Project Description

Hello all,

We'd like to invite you to a global warming themed art showing. This show takes place in Long Beach California at the [2cc] 2nd City Council Art Gallery from April 19, 2008 until May 22, 2008. The 2cc gallery is located at 435 Alamitos Ave. Long Beach, CA 90802. It is between 4th and 5th street.

The artists reception is Saturday April 26 from 7-9 pm. Please come join us.

The show is free and open to all ages. The show is juried by international artist, curator and author Kim Abeles. Kim Abeles is an artist who has been on the forefront of earth, world, and global warming issues for years.. She gained international attention for her series of plates called “The Smog Collectors”.

The 36 artists are Jude Wadler, Albert Sormanti, Wendy Trauth, Kimiko Miyoshi, Michael Hankin, Don Hall, Jackie Appel, Steven Fujimoto, Ken Boland, Kirk Van Allyn, Milo Cil, Bill Damrova, Bob Beers, Ronald Ray Seekers, S. Shelly Jones, Ann Isolde, Stan Benson, Betty Marin, Carlos Daub, Eileen Star Moderbacher, Diana Wong, Cheryl Lommatsch, Melissa Kaup-Augustine, Don Ryan, Julie Kornblum, Melissa A. Kojima, ReneeAmitai, Ann Marie Rousseau, Kerry Kugelman, Janet Lucroy, Tim Armstrong, Kenda Francis, Ann Fanciullo Sperling, George Two Horses, and Jaune Sabatte. Music provided by the Brad Dutz Obliteration Quartet.

Images of the show and an update afterwards will be available soon.

Project Description

This year’s District 5170 International Project will be within the Rotary family, minimizing the dollars used on administrative costs – in other words, every penny of your money will be spent helping the needy! We will be fundraising for three projects on three continents, spreading our love farther than ever before. The first continent we will hit is Africa. Last year, we were able to donate mosquito nets and toys to a village in Ghana. This year, we will partner up with Rotaractors in Ghana to build and furnish a school – from scratch – for a village. The school is currently just four walls standing proudly and waiting for our assistance, and Interact 5170 will be the reason that these Ghanaian children receive a sound education. Our second, and equally important, project will be in Panama, which we touched with Wheelchair Foundation in 2003-2004. This time, we will be teaching local residents the techniques of sustainable farming so they will be able to grow and sell their own food. The impact of Interact 5170 will last a lifetime and more, and little by little our influence will spread throughout Panama and the rest of Central America. Last, but in no ways least, we will donate the remainder of the money we raise to The Terma Foundation, a Rotary-approved non-governmental organization. The Terma Foundation, in turn, will use our dollars to help eradicate tuberculosis in Tibet. Specifically, we will help provide medical training and supplies to prevent, control, and ultimately eliminate the presence of TB in Tibet. Please be the amazing Interactor that you are and help promote these projects! District Council has set our monetary goal at $50,000, higher than ever before, because we believe that the wonderful Interactors of District 5170 can and WILL make this happen. The warm fuzzies you get from helping the world will make this year your most memorable yet, and the world could really use your help. Remember that District Council will be here for guidance and support whenever needed, so in the words of Rosie the Riveter, “We Can Do It!”

Project Description

Tuition Relief Now is a student-led, volunteer driven ballot initiative campaign aiming to freeze undergraduate tuition at all 31 Cal State and University of California campuses.

With fees nearly doubling in the past six years, students are being priced out of higher education!

Join us and sign up to volunteer at www.TUITIONRELIEFNOW.org!

In a nutshell, this law will freeze tuition for 5 years for resident undergraduate students in University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU). Thereafter, the law will prevent any future tuition increases from exceeding the inflation index.

The law will raise new revenue specifically for the cost of educating UC and CSU student through a 1% tax on millionaires' income over $1 million.

The law sets up an accountability process requiring UC and CSU administrators to report to a citizens panel of students and parents how the new revenue is being spent.

Look out for your local Tuition Relief Now group and join to support your fellow students.

Project Description

3:55 A.M. The morning chill shakes my bones, a warm body tosses and turns next to me, the blanket itches my dry skin, and I try to squeeze my eyes shut to get at least another hour of sleep in before the sun comes up. Someone sniffles a few feet away and I hear HJ whisper uncertainly, "Renee, you up?"
"Yes"
"It's like freezing," she chatters.
"Just imagine if we slept like this every night"
Sitting up, HJ and I look at the two other bodies resting next to us with breathing chests. We've immersed ourselves in homelessness sleeping on cardboard fully clothed snuggled together like sardines nudged between two buildings. That cold February night we had a little taste of what it means to sleep on the streets, to be homeless in San Jose.
After opening our eyes to urban atrocities, we are passionate high school students advocating for the homeless in San Jose. We have directed and produced a video regarding homelessness in our area. Armed with a video camera and a list of contacts, we have interviewed the hidden homeless, the people who are trying to change legislation, and anyone who wants to share their thoughts. On March 6th, 2008, we are raising awareness by breaking stereotypes. We will be showing our video, hosting a panel discussion and donating all proceeds to the Emergency Housing Consortium in San Jose.

Become Aware. Take Action. See Change.

Project Description

Imagine high school students who have been failed out of schools educating teachers and state policy makers about educational inequality. Imagine students who have been incarcerated, live amidst poverty, violence, and have dozens of friends who have been killed; imagine these excluded students teaching state legislators about how state education policy frames their lives. These diverse students know about the failures of the public education system because they live these failures, and they are increasingly voicing their concerns about violence, but also about schools focusing on the wrong things. A select group of students at Berkeley Technology Academy, under the guidance of Dr. Christopher Knaus, are on a mission to make their educational experiences relevant to those who structure public education in California. Through a service-learning focused creative writing class, Knaus and a team of undergraduate leaders, accompanies these continuation high school students on a journey using words, feelings, and ideas as tools of change. Despite how schooling has not worked for them, these students have come to see education as a weapon for battling the poverty and violence in their communities. They also know that the flawed educational system has crippled their chances of overcoming their harsh realities – most cannot graduate high school and will be required to work fulltime immediately upon high school completion. For these inspired youths, their voices have become a vehicle for progress, and as they sharpen their voices, increasing numbers of community members, educators, and policy makers are starting to listen. While this course is already underway, additional funding is needed to catalyze their efforts and provide forums for critical voice around educational policy. With additional funding, students will identify and initiate contact with state policy makers (including continuing conversations with already-engaged city and county legislators) and conduct a half-day workshop. This legislative workshop will center on statewide policies including the California High School Exit Exam and access to college preparatory curriculum. Additional funding will provide two digital cameras, editing software, and transportation to the Sacramento-based workshops. This is not only an investment in a class of student, but an investment in their future, and the future of student-initiated policy-level conversations. By funding this project, Do Something will be providing further space for students to inspire us all to see through their eyes. But perhaps more directly, this project will allow traditionally excluded students opportunities to demonstrate their public voice by shaping educational policy that impacts all of California’s youth. The course is being facilitated by InnerWorks – a nonprofit organization dedicated to local educational improvement in South and West Berkeley.

Project Description

As a gardening activist living in an urban wonderland located in one of the most agriculturally productive regions in the world, where options for diverse cuisine abound, I have often found myself wondering “where is all this food coming from?” Are most people in the city eating sustainably produced, locally and ecologically grown organic foods? This doesn’t seem likely. While much headway has been made in the mainstreaming of organic foods, what exactly is the state of California’s emerging “sustainable” food system? After mulling about the idea for a food system tour, I linked up with filmmaker Jesse Sabin and, with the fiscal sponsorship and support of the Community Food Security Coalition (CFSC), I have decided to make a documentary film on the topic. Jesse and I will be traveling the state during the first 3 months of 2008, interviewing players in this food system. Included will be farmers, farmer’s market organizations, watershed and farm-land advocacy groups, university buying departments, educational organizations, non-profits of all sorts, established and emerging grassroots groups, government regulators and politicians, county extension agents, and the many others who form various arms of this movement to ensure an ongoing supply of healthy, ecologically and locally-produced, economically affordable food for all Californians.The questions asked will generally be these (but each interview will of course be tailored to each interviewee’s unique position):

1. 1) What do you do?
2. 2) How do you envision California’s “sustainable food system”? Can such a food system reliably produce enough food to support our urban populations?
3. 3) What role do you see yourself or your organization playing in such a food system? What is your capacity? What are your limitations?
4. 4) What might help you fulfill that capacity with your project?
5. 5) What methods/strategies have and haven’t worked for you?
6. 6) What are the obstacles you see facing the realization of the sustainable food system?
7. 7) Who do you see as having much influence over the food system?
8. What information would you like consumers to be more aware of?

My intention is multi-faceted: to gather information on the food system; to seek ideas on how to improve and apply sustainable practices and models (from those already doing it themselves); to gather information on what emergent organizations need to build their capacity (and pass this info onto the California Food and Justice Coalition, who will use it to direct their organizational-support programs), and finally, to gather footage to use in the film, entitled “In Search Of Good Food”.If you, your organization, or someone you know would like to be included in this film, please contact me as soon as you can.Thank you,Antonio Roman-Alcalá [personal info edited out by DS staff]insearchofgoodfood@gmail.com www.foodsecurity.org

Project Description

The UnGarbage Crew, located in the Santa Clara Unified School District as an environmental club on Wilcox High School’s campus, is dedicated to improving the community and environment that it resides in and beyond. Established in the year 2005 as a community outreach project with the aid of Stanford University’s Quest Scholars Program to fulfill a United Nations commitment, the UnGarbage Crew is an environmental organization that is dedicated to abating our ecological footprint by reducing, reusing, and recycling. The UGC strives to reduce the amount of waste through the interrelations between students across different grade levels in order to pursue our goal of: " saving the world, one piece at a time." Many mentions of the UGC have been included in the school newspaper, The Scribe, highlighting the positive impact our fifty members have had while taking out the paper, can, and bottle recycling materials of the entire campus serving 2000 members of the student body. Since the start of our club, Wilcox is seen to have recycled nearly twice as much as the entire district put together making us the greenest campus of the district.

Early efforts of our club involved recycling the mass amount of waste students and faculty alike created during the school year. This involved obtaining recycling bins that were placed in each and every classroom for paper, bottles, cans, and styrofoam. We have made many strides in this area and have had much success. Now is the time to expand our vision and goals.

We plan to initiate a recycling program similar to ours at other schools within our district. Elementary school students, middle school students, and high school students will all interact to make this happen with the support of adult members of the community. This would foster not only a better environment but stronger bonds between community members and students.

With that being said...
Recycling is good, but reducing is better.

The quality of water at our high school is barely acceptable for drinking. Being unnaturally high in minerals it leaves a residue and a bad taste thus turning students away from drinking fountains. In turn students buy water bottles, which are bad for the environment. To reduce the amount of harmful plastic in society, we seek to install water filters on school fountains to reduce the purchases of water bottles.

Check out our website!

http://wilcox.ugc.googlepages.com

Project Description

School-based health centers provide underserved students with access to health care and medical attention. These health centers are particularly relevent in low-income, immigrant communities. Bertrand is a state-level advocate for school-based health centers and better food options in cafeterias. His lobbying helped pass the "School Health Centers Act of 2006" and got Gov. Schwarzenegger to promise more. He helps to educate new, upcoming health advocates.

Project Description

From San Diego California: More info at www.CarrizoCreekRange.Org

For those who are as passionate about their Second Amendment rights, environment, and preservation of multi-use public land as we are, this volunteer opportunity is FOR YOU!

If you have not noticed, open land to shoot on, our public land, is dwindling at an alarming rate. From La Posta to Kitchen Creek, we have been loosing hundreds of acres of land per year.

All of this is because of a few reasons - a couple of them we have 100% control over:

- Safety Issues

- Littering

Safety Issues: OBSERVE your weapon safety rules. They are really simple and effective.

Littering: DONT DO IT YOURSELF. If you bring targets out to our public lands, bring them home with you! Its that simple. In addition – police each other. This is your land just as much as it is my land.

Doing just these two things can, from this day forward, preserve our public lands. As for those lands we are using now, which are in IMMEDIATE DANGER of being closed to the public...

We can prevent the closure of these places by taking PROACTIVE steps to protect them.

Out highway 8 lies about 20 acres of BLM land (Bureau of Land Management) which is 100% open to the public and has been utilized as a range by shooters for years because of its great location and terrific terrain features.

Unfortunately, for every 100 users ofthis land, there are the 10% who are not responsible and have caused a severe build up of trash which could possibly cause the range to be closed off to the public.

As you are aware, this has happened in the past; unfortunately there was no one to be proactive and prevent the closure process before it started.

WE CAN BE PROACTIVE AND PRESERVE THIS RANGE!!!

How you can help:

- Equipment such as tractors (we need a "bobcat" still) Your financial contribution and sponsorships can help us fund the rental of this needed asset.

- Sponsorships - Many opportunities for businesses, organizations or individuals that can BENEFIT YOU & US in many ways!

- Labor - 200+ people are needed for the 2 day clean up which will go down in the Spring

- Exposure - Pass the word!!! After asking yourself ask the indoor range you shoot at, and the shops you patronize, what they are doing to help this cause.

Project Description

Amy Lemley co-found and served as the Executive Director of The First Place Fund for Youth in Oakland, CA. Amy’s organization ensures long-term self-sufficiency for former foster youth by providing peer-based housing loans, educational counseling and life-skills training.  Within one year, 95% of youth participants were employed and 77% completed their GED or received a high school diploma. Amy won a BRICK Award in 2000.