SPECIAL NOTE: Below is an article we just published with some flicks on LA Indymedia. Feel free to drop comments there as well - LA readers are curious to know our impressions of BH2!

Blazin’ Hope 2 brings hip hop, random acts of kindness under one roof

Concert event raises over $10,000 for charities here and abroad.

Hip hop group Karmacy released their full-length album, “Wooden Bling,” at the Blazin’ Hope II Album Release Party and Benefit Concert June 27. Hosted by Karmacy and Be The Cause, a service-oriented Southern California nonprofit, the second annual musical showcase with a charitable twist sold out over capacity at the Hollywood Knitting Factory and surpassed event organizers’ expectations.

Sukh Chugh, founder of Be The Cause, says, “The Blazin Hope concept is a powerful one. It combines elements of fun, charity, music, art, giving and kindness all in one place.”

And what hope is there to blaze without random acts of kindness? In one instance, BTC volunteers leied entering guests with paper flower necklaces with the words “give back” to remind them to pay it forward—like life, giving is a circle. At the end of the night, guests were handed cups of cold water to hydrate, and sober up, for the ride home.

The night featured a powerhouse line-up, including Raja Kumari, Jason Joseph, Nicco, The Himalayan Project, and DJ Blaze. The first three are featured on “Wooden Bling,” the much-anticipated album and only the second dropped in Karmacy’s 10-year career. While they are masterful MCs, the members of Karmacy have day jobs and family obligations that make them that much more relatable to fans.

Like last year’s debut event, 100% of Blazin’ Hope II proceeds are going to charity. Last Friday’s revenue will be divvyed up between two organizations that serve underprivileged youth, one stateside and the other a continent away. Peace4Kids, based in South LA, helps foster kids and other at-risk youth learn life skills and creative arts such as producing and recording their own music and spoken word. (In fact, the famed Black Eyed Peas sponsored an arts educational center for this purpose.)

Itipini Community Project, a 6,000-inhabitant squatters’ camp in South Africa, is the other beneficiary. In addition to running a primary health care clinic and a feeding program for children, Itipini empowers children through a pre-school and an after-school program.

Blazin’ Hope II was about more than just charity—it was also about solidarity. Peace4Kids volunteers, personnel and program participants visibly partook in the festivities and the planning process. P4K’s founder and executive director, Zaid Gayle, was Master-of-Ceremonies. Other P4K staff and volunteers assisted with promo and day-of duties. And a polished P4K hip hop dance troupe—consisting of youths from Compton and Watts—pop locked their way into everyone’s heart.

“It’s not your typical fundraiser. The goal isn’t just to raise money but rather to infuse all those that participate with a sense of inspiration that hopefully they will carry forward beyond the walls of the actual event,” says Chugh.

Karmacy is a hip hop trio, whose debut album, “The Movement,” was released in 2004. Addressing the idea of cross-cultural identities that are fluid yet universally relatable, their tracks might be in any of five languages, Spanish, Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati or English.

Although copies of “Wooden Bling” purchased on-line started shipping in May, Karmacy deliberately waited to publicly issue the album through the Blazin’ Hope medium. Like BTC, the group places much value on selfless giving.

“We want our music to be more than just entertainment. We want it to actually help people,” says Shah, who is an orthopedic surgeon by day. “Be the Cause has given us the perfect opportunity to do so.”

According to event chair Seema Patel, Blazin’ Hope II raised over $10,000 for the designated beneficiaries. This amount is more than double last year’s proceeds, which totaled $4741.00 (Rs 183, 000) and which went to Yuvsatta, an NGO providing educational opportunities to young people and women living in a slum in Chandigarh, India. The money helped build a vocational training center there.

The huge success of Blazin’ Hope II seems to broker new terms for an already unique concept marrying nightlife with service to others. Will the venue be bigger next time? Will the line-up be more dazzling? Will it eventually parlay into a weekend-long festival in some oasis? Like hope, the possibilities are unrestrained.

BTC volunteers give great stock to Gandhiji’s oft-uttered quote, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Upon going to plan Blazin’ Hope I late last year, they questioned whether partying and service together could foster community and change.

Says Chugh, “When this idea was first conceptualized, we were of course skeptical. Could inspiration be generated even at an event where participants seemed largely concerned with having fun and enjoying their favorite drinks?”

But in retrospect, and two sold-out Blazin’ Hope concerts later, Chugh and colleagues see the combo rife with opportunities for service, inspiration and, of course, hope: “The question largely came down to whether we ourselves could see good in others irrespective of their situation or their location. … It turns out that goodness does exist everywhere, even inside concert halls and night clubs.”

For updates and more information, check out Karmacy’s and Be The Cause’s Web sites.

- - -

Hope you liked it! The Blazin’ Hope II photo album is ready for viewing, and take a moment to share your most favorite BH2 memory with us on the BTC blog!

As part of the Lanka Fest activities, we want to post messages of friendship, hope and peace for Sri Lanka. Please post your message as a comment here. We will post your messages on a wall at the festival. Please put your city and country with your message.

LANK FEST was created so that all Sri Lankan American organizations could participate united in an event celebrating life in the United States. The festival will allow a unique opportunity to organizations to raise funds and network. The FREE Family Festival will have a Cricket Tournament, Carrom Tournament, Family Run/Walk and play area for the kids. Anyone can come.

Festivities start July 4th 2008 at 8am and to til 7pm

Woodley Ave Park
6350 Woodley Ave.
Van Nuys, CA

Friends–

We are currently in the process of editing down all the video footage captured from “With My Own Two Hands” and very much look forward to sharing it with you, along with some photos and a full report. Please bear with us a little while longer while we put the finishing touches on all.

For now, check out the painting I commissioned from Sri Lankan painter Walter Kulasooriya. Thanks to Dilshan and Kat from Taprobane House making this all happen.

In Truth,

Christopher Lowman
Founder, Moving Towards Peace

With her own two hands, Sujana prepared a homemade Indian meal for the Ladies at the Downtown Women’s Center this past Sunday. In a sense, she was a savior in more ways than one. We could have ended up with some food made rather in the Indian-style, based on recipes I would have plucked from foodtv.com or “The Best Recipes of the World.”

For all the BTC potlucks I’ve gone to, I’ve always opted to bring the fizzy lemonade in favor of the vegetarian dish. You see, to anyone raised on McDonald’s and mac n’ cheese, lentils are just scary. When we first met to discuss what we would serve at the DWC, I was under the impression that the Ladies were more “meat ‘n potato” kinda gals, and so they’d sneer at things like curries and tofu. I was soooo wrong. Sujana’s samosas, lentils and rice with vegetables were met with loud applause and gratitude. How could I have ruled out serving the very food that so many BTC folks love to make and share in their very homes? From now on, I think that instead of calling this a service project, we’ll just put out an invite and say that we’re getting together for a potluck at the DWC in true BTC style.

I’ve realized that at its core, this project is no longer about homelessness, trying to spark up a meaningful conversation with a complete stranger or feeling guilty for having “more than others.” More volunteers than I had expected to see inevitably turn up everytime. Inevitably, some Ladies will sit at the tables in front of the kitchen and just watch us, relaxed and smiling. Inevitably someone will show up with something special: Supun with his cartons of juice and water bottles, Joyce with that killer cake, Anna with fabulous peaches from her father’s tree. They see us pour a lot of labor and goodness and happiness into that meal. It’s so beautiful to see everyone light up. This is what it’s all about.

On that deathly hot day, the Ladies came in for lunch and were locked in for one hour. During that one hour, they could escape the heat, relax and be fed by some pretty amazing people who had somehow been drawn to the Center that day — even though they had other things initially in mind. By the end, volunteers were offering to bring Vietnamese or Nicaraguan food. Maybe I’ll throw down and bring some Filipino food as well.

It’s as if the line between guest and host has been blurred. You can show up with or without food; serve or don’t serve. We’d all still be so happy to have you.

Where To, where do I go?
If you never try, then you’ll never know.
How long do I have to climb,
Up on the side of this mountain of mine?

Look up, I look up at night,
Planets are moving at the speed of light.
Climb up, up in the trees,
every chance that you get,
is a chance you seize.
How long am I gonna stand,
with my head stuck under the sand?
I’ll start before I can stop,
before I see things the right way up.

All that noise, and all that sound,
All those places I got found.
And birds go flying at the speed of sound,
to show you how it all began.
Birds came flying from the underground,
if you could see it then you’d understand?

Ideas that you’ll never find,
All the inventors could never design.
The buildings that you put up,
Japan and China all lit up.
The sign that I couldn’t read,
or a light that I couldn’t see,
some things you have to believe,
but others are puzzles, puzzling me.-Speed of Sound by Coldplay.

I was listening to this song the other day in the car and singing along to it. The lyrics struck me for sure. I was thinking of how I was recently in a car accident. It could have been much worse. I was taken on a stretcher because the paramedics saw me holding my chest…where the airbag hit me really hard. So glad the airbag was there! When I was on the stretcher..I looked up at the sky…it was probably the most beautiful sky I have ever seen! The clouds were silver and blue. The sky was clear with no stars. I just remember being so grateful to be alive…It was my first time on a stretcher and I was scared, but so happy as well. After the accident, I was trying to figure things out. Why do these things happen? Why do people get in accidents? Why does it all seem so difficult at times? There are wake-up calls and then there are WAKE-UP CALLS!!! My perception is that if u don’t get the lesson the first time…the universe screeches in your ears…

A little before the accident, I was feeling about things…the way the lyrics state: “How long do I have to climb,Up on the side of this mountain of mine?” …I was just kinda in the automaticity of life in the few weeks before the accident. Not feeling very passionate or alive…kinda feeling on autopilot. I know before the accident=that night…I was alert and happy and focused when driving. That was that moment. But the series of moments before…I was feeling lackluster, tired, fed-up in a way with the always on the go syndrome.

When I saw the sky…I saw the magic again…that’s all around us…the nature of Earth…just waiting for us in anticipation==for us to go out and explore…

The mind is so strong and tries to figure things out. But what about being in the moment and letting waves/stars/hummingbirds fill your thoughts and dreams. Concrete and buildings…that is part of our world too….but who says we need to be so caught up in the sidewalks of life. Meaning, I feel if we all got back to the roots of trees and didn’t spend so many hours in our cars, there could be a bit more world change…in a positive way.

And sometimes when we’re so caught up in the office, city world…we forget about puzzles and how sometimes…puzzle pieces do not need to be put together, but just simply left alone…for a spiritual resolution to straighten things out.

Life is a mystery…never did I expect to be shaken up so much. I couldn’t stop shaking from the shock of the accident on the way to the hospital…and then there was the shock of a new life and new way to see things. Being aware takes practice. And sometimes it can be more painful..being aware than simply sliding along thru life.

When I looked up at the sky…I was meditating on beauty…I could do nothing else…except embrace the beauty above me.

I’ve heard about some accidents recently…I’ve known about accidents where people were killed. One who I knew closely and some…friends of friends. Why do I live and another dies? What purpose is meant for me? I know that there’s ho-hum gratitude and then there’s GRATITUDE! Can we always be in this space? We’re human…so maybe not. But I know that I’m striving and learning and growing…and improving any part of me that feels defeated, disappointed in some way. Life is just waiting for us to honor it and see the beauty…like the night that the sky looked like no other sky I had ever seen.

by Karishma Huda

“Some change, please.”

She extended a shaking hand holding a flimsy coffee cup. It was a Friday night. I was having a drink with girlfriends at a Soho pub, friends I hadn’t seen in ages. I was caught off guard.

“Sorry love,” my friend responded, with a shrug of the shoulders and a face riddled with regret.

“Sorry…” I followed suit, and imitated her look of penance. If I look apologetic, it’ll all be okay.

But she had one upped me on powerful looks. The woman shook her head and stared directly into my eyes with a piercing gaze - a gaze of a mother’s disappointment, a gaze of surrender and acceptance of the apathy that she was drowning in. As we all stood cozy under the heat lamps with our pints and glasses of wine, as she walked off into the frigid night air, in search of another group of disinterested pub goers – with the hopes that she might find one, just one, with a bloody conscience.

The Koran compares a person with no spirituality to an empty shell. The Koran speaks of ‘the awful void’ experienced by the Prophet (PBUH) when ‘the curtain closed.’ I stood there contemplating that sentiment, and embracing the emptiness I felt as I walked after her with a hand full of change, but she was already gone. Not sure of why I felt so forlorn, as the scene that just occurred happens to every Londoner at least twice a day, everyday. But it was different, because this time, I noticed.

My religious teachings have told me that being charitable is inextricably linked with being spiritual. As lame as the analogy might be, I think of the ultimate goal of being physically fit - when we exercise, we are naturally motivated to eat healthy – the result is a sound body and sound mind. The same applies to the goal of being spiritually aware – perhaps when we reflect, meditate, pray, take time to listen to a deeper inner voice that so often gets drowned out with the hum drum of daily life, we become more perceptive. We can see and hear the opportunities around us everyday to be good universal citizens, to fulfill our duties and bridge (ever so slightly) that massive gap that exists between the haves and have- nots.

That woman with the flimsy cup was an opportunity – one that I had blatantly ignored, but in the pursuit of being more aware, one that I at least heeded. Previously, I had easily justified such missed opportunities, as many of us do. As an international development professional, I’ve ironically become more cynical about the solutions to poverty with the passing of time. As my professors and colleagues would reiterate, “if you give someone a hand out on the street, you’re not dealing with the structural causes of their poverty, and you’re reinforcing their supplicating behaviour rather than empowering them to make a change.” That development babble appeases the conscience just enough to walk away – if you don’t know how to contribute to that kind of change, its easier to do nothing. And that’s the bleeding heart, ‘compassionate’ perspective – no better than the right wing tycoon that walks past that same woman and thinks that poverty is self-inflicted. “Be a productive member of society and earn a bloody living. ” In the end, he too, walks away and does nothing.

The issue, in the end, for most of us, is mistrust. How do we know that if we stick a 50p coin in that cup, she won’t use it for booze or drugs? As a microfinance practitioner, I preach that the poor are perfect money managers – they do not need to be patronized and told what to do with their dollars and cents. Yet on this Friday night, I took a paternalistic stance and reinforced the unequal power relationship between myself and this individual. I didn’t say, “its freakin 50p – its no skin off my back, and you may use it to buy food, a hot drink, stick it in your coat pocket to spend tomorrow (believe it or not, poor people do save). Who knows. It’s your choice. Exercise your freedom.” Rather than redistributing a miniscule amount of wealth, I exploited my powerful stance and my ability to say “no.” I said no because I could, because everyone else was, because I knew that I would not lose this tug of war. I would not be the one to walk on humiliated, dejected, powerless.

It’s not just 50 p, it’s not just a basic act of charity. It’s a moral stance. I’ve stood here on my soap box - knowing well that while I have the luxury to reflect on a mistake, nothing changes unless I act upon the reflection. As we justify inaction, someone out there is tallying up the missed chances. Sooner or later, that inner voice will speak – we will all inevitably notice the void that comes from the curtain closing, that feeling of being an empty shell.

It won’t change the world – but it’ll make a difference to one person in one given moment. And those moments add up. It’s worth the 50 p.

Cause the BE.
Below are suggestions from the ‘New Concepts’ breakout session at the All Hands On Meeting. We’d like to open it up to you to discuss these ideas or to share a suggestion of your own. (Thanks Srikanth for the summary!)

Ann asked the question of how BTC can reach out to more of the mainstream society, not just socially conscious, eco-environmental friendly people, or service oriented individuals.

Vivek: Wants to host a “Human Greatness Night” where ordinary people share their success stories and inspire each other. He has already done it with other groups, wants to bring it to BTC.

Jesse: Katrina Concert in August, Peach 4 Kids involvement

Bill: shared story of family that came from Philippines and now living in Socal. He says kids/young teens don’t have a avenue to channel their energies or grow and adapt into their new social environment. E.g. WFH was one of the few events that allowed them to do that. Possible project is a Youth Mentorship Program between BTC and kids in O.C. area? Jesse was asked about a Peace 4 Kids chapter in O.C. that could serve this need?

Carolina: We should dialog with existing orgs. who are already doing similar outreach programs.

Bharti shared her experiences about CASA and working with youths. Laura said it would be nice to have some kind of BTC leadership development for youths so they can come into BTC, get mentored, and eventually lead some of our projects.

Dwight-Catholic Worker needs researchers to find out what other cities are doing on homelessness.

Here’s a really sweet poem that’s in a book called Broken Silence.

Here’s how to order.

Life
by Mealy

Pain is painful,
but love is gentle.
Life is hard,
not always simple.

Time is mine,
that I’ll have to find.
but life is mine,
for all my time.

We are volunteering every Saturday from 9am-1:30pm at the Peace 4 Kids center in South LA. Come join us next Saturday.

Come party at the Blazin’ Hope II benefit on Jun 27th.

Friends–

I would like to invite all you wonderful people at Be The Cause to participate in a workshop that I’m organizing in Santa Barbara on June 18th called “With My Own Two Hands” (info can be found on Be The Cause calendar).

There are three main aspects of this event:

ART - Dilshan and Kat will be unveiling an original piece of artwork that I commissioned from Sri Lankan painter, Walter Kulasooriya. Walter suffered the consequences of the recent tsunami in Sri Lanka, and has come back stronger and wiser as a result. This is a micro-example of a macro-theme: We are all being invited to leverage these difficult times for personal and collective evolution.

INSIGHT - I will be discussing the astrophysical and psychological causes creating the intense and challenging global climate we find ourselves in, and most importantly, what we can do about it.

RESOLUTION - I will be demonstrating one of our premier causative solutions, Constellation Work, which is an effective tool for cleansing human psychological and emotional turmoil. This is the same turmoil which is at cause for just about everything that besets us today. “Going green” isn’t going to cut it. We must clean ourselves first. Ever notice that the terms ’sanity’ and ’sanitize’ are so closely related?

If you can’t make it, we will definitely make youtube clips, photos, etc. available for you to enjoy.

Some closing words from Sri Sathya Sai Baba that are dear to me:

“If there is righteousness in the heart,
There will be beauty in the character.
If there is beauty in the character,
There will be harmony in the home.
When there is harmony in the home,
There will be order in the nation.
When there is order in the nation,
There will be peace in the world.”

Christopher Lowman, Founder of Moving Towards Peace

So, the other day, someone I know wiped the food off a soiled beard. He was so startled by this act, that all he could convey were a few teardrops. All she did was apply a Kleenex to his face. How such a small encounter can have life-altering effects, she cannot articulate. She had been carrying that Kleenex around for a while now – who knew it would translate so much.

“Why are you so kind to me?” he asked

Someone I know says, “Whom else should I be kind to then?”

This simple moment in time launched an hour-long conversation, examining the perils of street-life, how interconnected we all are, and the disguises we use to conceal our inner-feelings from each other. She suddenly became acutely aware of her fancy deck shoes. Why did she pay so much for these in the first place?

He tugged at his newly cleaned beard, as if it were new. And then he reached within and gave her a gift.

“Tomorrow is my birthday.” He says with a quivering voice.

She just couldn’t gather the emotion welling up inside her system. With as much courage as she had at that moment, they both began to sing that song – the melody which has been sung a million different times, in countless homes, over a number of years. She had never sung it with such conviction. She thought, maybe she should carry a little candle around in her bag. You just never know.

More Tears. She could really use that Kleenex.

It’s just someone I know.