I Love My Block Summer Film Festival

Thank You

2008-07-30T19:16:00.000-07:00

Thank You to all those who came out last night and attended the film festival. We had a great time and we hope you did too.
Special Thanks to:
The Poets
Rebel Diaz (for an amazing performance)
YerbaBuena (for those great tunes that made many dance)
Rooftop Films (the technicians were a great help)
All of the audience
And Last But Not Least
A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TO
Assembly Man Ruben Diaz
for all his help, support, and for making an apperance at our festival.

Thank You We Love You All!
We Promise To Continue
Bringing You Great Events

---Lorena Bautista

The Film Festival is THIS WEEK!

2008-07-26T12:22:00.000-07:00

I LOVE MY BLOCK SUMMER FILM FESTIVAL
IS THIS WEEK!

This Tuesday July 29th is the film festival.
Baretto Point Park
1733E 172nd ST
Between Tiffany and Viele
Transportation- BX6, 2/5/6 Train
Shuttle Bus passes every 30min
7:00pm to 8pm Poetry/Music Hour
8:00pm to 10pm Film Festival
Feel free to bring a blanket and snacks
Come out and celebrate your family and neighborhood.
Films by: DreamYard ACTION Project, EVC, JFK HIGH SCHOOL, TRUCE, & Much More
**************************************
Hope To See You All on Tuesday!!!

Summer Film Festival

2008-07-22T20:02:00.000-07:00

IT'S COMING...IT'S COMING!!!

2008-07-20T17:03:00.000-07:00

THATS RIGHT!

TUESDAY JULY 29TH

"I LOVE MY BLOCK"

PRESENTS

THE SECOND ANNUAL

DREAMYARD A.C.T.I.O.N PROJECT

SUMMER FILM FESTIVAL

@ BARRETTO POINT PARK

WHY SHOULD YOU GO?

YOU GET TO

EAT POPCORN,

WATCH GREAT FILMS,

AND ENJOY A BEAUTIFUL DAY

WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS

UHHH...WHY SHOULDN'T YOU GO

WELL I HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE

JULY 29TH @ BARRETTO POINT PARK

FROM 7PM TO 10PM

DONT FORGET TO MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS NOW

CONTACT COTI.WERUNTHIS@GMAIL.COM

LOVE YOU ALL,

LORENA

Hey

2008-07-11T07:02:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone for those of you who don't know me My name is Coti and I'm one of the people who's making the summer film festival happen. I just want to say that the press release that im writing for the film festival is almost done. All I gotta do is rap things up and conclude everything. Also we got Rubin Diaz to pay for everything that we need for the event which is soooo great. Like whats been said in the previous post we're looking for films so if you guys have anything you want to sumit email me at coti.werunthis@gmail.com and i'll give you all the info for sumiting films. Anywayz I hope you all could make it to the event and yupp you could pretty much say I have to get back to working on this dope film festival. Chao!!

Submit Your Work!

2008-07-07T09:45:00.001-07:00

Dreamyard A.C.T.I.O.N Project Presents

I LOVE MY BLOCK FILM FESTIVAL - CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: I Love My Block Summer Film Festival, showcasing poignant short films that celebrate all kinds of families and various communities from New York City and beyond. The festival will feature films with various themes from environmental justice to to the prison industrial complex. Families & Communities are formed when people get together to share, build and collaborate. Every family and neighborhood is different yet we all have underlying connections. What are the issues you care about the most? Who or what makes up your family or community? What would you say to the world if you had a short film to tell it in? Show your love for your Block, submit your film today!

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

- All genres of short-films will be

accepted for review which

includes narratives,

documentaries,

animation and experimental.

-All films must be in English or subtitled in English.

-Films must be appropriate for young audiences

-Maximum length is 12 minutes.

-Filmmakers must own all rights in order to submit

-Submission format: DVD

Please mail film and description to the attention of:

PATTYDUKES/

I Love My Block Film Festival

Dreamyard Action Project

872 Gerard Avenue, #2

Bronx, NY 10452

Yo-Tv Success

2008-06-12T19:14:00.000-07:00

Yo-Tv had their premier of their documentry
and it was a complete hit.
the documentry was amazing.
The style was creative
and the stories added a personal touch.

Congrats to Yo-Tv & Thanks for inviting us

Great Things Coming Soon!

2008-06-07T17:20:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,
Don't think that we have forgotten about you. We have all been a bit busy but we're back and of course we have a few updates.
1. Congratulations to Barack Obama for he is now the Demoratic nominee for the Nov 2008 Presidential Election! (Dont forget to vote on Nov 4th...If you still need to register please do.)

2.The Substainable South Bronx Healthy Living Block Party was a total success! The kids had a great time and everyone left a winner

3. We have begun to plan our summer youth festival. It is going to be amazing so keep checking back for more info. (Any filmakers who are intrested in submitting a film, a blog will be going up in the next few weeks with all the info)

4. Saturday June 14th frm 3:00 to 8:00, Rebels for Justice will be hosting their 1st benefit to raise money for exonerees @ at the Bruckner Bar which is located at 1 Bruckner Boulevard Bronx NY, 10451. There will be a silent auction, the viewing of a documentery, food and refreshments. We hope to see you all there! (the event is free but a donation of $10.00 is suggested)

5. We must thank everyone again for all the support. Thank you for showing up to our events! We hope to continue to see you at future events and definetly hope to see you on the 14th. Thanks for everything!!

The event was awsome

2008-05-24T09:01:00.000-07:00

Well there ya go!! Im sure everyone had an awsome time at the event and yeah heres my perspective on the event. Even through the hard times in putting this event together we still made it happen. This was awsome and it really impowered me alot not only with my performance but with everyday life in general. I loved the fact that we wanted to get not only our voices out there but other peoples voices to speack up for whats right and whats ours. I love that were starting to have a voice in society. At first when I started to do this project I wasn't really into it cuz Im not really into politics like that but once I started to get into the project and started to think about it I thought it was pretty cool after all this. So a big thanks to our group Patty, Hector, Lurena, Melody, and Kevin. Also let's not forget about the vollenteers that helped us with setting up for the event. A big thanks to you too!!! And a huge shout out to all the organizations that helped us promote the event. We Love all you guys!! Also a thanks to everyone that came to the event to support and help us make this event happen!! A big thanks to everyone!!! And remember WE RUN THIS!!!!!

We Run This Vote - The Video!!

2008-05-21T05:55:00.000-07:00

A big shout out to everyone who came to our event on May 10th!
In case you missed it, check out our video which we premiered at the event.
Hope you enjoy! Please share with folks...
and remember to VOTE !!!

A Great Block Party!

2008-05-17T17:07:00.000-07:00

Today was the Healthy Living Block Party and it was amazing. There was face painting, arts and craft, bike giveaways, raffles, food and so much more. We have many more events coming up.
June 14th is Rebels for Justice event for more info go to www.exonerproject.blogspot.com
July 2008 is the Youth Film Festival stay tuned for more info.

The We Run This Vote Camaign is not over
We Will Continue to educate the youth
& let you know about other great events!

Continue to spread the word & visit our site!

10 Things you Should Know About John McCain

2008-05-15T15:27:00.000-07:00

1. John McCain voted against establishing a national holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Now he says his position has "evolved," yet he's continued to oppose key civil rights laws.1

2. According to Bloomberg News, McCain is more hawkish than Bush on Iraq, Russia and China. Conservative columnist Pat Buchanan says McCain "will make Cheney look like Gandhi."23. His reputation is built on his opposition to torture, but McCain voted against a bill to ban waterboarding, and then applauded President Bush for vetoing that ban.3

4. McCain opposes a woman's right to choose. He said, "I do not support Roe versus Wade. It should be overturned."4

5. The Children's Defense Fund rated McCain as the worst senator in Congress for children. He voted against the children's health care bill last year, then defended Bush's veto of the bill.5

6. He's one of the richest people in a Senate filled with millionaires. The Associated Press reports he and his wife own at least eight homes! Yet McCain says the solution to the housing crisis is for people facing foreclosure to get a "second job" and skip their vacations.6

7. Many of McCain's fellow Republican senators say he's too reckless to be commander in chief. One Republican senator said: "The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine. He's erratic. He's hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me."7

8. McCain talks a lot about taking on special interests, but his campaign manager and top advisers are actually lobbyists. The government watchdog group Public Citizen says McCain has 59 lobbyists raising money for his campaign, more than any of the other presidential candidates.8

9. McCain has sought closer ties to the extreme religious right in recent years. The pastor McCain calls his "spiritual guide," Rod Parsley, believes America's founding mission is to destroy Islam, which he calls a "false religion." McCain sought the political support of right-wing preacher John Hagee, who believes Hurricane Katrina was God's punishment for gay rights and called the Catholic Church "the Antichrist" and a "false cult."9

10. He positions himself as pro-environment, but he scored a 0—yes, zero—from the League of Conservation Voters last year.10John McCain is not who the Washington press corps make him out to be. Please help get the word out

Want the sources:Sources: 1. "The Complicated History of John McCain and MLK Day," ABC News, April 3, 2008http://blogs. abcnews.com /politicalpunch/ 2008/04/the -complicated. html
"McCain Facts," ColorOfChange. org, April 4, 2008 http://colorofchang e.org /mccain_facts/
2. "McCain More Hawkish Than Bush on Russia, China, Iraq," Bloomberg News, March 12, 2008 http://www.bloomber g.com/apps /news?pid=20601103&sid=aF28rSCt k0ZM&refer=us
"Buchanan: John McCain 'Will Make Cheney Look Like Gandhi,'" ThinkProgress, February 6, 2008 http://thinkprogres s.org/2008 /02/06/buchanan- gandhi-mccain/
3. "McCain Sides With Bush On Torture Again, Supports Veto Of Anti-Waterboarding Bill," ThinkProgress, February 20, 2008 http://thinkprogres s.org/2008 /02/20/mccain- torture-veto/
4. "McCain says Roe v. Wade should be overturned," MSNBC, February 18, 2007 http://www.msnbc. msn.com/id /17222147/
5. "2007 Children's Defense Fund Action Council® Nonpartisan Congressional Scorecard," February 2008 http://www.children sdefense .org/site/PageServe r?pagename =act_learn_scorecar d2007
"McCain: Bush right to veto kids health insurance expansion," CNN, October 3, 2007 http://www.cnn. com/2007 /POLITICS/10/ 03/mccain. intervie w/
6. "Beer Executive Could Be Next First Lady," Associated Press, April 3, 2008 http://ap.google. com/article /ALeqM5h-S1sWHm0tch tdMP5LcLywg5 ZtMgD8VQ86M80
"McCain Says Bank Bailout Should End `Systemic Risk,'" Bloomberg News, March 25, 2008 http://www.bloomber g.com/apps /news?pid=20601087&sid=aHMiDVYa XZFM&refer=home
7. "Will McCain's Temper Be a Liability?," Associated Press, February 16, 2008 http://abcnews. go.com/Politics /wireStory?id= 4301022
"Famed McCain temper is tamed," Boston Globe, January 27, 2008 http://www.boston. com/news /nation/articles/ 2008/01/27 /famed_mccain_ temper_is_ tamed/
8. "Black Claims McCain's Campaign Is Above Lobbyist Influence: 'I Don't Know What The Criticism Is,'" ThinkProgress, April 2, 2008http://thinkprogres s.org/2008 /04/02/mccain- black-lobbyist/
"McCain's Lobbyist Friends Rally 'Round Their Man," ABC News, January 29, 2008 http://abcnews. go.com/Blotter /story?id=4210251
9. "McCain's Spiritual Guide: Destroy Islam," Mother Jones Magazine, March 12, 2008 http://www.motherjo nes.com /washington_ dispatch/ 2008/03 /john-mccain- rod-parsley -spiritual-guide. html
"Will McCain Specifically 'Repudiate' Hagee's Anti-Gay Comments?," ThinkProgress, March 12, 2008 http://thinkprogres s.org/2008 /03/12/mccain- hagee-anti- gay/
"McCain 'Very Honored' By Support Of Pastor Preaching 'End-Time Confrontation With Iran,'" ThinkProgress, February 28, 2008 http://thinkprogres s.org/2008 /02/28/hagee- mccain-endorseme nt / 10. "John McCain Gets a Zero Rating for His Environmental Record," Sierra Club, February 28, 2008 http://www.alternet .org/blogs /environment/ 77913/

Absolutley Amazing

2008-05-11T13:57:00.000-07:00

The show was absolutley amazing. On behalf of all the member of the We Run This Vote Campagin we thank all of those who showed up at our event and helped out. The show was a hit and the performers were great, no they were amazing. The context of their performance was incredible. Our goal was met. We showed young people talking about important topics through art. Congrats to all the performers! You guys are breaking the sterotypes and proving to the world that young people do care an we will be heard! You can see us on ch12 news the bronx!

Stay tuned for more of us. We won't stop here. Next week is the Substanible South Bronx Healthy Living Block Party! Once again thanks for everything!

Working with the 889 Studio!

2008-05-07T09:36:00.000-07:00

So the WE RUN THIS VOTE group wanted to create screen-printed posters for our event on Saturday. As you come in they will be displayed. Check out our process, it was a wonderful afternoon and we got to play with paint! what more can you ask for...

First we thought of what we wanted on the poster.....

then we looked at them to make them different & unique.....

we started to draw......

Then we cut out the images.. and layed them down backwards..
we glued them to a base for us to print from, a piece of wood.
then we started to paint...
and brought out a lot of colors.....
Coti loved working on her Superman logo....

Then we were off to printing..
we placed the paper inside, rolled the heavy weight on it.. and this is what came out.
Melody was still painting....
Can you tell she was loving it...

This is what Melody made.

Some of us helping each other out..
The whole crew at the end of the day.... some folks even made shirts.
Thanks to Alejandra and all the folks at 889 studio on hunts point avenue
for a lovely day of making posters. catch them all displayed this Saturday, MAY 10th at the Point. WE RUN THIS VOTE!

Harper Collins visit

2008-05-07T09:31:00.000-07:00

Recently Ms. PattyDukes took Lorena , the project manager of We Run This Vote to visit with Paola Soto who works with Harper Collins as an Ad/Promo Associate. They donated a bunch of books for our event! So a big shout to Paola Soto and everyone at Harper Collins for supporting WE RUN THIS VOTE ! which is THIS SATURDAY, MAY 10th 6-8pm at The Point.
See you there!!

The CountDown Begins!!!

2008-05-03T19:35:00.000-07:00

We are exactly one week away from our event day. We wish to see you all Saturday May 10th

We Run This Vote Campaign_Project of the Day!!

2008-04-25T10:27:00.000-07:00

Guess what We Run This Vote is the project of the day on www.dosomething.org check it out. We are on the home page. more updates to come soon

Sean Bell: 3 Cops Full Acquittal! Justice Yeah Right!!

2008-04-25T09:54:00.000-07:00

Anger, Rage, Sadness, Shock, and Disappointment. Those are the feelings that come up when i review what has just happened. Three NYPD detectives recieve full aquittal on all charges in the case of groom to be Sean Bell. I was so disgusted with Patrick Lynch, new york city police union chief, said that this will show nypd member that they will be backed up no matter what. Now What in the world does that mean? How is it posible that a grand jury and judge come up with this verdict. This is absolutely unacceptable. We must understand what this mean. Citizens are not safe. A member of the NYPD holds way more power than what we thought. Just think if Sean Bell was your brother, son, cousin, or fiance. We can not rely on the justice system. What occur today was not justice, it did not showcase America's tittle of the land of justice and opportuunity. What are we to do now? What will happen now? Is Sean Bell ever going to recieve justice? Is our jucdical system failing us? Take a look at the Nixzmary Brown case. Was justice really served there? Shouldn't there had been a bigger punishment. People Wake Up! Our justice system is failing us!

And the Votes are In

2008-04-23T15:11:00.000-07:00

And Hilary Clinton is the winner of the Pennsylvania primary............. So the race isn't over yet but well see whats going to happen next!!!!!!!!

The Pope!!

2008-04-21T10:05:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,
The pope was in town!!! The Whole New York City shut down... But all i was thinking was that i wish i was the pope!! I wish i was the Pope... I don't think he understands the power he has...... He Literally would've made change....... all he spoke about was hop and the sex abuse in the church which is all great things to address..... but he would've changed a nation by addressing many other things...... What if he would've said not to sign up for the war, or what if he said that all children need to go to school and strive for the best...... or what if he said we needed a better health care system..... what if the pope told us to do something... we would've done it........ we would've gone to school and start new youth opportunities and change our health care system and motivate ourselves for better...... but like i said i wish i was the pope!!!!

Soulja Boy Gets Political

2008-04-20T12:09:00.000-07:00

check out this video that has been traveling through you tube...
funny and so on point!

Intresting!

2008-04-15T17:10:00.000-07:00

Today at our meeting with Yo-Tv a very intresting question came up. Shouldn't political leaders begin to pay close attention to youth at the age of 14 sice they will be voters at the next presidential election? Why haven't the political leaders begin to do this? Is it that we don't show maturity at that age or can it be that they can really care less? I believe it is time for someone to speak up. Why can't school curriculums include a class where young people are taught about the political process? If there was a class that would explain the process to young people don't you think the youth voting percentage would increase. Im very intresed in finding out what people think about this? Please let me know what you think.

Update!!

2008-04-15T07:05:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Today we have a meeting at the dream yard office with YO T.V at 4p.m we plan on pitching to them our project and hearing what they have to say. Hopefully its going to be a great meeting and everyone will have fun. Also i have alot of more pamphlets for the event and i have to bring those over to the office... thats it for all catch you all later!!!!!

If you plan on attending the walk heres the registrastion form!!

2008-04-13T08:31:00.001-07:00

Manhattan Tip to Tip Walk for Guatemala
Sunday, April 20Th, 2008
Registration Form
NAME
EMAIL
PHONE #
ADDRESS
Are you walking Tip to Tip or part of the way? Please briefly describe your plans
How did you learn about this walk?
CONSENT FORM
I,___________________________________ agree that Tip to Tip walk organizer, Jessica Rasp, can not be held liable for any injury, damage, accident, or loss that may occur during the Manhattan Tip to Tip Walk for Guatemala on April 20Th , 2008.

____________________________ _________________
Signature of Participant Date

____________________________
Printed Name

Please mail this registration form and $108 check made out to
“From Houses to Homes”
to Jessica Rasp: 655 East Passaic Ave, Bloomfield, NJ 07003
*Prior to April 20Th if possible or bring on day of walk

Tip-To-Tip from one end of manhattan to the other walk for guatemala

2008-04-13T08:21:00.000-07:00

Manhattan Tip to Tip Walk for Guatemala
Have you ever walked the entire length of Manhattan?
13.4 miles, 260 blocks walk all, some or in spirit
When: Sunday, April 20, 2008
All participants (tippers) are asked to raise $108 to go towards supporting a non-profit that builds homes with poor, rural families in Guatemala called
“From Houses to Homes” http://www.fromhousestohomes.org/
From Houses to Homes aims to strengthen community harmony in highland Guatemala by building lasting, healthy homes, improving access to health care and education, and inspiring participation between the poor and civil society.

Old house made from corn stalk
New house made with love & cinder blocks
From Houses to Homes has built 128 houses and still building
To register for the walk or to ask questions, contact:
Jessica Rasp
Tip to Tip Organizer
http://www.jessicarasp.com/ jcuba5@aol.com 973-893-9211

Prayer Vigil for Tibet Sunday Night April 6Th, 7:30 pm in Star seed Studio, Bloomfield NJ 07003"We should only feel compassion toward those who inflict harm upon one's self and others due to being overwhelmed by affective emotion. May they find wisdom. May they learn to live in harmony by loving one another. Through the power of truth and great compassion of awakened ones, may soon the suffering and the stream of tears come to an end ....". - H.H. 14Th Dalia Lama
Please join us for an evening of prayer and meditation in support of Tibet and all suffering people to enable all to awaken from confusion into peace and loving compassion. Mindful meditation and breathing are a powerful practice for our planet in this moment. Khenpo Nyima Gyaltsen Rinpoche, visiting from India, will be giving a public talk followed by the meditation.
Prayer Vigil for Tibet Sunday Night April 6Th, 7:30 pm in Star seed Studio, Bloomfield NJ 07003
"We should only feel compassion toward those who inflict harm upon one's self and others due to being overwhelmed by afflictive emotion. May they find wisdom. May they learn to live in harmony by loving one another. Through the power of truth and great compassion of awakened ones, may soon the suffering and the stream of tears come to an end ....". H.H. 14Th Dalia Lama
Please join us for an evening of prayer and meditation in support of Tibet and all suffering people to enable all to awaken from confusion into peace and loving compassion. Mindful meditation and breathing are a powerful practice for our planet in this moment. Khenpo Nyima Gyaltsen Rinpoche, visiting from India, will be giving a public talk followed by the meditation.

Dear Mr Presedent

2008-04-10T15:10:00.000-07:00

On the weekand that just past I went to this arts program at columbia hoping to promote the event. Im happy to say that one of my friends got all of the staffs emails so i'll email them the fliers:) Yay!! Also at the arts program, I sung a song and it's called Dear Mr President by pink.
So the question I really want to ask is who thinks that I should sing that song for the event?

Traffic!!! Not again!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-04-10T10:34:00.000-07:00

Mayor Michael Bloombergs bill to charge cars in order to drive into the city after a certain time was denied!! In fact it wasn't even voted on.... He is outraged but the real question is, does that mean that the bill was thrown in the garbage or will we hear about it again! But i have another bill i want to pass. i read about it today. its another solution for congestion. Bike riding......... yeah that's right riding bikes instead of driving cars...... we wouldn't have to pay gas and the environment wont even be polluted........... yay!!!! no pollution equals no global warming equals no melting ice caps equals we live longer!!! How great........ also don't you remember wanting to ride a bike when you were little, relive that experience it will reduce your risk of heart disease and it will make our community more livable. well that's my idea what do you think??????????

Check It Out, Facebook!

2008-04-07T19:44:00.000-07:00

hey out there !
So we've made a group page on facebook, so we can keep in touch with folks.
find us here:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=10677532298

this is a link to our event page on facebook in case you would like to rsvp:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=11494002926

can't wait to see you on MAY 10th!
Remember to VOTE !!!

Pros and Cons of Hillary & Obama

2008-04-06T19:17:00.000-07:00

Here are some pros and cons i got online. Feel free to add on by leaving comments. We would love to know what you think.

Hillary
Pros: Intelligent, strong, caring, competent, detailed, authoritative, woman with spirit, experienced, No more sex biasedness,
Cons: pushy, arrogant, dishonest, shrill, politically slick, tears

Obama
Pros: Honest, forthright, fair, respectable, competent, family-oriented, religious, very bright, Great speaker, community organizer, No more racial profiling,
Cons: inexperienced, mild, too intellectual, naive, shady in some topics, relatively young, never heard of,

OUR ECONOMY SUCKS!

2008-04-03T16:59:00.000-07:00

ENGLAND REPORTS ON UNITED STATES POVERTY... When our media here in the USA can't speak up for the poor people & plain and simply ignores us...i guess another country decides to tell the world the truth! However there is controversy over this article. The problem is the picture that was included with the article (included here on this blog) was not from an actual food stamp line, it was from a free coat drive. So US media & officials are ripping this article to shreds. Since the photo is incorrect, the assumption is that the rest of the article must be wrong as well... or is it? This is a great lesson in honest reporting. Make sure your story and pictures are truthful, if not everything will come into question. As a New Yorker and Bronx resident, i see the rise in people applying for foodstamps, standing on line to get the government cheese and canned goods. Nobody is shopping at Macy's. People are shopping at the local 99cent stores and Rainbows. Artist are not finding work. Bills are piling up.
Tons of stress. Young folks filled with anger and depression. All while a brand new, high tech stadium is being built right in my neighborhood. When people are loosing their homes & apartments, where people are loosing work. How much baseball can the Bronx take? How much stupid government spending can we take? Check out the article below and you be the judge.

"Disadvantaged Americans queue for aid in New York"

USA 2008: The Great Depression
Food stamps are the symbol of poverty in the US. In the era of the credit crunch, a record 28 million Americans are now relying on them to survive – a sure sign the world's richest country faces economic crisis Food stamps are a continuing reminder of widespread poverty

By David Usborne in New York
Tuesday, 1 April 2008

We knew things were bad on Wall Street, but on Main Street it may be worse. Startling official statistics show that as a new economic recession stalks the United States, a record number of Americans will shortly be depending on food stamps just to feed themselves and their families.

Dismal projections by the Congressional Budget Office in Washington suggest that in the fiscal year starting in October, 28 million people in the US will be using government food stamps to buy essential groceries, the highest level since the food assistance programme was introduced in the 1960s.

The increase – from 26.5 million in 2007 – is due partly to recent efforts to increase public awareness of the programme and also a switch from paper coupons to electronic debit cards. But above all it is the pressures being exerted on ordinary Americans by an economy that is suddenly beset by troubles. Housing foreclosures, accelerating jobs losses and fast-rising prices all add to the squeeze.

Emblematic of the downturn until now has been the parades of houses seized in foreclosure all across the country, and myriad families separated from their homes. But now the crisis is starting to hit the country in its gut. Getting food on the table is a challenge many Americans are finding harder to meet. As a barometer of the country's economic health, food stamp usage may not be perfect, but can certainly tell a story.

Michigan has been in its own mini-recession for years as its collapsing industrial base, particularly in the car industry, has cast more and more out of work. Now, one in eight residents of the state is on food stamps, double the level in 2000. "We have seen a dramatic increase in recent years, but we have also seen it climbing more in recent months," Maureen Sorbet, a spokeswoman for Michigan's programme, said. "It's been increasing steadily. Without the programme, some families and kids would be going without."

But the trend is not restricted to the rust-belt regions. Forty states are reporting increases in applications for the stamps, actually electronic cards that are filled automatically once a month by the government and are swiped by shoppers at the till, in the 12 months from December 2006. At least six states, including Florida, Arizona and Maryland, have had a 10 per cent increase in the past year.

In Rhode Island, the segment of the population on food stamps has risen by 18 per cent in two years. The food programme started 40 years ago when hunger was still a daily fact of life for many Americans. The recent switch from paper coupons to the plastic card system has helped remove some of the stigma associated with the food stamp programme. The card can be swiped as easily as a bank debit card. To qualify for the cards, Americans do not have to be exactly on the breadline. The programme is available to people whose earnings are just above the official poverty line. For Hubert Liepnieks, the card is a lifeline he could never afford to lose. Just out of prison, he sleeps in overnight shelters in Manhattan and uses the card at a Morgan Williams supermarket on East 23rd Street. Yesterday, he and his fiancée, Christine Schultz, who is in a wheelchair, shared one banana and a cup of coffee bought with the 82 cents left on it.

"They should be refilling it in the next three or four days," Liepnieks says. At times, he admits, he and friends bargain with owners of the smaller grocery shops to trade the value of their cards for cash, although it is illegal. "It can be done. I get $7 back on $10."

Richard Enright, the manager at this Morgan Williams, says the numbers of customers on food stamps has been steady but he expects that to rise soon. "In this location, it's still mostly old people and people who have retired from city jobs on stamps," he says. Food stamp money was designed to supplement what people could buy rather than covering all the costs of a family's groceries. But the problem now, Mr Enright says, is that soaring prices are squeezing the value of the benefits.

"Last St Patrick's Day, we were selling Irish soda bread for $1.99. This year it was $2.99. Prices are just spiralling up, because of the cost of gas trucking the food into the city and because of commodity prices. People complain, but I tell them it's not my fault everything is more expensive."

The US Department of Agriculture says the cost of feeding a low-income family of four has risen 6 per cent in 12 months. "The amount of food stamps per household hasn't gone up with the food costs," says Dayna Ballantyne, who runs a food bank in Des Moines, Iowa. "Our clients are finding they aren't able to purchase food like they used to."

And the next monthly job numbers, to be released this Friday, are likely to show 50,000 more jobs were lost nationwide in March, and the unemployment rate is up to perhaps 5 per cent.

The Independent is a British compact newspaper published by Tony O'Reilly's Independent News & Media. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily newspapers, with a circulation of 240,116 in August 2007

Hey

2008-04-01T13:59:00.000-07:00

This is my first time posting on this blog and I could feel that this is going to be an awsome event. For those of you that don't know me my name is Coti and im one of the people helping to promote the event. I've written with the help of the staff at DreamYard a press realese that im going to fax to organizations specifically in the bronx to help promote this event. So we have to make this event a "dope event." Now is our chance to have a say in things because WE RUN THIS!!!!

The Electoral College.. Does It Really Work?

2008-03-31T09:37:00.001-07:00

Ever wondered what is the electoral college? how come so many states have different numbers of votes? why do some states have more power than others? who made up this crazy electoral college system? check out this map of the US broken down by states.. thanks to concreteloop.com for this explanation of the electoral college.

A BRIEF HISTORY
ARTICLE II, SECTION 1 OF THE CONSTITUTION first designed the Electoral College and stated that each state was allocated a number of electors equal to the number of its U.S. Senators (always 2) plus the number of its U.S. Representatives. It was supposed to work without political parties and without national campaigns while maintaining balance.

It lasted through only four elections following the emergence of political parties, when in 1800, Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr (both of the Democratic-Republican Party) received the same number of votes. The tie was resolved by the House of Representatives after 36 tries and led to the TWELFTH AMENDMENT.

The Twelfth Amendment requires that each elector cast a single vote for president and a separate vote for vice president rather than casting two votes for president with the runner-up being made vice president. The Amendment also stipulates that if no one receives an absolute majority of electoral votes for president, the U.S. House of Representatives will select the president from among the top three candidates with each state casting one vote. If no one receives an absolute majority for vice president, the U.S. Senate will select the vice president from among the top two candidates.

CHOOSING ELECTORS
Although the individual party candidates for elector are seldom listed on the ballot, the expression “Electors for” usually appears on the ballot in front of each set of candidates for president and vice president, or else the state law specifies that votes cast for candidates are to be counted as being for the delegates pledged to those candidates). For this reason, voters are actually casting a vote for the electors of presidential and vice presidential candidates rather than the candidates themselves.

THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE TODAY
Each state is allocated 2 electors based on its number of U.S. Senators plus the number of its U.S. Representatives (which may change each decade according to the size of each state’s population).

The political parties or independent candidates in each state submit to the state’s chief election official a list of individuals pledged to their candidate for president and equal in number to the state’s electoral vote.

Members of Congress and employees of the federal government are prohibited from serving as an elector.

After their caucuses and primaries, major parties nominate their candidates for president and vice president in their national conventions, typically held in the summer preceding the election.

On the Tuesday following the first Monday of November in years divisible by four, people in each state cast ballots for the party slate of electors representing their choice for president and vice president.

The presidential ticket which gets the most popular votes in a state wins all the electors of that state. (Maine and Nebraska are exceptions; two electors are chosen by statewide popular vote and the remainder by the popular vote within each congressional district.)

On the Monday following the second Wednesday of December, each state’s electors meet in their state capitals and cast their electoral votes — one for president and one for vice president.

In order to prevent electors from voting only for “favorite sons” of their home state, at least one of their votes must be for a person from outside their state. (This is typically not a problem since parties nominate presidential and vice presidential candidates from different states.)

The electoral votes are sealed and transmitted from each state to the President of the Senate who, on the following January 6, opens and reads them before both houses of Congress.

The candidate for president with the most electoral votes is declared president; the same applies to vice president.

In the event no one obtains an absolute majority of electoral votes for president, the U.S. House of Representatives selects the president from among the top three candidates with each state casting only one vote and an absolute majority of the states being required to elect. The same applies to the vice president; however, the U.S. Senate makes the selection.

At noon on January 20, the duly elected president and vice president are sworn into office.

CONCLUSION
The Electoral College has existed for over 200 years in over 50 presidential elections but several attempts have been made to get rid of it. What do you think? Should the Electoral College be abolished?

Crisis On the Leash!!!!!

2008-03-29T11:59:00.000-07:00

Recently there was a protest on city hall that consisted of over 100 high school students and faculty protesting against the recent budget cuts to the department of education...... Now I'm kind of unsure of how in the world did this cut affect my school. Everything seems to be normal, but recently something suspicious has been going on in my school during lunch.... this act has been going on for about three weeks and after being served dry tator totts and french fries with no ketchup the demand for ketchup has increased.... every student is now in a hunt for ketchup.... where did my school lunch ketchup go and how come we aren't getting anymore??? Is it because of the budget cuts or is it because they just don't want to give us ketchup... we don't know but all we know is that if its because the budget cuts how dare you America, take away my schools ketchup I'm hungry and i want ketchup on my french fries because there too dry... its an addiction now and everyone in my school has this insane crave for ketchup..... what do we want? Ketchup when do we want it? NOW!!!!

Arrival!!!!!!!!!

2008-03-28T17:06:00.000-07:00

YYYYYYEEEEEEEEESSSSSSS the CD cases and labels have arrived to the office.. cant wait Ive been working on putting together the mix tape for our event!!! Keep an eye out because the first Volume of the WeRunThis Vote festival will be ready soon and you might get a copy at the event you never know (HINT HINT) its going to be tight with so many artists you just have to come check it out!!!!!!! see you all soon............ peace Hec!!!!!!!!!

Update!!

2008-03-28T17:02:00.000-07:00

The group is meeting at the point son Saturday at 10am to go over progress and do some more work also to discuss college business............Every teenager needs to be doing this and were investing in your future........... well Professor young from bcc replied and said shell be able to come and also Chloe from the nyclu is coming special thanks to them for their involvement........that's it for now catch up with you all tomorrow...... peace Hec!!!!!!

Call To Action!!!

2008-03-28T16:48:00.000-07:00

Hey Hilary Hey Obama Wake Up!!!!!!! Did you forget that your both running for the race to presidency!!!!!!!! Don't seem like it, so what obama has a crazy priest and so what Hillary admitted that she lied to the American people life is life and people make mistakes. Move on we got an economy to worry about and whatever happened to the saying that the youth is our next generation if that's still true than wutz up with our opportunities and creating a path for us to follow. This is our yell to the politicians and the kids are speaking so listen us because your acting like were supposed to and right now were more mature than you. Stop the Bullshit and Drama and get working on your agenda because we want a part in it. Don't forget about John McCain because hes looking real good right now........... The medias so caught up in democratic drama that john McCain can do whatever he wants and nobody will pay mind to him. And as for the rest of the youth, like melody once said, SPEAK UP!!!! because the time is now and if you have no idea how to speak up......... do it by coming to our event!!

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMBEMBER !!!

2008-03-27T10:23:00.000-07:00

May 10th
We Run This Vote, At The Point CDC, Bronx, NY

August 25th - 28th
The Democratic National Convention (DNC), Denver, CO

September 1st - 4th
The Republican National Convention (RNC), Minneapolis, MN

Tuesday, November 4th
Election Day !!!

OBAMA's Tax Returns!

2008-03-27T07:22:00.000-07:00

Check out this link...
OBAMA has released his tax return from 2000 to 2006 !
Can't say the same about Hilary Clinton she has not released her financial information yet.
Should candidates be open and transparent about their past... especially their financial past?

http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/03/25/ObamaReturns2000-2006.2.pdf

The Healthy Living Block Party !

2008-03-27T06:59:00.001-07:00

So the first event to kick off the Dreamyard Action Project Rebels season is We Run Vote on May 10th... and on May 17th the Block Party Crew are putting together an amazing event dedicated to Environmental Justice in the Bronx. It's going to be an amazing outdoor event for the entire family. Make sure to put it on your calendars ! We will see you there.... (double click on the image and you can see it larger! )

Hillary & Obama on Youth Opportunities

2008-03-25T18:56:00.000-07:00

Hillary tells Ebony Magazine:
In the United States, we have been too focused on enforcement and not focused enough on prevention and intervention which are--in the long run--very effective crime-fighting techniques. We must take a comprehensive approach that starts with providing children with a good education. That's why I have proposed early-childhood interventions, K-12 reforms and better access to college. And, as I outlined in my Youth Opportunity Agenda, I plan to increase funding for internships, mentoring and community-based programs for at-risk youth. We also must do more for people who go to prison, such as providing support to help them become economically independent once they are released, like vocational training and job-placement assistance.
__________________________________________________
Senator Obama believes that “middle and high school students should be expected to engage in community service 50 hours annually during the school or summer months.” Obama pledges to expand YouthBuild from 8,000 slots today to 50,000 slots over the next 8 years.

Clinton plans to expand successful federal programs such as youth Service Corps and YouthBuild that “allow youth to serve their communities and learn to make a difference while making a living.”

Keep May 10th Open

2008-03-25T18:35:00.000-07:00

Remember to mark your calenders! Check Out Our Flyer..Much Thanks to REPHSTAR for the design.

AIR OBAMA (Kicks)

2008-03-24T06:23:00.001-07:00

Check out these Kicks! Cleveland based artist Van has customized these Nike Air Force One's with Obama's imaging and messaging. Would you wear a pair of McCain AF1's? or Hilary AF1's? Not sure... Obama is the first with his pair! Check 'em out. Coming to a block near you!

Snoop Dogg Talks Politics on Larry King

2008-03-22T21:05:00.000-07:00

Who said Hip-Hop doesn't have an opinion on the elections? Don't believe me, check out Snoop Dogg on Larry King Live representing for Obama.

Politics and Art- The following poem, "Son2Mother,"is excerpted from Kevin Powell's8th and latest book,NO SLEEP TILL BROOKLYN,a collection of poetry.

2008-03-20T07:08:00.000-07:00

Check this out politician running for congress depics his story and shares his words as his idea of "keeping it real"........... at least someone in politics can relate to us the "people"

http://www.softskull.com/detailedbook.php?isbn=978-0-9796636-9-7

Son2MotherBy: Kevin Powell

Mother, have I told you That you are the first womanI ever fell in love with, that whatI’ve always wanted in life is to hearYou say you love me, too?

That is why, ma, it has takenMe so long to write this poem.For how could I, aGrown man, put words to paperIf I am that little boyCowering beneath the power ofThat slap, the swing of that belt,Or the slash and burn of that switch You used to beat me into fear and submission?

I constantly cringe, ma, When I think of that oft-repeated chorus you sung
As a fusillade of blows walloped my skeleton body:Are you gonna be good? Are you gonna be good?Sometimes when I call you these days, mother,I just don’t know what to say, thus I fall silent,Even when you ask “How are you doing?” I want to give you real talk,Tell you that I am still that stunted only child Traumatized by the violence of your voice;That I am still that shorty too terrified to fall Asleep for fear of your pouncing on me The moment I shut my eyes—And you did, mother, again and again, Until I could no longer sleep peacefully As a child, and I have never actually had Many tranquil nights of sleep since. I lay awake sometimes, as an adult, Thinking someone is going to get me, Going to strike me, going to kill meBecause of those heart-racing hours Of darkness far far ago.

And I remember that time I ran under Our bed, and in your titanic rage You tore the entire bed apart, The frame falling on one of my legs, And there I was, stuck, mother,And you ripped into me anyhow. And oh how I howled for mercy. But there was none, mother. Yet there was that chorus:Are you gonna be good? Are you gonna be good?And I really did not know, mother, what being good meant. Nor what you wanted me to be. Because one day I thought you loved me And the next day I thought you hated me.

And I did not know back in the day, ma, That you had been assaulted and abused The same way, by my granddaddy,Your father, a 19th century son of ex-slaveswho would break you and yourThree sisters and brother down with mule whips,With soda bottles, with his gnarled hands—That he was an embittered mister,That you were the child who became Most like your father. Do you notRecall that past, mother?I am saying you once chided me, After you learned I had struck someone as an adult,To keep my hands to myself, and I wanted to sayBut, ma, why didn’t you keep your hands to yourself?
Why didn’t you command your hands, your arms, To hug me, instead of urging them to damage me?

And that is what I previously was, ma: damagedGoods that liked living on the other side of midnight.That is why, mother, there was no sleep for me till Brooklyn,Because I needed to escape the concrete boxNeeded to escape the mental terrorismNeeded to escape you and that Paranoid schizophrenic existence.I am not crazy, ma. I knowOur destinies were frozen in those days When we sharedThat bed and room together, Because we were too poorTo afford a full apartment.To those days, mother, when I Thought you were the bravestHuman being on earth as youFought super-sized black rats withYour broomstick, or effortlesslyShooed the army of roaches away From our dinner table—

Maybe, ma, I have not beenAble to write this poemBecause I can envision you as a Young mother, the one who suitcasedHer dreams when you left SouthCarolina, when you moved, first, to MiamiTo create a new life for yourself, to fleeThe world that murdered your Grandfather, a local cook, by stuffing food in his mouth,Then baptizing him in cracker water and proclaimingIt was an accident. It was the world that knockedOn your grandmother’s door and toldHer she had to give up 397 of those 400 acresOf land called the Powell Property—One penny for each acre of land—And what your grandmother was left with Was a jar of soil called Shoe Hill,The contaminated hill where you were born, ma:That world never bothered to change theName from the Powell Property. And there youWere, at age eight, sunrising with the moldy menAnd the wash-and-wear women As God’s yawn and morning stretchTickled the rooster’s neck,Waking you good colored folks to toil on that Powell Property—To pick cotton for White folks as if beingCheap and exploited labor was your American birthright.

And you were angry bye and bye, mother.
You would get so angry, Aunt Birdie told meOne time, that sweat droplets would form on your nose,Your brow would curl up, and the world andAnyone in it would become your Empty lard can to kick back and forth up the road a piece.Ah, ma, but you were such a pretty little BlackGirl—I have the picture right here this minute,Of you at 12 or 13, tender and dark ebony skinA beautiful yet temperamental and unloved Black girl Told that you were ugly, that you had ugly hair,That you would never be anything other thanThe help and wooden steps for someone else’s climb—

But you were persistent, ma, and mad determinedTo make something of yourself.And Jersey CityWelcomed you as it welcomed each of The lost-found children of the Old SouthWelcomed y’all country cousins to Number runners slumlordsPimps drug dealers bad creditHuge debts and would-beProphets who called themselves storefront preachersAnd there you were, mother, within a year,With my father—

Was he your first love, ma, did he mopThe Carolina clay from your feet?Did he sprinkle sweet tea and lemon on your belly?Did he ever really make love to you, mother? Or was he more like that plantation robotWho was built to mate then make a quickDash to the next slave quarters?What I do know, mother, is that you went to the hospitalAlone, to spread your legs for A doctor whose plasma face you do not rememberTo push forth a seed you had attemptedTo destroy twice because you feared hisBirth would mean the death of you.But there I was, ma, in your armsScreaming lunging fleeingAnd you were so tremendously ashamedTo be an unwed mother that you did Not tell Grandma Lottie for five years,Until that day we showed upIn your hometown of Ridgeland, South Carolina.

But what a mother you were:You taught me to talkTaught me to know my nameTaught me to count to read to thinkTo aspire to be something.
You, my grade-school educated mother, Gave me my swagger—Told me I was going to be a lawyer or a doctor,Told me I was going to do big things,That I was going to have a better lifeThan this welfare this food stamp this government cheeseHad pre-ordained for us.And we prayed, mother, yes lawd we prayed—To that God in the sky, to the White Jesus on our wall, To the minister with the good hair and the tailored suits,To the minister with the giftTo chalk on busted souls and spit game in foreign tongues—And back then, ma, I did not understand the talking in tonguesThe need to pin pieces of prayer cloth on our attireThe going to church twice a weekThe desperation to phone prayer hotlines when there was trouble.But what you were doing, ma,Was stapling our paper lives together as best you couldMaking a way out of no wayEspecially after my father announced,When I was eight,That he would not give “a near nickel” to us again.And he never did, mother, never—

And I sometimes wonder if that is whenThe attacks got worse because you were So viciously woundedBy my father’s ignorance and brutalityThat that ignorance and brutalityWas transferred to meAs you would say, in one breath,Don’t be like your fatherAnd in anotherYou just like your no-good daddy

And, yes, I am crying this second, mother,As I write this poemBecause I see you today:A retired Black woman with a limp, a bad leg,Shuffling up and down three flights of stairs.Too headstrong to allow me to move You from that heat-less apartment, Life reduced to trips to the grocery storeA bus ride to the mallA sacred pilgrimage to the laundry roomAnd the daily ritual of judge shows, Oprah, and the local news.

And, mother, you remain without the love you forever Crave, and you forever speak of getting married one day.And you are so very worn out fromFifty-four years of back breaking work—
But this I know now:Your life was sacrificed so that I could have one, ma.

So I write this poem, son to mother, to say I love you Even if you refuse to accept my wordsBecause you are too afraid to defeat the devilAnd bury the past with our ancestors once and for all.I write this poem To say I forgive you for everything, mother—For the poverty for the violence for the hungerFor the loneliness for the fearFor the days when I blamed you for my absent fatherFor the days when I wanted to run awayFor those days when I really did run away—I forgive you, ma, for those days you cursedAnd belittled me, for those days when you saidI was never gonna make it.Oh, yes, ma, I do forgive, I forgive you forThe beatings, I do, dear mother, I do—Because if it were not for all of who you areAll of where you come fromAll of what you created for meI would not be alive today.

For below the bloody scar tissues of your fire and furyAnd aggravations and self-imposed house arrest Is a woman who defied the mythmakers Turned her nose up at the doomsayers—Is someone who fought landlordsAnd crooked police officers andSocial workers and school systems andDeadbeat men who wanted to live off of Her; and from the tar and feathered remains Of lives noosed from the very beginning,We have survived, and here we are, mother:You have never said you love me But I know every time I come homeAnd you’ve made potato salad and stringbeans,Every year you’ve mailed me a birthday cardOr asked if you should buy me pajamas for Christmas,I know that you are,In your own wildly unpredictable way,The greatest love I’ve ever had in my life—

Kevin Powell is a writer, activist, author of 8 books, and a 2008 Democratic candidate for the United States Congress in Brooklyn, New York. “Son2Mother” is excerpted from his new poetry collection,
No Sleep Till Brooklyn, which can be ordered at http://www.softskull.com. Kevin can be emailed at kevin@kevinpowellforcongress.org

BARACK OBAMA & SAM COOKE: A CHANGE IS GONNA COME

2008-03-20T07:01:00.000-07:00

this version is for

check out another video using sam cooke's song......

Tyra Chat With Hilary

2008-03-19T18:47:00.000-07:00

Tyra gets some laugh with Hilary. Ms. Clinton tells us what reality TV Show she would participate in

Tracy Morgan getting Political on SNL

2008-03-18T18:02:00.000-07:00

Humor can be a great way to talk about politics!

Barack Obama talks about RACE in the U.S

2008-03-18T17:30:00.000-07:00

What are your thoughts on Obama's latest speech?

Celebrate Immigrant Heritage Week at the HHEAL Fest [April 18-20, 2008]

2008-03-18T17:20:00.000-07:00

HHEAL [Hip-Hop Educates and Advances Lives!] Fest!A Celebration of Culture, Education, and Social Justice During NYC’s Immigrant Heritage Week

New York, NY—The Hip-Hop Association, in conjunction with the Social Services of Hip Hop, We Got Issues!, Afro-Latin@Project, and the New York State Youth Leadership Council present HHEAL Fest, a three-day celebration during NY’s Immigrant Heritage Week. HHEAL Fest will include interactive workshops, panels, film screenings, and performances that will focus on Hip-Hop as a tool for education, immigrant history, media literacy, and life skills and youth empowerment. HHEAL Fest will be taking place from April 18-20 at the Raphael Hernandez School of the Performing Arts (IS 217) in the Bronx.HHEAL Fest combines the Freshest Youth Program, Hip-Hop Education (H2Ed) Summit, and town hall meeting with a special tribute dedicated to the Founder of Hip-Hop - DJ Kool Herc and the First Lady of Hip-Hop - Cindy Campbell in homage of their Jamaican roots.Some of the presenters and speakers include Erica Ford (Life Camp), Dr. Daniel Banks (NYU- Hip-Hop Theater Lab), Minister Server (Hip-Hop Life Coach), Derrick the Rapmathician, Maria Rubio (Graf Artist), NYCORE, B-Girl GI Jane, Capital X (Death Penalty Abolitionist), Sarah Montgomery-Glinski (Hip-Hop Association), Andrew Landers (Hip-Hop Association), Dr. David Kirkland (NYU-Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development), Nicole Duncan-Smith (Author, I am Hip-Hop), Cristina Jimenez (New York State Young Leadership Council), Dr. George Priestley (Afro-Latino Project), and Sandy Shin (Breakthrough: Building Human Rights Culture). In addition to the progressive facilitators, many community organizations will have tables full of information on their programs and initiatives. Make sure to register by April 1 at www.hiphopassociation.org/hheal08

PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE
Freshest Youth Program April 18, 1-5 PM: Students from NYC public schools will participate in a day of FREE activities that include media literacy workshop, film screenings, and Hip-Hop aesthetic workshops (mcing, djing, break-dancing, graffiti, and beat-boxing). The Hip-Hop Association, in collaboration with its community partners, offers youth a fresh perspective on learning, the arts, and social justice.Welcome/Intro (1pm)Panel Discussion (1:15-2:30pm) - Express Yourself: Using Hip-Hop as a creative outletModerator: Jineea ButlerPanelists: Franco Rosado (Activist/Hip-Hop Theater), Maria Rubio (Graf Artist/Aerosol Art), Kazi Rolle (MC/Hip-Hop Project), GI Jane (B-Girl/Break-dancing), and Mazi Mutafa (Word Beats and Life) Hip-Hop Theater Play - (2:45-3:15pm) - Excerpt Performances of "Eastside Story Film Screenings Concurrent Workshops (3:30-5pm) H2Ed Summit April 19, 9:30 AM-6 PM: The H2Ed Summit brings together noted Hip-Hop educators, historians, and community organizations to facilitate professional development workshops. The H2Ed Summit serves as a space for exchange of educational models, practices, theories, and multimedia training in order to build inter-generational relationships and future education leaders.Welcome (9:30am) Opening Keynote Address (9:45am) - Dr. Daniel Banks (NYU)
Panel Discussion (10-11am) - The Impact of Hip-Hop in Education Reform and Social Justice Movements

Moderator: Sarah Montgomery-Glinski (Co-Director of H2Ed) Panelists: Erica Ford (Life Camp), Cristina Jimenez (NY State Youth Leadership Council), Capital X, Minister Server, and Dr. David Kirkland (NYU) Morning Workshops (90-mins) (11-12:30) Conscious Women Rock the Page - J-Love Palestinian/Israeli Education Project - Ora WiseRapmatics - Derrick Phillips Lunch (1-2pm)H2A Resources + Community (15-min presentation) Andrew Landers and Sarah Montgomery-Glinski Breakthrough Presentation of ICE (15-min presentation) Sandy ShinI Am Hip-Hop/Skills Board Game (15-min presentation) Nicole Duncan Smith Matinee Movie Screening 2-2:45pm (45-min) Hip-Hop Debate Presentation Presented by Jen Johnson/Angelica Macklin (Seattle) Afternoon Workshops (90-min)(3-4:30pm)Stop the Violence - Hakim Green The Message - Felicia PrideHip Hop Life Skills - Minister ServerClosing Keynote Address/Performance (4:45pm)

Closing Reception- (5-6pm)Town Hall April 20, 3-5 PM: The Hip-Hop Association (H2A), the Afro-Latin@ Project, and The New York State Youth Leadership Conference invite you to: The Truth About Immigrants Through the Voices of HIP-HOP, an evening of poetry, songs, music, games, and conversation about the real story of our immigrant communities. This forum will explore issues on heritage, race relations, and immigrant contributions. A special tribute will be dedicated to Kool Herc and Cindy Campbell to pay homage to their Jamaican roots. About the Hip-Hop Association:The Hip-Hop Association [H2A] is a 501(c)(3) media, education, and arts community building organization. Our projects are designed to encourage critical thinking, education reform, cross-cultural unity and civic engagement. The H2A empowers the community through the use of media, technology, resources, social entrepreneurship, and leadership development. We are producers of the largest annual international Hip-Hop film festival, and Hip-Hop Education forums. www.hiphopassociation.org

About the Social Services of Hip Hop:The Social Services of Hip Hop is a psychology based service agency that identifies and remedies issues that affect the growth of the Hip Hop community by presenting revenue generating and community building activities. The company serves as a technical assistance intermediary that organizes and enhances programs that interact with the Hip Hop Community. Our mission is to empower Hip Hop citizens to their maximum level of functioning by providing effective tools, resources and services.www.ss-hiphop.com

About We Got Issues!:We Got Issues! mission is to awaken a new brand of feminine centered leadership and social/political activism in America. Through rigorous training and development we strengthen young women’s internal resources and capacity to lead, through outreach and education we facilitate the creation of networks and collaborations that leverage young women's best knowledge, skills and resources and through advocacy and recognition we promote new models of bold courageous and empowered leadership by honoring the often overlooked contributions young women make to their respective communities and to society as a whole. www.wegotissues.org

About the Afro-Latin@ Project:The Afro-Latin@ Project aims to document, promote, and support the development of Afro-Latin@ studies and grass roots activities in the Americas, particularly in the United States.www.afrolatinoproject.org About the New York State Youth Leadership Council:The New York State Youth Leadership Council is a network of young advocates representing high schools, colleges, communities of faith and community-based organizations committed to promoting the advancement of immigrant youth through leadership development and advocacy. http://www.nysylc.org About NYC's Immigrant Heritage Week: New York City Celebrates the 5th Annual Immigrant Heritage Week April 14 – 20, 2008Declared an official, annual celebration by Mayor Bloomberg, Immigrant Heritage Week is a unique celebration of the vibrant immigrant cultures, history, and communities found in every corner of the City. www.nyc.gov/immigrants###

Pictures While We Work....

2008-03-18T16:26:00.001-07:00

Check out some pictures of our group preparing for our event on MAY 10th at The Point!
It's going to be fantastic! Shout out to the WE RUN THIS VOTE group for all the hard work they've been doing. Lorena, Hector, Kevin, Melody, Coti, Ky-Oshea and Ms. PattyDukes.
(our flyer is being designed by Rephstar check back soon for more info on our event!)
-patty

Youth Vote History

2008-03-17T17:09:00.000-07:00

In 1996, there were 24,650,000 18-to-24-year-olds in the United States.
Of these, 7,996,000 voted.
That means that only 32.4 percent of the 18-to-24-year-old population voted in that presidential election year!
In 1998, only 18 percent of the young population voted!
In 2004, 47.7 percent of the 18-29 year old population voted.
With this election the youth population seems to be getting more involved.
Lets not stop here! Lets break the record!
All young people over 18 need to go out and Vote!
Come on Lets Show the Gov't that We Run This Vote!

STATISTICS ON TEENS

2008-03-17T10:51:00.001-07:00

Think teen culture in America is just about hanging out with friends, movies and fun? While they are not representative of every teenager, they do point to what goes on in American teen culture.

Statistics on Teen Sex-Nationally, more than half of teenagers are virgins until they are at least 17 years of age (Sex and America's Teenagers, The Alan Guttmacher Institute, New York, 1994).-In the U.S., 7 in 10 women who had sex before age 14, and 6 in 10 of those who had sex before age 15 report having had sex involuntarily. (Facts in Brief: Teen Sex and Pregnancy, The Alan Guttmacher Institute, New York, 1996).-Nationally, one-quarter of 15 year old females and less than 30% of 15 year old males have had sex, compared with 66% of 18 year old females, and 68% of 18 year old males who have had sexual intercourse. (A Statistical Portrait of Adolescent Sex, Contraception, and Childbearing, National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, Washington, DC, 1998).

Statistics on Teen pregnancy-Nationally, nearly one million young women under age 20 become pregnant each year. That means close to 2800 teens get pregnant each day.( Facts in Brief: Teen Sex and Pregnancy, The Alan Guttmacher Institute, New York, 1996).-Approximately 4 in 10 young women in the U.S. become pregnant at least once before turning 20 years old.( Facts in Brief: Teen Sex and Pregnancy, The Alan Guttmacher Institute, New York, 1996).-Teen childbearing alone costs U.S. taxpayers nearly $7 billion annually for social services and lost tax revenues. (Kids Having Kids: Economic Costs and Social Consequences of Teen Pregnancy, Prebecca Maynard (ed.), The Urban Institute, Washington, DC, 1997).

Statistics on Rape in Teen:-Teens 16 to 19 were three and one-half times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault. (National Crime Victimization Survey. Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice, 1996.)-According to the Justice Department, one in two rape victims is under age 18; one in six is under age 12. [Child Rape Victims, 1992. U.S. Department of Justice.]-While 9 out of 10 rape victims are women, men and boys are also victimized by this crime. In 1995, 32,130 males age 12 and older were victims of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault. [National Crime Victimization Survey. Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice, 1996.]Sexually Transmitted Diseases Among Teens-In the U.S., 1 in 4 sexually active teens become infected with an STD every year.2 Some common STDs are chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital warts (also known as HPV - human papillomavirus), and herpes. (Facts in Brief: Teen Sex and Pregnancy, The Alan Guttmacher Institute, New York, 1996).Teens are victims of violence, murder and crimeIn 1998, the young, blacks, and males were most vulnerable to violent crime: -- 1 in 12 persons age 12 to 15, compared to 1 in 357 age 65 or more-- 1 in 24 blacks, compared to 1 in 28 whites-- 1 in 23 males, compared to 1 in 33 females (Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice)-Teenagers and young adults were more likely to become victims of violent crime than older persons. In 1998, about a third of all victims of violent crime were ages 12 to 19 and almost half of all victims of violence were under age 25. (Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice)-The percent of students reporting street gang presence at school nearly doubled between 1989 and 1995, increasing from 15.3% to 28.4%. (Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice)-Homicide is the second leading cause of death for persons 15-24 years of age and is the leading cause of death for African-American and Hispanic youths in this age-group (Anderson RN, Kochanek KD, Murphy SL. Report of final mortality statistics, 1995. Monthly vital statistics report 45, 11(2 Suppl) 1997).-In 1996, 6,548 young people 15-24 years old were victims of homicide. This amounts to an average of 18 youth homicide victims per day in the U.S. ( National Summary of Injury Mortality Data, 1988-1996. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, November, 1998 (Unpublished)).

Statistics on Teen Smoking-Approximately 80% of adult smokers started smoking before the age of 18. Every day, nearly 3,000 young people under the age of 18 become regular smokers.More than 5 million children living today will die prematurely because of a decision they will make as adolescents---the decision to smoke cigarettes. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)-An estimated 2.1 million people began smoking on a daily basis in 1997. More than half of these new daily smokers were younger than age 18. This translates to more than 3,000 new youth smokers per day. The rate of youth initiation of daily smoking increased somewhat from 55.5 to 74.9 per 1,000 potential new users between 1991 and 1996, but remained level in 1997(the 1998 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse)-Nearly all first use of tobacco occurs before high school graduation. -Most young people who smoke are addicted to nicotine and report that they want to quit but are unable to do so. -Tobacco is often the first drug used by young people who use alcohol and illegal drugs. -Among young people, those with poorer grades and lower self-images are most likely to begin using tobacco. -Over the past decade, there has been virtually no decline in smoking rates among all teens. Among black adolescents, however, the prevalence of smoking has declined dramatically.-Young people who come from a low-income family and have fewer than two adults living in their household are especially at risk for becoming smokers.(Preventing Tobacco Use Among Young People, U.S. Surgeon General Report, 1994)

Statistics on Drugs among Teens-There were an estimated 708,000 new inhalant users in 1997, up from 332,000 in 1989. The rate of first use among youths age 12-17 rose significantly from 1989 to 1995, from 8.4 to 18.8 per 1,000 potential new users, and remained level after that. For young adults age 18-25, there was an increase in the rate of first use between 1989 and 1996 (from 3.7 to 10.7 per 1,000 potential new users) and a leveling off in 1997 (9.2 per 1,000 potential new users). (The 1998 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse)-More than half (56 percent) of youths age 12-17 reported that marijuana was easy to obtain in 1998. This is an increase from 1992, when 51 percent reported that marijuana was easy to obtain. (The 1998 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse)-The percent of the population reporting that they had been approached by someone selling drugs in the past month decreased from 9.2 percent in 1992 to 6.1 percent in 1998. However, among youths age 12-17 years, the percent was 13.7 percent in 1998, similar to the percentage in 1992 (13.4 percent). (The 1998 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse)

Statistics on Alcohol among Teens-More than 40% of teens who admitted drinking said they drink when they are upset; 31% said they drink alone; 25% said they drink when they are bored; and 25% said they drink to "get high." (U.S. Surgeon General, 1991)-Each year, students spend $5.5 billion on alcohol, more than they spend on soft drinks, tea, milk, juice, coffee or books combined. On a typical campus, per capita students spending for alcohol--$446 per student--far exceeds the per capita budget of the college library. (Eigen, 1991 in the 1998 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse).-Nearly one-third of college students surveyed said they wished alcohol was not available at campus events, and nearly 90% wished that other drugs would disappear from campuses. (Core Institute, 1993)-Approximately 240,000 to 360,000 of the nation's 12 million current undergraduates will ultimately die from alcohol-related causes--more than the number that will get MAs and PhDs combined. (Eigen, 1991 in the 1998 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse)-Sixty percent of college women diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease were drunk at the time of infection. (Advocacy Institute, 1992)Statistics on Drinking and Driving Among Teens-Eight young people a day die in alcohol-related crashes. (CSAP, 1996) (Mothers Against Drunk Driving website)

Statistics on Teens and Television -Percentage of teenagers 13-17 who can name the city where the US Constitution was written (Philadelphia): 25. Percentage of teenagers 13-17 who know where you find the zip code 90210 (Beverly Hills): 75 ( Survey conducted by the National Constitution Center (NCC), Philadelphia, 1998. )-Percentage of children ages 5-17 who have a TV in their bedroom: 52 (BJK&E Media report, The New York Times, December 30, 1997. )-Hours per day that TV is on in an average US home: 7 hours, 12 minutes (BJK&E Media report, The New York Times, December 30, 1997. -Number of minutes per week that parents spend in meaningful conversation with their children: 38.5 (American Family Research Council, "Parents Fight ‘Time Famine' as Economic Pressures Increase," 1990.)

Statistics on Dropouts-In 1997, the dropout rate for students ages 16 to 24 was 11 percent, indicating a slight decrease from the 1990 figure. The dropout rate for white students is lower than the rates for Hispanic and black students. For example, in 1997, the dropout rate for white, non-Hispanic students was 8 percent, 13 percent for black students and 25 percent for Hispanic students. (National Center for Education Statistics, U. S. Department of Education, Digest of Education Statistics, 1998, Table 105, page 124).

Divisions in Bush administration reflect complications of gun rights case

2008-03-17T10:45:00.000-07:00

http://iht.com/articles/2008/03/17/mideast/scotus.php

Saturday Update

2008-03-16T19:52:00.000-07:00

As for our meeting Saturday we have allot going on, we met with the guy in charge of the space we are using and we set a date to organize the space for the event, we also went over budget and discussed voter registration cards, not only that but we have performers lined up trying to get their bios and they cant wait to perform....(again if you want to perform contact melody.werunthis@gmail.com) also we have gathered some songs for the event and are scheduling some meetings to get this event kicked off............ we are excited and are off to a great start............... its crunch time so look out for the press release coming out soon and fliers!!!!!!!!!!!!

Interesting isn't it????

2008-03-16T19:43:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,
Media seems to play a big role in consumption........... but is it always just a coincidence that its always caught up in major conspiracies...... 9/11 is still a major conspiracy whether it be the governments fault or not but isn't it funny how bush was caught in the middle of that.......... Eliot spitzer is the center of attention this week or shall i say client number nine but why is it that this week is the same week that bush is coming to new york to give his address on the budget...... seems mind stimulating to me............ worry about the governor so bush can come in quietly and try to play with the budget so that no one will find out....... after all every ones trying to download Christine's or Ashley's song rather than listen to bushes new budget..... lets see what new tricks he plays on us and if the war in Iraq is suddenly getting a raise!!!!!

Pink get's Political !

2008-03-14T07:15:00.000-07:00

It's always nice to see an artist, especially one whose is a "pop" artist getting political. Imagine if everyone was involved, had an opinion, cared about what this world is coming too? I know the world could change. Thanks Pink for speaking out and saying how you feel. They can't lie to us anymore, we are educated and we know the truth. So use her as an inspiration the world will never change unless we all SPEAK OUT !!

Race in this Election....

2008-03-14T07:09:00.000-07:00

Race & Gender seem to be an important factor with the election in 2008, because of Obama and Clinton. Check out this video playing with the "race" card..
it's really interesting and a lil' funny at the same time...

Hector

2008-03-13T07:21:00.001-07:00

Hey Everyone,
I just wanted to say that im excited because i see more people are voting on our blog and actually visiting it...... So if you are dont be shy and leave a comment i gurantee that you can express anything you want............ as for the update on the event, i contacted chloe dugger from the New York Civil Liberties Union and Left her a message and also Professor Young and Left her a message.............. Voter Registration cards are definately going to be available durign the event fordham library cant supply them but i will get them from my school........... so thats the 411 for now................. peace Heck.....

oh and if you wish to contact me about anything you may email me at hector.werunthis@gmail.com

"The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism." by Naomi Klein

2008-03-12T15:54:00.000-07:00

Something worth watching..... especially in the times that we are living in.
Post your thoughts on this video.....

DIRECTED BY JONÁS CUARÓN. Alfonso Cuarón, director of "Children of Men", and Naomi Klein, author of "No Logo", present a short film from Klein's book "The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism." http://www.shockdoctrine.com

Obama on Gay Issues..............

2008-03-12T14:07:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama is trying to reach out to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, confused and all the other kinds of voters out there.The Democratic presidential hopeful has just written the following message:"I'm running for President to build an America that lives up to our founding promise of equality for all – a promise that extends to our gay brothers and sisters. It's wrong to have millions of Americans living as second-class citizens in this nation. And I ask for your support in this election so that together we can bring about real change for all LGBT Americans.Equality is a moral imperative. That's why throughout my career, I have fought to eliminate discrimination against LGBT Americans. In Illinois, I co-sponsored a fully inclusive bill that prohibited discrimination on the basis of both sexual orientation and gender identity, extending protection to the workplace, housing, and places of public accommodation. In the U.S. Senate, I have co-sponsored bills that would equalize tax treatment for same-sex couples and provide benefits to domestic partners of federal employees. And as president, I will place the weight of my administration behind the enactment of the Matthew Shepard Act to outlaw hate crimes and a fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act to outlaw workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.As your President, I will use the bully pulpit to urge states to treat same-sex couples with full equality in their family and adoption laws. I personally believe that civil unions represent the best way to secure that equal treatment. But I also believe that the federal government should not stand in the way of states that want to decide on their own how best to pursue equality for gay and lesbian couples — whether that means a domestic partnership, a civil union, or a civil marriage. Unlike Senator Clinton, I support the complete repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) – a position I have held since before arriving in the U.S. Senate. While some say we should repeal only part of the law, I believe we should get rid of that statute altogether. Federal law should not discriminate in any way against gay and lesbian couples, which is precisely what DOMA does. I have also called for us to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and I have worked to improve the Uniting American Families Act so we can afford same-sex couples the same rights and obligations as married couples in our immigration system.The next president must also address the HIV/AIDS epidemic. When it comes to prevention, we do not have to choose between values and science. While abstinence education should be part of any strategy, we also need to use common sense. We should have age-appropriate sex education that includes information about contraception. We should pass the JUSTICE Act to combat infection within our prison population. And we should lift the federal ban on needle exchange, which could dramatically reduce rates of infection among drug users. In addition, local governments can protect public health by distributing contraceptives.We also need a president who's willing to confront the stigma – too often tied to homophobia – that continues to surround HIV/AIDS. I confronted this stigma directly in a speech to evangelicals at Rick Warren's Saddleback Church, and will continue to speak out as president. That is where I stand on the major issues of the day. But having the right positions on the issues is only half the battle. The other half is to win broad support for those positions. And winning broad support will require stepping outside our comfort zone. If we want to repeal DOMA, repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and implement fully inclusive laws outlawing hate crimes and discrimination in the workplace, we need to bring the message of LGBT equality to skeptical audiences as well as friendly ones – and that's what I've done throughout my career. I brought this message of inclusiveness to all of America in my keynote address at the 2004 Democratic convention. I talked about the need to fight homophobia when I announced my candidacy for President, and I have been talking about LGBT equality to a number of groups during this campaign – from local LGBT activists to rural farmers to parishioners at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, where Dr. Martin Luther King once preached.Just as important, I have been listening to what all Americans have to say. I will never compromise on my commitment to equal rights for all LGBT Americans. But neither will I close my ears to the voices of those who still need to be convinced. That is the work we must do to move forward together. It is difficult. It is challenging. And it is necessary.Americans are yearning for leadership that can empower us to reach for what we know is possible. I believe that we can achieve the goal of full equality for the millions of LGBT people in this country. To do that, we need leadership that can appeal to the best parts of the human spirit. Join with me, and I will provide that leadership. Together, we will achieve real equality for all Americans, gay and straight alike."

Governor Eliot Spitzer!!!

2008-03-12T13:45:00.000-07:00

Seems like when everyone else in the world was worrying about the 2008 elections and recovering from Bill Clintons Scandal a while back ago and worrying about the War..... that nothing else can go wrong.......... Well i guess we thought wrong...... Eliot Spitzer resigned from being Governer of New York at around 11:30 this morning after being caught up in a prostitution ring......... wait..... wait.... wait.... arent we talking about the perfect family man here with a wife and children..... someone who had plans to take us far and until now was under the medias belt....... Good morning America because this is the second time this happened and whether it be his personal life or not client number nine was too busy getting busy that he forgot about his "leading by example" position.......... i say this because he is supposed to be the ideal american leader and who we look up to.............being from the south bronx you hear all these rumors about hunts point and girls from the "ghetto" but you forget that hunts points community is more united than any other community. Filled with culture and art yet people are too busy caring about degrading minorities than worrying about client number nine............ for as long as i can remember the media has injected in our minds certain points of view to persuade us to give in to society, well Mr.Spitzer messed up and as insane as it may be the media was all over it........ this event can only show us how much the government really knows from wire tapped to stalked by the media.......... effective march 17th our new governor will take over....... and how about this one.......... not only is he black, but hes legally blind too..............

psssssssssst Do Something!!

2008-03-12T13:44:00.001-07:00

Everyone check this out its a video on the war in iraq but pay attention because it my be funny but true at the same time......

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Lh-T2iGkLJY&feature=bz303

What president is right for you??

2008-03-12T13:20:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,
This is Hector the political coordinator for WeRunThisVote..... This years elections may be difficult and confusing but exciting at the same time.... But i find myself not knowing who the right president for me would be.... The links below are websites that have a quiz that you can take in order to see which president would be right for you.... although we don't guarantee that the quizzes are accurate and may leave out important questions.... it is something that everyone should explore.... so take the quiz..............

http://glassbooth.org/glassbooth connects you to the 2008 presidential candidate that represents your beliefs the best.

http://www.votehelp.org/nonpartisan candidate calculator that tracks the main politicians' stands on important issues.

The Youth Run The Vote !

2008-03-12T12:42:00.000-07:00

On May 10th, 6-8pm young people from the South Bronx will represent by speaking out on the issues that matter to them most. It's not all about the delegates and what the media is portraying. We as young people of America have the right to share information with our communities. We want to tell politicians how we feel and what needs to be changed. Young people are being left out of the political process. The next president is critical to the survival of young people of color in America. So whose going to be our next president? not sure? .....all we know is that THE YOUTH RUN THE VOTE !

When: May 10th from 6-8pm
Where: The Point Cdc, 940 Garrison Avenue http://www.thepoint.org/
Cost: Free, Open to the Public (16 & Up)

EVENT GOALS:
• Register people to vote
• Get more young people involved in the political process
• Provide information about the candidates and what their stand is on the issues that matter to young people.
• Bring attention to the issues young people care about.

YOUTH ISSUES WE WILL FOCUS ON:
•Education (Curriculum, School Safety, books, materials, etc)
• Youth Employment / Opportunities (jobs, arts, after-school, college funding, sports etc)
• Healthcare

if you are interested in attending this amazing event please email
coti.werunthis@gmail.com to RSVP !

if you are interested in sharing a poem or another piece of art please email
melody.werunthis@gmail.com

Check back on our blog for more updates !
http://nycvote.blogspot.com/

Thanks !
The WE RUN THIS VOTE project
Hector, Lorena, Coti, Yoshi, Kevin, Melody & PattyDukes
http://dreamyardactionproject.com/