Parkland Student Survivors and Parents Band Together With Leading Activists to Create Inaugural Actions For Change Food and Music Festival Fundraiser
The Festival Includes the Debut of MSD Student Activists’ New Album “Wake Up America”
Parkland, FL (September 13, 2018) –Shortly after the shooting on February 14th in Parkland, Shine MSD and Change The Ref formed their organizations in response to the horrific events that unfolded. Supporting the young people who want and deserve change, the organizations are working hard to ensure their voices continue to be heard. Now, they’re banding together with equality company, The Female Quotient, with an inaugural fundraising event, Actions For Change Food And Music Festival.
Taking place on Sunday, September 30, 2018 from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and hosted at Pine Trails Park in Parkland, Fl., celebrity activist Alyssa Milano will kick off the evening. The event will feature the debut of a new album for change, “Wake Up America,” written by the students to raise awareness about gun safety, spearheaded by one of the greatest social activists and musicians since the 60’s, Peter Yarrow, from Peter, Paul and Mary. The full album will be released the same day and will be available on Spotify. Throughout the evening, musical performances from the following illustrious artists: Michael Franti & Spearhead, Nahko, Carrie Manolakos, Skip Marley, and Friends of Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary.
Guests will enjoy sweet and savory bites from highly-acclaimed chefs, many of whom are either James Beard Award Winners and/or Michelin rated. Manuel Oliver, co-founder of Change The Ref will also share powerful, live art activation. The festival will close with a cast performance of “Shine” the song chosen by Concerts Across America to End Gun Violence as the one song for peace performed across the county at each of their events.
FOOD
More than 30 highly acclaimed chefs from across the globe will participate, many of whom are James Beard Award winners and/or Michelin Star rated. Participants include:
– Suzanne Goin, Los Angeles
– Marc Vetri, Philadelphia
– Kimberly Lallouz, Montreal
– Victor Planas, Barcelona
– Art Smith, Chicago
– Gabriela Camara, Mexico City/San Francisco
– Michael Kornick, Chicago
– Bradley Kilgore, Miami
– Jeremy & Cindy Bearman
MUSIC
Live music will take place throughout the evening, including:
– Michael Franti & Spearhead
– Nahko
– Carrie Manolakos
– Friends of Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary
– Skip Marley
ART
Manuel Oliver, father of Parkland victim Joaquin Oliver, will paint a “Wall of Demand” live and there will be an online silent auction with art and other tempting items available for bids/purchase.
“We can never take back the events of that day, but our hope is that by mobilizing the next generation, no other community will experience what we have gone through,” said Doug Zeif, parent of Parkland survivors Sam and Matthew Zeif and organizer for Action For Change. “This Action For Change event is just our way of creating purpose out of pain. We felt like we had to do something and trying to soothe this community felt like the right thing to do. Doing “nothing” was not an option.”
“The power of art to heal is undeniable. Art gives a person the ability to express feelings that are too often buried until the feelings surface as depression or anger. By providing art as an outlet, we allow the students to confront these feeling and help resolve them,” said Joe Garrity, President of Shine MSD. “We are excited to eat great food and share new student songs with our friends. It’s what Shine MSD is all about, art, music, and unity.”
“Patricia and I are looking forward to this special evening and bringing our community together. Our organization is dedicated to empowering the young people who are out their fighting for change,” said Manuel Oliver, father of Parkland victim Joaquin Oliver. We know our son “Gauc” would be right there with them. We believe that the best way to convince people to make change is to impact them.”
“We’re about collaboration for impact,” said Shelley Zalis, CEO, The Female Quotient, who helped bring together advertising industry leaders and resources. “Our voices alone are powerful, but together we have voices for change.”
Tickets can be purchased at actionsforchange.com and will benefit Shine MSD and Change the Ref. Pricing is as follows: $45 (Donor under 18); $150 (Adult Donor Admission); and $295 (Super-Donor). For more information on the event or sponsorship opportunities, please call 888-488-1116.
ABOUT SHINE MSD:
Shine MSD, a nonprofit 501 c-3 organization, was formed to provide healing through the arts for victims of gun violence. Since its creation in February 2018, Shine MSD uses performance as a means to raise funds and spread gun violence awareness. All of the funds raised will be used to continue Camp Shine a free summer camp spanning 6 weeks that provides mental health programs centered around the arts at Stoneman Douglas High School and Parkland. In addition, funds will be used throughout the school year to give students the ability to create music, art, and dramatic performances to provide a platform for student voices. Shine MSD anticipates the healing and mental health needs in our community to be a continuous and long term and has committed itself to meet those needs through therapeutic art programs.
ABOUT CHANGE THE REF:
Change The Ref (CTR) was formed to empower future leaders, giving them the tools they need to be empowered to make changes to critical issues that affect our nation, through education, conversation, and activism. Founded in the memory of their son Joaquin, who was one of the 17 victims, Manuel and Patricia Oliver are committed to making sure that their son’s life and the lives of the other 16 victims are never forgotten and that real change happens to prevent future tragedies like this from happening ever again.
ABOUT ACTIONS FOR CHANGE:
Doug Zeif wanted to do something. He created Actions for Change with significant help from Shelley Zalis, CEO of The Female Quotient; David Sable, Global CEO of Y&R; the Board members of Shine MSD, Carol Chenkin, Wendy Zipes Hunter, President of Celebrity Concepts and Marketing and Jen Goldman-Freeman to raise the next generation’s awareness for voter registration and advocate for gun reform after a gunman killed 17 people at his sons’ high school, Marjory Stoneman Douglas. His 18-year-old son lost his best friend, Joaquin Oliver, and his son Matthew, 14, lost his teacher, Scott Beigel, in the attack. What once was a normal day in Parkland has now become a tragic memory engraved in the hearts of Zeif’s family, and the Parkland community.
ABOUT THE FEMALE QUOTIENT:
The mission of The Female Quotient is to advance gender equality in the workplace. Founded by Shelley Zalis, The Female Quotient provides companies and business leaders with research, tools and experiences to promote equality, including the Modern Guide to Equality, a living, breathing playbook for activating change that’s updated bi-annually. The Female Quotient also presents the Girls’ Lounge, a pop-up experience at conferences, companies and college campuses where women connect, collaborate and activate change together. Since launching in 2013, the Girls’ Lounge has hosted more than 100 experiences at dozens of high-profile corporate events, including the World Economic Forum (Davos), SXSW, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), AdWeek and more. For more information, visit www.TheFemaleQuotient.com.