FEATURED YOUTH POET
| 3-Minute Poetry Prompt:
Take a fortune cookie quote and write a 3-minute poem about it. Remember to write without thinking and without taking your pen off the paper. You can agree or disagree with the prompt in your poem...
Fortune Cookie
by Khalid El-Shabazz, Age 16
My "possibilities await"
but not all of them
are possible...unless
I make all of them possible.
I'm not narrowing down
my goals for nothing...
not even for
a fortune cookie.
The first time we met Khalid, he was attending one of our Phoenix Rising workshops in February 2009. The other youth participants called him Koolaid, because of the flaming red hair he so flamboyantly flaunted.
We met again in July 2010 when the Denver Office of Economic Development contacted us with a 160-hour summer intern opportunity. Khalid had specifically asked to work with us, and although his hair was now jet black and modestly styled, office staff immediately recognized him and were overjoyed to reconnect. Khalid successfully completed the summer internship program and performed so well that he was awarded another 160 hrs through a special program.
He's been a regular participant at the Phoenix Rising workshops at The Spot since August and is now writing and performing poems again.
To read the interview with Khalid, please link to our Youth Poetry website.
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UPCOMING ADULT WORKSHOPS
|  ALTHOUGH IT SEEMS IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE'VE CONDUCTED ADULT SESSIONS, we recently posted an Introductory session and an Intermediate session and both were full in a week.
HOWEVER, we have plans for two more in late January and are finalizing plans to create 4-hour group workshops that will hold up to 20 people. Get all your creativity done in an afternoon! Talk about efficient!
So stay tuned and make sure you check in to our website regularly to see all the new developments.
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 BIG HAIRY DEAL!
GET HAIRLESS, STAY HAIRLESS!
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Lone Tree Medical Spa
is offering 10% off facial and laser services to support AfA!
If you're anything like me, shaving and waxing are real chores... and expensive! But since people get really judgy if you're a hairy woman, I finally buckled and tried out LASER HAIR REMOVAL... now I wish I had made that investment earlier in my life! No more worrying if I can go sleeveless, no more "waiting" for the hair to grow long enough to be "waxable"... sheesh, what a waste of time all that was!
Jenny at Lone Tree Facial Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery Center provides 17 different spa services, including FACIALS and MICRODERMABRASION.
Lone Tree is a medical office, which is good for clients for a few of reasons: Sterile, professional environment, medical grade skin care products, oh, and no tipping required!! Plus their services are already super reasonable. Jenny tells me they haven't raised rates in more than 3 years.
NOW YOU CAN GET AN ADDITIONAL 10% OFF BY MENTIONING ART FROM ASHES, PLUS WE GET A DONATION!
Check out their services HERE
They're close to Park Meadows Mall: MAP HERE
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FEATURED BUSINESSES
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Cartel Noir
Newly-Established Garman Foundation Supports AfA
Greg Garman, founder of international clothing line Cartel Noir, selected Art from Ashes as the beneficiary of a fashion fundraising event held on September 30th at the Museum of Contemporary Art and at future events in 2011. At the MOCA event, 100 limited edition silk scarves with the Cartel Noir logo were given for each $150 donation. A limited number of these exquisite scarves are still available. If you would like to donate and receive a scarf, please email Art from Ashes.
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Jacobs Chase
Attorneys at Law
Jacobs Chase Frick Kleinkopf & Kelley
AfA Board Member and Jacobs Chase partner Mark Bell obtained a generous sponsorship for our upcoming SlamPhoenix!
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Gill Enterprises
Denver Real Estate Developer
and our fantastic landlord and generous patron, Ted Gill, who does amazing things for us and for the arts community.
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For information on our other donors and sponsors, please visit our sponsors page on our website.
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:: VOLUNTEERS OF THE MONTH :: Check out the Our People page on our website to see the pretty and smart (and gifted and generous and zany...) people who make up our team.
| If you're interested in becoming a volunteer with Art from Ashes, contact Volunteer Coordinator Nick Orf via email or by calling 303.720.1694
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WE'D LOVE YOUR SUPPORT...
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 ...whether it's a one-time or monthly donations through GivingFirst.org, a corporate sponsorship, by volunteering, by joining the Dylan Thomas Society or by attending our youth performances and events.
Please contact one of our Fundraising Coordinators Benjamin Martin or Susie Martin (no relation!) for more information on getting involved.
Why Give to Art from Ashes?
If young people feel heard and respected, if they develop a sense of self that is not based on the messages of failure they have received, and if they can relate to the struggles and dreams of others, they can begin to create a positive future for themselves and for their communities. All this can be achieved through the creative power of words, words that change hearts, minds and attitudes, preparing youth for a life of success and self-worth.
Art from Ashes provides creative programs that empower struggling youth in our community. Consider a one-time donation to fund the following:
· $2,000 supports a year's worth of weekly 2-hour workshops for a struggling young person.
· $1,400 provides one-month's rent (ooh, if 12 people did that...)
· $250 allows us to publish the youth poems from one 8-week session.
· $100 purchases writing materials for two workshops.
· $35 allows us to bring in one guest poet/artist to inspire and encourage the youth in our programs.
· $15 brews 30 cups of coffee, which in turn brews 30 excellent ideas! : D
And of course, any amount you give from a place of joy and compassion gives to all of us, yourself included.
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 Letter from Catherine
A BIT OF THE STORY...
OR "so much news and so little time to report it!"
Greetings!
Okay, so the last newsletter was... um... April? Our track record with these newsletters has been completely dependent upon my schedule, which is a tad full (a salesperson for improv tickets asked me today, "Don't you ever just have a night out?" Not unless it's a fundraiser!). I have to say that when your work is a joy, and the people you get to share that work with are fantastic (and smart and pretty!), then it's not so great a sacrifice. And things have just gotten better in the fantastic people department.
We had two young people join our staff this summer: Reid Dominie, who left FEMA (sorry for ya!) to become a brilliant executive assistant (those of you who've called or visited the office know her well!) and we were able to hire Lindsey Wise, as we had hoped, to be the Phoenix Rising program manager, thanks to a gift from one of our donors. Our Board of Directors also has increased to 8 members with two in the wings, and they have taken on much of the fundraising, God bless 'em. Mark Bell has created the Dylan Thomas Society (more below) to honor the memory of his mother, which cultivates generous donors in the community who want the lovely added benefits of donating $1,000 or more a year. To learn more about our dedicated people, you can check out Our People on the website. That's some good reading material.
Another boon this year was when a team of marketing students from University of Colorado Denver offered marketing assistance for their senior-level design studio. Asterisk Loftis, Erin Lee, and Robert Wehling produced graphic design, video, print and web deliverables as part of their project. You'll be seeing some of their designs in the near future!
Because of all the help we've received this year, I've been able to write more grants and we've been blessed to have additional support from our community: In 2010 (to date) we received funding from the City and County of Denver's Safe City Office, the Denver Foundation, Tony Grampsas Youth Services Fund, Colorado Creative Industries Award, Vodafone Americas Foundation, Hunt Alternatives Fund 3G, and 3 grants from SCFD to support our work in Denver, Adams and Boulder counties.
As usual, we have loads of local business support... and check out the deals they offer if you're a supporter! This month it's a BIG HAIRY DEAL!
And although I'm supposed to send out quarterly newsletters, I'm sending this one and a December newsletter instead to catch you up "a bit." Next year, we'll do better, because AfA now has a marketing team! Whoo-hoo! Look out, world. Good stuff comin' atcha.
"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key tosuccess. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful."-- Albert Schweitzer, Nobel Prize-winning philosopher and theologian
Cheers,
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| 3 LITTLE Ways To Make a BIG Difference | |
#1 Give the Same Dollar to 2 Causes
Shop at Ten Thousand Villages from 5 to 8 pm on Nov 17th and support Art from Ashes and International Artisans
How do you choose who gets your dollars when so many are so worthy? Choose more than one on Wednesday, November 17 from 5-8 pm. At Ten Thousand Villages, 2626 E. Third Ave in Cherry Creek (between Columbine and Clayton on the south side), you can put your holiday budget to good use by buying beautiful, reasonably-priced, handcrafted gifts that will please your friends and family; providing income to international artisans; and supporting struggling youth in your own backyard -- all at the same time. Shop with us, listen to the creative works of our youth poets, and learn more about the transformative power of our programs. During these three hours only, Ten Thousand Villages will donate 15% of all sales to Art from Ashes. For details, click here.
#2 24 Hours to Give Where You Live! | 
Increase the Value of Your Donation on Wednesday, Dec. 8!
Thanks to a new initiative from Community First Foundation and FirstBank, all donations made to Colorado nonprofits during the 24-hour period on Wednesday, Dec. 8, will be increased through a special fund. Designed to encourage philanthropy in Colorado through online giving, the goal is to raise $1 million in one day for Colorado nonprofits. Because the funds will be proportionally allocated across all nonprofit organizations, d onations made on that day to Art from Ashes through GivingFirst.org will be increased. Please give generously to Art from Ashes on Dec. 8th to support the growth and reach of our innovative and creative organization!
#3 Painless Digital Donating: GIVE & GET!
 Giving to Art from Ashes Is As Easy As a Toolbar!
Art from Ashes has teamed up with GoodSearch, an Internet search engine that donates 50% of its revenue to worthy charities designated by you, the user. By simply adding a toolbar to Internet Explorer or Firefox, each time you search the Internet about a penny is donated to Art from Ashes! And Good Search also partners with more than 1,300 stores (from Amazon to Zazzle). Each time you shop using the Good Search toolbar, a percentage of your purchases will automatically be donated to Art from Ashes, at no cost to you! (more info here...)
AfA receives a commission from more than 200 stores!
 GiveBackAmerica.com was created to raise money for charities at no additional costs to their volunteers and supporters. The website and concept was created to make a difference in people's lives. Shop with ease this season at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and hundreds of other top-end retailers, and know you're also giving to young people who need your help. (more info here...)
 Register and choose Art from Ashes and 20% of every purchase is donated!
At Giftsthatgive.com the objective is to help donors support your organization while buying luxury, one-of-a-kind products. It's a great way to shop and a great way to donate! (register here...)
For more ways to Give and Get:
· Purchase an Adult Workshop Gift Certificate for someone you love
· Visit the Art from Ashes Poetry Store at CafePress.com
· Participate in the Ten Percent Experiment! |
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ANNUAL APPALOOSA APPRECIATION PARTY !
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It's FUN time again! Art from Ashes is throwing a party to thank all of our donors, friends, volunteers, board members, vendors and others in the community who have graciously supported our work with youth over the past seven years. Our appreciation/benefit will be held at one of the finest bars and restaurants in downtown Denver, where more than 70 people celebrated our success last year and had a chance to meet some of the youth poets and guest poets with whom we've worked.
Entertainment details are being ironed out with the fabulous people at Appaloosa, but we know the day DECEMBER 8TH and we know the time 6 to 9 PM and we know there'll be music, poetry, laughter and free appetizers! Please join us. We know how to have a good time... we surround ourselves with great people!
Appaloosa Grill · 16th & Welton (on the 16th Street Mall) |
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AND SPEAKING OF A GOOD TIME...
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Denver's First
Running of the Gays was just that!Runners agreed to strut their stuff to raise money for Art from Ashes youth programs by asking friends and family to sponsor them to run 3 blocks down 17th Avenue in heels! Irreverent, comical, painful...you name it, we mocked it. More than 150 observers cheered on, laughed at, catcalled and secretly envied the runners, dressed ravishingly for the occasion. Steuben's, Hamburger Mary's, JR's, Salon Noelle, Olivéa, Deep Rock, and Ed Gillespie Salon generously sponsored the event. Read a very humorous account of the experience on the Westword blog and check out the photos (WARNING! Those with more sensitive dispositions should avoid the whole blog)!
But the fun had a purpose. Money raised is for workshops at Rainbow Alley, an organization that works with LGBTQ youth. And they have some decidedly unfunny statistics. Gay and lesbian youth are two to three times more likely to commit suicide than other youths and 30% of all completed youth suicides are related to the issue of sexual identity; 45% of gay males and 20% of lesbians surveyed reported having experienced verbal harrassment and/or physical violence during high school as a result of their sexual orientation; 26% of gays and lesbian youth are forced to leave home because of conflicts with their families over their sexual identities. Art from Ashes empowerment workshops are focused on the message that identity transcends labels, victimization, abuse and loss. Each young person's identity, regardless of experiences or circumstances, is one of power and creativity. This is something we are excited to share with the youth at Rainbow Alley. Thank you to all the runners and supporters who joined us on Sept. 26th  ! If you missed it, don't worry. There will be a SECOND Running of the Gays in 2011! If you want to be in "prime" shape (couldn't help it...), you'd better start training now. Download our Training Guide HERE
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DYLAN THOMAS SOCIETY
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I have longed to move away
From the hissing of the spent lie
And the old terrors' continual cry
Growing more terrible as the day
Goes over the hill into the deep sea;
...By these I would not care to die,
Half convention and half lie.
(from Clown in the Moon)
The young people Art from Ashes serves are much like Dylan Thomas. Many are brilliant, broken, and struggling to break free from the ashes of despair -- from the lie that they are worthless.
Art from Ashes empowers struggling youth through creative expression and personal transformation, offering hope for a positive future and a chance to reconnect with their community. The Dylan Thomas Society was founded by Mark Bell to ensure these innovative and invaluable programs continue to reach young people struggling with poverty, racism, abuse and addiction. Members of the society commit to a minimum donation of $1,000 a year, and in return are rewarded with nights out, dinners, pub crawls (it is, after all, Dylan Thomas we're talking about) and special youth performances.
Donate on GivingFirst.org and mention that you're joining the Society or contact Mark Bell for more information: 303.870.4809 or mbell@jcfkk.com
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