Let's do this together

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Hey,

This is Rebecca. I just came across this photo as I was browsing through all our work over the past year or so.

That's me on the left, looking goofy but very happy in the midst of testing this elaborate interactive "dilemma door" that Steve L and I made at last year's AIDS Conference.

I was reminded that my favorite part of this project was our partnership with advocacy groups working on access to medicines, including Treatment Action Group. I learned so much from them about global health and the powerful interests at play in that world. I know when we worked together we brought critical issues to the fore that would have otherwise been overlooked. They told us it helped challenge them to think differently about the way they engage and protest, bringing in the fun and weirdness and creative strategy that helps them win campaigns and keep them going.

So anyway, I've been thinking about all of you out there on this list too - the many of you who we have worked with and the many who we haven't yet. And about how valuable it is when we keep learning from each other.

That's been my focus at the C4AA in the past few weeks.

Let's work together

I've set up a few ways we can:

(see details below)

1. Our Streaming Soiree allows us to hang out, talk, and share (online) - join on October 8
2. Partner with your favorite organization that could use an infusion of creative activism.
3. Join us to overcome some big and small challenges we're facing at the C4AA - contribute your skills and insights
4. Donate!

OK?

Here are the details:

Join us at the Streaming Soiree, Oct 8th

The Streaming Soiree is an online hangout and artistic activism jam session. We ask that you donate for a ticket, as we need to raise funds to keep going. We also want to ruminate together and brainstorm about pressing problems. We would love to talk to you about ways to rally people creatively, low-budget tips for actions, interventions that get people to stop and think differently, getting beyond petitions and banners, and everything else that people are grappling with. It will be online at a secret location Oct 8th at 4pm EST.

Donate to get your Soiree ticket

Nominate partners

Our recent project in Seattle in partnership with the Seattle’s Public Defender Association. 508 is the number of people who have died from overdose in the city since the county’s Opioid and Heroine Task Force, unanimously, made a series of recommendations to stem the crisis in the county. In that period, there has been no government action. Read more about recent developments of the project here.

We love to help advocacy and arts organizations who are doing great work and are looking for new ways to support creativity and impact.

Who are your "top three"?

We're now asking you to join our search party for three amazing advocacy organizations on the East Coast of the U.S. who are working on climate change and environmental justice, voting access and rights, or equity in housing or health care. We love other issues and campaigns too, so this is just a partial list. Nominate an organization you love or are part of.

We're also looking for three arts-oriented organizations on the East Coast of the U.S.who are looking to expand their reach supporting arts working on social practice or community engagement. We have worked with organizations like A Blade of Grass and the Queens Museum. Nominate another organization or group you'd like to see expand their reach.

Nominate an organization that needs some artistic activism lovin'

Share your mad skills

You've got skills and we've got ways to put them to great use!

But we don't know what those skills are and who out there has them, so you have to let us know.

Here's what we have on the horizon that you can join in on:

Behind the Scenes Testing

Before we launch our brand new Aeffect App, we need testers to make sure it's not going to poop out. The app is designed to help artistic activists strengthen and evaluate their own projects through a series of questions that guide self-reflection. If you have a project idea you'd like some help thinking about in more detail, this is a great opportunity.

Social Media Advice

If you're kind of secretly a social media wiz, we'd love a little advice on software for automating posts, engagement strategies and things like that.

Fundraising Enlightenment

Maybe you've been doing some fundraising for a nonprofit, and you have some brilliant ideas for increasing donations, or you can tell us about some little-known online training courses or forums for non profits.

WordPress/CSS wizardry

(Mild wizardry is fine too.) We're creating a new, better C4AA site. It's very close. The project is on github so you can see the code and the open issues and get a sense if you can contribute. We'd love to have you join us.

Tell us about your special skills!

We rely on donations

We truly need individual donors and small foundations to support the work of running the C4AA. It's an increasingly difficult fundraising environment among foundations and larger grants, so even a small amount helps us keep our staff and basic operations going. Seriously, five dollars will help us (AND get you a ticket to the Streaming Soiree!).

Make a one time donation

Be a C4AA sustainer