Although Project:A and company are on their way home, the Empty Suitcase Project (started up by Filipino American musician Passion) is something I really hope goes far beyond this initial cause.

This is a project that has been on my heart the past year. A project that’s dear to me and think it could help out the kids in Tanzania in a great way. WITH YOUR HELP!

The first part of the documentary that runs alongside this project lets Passion (Jeremy) talk about it in depth while the subsequent episodes feature various artists (Leejay, Jo Koy, Gabe Bondoc, Quest Crew, Jesse Barrera, AJ Rafael, Wes & Phil of Wong Fu Productions, and more) answering the question: “What was your opportunity when you first started?”

Despite the different genres these artists come from, they all acknowledge that what they do started because of one thing: an opportunity. And what this project can do is be that opportunity for those in real need. In total, Project:A raised over 250kg of pencils, instruments, art supplies & sports equipment towards the four projects (see earlier posts here) and $16,000 USD. Amazing job guys!

The benefit concert was put together by Filipinos in Alliance (FIA) and Manny Garcia. Not only were some amazing acts brought in for the cause (Melissa Polinar, LeeJay Abucayan and Alfa Garcia) but they collaborated with one another on stage to give us all a really unique sound and a glimpse into what we should all be doing more – working together for something bigger. It’s great to see people aiming for more than their own successes.

Other favorites like TK Proposal, The Roxas Brothers, Ashlee Barrera, Abet Speaks and Alex ‘Excel’ Cruz also graced us with their respective talents. It’s amazing how much talent we can find in Chicago that are willing to put in effort for social cause.

In the end, the concert was a big success. Anthony, it was great chatting with you – I can’t wait to work on more Believe International projects with you and your team! Timmy from TK, you’re hilarious and nice to finally meet you officially…keep doing your thing! Here’s a couple photos from the event:

After the event and despite staying up late night to work on the event program, a bunch of us decided to hit up Ken Kee in Chinatown for some late night celebration eats. Thumbs up!

And I just have to give a special shoutout to Melissa, Leejay and Alfa – you guys are AMAZING and it was a blast hanging with you guys over the weekend! I really hope we can all get together and hang out again soon! And Melissa, huge thanks for the shout out again and playing one of my favorite songs! :smiles: Until next time!

Click here or the image above to watch the photo slideshow | Right click & save

So awhile back, I shot at the Portage Theater in Chicago for an event called “Help Me, Help Haiti”. I feel like I’ve been non-stop shooting of late, so this is extraordinarily late for me to post, haha. Anyway, the event was put together by Jen DeLeon who I had met a week before I signed on to do the event.

One of the things I was asked to make was an intro video to kick off the show, but I wanted to do something a little more fancy than just lazily throw together some photos of the performers off of Google. So I decided to shoot the performers while they were going through sound check and render a slideshow on the spot with photos and video. Sounded like a good plan, right?

Well, I was a little flustered when I looked in my camera bag and found that my CF card reader had decided to wander off, but luckily Mclaren, one of the other photogs on location, had his handy. FHEW! Thanks again, Mclaren! I thought I was going to have to make a mad dash to Calumet. Anyway, despite some technical difficulties and time issues, I managed to get the vid completed before the show started and this is the result.

Stay tuned for some more photos from the show! I promise you won’t have to wait long, haha.

Click here or the image above to watch the photo slideshow | Right click & save

So if you’ve been following the blog, you’d know UMG (along with Mix Media sponsored the Nurses 4 Haiti event at Filipiniana restaurant last Friday. RJ (DJ Rex) from Mix Media got there early to set up and I wasn’t too far behind to start shooting some set up photos and video.

As people started filing in as 8pm approached, you could tell it was going to be a packed house. Some of my friends actually weren’t able to grab seats, but every one of them stuck around to support the cause and the artists performing. Thanks for coming out guys! Anyway, as I mentioned in my previous blog, Chris put together a great lineup of performers – including TK Proposal, Manny Garcia, Alan Tiongson & Francis Perfecto and the recent Battle of the Bamboo champions – KAPWA.

At the end of the event, the Haiti-bound ER nurses came up and expressed their thanks for the support…though I’m sure we all felt that their contributions for the Haitian people was the support that truly deserved praise. I’m sure I speak on behalf of everyone when I say thank you for being so selfless and doing what you’re doing. It’s not only an amazing journey of unselfish aid, but the N4H cause has also has brought more of us together to support and educate others on these worldwide matters through our collective talents.

I had so much fun shooting, connecting with new people and catching up with friends. Thanks again to Chris for putting this all together! If you guys are still feeling philanthropic (or couldn’t make it to the N4H event at Filipiniana) don’t worry…there’s another one this Friday, March 12 at the Portage Theater called Help Me, Help Haiti. You can check out more info on Jen Deleon’s blog. I won’t be scarfing down any kare kare this time around, but I’ll still be the guy snapping photos and video if you’ve got time to swing by. Hope to see you then!

As we all know, Haiti had been struck by serious devastation only a few short months ago. And with the even more recent misfortunes in Chile, relief efforts are, unfortunately, spread even more thin. The economic tides that we have been stricken with (for what seems like an eternity) have made it extremely difficult for many to monetarily donate to the relief, but there are ways to provide meaningful assistance without having to break the bank.

In addition to supplemental efforts that I posted up on the Selfless blog, my friend Chris had recently informed me of a local event he put together to support Nurses 4 Haiti. The guys over at Mix Media and UMG jumped on board to help with the event along with some great performers like TK Proposal, Manny Garcia, Alan Tiongson & Francis Perfecto.

We’re all coming out to the Nurse 4 Haiti event to share our collective talents, enjoy some great food and good company and, of course, support the cause. I’m sure I speak for all of us in saying that we’d love to see you come by, say hello and take a seat at Filipiniana this Friday, March 5th for the event. So far over 150 people have RSVP’d, so if you’re looking for UMG, I’ll be the guy juggling a camera and some kare kare. See you all Friday!

Shortly after the earthquake devastated Haiti, four Nike Basketball designers flew from Nike’s World Headquarters in Oregon to Dade County, Florida at the invitation of teachers and administrators from Forest Park Elementary School, where 60 percent of the children are of Haitian descent. Many of the children’s extended families were impacted directly or indirectly by the earthquake.

The designers worked with 300 children from Forest Park to create artwork that sends a message of hope, love and empathy to the Haitian people.

The unique designs will be captured on T-shirts that will be sold for $25 each through Nike retail locations, including physical Nike stores and nikestore.com, with proceeds going to one of Nike’s two partners in the Haitian relief effort: Mercy Corps and Architecture for Humanity. They will first be available leading up to the NBA All-Star Game taking place the weekend of February 12 to February 14 (NOTE: They are still readily available for purchase now).

The T-shirt design features two hands reaching out to one another and the Creole passage Kinbé Pa Lagé (ken-BEH pah lah-GEH) which, translated, means “Hold on tight. Don’t let go.”

[Via Freshness Mag]

BENEFIT ART PROGRAM TO HELP RAISE MONEY FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE HAITI EARTHQUAKE

SA Studios Global’s Film Marketing Division has teamed up with Quentin Tarantino, Upper Playground and The Weinstein Company to present, THE LOST ART OF INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS.

On February 18th, 2010 from 6p – 9p the world will get to preview and purchase the “Lost Art of Inglorious Basterds” at The Upper Playground Art Gallery in Downtown Los Angeles. All proceeds from this program will be donated to The American Red Cross to help the victims of the Haiti Earthquake.

This creative team has assembled the following select group of accomplished artists, David Choe, Sam Flores, Estevan Oriol, Grotesk, Jeremy Fish, Patrick Martinez, Alex Pardee, Dora Drimalas, Munk One, N8 Van Dyke, Rene Alamanza, Morning Breath and Skinner Davis, to create their own poster art based off their interpretation of the Oscar Nominated film, “Inglourious Basterds” artwork.

Each print will be numbered and signed by Quentin Tarantino. Only six (6) of each amount will be made

The gallery will open will be open to the general public from 6p – 9p on Thursday February 18th, 2010 at Upper Playground Los Angeles located at 125 East 6th Street in Downtown LA. Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase the limited edition prints for $300. The prints are giclée print and are only available for purchase at Upper Playground, Los Angeles. Phone orders and web orders will not be accepted. Prints will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. The purchase of prints will be limited to one per buyer.

[Via Fatlace]

17 cases of new clothes. Out the door and express mailed to Haiti.

Although the disaster may be making its way to the back of our minds here in the US, it’s still something that people deal with daily in Haiti. With the economy being as tough as it is, I can definitely understand people’s hesitation to keep giving more and more, but there are other ways to help besides giving money like I pointed out in a previous post. Here’s yet another way you can help the victims of the Haiti disaster without spending a dime:

FASHION DELIVERS is coordinating efforts to send new products to our neighbors in Haiti who have been devastated by what very well may be the worst natural disaster to have ever hit the western hemisphere. It has been reported that hundreds of thousands of people may have lost their lives and hundreds of thousands more have been left homeless and without life’s most basic necessities.

Fashion Delivers is mobilizing to provide immediate assistance! They need a broad assortment (in all sizes) of lightweight apparel for men and women, such as t-shirts, tops, shirts, jeans, shorts, slacks, sportswear, active wear, etc. Basic items such as underwear, socks, sheets and throws or lightweight blankets as well as baseball caps, sneakers, sandals and sleepwear are also needed. Rest assured, your product donations of these essentials WILL reach the victims for which they are intended and will help them cope with this tragedy. This is a massive humanitarian crisis. Your donation of product will make the difference in so many people’s lives who have lost everything.

Please contact Fashion Delivers at 212-629-6700 or e-mail carla@fashiondelivers.org for any questions that you may have.

[Via Staple Design]

Follow 141 on Twitter | Join 141′s Facebook Page | Visit 141 Eyewear

Tom’s Shoes has made some amazing progress with their 1-for-1 cause. So much in fact that they have spread like wildfire on the retail front and are, reportedly, working on a “premier shoe” for higher-end markets ($75-150 USD). Like I was saying before, it seems to make things easier for people to help when they are getting something in turn for their buck. Take that as you will, but if that ultimately means that those in need will benefit more readily (and consistently), it’s doing its job and then some. 141 Eyewear seems to have adopted Tom’s 1-for-1 philosophy for the opposite end of the body – your eyes!

When I first checked it out, I was skeptical that they would be some bargain basement excuses for glasses – lazily strewn together and unbelievably fashion backward. But I couldn’t have been more wrong. Kyle and Shu-Chu, the masterminds behind the specs, clearly have a passion for the field. The glasses reflect a conscious artistry and careful craftsmanship that would make most reconsider the $400 frames they just bought. Even moreso, these glasses can look great on anyone worldwide. And as much as that doesn’t sound like a major feat, I’m talking about spanning across not only global trend patterns, but also socioeconomic levels and climate conditions. They can be just as much about eye jewelry as much as they are about function. And that’s not an easy thing to do.

Considering the fact that my current frames can barely be considered glasses anymore after smashing them on the pavement during a fixed gear bike accident, these specs are right up there on my “must have” list for 2010.

“Every day, you make simple, critical choices. But it’s not everyday that your choice can necessarily make a difference. It’s not everyday that your choice will immediately change someone’s life. When you choose 141 Eyewear, we act on your behalf. For every pair of 141 Eyewear purchased, we give a new pair of prescription glasses to a person in need. No portions of proceeds. No percentages. You buy, we give. One Four One.”

Why Eyewear?

“What if you could not afford glasses? Would you be able to work? Read? Cook? Recognize your children? Would you be able to drive? How much would you be able to enjoy the things you cherish in your life?
According to the World Health Organization, 153 million people cannot see simply because they do not have access to corrective eyewear and/or cannot afford proper vision care. We have seen first hand what it is like for many of these children and adults to live without glasses. Children cannot see the blackboard clearly; as a result, they lose interest in school and hinder their chances of realizing their potential. For many adults, work is difficult to find and many everyday activities such as reading a book are not possible because these people simply cannot see clearly.

But…

When a child receives a pair of glasses, suddenly the blackboard becomes clear. Schoolwork gets better. Participation in extracurricular activities gets better. Life gets better. For adults, finding work is easier. Books and newspapers become readable. Faces of loved ones become recognizable. The ability to commute gets better. Life gets better.
Something as small as a pair of glasses has the power to change a person’s life and open up a whole new world of possibilities.” [Via 141 Eyewear]

Follow 141 on Twitter | Join 141′s Facebook Page | Visit 141 Eyewear

I got this e-mail yesterday, so I can’t really take any credit for seeking this out, but it’s great to see a brand like Akira getting out there and doing their part to help the relief effort.

I believe there has been over $5,000,000 USD raised for Haiti thusfar, but the struggles continue as distribution efforts for food, medicine and water have been both slow and uneven. Can you tell I’ve been watching a little bit more CNN in the mornings at work? But in all seriousness, it’s been brutally sad seeing how many people have lost their loves ones, how many others have turned to desperation (and as a consequence, violence at times) just to survive and gut retching/painful to watch peril live. Just the other day CNN showed a scene where a girl’s leg was pinned under falling debris from a building. You could hear her screaming out in the background, but no machinery/enough tools were available to free her. They were forced to consider amputation as their only solution. What’s even worse is that early this morning (Jan 20) there was a 6.1 magnitude AFTERSHOCK that hit Haiti just a week after the initial 7.0 devastator. You can read about the aftershock a bit more here.

But anyway, please continue to help in any way you can. This disaster is far from over and with Akira’s efforts here, it’s clear to see that your help doesn’t have to just be monetary. If you’re interested in dropping by an Akira store, but don’t know if there’s one close to you, click here for store locations.