https://sporkful.blogspot.com/2020/06/fundraising-and-music.html
That's about how things have been going.
There have been some cool things, and I am going to go ahead with my next idea (I will try and blog about that Monday, when it starts), so here is a catch up overview.
First of all, with one day left, neither has met goal. I am committed to making up the shortfall, but I will take any help I can get, with links at the bottom. The Oregon Food Bank fundraiser is still short $120, and Don't Shoot Portland is short $395.
I would say that more people feel good about supporting hunger than about ending police brutality, but that was largely a fluke. A person I don't know, and with whom I have no friends in common on Facebook or Twitter, donated $250. It is not a total mystery; she had liked my tweet for that fundraiser's song of the day, "Hungry For Heaven" by Ronnie James Dio. Did she like that song that much? Or was she just ready to give? I don't know, but I am grateful.
There was another interaction that meant a lot.
You may have read that when country group Lady Antebellum realized that their thoughtlessly chosen name had negative connotations, they thoughtlessly came up with an abbreviation that was already in use by a blues singer, Lady A.
Since I was already doing about three weeks of blues songs, it was an obvious choice to bring in the real Lady A. Looking over the available songs, "Change The World" was again just obviously the right pick.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDLYOSPWL1o
When possible, I try and tag the daily song artists on Twitter, because it's nice to know someone is thinking of you. They are not always on Twitter, and they may not always notice, but sometimes it works out.
This time it really did. First of all, Lady A is one of my Don't Shoot Portland donors now, but also, she replied:
I knew the song was right because of the theme, but I didn't know it came from that.
I also had a burst of creative output in the aftermath of Trayvon Martin's death. I can't say I didn't publish it - it is still on the internet - but the primary emotion of the death is still helpless grief.
I put something together thinking about it now, though. I always associate Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, despite the differences, because they were stages. It has felt like Trayvon's death was just pain but that Michael's was galvanizing. That is because of the protests in Ferguson.
That could feel helpless too; a lot hasn't changed and many of those key people have died. However, in light of the current protests, and some cities making plans to at least divert some funds from police, and people whom you could never have imagined being able to say "Black Lives Matter" saying it, I have to acknowledge that there has been growth. It is not sufficient, but it is real.
I have questioned the value of the protests, thinking that maybe they worked to express grief and anger, and that they could have significance as a declaration of values, but do they bring change?
There is some change here. There is much more to be done and the choices we make now are crucial, but I am not without hope. I have hope because of strangers who donate and creatives who turn their pain into art and because of multitudes who march in the street for something better.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDLYOSPWL1o
When possible, I try and tag the daily song artists on Twitter, because it's nice to know someone is thinking of you. They are not always on Twitter, and they may not always notice, but sometimes it works out.
This time it really did. First of all, Lady A is one of my Don't Shoot Portland donors now, but also, she replied:
https://twitter.com/ladiawhite/status/1278070291449540608God bless you and thank you so much for choosing this song Change the World. I wrote it when Trayvon Martin was killed, but couldn't release it til later because it hurt too much. Thank you fir recognizing its significance today. #TheRealLadyA
I knew the song was right because of the theme, but I didn't know it came from that.
I also had a burst of creative output in the aftermath of Trayvon Martin's death. I can't say I didn't publish it - it is still on the internet - but the primary emotion of the death is still helpless grief.
I put something together thinking about it now, though. I always associate Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, despite the differences, because they were stages. It has felt like Trayvon's death was just pain but that Michael's was galvanizing. That is because of the protests in Ferguson.
That could feel helpless too; a lot hasn't changed and many of those key people have died. However, in light of the current protests, and some cities making plans to at least divert some funds from police, and people whom you could never have imagined being able to say "Black Lives Matter" saying it, I have to acknowledge that there has been growth. It is not sufficient, but it is real.
I have questioned the value of the protests, thinking that maybe they worked to express grief and anger, and that they could have significance as a declaration of values, but do they bring change?
There is some change here. There is much more to be done and the choices we make now are crucial, but I am not without hope. I have hope because of strangers who donate and creatives who turn their pain into art and because of multitudes who march in the street for something better.
It hasn't been a bad few weeks.
But please, you can still donate!
Don't Shoot Portland fundraiser:
Oregon Food Bank fundraiser:
Posts
1 comment:
God bless you, your words your heart for change in this world.
Lady A
#TheRealLadyA
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