March Newsletter: A new home for our Project

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With so much turmoil in the world right now I urge you to apply Think Globally–Act Locally to the misuse of weapons. There are more than 400 million guns in 44% of American households. Influencing how individuals perceive their right to use them is of utmost importance.

~ Leslie Lee, Soul Box Project Founder.

Our Project has a new home!

The role of serendipity in the history of the Soul Box Project never ceases to amaze. Maybe we have good karma due to the nature of our work? The latest bit of good luck is leasing an affordable new place directly across from the Multnomah Post Office, just a few blocks away from our former location at the Multnomah Arts Center. We now have enough room for all 200,000 Soul Boxes, with a small workspace for the creation, repair and packing of panels. A loading door on the same lower level will make shipping to exhibit venues much easier.

Open House on March 12

The bonus serendipity is: this is a building with several art studios! And – by luck – those artists have scheduled an Open Studio on March 12 from 11am to 4pm. They have offered us an opportunity to be open to the public as well and generously added us to their announcement.
Come, reconnect with old friends and meet new ones. Remember, The Soul Box Project was first introduced at a PDX Open Studios Tour in 2017 and look what happened!

We need volunteers to help us host our space during this Open House. Sign up below to spend time welcoming and providing information about The Soul Box Project to visitors.

Help Host on March 12

We still want to host a gathering to remember the success of the D.C. exhibit. An outdoor venue might be the most feasible and warmer weather is coming soon! Send us your ideas and together we'll make this happen.

In the meantime, stop in to see our new space and say hello.

We need your help to get ready.

All 600 bags full of Soul Boxes were moved by intrepid volunteers last week.
The panels still need to be boxed and the racks and miscellaneous supplies will also need to be moved on Thursday March 10 from 10am-3pm.
We plan to offer lunch at noon for a break and time to be social in our new space.

Please sign up for this work party and pizza lunch

Work Party & Lunch March 10

More hands make better work.

It’s a relief to have the physical part of the Project settled for the year.

Our next goal is to keep the Soul Box Project active within the Gun Violence Prevention movement and finding venues for exhibits. In some ways this is more challenging than hands-on installations and we need sufficient staff to succeed.
If you or anyone you know is interested in joining our close-knit, dedicated team please check out the job descriptions for an Administrative Assistant and/or Social Media Lead. Ideally, this could be one person; applications for one or the other will be given equal consideration.

Kelsea Ashenbrenner is back from maternity leave and will be moving from Administrative Assistant to Outreach Coordinator. She's so thankful that she can do her job remotely and be with her daughter, Selina. She's looking forward to connecting communities, individuals, and organizations with The Soul Box Project.

What's Happening?

This Loss We Carry at University of Lynchburg, VA

Daura Museum of Art | January 24 – March 11, 2022

The 1,176 Soul Boxes on view at the Daura Museum of Art at the University of Lynchburg represent approximately 6 months of Virginia gunfire injuries and deaths. On exhibit through March 11. Here is a good article about it.

#Enough: Plays to End Gun Violence

Our collaboration continues with teen playwrights at #Enough: Plays to End Gun Violence. Consider producing a reading of this year’s #ENOUGH plays in conjunction with a Soul Box Project exhibit or activity. Readings will occur in person or virtually on April 20, the 23-year remembrance of the shootings at Columbine. For more information email enoughplays@gmail.com.

In The Media

Our team at Laura Evans Media has set up a Soul Box Project page on the very popular platform Medium.com and posted a recent article by founder Leslie Lee letting everyone know the Project is looking for a partner going forward.

You can help this article get more attention by following, commenting and giving applause – circled in red in the lower left corner. You can give a max of 50 claps (please do!) and comment about why you support and participate in The Soul Box Project.
Sharing on your social media platforms (bottom right) is also very helpful.

This page is like its own magazine and we can post articles by a variety of authors. Help us sustain media interest by writing an article. We can help edit, find photos and submit. Contact leslielee@soulboxproject.org for more information.

The Soul Box Project provides a visual that attracts attention and raises awareness. Out of all the images available, look at what the PBS Newshour chose for an article about Trayvon Martin. This is a perfect example of how our Project continues to influence, with beauty and compassion, long after an exhibit closes.

Thanks to YOU,
our work goes on...

We are grateful for your ongoing financial support that allows us to continue

COUNTING.
CARING.
CONNECTING.

WAYS TO GIVE

Once again, we thank our many generous donors!
You are on our website.

Soul Box Project USA is a charitable and educational organization as described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. EIN: 84-2971470. Your donation is tax-deductible.

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The Soul Box Project · PO Box 19900 · Portland, OR 97280 · USA