UNICEF TAP PROJECT MARCH 22-28 – Turn A Glass of Water Into Something Beautiful

Some of you may have seen the outdoor signs around DC and the Metro but what the buzz is about is that World Water Week is coming to DC March 22nd – 28th.

World Water Week is a week-long charity event launched by the Tap Project, an initiative of UNICEF, to help address the global crises of poor water sanitation in developing nations. The lack of clean drinking water is the second largest killer of children under five worldwide, causing 4,200 deaths from water-related diseases every day.

During World Water Week (March 22-28, 2009) restaurants here in DC and across the United States will encourage patrons to donate $1 or more for the tap water they usually enjoy for free. Every dollar raised provides a child with clean drinking water for 40 days.

Tap DC invites Washington residents and local artists to participate in a large-scale public art project to promote World Water Week in our city. Residents and artists are invited to “turn a glass of water into something beautiful”—creating works of art that demonstrate the transformative potential of a glass of water.

Art may be submitted in the artists’ medium of choice: painting, drawing, poetry, sculpture, video or music. Selected works will be displayed in print, outdoor and television advertising, an art exhibition at the Pepco Edison Gallery, and online at TapDC.org.

What you can do:

Restaurants > Become a Tap Project participating restaurant, we’ll provide support materials to help you engage customers and inform local media about your involvement in this important project.

Volunteers > Register to be a Tap Project Campaign Volunteer and help us recruit and support local restaurants and employers.

Everyone > Create a piece of art to help promote World Water Week. Dine out at a participating restaurant March 22-28. Donate at tapdc.org or text the word “TAP” to 864233 (UNICEF) to make a $5 donation.

For more info visit:

The TAP DC site: http://www.tapdc.org/
Tap DC Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=35356331705
Tap DC Twitter page: http://twitter.com/tapdc

Full Disclosure: I work for the agency promoting World Water Week here in DC. I am also heading up the blog outreach and promotion across the social media sphere.

District Government Offers Funding for Solar, Wind Energy Projects

District residents, businesses, nonprofits and private schools may now
apply for up to $33,000 in assistance to install renewable energy
systems on their buildings. The Green Energy DC Incentive Program is
the first of a series of upcoming initiatives to support clean energy
technology. The District Department of the Environment (DDOE) will
provide up to $2 million for each of the next four years, beginning
immediately with solar photovoltaic and wind turbine systems.

Incentive payments are based on the amount of electricity the
renewable energy system generates. Projects must be completed within
six months of application. DDOE expects to be able to offer incentives
for solar thermal, geothermal, biomass and methane recovery systems in
the next several months.

For more information and a downloadable packet of application
materials, visit Green Energy DC

For more information, contact the DDOE Energy Office at (202) 673-6700 or greenenergy@dc.gov

Buy a Pie and make a Difference!

SLICE OF LIFE is the only area pie sales event allowing you to purchase your Thanksgiving pies while making an impact in the lives of thousands in need in our community. This large-scale bake sale is in its second year and not only allows you to purchase pies for you and your family, but also to complement the full Thanksgiving meals our clients will receive this year by purchasing a pie for them.

You have the choice of four delicious flavors:

Picture Perfect Pumpkin
Thanksgiving would not be complete without this traditional favorite. The creamy pumpkin filling, in a delectable crust, has the perfect mix of spices and great pumpkin flavor. You’ll certainly want to order more than one for your family and friends.

Harvest Apple Crumb
Perfectly flaky with just the right amount of sweetness, you’ll enjoy this classic pie filled with a bushel of apples, spices and topped with sweet crumbles. Whether you serve your pie alone or a la mode, it’s a must have.

Southern Pecan Pie
Embrace true hospitality by sharing this Southern treat with your holiday guests. Ya’ll will love this delicious buttery crust, loads of pecans and sweet gooey filling.

Creamy Chocolate Cheesecake
A chocolate lover’s delight! Your guests will go crazy over this rich, creamy cheesecake topped with a decadent dark chocolate ganache. It is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

PICKING-UP YOUR PIE
Upon purchasing your pie, you will be asked to select a Pie Pick-Up Location.  Pies are available to be picked-up at each site on Tuesday, November 25th from 10am-8pm. Thanks to the generosity of our friends at CVS Caremark, we are proud to offer 16 convenient Distribution Sites throughout the metropolitan area.  Food & Friends volunteers will be stationed at each site to help make sure your pick-up is as quick and easy as possible. Please note: Your pies are ONLY available for pick-up at the location you select when you place your order.

The Saartjie Project

The Saartjie Project, a collective of artists and activists exploring the life and legacy of Saartjie (Sara) Baartman is taking to the stage this August!

ABOUT THE SAARTJIE PROJECT
The Saartjie Project is a community-based organization that uses theatre, coalition building and art as catalysts for self-expression, re-definition and healing for Black women, girls and their communities.

Saartjie (Sara) Baartman was a South African woman exhibited throughout Britain and Paris, showing what to Europeans were highly unusual bodily features – her buttocks, breasts and vagina. From 1810 to 1815 she became an object, used at will and freely disposed of by those who robbed her of her identity.

This summer we bring her story to life through song, dance and spoken word. Jasmine Coles, Creative Advisor to The Saartjie Project said, “We are extremely excited about the production and are committed to using art as a catalyst of self-expression, self-definition and healing.

Join us!” Performances will be held at the DC Arts Center, 2438 18th Street, NW on August 22nd and August 23rd. The show begins at 7:30pm nightly. A portion of the proceeds will go to HIPS, a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt community based organization in Washington DC. For additional information on The Saartje Project or ticket sales, contact Jessica Solomon or visit The Saartjie Project official website, www.thesaartjieproject.org.

The Saartjie Project will perform in Washington DC at the DC Arts Center on August 22nd and 23rd at 7:30pm.

CALL+RESPONSE

ACT: http://www.callandresponse.com/join.html

The Film

CALL+RESPONSE is a first of its kind feature documentary film that reveals the world’s 27 million dirtiest secrets: there are more slaves today than ever before in human history. CALL+RESPONSE goes deep undercover where slavery is thriving from the child brothels of Cambodia to the slave brick kilns of rural India to reveal that in 2007, Slave Traders made more money than Google, Nike and Starbucks combined.

Girls Rock! DC

Girls Rock! The Movie a Benefit for Girls Rock! DC

Girls Rock! The Movie, a documentary about the Rock and Roll Camp for Girls in Portland, OR is coming to the Avalon Theatre in Chevy Chase April 4-10, 2008.

On April 4, there will be an Opening Night Benefit for Girls Rock! DC, the inaugural rock and roll summer camp for girls in the DC area taking place in August 2008.

Come for the movie, stay for the dance after party. We’ve got two bands and a DJ and all proceeds from merchandise sales and raffle tickets will go to Girls Rock! DC.

DC Kings Fundraiser for DC Rape Crisis Center

Join the DC Kings for a special fundraiser for the DC Rape Crisis Center!

DC Drag King Show and Fundraiser
Sunday April 13
7pm door, 9pm show
$5 cover—portion of proceeds will go to DCRCC
Location: Phase1

The DC Rape Crisis Center provides free services to survivors of sexual assault – including culturally competent services to LGBTQ survivors – and raises awareness about these issues in communities across DC. Join the DC Kings, the world’s longest-running drag king troupe, in supporting the work of DCRCC!

For more about DCRCC visit http://www.dcrcc.org/home.htm.
For more about the DC Kings visit http://www.dckings.com.

Women Who Tech: a TeleSummit for Women in Technology

Women Who Tech ( http://womenwhotech.com/ ) , in partnership with the WIN Technology Network, present Women Who Tech: a TeleSummit for Women in Technology in the non-profit and political world March 31, 2008.  

This free, live event will bring together the most talented and renowned women breaking new ground in technology. The telesummit aims to create a supportive network for the vibrant and thriving community of women in technology professions by giving them an open platform to share their talents, experiences and insights via virtual workshops and panel discussions. 

Current workshops include: 

Women and Social Capital 

Networking, schmetworking…why is it that women are statistically more’social’ than men, but have statistically less powerful business networksthan men? This panel will explore how the women who have entered boys clubsand built powerful Social Capital have done it and give ideas to women onhow to build their networks. 

Panelists: Joan Blades, Moveon.org and MomsRising, Arianna Huffington,Huffington Post 

Moderator: Tara Hunt, Citizen Agency   

Open Source For Women 

This panel will explore how to get women more involved in developingtechnology and contributing to Open Source and Open Standards. What are thecurrent barriers? What can we do to break these barriers? 

Panelists: Michelle Murrain, NOSI, Leslie Hawthorn, Google 

Moderator: Kaliya Hamlin, She’s Geeky   

Open Source Technology for .Orgs

Join the Technology Network of the Women’s Information Network for:

Open Source Technology for .Orgs

Saturday, February 23rd
1 pm – 3:30 pm
Cleveland Park Library
3310 Connecticut Avenue, NW
1st Auditorium

To register for this event please contact: Sibyl Edwards at technetwork@winonline.org

 

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Have you heard of Ubuntu, Kubuntu, and Linux? Or maybe you have heard of Firefox, WordPress or Drupal?

What do these things have in common? They are all Open Source Technology!

Open Source Technology is technology created by developers that is non-proprietary and can be modified and upgraded
by a community of other developers.

Open Source Technology is generally free and accessible to anyone who wants to download it.

Open Source Technology is being used in businesses, organizations and schools across the country.

Come and learn more about how the Open Source community is making technology bigger, better and more accessible for
all from our panel of Open Source enthusiasts and experts.

The panel is being led by Kevin Cole and Mackenzie Morgan.

Kevin Cole is a research applications programmer for the Gallaudet Research Institute at Gallaudet University. He is an advocate of using shared open technology to teach and learn. He is also the reluctant leader of the Ubuntu DC LoCo (Local
Community) team, where he is known to volunteer at local libraries teaching locals Ubuntu.

Mackenzie Morgan is a Computer Science major at George Washington University. Specializing in Linux, she works with the Linux community both online and offline helping new users.

To register for this event please contact: Sibyl Edwards at technetwork@winonline.org

Stepping Stones Research Briefing — May 16

Call for Presenters

The 3rd Annual Washington Area Women’s Foundation’s Stepping Stones Research Briefing

to be held the morning of

Friday, May 16, 2008

at the

The Urban Institute
Washington, D.C.

Washington Area Women’s Foundation and the Urban Institute will co-sponsor the 3rd annual Stepping Stones Research Briefing, highlighting research on issues relevant to low-income, women-headed families.  We are looking for researchers who would like to present their research and findings at this year’s Research Briefing. 

Stepping Stones is Washington Area Women’s Foundation’s multi-year initiative focused on increasing economic security and financial independence for low-income, women-headed families in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The Stepping Stones Research Briefing provides an opportunity for the Foundation and its partners to learn about the latest research that can inform their work supporting this population.

The first two Research Briefings each drew audiences of over 100 persons, including representatives from community-based organizations, funders, government agencies, and research institutions.