#nonprofit event ticketing

[nashmusicguide]

Sunday Mornin’ Country Announces Date for Upcoming 2024 Show on the Grand Ole Opry House Stage

Sunday Mornin’ Country returns in 2024 with another exciting lineup of the best Country and Gospel artists singing songs of inspiration in a wholesome, family-friendly atmosphere. This year’s event will take place on June 9, 2024 on the Grand Ole Opry House stage. Tickets available February 2, 2024 at Grand Ole Opry.com “I always get excited about Sunday Mornin’ Country. This is going to be a…

[iconnectxsolutions]

Maximizing Revenue for Nonprofit Events: Effective Strategies for Ticket Sales

Nonprofit events play a crucial role in raising funds and engaging supporters. To ensure the success of these events, maximizing revenue through effective ticket sales strategies is essential. One key element that can greatly support nonprofits in their ticketing endeavors is leveraging the right event ticketing platform designed specifically for nonprofit organizations.

In this article, we will explore key strategies and actionable tips to help nonprofit organizations optimize their ticket sales and increase revenue to support their mission.

Setting Clear Goals: Define specific revenue goals for your nonprofit event to establish a target to work towards. Consider factors such as event expenses, fundraising objectives, and attendee capacity to determine the number of tickets that need to be sold to achieve your financial targets.

Early Bird and Tiered Pricing: Implement an early bird pricing strategy to incentivize early registrations. Offer discounted ticket rates to encourage attendees to commit early, boosting cash flow and generating buzz around the event. Additionally, consider implementing tiered pricing to reward early purchasers and gradually increase prices closer to the event date.

Sponsorship Packages with Tickets: Leverage sponsorships to enhance revenue generation. Create attractive sponsorship packages that include event tickets, offering sponsors an opportunity to support the cause while enjoying the event. Collaborate with local businesses or corporations that align with your organization's mission to secure valuable partnerships.

Strategic Marketing and Promotion: Craft a compelling marketing campaign to generate excitement and drive ticket sales. Utilize various channels such as social media, email newsletters, and press releases to reach a wider audience. Highlight the unique aspects of the event, such as guest speakers, special performances, or exclusive experiences, to capture attention and entice potential attendees.

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising: Empower your supporters to become ambassadors for your event through peer-to-peer fundraising. Encourage attendees to create personal fundraising pages and share them with their networks, effectively expanding your reach and increasing the chances of ticket sales.

Collaboration with Community Influencers: Partner with local influencers or community leaders who are passionate about your cause. Engage them as event ambassadors to help spread the word and promote ticket sales through their networks. Their endorsement and involvement can significantly impact ticket sales and overall event success.

Data Analysis and Iterative Improvements: Leverage ticketing platforms that provide robust analytics and reporting features. Analyze data on ticket sales, conversion rates, and attendee demographics to identify patterns and insights. Use this information to make data-driven decisions and continuously refine your ticket sales strategies for future events.

Conclusion: 

Maximizing revenue for nonprofit events requires a well-thought-out ticket sales strategy. By setting clear goals, implementing early bird pricing, leveraging sponsorships, strategic marketing, and harnessing the power of peer-to-peer fundraising, nonprofits can boost ticket sales and generate increased revenue to support their mission. Continuous analysis of data and collaboration with community influencers further enhances the effectiveness of these strategies. By following these proven techniques, nonprofits can ensure successful ticket sales and create memorable events that leave a lasting impact on their cause.

Useful Links

·      Fundraising Event Ideas

·      Tips to Plan and Manage Nonprofit Fundraising Events

[thinfatfit]

people are actually wild and so out of touch. one of my friends was talking to me today about how she "doesn't make a living wage" (she works full-time for a nonprofit in a desk job so i dont think she earns a lot but pretty sure its livable) and in the same convo told me about how she's flying to another city tomorrow to take a five-day vacation and go to an event that has $400 tickets.

i'm so tired of ppl who think being poor = not being able to live in luxury vs being poor = actually being poor.

also like bro read the room my whole family is dead do you think im gonna feel bad for you bc you work at a nonprofit???

[mariacallous]

If anyone can rally up a base, it’s Taylor Swift.

When sexually explicit, likely AI-generated, fake images of Swift circulated on social media this week, it galvanized her fans. Swifties found phrases and hashtags related to the images and flooded them with videos and photos of Swift performing. “Protect Taylor Swift” went viral, trending as Swifties spoke out against not just the Swift deepfakes, but all nonconsensual, explicit images made of women.

Swift, arguably the most famous woman in the world right now, has become the high-profile victim of an all-too-frequent form of harassment. She has yet to comment on the photos publicly, but her status gives her power to wield in a situation where so many women have been left with little recourse. Deepfake porn is becoming more common as generative artificial intelligence gets better: 113,000 deepfake videos were uploaded to the most popular porn websites in the first nine months of 2023, a significant increase to the 73,000 videos uploaded throughout 2022. In 2019, research from a startup found that 96 percent of deepfakes on the internet were pornographic.

The content is easy to find on search engines and social media, and has affected other female celebrities and teenagers. Yet, many people don’t understand the full extent of the problem or its impact. Swift, and the media mania around her, has the potential to change that.

“It does feel like this could be one of those trigger events” that could lead to legal and societal changes around nonconsensual deepfakes, says Sam Gregory, executive director of Witness, a nonprofit organization focused on using images and videos for protecting human rights. But Gregory says people still don’t understand how common deepfake porn is, and how harmful and violating it can be to victims.

If anything, this deepfake disaster is reminiscent of the 2014 iCloud leak that led to nude photos of celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence and Kate Upton spreading online, prompting calls for greater protections on people's digital identities. Apple ultimately ramped up security features.

A handful of states have laws around nonconsensual deepfakes, and there are moves to ban it on the federal level, too. Rep. Joseph Morelle (D-New York) has introduced a bill in Congress that would make it illegal to create and share deepfake porn without a person’s consent. Another House bill from Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-New York) seeks to give legal recourse to victims of deepfake porn. Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. (R-New Jersey), who in November introduced a bill that would require the labeling of AI content, used the viral Swift moment to draw attention to his efforts: “Whether the victim is Taylor Swift or any young person across our country—we need to establish safeguards to combat this alarming trend,” Kean said in a statement.

This isn’t the first time that Swift or Swifties have tried to hold platforms and people accountable. In 2017, Swift won a lawsuit she brought against a radio DJ who she claimed groped her during a meet-and-greet. She was awarded $1—the amount she sued for, and what her attorney Douglas Baldridge called a symbolic sum “the value of which is immeasurable to all women in this situation.”

Last fall, tens of thousands of people registered to vote after the superstar posted a link to Vote.org on Instagram. And in 2022, her fan base, so enraged after waiting hours to buy tickets to the Eras Tour only to be beaten out by bots, reignited conversation around antitrust issues with Ticketmaster and Live Nation’s mega-merger. A cringy Senate hearing followed, and an investigation into Live Nation’s agreements with venues and artists is ongoing.

Swift and her fans could advocate for legal changes at the federal level to pass. But their outrage could do something else: lead platforms to take notice. “When you have a really massive group of users saying this content is unacceptable in this very high-profile way, the power there is about what it says to the platform about what users will and won’t tolerate,” says Cailin O’Connor, a professor of philosophy at University of California, Irvine and coauthor of The Misinformation Age: How False Beliefs Spread. X did not respond to a request for comment on the images and its moderation efforts regarding deepfake porn. Elon Musk bought the site in 2022 and quickly gutted its moderation teams. Advertisers have also dropped off recently after Musk’s apparent endorsement of an antisemitic conspiracy theory.

It’s not clear whether Swift will take on this issue. A representative for Swift did not respond to a request for comment for this story. Harassment of female celebrities is frequent and often brushed aside, but deepfakes are harming them and others without the same power. This could be a moment for Swift to use her powerful platform—or at least for her fans to push the issue before the public.

[sarahmackattack]

Philadelphia Weirdos, this event is for you.

On July 14th, we're gonna go into the Pine Barrens and enjoy the hell outta some moths.

This is the 3rd year we've run this event, all to support science education nonprofit Skype a Scientist.

We'll gather at dusk and take a walk around the pond, We'll enjoy some of the crepuscular critters, hopefully see some bats and carnivorous plants, and then set up for a night of bug appreciation! What we'll see on these nights is unpredictable, but in past evenings, we've seen snakes, slugs, wolf spiders, bats, longhorn beetles, many many moths, and more!

Bring some beverages, a chair, a head lamp and any photo equipment you'd like! We'll have some head lamps you can borrow, but won't have enough for everyone. 

Get tickets here!

[petitmonde]

I'm sharing Jade's prom story from her Twitter thread. You can read it here and share it around. I'm putting it under a read more since it's quite long, but it's definitely worth reading every single word that she wrote. If you want to read more or get involved with LGBTQ+ rights, I have linked a few organisations that do great work in the Philippines.

LGBTQ+ Organisations in the Philippines

Bahaghari – national alliance of LGBT+ advocates, organisations, and formations. You can sign the petition for their anti discrimination bill SOGIE right here.

LoveYourself – an organisation that promotes HIV awareness, testing, and treatment. They also have resources available for those seeking help to transition.

UP Babaylan – The oldest LGBT+ student organisation in the Philippines.

LakanBini Advocates Pilipinas – A network of transgender organisations. They focus on health, psychosocial well-being, and human rights.

Rainbow Rights – A nonprofit NGO that focuses on legal literacy and empowerment with respect to SOGIE laws and policies.

Proud Campaign Philippines – Not only do they raise awareness of SOGIE, but they also help Filipinos in need with food, clothes, toiletries, and other necessities.

🩶 State Of The Dollification Address 🩶

I have 3 prom stories that I’ve experienced and here to tell all of y’all! I am now using my voice and platform to raise awareness, for humanity’s maturity and for the betterment of inclusive schools. ‼️

I want to say to ALL schools out there! No matter what Sexual Orientation, Gender Indentity & Expression. Students has the right to have equal knowledge and experience with schools and campus. As long as oppression and discrimination is still happening in today’s world, this is a sign that we are not yet treated as equal.

#PassSOGIEBillNow #TransYouthAreValid #TransWomenAreWomen #TransLivesMatter

#DollShenanigans #DollDomination #Dollification #SuSos #TeamM1ssJadeSo

My first ever Prom that I’ve attended way back Feb 13, 2016. I got invited by a guy from an all boys school. He sponsored everything from the gown, ticket and transportation. Everything went well, I attended their prom as the WOMAN THAT I AM. It was magical, fun and romantic. I greeted some people in the event, ate, had a romantic dance with the guy and also partied a little bit, we went home safe (take note: our driver is his Dad). So happy with this experience I got to live just by being me.

I met some Queer people and some of them are now Trans Women from that school, last year 2022. They told me that I was so iconic, that the administrators, teachers, pastors are triggered by my presence that night. They had to call every Queer people in their school just to have a prayer/mass session to pray the gay away. It was so sad, they couldn’t fight, they just told me that they love and look up to me for my bravery and courage from that night. I hope they are now healed from that trauma.

Going back to March 2016, for our Moving-Up Ball in my school. Everyone is excited as we are about to enter Senior High School (the first batch of SHS) and Junior High School is about to end. I’m very excited about it because it’s going to be our last Ball/Party of our whole batch. I am thinking to myself that this is going to be my coming out moment as a Trans Woman. I immediately thought of wearing a dress and wearing a wig because my hair is too short for the vision of my full bloom woman.

Days before the Ball, I asked my adviser politely if I can go to the event wearing a dress as the woman that I am. She said “No, naiintindihan naman namin ang gusto mo, “Girl” na nga ang tawag ko sayo (as tinatawag niya kong “bakla” before) pero sa college mo na yan gawin, masyado ka pang bata. Malay mo mag-iba pa panananaw mo at maging lalake ka talaga (she laughed)”. I cried it out going home that day. Translation: “No, we understand what you want, I’m already calling you “Girl” (as she calls me “Gay” before). Do it in college instead, you are too young. Maybe you might change your perspective and become a man one day (she laughed).

The day of the event started… I did my friend’s makeup, as I am a makeup artist before. I started doing their makeup during lunch time and ended really well. My sister and mom helped by putting their dresses and curling their hair. 5 girl friends of mine are very happy with the results. I have a lot of memories with them I cherish and miss them now. Hi Aira, Ela, Elriva, Kirstine & Lubna.

I was so tired and had to glam myself up too. I wore a 30 inch black silky straight wig, white cocktail dress from my sister and black thigh high boots.

We went to the moving-up ball with my friend’s driver. My mom joined us because she wanted to explain something. As we got into the event, they immediately stopped me from entering. A teacher told me that I cannot enter, and they let me talk to my adviser and some of my teachers, they said “Jade, sinabihan ka na namin… You can’t wear this here. Magpalit ka ng suit na panglalake, para papasukin ka pa namin, maaga pa naman may time ka pa magpalit, Go na.” Translation: “Jade, we told you about this… You can’t wear this here. Change it to a Men’s suit, so that we can let you enter, it’s still early, you have time to change, Go for it.”

I told them I wanna talk to the principal. They let me talk with the principal and I explained the definition of Transgender and explaining that I am a Trans Woman. She refused, my mom talked to the principal and explained that I am a Trans Woman and I wanted to make this last moment of my JHS as the woman that I am. My mom said “Payagan niyo po sana yung anak ko na makapasok, kasi po babae po siya and yan po ang gusto niyang damit. Pangarap niya po yan”. Translation: “I hope you allow my daughter to get in, She is a woman and that’s how she wanted to dress up. That’s her dream.”

They still said no and change my outfit to a suit or anything na “panglalake” or “Men’s wear”. I lost hope at that moment, I saw my mom crying because how heart broken she is. I immediately cried too and said “Mama, umuwi kana ako na lang mag stay dito and ilalaban ko to. Ayoko na makita ka umiiyak”. Translation: “Mom, Please go home, I’m going to stay here and I will fight for this.”

She invited me to go home too but I said I needed to stay, this is something I think that is right. She went home and I started bursting out of tears, I was sobbing and fully destroyed. As a protest, I’m going to stay here until they let me in. There were feedbacks that they can hear me sobbing inside the event. My classmates comforted me, they took turns to accompany me outside. As the event is going through my classmates are slowly getting inside, they brought me food, talk to me nicely, my whole class went to me outside and took a class picture. Teachers that are close to my heart went outside to accompany too. And there’s this one teacher stayed with me the whole night outside and she said; “Malayo pa tayo sa pinapaglaban natin, pero gusto kong malaman mo na tama ka Jade, tama ang pinaglalaban mo, ikaw yan eh. Balang araw matatanggap ng lipunan natin ang isang katulad mo. Salamat sa pag-laban kung sino ka.” Translation: “We are far from what we are fighting for, but I want you to know that you are in the right track, that’s the real you! The time will come that our society will accept the people like you, thank you for fighting for being who you are”.

She said so many inspiring words that uplifted me. Take note: she’s an Araling Panlipunan teacher. Hi M1ss Meann Salimbangon, you deserve the love from this world. I love you so much, I will never forget you! You’re a treasure for me. She told me she won’t leave me outside until I get home safe. My friend’s driver offered a ride to get me home safe. I went home when that after party started. I was so tired and cried myself to sleep.

April 2016, our Moving-up Ceremony. Advisers are announcing that “No “proper” haircut for boys are not allowed get the diploma on stage. But instead, they will give the diploma a week after (together with our report card). I informed my adviser that I can’t cut my hair because I identify as a Trans Woman and I would like to get my diploma as how my hair is growing now. She refused, so i decided to not to go through. I did the Moving-up ceremony rehearsal for nothing. I informed my Mom that I can’t go to the stage because of my haircut. She was sad that she won’t see me receiving my diploma. I attend our moving-up ceremony with the parents of my friends, I was sitting in the parents section wearing a BLONDE FUCCING HAIR, full leather look with my y2k hidden wedge sneakers lol.

My head was heated seeing these boys in our school DIDN’T GOT THE PROPER HAIRCUT and got their diploma on stage. I immediately thought that the advise and requirement is just targeted for me or for the Queer people in my school ONLY. They were just oppressing us.

When it’s my time to get the diploma they called my name on stage flashed my photo to the screen. I stood up with my head up high, from the parent’s section. Everyone was looking at me, my friend cheered and screamed for me, the parents were clapping. It was a fuccing moment (just like a Pose episode) 🤣

Finally the nightmare era from that school was over, there is much more stories to tell. But it’s to long to share, so many bullying and oppressing issues that I experienced. I know it’s a Catholic school, but is it a requirement for Catholics to hate and oppress Trans Individuals like me? And the LGBTQIA+ community, if there are more issues (I knew it’s not just me 😌).

Moving forward, I searched for the right school to enroll for my Senior High School and that is iAcademy! I really really love this school so much, they accepted, acknowledged, and loved me. This is the first time I felt seen, heard & valued by a school. They let me wear what I want, let me my hair grew, it is so long that it touches my butt. I was openly proud Trans Individual, I even got a romantic relationship with a classmate (part of my growing process).

Fast forward for our Grad Ball and Graduation Ceremony. The MOMENT I’ve been waiting my whole life was to attend our Graduation Ball. I wore the MOST HUGE ROYAL BLUE CINDERELLA-LIKE BALL GOWN WITH FEATHERS AROUND, LEAVING SOME FEATHER TRACKS WHEREVER I GO, WITH A FUCCING CROWN, because I already knew I am a fuccing QUEEN. I won best dressed of the night from the female category. They gave me a 10-min moment to share my JHS Prom experience and I am thankful for this inclusive school and being an LGBTQIA+ ally. I was so happy I could die. This moment will last forever and to the herstory of iAcademy.

For our Graduation ceremony I wore the highest heels that I owned and a red cunty dress to my Graduation. I got my diploma on stage, strutting myself like the sexiest, cuntiest & baddest student on Earth.

[corvigay-clutter]

StoryCon 2025 Launch

The famous Teen Author Boot Camp program is EXPANDING!!!

I've attended events put on by Operation Literacy since I was a teenager, and I'm honored to be one of their Youth Outreach Interns this year! The switch from Teen Author Boot Camp to StoryCon is an exciting one, but we guarantee it's only more of what you've already grown to love from our organization!

StoryCon has tracks for all ages; we're taking the teen programs that are so beloved, and adding things for the general public, for educators, and for tweens! There are also masterclasses, a massive expo hall, and a main stage celebrating story in its many forms. Come join the party at the Salt Palace, February 21-22, 2025!

One of the largest book events ever to come to Utah, StoryCon is a writing conference and fan expo put on by Operation Literacy, a 501c3 nonprofit with a special emphasis in serving kids from under-served populations. Every ticket purchased helps provide access for more young writers and readers.

So many awesome authors will be attending our first year as StoryCon, including Jeff Kinney, Dhonielle Clayton, Shannon Hale, Neal Shusterman, Marissa Meyers, and many more! The full list of 14 keynotes and featured authors list is up TODAY along with registration over at StoryCon.org.

[bedbugbiting]

I think I have a talent for networking that I didn't know I had.

Several months ago, I met an artist at an event and I told her about my art collective. The artist runs a nonprofit. We exchanged info and I put her in touch with an organizer. The next thing I know, this artist is offering jobs to people in my Art Group, and I set this up!

Then I told my orchestra director about my art collective, and now he's giving us free tickets to our performances at a very nice place and he and an organizer are talking about collaborating? And I set it up!

Why was I unable to do this when I had a job?

[saintmeghanmarkle]

I thought the Aviation Award was a joke so had to research it myself ...

Harry must have been pretty upset about being left out of the Sandhurst book to shell out money for this award.

Wikipedia describes the living legends of aviation as a "paid for" award and the website has a "myshopify.com" extension. Per the website, the "Living Legends of Aviation are remarkable people of extraordinary accomplishment in aviation including: entrepreneurs, innovators, industry leaders, astronauts, record breakers, pilots who have become celebrities and celebrities who have become pilots. The Legends meet yearly to recognize and honor individuals that have made significant contributions in aviation." I bolded the part that Just Harry the Celebrity formerly known as Prince must be eligible under. The website has no ticket or sponsorship pricing information or names of the hosting committee or board. Presumably winners will at least buy a table or two at a minimum.

Charity Navigator, a non-profit rating website, gives the group behind the award a 2 out of 4 stars. The information on the Kitty Hawk Air Academy website is from 2015/16. there is no information about the board of directors, management or any financial information. the contact information for the organization shows a Colorado address but the event is in Beverly Hills. I'm confused as to how a charity that can't even keep its website up to date has a fundraiser in another state in one of the swankiest zip codes?

Will be interesting to see if Kiddie Hawk is listed as a grantee in Archwell's 2023 or 2024 filings.

post link

author: Ask_DontTell

submitted: January 11, 2024 at 11:11AM via SaintMeghanMarkle on Reddit

[follow-up-news]

Justice Samuel Alito reported Friday that he accepted $900 worth of concert tickets from a German princess, but disclosed no trips paid for by other people, according to a new financial disclosure form. The required annual filing, for which Alito has often sought an extension, doesn’t include details of the event tickets gifted by socialite Gloria von Thurn und Taxis of Germany. Alito didn’t report any outside income from teaching or book contracts. The financial disclosures filed by Supreme Court justices come against the backdrop of a heightened focus on ethics at the high court amid criticism over undisclosed trips and gifts from wealthy benefactors to some justices. The other eight justices filed their forms in June; Alito received an extension. Justice Clarence Thomas, for example, belatedly acknowledged more travel paid by Republican megadonor Harlan Crow from 2019 this year, including a hotel room in Bali, Indonesia and food and lodging at a private club in Sonoma County, California. Alito, meanwhile, took a private plane trip to a luxury Alaska fishing lodge from two wealthy Republican donors in in 2008, the nonprofit investigative news site ProPublica reported last year. Alito, for his part, said he was not obligated to disclose the travel under a previous exemption for personal hospitality.

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

A GOP fundraising event in New Hampshire was interrupted Friday evening after two protesters ran onto the stage and yelled "Jews against DeSantis" while Governor Ron DeSantis spoke at the podium.

The Amos Tuck Dinner, hosted by the New Hampshire Republican State Committee, featured DeSantis as the headline speaker.

The nonprofit behind the action, IfNotNow, said in a press release sent to Insider that the protest was meant to bring attention to the Governor's policies as well as his upcoming planned trip to Israel. The country is responsible for "increased violence towards Palestinians," the group said.

IfNotNow describes itself as "a movement of American Jews organizing our community to end US support for Israel's apartheid system."

In a video posted to Twitter, two people with signs reading "Ron DeSantis: Loves Israel, Hates Jews" briefly make it on stage before immediately being grabbed by security and escorted away from the Governor.

In the video, DeSantis can be seen brushing off the encounter and questioning why the protesters spent money on tickets for the event, which started at $150 per person.

"You've gotta have a little spice in the speech. You got to have a little fun," DeSantis said, as the pair were directed away from the governor.

Jewish rights groups have long called out DeSantis for his failure to immediately condemn neo-Nazis who showed up at a 2022 rally, his promotion of antisemitic conspiracy theories about billionaire George Soros, and his association with politician Doug Mastriano.

DeSantis has also previously dubbed himself the most "pro-Israel Governor in America."

A representative for DeSantis and the New Hampshire Republican Party did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. A representative for IfNotNow did not immediately respond to questions sent by Insider. When reached by phone, the DoubleTree by Hilton in Manchester, where the event was hosted, declined to comment.

[sistahscifi]

This Saturday, *EVERY* child or teen who attends gets a free book of their choosing at Portland's inaugural BIPOC Book Fair! The fair features books by BIPOC authors with BIPOC characters.

AGENDA:

1PM - Tempest Zine Activity

1:45PM - Brian and Josie Character Creation Activity

2:30PM - Diana Fan Making Activity

3:15PM - Nisi Hand Clapping Activity

The event is open to ALL.

@KTempestBradford will be there with @Nisi_Shawl, @DavidF.Walker, @DianaJunyiMa, Anita Crawford (@AnitasFavPics) and Brian and Josie Parker of Believe In Wonder Publisher (@believeinwonder_pub) autographing and leading fun activities. Link to register in K Tempest Bradford bio: @KTempestBradford | https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bipoc-book-fair-tickets-720319213157?aff=oddtdtcreator

And please let people *everywhere* know about it (not just in Portland, OR) and that they can donate to the fair via the Carl Brandon Society (a nonprofit). We'll use the funds to buy any leftover books to donate them to local literacy groups and community centers, and we'll put any extra funds towards the next BIPOC Book Fair.

Please like, comment, and share here and other social media platforms. Thank you!! you are magic!

@leeandlow @mofoman68 @fsgyoungreaders @awesomeportland @SFWA_Inc @norsehall

#SistahScifi #BipocBookFair #BookFair #MeetLocalAuthors #FreeBook #nisishawl #leeandlow #DavidFWalker #NisiShawl #ktempestbradford #AnitaCrawfordClark #ChildrensBookFair #FreeBooks #Portland #PDX

[iconnectxsolutions]

Empower your nonprofit organization's fundraising efforts with an event ticketing software designed to optimize your impact. Streamline ticket sales, manage attendee registrations, and effortlessly track donations, all while creating memorable experiences for your supporters

[ktempestbradford]

I am beyond excited for the inaugural BIPOC Book Fair!

This has been a dream of mine for well over a year and I'm thrilled it's finally happening.

The fair will take place in Portland, OR on December 23rd and features books by BIPOC authors with BIPOC characters for kids ages 3 to 17 from all genres: adventure, fantasy, science fiction, mystery, non-fiction, and more. Every child or teen who attends gets a free book of their choosing. The event is open to all families regardless of identity.

I'll be there with other local authors autographing and leading fun activities.

And now, I have an ask for you: Help us tell as many people as possible about this event. Boost and share posts about the fair (check out @sistahscifi for more!) here and on other social networks.

And please let people everywhere know about it and that they can donate to the fair via the Carl Brandon Society (a nonprofit). We'll use the funds to buy any leftover books to donate them to local literacy groups and community centers, and we'll put any extra funds towards the next BIPOC Book Fair. Yes, we do plan to do more of these and in more cities if we can get the funding.

Click Here For Details, Tickets, & Donations.

[mariacallous]

Imani Smith, a rising senior at Howard University, was out grabbing food with friends when her group chats with her sorority sisters “started blowing up.” Smith, on a social media break at the time, rushed to re-download Instagram to see article after article about Vice President Kamala Harris running for president. She called her parents, excited.

“Representation is so important,” she said. “Just as a fellow Bison, just as young Black women, being able to see someone who looks like us rise to this level … seeing her take this on, it’s really inspiring. When we look at her, we see ourselves, we see our mothers, our grandmothers.”

Smith sees herself in Harris not just as a student at Howard, the historically Black university Harris attended. Smith is also the president of the Alpha chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha, a Black sorority more than a century old with chapters across the country. Harris joined AKA as a student in 1986 and has been an active presence in the group ever since.

Smith isn’t the only AKA member celebrating—and organizing. The sudden ascent of Harris to the top of the Democratic ticket has been met with enthusiasm from many Black women, not least of all her “sorors,” as AKA members call one another.

The sorority, founded at Howard, is part of the Divine Nine, a group of nine historically Black sororities and fraternities with vast networks across the country. Their up to two million members could prove a powerful force to galvanize Black and young voters—whose support for President Biden’s re-election had appeared to slip before he dropped out—to go the polls in November.

Black Greek life organizations are nonpartisan and nonprofit, so they can’t and don’t endorse candidates. But individual students and alumni involved are throwing their support behind the Harris campaign. Many AKA members convened on a Zoom call of roughly 44,000 people for the group Win With Black Women, which met the day Biden dropped out of the race. The group raised $1.5 million for the Harris campaign in one sitting, The New York Times reported. The Zoom inspired a spate of similar calls since that have raised millions of dollars for Harris. Social media has been buzzing with posts from sorority members calling on each other to organize and canvas and advertising get-out-the-vote swag in the sorority’s signature colors, pink and green.

“Seeing her rise to the possibility of holding the highest position in the land, you’re almost unable to even put it into words,” said Deidra Davis, graduate adviser to the Alpha chapter and a member of Xi Omega, Washington, D.C.’s Alpha Kappa Alpha chapter. “We have worked so hard for so many years for equal rights, for women’s rights, for civil rights. And to see this come to fruition, we are just bursting with pride and hope and just overall elation.”

Donna Miller, a county board commissioner for Cook County, Ill., who’s an AKA member, was at a party with friends from the sorority when she heard the news that Biden had endorsed Harris. Miller also attended the Win With Black Women call.

“We just all immediately said, ‘OK, now we have to get busy,’” she said. “We have to get to these swing states and volunteer and knock on doors and talk to voters.”

Harris is a regular at AKA events and spoke earlier this month, before Biden left the race, at the sorority’s annual Boulé, a national gathering. She gave a shout-out to those who attended Howard with her and spoke of how the organization influenced her since her “earliest days,” given her aunt joined AKA in 1950.

“Sorors, all of us here are clear: While we have come a mighty long way, we have more work to do,” she said. “For 116 years, the members of our sorority have been on the front lines of the fight to realize the promise of America. This year, let us continue that work.”

She was also greeted with enthusiastic applause when she addressed Zeta Phi Beta, another sorority in the Divine Nine, at their Boulé on July 24 after becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee.

“In this moment, our nation, as it always has, is counting on you to energize, to organize, and to mobilize; to register folks to vote, to get them to the polls; and to continue to fight for the future our nation and her people deserve,” Harris told the Zeta Phi Betas. “And we know when we organize, mountains move. When we mobilize, nations change. And when we vote, we make history.”

During Harris’s vice presidency, leaders of the Divine Nine have visited the White House on multiple occasions, including a visit to the Oval Office in May. At that meeting, Harris recounted thanking the organizations in a speech after her selection as Biden’s vice president and reporters asking what the Divine Nine was.

“And to myself I say, ‘You’re about to find out,’” she quipped.

‘Anticipation and Expectation’

Danette Anthony Reed, international president and CEO of Alpha Kappa Alpha, said the sorority plans to focus on registering voters and “supporting and advocating for justice,” but “without centering on any particular individual.” Before the big news about Harris, it had already launched a campaign, called “Take 4 or more in 24,” which encourages each of its members to get at least four people to vote. The group is also asking members to canvass and make phone calls to register voters and walk them through their voting options. The sorority further plans to help would-be voters address any obstacles to voting, such as “transportation barriers and voter suppression tactics.”

Reed said that as the first Black sorority, the group sees itself as “at the forefront of breaking glass ceilings.” AKA members are meeting Harris’s campaign with “a mix of anticipation and expectation.”

Reed also emphasized that the sorority, which has upward of 300,000 members, and the Divine Nine as a whole have long been a political force to be reckoned with, “despite often going unnoticed.” They regularly lobby federal and state lawmakers in support of policies and raise significant amounts for causes to benefit Black communities. She pointed out, for example, that AKA once raised $1 million for HBCUs in a single day.

Meanwhile, the leaders of the Divine Nine, the National Pan-Hellenic Council of Presidents, were planning a major get-out-the-vote effort, which they announced the day after Biden left the race.

“We, the Council of Presidents of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (Divine 9), have met and agreed to meet this critical moment in history with an unprecedented voter registration, education, and mobilization coordinated campaign,” a statement from the council read. “This campaign will activate the thousands of chapters and members in our respective organizations to ensure strong voter turnout in the communities we serve.”

Davis said the Divine Nine are in lockstep, or “all singing from the same hymn book,” when it comes to focusing on “making sure that people are getting out and exercising this right that so many of us were denied just a few decades ago.” She noted that the Alpha chapter plans to launch an informational campaign to ensure out-of-state students at Howard understand the absentee ballot process.

Students are also mobilizing. Smith said her chapter hosts an annual event called Freshman Move In where members of the sorority bring water and help Howard freshmen move their belongings into their dorms as they settle in on campus. This fall, that event is going to include a voter registration drive for both the first years and their parents.

Tyrone Couey, founding member and president of the National Historically Black Colleges & Universities Alumni Associations Foundation, expects Divine Nine voter registration efforts will particularly pay off with young voters, both at HBCUs and the many predominantly white institutions with active chapters. He emphasized that this kind of activism from the Divine Nine isn’t new, but noted the groups are enjoying a new spotlight, given Harris’s proud affiliation with them.

Some aspects of that limelight have been fraught. For example, Fox news commentator Brian Kilmeade drew backlash from HBCU alumni and others for allegedly calling Zeta Phi Beta a “colored” sorority when discussing the recent event Harris attended. (Kilmeade claims he actually said “college sorority.”) Renewed attention to these groups has also prompted social media discussions about whether non-Black Harris fans should avoid using AKA symbols, like donning pink and green garb, doing signature step routines and invoking the sorority’s classic “skee-wee” call.

Davis sees this spotlight moment as a “great opportunity to educate” people about who these groups are, what they do and their history. “We’re not new on the scene,” she said.

Miller has no doubt the groups’ prominence and power will soon become clear. She believes the organizations’ get-out-the-vote initiatives and members’ personal efforts to support the Harris campaign are going to make a difference.

“There are so many individuals who are members of the Divine Nine in so many different capacities, whether they’re elected officials, whether they’re leaders in corporate America, whether they’re entrepreneurs. All of these different entities coming together … is what’s going to make a huge impact,” she said, “because they are organizing like never before.”

[stormfireproductions]

"The Ortiz Twins" production team is proud to support @tenantsandworkers during our premiere this Saturday, February 24! TWU is a nonprofit and advocacy group organizing low-income communities of color in Northern Virginia. "The Ortiz Twins" is a story by and for our Latin American siblings and communities, and we believe it is important to invite that community in to celebrate independent storytelling. 5% of our silent auction proceeds will go directly to TWU. We invite you to join our multilingual, multicultural event to help us fund the full series run as well as to support the important work of TWU. Get your tickets (virtual or in-person) now at ortiztwins.com. #tenantsandworkersunited #advocacy #donate #silentauction #dcevents #dmvevents #alexandriava