. The first point of contact is sometimes all we need to get started.

Don’t know where to start? Leave a comment below and we’ll help you. This is too important for us all not to jump in and find a way to contribute.

**
Editor’s note: This post originally was posted on Pop Tech with the byline: Sloane Berrent currently resides in New Orleans. She co-founded NOLAlicious, a weekly e-newsletter about New Orleans and organized the first CrisisCampNOLA.

I know what many people say. They want to give back but they don’t know how. They want to get involved and volunteer in their community but they don’t know where to start. Well, I’m here to help!

In just one hour, you’ll have the ideas, tools, resources and hopefully – motivation to get started. So let’s start this summer off with a new sense of how to give back. As my childhood babysitter used to say, “Time waits for no one.”

For a lot of people, they go online to volunteer websites and start scrolling through the options. Everything looks good, or nothing, or somewhere in between but they’re not sure what to pick. This is the vortex of indecision, and not where you should start!

First, block an hour from your calendar when you won’t be distracted and can sit and focus on the task at hand. Sit in a comfortable place with a blank piece of paper or in front of a blank document on your computer (with your browser closed!) and follow along with the exercise below. You’ll be identifying the key components needed to finding a nonprofit right for you and then we’ll provide the resources where you can find that match.
Ready? Let’s go!

Write down the names of nonprofits that interest you. These can be nonprofits you’ve donated to in the past, maybe you’ve participated in a walk or event or have read about a cause or charity and are interested in learning more. Geographic location doesn’t matter; just start making creating a list of those nonprofits.

Write down the type of nonprofits or causes that you’re passionate about. My list would look something like: economic development, grassroots environmental groups, women’s issues (specifically girls’ education and financial literacy), health issues (specifically malaria prevention and treatment) and poverty alleviation. For you maybe it’s children or pets or house building. There is no right number to write down, if the list gets longer than five, prioritize your list to make going back later and looking at it easier for you.
Write down the type of skills or environment you want to volunteer in. Are you looking to lend your current professional expertise like create a marketing plan for a small nonprofit or provide legal counsel in a pro-bono setting or are you looking to do something completely different like plant a garden in a school or walk dogs at shelter? Do you want an opportunity you can do at home like translation services for an international aid organization or do you want to be around a group of people? Volunteer opportunities vary greatly as do the types of skills that they are looking for. Many nonprofits need volunteers to do critical items for them (mailings to donors and phone banks) but also offer other opportunities that aren’t as vital but provide one-on-one interaction with who they serve.

How much time do you have to give? Do you want to be a regular volunteer (once a week or once a month) or would you prefer to be called in as-needed? Do you want to sign up for a commitment for a certain period of time? Do you want to volunteer at night, or on weekends or during the day? Are you looking for an opportunity for a specific period of time like two weeks in July or something on-going? Do you want something local or are you looking for a destination volunteer opportunity? All of these questions help with the roadmap that is creating a filter system in advance to help you find the perfect match.

Many nonprofits could use pro-bono services or in-kind gifts. Volunteering doesn’t have to be a silo, if you can offer a mix of services, go for it! For example, last year I helped a homeless shelter start an e-newsletter to their donors but also fed the homeless. While they needed my hardware skills, I also really wanted to do the software part and was very upfront with them and we created a schedule that let me do both!
Remember, volunteering is not always the best place to pick up a new skill! Reading to inner city kids or becoming a mentor often come with mandatory training, but a nonprofit’s resources are extremely limited and it’s hard on them to be teaching all new skills. If you really want to help a nonprofit in an area unfamiliar to you, do your research first and educate yourself and then go to them with your new skill set.

Hopefully, you now have a list in front of you that defines what causes you are passionate about, what interests you, how you are looking to give back and how often. Now all you have to do is find a place to volunteer! Reach out to people you know who are active in the community and be specific about what you’re looking for, use social media to tell your friends you’re looking to volunteer and asking them for help finding the right opportunity. Do your online research!

Volunteering is one of the most rewarding activities in my life; I hope this activity helps you find the same passion to create a cause-filled life of your own!

Resources to Get Started:
Idealist

Volunteer Match

Serve.Gov

AllforGood’s search tool on VolunteerSpot

**
I’d like to dedicate this blog post to my friend, Micah Baldwin, who inspired me to think about to talk to people about getting involved which in turn, inspired this post.

**
Originally posted as a guest author on VolunteerSpot’s Summer of Service blog series. VolunteerSpot’s free online coordination tool saves leaders time and makes it easy for more people to say YES to making a difference.