Please don’t watch this if you want to keep believing that the world is warm and fuzzy place.

Info about MTV EXIT.

The Killers – Goodnight, Travel Well

Radiohead – All I Need

Unicorn Chaser!

MTV EXIT (End Exploatation and Trafficking) si trupa de rock alternativ The Killers in parteneriat cu UNICEF si USAID au produs un videoclip care atrage atentia asupra traficului de persoane si a exploatarii sexuale, in special a tinerelor.
Eu abia azi am aflat despre aceasta campanie, asa ca azi o impart si cu voi. Nu cred insa in astfel de demersuri, problemele nu se rezolva asa, daca justitia si-ar face datoria si ar aresta toti pestii romani din diferite tari europene care obliga fetele sa munceasca pe strazi in cluburi, ar conta mult mai mult.

Music video by The Killers raises awareness about trafficking and sexual exploitation

LONDON, United Kingdom, 13 July 2009 — Starting today, MTV audiences around the world will see a new music video that aims to raise awareness about sex trafficking. Featuring the rock band The Killers, the video is an exclusive collaboration between UNICEF, MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking) and the US Agency for International Development.

El año pasado Radiohead y MTV se unieron para grabar este videoclip en el se usó la canción “All I Need”, extraída del último álbum de los británicos, In Rainbows.

El mensaje es claro y contundente y creo que no hace falta agregar nada al respecto.

MTV Exit es una campaña promovida por la fundación MTV Europa, con la que se busca alertar sobre los peligros de la explotación y el tráfico de personas.

So yesterday was all about telling a story to make an impact. And quite serendipitously, this was delivered into my Inbox…

This disturbing “ad” is actually the new music video for a track by The Killers called “Good Night, Travel Well” – and is part of a collaborative effort between UNICEF, MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking) and the US Agency for International Development for their campaign to raise awareness about human trafficking.

It’s quite chilling and I’ll bet watching it  made you a little uncomfortable. Pretty sure it won’t leave your memory anytime soon. In fact, I bet if you see this on TV or hear the track on radio, you’ll probably tell the folks with you about the background to this song.

And that’s the power of good story-telling.

The Killers have teamed up with UNICEF and MTV Exit (End Exploitation and Trafficking) for their latest video, debuted last month on MTV.  UNICEF statistics show that nearly 80% of trafficking is for sexual exploitation. This modern-day slavery and forced prostitution affects nearly 1.2 million children annually.

Check out this powerful video below and please visit UNICEF online to find out more.

La campaña MTV EXIT fue creada por la agencia Colman Rasic Carrasco en Sydney en colaboración con The Killers y su single: Goodnight, Travel Well!, para hacer continuación al famoso y galardonado video que hicieron el año pasado MTV EXIT y Radioheadpaa dar un mensaje crudo y reaccionario por una buena causa…

Porque ainda não acredito que no dia 18 não posso ir vê-los. Porque esta é das minhas músicas preferidas do último álbum deles. Porque está inserida numa campanha da MTV EXIT contra a violência dos direitos humanos, particularmente contra o tráfico de mulheres. Porque me apetece.

The Killers “Goodnight, travel well” (video MTV EXIT)

outras informações aqui e aqui

As any regular readers of my blog will know, I am a dedicated campaigner against the trafficking of people. So it is music to my ears to hear that pop channel MTV have created a campaign called MTV EXIT, which stands for End Exploitation and Trafficking.

As I blogged about last week,  alternative rock band The Killers have partnered with UNICEF and USAID to produce a music video that dramatically highlights the dangers and impact of trafficking for sexual exploitation, particularly for young women.

It is now released and you can see it here:

MTV Exit say that this video is the second in a series of music video collaborations to highlight the dangers and impact of human trafficking. The campaign was launched last year with an award-winning film produced by MTV EXIT for the Radiohead single All I Need.

The Killers commented, “We are deeply shocked and appalled that women and children are forced into such exploitative situations. We hope that through MTV’s efforts and this powerful video that millions of people across the world learn about this tragic form of modern-day slavery”.

The Goodnight, Travel Well video will be released globally across all of MTV’s platforms in 168 countries. It has the potential to reach more than 500 million households worldwide.

I wholly support any efforts to make more people aware of this horrendous crime perpetrated on the weak and vulnerable in our society and exploiting them solely for the commercial gain and vicarious pleasures of others. Trafficking is truly crime that debases all of civilized society.

O The Killers lança novo clipe para a música Goodnight, Travel Well, do seu último álbum Day & Age. O clipe foi feito em parceria com a MTV em prol de uma campanha da própria chamada MTV Exit. Essa campanha busca arrecadar fundos para parar com o tráfico humando na Europa e na Ásia. Muitas medidas já foram possíveis por causa dessa campanha, com lançamento de outros videoclipes, programas e arrecadação de fundos. Confira o vídeo abaixo:

Radiohead for USAID and MTV EXIT.

UNICEF, USAID and MTV Exit is making a new collaboration with the Killers to unveil a sick memento this 13July. It may just be a fancy video to you, but for many others, it is very real. And they don’t have no rock star soundtrack playing in the background.

BEIJING (Reuters Life!) – One of China’s most sought-after actors is starring in an animated short-film about human trafficking and sexual exploitation, issues that have plagued the country, and Asia, for decades.

Zhang Hanyu, who won the Chinese equivalent of an Oscar at the Golden Horse awards in Taiwan last year, lends his voice to the Mandarin version of “Intersection”, will be shown on Music Television (MTV) China this weekend.

Thai and English versions have already been broadcast on MTV’s Southeast Asia channels, and versions in other Asian languages are planned.

The film is told from the perspective of five people, including a brothel owner, a trafficker and the victim. Both humorous and darkly depressing, “Intersection” is designed to put its message across in a medium young people can relate to.

“I hope the animation will stir meaningful conversations among youth about how we can fight against this tragic form of modern-day slavery,” Zhang said.

Chinese actress Yuan Quan and Taiwanese singing and acting veteran Alec Su also give their voices to the film, described by MTV as an “adrenaline-fuelled animation”.

The United Nations estimates that out of the two million women and children trafficked every year, 30 percent are in Asia.

“Intersection” was produced by MTV EXIT’s (End Exploitation and Trafficking) campaign, which works with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to raise awareness about human trafficking.

MTV EXIT has previously worked with such international stars as Angelina Jolie and South Korean pop sensation Rain.

“We’re using a different medium, animation, to alert young people about the risks of human trafficking,” said Olivier Carduner, USAID’s Mission Director for Asia.

The film is also meant to be used by non-governmental organisations and even schools to spread its message.

Trafficking is an issue in China, which has said it was making progress in fighting the problem, both domestically and from Southeast Asian nations such as neighbouring poverty-stricken Myanmar. It has resorted to harsh punishments to deter it, including the death penalty.

The trafficking of women into China in particular is driven by poverty and a skewed sex ratio in parts of the countryside, which makes it difficult for many farmers to find wives.

Poverty also forces many desperate Chinese to try to illegally enter other countries by paying traffickers known as “snakeheads”, who often charge their victims exorbitant sums of money and force them to work as virtual slaves when they arrive.

In April, state media reported that Chinese police had broken up a ring trying to smuggle about 300 mainly young people into Costa Rica.

Via Reuters India

MTV EXIT 2009 PHILIPPINES CONCERT TOUR KICKS OFF

MAY 22 AT THE MALL OF ASIA CONCERT GROUNDS TO

RAISE AWARENESS AND INCREASE PREVENTION OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING

————

WITH THE SUPPORT OF CHRISTIAN BAUSTISTA, GARY V, BAMBOO, POCHOY LABOG, SPONGE COLA, KJWAN, CALLALILY, PUPIL, DUSTER, KITCHIE NADAL, RICO BLANCO, ITCHYWORMS, KAMIKAZEE, MOYMOY PALABOY AND PAROKYA NI EDGAR

May 18, 2009 – The MTV EXIT Campaign and MTV Philippines today announced the launch of a nationwide initiative to fight human trafficking through a series of concerts and television programs  kicking off May 22 with “MTV EXIT Live in Manila,” a free concert at the Mall of Asia Concert Grounds. MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking) is produced by the MTV Europe Foundation in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

MTV EXIT Live in Manila will feature performances from some of the Philippines’ top home-grown artists including Christian Baustista, Gary Valenciano, Bamboo, Pochoy Labog, Sponge Cola, Kjwan, Callalily, Pupil, Duster, Kitchie Nadal, Rico Blanco, Itchyworms, Kamikazee, Moymoy Palaboy and Parokya ni Edgar. All have committed their support to fight human trafficking by taking part in the concert. The event will be hosted by MTV VJ Kat Alano and actor, Epi Quizon. Baustista narrated the anti-trafficking documentary “TRAFFIC: An MTV EXIT Special” and is the MTV EXIT campaign’s ambassador in the Philippines.

To support the concert and the campaign, a group of anti-trafficking organizations headed by the Visayan Forum Foundation will march from Roxas Boulevard to the concert grounds. The march will begin at 2 p.m. and reach the Mall of Asia shortly before the 6 p.m. concert begins. Approximately 5,000 people are expected to take part. These groups will disseminate important information about human trafficking and its prevention to concert goers.

The UN estimates that at any one time there are 2.5 million trafficking victims in the world, with the majority of these in the Asia/Pacific. Human trafficking is the second-largest illegal trade after drugs, with criminal traffickers earning over US$10 billion every year through the buying and selling of human beings. Victims are often young men and women — MTV’s demographic — who are guilty only of wanting a better life.

“I am incredibly proud to perform at this important concert,” Christian Bautista said. “I hope that through my music and involvement in this event and the MTV EXIT campaign that millions of people learn about this tragic form of slavery.”

“The power and influence of music is a great force for change — by holding this concert tour across the Philippines we are harnessing this power; using it to inform and mobilize young people in the fight against trafficking,” said Simon Goff, MTV EXIT’s Director.

The concert will be broadcast on MTV Philippines and will include live footage as well as key information about human trafficking. All MTV EXIT television programming is produced rights-free and free of charge for all broadcasters and organizations.

For free tickets to this concert-for-a-cause event:

– visit www.mtvphil.com to win tickets; or

– visit any MTV EXIT Redemption Booth at the SM Mall of Asia starting May 16 – May 22  from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; or

– VFF / MTV EXIT Redemption Booth – May 22, 2009 MOA Concert Grounds

[VFF Office - No.18 12^th Avenue, Barangay Socorro, 1109 Cubao, Quezon City from May 16 to May 22, 2009]

– call MTV on 706-1580 for additional ticket outlet details

MTV EXIT is PRESENTED BY: Mtvexit.org, USAID and VISAYAN FORUM FOUNDATION; CO-PRESENTED BY: GMA 7, QTV and SM MALL OF ASIA;  SPECIAL THANKS TO: ARMVET PRINTING COMPANY, PADI’s POINT and FISH & CO.; OFFICIAL RESIDENCE:MANILA HOTEL; OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNERS: FRIENDSTER, Business Mirror, Business World and THE PHILIPPINE STAR; OFFICIAL RADIO PARTNERS: 90.7 Love Radio, 96.3 WROCK, YES FM 101.1, MELLOW 94.7, UR 105.9, NU 107 and Y101 Cebu

For more media information, contact:

Jad Deveza, MTV Philippines, +63 918 918 2066, perri.chua@mtv-phil.com

Matt Love, MTV EXIT, +66 837 889 640, love.matt@mtvne.com

— ENDS —

More Information:

MTV EXIT

The MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking) campaign is an award-winning multimedia initiative to raise awareness and increase prevention of human trafficking and exploitation. MTV EXIT was launched in Europe in 2004, in partnership with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Sida, and expanded across Asia with USAID in 2007. To date MTV EXIT has produced many MTV documentaries and other programming on trafficking, including Traffic: An MTV EXIT Special, presented by Lucy Liu; Inhuman Traffic, presented by Angelina Jolie; over a dozen localized language versions presented by Asian celebrities; short films; public service announcements; and animation.  MTV EXIT and Radiohead collaborated on an anti-exploitation video for their song All I Need, which premiered across MTV’s global network on 1 May 2008. MTV EXIT has also established partnerships with over 100 non-governmental organizations, distributed hundreds of thousands of anti-trafficking brochures in over 25 languages, and reached out to millions of young people through anti-trafficking messages at concerts and music festivals featuring R.E.M., Radiohead, The White Stripes, The Hives, Thievery Corporation, and hundreds of other international and local artists. For more information see www.mtvexit.org.

Human Trafficking

Human Trafficking is defined by the United Nations as “the recruitment, transportation, and receipt of a person for sexual or economical exploitation by force, fraud, coercion, or deception” in order to make a profit. The UN estimates that at any one time there are 2.5 million trafficked victims in the world, with the majority of these victims in Asia and the Pacific. It is the second-largest illegal trade after drugs, with criminal traffickers earning over US$10 billion every year through the buying and selling of human beings. Often, victims are young men and women – the MTV demographic – who are guilty only of wanting a better life.

MTV Europe Foundation

Launched in 2003, the MTV Europe Foundation is a UK-based charity (Reg. No. 1103267) whose overarching aim is to utilize and maximize the power of MTV’s network to educate youth and adults on critical social and human rights issues.  The Foundation produces multimedia programming and events aimed at raising awareness and influencing attitudes and behaviors on key issues, as well as inspiring young people to take action.  In addition, the Foundation seeks to support nongovernmental organizations that are working on the ground to address these issues and effect positive change.

MTV Networks in Asia

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks in Asia comprises three distinctly branded channels in the region: MTV, the world’s largest television network and the leading multimedia brand for youth; Nickelodeon, the leading entertainment brand dedicated exclusively to kids; and VH1, the music video network that keeps adult viewers connected to the music they love. MTV Networks has the following channels and programming services in South and Southeast Asia: MTV Asia, MTV China, MTV India, MTV Indonesia, MTV Mandarin, MTV Pakistan, MTV Philippines and MTV Thailand, Nick Asia, Nick India, Nick Indonesia, Nick Pakistan, VH1 India, VH1 Indonesia and VH1 Thailand. MTV and Nickelodeon’s businesses also include branded consumer products, program sales and digital media including online and wireless.

Visayan Forum Foundation, Inc.

Visayan Forum Foundation, Inc. (VFFI), a non-government organization established in 1991, is in the forefront of the War Against Human Trafficking campaign launched in August of 2008. VFFI works for the protection and justice of trafficked women and children and the domestic workers. VFFI operates halfway houses in seaports and airport. Together with its multi-sectoral partners, the organization provides assistance to women and children in trafficking situations. The organization provides services such as legal assistance and psychological aid through counseling and life skills training to trafficking victims and survivors.

USAID

USAID, the United States Agency for International Development, is an independent US government agency that receives foreign-policy guidance from the US Secretary of State.  Since 1961, USAID has been the principal US agency extending assistance to countries worldwide recovering from disaster, trying to escape poverty, and engaging in democratic reforms.  USAID’s Regional Development Mission for Asia, based in Bangkok, oversees a broad portfolio of regional and transnational programs, and also provides support to several USAID bilateral missions in Asia.  Its regional approach addresses problems that cross national boundaries, such as human and wildlife trafficking, HIV/AIDS, natural resources conservation, trade, and political and economic conflict.  See www.usaid.gov and www.usaid.gov/rdma/ for more information.

A practical question for those engaging in Bible and Mission: How do we relate verses like the following with the MTV Exit video below? Check out Stop the Traffik as well.

Deuteronomy 10:17-18
For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. (ESV)

Psalm 68:5-6
Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
   is God in his holy habitation.
God settles the solitary in a home;
   he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
   but the rebellious dwell in a parched land. (ESV)

Job 31:16-23
“If I have withheld anything that the poor desired,
   or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
or have eaten my morsel alone,
   and the fatherless has not eaten of it
(for from my youth the fatherless grew up with me as with a father,
   and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow,
if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
   or the needy without covering,
if his body has not blessed me,
   and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,
   because I saw my help in the gate,
then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder,
   and let my arm be broken from its socket.
For I was in terror of calamity from God,
   and I could not have faced his majesty. (ESV)

(If you are having trouble viewing the embedded video, click here to see the video)

From time to time, I feature some people or groups that I think are pretty awesome. It’s called the SUPERHERO SERIES!

I finally got to watch Taken with my father. As entertaining as it was (I thought it was a great action flick–awesome plot and script), the trafficking scenes really hit me hard. They hit me hard because those scenes and situations are very real, and I can’t imagine what it’s like for women my age (or younger) to be deceived and taken away from their homes and families and drugged so bad that men can rape them multiple times every day of their lives.

Deceived. Drugged. Raped. Every day.

And we thought we had problems.

When I was still working at MTV, one of the campaigns I worked on was our global pro-social campaign called MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking). That was my first time to really study the issue. We worked with the MTV Europe Foundation and USAID to create and publicize a localized documentary to raise awareness about human trafficking. In 2007, we launched the documentary, which was hosted by Christian Bautista, at a press launch at Hard Rock Cafe. Dicta License (they were still intact at that time) rendered a couple of songs, including Tinangay, a special song (scroll down for the music video) they wrote for the largest anti-human trafficking organization in the Philippines, the Visayan Forum Foundation. US Ambassador Kristie Kenney was there, as well as Cecil Flores-Oebanda, the Executive Director of the Visayan Forum Foundation.

Prior to that launch, I had the opportunity to sit down with Mrs. Oebanda for a meeting at our office. My first impression of her was that she was a soft-spoken and kind woman, who was incredibly passionate about the fight she was leading. That’s when I learned all about the Visayan Forum Foundation and what they’ve been doing over these past years. Hearing her tell us about the work they do, I realized how real and how pressing the trafficking problem really is. The Foundation has people who stand watch at the ports, doing their best to interfere any trafficking attempts. They have halfway homes where trafficked women can stay to be safe and get treatment, counseling, and even training to be able to stand on their own feet once again. They’re doing such good work.

I learned a lot about human trafficking at that time, but I had regrettably forgotten most of what I’ve learned. Watching this movie brought me to look into this issue again.

(Do click on the link below and read the rest, I’ve got important stuff to say in the end of this post! )

Some facts to look into (from the Visayan Forum Foundation website):

Extent of Global Trafficking
Trafficking in human beings is a critical global problem. Next to trafficking in money, drugs, and guns, it is among the most profitable underground businesses worldwide.  The US Government estimates that during 2003 around 600,000 to 800,000 people were trafficked across transnational borders worldwide. Of those, it is believed that more than 80 percent are women and girls, 70 percent of whom are forced into sexual servitude. Actual trafficking figures are believed to be much higher – in the millions – because trafficking is difficult to monitor and is therefore underreported.

Trafficking in the Philippines
The Philippines is known to be among the leading sources of migrant workers worldwide. The economy is heavily dependent on the eight million Filipinos working abroad, as are the economies of the countries where these migrant workers are employed. Tens (even hundreds) of thousand of these migrants are trafficked, lured by promises of a better life in the urban centers.

Traffickers clandestinely organize their transport operations via different ports and land routes in the Philippines. Internal trafficking is the springboard for international trafficking. Worldwide recruitment relies on intricate processes that start in far-flung communities. Traffickers operate in underground networks with strong connections to corrupt public officials and transport operators. Every year, thousands of Filipino women and children are trapped through the cycle of trafficking into a life of slavery, sexual exploitation and human rights violations. (Read more here)

As I mentioned earlier, my friend, Pochoy, together with his former band (Dicta License), was commissioned by Visayan Forum to create a song that reflected the plight of trafficking victims. More facts on trafficking in this video:

VERY REAL FACT: Young Filipinos are hot targets for traffickers because a lot of young people are looking to study or work abroad and can be lured by enticing offers that may seem legit but actually aren’t. Like some of those job opportunities for nurses. Some of those are fronts for traffickers. For real.

If you’re a young person looking to work, study, or travel abroad, here are some helpful tips about protecting yourself,  which I grabbed from the MTV Exit website:

Be informed! Check the MTV Exit site because there’s a wealth of practical info to be found there.

But apart from that…do something. And it may or may not even be related to human trafficking.

Here’s what I know to be true: there are so many causes in this world to fight for. A LOT. Abortion, abuse, alcoholism, disabilities, drug abuse/recovery, education, environment, ethics, families, health, homelessness, human rights, hunger, justice, poverty, violence…the list can go on and on. Some of us will be fighting for certain causes, and others will be fighting for the others. No one says we have to fight them all. Even Jesus didn’t command his disciples to go and do all the work. This is what he actually said: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

Reality check: There are a lot of well-meaning people out there, but some of of them feel the pressure to juggle all these battles but end up feeling burnt out. There are some who get too fanatical when it comes to fighting their causes and they judge others who don’t fight the same causes that they do. There are also some people who tend to paralyze themselves, thinking that they’re not good enough to do anything noteworthy, so they just don’t do anything at all.

Know this: our callings and involvements will differ. Some will devote their whole lives and some will devote some of their resources; some will fight at the frontlines and some will be working behind desks. Some will be leaders and some will be followers; some will be loud and will speak before crowds, some will be quiet but will be fighting fiercely nonetheless. One will not be necessarily be better than the other–these things don’t make anyone more or less special (and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise). Each person has a unique calling, and each one of us–when we obey that call–can make a difference.

In one of my favorite books, S.H.A.P.E., author Erik Rees posed these great questions that got me thinking, and I’m going to close this post with these questions for you to think about, too:

What cause do you feel God wants you to help conquer? What cause or issue makes your heart race? If time, money, or resources weren’t an issue, to what cause would you donate yourself?

All I need (2008) – Radiohead

É um dos temas mais densos do mais recente álbum dos Radiohead In Rainbows mas com a imagem associada All I Need ganhou um volume ainda maior. Bem maior do que os 3 minutos e 48 segundos que tem.
Produzido em parceria com a MTV o teledisco mostra um mesmo dia na vida de duas crianças situadas em dois hemisférios completamente distintos, pelos mais variados motivos. O que têm em comum? Os sapatos.
O vídeo foi lançado na campanha MTV Exit, que atenta contra a exploração e o tráfico humano, no caso específico o trabalho infantil. Trata-se de fazer algo enquanto é possível e não ignorar, no mínimo que se faz, a dimensão de cada coisa. A desigualdade de oportunidades deste mundo que acaba de celebrar os 60 anos da hipócrita Declaração Universal dos Direitos Humanos. E o sapato nem precisa de ter marca para ficar claro, nas entrelinhas, a que tipo de calçado/marca a campanha faz referência. Dá que pensar, no mínimo, naquilo que realmente precisamos. E de quem.

I’m the next act
Waiting in the wings
I’m an animal
Trapped in your hot car
I am holidays that you choose to ignore

You are all I need
You’re all I need
I’m in the middle of your picture
Lying in the reeds

I am a moth
Who justs wants to share your light
I’m just an insect
Trying to get out of the night
I wanna stick with you, because there are no others

You are all I need
You’re all I need
I’m in the middle of your picture
Lying in the breeze

It’s all wrong
It’s all right
It’s all wrong
It’s all right

What a wonderful night it has been! And how wonderful it was to meet people who share the same vision and excitement I have for Art United. 

I did not want the night to end, but as promised, I kept the meeting to an hour. But what happened afterwards really encouraged me. People were connecting. Writers are talking, designers are scheming, musicians are dreaming, it was awesome. I really can’t wait to do it again. The potential is vast!

It was a great meeting but what’s next?

For me personally, I am really pursuing the Call+Response campaign. I believe that in any venture we start, we need to break it down to smaller bits. Google has projects limited to what they can accomplish is 3 months. I feel Art United can really benefit from that. And Call+Response has manageable ways to help. No need to reinvent something that already exist.

Another highlight was that there were others talking about taking action. I love the sense of collaboration, no matter what the skill level is. Everyone has a part. I love how Scott and Marty were just there, not as artists but as people who simply want to help other humans. Thanks for inspiring us.

Today, my sister in law handed me a booklet she received when she was at the Radiohead concert at the Hollywood Bowl. What a confirmation. I posted an entry about how Radiohead and MTV Exit were teaming up to fight this injustice yesterday, and today I get the material through my sister in law.

So I will leave you with “What is Trafficking?” segment from the booklet.

Human trafficking is the illegal trade in human beings and their use by criminals to make money. That could mean deceiving and/or forcing people into prostitution, domestic servitude, or manual and sweatshop labor.

It is the second largest illegal trade after drugs.

It is a tragic form of modern-day slavery and is one of the most urgent human rights problems.

At any one point there are 2.5 million victims of trafficking worldwide.

The UN and other experts estimate the total market value of illicit human trafficking at $32 billion: about $10 billion is made from the initial “sale” of the individuals, with the remainder representing the estimated profits from the activities and goods produced by the victims of this barbaric crime.

I took a few days off from blogging. Instead, I celebrated my one year anniversary with my wife, spent time with my parents, had a baby shower for my soon to be daughter and took all labor day to get our baby room ready. Spending time with my family and friends was exactly what I needed.

This past week, I have come across and talked with many people, organizations and projects that are similar to what we are doing with Art United. Even in the mainstream media, I discovered all different ways artists have tried to make a difference.

Recently, I saw a Radiohead music video, “All I Need”. Radiohead teamed up with MTV Exit to create a video to bring awareness to sweatshops and human trafficking.

I don’t know what your thoughts are on MTV but even they are trying to make a difference.

There also is a film produced by a musician Justin Dillon, Call + Response, bringing light to human trafficking via the form of a documentary.

CALL+RESPONSE is proof that anyone can help create a movement. A musician his entire life, Director/Producer Justin Dillon came across the issue of Human Trafficking while touring in Russia. Justin met scores of girls whose ambition to come to west was being preyed upon by traffickers. The young girl assigned to interpret for him would share about the many “opportunities” that were being offered to her to come to west.

Justin looked into the phoney opportunities being offered to these girls and became incensed at how easy it was to trick them. After sharing with them the dangers of these proposals, he vowed to do something about this issue once he returned home.

When he returned to the United States, Justin Dillon had no connections or leverage within the entertainment industry to enlist participation, so he began cold calling managers and agents. He sent an email through Daryl Hannah’s website (an activist on this issue) and she responded back immediately. Without any funding or experience in film, Justin began to gather support. Recording artists began to accept his persistent petition that popular music owes a debt to the issue of slavery. Justin’s belief that most of popular music today is rooted in the music of the slave fields in America began to take root in other artists, and the roster began to build and build.

This is exactly what Art United is about. It’s about being inspired because of a cause and taking action. I’m hoping that we can really support him. For this project, 100% of the profits will go to the cause. That’s better than our 90/10 model.

There is a stirring. People are starting to stand up and take action. The first ever Art United Roundtable is tomorrow.

In the trailer of the movie, Dr. Cornel West said something that caught my attention. So I will end this entry with his words.

“Never forget Justice is what Love looks like in public.”

Vídeo publicitário (ou seria social?) resultante da parceria entre a MTV Exit (End Exploitation and Trafficking) e o Radiohead, foi lançado em “comemoração” ao 1˚ de maio.

A MTV Exit é uma campanha do canal de música para conscientizar e previnir o tráfico de pessoas. Segundo dados da ONU disponíveis no site da MTV Exit, cerca de 2.5 milhões de pessoas são vítimas de tráfico todos os anos e a maioria é originária de países orientais. O lucro dos traficantes de pessoas chega a absurda quantia de US$10 bilhões anuais.

Além do sempre engajado (e bem mais low profile que o Bono) Thom Yorke e seu Radiohead, outras bandas também apoiam a camapanha da MTV, como o Thievery Corporation.

Título: All I need, Radiohead

Picture off Radiohead @ MySpace

Sniffing exhaust is what Scamp thinks all the other agencies are doing compared to the stuff Fallon comes up with. Whatever we think we’re doing good, it’s just shit compared to what they do.

Whatever we think or think we think about Radiohead’s song meanings, the truth is we’ll never know. I’m not here to talk about how genius the idea behind giving ‘In Rainbows‘ virtually free on the Internet, about what Pitchfork thinks, what Trent Reznor did and what Trent Reznor did next or how amazing the idea behind keeping your carbon footprint low while going to Radiohead gigs is. Or the Nude remixes. They’re cool. We don’t talk about ethics, we talk about opportunities, don’t we?

From a different perspective, Radiohead is a band we all can agree on, the kind of band the punks and mods listen to. Who was the last band to have achieved this? The Beatles? They’ve already reached cult status, which is good for them (I can say nice things) but mildly disappointing considering the meanings they gave to songs like ‘My Iron Lung‘ from a while ago. Apart from it being a personal favourite of mine, it was Radiohead expressing their frustration that people don’t appreciate their other songs apart from the ‘mainstream’ ones such as ‘Creep‘ and various others played on the radio. Well, now they’ve had their cake and their songs are equally loved and hated by many.

But let’s talk about the lyrics off ‘In Rainbows’. Whatever meaning any listener will give to them, be it “I love you but I don’t want to marry you” (‘Don’t get any big ideas, they’re not gonna happen; You paint yourself white and feel up with noise but there’ll be something missing’) or depressing/humble love where one is inferior to the other in some way or doesn’t feel like they can live up to the challenge of finding someone else (‘I am a moth who just wants to share your light, I’m just an insect trying to get out of the night;I only stick with you because there are no others’), Radiohead lyrics are sometimes so enigmatic they can add their own meaning (and video) to it and leave you puzzled, with a completely new understanding of the whole thing, everyone will be baffled and we’ll all blog about how amazing it is. Don’t get me wrong, it is cool that the music works on so many different levels.

Their newest video for ‘All I Need’ is about human trafficking and child labour.

And with it comes Thom Yorke’s appreciation of the video:

“It’s one of my preoccupations and I’m touched that the music goes with that. I never really thought of it like that.”

This is cool. To some extent.