DO/GOOD COLUMBUS DESIGN COALITION
ISSUE #1 2014
WELCOMING A
N E W AGE AUTUMN/WINTER 2014 INTERVIEW: DEADBANANA | DEADBANANA GETTING READY ISSUE 1 PRESS RELEASE: SAVING BANKSY | INTERVIEW: KYLE FRANKLIN LOCAL: WHERE TO EAT + DRINK | INTERVIEW: CANDLE WITH A CAUSE COLUMBUS DESIGN COALITION | INTERVIEW: CAGLA GULSAH KABACA INTERVIEW: HEATHER TAYLOR | INTERVIEW: ALLISON JOYCE INTERVIEW: WILLIAM WROBLEWSKi | OUTFIT/GOOD NTERVIEW: ALEXA SISON | INTERVIEW: BAILEY CURBOW NTERVIEW: COLUMBUS GREENSPOT | INTERVIEW: JOYCE KIM COLUMBUS ARTIST GRANTS
ISSUE #1 2014
INTERVIEW: DEADBANANA
INTERVIEW: ALLISON JOYCE
DEADBANANA GETTING READY ISSUE 1
INTERVIEW: WILLIAM WROBLEWSKI
PRESS RELEASE: SAVING BANKSY
INTERVIEW: OUTFIT/GOOD
INTERVIEW: KYLE FRANKLIN
INTERVIEW: ALEXA SISON
LOCAL: WHERE TO EAT + DRINK
INTERVIEW: BAILEY CURBOW
INTERVIEW: CANDLE WITH A CAUSE
INTERVIEW: COLUMBUS GREENSPOT
COLUMBUS DESIGN COALITION
INTERVIEW: JOYCE KIM
INTERVIEW: CAGLA GULSAH KABACA
COLUMBUS ARTIST GRANTS
INTERVIEW: HEATHER TAYLOR
COLUMBUS DESIGN COALITION The Columbus Design Coalition is a growing community of creatives from all walks of life. The mission lies within the collaborative, open eямАorts to reinvent a movement for the greater good. Simply put, our goal is to inspire action in the creative community and partner with local charitable organizations to help spread awareness for social issues. We provide a platform for the individual artists to showcase their work.
COVER PHOTO BY CAGLA GULSAH KABACA
DO
/GOOD 2
PHOTO BY JAMES ELLINGEN
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WHO IS DEADBANANA? We l l , i t a l l s t a r t e d a t t h e t e n d e r a g e o f 6 w h e n I c a m e t o t h e r e a l i z a t i o n t h a t w i t h i n m y entire family (and by “entire family” I am referring to both my mothers side, as well as my father side) I was the only member who had no siblings. I have six aunts and two uncles who took it upon themselves to repopulate the world with Hungarians. Granted, they didn’t make much of a dent in the eyes of the general world populace, but having thirty-sum cousins, second cousins, and half cousins who grew up in clumps made for a daunting realization, which ultimately became the catalyst for an entity I now refer to as Deadbanana. Long story short, Deadbanana was a childhood imaginary friend I invented out of pure jealousy. After all, I didn’t have any real siblings to terrorize.
“Deadbanana was a childhood imaginary fr i e n d I i n v e n t e d o u t o f p u r e j e a l o u s y . ”
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“ She is the bloodthirsty, implacable, and mordant extension of my honesty. Also bananas are my favorite fruit.” In the beginning, my maginary pal had no name or any definitive features. In fact, it didn’t even have a sex. It was just this blob equipped with eyes and a mouth that lived inside my head. I even crafted an imaginary living room for it. Furnished with nothing but a single couch to provide it a comfortable nook. Whenever an intrinsic powwow would commence, Blob would be on that couch ready to talk. Anyway, blob was always there whenever I felt a need to bounce i d e a s a r o u n d . I t w a s m y o w n l i tt l e “ f u c k you” to the world, which in retrospect seems a bit despondent considering how young I was.
Deadbanana during the month of December in 2013. I was escaping from the depths of a terribly abusive relationship. My most recent love affair became a manipulative warzone over a span of two years, which unmindfully resurrected the Blob. My imaginary pal returned only to remind me of a childhood during which I depended entirely on myself for happiness, as well a s s a d n e s s . Tu m u l t u o u s t i m e s d e fi n e d b y dissonance will break anyone. When I acknowledged the reality of my predicament during that time, and a d m i tt e d t o m y s e l f t h a t I w a s b e c o m i n g the very same monster I was subjected to on my own accord, I had a choice to make. So I did.
I did everything with Blob. Especially since the existence of Blob coincided with that time of childhood during which I was starting to read and write. If I read out loud, I was reading to Blob. If I was conceptualizing a scenario for some story I was writing, Blob was the friend I went to for advice.
After filing three menacing reports, two restraining orders, and three visits to a courtroom…because you know…an arrest with jail time followed by three court hearings just isn’t enough to charge the motherfucker with assault.
Eventually, Blob and I disconnected when I moved to the States. The culture shock was probably just as overwhelming for my imaginary friend as it was for me. Plus, I became preoccupied by a culture that was more senseless than having an imaginary friend at the age of eleven.
Like most people, I have had many traumatizing experiences which has instilled resentment and profound b i tt e r n e s s . E v e n t u a l l y , I m a d e a conscious decision to utilize my “PTSD” and “manic depressive what have you” to cultivate Deadbanana. She is the bloodthirsty, implacable, and mordant extension of my honesty. Also, bananas are my favorite fruit.
Blob resurfaced, thus officially becoming
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PHOTO BY EVA BOROS
AS A WRITER, WHAT GOES ON INSIDE YOUR HEAD EVERYDAY?
and books. Am I a hoarder of novels, abstracts, and magazines? Damn right I am, rightfully so, with pride. So yeah…this is what goes through my head. I also think about how awesome my dog M o n k e y i s . S o m e t i m e s I ’l l e v e n t h i n k about doing the dishes.
I do not approach life as a writer. As a m a tt e r o f f a c t , I c a n ’ t s t a n d t h e a c t o f writing. I write because I have to. It is the only way I can relinquish the good and bad that builds up. Plus…a w e l l - w r i tt e n p i e c e p r o v i d e s f o r t a s t e f u l vindications. In the off chance during which an individual becomes incredibly appalled by a single word, that is.
THE GETTING READY ISSUE. CAN YOU ELABORATE ON WHAT WENT ON BEHIND THE SCENES?
My mother is a brilliant painter. My father is a great musician. Unfortunately, I did not inherit my mother’s visionary coordination, nor do I have my father’s r h y t h m i c e a r s . Ye t t h e y a l w a y s encouraged me to discover that place which harbors my interests and passions. Needless to say, when I ditched my baby raddle to chew on books, they became invested in helping me cultivate my own f o r m o f e x p r e s s i o n . Tw e n t y y e a r s l a t e r , the results are in, and I still refuse to keep a daily journal. Instead, I have an archive of napkins, torn pieces of paper, sticky notes, text messages saved as drafts, and a bathroom mirror covered with thoughts and ideas via incomprehensible scribbles.
I am not exactly sure. I was in Los A n g e l e s w h e n I w r o t e “ G e tt i n g R e a d y . ” I grabbed a pen, and sat down with my notebook on the back patio. It was hot and the sun was out so naturally I was wearing a bathing suit. While staring at the blank page, I got distracted by my reflection in one of the windows overlooking the patio. Which in turn made me think about how strenuous and futile “self discovery” is. Do I care about the w a y I l o o k ? Ye s . D o I c a r e a b o u t t h e w a y I present myself? Of course. Do I have insecurities about my appearance? All the t i m e . Ye t I fi n d s o l a c e i n m y i n t e l l e c t u a l capacity to evolve as a human. I don’t know who I am and I don’t plan on wasting time on figuring myself out. Everyday is a store with new experiential i n v e n t o r y . “ G e tt i n g R e a d y ” i s m y h o m a g e , as well as a reminder that without physical insecurities, I wouldn’t have a d e s i r e f o r i n t r i n s i c b e tt e r m e n t .
Truth be told, I am more of a reader. Erudition is invaluable. My love and admiration for writers such as Vian, Genet, Ionesco, Pynchon, Pound, Didion, Pessoa ( Just to name a few) has turned me in to somewhat of a literary hoarder. I have books piled on top of books. I am even considering building a bookshelf out of books to hold my books. I have read and re-read almost all the literature I own. I can never get enough of it though. I have an ever-growing list of authors
WHICH NON-PROFITS DO YOU PLAN ON CREATING FOR? Clowns Without Borders will be the first one.
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WHAT'S CURRENTLY IN THE WORKS? I am producing a street art documentary, which is in post-production right now. I am also curating an art installation at the US Bank Tower in Los Angeles, and collaborating with other artists for upcoming projects. Also been writing /editing articles and ďŹ ctional jaunts. Most importantly though, I am teaching my dog Monkey to play dead and roll over on command‌ which by far has been the toughest endeavor. Ever.
PHOTO BY BAILEY CURBOW
GETTING
She unlocked her door with the typical phlegmatic slant in her right wrist. Upon entering her apartment she tossed the keys on her entry table with said phlegmatic slant in said right wrist, and swung the door closed behind her. It was another day, and because it was another day, through inadvertent psychological indifference she disregarded the phlegmatic slant and regarded her mundane disposition with stern acknowledgements. Typically conveyed by sighs and rolling eyes.
READY ISSUE 1
EVA BOROS
However, on that day, in the momentary midst of a rolling sigh, a peripheral glance at a concert flier she had magnetized to the fridge, abruptly paralyzed her lungs, thus turning the ritualistic sigh into a gasp. Alas. Her typicals and days were no longer parceled by mundaneness. After all she had a show to get ready for. Not just any show, but a show performed by her favorite band. Alas…..
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Excitedly she marched with determined vigilance toward her bedroom closet and swung both doors open with simultaneous propulsion. She began examining her collection of garments with pride. Some pieces were more questionable than others, but she was proud nonetheless.
P a y i n g a tt e n t i o n t o h e r w a y o f s t r u tt i n g with perhaps a slight limp? No limping, she decided since the medium tone, or skin appliqué # 12 would not go well with the duck foot she had on display. While considering the potential angles and colors of lights at that evening’s concert, a coinciding fantasy of dancing within the reverberations of different frequencies made her move with great fervor through a cloud of mist. Thoughts of a possible fog machine at the venue arose . Scrutinizing every and all possible conglomeration of different body parts and their pertaining types in hopes of perhaps falling in love with something retro, or even discovering a new pairing of an inner thigh with a sharp heel which could possibly enable her to pull off the larger areola with a thin upper l i p . Ye t h e r l i g h t s h a d e # 1 6 e a r l o b e would not be desirable without a small t u r n e d o u t b e l l y b u tt o n w h i c h o f c o u r s e in her mind would only go well with blond #3 curled hair.
The hangers were chosen to be particular, thus identical. However, while one hanger suspended a somewhat lower hanging or in other words, saggy breast, another hanger held a tighter, or in more specific jargon, a perkier tit. Amongst the array of variously shaped, toned, texturized, and posturized boobs, breasts and tits, there were also collections and assortments of thighs, n a i l s , b e l l y b u tt o n s , h a i r f o l l i c l e s , m o l e s , freckles, toes, calves, ass cheeks, face cheeks, and nipples which could be a tt a c h e d o r r e m o v e d t o a n d f r o m a n y b r e a s t s h e f o u n d s u i t a b l e v i a Ve l c r o . Next to an oversized mirror conveniently adjacent to her closet was also the plethora of lashes, brows, nostrils, earlobes, every imaginable shade of retina, and much more. The wigs hung on the closet doors.
Such times, initiated by excitement, were very rare and would cataclysmically evolve into an impartial mess made up of partial limbs hanging from tangled wigs. Compulsively analyzing, generalizing and then reorganizing only to dissect again, her phenotype was without a type due to the simple fact that she never gave any thought concerning her very own genotype.
She always began her lonesome modeling by matching or mismatching t i t s w i t h b o o b s . Tu r n i n g , c o n t o r t i n g h e r body, looking back at her reflection, q u e s t i o n i n g w h i c h s h a d e o f fi r m b u tt c h e e k l o o k s b e tt e r w i t h a f r e c k l e meanwhile ripping the longer nipple f r o m a s m a l l p a l e a r e o l a - e s q Ve l c r o .
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SAVING BANKSY
Banksy’s San Francisco tour in 2010 as part of his documentary premiere. The redwood panels which bare Banksy’s Haight Street Rat were professionally removed from the building by Brian Greif and his team in 2010. With intentions of donating it to a museum or gallery for free, Greif started an organization called Save the Banksy in an effort to raise awareness about the theft and sale of street art. Their Kickstarter campaign successfully raised $10,700 to fund the restoration of the Haight Street Rat. The events which have transpired around Banksy’s Haight Street Rat between 2010 and 2014 have been filmed for thenew documentary Saving Banksy, which is currently in post-production.
By Anastasiya Plotina & Eva Boros
Banksy has been described as a mysterious graffiti artist who has gained a global reputation for his street art and his Oscar nominated documentary, Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010). The anonymous artist has made his mark with street art pieces all over the world including Los Angeles and San Francisco. His works have been valued and sold for $1.1 million at auction. In addition to his famous street art, Banksy is also a political activist and painter whose artistic themes frequently exhibit satire and dark humor. His stenciling technique has become popular among the street art community and is regularly imitated around the world.
The US Bank Tower is the first establishment to display Banksy’s Haight Street Rat free to the public. The US Bank Tower invites corporate viewers, street art enthusiasts, critics and supporters to come together and discuss the wonderful (or shocking) dichotomy of this street art exhibit. The Haight Street Rat will be on display in the lobby of the US Bank Tower from September 26 to November 28, 2014 for free to the public. Digital images of local and international street art will be displayed by projector on the adjacent wall. The US Bank Tower is owned by OUE Limited. OUE Limited (SGX-ST: “OUE”) is a diversified real estate owner, developer and operator with a real estate portfolio located in prime locations in Asia and the U.S. The US Bank Tower is currently building an observation deck on the 69th and 70th floors to give LA locals and tourists a 360-degree view of the Los Angeles basin.
The original Haight Street Rat stencil is a beret-wearing rat clutching a marker and a red line that extends from the rat to the neighboring building on the corner of Haight Street and Belvedere Street. On the adjacent building, the rat h a s s e e m i n g l y w r i tt e n t h e t e x t “ T H I S I S W H E R E I D R AW T H E L I N E ” i n r e d w h i c h can be seen from the street above a clothing store that allegedly took street artists’ works and printed them on T-shirts and other apparel for sale without giving the artists any credit or revenue. The US Bank Tower has been offered the unique opportunity of displaying one of two surviving pieces of graffiti left from
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Two Blushing Pilgrims. Ready. Stand. 2014 Nightstands, Towel Rack, Souvenir Bats, Chain, Glitter 50 x 14 x 72 inches
I SEE THAT YOU STUDIED IN LONDON FOR A BIT IN 2013, WHAT DID YOU GET TO DO THERE?
model where both cultures ultimately collide.
I RECENTLY STUMBLED UPON YOUR PROJECT 'GOLDEN', WHAT INSPIRED YOU?
Ye a h – I d i d a s h o r t - t e r m s u m m e r program at Central Saint Martins called Contemporary Fine Art Practice. I had already taken a semester off campus to d o t h e N e w Yo r k S t u d i o R e s i d e n c y Program so the shorter program worked out really well. After that was complete, my boyfriend flew over and we spent the next six weeks going on a backpacking trip throughout most of Europe.
At t h e t i m e I w a s s t i l l m a k i n g a l o t o f work focused on high school athletic/varsity culture and the way it not only paralleled larger social issues but also had very contrasting ideals, even though many of the cultural symbols and concepts are shared. I was also on my backpacking trip and was talking to a lot of artists in different cities about my work. This was during the time that the Sochi Winter Olympic games began to gain a lot of publicity for their antigay agenda, and since I was starting to think about sports culture on a global scale, the Olympics were a nice way to unite everything.
CAN YOU DELVE A BIT INTO YOUR VINYL WORKS FOR US? 'GRIP', 'NSA', 'FAST', ETC. Those are some of my most recent works from my thesis exhibition. I began to move away from contact sports, but was still very interested in the hyper-masculine monster truck type of aesthetic. Growing up, my dad collected muscle cars so I was intrinsically very linked to that style. The show – titled “High Power Performance Anxiety” – explored the common traits that are present in the cultures of both gay clubs and race cars, such as tinted glass, mirrors, black lights, neons, vinyl stickers, and the overall precision of a male body and an auto body. The vinyl works are appropriations of racing decals taken from acronyms from apps such as Grindr or SCRUFF. In a way each piece is a souped up geometric hybrid
WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON SOCIAL PARTICIPATORY PROJECTS? I think they are a great way to include people that may not otherwise have an e n t r y p o i n t i n t o a r t . S e tt i n g u p g u i d e l i n e s f o r a p r o j e c t a n d l e tt i n g participants play around within those guidelines shows diversity in skills, techniques and interpretations, therefore highlighting the diversity in people and mindsets, while still being united under one guiding theme.
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For I Will Raise Their Statue In Pure Gold 2014 Neon 30 x 4 inches
The Experiment of Spring, No. 3 2012 Lithograph and Mixed Media 13 x 19 inches
With Gentle Breath, Calm Look, Knees Humbly Bow’d 2014 Aqua Resin, Fiberglass, Bondo, Foam, Wood, Auto Body Paint, Socks, Graphite Powder 20 x 36 x 14
WHAT WAS THE LAST RANDOM THING YOU THOUGHT ABOUT?
November/December of this year. Going from having a studio with fully stocked facilities to a small corner desk has been a huge adjustment, but it is constantly making me re-evaluate the way I work. Most of what I have been making recently is smaller scale drawings and paintings and a lot of writing. I’m at a point where I’m still thinking about what to do next and figuring out my next move. I’m trying not to rush it.
I have a friend that once told me to think about how the first crane was built, since you need a crane to build a crane. Now hearing the buzzword ‘random’ makes my mind immediately go t h e r e . H O W WA S T H E F I R S T C R A N E B U I LT ? ! I ’ m s u r e I c o u l d l o o k i t u p , b u t that would kill the fun.
WHAT PROJECTS ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON?
WHICH NON-PROFITS DO YOU PLAN ON FOCUSING ON FOR CDC, AND WHY?
After graduating this past May, I moved t o S e a tt l e a n d s p e n t m o s t o f t h e s u m m e r hiking and decompressing. Now that fall i s h i tt i n g I ’ m b a c k i n w o r k m o d e . M y boyfriend and I are designing a line of posters and postcards that we are hoping to launch around
I plan on working with The Bully Project. They are an organization I have followed for a few years and I would love for my efforts to benefit them in some way.
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Fast 2014 Original Vinyl Decal on Paper 11 x 8.5 inches
NSA
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2014 Original Vinyl Decal on Paper 11 x 8.5 inches
WHERE TO
EAT+ DRINK HUNGRY? SO ARE WE. A d i s c e r n i n g l i s t o f l o c a l f o o d a n d d r i n k e s t a b l i s h m e n t s . Yo u n e e d t o g o .
BAKERSFIELD
STRONGWATER
THE CREST
733 N High St.
400 W Rich Street
2855 Indianola Avenue
Columbus, OH 43215
Columbus, OH 43215
Columbus, OH 43201
(614) 754-8436
(614) 928-3170
(614) 261-7128
bakersďŹ eldshortnorth.com
strongwatercolumbus.com
thecrestgastropub.com
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16-BIT BAR+ARCADE
TIP TOP BAR
ARCH CITY TAVERN
254 S 4th Street
73 E Gay St,reet
862 N High Street
Columbus, OH 43215
Columbus, OH 43215
Columbus, Ohio
(614) 222-1616
(614) 221-8300
(614) 725-5620
16-bitbar.com
tiptopcolumbus.com
archcitytavern.com
THE PINT HOUSE
ZAUBER
1101 N. 4th St.
780 N. High Street
909 W 5th Ave
Columbus, OH 43201
Columbus, OH 43215
Columbus, OH 43212
(614) 421-BEER
(614) 429-3986
(614) 754-8389
seventhsonbrewing.com
shortnorthpinthouse.com
zbeers.com
SEVENTH SON
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Mi t ch
Underwo od
INTERVIEW: MITCH UNDERWOOD
HOW DID CANDLE WITH A HOW DID CANDLE WITH A CAUSE COME ABOUT? CAUSE COME ABOUT? and design to hand craft the highest quality candle available on the market, they pitched the idea to a local nonprofit, Pets Without Parents. The r e s t g r e w f r o m t h e r e . We n o w h a v e n i n e Signature nonprofit partners and three L o c a l s O n l y p a r t n e r s . We a r e c u r r e n t l y developing partnerships in new cities w i t h n e w n o n p r o fi t s . We h o p e t o p a r t n e r with five to six nonprofits in every major city in the United States!
Approximately four years ago my business partner, Carlos Arango, and previous partner, Dan Kim, saw the bars throwing out tons of glass. After doing some research, they found that less than 20% of the glass used by businesses in Ohio gets recycled. They decided to do something about that. They also wanted to benefit the community in a meaningful way. Thus, Candle With a Cause was born. After much research
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TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR BENEFICIARIES.
Center at Nationwide Children's. From their inception in 1954, Kinder Key has raised over $2 million toward the hospital’s mission of providing the highest quality health care to all children regardless of their ability to pay.
PETS WITHOUT PARENTS Founded in June of 2001, Pets Without Parents is a no-kill, all-breed shelter for dogs and cats. Their mission is to place every pet that enters their shelter into a loving, permanent home; to motivate the local community to support their mission, spay-neuter efforts through donations, volunteering, and adoption opportunities – until every pet goes home.
FLYING HORSE FARMS Located on rolling hills just outside Mt. Gilead, Ohio, Flying Horse Farms is where children with serious illnesses come to experience the magic of summer camp. For one week at a time, being sick takes a backseat to simply being a kid – and fun is priority number one.
KINDER KEY OF NATIONWIDE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
FRANKLINTON GARDENS
Kinder Key, an auxiliary of Nationwide Children’s Hospital, is dedicated to providing new hope for young hearts through their support of The Heart
Franklinton Gardens is an urban farm located in Franklinton, the historic neighborhood on the west side of
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Columbus, Ohio. They are dedicated to growing and sharing healthy food, creating beauty in abandoned places, promoting nutrition and active living, and building community with their neighbors.
important to embrace that diversity making sure that all feel welcome at the center. Stonewall Columbus hosts the annual PRIDE parade and festival, celebrating the Central Ohio LGBT community.
STONEWALL COLUMBUS
GO RED FOR WOMEN
Stonewall Columbus serves the Central Ohio LGBT community by providing a community center and offering programming and services that enhance the wellbeing and visibility of our diverse community through discovery, affirmation and celebration. Each program or service presented at the Center on High aligns with at least one of the organization’s core values: Health, Diversity, Faith or Art. Stonewall Columbus supports good health in body, mind and spirit. Stonewall Columbus recognizes that the LGBT community is diverse and it is
To dispel the myths and raise awareness of heart disease as the number one killer of American women, in 2004 the American Heart Association created Go Red for Women–a passionate, emotional, social initiative designed to empower women to take charge of their heart health.
HELP MALAWI CHILDREN H.E.L.P. Malawi Children's mission is to develop the pathway for children living in rural regions of Africa to become integral members as well as
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leaders in society through quality e d u c a t i o n . H . E . L . P . i s c o m m i tt e d t o cultivating the academic potential of each child through a comprehensive range of opportunities in primary school to prepare students for the next level of education, and to support those efforts through secondary school scholarships.
Basically, we have a guy who can make any base scent we could ever ask for. My business partner, Carlos, then blends those scents to fit the theme or style that w e a r e g o i n g f o r . We a l s o w o r k w i t h t h e nonprofits on the scents so that they b a s i c a l l y h a v e a b r a n d e d s c e n t . We t h e n test the scent in market to see if it is w o r t h k e e p i n g i n t h e c a n d l e . We g e t v e r y creative with scent creation. Carlos was good in the beginning, but his intuitive ability to blend scents that elicit a specific feeling or idea has grown amazingly over the years.
FRIENDS OF GOODALE PARK Since 1987, the Friends of Goodale Park have worked diligently to preserve, maintain and enhance Goodale Park. Goodale Park has benefited from over $2 million in improvements, thanks to their fund-raising efforts, Columbus Recreation and Parks, Urban Infrastructure Recovery Funds, grants, foundations, individual donations, community organizations.
WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON SUSTAINABILITY? YOUR GOALS? We b e l i e v e t h a t i t i s o u r a b s o l u t e responsibility to create our candles in the most sustainable fashion possible. The whole premise of our business was built around sustainability. It is a main p a r t o f e v e r y d e c i s i o n w e m a k e . We a r e doing our best to shrink our business footprint as close to zero as possible. The three main tenets of Candle With a Cause are local, sustainable, and meaningful. It is in our DNA.
RIDE FOR WORLD HEALTH Ride for World Health was started by a group of Ohio State University medical students in 2006. By bringing together passionate activists from across the country, they hope to inspire other medical professionals, volunteers, and communities-at-large to stand up as a unified voice for the millions who suffer globally. The 3,700-mile bike ride takes place during April and May, traversing the country from San Diego to Wa s h i n g t o n D . C .
WHAT DOES A DAY IN THE LIFE FOR YOU LOOK LIKE? Step 1: Pet dog Step 2: Drink coffee Step 3: Drink way more coffee Step 4: Office meeting Step 5: Manage interns Step 6: Manage production team Step 7: Drink more coffee Step 8: Collect glass from local businesses Step 9: Prospect new nonprofit partners Step 10: Prospect new retail partners Step 11: Eat... maybe... No, more coffee! Step 12: Try to think outside of the candle box
LOVE THE SCENT COMBINATIONS, ESPECIALLY ROSEMARY & SEA SALT. WHAT'S YOUR PROCESS? We l l , t h a t i s s o m e w h a t p r o p r i e t a r y .
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WHICH NON-PROFIT DO YOU PLAN ON FOCUSING ON FOR THE CDC? Honestly, we would like to focus on all o f o u r p a r t n e r s . We c h o s e o u r p a r t n e r s because we believe in what they are trying to achieve. All of them deserve a tt e n t i o n .
ANY OTHER PROJECT YOU ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON? Carlos and I are constantly coming up with new ideas. If only we had time to act on them all. As far as CWC goes, we are developing an artists series of the highest quality candles, which will feature the artwork of well known local artists. The artist will have a designated nonprofit for the candle to benefit. This line will, of course, be in u p c y c l e d b o tt l e s a s w e l l .
ANYPLACE YOU LOVE TO GO IN COLUMBUS? I love this city. From the sketchy East side warehouse district, where we are located, to Franklinton, to the Short North, to downtown. I love to drive through on my glass collection routes. I love to work all of the markets. I love to see our city build, support and thrive. I love Columbus. I also love Dirty Franks Hot Dog Palace.
“ The whole premise of our business was built around sustainability. It is a main
- Mitch Underwood www.candlewithacause.com
part of every decision we make.”
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COLUMBUS DESIGN COALITION
CREATIVES
+
CHARITIES
The Columbus Design Coalition is a growing
We understand that it's hard to get your work out there.
community of creatives from all walks of life. The
Therefore, this is a great way to expand your portfolio
mission lies within the collaborative and open efforts to
and gain recognition for a great cause. We offer free
reinvent a movement for the greater good. Simply put,
design services to partnering nonprofits, please reach
our goal is to inspire action in the creative community
out to us if you are in need of any services. We also offer
and partner with local charitable organizations to help
creative workshops for the community run by our
spread awareness for social issues. We provide a
individual members.
platform for the individual artists to showcase their work.
We want to promote networking in the creative community, and also help raise awareness for various
The Columbus Design Coalition focuses on the
non profits through the artistic contributions of our
individuals who make up the creative community. We
members. Not only will this grow the creative
help charitable organizations and artists connect for
community, but also raise awareness to various social
collaborative effort to further support nonprofits, and
issues through creativity. Join us and participate.
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CAGLA GULSAH KABACA
YOU'RE A WRITER, PAINTER, ILLUSTRATOR, PHOTOGRAPHER, AND ALSO STUDY ECONOMICS. WHERE DO YOUR PASSIONS LIE? Creating makes me feel alive. Economics is an alternative way for me in understanding what's going on in the world. Nature inspires me. I love applying myself to bring peace and love around me.
WHAT DOES AN AVERAGE DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU? WHAT INSPIRES YOU? I'm usually a cat by day, and an owl by night. If I've got time, I go for a run or a hike. Fresh air lets me think clearly. I live with my fluffy persian cat, Lucy. My mornings start with a milk, musli and green tea trio, while reading a chapter. I also listen to an oldies album while lucy sleeps on the record player. I then find myself painting or doodling later on. Other times I play my keyboard or violin. In the evening a bright, warm, reddish light comes through my kitchen window. It gives me inspiration to create things. I take my Economics class after 5pm, so I've got plenty of time in the day usually. I also enjoy writing in the evening.
IT MUST BE SO BEAUTIFUL TO LIVE IN TURKEY! WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING TO DO IN THE CITY? I ’ m f r o m I s t a n b u l , Tu r k e y , b u t I ’ m currently I'm studying in Denizli. It's a slow-paced city, it’s a nice place for a student to be. My favorite thing to do is listening to nature.
I go into the forest once a week, and enjoy looking at all the colors. It's about an hour and a half walk from my flat. It helps me focus on my education. The smell of nature is what we miss most in the city. Escaping into the woods and taking photographs is always on my to-do list. I also enjoy walking on campus and observing what's going on around me.
WHAT SORT OF PROJECTS ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON? Nowadays, I'm focusing on my upcoming exhibition project. It includes oil paintings, watercolors, collage, typography and photography. I’m also working on my book, taking notes and editing drafts.
WHICH NON-PROFIT(S) DO YOU PLAN TO FOCUS ON FOR THE CDC? I'd like to influence people to get them b e tt e r e d u c a t e d a b o u t d e p r e s s i o n , e a t i n g disorders, anxiety, and negativity as a whole. A negative person influences others, as well as their surroundings. In my opinion, positive thinking is everything we need in life and can even influence our environment.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MUSIC? I adore music from the 60s and mid 70s. Classic Rock inspires me. If you could send me back in time, send me to Woodstock. It's hard to choose but The Beatles and Bob Dylan I'd say, are my favourites.
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N O M A N 'S L A N D H E AT H E R
TAY L O R
H E A T H E R
T A Y L O R
P H O T O G R A P H E R Moving out west in my late teens, I was captivated by the beauty of my surroundings and that’s what transpired me to dive into photography. I take an incredible amount of inspiration from nature every breathing second of my day. For my feature in Chicsha Magazine I mentioned that I can be very process oriented while also being form and care free. I wanted to elaborate on that idea by saying that it normally depends on what concept I have developed in order to grasp the mood I’m trying to capture as well as the style I’m trying to achieve. I enjoy the process of experimenting and having fun w i t h t h e a r t o f fi l m m a k i n g a n d I t r y n o t t o t a k e i t t o o s e r i o u s l y . Ye t , I ’ m s e r i o u s a b o u t my decisions and everything I do in my work is intentional. Reveling simply means to e n j o y o n e s e l f i n a l i v e l y a n d n o i s y wa y , a n d t o t a k e g r e a t p l e a s u r e f r o m . We l i v e i n a very complex world and I like to express through my visual language via this complexity and duality. To show two sides of something.
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ACTS OF VIOLENCE
INTERVIEW: ALLISON JOYCE YOUR IMAGES ARE POWERFUL. WHAT MADE YOU BECOME A PHOTOJOURNALIST?
WHAT ARE SOME CULTURAL/ SOCIAL ISSUES THAT YOU'VE NOTICED ARE MOST PROMINENT?
I was very interested in art while growing up and for most of my teens I planned on becoming an illustrator. When I got to u n i v e r s i t y a n d h a d t o s e tt l e o n a m a j o r though, I had a bit of a crisis and finally landed on photojournalism. For me it’s the perfect blending of my passions such as art, travel, social issues and current events. Through my assignments I’ve met and been inspired by so many incredible people and witnessed such a wide range of humanity. I feel very blessed to be able to make a living doing someone I love.
If you ask any foreigner who has been to Bangladesh what it’s like, the first thing most of them will remark on is the people. Bangladeshis are some of the warmest, friendliest, and generous people I have ever met. They love to make a guest feel welcome, and most importantly, well fed! They take great pride in their country and culture, which is impossible not to admire. A big difference that I’ve noticed between American and Bangladeshi youth is that young people here have a real interest in the politics and the issues facing their country. Last spring in the capital’s Shahbag square tens of thousands of Bangladeshis, including a very large number of students and young people, took to the streets in what was d e s c r i b e d a s B a n g l a d e s h ’ s Ta h r i r s q u a r e demanding the death penalty for a convicted war criminal and also to ban Islamic fundamentalism from politics. The movement reflected to me the investment they have in their country and a thirst for change, something that seems to be sorely missing from the seemingly detached American youth.
I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN RESIDING OVERSEAS IN BANGLADESH FOR SOME TIME NOW, WHAT HAS YOUR DAILY LIFE BEEN LIKE? I’ve been working in this country since 2010 but living here full time since June of 2013. It’s been great. It is also very easy to travel to surrounding countries from Dhaka where I also work. When I’m not traveling throughout Bangladesh or South Asia on assignments, I’m usually combing through my daily Bangladesh Google alerts, researching my next project, or hanging out at the Dhaka expat clubs. I live in the diplomatic neighborhood here and it’s easier than you might think to carve out a more ‘normal’ westernized lifestyle, which is something you really need after coming back from a two week or month long project in rural Bangladesh (think; stunningly beautiful but limited electricity, horrible roads, monotonous food, hordes of staring men, no alcohol...). .
THE PHOTO SERIES WITH THE WOMEN HIDING THEIR FACES IN THEIR PALMS. WHY ARE THEY HIDING THEIR FACES? In January of this year I spent some time covering the aftermath of the 2013 riots in Muzaffarnagar, India. During the riots between Muslims and Jat Hindus, more than 55 people were killed and almost
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“In September I photographed the wedding of a 13-year-old girl to a 29-year-old man. Her mother said the early marriage would be okay because she told the man to wear condoms. The wedding was one of the most troubling things I’ve ever witnessed.” WHAT'S IN THE WORKS FOR YOU NOW?
50,000 Muslims fled to relief camps. 6 women reported being gang raped and 4 of the women graciously and bravely allowed me to photograph and interview them, as long as I protected their identity.
Right now I am seeking funding for a long-term project about child marriage in Bangladesh. This country has the worst rate of child marriage in all of Asia, and the 3rd worst in the world. One third of w o m e n a r e m a r r i e d b y t h e t i m e t h e y ’r e 1 5 years old. A lot of time the parents marry off their daughter to “protect” her from “eve teasing” (a common euphemism for sexual harassment, molestation and rape). That’s also an enormous problem in this country, which produces not only child m a r r i a g e s b u t a l s o a c i d a tt a c k s a n d suicides among other things. I hope to turn it into a much larger story of women’s rights in Bangladesh down the road. In September I photographed the wedding of a 13-year-old girl to a 29-year-old man. Her mother said the early marriage would be okay because she told the man to wear condoms. The wedding was one of the most troubling things I’ve ever witnessed.
WHICH NON-PROFITS ARE YOU PLANNING ON DOING WORK AROUND AND WHY? I’m especially interested to work with the Wounded Wa r r i o r Project. Living overseas and being exposed to very different cultures and countries I’m especially grateful to have grown up in a place where the political situation and my gender didn’t hold me back from an education or reaching my dreams. I would very much like to give back to the men and women who made that possible.
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PHOTO BY ALLISON JOYCE
l u s t r a b o ta s INTERVIEW: WILLIAM WROBLEWSKI
WHAT SORT OF NGO WORK DO YOU CURRENTLY DO?
irrigation and sanitation. Through that relationship, I’ve been connected to and working with various chapters of Engineers Without Borders, who bring young engineers here to work with communities to solve water issues. It’s amazing to document the intelligence, energy and compassion of these young engineers as they work with rural farmers to reinvigorate these communities. And of course, the community members themselves are the reason why I do what I do. The knowledge they have about their environment and their agricultural practices seem to know no limits, and hopefully my work is taking a step in giving them a voice to share their knowledge with the broader world, to their overall benefit.
Before relocating to Bolivia in January of this year, I was a producer at a digital marketing agency in San Francisco, California. It was a completely different world, as I was working on video and interactive content for some of the world’s largest technology companies. One of my clients there was probably the biggest design and engineering software company out there. Through that work I spent years learning about ways in which technology is used in different types of design projects around the world: mechanical and civil engineering, 3D modeling, product design, and so on. It was very interesting to document the relationships between creativity and ingenuity and the digital tools that are used to bring very innovative ideas to fruition to solve real-world problems.
YOU'RE FROM MILWAUKEE, WENT TO SCHOOL IN MINNESOTA AND NOW LIVING IN BOLIVIA. WHAT MADE YOU MOVE THERE?
I’ve been lucky to bring these experiences to my work in Bolivia. A few of my clients here are organizations that use engineering to address the needs of rural Bolivians. For example, I have been working with an organization called Mano a Mano that does a variety of things, including the construction of roads and larger water reservoirs to provide water to very remote areas. This organization has been very dear to my heart, and with every video I work on with them I have been completely mind-blown in terms of what they are able to achieve, and the way in which their projects are truly community-driven.
Bolivia is a very special place, as I discovered while living here for six months in 2008. I was in a small community in a highland area called The Yungas, where I lived and worked at a college created for the children of Campesinos. The students study things like agronomy, nursing and education, with the hopes that their training can be used to support their home communities. I was documenting the college and it’s students and faculty through video, and had a chance to travel around Bolivia meeting families in different areas, learning about their challenges and needs for higher education among their children. Through that work I fell in love with all of Bolivia, from the small coca-growing villages around me to the chaotic, cacophonous, wonderful mess that is La Paz. It seems many travelers that come to Bolivia find it to be a very difficult place, and have no interest in
I’ve also recently completed a fundraising video for an organization here in La Paz, Engineers in Action, that provides in-country engineers to help manage and facilitate projects for engineering groups that come from abroad to work in communities to
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nine years old, unfortunately a very common occurrence here. Given the economic situation of so many families in Bolivia, children often have to find a way to generate income to support their f a m i l i e s . Yo u n g c h i l d r e n c a n b e f o u n d doing a variety of jobs, including moving goods around the market, polishing tombstones in the cemetery, or even working deep in the mines of Potosí.
coming back. In many areas the altitude makes it hard to breathe. And while the economy is growing here, there is still a heartbreaking amount of poverty, both in the urban and rural areas. So a lot of people are turned off by this place. But there are some who, despite travels elsewhere in the world, find Bolivia the most captivating place on earth, a place that can steal your heart and capture you for life. I am clearly one of those people. I’ve been coming here off-and-on since my first trip, and spent nearly four years working towards a permanent move here. I finally found a way to stay, and could not be happier about it. Stop by s o m e t i m e a n d I ’l l h a p p i l y s h o w y o u w h y .
In July of this year, the government passed a new labor law that lowered the legal working age from 14 to 10 years old. This new law goes against UN conventions on the rights of children, and many human rights and labor o r g a n i z a t i o n s , f r o m H u m a n R i g h t s Wa t c h to the International Labor Organization, have condemned the law for potentially contributing to child exploitation and increases in school dropout rates. What may surprise some is that this new law was the result of immense pressure from U N AT S B O , B o l i v i a ’ s U n i o n o f C h i l d a n d Adolescent Workers. This group of youth, 15,000 strong across the country, includes a contingent that, at the end of last year, clashed with police in La Paz to demand their right to work.
YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT CHILD LABOR IN BOLIVIA, AND PROFILING A YOUNG SHOE SHINER. WHAT IS YOUR PERCEPTION OF WHAT IS HAPPENING THERE? The lustrabotas, or shoe shiners, have become somewhat of a symbol of La Paz. They work all over the city, waiting on street corners to shine the shoes of passersby for just a few bolivianos. They tend to be very young, and most often come from rough backgrounds. There is some racism and negative connotations tied to the work (though this is changing), and as a result they wear ski masks to cover their identities. Most are part of one formal group or another, and sometimes work in packs. Unfortunately, some are from the street, and struggle with alcohol and drug addictions, but many are very healthy boys trying to eke out a living. I recently spent time with one, Ramiero, a 29-year-old who has been shining shoes for 20 years. He lives w i t h h i s m o t h e r a n d l i tt l e b r o t h e r s , a n d works to help the family make ends meet. He’s also the father of the most a d o r a b l e l i tt l e g i r l I h a v e e v e r s e e n . Ramiero started working the streets at
Given this pressure, the government passed the new labor law. Importantly, the legislation includes key protections for these workers, limitations on working hours, and the requirement that their studies are not disrupted. The logic goes that these children will be working r e g a r d l e s s , a n d i t i s b e tt e r t o s h i n e a light on their activities and keep the labor “above ground” where it can be regulated. I was told that after the bill was signed, the air outside the Presidential Palace was incredibly festive with countless child workers celebrating with hip-hop music and dancing. I recently spent an afternoon talking with and filming a crew of young kids
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washing windshields on a congested corner of La Paz’s main strip. They were happy to be working, and glad to know the government was willing to look out for them. These were not kids addicted to drugs or alcohol, and they were not passing their hard-earned coins to some shady evil boss somewhere. They kept every boliviano they earned, and used that money to pay for their own shoes and school supplies, and even to help their mothers put food on the table.
to the streets. What I love about street art here is a recurring theme of combining traditional Andean imagery, such as llamas, coca leaves, cholitas (Andean women in large hoop skirts and bowler hats) and the like, with modern street art forms. This creolization of imagery makes for beautiful art with deep impact. Good street art directly reflects the social conditions in which it is created. And Bolivia is a great example of this. Just this past October, Evo Morales won his third presidential term. A former coca union leader and an Aymara Indian, he is the first indigenous president here. After winning his third presidential term this past October with about 60% of the vote, he is set to become the longest-running leader in Bolivian history. First taking office in 2006, his administration has done a lot of work to recognize the many indigenous communities across Bolivia, to nationalize key natural resources for the
WHAT SORT OF INFLUENCE DOES STREET ART HAVE IN BOLIVIA? WHO ARE SOME ARTISTS YOU ADMIRE? Like any other place in the world, the street art in Bolivia is as diverse as the people themselves. While cities like La Paz and Santa Cruz have their fair share of taggers and run-of-the-mill vandals, there is a thriving scene of muralists and stencilists bringing some stunning work
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benefit of Bolivia’s citizens, and to protect the environment. Many have criticized some of his policy decisions that run contrary to this platform, but overall he has moved the country into the direction of recognizing and reinforcing indigenous identity and traditions, not least of which being the growing, harvesting and chewing of the coca leaf.
the rise of Evo and his party, the Movement Toward Socialism, has changed the conversation here in terms of what it means to be indigenous, and the roles colonization, imperialism and neoliberalism have played in shaping the economic realities in this country. And this is being reflected in the streets. Wa l k i n g t h e s t r e e t s o f L a P a z , y o u s e e more and more examples of this art every day. And it truly is beautiful.
Largely a result of the changes his presidency has brought to Bolivia, there has been a resurgence of a sort of Andean plural-nationalism, and a celebration of indigenous culture. Different sectors of Bolivian society today are carrying their indigenity with pride, showing themselves in new corners of political and cultural life. One very visible example of this in urban areas is found in the street art. This is not to say the artists are doing what they are doing because of Evo, or even that they are necessarily supporters of the government. But the fact is that
One of my favorite artists here is El Marsh, a quiet man who has been painting on walls and tunnels in La Paz for more than 20 years. He is sort of a godfather of La Paz street art, and his easily identified work can be seen around the city. I’ve also stumbled on his work in Cochabamba and other cites around the country. One of my favorite works if his is actually more of an icon, a simple spray painting of a portly Andean boy, wearing a chullo, one of those Andean woven hats that come up to a triangular point at the top and have the ear flaps to
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11:00 am: Play with the cats 11:15 am: Repeat previous entry 11:30 am: Work on the edit of an NGO video due tomorrow morning 1 1 : 4 5 a m : Ta k e a b r e a k a g a i n t o p l a y w i t h the cats 12:00 – 12:15 pm: Repeat previous entry 12:30 pm: Go to the plaza to buy salteñas from Doña Panchita’s kiosk (the best in La Paz) 12:45 pm: Lock the cats in the back of the house so they stop pawing at my lunch. Eat in peace. 1:00 pm – 1:00 am: Work furiously on the aforementioned video edit, fueled by coca tea. Keep fingers crossed.
keep your ears warm out on the Altiplano. He has a blank expression on his face as he looks calmly on the road wherever he is painted. Marsh told me this boy has no name, and really no specific, deep meaning. But something about the ubiquitous way he appears in the strangest places across the city, from the exterior walls of fried chicken r e s t a u r a n t s t o t h e b o tt o m o f s k a t e b o a r d s , reinforces some sort of new collective Andean identity. Another artist I’ve enjoyed is a young woman named Knorke Leaf. She is from La Paz, and does a lot of mural work that often incorporates very bright, rainbow-like colors with whimsical characters, often to address serious issues. Near my flat is a large piece she did along a major roadway that obliges motorists and pedestrians to consider the affects of gender-based and sexual violence by displaying profiles of women from around the world, overshadowed by s i l h o u e tt e d m e n i n p o s i t i o n s o f p o w e r and poised for violence. The result is breathtaking.
But the truth is, this sort of approach would be selling my life short. Spending this year establishing myself in a new country has been both challenging and invigorating. And like anyone living the freelance life, you often don’t know what the next week, or even the present day, is going to bring. One day I could be translating and mechanically subtitling a 10-minute video for 14 hours without a break, and the next I could be flying in a l i tt l e 6 - s e a t e r C e s s n a , s i tt i n g n e x t t o a regional governor on my way to a remote village on the edge of the Amazon Basin to capture the stories of the villagers whose lives are changed by a new road they helped build.
WHAT DOES YOUR AVERAGE DAY LOOK LIKE? Part of me wants to answer this question via journal entries, where I describe my activities every 15 minutes from when I wake up until I go to bed, just to show the too-often mundane reality of my life here.
S o y e a h , i t a c t u a l l y i s p r e tt y unpredictable and certainly amazing.
WHICH NON-PROFIT(S) ARE YOU PLANNING IN FOCUSING ON FOR A FUTURE CDC PROJECT?
Sample excerpt: 8:15 am: Alarm goes off. Hit snooze, write this journal entry, go back to sleep. 8:30-10:00 am: Repeat previous entry 10:15 am: Finally get up, make coffee and feed the cats 10:30 am: Check news feeds 10:45 am: Answer client emails with a cat on my lap
I ’ v e r e c e n t l y b e c o m e v e r y a tt a c h e d t o t h e shoe shiners here in La Paz, and applaud them for their resilience and hard work. A large number of these kids are members of a collective that puts out a bi-monthly newspaper called Hormingón Armado. A play on words that identifies
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“Good street art directly reflects the social conditions in which it is created. And Bolivia is a great example of this.” these kids as an “ant army.” A program of La Foundación Arte y Culturas Bolivianas, the group writes, publishes and sells the newspaper on the street in addition to shining shoes, with most of the proceeds going to the sellers themselves. A small portion of the funds goes to supporting other programs to help them break the cycles of poverty. They are given access to workshops and trainings in a variety of job skills, and a tt e n d t a l k s w i t h t o p i c s r a n g i n g f r o m drug abuse to sexual health. Not one to get terribly excited about programs and organizations that focus solely on charity or band-aid approaches to addressing poverty or injustice (cash or food handouts for example), I love this program because it comes from the children themselves. They have positioned themselves to not only start meeting basic needs, but to gain tools they need to address the structural barriers to the improvement of their lives. If I can use my skills to give them e v e n a l i tt l e s u p p o r t i n t h e i r e ff o r t s , t h e n that would be outstanding.
TELL ME ABOUT OUTFIT/GOOD. HOW DID YOU BOTH GET STARTED?
business model for Outfit Good. Nonprofits can have very limited resources. As an employee for one you have to be really creative and willing to juggle a lot of different hats. Not different from starting your own business, really. A lot of the gumption we needed to start Outfit Good was developed while we worked in the n o n - p r o fi t w o r l d . We a l s o h a v e a n i n t e resting perspective to share when approaching non-profits and that really helps. It legitimizes the fact that we "get it."
Outfit Good is an apparel company c e n t e r e d a r o u n d c h a r i t a b l e g i v i n g . We collaborate with organizations to design and create a t-shirt that captures the e s s e n c e o f t h e i r m i s s i o n . We t h e n h o s t a sales campaign through our site. With every shirt sold, we give the organization $10. Once the campaign ends we print, ship, and fulfill every order. So, it's not just about the donation aspect, but also about giving organizations a venue to raise some funds that doesn't rely heavily on their own workers and volunteers' t i m e . We u n d e r s t a n d t h e va l u e o f t h e i r time and money. The design, production and fulfillment are free for organizations we collaborate with. Our goal is to market the campaign by networking and collaborating with different organizations.
G e tt i n g s t a r t e d w e f a c e d a l o t o f l e g a l obstacles. Because we were creating a partnership, we wanted to make sure to h a v e t h e a i d o f a n a tt o r n e y f o r s e tt i n g u p o u r L L C , a n d a r t i c l e s o f o r g a n i z a t i o n . We a c t u a l l y w e n t t h r o u g h s e v e r a l a tt o r n e y s before we found the right person to work with. In hindsight we probably could have set up the LLC ourselves to save time. However we now have a good and reliable relationship with those who help with the legal aspect of it all.
Sometimes all it takes is a bad day at work to motivate you to start your own business. That's kind of the boat we were b o t h i n . We w e r e t i r e d o f t h e c o n s t a n t frustration. If you're going to complain about something, you also must be willi n g t o d o s o m e t h i n g a b o u t i t . We b o t h h a v e v e r y s i m i l a r b a c k g r o u n d s . We w e n t from big corporate jobs to working for a non-profit. Neither was quite the right fit, so we decided to try something on our own.
For the first year we worked our day jobs while also running Outfit Good every evening, morning and weekend. Once our day jobs began interfering with our work for Outfit Good, we knew it was time to t a k e t h e l e a p . We a s k e d a l o t o f p e o p l e , "when do you quit that steady paycheck?” Everyone will give you different answers. We c h o s e t h e r i g h t t i m e . We d i d n ' t r u s h i t . Luckily the business grew and it was o b v i o u s t h a t n o t d e d i c a t i n g o u r f u l l a tt e n tion to Outfit Good would be a hindrance.
WHAT WERE SOME CHALLENGES YOU FACED TRANSITIONING FROM WORKING IN THE NON-PROFIT WORLD TO STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS TO HELP NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS?
WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON BUREAUCRACY AND CREATIVITY IN THE NON-PROFIT WORLD? Non-profits are set up to have checks and balances within their organization. Depending on their size there can be a lot of checks and balances. We don't
It was while working in the non-profit sector that we were inspired to create the
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approach anyone with the intention of signing them up that same day. What we pitch to an organization has to be approved by a board. There is a process to g o t h r o u g h . We t r y t o n o t b r a n d o u r s h i r t s around the specific organization, but r a t h e r t h e i r s t o r y a n d m i s s i o n . We h o p e that our designs inspire and help create awareness, rather than the standard logo or ribbon/awareness tee. Some organizations get that from the start. Others don't. That's OK though. We u n d e r s t a n d w h y n o n - p r o fi t s n e e d boards. It's unfortunate when the checks and balance systems delay or don't quite recognize the potential a creative project can have. What's great about the size of Outfit Good is our ability to quickly act o n a n y i d e a o r o p p o r t u n i t y . We wa n t t o work with organizations that see value in what we do and how we do it. It's okay that we may not be a fit for everyone.
HOW DO YOU ENVISION (AND IT WHAT WAYS DOES) OUTFIT/GOOD HELP(ING) THE LOCAL COMMUNITY? We t r y t o b e a l l a b o u t t h e c o m m u n i t y i n s t e a d o f j u s t g i v i n g b a c k fi n a n c i a l l y . We spend one day a month volunteering and would like to possibly increase that to two or three days a month. With our Pop-Up Print Shoppe we bring our printing process out into the community. It's a spectacle. People love to watch the process and we love to get out and meet p e o p l e . We wa n t t o s u p p o r t o t h e r l o c a l businesses as much as possible. If we eat out, we try and go to an independent restaurant. If we are meeting over drinks we love to support Columbus' craft brewery scene. When we need to bunker down with some coffee and wi-fi we love the local coffee shops. Our Brewers Union tee
has several of the local craft breweries' logos on the back because we understand how important it is to promote local busin e s s . We j u s t s o h a p p e n t o l o v e b e e r a s well.
WHAT PROJECTS ARE CURRENTLY IN THE WORKS? There is a lot in the works for Outfit Good. On the campaign side we have several campaigns running through the r e s t o f t h e y e a r . We a l s o a r e r e l e a s i n g n e w products under the Outfit Good brand. Every product we release gives a $10 d o n a t i o n b a c k t o a n o r g a n i z a t i o n . We ' r e working on some new tees by the end of the year, and we are looking at offering more than just t-shirts when it comes to a p p a r e l . We a r e a l s o t a k i n g u p p a p e r p r i n t i n g . We w i l l b e r e v e a l i n g o u r fi r s t poster print hopefully at the end of Octob e r . We ' v e b e e n f o r t u n a t e e n o u g h t o b e included in some projects with a few local businesses as well. It's kind of top secret a t t h e m o m e n t . We w i s h w e c o u l d s a y more.
LAST RANDOM THOUGHT? We a r e a l wa y s o n t h e l o o k o u t f o r n e w organizations to connect with and run c a m p a i g n s f o r . We a r e l o o k i n g f o r a r t i s t s and designers who might be interested in collaborating with us on campaign tees or o t h e r p r o d u c t l a u n c h e s . We ' r e a l wa y s t r y i n g t o d o m o r e a n d b e tt e r o u r s e l v e s .
INTERVIEW: ALEXA SISON
I KNOW YOU HAVE A DEEP PASSION FOR ELDER PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA AND ALZHEIMER'S. CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT THE DISEASE?
which inspires my passion and respect for those living in nursing homes. Transitioning to a nursing home is a huge change in a person's life. There should be more understanding and awareness of the struggles people endure while going through such drastic changes. Not only a r e t h e y b a tt l i n g w i t h a d i s e a s e t h a t changes their personality and day to day lives, most of their independence and control over any thing in there lives no longer exists. Throughout the various nursing homes I worked at, providing comfort through establishing meaningful friendships was important to me. It is necessary to stand up for them if they are not provided proper treatment, which is an ethical and moral obligation on my part. I also encouraged them to regain control of their lives through therapeutic means such as arts and crafts.
Dementia is a loss of brain function that occurs with certain diseases, and the most common form of that is Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's Disease has the ability to a ff e c t p r e tt y m u c h e v e r y t h i n g a b o u t y o u r life. It affects your memory, thinking, language, judgment, and behavior. It affects so many things about your day-today life. What a lot of people don't know is that Alzheimer's disease is not a normal part of aging so I think that there is stigma associated with the disease. Also, there is no single test to diagnose someone with Alzheimer's. People observe certain symptoms among older adults, like their grandparents, family friends, etc., while often making the assumption that they are acting and speaking a certain way because of their age. In reality however, it may actually be due to the onset of this terrible disease. Early stages of Alzheimer’s has been diagnosed in people who are in their 40s and 50s.
WHO WAS YOUR FAVORITE RESIDENT(S) THAT YOU CONNECTED WITH? I have a lot of favorites. When I began working at one of the nursing homes, everyone warned me this one woman in particular. She was in the locked unit, which is where residents who were known to wonder off were placed for safety. This woman was very erratic. She screamed and yelled a lot for reasons, which I could not understand. She was often very mean to people and would even try to kick, hit, spit, or throw something. A lot of the visitors and staff were kind of afraid of her, but one day I started talking to her about writing, art, and music. I'm not sure what sparked that conversation, but I'm thankful that I took that time because I saw a much different side of her. One of the aids was impressed with how calm she was when she spoke with me. She used to be a writer, a historian, and librarian. She did a lot of great things in her life from
YOU'VE WORKED AT A NURSING HOME BEFORE, WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE THERE LIKE? I worked with a man who was either in his late 40s or early 50s. He was relatively young and I could tell that cognitively he was somewhat lower functioning. I have also worked with some people who seemingly had no cognitive issues. Their m e m o r y w a s b e tt e r t h a n m i n e e v e n , b u t some people end up in nursing homes due to certain health issues, which require professional medical care. Others may have lost all of their family and friends,
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WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON THE PERCEPTION OF DEMENTIA AND ALZHEIMER'S IN TODAY'S SOCIETY?
what I could tell. So that conversation made me realize that some days she just needed somebody to spend time with, to get her through those moods when she feels sad or angry. So yes, most of the time she was upset, angry, or mean. However there still was that friendly, intelligent, kind-hearted woman that just needed someone. When someone did take time and talk to her, she became the sweetest woman in the world. I loved being able to see her smile and feel like her old self and be happy again.
There's definitely a stigma. In the past when people got this disease, I was assumed that their loved ones were being possessed, or that it was something that could be beaten out of them. Today I think people understand that Alzheimer's exists, and that their loved ones need c a r e . Ye t , t h e y h a v e n ’ t r e a l i z e d t h a t w e can to do something about it just as with any other disease. There is research being done to find out how to prevent and cure it. People also forget to take the time and spend it with their loved ones who suffer from this disease. When people develop this disease, it changes their personality. Eventually their loved ones stop visiting because they're not themselves anymore and it’s very hard on them. It’s important to remember who they are on the inside, why we love them, and that nobody deserves to be alone.
ANY STORIES? Actually, I have a story about this same w o m a n I m e n t i o n e d e a r l i e r . Tw i c e a w e e k I w o u l d d o a l i tt l e b i t o f fi t n e s s w i t h t h e m in the mornings. I'd arrange their wheelchairs in a circle, and we would toss around a beach ball. This was an activity that this woman used to do a lot. One of her family members brought a beach ball in for her so that my other co-workers could play with her. Some days it was the only thing that could relax her when she was agitated and wouldn't stop screaming. One day she was very agitated while we were playing and the game wasn't calming her down so she grabbed the ball very aggressively when it came near her and she incessantly continued to call me a thief and say I was a liar. She yelled at me repeatedly to kneel down in front of her so that she could throw the ball at my head.
RANDOM THOUGHTS? For those interested, check out Hilarity For Charity. Seth Rogen started a charitable organization to raise awareness and funds for research on this disease. If you haven't seen it yet, watch his speech at the Congressional hearing o n Yo u Tu b e . H i s s t o r y , a s w e l l a s t h e work he does with his wife is incredible.
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BAILEY CURBOW
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WHAT GOT YOU INTO PHOTOGRAPHY? I have loved taking photos for as long as I can remember. I started going to a lot of concerts my freshman year of high school a n d w o u l d a l w a y s b r i n g m y l i tt l e d i g i t a l camera and snap photos the entire show. So I would say live music photography was my first love. Ever since then I have been working on developing my skills by experimenting with many other forms of photography. I eventually want to get back into live music photography.
WHERE DO YOU FIND MOST OF YOUR INSPIRATION? Lately, Instagram has helped me a lot with finding inspiration. I follow a lot of boutiques and clothing companies. Gypsy Wa r r i o r a n d P a c S u n h a v e g i v e n m e a l o t of ideas over the past few months as well. I get really inspired by old, rustic and abandoned places as well. I like the idea of having something beautiful, such as a gorgeous woman in what is seen as a rugged and run down place. I find beauty in things that most other people do not. It is very enjoyable. Honestly, I find my inspiration on a day t o d a y b a s i s n o m a tt e r w h e r e I a m . I d e a s constantly are popping in my head. I try to write them down and create them the best I can later on.
WHAT PROJECTS ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON? My levitation series is what has captured my interest over the past month. I used to look at levitation photography and wonder how on earth they do that? Most photographers I have talked to about this say they had failed multiple times before they got the hang of it. On the other hand, for some reason I caught on right away. I
have an obsession for it. I want to levitate every model of mine in every place possible in every way imaginable. I have been working on telling stories through multiple images as well. I have a few scenarios running through my head with this idea. So far I have only tried it a few times.
WHICH NON-PROFITS DO YOU PLAN ON FOCUSING ON FOR THE CDC AND WHY? Columbus Music Co-Op: I have been reading about his organization recently and it hits home for me in several ways. Music is and always will be a huge part of my life. Like I have mentioned earlier, music is one of the main things that got me into photography. I have grown up in The Columbus Music scene and am very passionate about keeping it alive. Music brings people together. The diversity of people in each music scene is what really blows my mind. People who would not get along in any other circumstance are brought together through nothing but the music. Columbus Dog Connection: This organization reaches out to me on a personal level. My dog is literally my child and I can’t imagine her not having a l o v i n g h o m e o r t h e l o v i n g a tt e n t i o n s h e deserves. I don’t know how people can be so cruel to animals. I find them to be the most innocent and loving creatures on this planet. I love that this organization helps rescue all dogs. I feel that all dogs deserve love and comfort. The idea of g e tt i n g r i d o f t h e e u t h a n i z i n g t a c t i c f o r animals is so beautiful to me and I believe it can happen with the help of all communities.
Stonewall Columbus: The LGBT community is very important to me. I have a lot of close friends within the community and I believe in equality for everyone. Not only in Columbus, but all over the world. I have a huge passion for equality and would love to get more involved with this organization in the future.
FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT IN COLUMBUS? I used to live in the German Village and absolutely fell in love with Planks. That was my spot for a couple years. Just recently I was introduced the Short North Coffee house and have fallen completely in love. It is a super chill spot and I love that it is open 24 hours. It’s a great place for a date, a study session or a relaxing girl’s night. They have fantastic food and drinks. It is also very affordable. I would highly recommend it to anybody.
PHOTO BY BAILEY CURBOW
INTERVIEW: DAVID CELEBREZZE
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND? I have a life-long passion for the environment. I remember as a kid watching Nature and Wild America on PBS and being mesmerized by the natural world. Later I grew a deep appreciation for how deeply rooted we are in the environment. I enjoy going out to Ohio’s many biotas and seeing the diversity of life and how it is interconnected. In the spring time you can usually find me knee-deep in a vernal pool (type of wetland) looking for frogs, salamanders, macroinvertebrates, and plant life. These special places remind us you don’t need to travel far to see some amazing creatures-including one of the most impressive migrations on the p l a n e t - t h e s p o tt e d s a l a m a n d e r m i g r a t i o n . What happens to the environment will happen to us. Each of us can have a positive impact on the natural world by taking small steps from what we buy and how we live. Same goes for how a business operates.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT GREENSPOT COLUMBUS? Mayor Coleman founded GreenSpot in 2008 as a program where people can learn about living and working greener. Residents can take it one step further by pledging to adopt sustainable commitments under reducing waste, conserving and protecting water, and conserving energy. Residents who join receive a welc o m e l e tt e r f r o m M a y o r C o l e m a n a n d a GreenSpot decal for their home. Additionally, GreenSpot members can receive discounts on green products like rain barrels.
But, GreenSpot is not only for residents; businesses, nonprofits, and community g r o u p s c a n j o i n . I t d o e s n ’ t m a tt e r i f y o u are small or large because we can all do our part in being green. As a GreenSpot business, they are eligible for being highl i g h t e d o n o u r F a c e b o o k p a g e , T w i tt e r , a n d e N e w l e tt e r . Once a year we have a big, green celebration where Mayor Coleman awards the GreenSpotLight to a small, medium, and large business that have demonstrated exemplary sustainable action. To date we have more than 10,600 GreenSpot members. Many partners have aided the City in recruiting residents and businesses to become GreenSpots. Without them the program would not be as successful. The program is open to anyone who calls Earth home. GreenSpot includes outreach to schools t h r o u g h t h e G r e e n S p o t K i d s p r o g r a m . We provide activities for first grade teachers to incorporate sustainability into their classroom. Thousands of students have gone through this program knowing how to be green-and how to have fun doing it. There is also our GreenSpot rain barrel program. Residents can sign up to learn about rain barrels and receive one at a discounted rate.
WHAT ARE SOME WAYS THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN BE MORE GREEN? Columbus is already a very green City. From transportation options to local foods to trails to water protection and conservation, Columbus has made leaps and bounds in sustainability. Tw o examples internally include having the
greenest government fleet in North America and the installation of 2,650 solar panels on the City’s Fleet Maintenance facility. Community-wide the residential recycling program expanded this year to include many condos and apartment buildings. Check out the City’s green progress reports for many other examples.
The city and many community groups that are dedicated to continuing to be green. To take sustainability to the next level, we would like to increase GreenSpot membership to 20,000 (and beyond) and continue to grow in each of the areas mentioned above.
CAN YOU BE GREEN AND LIVE IN THE INNER CITY?
Let’ looks at being green from the framework of Greenspot. Informing & Engaging residents, employees, and businesses on ways they can become more sustainable is critical. Reducing waste through reusing, reducing, and recycling can stretch our resources and prolong the life of the landfill. Conserving and protecting water can improve our wetlands and streams, which in turn can help wildlife. Healthy waterways help our economy and public health. Conserving energy means cleaner air to breathe.
Absolutely. In fact, in some respects it is e a s i e r t o l i v e g r e e n i n t h e i n n e r c i t y . We h a v e C o G o B i k e S h a r e , C a r 2 G o , C O TA , CBus, and downtown trails that make g e tt i n g a r o u n d e a s y - w h e t h e r f o r t h e n i g h t life to the grocery store or to a park. The North Bank Park and Scioto Mile Parks provide a nice respite to the fast-paced downtown environment.
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WHAT IS CURRENTLY IN THE WORKS AT GREENSPOT?
FAVORITE PLACES TO GO IN COLUMBUS?
We h a v e m a n y e x i t i n g p r o j e c t s u n d e r GreenSpot. Recently we announced the Discovery District is the first GreenSpot Neighborhood in the City. This special designation means that a neighborhood has come together and with the City’s help, developed a three-year sustainability plan with commitments to adopt sustainable actions under transportation, conserving energy, conserving and protecting water, informing and engaging t h e i r n e i g h b o r s , a n d r e d u c i n g wa s t e . We would love to have all neighborhoods in Columbus be designated as GreenSpots.
This is a tough one, because Columbus h a s a l o t o f c o o l p l a c e s . I ’l l l i s t t h e m out in no particular order:
GreenSpot offers activity ideas to first grade teachers through the GreenSpot Kids program. It integrate sustainability into everyday classroom life with free resources designed to supplement science curriculum for first grade students (also applicable to kindergarten and second g r a d e s t u d e n t s ) . We a r e l o o k i n g t o e x p a n d the program to include summer camps.
- WCBE (volunteering when they do the f u n d d r i v e - w h a t c a n I s a y , I ’ m a l i tt l e nerdy like that)
- City/Metro Parks and trails place to practice my bagpipes)
(great
- Movie theatres (ex. Drexel, Gateway, S t u d i o 3 5 , t h e We x n e r ) So many great restaurants cafes-too many to name.
and
- North Market
- I make it a point to patronize businesses that are GreenSpots.
We o ff e r s u s t a i n a b i l i t y c l a s s e s t o b u s i nesses interested in becoming GreenSpots. This six-session course creates a forum for businesses to talk w i t h o n e a n o t h e r a b o u t g o i n g g r e e n . We bring in experts in different sustainability topics to generate ideas. These are great for any size business. We ’ v e expanded GreenSpot to social m e d i a t h r o u g h F a c e b o o k a n d T w i tt e r . Look for a new and improved GreenSpot website in 2015 and more embracement of technology.
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TRYING TO
CONNECT
INTERVIEW: JOYCE KIM
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START THE COALITION? I'm currently working a 9-5 job, and have been for the past 5-6 years. I missed connecting with other creatives outside of my immediate circle, and wanted to create a place where we can all come together and do some good for the world. I feel like we so easily get caught up in our everyday lives that we forget to take a step back and actually connect with people. Being creative for the sake of being creative is the second reason. To inspire myself and others to keep creating and sharing their work with the world.
YOUR FAVORITE MEDIUM? I really enjoy water color, illustration, graphic design, photography and video. It's really hard to say which, since I work in graphic design professionally, I'm currently leaning towards photography since that is a newer mediumthat I am passioante about.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOR COMBINATION? L o v e s b l u e s a n d g r e e n s w i t h l i tt l e h i n t s of brown. Anything that reminds me of the ocean really. I’m also enjoying retro feeling sephia ďŹ lters
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR HOBBIES? Nature photography, interesting conversations with random people, cooking with family and exploring new places. Also, a late night cup of coffee or anything with animals is a plus.
FAVORITE FOOD. EVER.
WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO SEE HAPPEN AS THE COALITION PROGRESSES? I would love to see it grow organically, for all our members to meet and mingle with each other and just get the creative juices flowing. If our work influences the world in any way, my mission is done.
WHICH NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION DO YOU HOLD CLOSEST TO YOUR HEART.
Tough. I would have to say Pho or Foie Gras. Cheese in itself is another.
FAVORITE PLACE YOU HAVE TRAVELED TO, AND WHY? I really enjoyed traveling to Europe and Asia, both have their perks, leaning more towards Europe, Belgium in particular.
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C h a r i t y : Wa t e r . T h e y h a v e b e a u t i f u l campaigns, and they do a lot of great work all over the world. Their initiative is to bring clean drinking water living without, they partner with various brands and think of creative ways to reach people.
WHAT HAS BEEN MOST DIFFICULT ABOUT LAUNCHING THE COALITION? The most difficult thing had to be just s i tt i n g d o w n a n d g e tt i n g i t s t a r t e d . I always had the idea of doing something with charity, just starting it was the h a r d e s t p a r t . G e tt i n g t h e fi r s t f e w members, defining the mission. Everything else has been continuing on with it's own momentum, I'm sure it will keep on re-defining itself and growing organically.
HAVE THOSE DIFFICULTIES BEEN THE MOST REWARDING? The best is yet to come. The coalition is still very new and I feel like it's just now breathing life. I'm very grateful for everyone who has helped me along the way, and have been enthusiastic about joining. It really inspires me to do my very best with everything.
LASTLY, HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH "DELETE TOAST?" Deletetoast was a screen name during the AOL days that I came up with since everything else was taken. I thought, oh yeah "deletetoast." Must have subconsciously sprout from my hidden dislike of toast at the time.
“The best is yet to come. The coalition is still very new and I feel like it's just now breathing life. I'm sure it will keep on re-defining itself and growing organically.”
ARTIST
GRANTS LOCAL ORGANZATIONS A list of organizations that provide artistic grants to those who want to expand their artistic or cultural education and work.
THE COLUMBUS FOUNDATION
GREATER COLUMBUS ARTS COUCIL
www.columbusfoundation.org
www.gcac.org
OHIO ARTS COUNCIL
OHIO ALLIANCE FOR ARTS EDUCATION
www.oac.state.oh.us
www.oaae.net
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COLUMBUS DESIGN COALITION www.columbusdesigncoalition.com