causenation

You must take five minutes this weekend to watch this inspiring short film created by 16 year-old David Were about his realities living in the largest slum in Kenya.  I have been working on the Adobe Youth Voices program since its inception four years ago, and I am continuously inspired.

This and ten other youth produced films are being celebrated this week at Lincoln Center in New York City as part of the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival.  Over a hundred additional films are uploaded at the Adobe Youth Voices Gallery.  In the past week the New York Times, Wall Street Journal,  WABC TV and other news outlets have shared these films with millions. 

Every few weeks I hope to highlight a few Adobe Youth Voices films in a causenation blog.  Adobe Youth Voices is the company’s global signature philanthropic program empowering youth to create media for social change.   (more…)

Each year, Adobe celebrates the cutting-edge use of its technology for creating engaging virtual experiences. This year Social Responsibility was added as a new category, and the diverse finalists in this category are worth checking out.  The general public has been invited to vote on the winner. Finalists include a dynamic online forum for Colorado teenagers to discuss peer pressure and making smarter choices in their lives; an interactive game to promote healthy relationships among youth; an online exploration of threatened salmon populations in the North Pacific; and an easy-to-use desktop application that helps Fiat owners drive more efficiently. View the finalists and exercise your vote! Voting will close at 12:00 noon PDT on Tuesday, October 6^th.

We are having a busy Summer working and playing.  We hope you are too. Here are some highlights from our world:

• Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream was profiled on CNN, highlighting the story of Lucy Valena, one of our first micro-loan recipients.  Watch the segment.  We are proud that over the past year over 250 jobs have been created or saved through the program.
• ARAMARK released a case study on how and why the company created its first-ever signature community program - ARAMARK Building Community.  Patricia Hurley provided the final edits just days ago.  Read the case at causeconsulting.com.
• Nikki Korn joined the Fidelity FutureStage team on Broadway to celebrate the power and importance of arts education at the year-end performance of five plays written and acted by NYC public school students. Watch what Queen Latifah and Elton John had to say at futurestage.com.           (more…)

For the past four years I have been working with Adobe on its Adobe Youth Voices  program, a signature initiative that empowers young people from underserved communities around the globe to share their voices. I could not be more thrilled that the Black Eyed Peas have continued to add their voices to support and raise awareness of the power of young people.

I am completely inspired by these kids and it has become a personal passion of mine to expose people in my networks to their creations.

One young filmmaker I really admire is Maria Centeno from East Palo Alto, CA. Part hip-hop artist, part journalist, part poet, part graphic artist, her film What Has This World Come To? is a commentary about paying attention to what is going on around you, seen through Maria’s eyes. More than 25,000 people have viewed Maria’s work! Take a few minutes to watch it.  I hope you agree it is really powerful.  Pass it along to people you know. 

Last week participants and supporters from all over the world came together to celebrate a series of milestones – the first Adobe Youth Voices Global Summit followed by Adobe Youth Voices Live! (more…)