November 2008 Archives

China, in an unprecedented move, called off a joint summit on the financial crisis scheduled for Monday with the European Union. The reason for this particularly aggressive political maneuver is Europe's relationship with the Dalai Lama. Clealry the Spring uprising in Tibet rattled the Chinese leadership, presenting a global image of disharmony. And the relative weakness of Europe in the wake of the global financial crisis gives the China leverage. Britain, for instance, may have already sold out Tibet as a trade-off for a Chinese contribution to the International Monetary Fund. During a joint meeting between Asian and EU leaders in Beijing last month, the Chinese leadership felt they were humiliated by the European Parliament awarding its annual human rights prize, the Sakharov, to HIV/AIDS and human-rights advocate the day previous. China probably took that into account when making the decision to cancel the joint economic meeting that may have led to Chinese cooperation with European measures in dealing with the crisis. From Reuters:

China's foreign ministry had no immediate comment. But earlier this month it warned (French President Nicholas) Sarkozy, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, that the EU risked losing 'hard-won' gains in ties with Beijing if he met the Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in the mountainous region, occupied by Chinese troops from 1950. China calls him a "splittist" for advocating self-determination for his homeland.

One of the big questions asked by the foreign affairs thinkers about the future of the region is: What will Tibet do after the present Dalai Lama? Aside from being their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama is, quite literally, the face of Tibetan opposition to China as well as head of the government in exile. The Dalai Lama has had health issues, and could conceivably pass away in the not too distant future. Then what?

Choosing a successor to the Dalai Lama is an involved process. After the present Dalai Lama dies, the High Lamas of the Gelugpa tradition search for a child -- the reincarnation -- who was born around the same time that the current spiritual leader died. The smoke from the Dalai Lama's cremation might signal the direction in which the reincarnation can be found. This, of course, can take years. China, which generally takes a far less spiritual in their outlook, has announced unceremoniously that they will pick their own Dalai Lama of Tibet, which they regard as a subordinate principality of China. Understandably, Tibetan Buddhists find this to be an outrage. The Dalai Lama, perhaps conscious that time is favoring China, has broached the idea of the possibility of a referendum on how to pick the next Dalai Lama or, quite possibly, abandoning the process altogether.

[Image: Phayul.com]

"Most recently, I heard Kenneth Cole speak about his new book, "Awearness," and what went into the book. At the event, I learned about the designer's humanitarian side. He's spent decades raising funds and awareness for AIDS research, and this book lists ways that others can be equally inspired to make a difference in the world... Cole is using his celebrity status to change the lives of others. He's famous for his fashion line, but defines himself through his work for public service. At this event, I discovered another side to the man."

Which brings up an interesting question: Will the new era of economic belt-tightening challenge us to explore our notion of what celebrities are and the role they should play in our society? The term "frugalista" (in contrast to, ahem, "fashionista") has already been mentioned as a possible Oxford Word of the Year for 2008 - so it's clear that the notion of "celebrity" - of what it means to be "fabulous" - is already rapidly changing within the fashion industry.

The day after Thanksgiving is the busiest shopping day of the year. Malls open early and close late. Sales abound, tempting millions of Americans to load up on Christmas presents or just some good deals for themselves.

But wait a second. Aren't we facing a serious economic crisis right now, on par with the Great Depression? Aren't restaurants and boutiques closing left and right because no one is spending their precious dollars, choosing instead to hoard them for the long, cold winter ahead -- as well as the financial winter that could extend well into the warm days of summer and beyond?

Since 1997, a smaller group of Americans have celebrated the day of day-old turkey and cranberry sauce, aka Black Friday, with an alternative agenda to the mass-consumerism that courses through American cities and towns.

"Buy Nothing Day" gives anti-shoppers a chance to "escape the packed malls and aggressive advertising," explains Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping's website. Instead, the "church" invites you to a free dance party at Union Square, in Manhattan, from 3 to 5:30pm.

"Receive a special blessing (or exorcism) from the Rev for a 'Debt Free Christmas!'" promises the site. "Music makers and holiday costumes encouraged, all ages welcome! On Saturday you'll be singing 'Last Night A DJ Saved My Mortgage.'"

[Image: Shopping Frenzy at Eatons in Toronto, circa 1905]

Not all Palestinians are against all Israelis. The documentary Zero Degrees of Separation is a testament to that and more: the filmmakers show that Palestinians and Israelis not only may not hate each other, some might in fact love each other.

"Documentary filmmaker Elle Flanders considers the limitations of love when politics intrude by observing two inter-ethnic gay relationships in contemporary Israel. Ezra, a Jewish plumber with a fearless disregard for authority, tries to maintain his five-year relationship with Selim, a Palestinian in danger of being deported. While Edit and her partner Samira are united by a desire to help others, they discover it is difficult to eliminate identity politics from their daily life together."

View a clip from the film here.

Zero Degrees of Separation plays on The Sundance Channel, Thursday, November 27th at 5 am -- set your TiVo to record it.



And now for some good news from the continent of Africa. If you read many newspapers or watch some of the networks you will wonder how Africans can smile or even create music and art because the situation -- coup d'états, genocide, starvation -- is so bleak. Yes, there is poverty and sadness on the continent. But there are also moments of happiness, rays of good news.

The Addis Ababa-based African Child Policy Forum compiled a survey of child-friendliness on the continent. The "child friendly index" ranked 52 African countries and the top 10 were, in order, Mauritius, Namibia, Tunisia, Libya, Morocco, Kenya, South Africa, Malawi, Algeria and Cape Verde. Let's, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, give them all a round of applause. Curiously, wealth was not necessarily a major factor in the rankings, as many poorer countries scored surprisingly well as opposed to some wealthier countries. From the BBC:

"Governments that have come out well have put in place laws to protect children from abuse and exploitation, and they've targeted resources at children through better health and education," says Sir Richard Jolly, formerly of UN children's agency UNICEF and now an adviser to ACPF."

The rankings criteria included laws and policies enacted to protect children's rights. Another factor was the proportion of an African countries spending on allocations to nutrition, sanitation, water and the military. Countries that were good in those areas were not always as wealthy as, say, South Africa. The bottom-rated country in the index was Guinea-Bissau.

[Image: BBC]

In 1974, Sue Bramhall was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic eye disorder that results in the gradual loss of vision over a person's lifetime. She was an adult, and not willing to just let her eyesight fade to black. She decided to make the most of what she had left, and now she's developed a way to help others do the same.

This year, Bramhall started Mind's Eye Travel, a small business that plans guided tours for the visually impaired, and whose potential for growth is vast but also greatly hindered. There are nine million blind or visually impaired people in the United States, many of whom lead lives in quiet isolation, not necessarily because they want to, but because resources are not in place for them to experience the world as fully as one who can see. But over 70% of them are unemployed, limiting Bramhall's market to a fraction of that nine million.

For those who do wish to travel and can afford the cost, however, Bramhall's vacations are a godsend. Her first two trips, for which she served as the guide, were to the coast of Maine in September, and to Sedona, Arizona, in October. She is currently planning an art-themed trip to New York City and a Caribbean cruise, both slated for the spring.

"I seek out locations with tours and excursions that will give us plenty of description and sensory opportunities," she says, adding that she typically finds the necessary services at most popular tourist destinations. "I usually hire private guides who are eager to work with our group. Most enjoy the challenge of putting themselves in the position of a blind person, then adapting their presentation to give us a full understanding of the tour."

Just a few months into the venture, Bramhall seems to have a knack for her newfound calling. Six adults went on each of Mind's Eye Travel's first two trips, with eyesight that ranged from fully blind to fully sighted, and half of them have already booked vacations with her for 2009 as well.

"I've seen it all, there is no more to see," sang Bjork in Lars von Trier's Dancer in the Dark, in which she played Selma, a woman with a condition who may well have been retinitis pigmentosa. She didn't mean it, of course, and the audience felt her pain in trying to believe it was true. Thanks to efforts like Sue Bramhall's, fewer people in the real world will have to suffer Selma's fictional tragedy.

[Image: Fundamentaldan on Wikimedia Commons]

While the WNBA is still in search for R-E-S-P-E-C-T, women athletes are taking numbers.

First up, 5-year-old prodigy Milan.

She not only showcases better ball handling than most of the NBA and WNBA, but because she's a girl, she shames the guys even more.

Next up, Eri Yoshida, a 16-year-old girl who was signed to a baseball contract in Japan. Hopefully she was drafted for her ability to keep the guys whiffing and not as a sideshow to a new baseball league. Who knows what will be next... many a Japanese player has ended up in Major League Baseball. Although considering that she's only 5 feet tall, it's doubtful. But as I said, who knows!

Women ski jumpers are still trying to get into the Winter Olympics.Women ski jumpers are collecting signatures in an effort to demand inclusion in 2010 games. The excuses given are refuted in their "Get the facts" PDF document. We just had trampoline in the summer games (sorry, trampoline athletes, no offense), I think we can have women throwing themselves off a curvy ramp in the winter games. Yes, I think ski jumping is amazing and crazy! I love it!

Lastly, Womenstake reports that the NCAA not only updated their guidelines for pregnant athletes, but for gender equity in general. SCORE!

This shot was taken in Vancouver during a caper by the Downtown Eastside activist organization Carnegie Community Action Project. Its purpose was for residents of Canada's poorest neighbourhood concerned with the "condo tsunami" crashing through it to pay a visit in the welcome wagon tradition to Terry Hui, CEO of Canada's largest real estate developer, Concord Pacific.

They had sent e-mails requesting a meeting and made phone calls, but none were returned. Unsuccessful in their effort to open a dialogue, they arrived unannounced with a box of gifts for the executive, one of which is shown in the photo. Inside the jar are several bed bugs plucked from a Downtown Eastside single-room occupancy hotel, decrepit accommodation the protesters say need replacing with safe, secure, affordable units. The CEO refused to greet his visitors, but enough media were on hand to witness the story. The power in clever actions like this lies in their ability to force the other stakeholders' hands by introducing a humanitarian aspect to the planning process around new development.

Carnegie Community Action Project is one of several activist organizations in Vancouver that have protested public policy harmful to poor and marginalized people in the lead up to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Their greatest leverage lies in darkly humorous, media-savvy actions aimed at holding all three levels of government and the Games organizing committee to account for promises made in the host city competition bid book that had won the event for the city in 2003. With homeless numbers tripling since then, demonstrations expected to escalate and media attention heightening as 2010 nears, the potential for international embarrassment looms in what is often cited as the world's most livable city.

Join the club.

Not only is Obama making History, with a capital "H" -- and who wouldn't want to be a part of that? -- he's also the most popular president-elect this country's seen in a long, long time -- if not ever. And by all accounts he's a pretty great boss, too. Let us count the ways:

1. He listens to his employees.

2. He treats his employees with respect.

3. He's ruled by pragmatism, not emotion. (Lest you think this quality is unimportant in a boss, try working for a boss who is emotional. I promise you, it isn't fun. Waiting tables at a family-run Greek restaurant after college taught me that.)

4. He seems to succeed at everything he sets out to do, ergo, his staff gets to ride the wave along with him.

The list could go on, but you get the idea. Now let's consider what it would take to actually get a gig working for the next President of the United States. Andie Coller of Politico.com offers some pointers:

1. Pretend to be from Montana. That's where Jim Messina, the man in charge of hiring Obama's personnel, earned his BA, and according to Senator Byron Dorgan, of North Dakota, he really fell for Big Sky Country.

2. Either be or pretend to be really into long-distance running. Apparently Messina was a competitive runner in high school, and runs every morning to this day.

3. Be really into dogs, especially Golden Retrievers. Messina has one named Cheyenne.

4. Bring Messina some pizza from Matchbox on H Street restaurant, whose brick-oven pies are apparently awesome. I don't doubt it, but is pizza really a ticket into the White House? I thought we'd just elected Barack Obama, not Bill Clinton again.

5. If you went to a fancy school that cost a lot of money, don't go bragging about it. Pedigree won't get you anywhere with Messina, except maybe a good-luck pat on the back and a swift escort out the door.

OK, so to review: To score a job with Barack Obama, you should be a modest but brilliant Montanan who runs at least 45 miles per week with your Golden Retriever, whom you named after some dusty Western town, and eat a lot of pizza.

I think I can handle that.

[Image: Ragesoss from Wikimedia Commons]

George W. Bush really loves us. He's working hard with his administration to leave all of us parting gifts. For the environmentalists, he's working to water down regulations that protect endangered animals. For parents, caregivers and, well, people who need to take time off to care for themselves, he's making it harder for us to use the Family and Medical Leave Act.

One of the more reported regulation changes Bush hopes to gift us with is one that "would allow providers, based on their personal biases, to withhold both services and the critical information women need to make fully informed decisions about their health care." Yes, this is targeted towards anti-choice medical providers who don't want to give women all the information they need to make choices or even provide them with those choices. From birth control to reproductive technology, the rules can have a huge effect on the women of this country.

It's Hillary to the rescue!

Despite what critics may say, Senator Clinton has been quite the advocate for women's reproductive health. And while most of the media and blogosphere has been working overtime pondering whether or not she would be a good secretary of state or if Bill can keep his business clean, no one has said much about why she should stay put in the Senate.

Along with Senator Murray, Clinton has introduced legislation that would block the pending Bush regulations. This citeisn't the pair's first time defending women's reproductive rights.

Clinton and Murray are long-time champions of women's health; by holding up Andrew von Eschenbach's confirmation as permanent FDA commissioner, the pair forced the FDA to approve emergency contraception for over-the-counter access.

Amie Newman of RH Reality Check responded to my question if it is best for women if Clinton takes the secretary of state position, "In my opinion, I think we'd be losing someone who has clearly established herself as a leader on sexuality and reproductive health rights issues -- not just a willing advocate but a true leader." Obviously Clinton and Murray are not the only pro-choice senators we have, but they are clearly our pro-choice leaders. Would anyone have Murray's back if Clinton were to leave to put out fires around the world?

On the other hand, perhaps as secretary of state, Clinton will work with President-elect Obama to restore our funding to the UNFPA, ensure that girls attending school in Afghanistan is a priority to our success in rebuilding, our women troops don't have to travel from Iraq to New York to obtain abortions, and that women and girls will never be used as an excuse for an unjust war again.

Maybe our loss will be the world's gain.

[Image: poster by Tony Puryear, via The Swamp]

Few organizations have or put the time, money and energy into creating social network-like sites to power their message. NARAL Pro-Choice America is the latest organization to harness all of that to create a smart and great looking micro-site, Free.Will.Power, to spread their pro-choice message.

Included in this site are videos of spoken word artists expressing their pro-choice views and why others should use their voices, too. There's a t-shirt design contest and of course e-cards to send to friends. Wonder how your state ranks in terms of protecting your reproductive rights? There's a clickable map that will tell you.

Why should you visit the site? I'll let NARAL Pro-Choice America tell you:

It's about your access to affordable birth control and your right to medically accurate sex education. It's about your ability to make private personal decisions with your doctor and your family. And it's about protecting these rights for yourself and your community.

Make reproductive rights a critical matter in your life, in your home, and in your community. Connect with us -- and commit to ensuring that no one infringes on your rights

A short post on Alternet.org yesterday alerted readers to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal in which the founder of Home Depot was quoted, saying that any CEO who doesn't contribute to Republicans opposed to the Employee Free Choice Act "should be shot."

The Employee Free Choice Act, which is currently under consideration in Congress, would give workers the right to form unions.

In this clip, the DC-based blogger Michael Whitney explains that CEOs today are doing about "364 times better" than average minimum-wage workers. The average Fortune 500 CEO today earns $6,153 per hour, while minimum-wage people earn $6.55.

Marches and rallies have been held around the country in protest of Proposition 8 passing in California that overturned same sex marriage. The obvious next step is the boycott.

I first heard wind of one on Twitter aimed at my beloved Corner Bakery. Then I heard on NPR that the owners of a Mexican restaurant in California, El Coyote, were being targeted for donating $100 to the pro-Prop 8 campaign. There's also a dishonor roll of all major donors to the campaign. Then word leaked that the Sundance Film Festival is now possibly in the center of the boycott target.

Sundance shares the unfortunate double whammy of being held in Utah (home of the Mormon Church) and that many of the films will be shown in Cinemark theaters. The CEO of Cinemark gave money to the pro-Prop 8 campaign.

I agree with withholding your personal money to companies that support things you don't support. But do you hold companies accountable for things that their employees, even a CEO, does with their own money? How far do we go to punish those who withhold justice for all?

This documentary, a prequel to movies on off-shore drilling in Alaska, illustrates the hardships the Swinomish Tribe endured in the late 1950s as a result of the construction of two refineries built in its vicinity.

Three teens from the tribe were asked to make a film about the tribe's reaction to this threat. Turns out their cinematographic experience revealed much about themselves as well. "Ambivalent environmental ambassadors at the onset, the boys grapple with their assignment through humor, sarcasm and a candid self-knowledge. But as their filmmaking evolves, they experience the need to understand and tell their stories, and the power of this process to change their lives." In the end, "March Point" is the product of three teens' introspection and inspection of the problems off-shore drilling creates for local communities.

PBS, Independent Lens: "March Point" Tuesday, November 18th, 2008 10-11 pm

Here are more photos from the Awearness book release party in New York last week. If you weren't able to make it to that event, there are a couple more opportunities for you:

• On November 20th, Kenneth will attend a book-release event at the Copley Mall store in Boston from 6 to 8 pm.
• On November 24th, there will be a discussion and signing by Kenneth at 7 pm at the Barnes & Noble in Tribeca.

Kenneth Cole with Harry Belafonte.

Sonny Caberwal, a Sikh from North Carolina, attorney, entrepreneur, Kenneth Cole model, and social activist... In brief, a very busy guy.

Nearly 6,000 runners came out yesterday for the 15th annual Race to Deliver, a four-mile race in Central Park sponsored by God's Love We Deliver, a non-religious organization that provides food to New Yorkers living with AIDS, cancer, and other life-threatening illnesses. Since its inception in 1993, the Race to Deliver has raised $8.5 million and delivered more than three million meals to those in need.

Most NYRR races, including those with a charitable bent (see my earlier post "Racing for a Better World"), look like races and little else. The runners line up, the gun goes off, and the announcer attempts to keep the bystanders entertained while they wait for whomever they came to see cross the finish line. The cause is secondary, sometimes evident only by the words that adorn the runners' bibs.

The Race to Deliver is different. Each year, a celebrity of one ilk or another joins the opening announcements. This year it was Star Jones; last year it was Joan Rivers. Also last year, Hilary Carol Cruz, Miss Teen 2007, and Hana Soukupova, a Victoria's Secret model, came out to cheer on the runners.

Perhaps because it's a local cause, benefiting our neighbors who are struggling with serious illnesses in these five boroughs, the Race to Deliver attracts numbers rarely seen at NYRR events. While most races number in the thousands, 6,000 finishers establishes this event as one of the organization's most popular, and thus, most effective.

As a competitive runner, I rarely think about the cause while I'm running. I'm motivated by a more selfish drive: to win awards or just break a previous record. (And I can happily report that I accomplished both yesterday, finishing third in my division and beating my previous 4-mile race time by 19 seconds.) But after I finish, I think about the cause and how amazing it is that so many people of all ages and athletic ability -- runners, joggers, and even walkers -- drag themselves out of bed and trek all the way to Central Park to be a part of it.

Some are motivated by health, others by competition, and others by the charity alone. But in their numbers, they provide a stunning display of good faith and a collective belief in health -- be it their own, or those who benefit from their efforts.

[Image: Runners lining up for the 2007 Race to Deliver]

In an effort to save troubled financial giants -- and possibly the US economy -- from crumbling, the US Congress approved a taxpayer-funded $700 billion bailout package for the troubled industry. On October 17, Independent presidential candidate, Ralph Nader, organized a bailout protest on New York's Wall Street and spoke on his four-point plan to reverse the bailout. Nader's running mate, former San Francisco public defender Matt Gonzalez, was also on hand. Hundreds of protesters, tourists and area employees gathered on the steps of Federal Hall in front of the New York Stock Exchange to hear Ralph Nader and community leaders speak out in protest over the bailout.

Many questions have to be settled before Barack Obama is sworn into office in January and one of them is which school the girls, aka "WeeMichelles," will attend. As the mom of a school-aged child in a big city (Chicago) I feel their pain... I feel it because I'm still aching from last year's school application process.

The smart money is on a private school because the WeeMichelles go to one now. I can't recall if this moment happened when I was in a session interviewing Obama about his senate run or saw it on TV, heck maybe both, but President-elect Obama did remind us that Michelle got a deal at the Lab School since it is run by the University of Chicago, where she works. If that's true, I'd want my daughter in that school too. Why? Because it is one of the top schools in the city and getting a discount at a private school would make it worth it.

Then again, last year when my husband and I were applying for schools for our daughter, we applied to only one private, aka independent, school. We wanted a school that was diverse in many ways, and while that one wasn't racially diverse, we were comfortable with the administration.

So to all the school watchers, who knows, Michelle might walk into an elite school and just feel at home. Maybe chills will run up her spine and she'll sprint to the neighborhood school. When choosing a school for your children, private, public, charter, whatever, you do a heck of a lot of research, you go on tour after tour, and it sometimes comes down to your gut.

Should the Obamas choose a public school for the sake of it being a public school? Should they at least tour a few public schools? Will you think that they don't support public schools if they go with a private?

[Image: Seattle Post-Intelligencer]

If you didn't know who will.i.am was when the year started, you'd have to be living deep inside a cave not to know who he is now. He only created the most-viewed Election-related clip on YouTube, featuring several of Generation O's biggest icons: Scarlett Johannson, John Legend, Common... the list goes on and on. Indeed, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to say that his video had a huge impact on this election, inspiring record numbers of young Americans to vote.

Now he's back, celebrating that victory with a new tune for a new day. "It's a New Day" went up last Saturday and has so far garnered nearly a quarter-million hits. The spot might not match his earlier success, but for will.i.am, that's no reason not to celebrate with song.

The AWEARNESS book consists of 86 essays and conversations by individuals who have been inspired to do their part to effect meaningful social change. We will be releasing excerpts from the book during the week. The fourth is Sonny Caberwal, below is a short excerpt from his contribution:

Being Sikh and an American plays a big role in my overall sense of identity. My external appearance not only represents my spiritual commitment as a Sikh and the proud history and traditions of my forefathers, it also provides me with a certain amount of resolve and strength. By consistently being an individual, I feel more confident and empowered to do what I believe, even if that's not the most popular decision. And, of course, the way I look makes me instantly identifiable and unique in nearly any social environment. However, that unique identity also makes me an obvious target for discrimination.

Are you one of millions who participate in fantasy football each week?

Are you also one of millions (like myself) who root for your home team and then freak out once you realize that the touchdown you just whooped about dropped your defense a few points?

Now the image of fantasy football is of men battling each other...But women play too. And we're not always the easy team in the league either. Being the only woman in my league, it's um, interesting to say the least.

Many leagues are getting into crunch time. Do you root for your favorite team or for the quarterback you have hated since he was drafted?

Sundays should be relaxing. A time to sit on the couch, watch some football, and stuff your face with whatever it is you like. Now we have to make sure we have a computer running, trying to remember which wide receiver you played...It's far more stressful than just trying to figure out when Brett Favre sold his soul to the Devil in order to still play the way he does.

So relax...there's nothing you can do to make your QB heal any faster or your defense remember that they are supposed to stop the forward movement of the ball. Remember it's all a game and should be nothing but fun. Especially when you win the whole darn thing!

[Image: Businessweek]

There's no doubt about it: social activism is cool. Around the world, celebrities are using their influence to affect change, raise awareness, and generally do good by their fellow men and women who may not be as fortunate as they are.

Sure, there have long been celebrities who start charities or medical research programs in their names, but those efforts have sometimes appeared more self-serving than altruistic. It's one thing to support a cause, but another to use it as a vehicle for stardom.

Not in the new age of celebrity activism. On the surface, the launch party last night for Kenneth Cole's Awearness book, at the Kenneth Cole store in New York's Grand Central Station, looked like any other gala: the celebrity faces, the black carpet and velvet rope, the paparazzi, the free-flowing champagne and exquisite finger-foods.

But the spirit was different. No one was talking about life as the rich and famous. They were talking about its opposite, and how to make things better.

Even Kenneth Cole, whose name was obviously everywhere, was not using the event to promote himself, but as a platform for those he wanted to spotlight. "This is not my book," he told the hundreds in attendance in his opening remarks. "It's the book of all the people who contributed."

These "change agents," as Kenneth Cole aptly calls the diverse folks who wrote the book's 86 different essays -- Harry Belafonte, Rosario Dawson, Bill Clinton, Lance Armstrong, Ludacris, Elton John, Magic Johnson and Mia Farrow, to name just a few -- represent a new wave of celebrity activists, who differ as much in age and background as they do in their talents.

They are movie stars, athletes, musicians, lawyers, models, politicians, and more. Some are barely out of college, others became famous 50 years ago. Some grew up in the wealthiest enclaves of American cities, some in the poorest, and some in different countries altogether. But now, in 2008, they are united by a shared mission: to use their talents, their money, and their influence to improve the standard of life for people around the world.

Cole himself opened the evening's program by discussing not only the book, but also the entire Awearness campaign, which includes an extensive volunteer outreach initiative; billboards, such as the company's latest on the West Side Highway that celebrates Barack Obama's victory; t-shirts that sport slogans to raise gun- and HIV-awareness; and of course, this blog.

Rosario Dawson followed, describing her upbringing on the Lower East Side, which defines her to this day. The Hasidic rapper Matisyahu finished off the program with a full set, featuring Aaron Dugan on guitar and Kamikaze, a young beat-boxer from Miami who proves that in the past 20 years, beat-boxing has evolved as much as technology.

As the party drew to a close, it's safe to say that everyone was a little more enlightened than they were before. And while the change agents will go back to their work -- both glamorous and non -- no doubt a few others, whether famous or not, will be inspired to follow their example.

What more could a change agent ask for?

Much has been said about Michelle Obama's fashion sense, even creating a firestorm over any parallel to Jackie Kennedy's style. Some of her biggest fashion hits are pieces that almost anyone can hit the mall and grab, and then there are other more boutique pieces like the red dress she wore to the White House on Monday. Her taste is already influencing thousands of women, and will likely grow as she becomes more familiar to America.

Rumor has it that Michelle is being thrown dresses from the top designers in the world and I suspect that to be oh-so-very-true. With that much couture at her feet, will she continue to wear off-the-rack clothing? I don't mean those jeans and sweater she'll wear running around with the most adorable sisters ever... I mean when she's doing her First Lady thing, will she still wear her dress that cost less than $200 even not on sale?

I think it's fun that we can be so curious about our future First Lady's fashion. It doesn't seem to be a coping mechanism for the two wars we are in, but rather another sliver of the hope that we want to see in the White House. Hoping for change and hoping that it comes wearing gorgeous but comfortable shoes. Whichever way it goes, it's going to look good.

The AWEARNESS book consists of 86 essays and conversations by individuals who have been inspired to do their part to effect meaningful social change. We will be releasing excerpts from the book during the week. The third is Scott Harrison (charity:water), below is a short excerpt from his contribution:

After years of success in the nightlife industry, my life was a mess. I was spiritually bankrupt. I lived arrogantly; I was one of the worst people I knew. During a vacation in South America, I realized I'd never have enough of the things I was chasing. I began praying and reading about the life of Jesus. I left New York City and committed to a year of humanitarian service on a hospital ship in Africa.

Yesterday morning and afternoon, 100,000 copies of a special edition of the New York Times were distributed throughout New York City, and 1.2 million were reportedly dispersed around the country.

Obviously, it was a hoax. The paper, dated July 4th, 2009, was produced by the Yes Men and a number of other organizations and individuals to do what they do best: shake things up and get some attention from the powers that be, and that might be able to make the "fake" news -- such as the creation of a new economic plan for a "sane" economy -- a reality.

Listen to an interview between Kenneth and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom about the launch of Kenneth's new book, AWEARNESS: Inspiring Stories About How to Make a Difference, on the November 8th edition of Mayor Newsom's radio show for Green960am.

Download the podcast here, or by right-clicking on this link and saving the file.

The AWEARNESS book consists of 86 essays and conversations by individuals who have been inspired to do their part to effect meaningful social change. We will be releasing excerpts from the book throughout the week. The second is Rosario Dawson, below is a short excerpt from her contribution:

Ever since I participated in a save-the-trees march when I was ten, I've worked with many groups to support numerous causes, from women's issues and workers' rights, to HIV/AIDS awareness and poverty. But I spend most of my time working with Voto Latino, a nonpartisan organization I co-founded a few years ago, because it covers all the issues.

Every year, as the Prime Time Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing For A Variety, Music or Comedy Program is announced, one thing is not left to suspense -- there will probably be more color in the tuxedos and in the dresses of the winners than on the faces of the men and women accepting the award. Why is this?

In June, I interviewed veteran TV hands Brad Roth and Mark Feldstein, co-creators of "The Writer's Room," a scripted 10-part web satire using a single camera, starring real-life comedy writers and former show runners. Who better to ask?

Ron Mwangaguhunga: Why are there so few African-American comedy
writers? Are we less late-night funny?

Brad Roth and Mark Feldstein: "It's a great question. It has nothing to do with not being funny. Our best guess is that traditionally network execs have been white males and they have populated the shows with people who share their sensibility. Fortunately, we think that trend seems to be changing."

It is, in many ways (think: Shondra Rimes), but not so much among the late night comedy shows, alas. Now that President-elect Obama is slated to take over the coveted role of target-in-chief for the television writer's rooms, I have a dream that they will reflect a little bit more Latino, Asian and African-American color behind the scenes. Chris Rock, for example, helped found the The Illtop Journal at Howard University as a counterpart to The Harvard Lampoon -- the main feeder to the television comedy writer's rooms -- and that might be a good place to start recruiting. Although the president-elect is a Harvard man, he is also bi-racial, and has lived a significant amount of his life in Southeast Asia and Hawaii.

[Image: TheApiary]

Much TV watching to do today, starting with "Big Ideas for a Small Planet" on the Sundance Channel this morning at 9:30 am.

Now you can live in style and let the earth live for a while longer. The series Big Ideas for a Small Planet explores a furniture tycoons' efforts to go green. "A leading furniture company explores the goal of making all new products 100% sustainable; two designers use leftover scrap wood to create recycled furniture; and a Philadelphia-based firm shows off its innovative and stylish home-product Designs."

"Big Ideas for a Small Planet - Furnish" on the Sundance Channel
Tuesday, November 11th, 2008 at 9:30-10 am

Catch another episode of "Big Ideas for a Small Planet" tonight at 9 pm for an episode titled "Grow." Grass and weeds often manage to break through and crack the sidewalk. But to plant a garden amidst cities of concrete seems obscure. "Big Ideas for a Small Planet: Grow" shows otherwise. "This episode looks at new green spaces in cities and suburbs. As urban populations swell, creative environmentalists are scouting surprising spots for vegetation amidst the cement. Elsewhere, suburbanites are introducing environmental consciousness to their lawns and gardens."

"Big Ideas for a Small Planet - Grow" on the Sundance Channel
Tuesday, November 11th, 2008 at 9-9:30 pm
Thursday, November 13th, 2008 at 10-10:30 am
Sunday, Novmber 15th, 2008 at 3-3:30 pm

You'll need to weigh those other times or set your DVR to record, because there's also FRONTLINE's "Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story" starting at 9 pm on PBS.

Be like the fox. Be generous with what is not yours. Machiavellian prince-maker, Lee Atwater, helped George W. Bush seize the crown and assisted Karl Rove in obtaining lips dripping with honey. This is a biographical piece tracking Atwater from origin all the way through to the White House and his battle with cancer. Seen by many democrats as the embodiment of evil but seen by most Republicans as a hero, Atwater's enigmatic character is a thing worth trying to understand.

FRONTLINE "Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story" on PBS
Tuesday, November 11th, 2008, at 9-10:30 pm

By the way, now that the election is over, Sundancechannel.com has switched its political blogs over to Ecommunity blogs.

'AWEARNESS, INSPIRING STORIES ABOUT HOW TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE'
-KENNETH COLE


This week, Kenneth's book, AWEARNESS, INSPIRING STORIES ABOUT HOW TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, was released. Kenneth notes in the opening:

This project started as a small effort to celebrate my company's 25 year effort to raise social awareness. We initially intended to share a few inspiring stories; models of compassion and selflessness, of volunteerism and public service. But as the process evolved, each rich and inspiring story seemed to open doors to others, and I quickly realized that the number of devoted and committed individuals is virtually endless. There are an unprecedented number of uncelebrated and unsung heroes doing their part to effect positive and meaningful social change today. My hope is that, in sharing a handful of these personal journeys, we might help challenge and further galvanize the next wave of social entrepreneurs. An important point I should make is that, as impassioned and dedicated as the contributors to this book are, they are not necessarily the first in their fields of service or activism, but they have inspired me, and I know many others.

Check back in the coming days as we will share an excerpt from select contributors.

Tuesday is Veterans' Day, a day to remember all the men and women who have fought for the USA. It's an odd holiday for those who oppose war, Iraq, Vietnam... I once visited veterans at a VA hospital with a Vietnam vet and I said politely, "Thank you." "Please, don't," he responded. War is ugly, necessary at times, and something that many of us will never experience first hand. We often hide the hard stuff behind flag pins and kids waving the red, white and blue.

This Veterans Day a new book is being released, called Powder: Writing by Women in the Ranks, from Vietnam to Iraq. This anthology features the writing of 19 women who have seen and experienced things we can't imagine. I learned of this book on NPR over the weekend. There's a book launch party in Tucson, Arizona if you are in the area.

From the description, the book doesn't seem to do anything but tell women veteran's stories. No preaching against or for war, just a peek into what war was to these women, into their experiences. It should be a refreshing although heartbreaking read.

With all the "big box" stores and chain restaurants moving en masse into Manhattan, it's easy to lament the bygone city we either lived in or grew up on vicariously by way of movies, novels, TV shows, and the myriad other ways that New York lore has been dispersed over the years.

Where is the romantic New York of Woody Allen and the Gershwins? Or the decadent, high-concept scene of Andy Warhol? And what about the troubled, crime-infested city of early Spike Lee and even earlier Martin Scorsese?

New York has countless identities, and like our own identities, they evolve and sometimes fade away. One of them, however, enjoyed renewed validation on Saturday by hundreds of people that it does, in fact, still exist: a New York art scene that pulses with life.

For the fourth year, the New Yorker magazine partnered with 28 galleries in Chelsea to sponsor its annual Passport to the Arts festival, a self-guided tour that wound through the post-industrial blocks of the West 20s in Manhattan to view some of the most politically, socially, and aesthetically progressive work currently on display in this burgeoning arts epicenter.

Under a gray November sky that occasionally purged itself in a downpour, art enthusiasts of all sorts hopped from one gallery to the next, absorbing works by artists like Eric Fischl, Mia Westerlund Roosen, and Yayoi Asoma. They could be identified by their white tote-bags, gifts from the magazine, as they wandered in and out of buildings and down the wet sidewalks.

The spirit was genteel but not pretentious, inclusive but also challenging. The art called its viewers to think, and the event inspired discussion.

Passport to the Arts also benefits Friends of the Highline, a non-profit organization that has been working tirelessly since 2004 to transform a 1.5-mile stretch of derelict elevated train tracks on Manhattan's West Side into a usable park space, a long and narrow urban oasis floating just above the city streets.

The works, some of which are still on display at their respective galleries, ranged from whimsical to serious; some were figurative, others abstract. Oils, sculpture, photography, video, found-objects, and drawings were all on display, with each gallery establishing a unique, immersive aesthetic. Subjects included the environment, 9/11, garbage, and indicating some good faith on the part of the artist, president-elect Barack Obama. (The latter work has been up since October.)

Following the day of gallery-hopping, Passport to the Arts welcomed its patrons to La. Venue, on 28th Street and 11th Avenue, for an after-party and silent auction. Door prizes were awarded to everyone who attended about half the galleries, and caterers liberally passed around Don Julio-based cocktails and appetizer-sized burgers, phyllo dough-wrapped asparagus, and chicken skewers. Dee-jays updated this New Yorker event to the 21st Century, a sign of the magazine's ongoing effort to court new and younger readers.

With its fresh combination of old-school New York elegance and the energy of "Generation O," Passport to the Arts reminded this former student of modern art history that fine art can be at once accessible and intellectually stimulating.

And after growing ever-more cynical about the purpose of art in contemporary society, I was both refreshed and relieved by what I saw yesterday.

Eating may be a necessity for life, but healthy eating is rapidly becoming a luxury that many people around the world -- including the United States -- simply can't afford.

Obviously, this has been true for some time. But it's getting worse, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Tracking the prices of 370 foods at major supermarkets for a two-year period, the study showed that in that time the healthiest foods skyrocketed in price by nearly 20 percent. The cost of junk food, meanwhile, dropped by nearly 2 percent.

It's an old argument that people in poor areas are overweight because they lack the knowledge or the access to eat a healthier diet, but now, with the current economic crisis and even middle-class individuals and families struggling to pay their bills, we're seeing the same trend across the socio-economic map.

To illustrate the hardship faced by so many poor people, two social justice teachers in California decided to impose a one-dollar-per-day rule on themselves to see exactly what they could eat on so little money. It turns out, not much: oatmeal, homemade bread and tortillas, rice, beans. Note the lack of fresh vegetables, fruits and proteins.

The couple, Christopher Greenslate and Kerri Leonard, chronicled their experience on a blog, which they continue to maintain as they experiment with other ways of sympathizing with those who have no choice in how they live. Visit the One Dollar Diet Project and read about their latest efforts to raise awareness about this growing epidemic.

[Image: Larry D. Moore on Wikimedia Commons]

OK, so we know the name of our next president. That's awesome. And we know a few other names, too: Michelle Obama, Joe Biden, David Axelrod, and Austan Goolsbee. Depending on how much you follow the ancillary figures of a presidential campaign, you may know a few others, too.

But in case you don't, one website does a good job of introducing you to the people who will define Barack Obama's first term in the Oval Office.

Behind the Candidates began as a way to get out the vote by educating readers on whom would comprise the respective administrations of Obama and McCain. Since only half of that information is relevant now, you just saved yourself a lot of time -- and no doubt some confusion, too, since many of the advisers are bound to share some striking similarities with their red or blue counterparts.

The site's relevance may not be so urgent now, but it's still chock-full of useful information on the lesser-known folks like Sam Nunn, Dora Hughes, and General Tony McPeak.

[Image: Dora Hughes, an adviser to Obama on national health policies]

This is Veronica's dog, Annie, writing. I hear that you're getting a puppy. Let me offer this advice.

Mir at Blogher wants us, your supporters, to chime in on what kind of puppy you should get. While I do favor a particular breed of dog, I want to point you to the Dogster Adoption Center. Here you can tell the wizard (I hear she wears a purple sparkly cape) what type of pup you are looking for and especially if it needs to be good with kids. Most charts will tell you that I'm not good with kids, but I let my child-human hug me, hold me, and even play with my ears -- in a gentle way.

But... if you are getting a puppy, it might be hard to tell if your new family member will be good with the girls. A dog that's about a year or so old might already show tendencies of liking or avoiding kids. Just saying...

As a rescue dog myself, I do highly recommend getting a fellow orphaned canine. All dogs have issues, but a rescue will love you always. I follow my human around all the time! And girls... Do you really want a puppy around chewing on everything? Peeing on your books? Get yourself a rescue pup and the housebreaking is cut in maybe half. I can't remember how long it took me as a pup, I was too young.

Whatever you do and whichever breed you chose, good luck and thanks for not choosing a cat. I'm allergic and that would be unfortunate when I come for a visit. You are reopening the White House to visitors, right?

Love, Annie

[image: Dog Art Today]

It became clear to me that Barack Obama would win the election by around 9pm EST Tuesday night, after he won Ohio and Virginia seemed to be turning in his favor. Both were huge wins, and factoring in the all-but-sure thing of California and the likelihood of Colorado, the contest was over.

So I went home. Well, actually, I had one more glass of wine with my friend as I watched Obama's electoral votes pass the 200 mark, while McCain languished in the low 100s, and then I went home.

We both knew he'd won, but my friend -- whose apartment I was watching the returns from -- was tireless. He had set up his own micro-newsroom: he had five political websites open on his laptop to compare the minutia of county-by-county exit poll percentages; he had four instant message chats going with political savvy friends stationed around the world; and he had me to banter back and forth with, sharing insights and observations like two friends watching the World Series.

I watched two of the presidential debates at Christopher's, and the scene was the same then, too. But this time it felt different, sadder, like the last week of college. I knew it wouldn't happen again, and that the thing I've obsessed about more than anything else for the past six months was now resolved.

Post-election depression is a common affliction, not unlike the slightly empty, somewhat bored feeling you had immediately after opening Christmas presents when you were a kid. It would take some time to appreciate your new toys; at the moment, you felt just a little deflated once you knew what they were. But usually tips on how to deal with it are geared towards voters whose candidate didn't win, i.e. McCaininites. So what about those of us who are shouting from our rooftops, or at least smiling and sharing a congratulatory moment with our political allies?

My depression is the result of two things: 1) wondering what I'll follow every day with as much zeal as I did Palin's gaffes and Obama's meteoric rise, and 2) worrying about what schemes the militant, angry, racist anti-Obama contingent might be hatching across the country.

The former is something I'll just have to deal with; the latter I hate even to entertain as a possibility. But those are the two causes of my ennui.

Nevertheless, Go Obama!

It's a new day.

There will be a new spirit and a new sense of purpose throughout this country (not just at KCP) this morning.

We have a billboard that posted on the Westside Highway this morning that says:

"A PRECEDENT WE CAN BE PROUD OF.
-KENNETH COLE
CONGRATULATIONS BARACK OBAMA."

Did you know that in 2007 23.6 million people or 7.8 percent of the population had diabetes with 5.7 million of them undiagnosed?

Who has diabetes?

• Age 20 years or older: 23.5 million or 10.7 percent of all people in this age group have diabetes.
• Age 60 years or older: 12.2 million or 23.1 percent of all people in this age group have diabetes.
• Men: 12.0 million or 11.2 percent of all men aged 20 years or older have diabetes.
• Women: 11.5 million or 10.2 percent of all women aged 20 years or older have diabetes.
• Non-Hispanic whites: 14.9 million, or 9.8 percent of all non-Hispanic whites aged 20 years or older have diabetes.
• Non-Hispanic blacks: 3.7 million, or 14.7 percent of all non-Hispanic blacks aged 20 years or older have diabetes.

November is American Diabetes Month and there plenty of local events going on around the country. From health screenings to workshops to help with diet, people with diabetes or those who love them can find some great resources. So get out there and learn more on how you can live a full life while keeping this disease at bay. Those of us with diabetes (or with it in our family) can't always have our cake and eat it too, but we can still be the belle of the ball.

New Cycle: 1. Vote 2. Reduce 3. Reuse 4. Recycle

Recently, I have heard a bunch about recycling conspiracy theories. Some complain that since recycling isn't all that profitable, the garbage disposal service workers just dump recycling in with garbage. Perhaps there are isolated incidents, but let's find out. Others repudiate recycling because they find that landfills are more valuable and that recycling consumes a lot more energy than producing new material. Find out if recycling is really worth the effort of separating out your trash.

Big Ideas for a Small Planet - Season 2: Recycling
Tuesday, Nov. 4th, 9 pm to 9:30 pm, or Friday, Nov. 7th, 10 am to 10:30 am on the Sundance Channel

This was taken during a travel photography class to Binondo, the home of Chinatown of Manila, Philippines. In wanting to submit a photo series deviating from the rest of the class showcasing three centuries worth of architecture and places of worship, I shot Sunday morning images that usually go unnoticed under the hustle and bustle of the district. The district is the center of trade and commerce for all businesses run by Chinese merchants. I couldn't help notice a handful of locals, both adults and children, fast asleep along the streets and the images were just too real. 

This photograph shows how some people recuperate from the pressures of the previous week, get ready for the next, and briefly escape the harsh reality of a hard life. As you are looking at this photograph, I hope that you are counting your blessings.

I received this list of "what if" scenarios swapping the biographical details of Barack Obama and Joe Biden with those of John McCain and Sarah Palin from an old acquaintance, who spotted it over the weekend on the comment board for an online Colorado Springs newspaper.

Unfortunately, I don't have the original link, but it's worth a read. The lack of editorializing makes it especially compelling. It's "just the facts, ma'am."

Obama/Biden vs McCain/Palin, what if things were switched around? Would the country's collective point of view be different?

Ponder the following:

What if the Obamas had paraded five children across the stage, including a three month old infant and an unwed, pregnant teenage daughter?

What if John McCain was a former president of the Harvard Law Review?

What if Barack Obama finished fifth from the bottom of his graduating class?

What if McCain had only married once, and Obama was a divorcee?

What if Obama was the candidate who left his first wife after a severe disfiguring car accident, when she no longer measured up to his standards?

What if Obama had met his second wife in a bar and had a long affair while he was still married?

What if Michelle Obama was the wife who not only became addicted to pain killers but also acquired them illegally through her charitable organization?

What if Cindy McCain graduated from Harvard?

What if Obama had been a member of the Keating Five? (The Keating Five were five United States Senators accused of corruption in 1989, igniting a major political scandal as part of the larger Savings and Loan crisis of the late 1980s and early 1990s.)

What if McCain was a charismatic, eloquent speaker?

What if Obama couldn't read from a teleprompter?

What if Obama was the one who had military experience that included discipline problems and a record of crashing seven planes?

What if Obama was the one who was known to display publicly, on many occasions, a serious anger management problem?

What if Michelle Obama's family had made their money from beer distribution?

What if the Obamas had adopted a white child?

You could easily add to this list. If these questions reflected reality, do you really believe the election numbers would be as close as they are?

This is what racism does. It covers up, rationalizes and minimizes positive qualities in one candidate and emphasizes negative qualities in another when there is a color difference.

OK, I'll come right out and say it: I'm partial -- very partial -- to Barack Obama. I hope with all my being that he will be elected tomorrow without contest or a messy aftermath.

But this blog isn't partisan, however much it may seem to lean Left. It's an awareness blog, seeking to enlighten and educate readers on all fronts, and on all sides of the political fence. (The metaphor is faulty, considering the fact that we have more than two parties and therefore more than one fence in this country, however dominant the two biggies may be.)

So, it is not as an Obama supporter that I direct your attention to the prank call made to Governor Sarah Palin on Saturday by two comedians from Montreal, but as a citizen who wants the best people holding the highest offices in this country.

Part of that is how they'll engage with leaders of other countries, and also how they'll handle it when they've been made a fool.

When Sarah Palin received a call from French president Nicolas Sarkozy's office, her secretary immediately put the governor on the line. She and "Sarkozy" proceeded to discuss her potential bid for office in 2016, their shared "love" of "killing animals" and "watching them die," and a "documentary" the fake Sarkozy commented on, titled Nailing Palin, which in fact was a pornographic film. To the latter Palin awkwardly, ignorantly, responded, "Oh, good!"

You can read highlights of this by-turns hilarious and harrowing conversation in this piece on the Huffington Post, and the complete audio on this post.

[Image: The real Nicolas Sarkozy, by Aleph on Wikimedia Commons]

Last week, "60 Minutes" correspondent Scott Pelley interviewed entrepreneur Greg Carr on preserving Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique. Carr, an American, has put $40 million of his own fortune to revive the legendary Gorongosa as well as provide water, jobs, health care and a school to the surrounding communities.

We're raised to expect a certain degree of fairness and integrity among those who watch over us -- first our parents, then our teachers, and finally, those who maintain the systems that keep society running. Because we, as adults, tend to share that final role, we hope that each of us will take the role seriously when it's our turn to perform. Whether you're a cop, a lawyer, a bartender or a CEO, you have the power sometimes.

And on election day, it's the people running the polls who hold the reigns, from accounting for each of the ballots cast to counting the Chad. The latter is what caused all the frenzy back in 2000, when Florida screwed up the tallying process and, according to some, cost Gore the election.

Last Wednesday, the New York Times published a piece about rumors circulating in Jacksonville, Florida, where many black voters have already cast their votes for Barack Obama to avoid a similar mess in 2008, that a conspiracy was in place to "lose" early ballots in an effort to further disenfranchise black voters.

The scam has been denied by the citizens who run the polls, like the librarian at the library where one black resident voted last weekend, but it's not so far-fetched to be just a crackpot conspiracy theory. History's taught us that.

And as much as we hate to distrust those kindly souls, everyday folks we know from the neighborhood, it's not such a bad idea to be leery of anyone in power on election day.

So who will watch the watchmen?

In the age of New Media, anyone who wants to, thanks to cheap digital cameras, editing software and YouTube.

Video the Vote, which began in 2006, asks citizen journalists to document their voting experiences and polling places. In its first year 1,300 amateur and professional videographers responded, and hundreds more have submitted videos since.

Started by filmmakers Ian Inaba (GNN.tv) and John Ennis (Shoot First, Inc.) and online organizer James Rucker (ColorOfChange.org), Video the Vote will be in full swing Tuesday, when even more people are likely to document their experience and, potentially, provide necessary proof in the event of another Florida fiasco.

"The [founders] originally envisioned a platform for organizing independent filmmakers on Election Day 2006, but the idea quickly morphed into a populist program that brought together citizen journalists of all experience levels to document the election in their communities," Video the Vote COO Daniel Souweine told The Independent.

Souweine says they have 2,600 volunteers now, but they want more -- particularly in swing states where results could be hotly contested in the days following the election.

After Tuesday, Souweine says they plan to cut thematic pieces about the major problems that arise and use them to educate the public and policymakers about the need for election reform. "We think video can play an important role in telling the story of the changes that need to be made in our election system," he told The Independent. "While the bulk of our volunteers are active on Election Day, Video the Vote is part of a coalition of groups working year-round to make improvements to our democracy. We want to put ourselves out of business; in an ideal world, there wouldn't be a need for a project like this in the first place."