HEIDIGENRICH'S BLOG
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REVO Los Angeles' Art Show
- Posted on 10.05.09
Last night I went to REVO LA's art show at UCLA, a multimedia festival to raise awareness about the broken school system in West Papua, Indonesia. I wish I had thought to take more pictures, because they transformed austere UCLA's Ackerman Ballroom into a colorful and layered atmosphere that invited guests to wander. They used art to communicate the current state of the West Papua school system - and what transformation they are seeking.
On top of interactive exhibits, great music, drinks and a photo booth, the centerpiece of the night was creative expression. Among many others there was work by Shepard Fairey (including his Aung San Suu Kyi/Freedom to Lead print) and, my personal favorite, Audrey Kawasaki. Proceeds from many of the works were going to West Papua.
Big regret: I didn't bring enough cash to silk screen my own shirt at the party. Boo!! (The pic is of the silk massive screening apparatus this put out.) -
Buy A Strawberry Cupcake Before Oct. 7 From Sprinkles!!!
- Posted on 10.05.09
Related causes: Health
I was sick all weekend, but my fiance brought me Sprinkles. Well, he really bought himself Sprinkles since he knew I'd feel to gross to actually eat any of the sugar confections.
The delicious and famous cupcake store is giving all the proceeds from their strawberry cupcakes to breast cancer research through this Wednesday (Oct. 7). You now have an excuse to indulge!
They have stores nationwide, so check out their website for a location near you.
http://www.sprinkles.com/locations.html
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The Paddleboat Regatta
- Posted on 07.29.09
Coming up with fresh ways to fundraise can be difficult. There are only so many charity walks, dinners and parties you can do every year – both as an organizer and a participant – before they become tired.
826LA definitely figured out how to inject new energy into their fundraising, throwing a paddleboat “regatta” in Echo Park last Sunday. Teams, with names like Knotty Girls, Team McCheeks and Inna Regatta Da Vida, signed up online for the race. Participants solicited their friends and family for donations to help them win.
Since the boats were deemed to old and valuable to withstand the aggression of actual racing, the paddling itself was more of a pageant. The teams who raised the most money paddled last, soaking up their glory under the hot Los Angeles sun. Our team, the Causecastic Interns, raised $1,535. We didn’t quite take first place, but the Causecastic Interns were more than pleased to beat the team formed by Causecast’s staff.
After weeks of fundraising, the real...Read More -
A Liberal's Dilemma: America and Iran
- Posted on 06.16.09
Related causes: Human Rights
As Ahmadinejad's government revokes its last shreds of democratic legitimacy, an old political and moral quandary is brought up. It is difficult to stand idly by while tyrants subvert democracy, but pacifying US-Iran relations is of upmost importance. What approach should the US take towards Iran?
As a general rule, I am against neoimperialism and Western paternalism of every kind. I believe, like most Americans suckled on tales of the Boston Tea Party and Bunker Hill, that self-determination is a sacred right. The results of democratic elections should be respected, no matter what lunatic administration arises from them.* Furthermore, the US does not have a right to question the political processes of other sovereign nations.
We have an illustrious history of intervening when foreign elections do not go the way of our economic and political interests. It is one of our nation's dirty not-so-secret secrets. For all our self-righteous bluster about human rights and democracy, we've ...Read More -
California Budget Crisis Widget from the LA TImes
- Posted on 06.10.09
Related causes: Community, Health, Human Rights
The LA Times has this helpful interactive California budget balancer:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-statebudget-fl,0,95571.htmlstory
Simply direct your fiscally conservative friends to this page whenever they spout off about "cutting fat" from state government to close the $24 billion deficit.
Very little money is saved by only cutting "redundant" and "unnecessary" expenses. I could only balance the budget (and still live with myself) by enacting most of the proposed tax increases. The gap isn't even halfway closed if you completely gut healthcare and human services. Add to that your savings from slashing public education, and you'll still need to scrounge up another $3 billion somewhere.
As a non-smoking Prius owner, those gas and cigarette taxes don't seem like a bad idea.
