Bravery from Brand New School and Antidote rewarded…

When Antidote (www.antidote.co.uk) was approached by Diesel founder Renzo Rosso to create a call-to-arms to inspire and mobilize the world’s youth to join the fight to help end extreme poverty in Africa and around the world, Antidote’s creatives wrote a manifesto for The Only The Brave Foundation and approached Brand New School to create a short, powerful animated film. In his treatment, BNS founder and executive creative director Jonathan Notaro proposed the unique storytelling approach that helps the foundation deliver its message in style in the finished production. The presentation is also taken to new heights by the score from Human Worldwide.

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Forces for Good: Al Gore

Three years ago, Nobel Laureate and former U.S. Vice President Al Gore issued a powerful challenge to America: “Today I challenge our nation to commit to producing 100% of our electricity from renewable energy and truly clean carbon free sources within 10 years.”

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Jessye Norman On Summer’s Edge

On the evening of 20 June in New York City, world renowned opera artist Jessye Norman will present On Summer’s Edge, an evening of music and celebration benefiting The Partnership to End Homelessness. Beginning at 6:30PM at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Ms. Norman and Sade Baderinwa will co-host performances from Dee Dee Bridgewater, Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble and Mingus Dynasty.

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Forces for good: TONIC and YOU

TONIC is a platform for brands (consumers, celebrities and causes) to educate, interact and engage consumers around positive actions. Started as a destination for good news content, TONIC now generates its own news via the worlds of Silicon Valley, Madison Avenue, Philanthropy and Hollywood. This week they shared 10 thoughtful tips on ways to do good and be awesome this summer.

As their social media marketing manager Alethia Austin writes, “Here at Tonic, we believe the things to do during summer that are the most fun are those that have a positive effect on you, the people around you and our beautiful planet. We’ve put together a few ideas for you to consider when you find yourself wondering what to do during these long, wonderful summer days.”

I’ve summarized their suggestions below, but encourage you to check out the full article linked above for further ideas and inspiration. Thank you very much for your interest, and for doing your part to make our world better for us and generations to come.

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Forces for good: Ventilate Japan

Ventilate Japan is a charity poster series donating 100% of all profits to the Red Cross, benefiting those who suffer from the Great East Japan Earthquake. Curated by graphic artist and publisher Michael Brown, Ventilate Japan is an initiative of ventilate.ca and each of the contributing artists as well as its sponsors. The group’s goal is to not only raise funds but to also raise awareness of the scale of this disaster, the physical and psychological toll taken by its victims, as well as the on-going threat posed by spent nuclear fuel.

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Forces for good: The Partnership to End Homelessness

Each day, more than 100 families appear at NYC shelters asking for emergency assistance, but according to Arnold S. Cohen, President and CEO of the Partnership for the Homeless, shelters represent one of the most expensive means of supporting people in a housing crisis. As he reports, New York City has devoted virtually no real … Read moreForces for good: The Partnership to End Homelessness

Barbara Kopple: Thanks for the documentary

From producer Marc N. Weiss and two-time Academy Award-winning director Barbara Kopple, whose credits also include “Harlan County, U.S.A.,” “American Dreams” and “Shut Up and Sing,” comes “Gun Fight,” premiering tonight (Wednesday, April 13) on HBO. Blending archival and original footage, “Gun Fight” investigates the complex issues surrounding gun violence in America, and the seemingly intractable debate about what to do about it. To me personally, this is truly Must See TV. Here’s what a few others are saying about it.

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Please help save our supplies!

The video featured above is an SOS. It was first sent by DOC2DOCK, a non-profit organization that saves usable medical supplies from being discarded in the U.S. and sends them to hospitals in the developing world. Now, you can send the SOS further, and join the cause. Spread this SOS. Save Our Supplies. www.facebook.com/DOC2DOCK The … Read morePlease help save our supplies!

TED’s 2011 Ads Worth Spreading

For supporting its 2011 Ads Worth Spreading project, TED thanks YouTube, AICP, NiceSpots, Art Directors Club, The One Club/One Show, 4A’s, IAA, IAB and Contagious Magazine.

Inspiring new book on the upside of resistance


Today marks the worldwide release of an amazing new book from Union Square Press, written by Steve Crawshaw and John Jackson, with a foreward from the internationally renowned human rights champion Vaclav Havel. The book is entitled Small Acts of Resistance: How Courage, Tenacity, and Ingenuity Can Change the World.

I met John Jackson through the spectacular MTV Burma Viral project from Carl Le Blond, Ogilvy Amsterdam, and Shilo. Earlier today, he reported that BBC’s world affairs editor John Simpson had highlighted the new book in his story today on Liu Xiaobo winning the 2010 Nobel Prize, writing,

“John Simpson has highlighted beautifully how Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo is linked to so many others in history and today, who live in truth and resist injustice… the very people whose stories our book aims to celebrate.”

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