Voices from the Future: Youth Vote 2016
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About You
Location
Project Street Address
220 40th Street Pittsburgh, PA 15201
Project City
Pittsburgh
Project Province/State
Pennsylvania
Project Postal/Zip Code
15201
Project Country
United States
Your idea
Name Your Project
Voices from the Future: Youth Vote 2016
Describe Your Idea
Innovation
What is your idea? What makes your project innovative? Why is it important?
There is currently a vigorous political debate on the propriety of borrowing huge sums of money from future generations in order to invest in important societal infrastructure now. On both sides, people ask rhetorically about the benefits and meaning of borrowing from a 6th grader. Conspicuously missing from this important debate is the 6th grader who will inherit the benefits and problems. VFTF: YOUTH VOTE 2016 plans to use public art, technology, and art-education modules to empower youth to have a hand and a say, a unique voice, in today and tomorrow’s society. The 6th grader’s voice will be heard now, not 8 years from now. The project will create several vehicles for youth to communicate the nature of their citizenship and what matters to them, to their families, neighbors, communities, and the public. The project will harness the energy that transpired in the 2008 elections, in order to inspire youth to find their voices in a political process that goes beyond the ballot box.
Impact
What will be the impact of your idea?
VOICES FROM THE FUTURE are Arsenal Middle School 6-8 graders who are natural born citizens and who are immigrants from Somalia, India, Iraq, Tanzania, Saudi Arabia, Myanmar, Thailand and Burundi. YOUTH VOTE 2016 will develop students' sense of personal agency, which many youth lack when they grow up in dangerous neighborhoods, broken homes, or have spent their childhoods fleeing refugee camps. Project impact lies in the students' transformative experiences, their expression in public art and in sharing the project with family and community members. We will bring voices of the 2016 youth vote to their elected representatives, neighbors and the general populous in an inescapable, yet artistically appealing way. Conversations with our future young voters will provide rich content for an audio CD and mural-sized banners hung throughout Lawrenceville. At a press conference, we will present CDs to officials and broadcast the project through a blog, podcasting, RSS feeds and Google Maps.
What will it take to launch your idea? How will you secure community support and youth participation?
The total cost for VOICES FROM THE FUTURE: YOUTH VOTE 2016 will be $33,000. We have pending commitments of $2,000 from the office of a local elected official that promotes community development and a corporate donation of $1,000. In addition, we have received a number of confirmed in-kind contributions, totaling $5,000 from the artist, recording studios, consultants and public schools. The MGR Foundation will also make in-kind contributions of administrative staff time and resources. The costs for the project are divided into the categories of personnel costs, which includes artistic direction and media production, banner printing and installation costs, and artist-educator costs; equipment and media supplies, art supplies, and hardware. Organizational costs will also include a press conference and a neighborhood based publicity campaign. For reference purposes, an itemized but non-enumerated budget is attached to this application.
This Entry is about (Issues)
Sustainability
We are looking for ideas from people who can make them happen. Tell us about yourself or your team.
The Marilyn G. Rabb (MGRF) Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization that provides direct service educational programs to Pittsburgh’s youth. The mission of the MGR Foundation is one of commitment to overcoming social and economic barriers and creating innovative programs that positively impact our communities. The MGR Foundation will partner with the established and innovative artist, Carolyn Speranza for VOICES FROM THE FUTURE: YOUTH VOTE 2016. Carolyn has deep roots in Pittsburgh and has been using audio and video technology in her art for over a decade. She has received a great deal of formal leadership and artistic training, and has been the recipient of several prestigious awards including the Heinz Endowments Creative Heights. Links to Carolyn’s work samples can be found at www.google.com/profiles/carolyn.speranza. Additionally, the League of Young Voters, Pink Coat Communications and Gloria Forouzan will consult on this project to assist in expanding the project’s reach.
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| BreadSweeter01A.jpg | 108.75 KB |
| RosfeldBus.jpg | 65.78 KB |
| BusPressConfA.jpg | 49.07 KB |
| EarthBenches.jpg | 96.95 KB |
| LiteracyWindows01A.jpg | 90.2 KB |
| LiteracyWindows02.jpg | 111.98 KB |
| Rosfeldlarge.jpg | 84.38 KB |
| Recording-A-H.jpg | 28.98 KB |
| WaterBenches.jpg | 78.55 KB |
| BreadSweeter02A(2).jpg | 117.07 KB |
| YouthVote_2016-Budget_Page_1.jpg | 197.87 KB |
| YouthVote_2016-Budget_Page_2.jpg | 182.96 KB |
| 2008_Youth_Peace_Rally_070.jpg | 42.36 KB |
| Silence_the_Violence_Rally_MD_08102007_015.jpg | 36.81 KB |
| WYEP_Visit_(68).jpg | 32.07 KB |
| WYEP_Visit_(82).jpg | 30.8 KB |
 | BreadSweeter01A.jpg | 109 KB |
 | RosfeldBus.jpg | 66 KB |
 | BusPressConfA.jpg | 49 KB |
 | EarthBenches.jpg | 97 KB |
 | LiteracyWindows01A.jpg | 90 KB |
 | LiteracyWindows02.jpg | 112 KB |
 | Rosfeldlarge.jpg | 84 KB |
 | Recording-A-H.jpg | 29 KB |
 | WaterBenches.jpg | 79 KB |
.jpg){kind=icon} | BreadSweeter02A(2).jpg | 117 KB |
 | YouthVote_2016-Budget_Page_1.jpg | 198 KB |
 | YouthVote_2016-Budget_Page_2.jpg | 183 KB |
 | 2008_Youth_Peace_Rally_070.jpg | 42 KB |
 | Silence_the_Violence_Rally_MD_08102007_015.jpg | 37 KB |
.jpg){kind=icon} | WYEP_Visit_(68).jpg | 32 KB |
.jpg){kind=icon} | WYEP_Visit_(82).jpg | 31 KB |
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