More than 27,000 people viewed the “Do1Thing Young Faces of Homeless” photographic exhibit this past weekend at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City. Curated by Debra Weiss, the show was sponsored by Canon Professional Images and printed by Lieberman Photographic Labs.
Our sincere thanks to everyone who everyone who helped to make it happen. With your help, we will continue to travel the Do1Thing Young Faces of Homelessness photographic exhibit.
Do1Thing is proud to announce that Creative Consultant Debra Weiss is curating the Do1Thing “Young Faces of Homelessness” Gallery Show at PhotoPlus Expo 2009 in NYC October 22-24, 2009.
Debra has been an agent for some of the top names in the business, a consultant for Black Book and did a stint as CEO of APA National. Besides lecturing, seminars and moderating panels, she now primarily works with photographers one-on-one and guides a photographer’s career as an artist and a business.
Debra presents seminars annually at PhotoPlus Expo and is a frequent guest speaker at Art Center College of Design. She recently curated an exhibit of the Best of The International Photography Awards 2005, which has traveled to nine countries. Debra is curator of the PLUS (Picture Licensing Universal System) Coalition Web site and is also the PLUS Industry Committee Coordinator. Debra has a website at the Debra Weiss Blogspot.
Debra has been an agent for some of the top names in the business, a consultant for Black Book and did a stint as CEO of APA (Advertising Photographers of America) National. Besides lecturing, seminars and moderating panels, she now primarily works with photographers one-on-one, helping to guide a photographer’s career as an artist and a business by creating an artistic marketable identity that will improve their opportunities for success
Before a packed Hudson Theatre at the Millennium Hotel in New York City, and with Tony-Award winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Diana Ross lending her support, Covenant House youth told their story through a performance of the Jordin Sparks song “One Step at a Time” that had over 700 attendees on their feet.
Proudly singing for a crowd of more than 700 donors, the teens were joined with stars from Broadway’s famed shows including “Jesus Christ Super Star”, A Tale of Two Cities,
Les Miserables, A Christmas Carol, Fiddler on the Roof and The Phantom of the Opera.
Diana Ross did more than 1 thing when she came on stage at Covenant House’s “Night of Broadway Stars” and donated $75,00 to Covenant House International. Joined by more than a dozen homeless teens, Ross acknowledged more than 700 donors in attendance, praising Covenant House staff and lending support to homeless teens.
Ross told the crowd, “Covenant House is a builder of bridges, a place of shelter and hope that truly saves the lives of these beautiful children.”
Here’s to you Diana!
We couldn’t be more proud of photographer Ida Benedetto who donated her time for the Do1Thing project. Behind the scenes, Ida shot images of Do1Thing photographers photographing homeless teens, helping to tell the story of why we do what we do. She worked “Behind the Scenes”, photographing images of Ron Haviv,Nina Bermanand talked about the project on forums including Lightstalkers with no fan fare and many of you knew nothing of the hours she spent helping our cause.
Now it’s our turn to tell the world how much we think of Ida and we tip our hats to her for winning a Fulbright grant.
Ida received a 10 month grant to work in Ethiopia. She’ll be working with Sudden Flowers, a youth video cooperative in Ethiopia’s capital. “Between now and then, I’ll build on the amazing intellectual and creative resources I’ve tapped into at Parson’s Communication, Design, and Technology department to prepare for the trip. While Sudden Flowers works mainly in video, their collaborative production methods allow for a multiplicity of creative projects. During my last trip, Sudden Flowers director Daniel Negatu and I spent a lot of time cooking up imaginative schemes for facilitating social justice media practices. I’m brimming with enthusiasm,” Ida said.
View Ida’s blog to learn more.
Cafepress is a storefront, for on demand printing. Their take on the do1thing project.
“Do 1 Thing is using photography and multimedia as a means to put a face (well, technically thousands of faces) on the issue of teen homelessness. They too have a shop as additional support for their cause, and are using Web 2.0 as a platform to encourage participation in their project.
activism t-shirts Both projects illustrate that seemingly insurmountable issues like homelessness can be addressed by focusing efforts on a singular cause, and both projects show us that the power of Web 2.0 isn’t limited to democratizing restaurant reviews (though those of us who travel often do find that to be quite useful – so thanks, Yelpers).
In a time when the economic forecast is grim and even the news anchors seem depressed, it’s just nice to know that there are some everyday folks out there using the tools they have toward a greater social good. Rock on, activists.”
Read the entire article here: Cafepress
Tyra Banks was moved by the Do1Thing project and after a recent taping of The Tyra Banks Show, Banks donated a wardrobe of clothes to homeless teens at Covenant House in New York City.
We’re grateful to Tyra for doing1thing and we hope you’ll find create ways to do1thing as well.
About Tyra: As an icon in the international, cultural, and entertainment communities, Tyra Banks has broken down barriers to become one of the most admired and watched individuals in media today.
Banks is on a mission to provide avenues for others to reach their ultimate goals. In her words: “I’m passionate about inspiring people to fulfill their own dreams and fantasies through entertainment that is engaging, uplifting, and of course, fun! This is my dream realized.”
Michael Alvarado photographed on the streets of NYC for the Do 1Thing project. Michael who was brought up in his grandparents house after his mother was put in Jail when he was 8 years old. Now at 19 he has been asked to leave their house and find his own way in the world. He has a year and a half old daughter but has nowhere to live right now.
D'Asian Hardy is 19 years old and a transgender man, she has been thrown out of her house in Westbuy Long Island. All she will tell me is that she and her mom do not get along.
Michael Alvarado photographed on the streets of NYC for the Do 1Thing project. Michael who was brought up in his grandparents house after his mother was put in Jail when he was 8 years old. Now at 19 he has been asked to leave their house and find his own way in the world. He has a year and a half old daughter but has nowhere to live right now.
Michael Alvarado photographed on the streets of NYC for the Do 1Thing project. Michael who was brought up in his grandparents house after his mother was put in Jail when he was 8 years old. Now at 19 he has been asked to leave their house and find his own way in the world. He has a year and a half old daughter but has nowhere to live right now.
Michael Alvarado photographed on the streets of NYC for the Do 1Thing project. Michael who was brought up in his grandparents house after his mother was put in Jail when he was 8 years old. Now at 19 he has been asked to leave their house and find his own way in the world. He has a year and a half old daughter but has nowhere to live right now.
The Do1Thing cake donated for the Covenant House prom in Newark
If you’re wondering what all those single acts of kindness added up to on Valentine’s Day, here’s an early report from Covenant House:
In New York City approximately $20,000 was raised and you filled the clothing room with in-kind gifts.
In New Jersey you raised another $10,000, you filled half of a large room with donated goods, you filled the gym with people, threw a prom for the kids and you topped off the pantry and filled the freezer.
In Orlando you delivered new clothing, baby items, hygiene supplies, gym supplies, books and cash.
In Missouri local media coverage from St. Louis Catholic Review, KIHT and KLOU-FM spawned numerous clothing drives amongst you and you raised more cash for the local Covenant House.
In Georgia one of the highlights was a group of high school and college students from Christ Harvest Ministries, who stayed all day and played basketball with the kids. Covenant House also received numerous gift cards, clothes and school supplies from you.
In Michigan more than 100 of you showed up and donated cash along with in-kind gifts estimated at another couple of thousand dollars. The local Fox news television station helped raise awareness.
In Texas they’re still trying to add up the in-kind, monetary and gift card donations you delivered. They had terrific turn out due to coverage in the Houston Chronicle and a 3.5 minute piece on the local Fox morning show. Tours went on all day long. Importantly, many of you said you had never heard of Covenant House and came out that day because of the coverage.
In Washington D.C. coverage on the local NBC affiliate, local cable News Channel 8, and two local newspapers, the D.C. Examiner and East of the River, caused you to come out in large numbers and give in-kind donations.
Around the country Covenant House received at least $75,000 in cash donations, which is enough to keep at least two kids in a Covenant House facility for an entire year. This includes the cost of feeding them, housing them and providing them with all the medical and professional needs they might require.
Additionally, traffic at the Covenant House website was “way up” (we still don’t have exact numbers) and awareness of the youth homelessness problem was raised.
This all happened because so many of YOU did 1 thing.
If you weren’t able to Do 1 Thing on Valentine’s Day, that’s OK, there will be plenty of future opportunities.
Keep coming back to this site for more information. Or better yet, sign up for our e-mail list so you won’t miss your opportunity to do 1 thing.
