Empty Space - Rise Up Benefit Show

Concert to Benefit Local Humanitarian Group Rise Up International

Rise Up International is a Bend-based humanitarian organization dedicated to fighting poverty around the globe. Rise Up uses art, music, fashion and a lot of hard work to alleviate suffering in India, and Nicaragua.

A concert on Saturday, May 30th will benefit the people served by Rise Up, with music by Empty Space Orchestra, Water & Bodies, We Are Brontosaurus, and Typologic. The concert will take place at the Poet House, 55 NW Minnesota at 8:00 pm for a $6 cover charge. All ages are invited to attend.

Chinese New Year!

Many thanks to all of you who came out to our first annual Chinese New Year event! It was so awesome to see so many children helping children and families rising up for a good cause!


With your help, we were able to raise over $6,000 for orphans in China. This summer we hope to be able to open our first transitional housing project for teens forced to leave the orphanage at age 16. Stay tuned to this blog and our (all new coming soon) website for updates on the progress. Check out the Rise Up flickr page here for photos from the event.


A HUGE thank you to Ryder Graphics & Hong Kong Restaurant for donating all of the food and print for the event. We would not be able to do what we do without community partners like you!

Thanks and Stay Tuned!

2008 Summary - Much Thanks

On behalf of Rise Up International, I would like to thank you for your generous donation of time, ideas, and financial support. Your contribution makes it possible for us to empower and connect local and global communities to RISE UP against apathy, poverty and social injustice through education, engaging the arts and grassroots activism.

This last year, Rise Up's mission was demonstrated in many places. In Nicaragua, we saw 350 kids living in La Chureca- the largest waste facility in the Western Hemisphere- receive free education, a meal, after-school tutoring, and scholarships to attend high school outside of the dump. In India, we saw nine orphan boys in the Bihar region find a place they could call home, over 300 kids from the untouchable caste receive free education in three area schools, and the construction of a second story on one of our schoolhouses bring hope to 14 local teachers and staff. In China, we have watched a groundswell of movement for orphaned children. Victims of the one-child law, these kids are beginning to learn vocation, life skills, and trade for life outside of the institutional orphanages they must leave at age sixteen. In the US, we have had the privilege to engage & promote emerging artists, musicians and activist by hosting social awareness events from Las Vegas, Phoenix, to Los Angeles and beyond. This is only possible because of thoughtful contributions from people like you.

In the coming year, we plan to put even more efforts into mobilizing our local communities. Perhaps the most exciting movement has been found at the grassroots volunteer level. In the last few months, we have had the privilege to work with hundreds of volunteers who have put in tens of thousands of hours of time. These are ordinary people rising up to use their talents and passions to meet the needs of the world. It is simply inspiring. This struggle against apathy and injustice will continue for us in 2009 as we set goals to go deeper, wider, and become more sustainable.

It is no secret that we are navigating difficult economic waters as a country. The crisis has hit the non-profit sector hard, and Rise Up is no exception. With that in mind, I want to personally invite you to consider making a contribution to Rise Up’s organizational budget as part of your holiday and year-end giving. You can also support the cause by purchasing rise up clothing at www.karmaloop.com/riseup We strongly believe in the mission and vision of Rise Up and invite you to partner with us.

All donations are tax-deductible under Rise Up’s 501c3 non-profit status. Tax Id# 20-3645281 You can donate by sending a check to our offices at 869 Tin Pan Alley Bend, Or 97701 or online by clicking the “donate” button at riseupinternational.com

I hope this letter finds you well, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to call me on my cell at 541.788.7711 or at jesse@riseupinternational.com. Once again thank you for your generous donation.



Much Peace and Many Blessings to You this Holiday Season,


Jesse D. Roberts,
Aspiring Artist and Activist.
Co-Founder
Rise Up International

Happy Holidays

During this season we hope you have an amazing time with those special people in your life.

Top Albums of 2008

(Do a quick sign up at www.imeem.com & stream the albums for free)

In No Particular Order by Jesse Roberts

Amadou & Mariam: Welcome To Mali: The African couple met at a school for the blind & have crafted some of the most beautiful World-Afro Pop music that transcends culture & connects with us all.
http://www.imeem.com/people/ADE_5JD/playlist/W9EKRMOu/amadou_mariam_music_playlist/

Beach House: Devotion - Dreamy-Moody-Sentimental Harmonies. Overcast young beach lover conversation soundscapes.
http://www.imeem.com/people/8L1Jj8/playlist/73uYR45P/devotion_music_playlist/


Fleet Foxes: Fleet Foxes – One of the best debuts of the year. These Seattle boys created some truly original sounds with roots in English folk, and 60s west-coast music. Cant beat the four part harmonies and blissful instrumentation.
http://www.imeem.com/benlauren/playlist/grWoFsxd/fleet_foxes_lp_music_playlist/


Black Keys: The Attack & Release – This is what good rock music sounds like. Produced by the versatile Danger Mouse. Probably my most played of the year.
http://www.imeem.com/people/E1AIlQD/playlist/-TINRrri/the_black_keys_attack_release_music_playlist/


Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend – Another candidate for best new group. These preppy-dressed white boys from NYC play some dam good indie- west african inspired pop music. (Apologies to those who went with us to Vegas & Nicaragua early in the year & probably never want to hear the cd again.) Skip the 2nd song on the playlist– it's not them.
http://www.imeem.com/artists/vampire_weekend/playlist/TcAeRsU1/vampire_weekend_album/


Q-Tip: The Renaissance - Q-Tip returns to release his first solo album in nine years & serves up some fresh-jazzy-brighter day sounds that main stream hip-hop desperately needs.
http://www.imeem.com/sexypympz/playlist/ZodEET0r/q_tip_music_playlist/


El Guincho: Alegranza! - Barcelona's own Pablo Díaz-Reixa, plays a highly danceable fusion of Tribal, Tropicália, and early rock'n'roll. Jump into the rio carnival and get swept into the rapids of rhythm.
http://www.imeem.com/artists/el_guincho/playlist/eECE48mL/alegranza_album/


GZA: Pro Tools – Doesn't have the production of 808's and Heartbreak or Universal Mind Control. But unlike those other albums GZA stays true to his roots & delivers some stripped down beats with great lyrically-packed flows.
http://www.imeem.com/rah88/playlist/RlRdy82V/gzagenius_pro_tools_music_playlist/


Other Goodies:
Santogold and Diplo: Top Ranking (Way better than the real album)
The Roots – Rising Down (Rise Up featuring WALE)
Blitzen Trapper: Furr (Good Stuff)
Bob Dylan: Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Vol. 8 (Gold from the Vaults)
Jenny Lewis, Acid Tongue (Lyrics may be weak, but one of the best voices around)
Kills: The Midnight Boom (Very Unique)
Erykah Badu: New Amerykah Part I (Very Soulful)
Beck - Modern Guilt (Darker than some of his other stuff, but good.)
The Bug - London Zoo (Dub-olious)
(Guilty Pleasures) – I pretty much love any single featuring Rihanna (TI-Paper Trail)
WALE – Mixed Tape About Nothing (Maybe the best hip-hop album of the year. You'll be hearing a lot of him in the future)

VOTE!

Good People of America.We Only Have Three More Days Until The Election...
It's time to make some noise & elect some officials who will help the USA rise up.
We believe that change happens from the bottom up, but we also know it is important to participate in this thing we call democracy.

Don't be lazy - Let you voice be heard!

Rise Up India Blog

Rise Up India coordinators Sheri & Curtis just got back from a month long trip to India to help support the teachers, set up a new computer system, evaluate the projects, and spend time with the students and their families.
Rise Up is providing free education for 250 children from the untouchable caste in Bodhgaya India. To learn more about how Rise Up is helping to stop the exploitation of this discriminated ethnic group check out our new India Blog.

Rise Up Art Directors for the Pool Trade Show

Rising Up to the Top at POOL
This season, with the launch of s(eco)nd and the growing number of socio-conscious apparel brands involved in the show, POOLTRADESHOW has chosen art director's who could rise-up to the occasion. POOL is excited to feature the work of RISE UP at our upcoming Las Vegas show. Each season POOL selects a guest art director from their roster of exhibiting brands to demonstrate the scope of talent at POOL. Past art directors have included Nick Burgess & An Grace from Torsion and Simone Legno for tokidoki.
The Rise Up creative team, lead by brothers Seth and Jesse Roberts, were spotted as one's to watch last season as they debuted their collection at Pool. They caught more than just our attention too and have since been featured in retailers such as Urban Outfitters, Karmaloop, and Planet Funk among many others across the country. You can catch a sneak peek of some of their newest art by logging-on to the POOL or s(eco)nd websites or by flipping through one of many fashion and lifestyle magazines on newsstands right now - Metro.Pop, ReadyMade, Racket, Beautiful Decay, Modernism, Soma, Plenty – and plenty more!

Rise Up is a cooperative of artists, idealists and social entrepreneurs, who utilize art, humanitarian projects, and grass roots organizing to create positive social changes in the world. Together, Seth and Jesse continue to create thought provoking, uniquely controversial designs, with the hopes of instigating social change. The proceeds from their clothing line are helping to provide free education for children in India and Nicaragua. Their international focus is to eliminate the exploitation of children by providing them with safe homes, education, counseling, and empowerment projects.

Black Gold (Inspiring Night)

By Nole Kennedy

Carrie and I were lucky enough be apart of an awesome event that Rise Up Inc. put on last night at McMenanmin's, here in Bend, Oregon. A local coffee shop, who only sells fair trade/organic coffee called Strictly Organic, provided complimentary cups of coffee from the coffee farmers that the movie was about. We had two showings of the movie Black Gold, which is a film about the coffee industry and how coffee farmers in third world countries are being exploited. It was extremely powerful and you owe it to yourself, especially if you are a coffee drinker and/or a social activist (I think that everyone reading this is both!) to find a way to see this film.

The amazing thing about the event was the people who attended it. We first showed a short film on what Rise Up is doing in Nicaragua and had a brief explanation about who and what Rise Up is. Following that, we showed Black Gold. The audience was gripped throughout the movie, and at one point broke out into spontaneous applause during the film, which almost brought tears to my eyes. Following the movie we had an awesome time hanging with some of the people who attended, selling some of Rise Up's t-shirts, and talking about what people can do to get involved in the movement.

It was an inspiring moment. Here I was, with my wife and some of my best friends, working to expand a cause I greatly believe in. It was so amazing to connect with people who really want to help and see a change in our world. Carrie and I are so blessed to be apart of this movement. I am so excited to see it expand and grow and watch were it leads us. I am excited about current and future involvement of so many different friends in so many different areas.

May we continue to make a change in our world, both locally and globally, both small and great!

Bend Bulletin Article

Rising up
Bend couple makes it personal mission to aid disadvantaged children of Nicaragua
By Christopher Stollar / The Bulletin
Published: December 03. 2006 5:00AM PST

MANAGUA, Nicaragua - Jesse and Maria Roberts' van bounced across the cobblestone streets of Managua, passing donkeys, horses and signs for Coca-Cola.
The Bend couple drove this August into the outskirts of Nicaragua's capital until they reached La Chureca, the dump.
Here the air smells of rotting fruit and moldy beans as children claw through heaps of trash and mothers nurse babies from withered breasts. Families scour the dump each day in hopes of rice for their mouths or metal for their homes.
But the people of La Chureca dropped their work this August when the Bend couple rolled into their world in a big white van. As Jesse parked, a dark-eyed girl peered out from the shadows of her home. She burst into laughter and ran to hug the Robertses, whom she has known from previous visits, and to introduce them to her mother, Rosario Quintana.
Jesse spoke first.
"We want to help you find a life outside the dump," he said, looking at 11-year-old Josselin Carolina Rodrigues Quintana. "We want you to get an education."
A smile shot across Josselin's face as she dreamed of this chance to leave the landfill. Maybe she'd become a fashion designer and forget the darkness of her current life scouring for bottles, paper and aluminum among the village men.
"Many try to hit us," she said. "And if they don't try to hit us, they try to rape."
Her mother started to cry.
"My dream," Quintana said, "is for her to study and go on and not live this life."

Click to read the rest of the story

Can Fashion Fight Poverty (Trace Magazine - Rise Up)

(Trace Magazine is: "...one of the most stylish publications." —New York Times,
"...the magazine that the entire fashion world covets." —The Village Voice
"...the urban style bible." —Vogue Magazine)

Trace about Rise Up: "Thanks goodness it has become cool to care! Clothing companies all over the country have invested time and money into creating brands that are both stylish and politically conscious. Rise Up! is one of these fabulous innovative groups trying to make a difference and inspire others. Made up of artists, idealists and social entrepreneurs, Rise Up! is using the fashion industry to help children out of poverty. They recently launched their first clothing line during the fall of 2006 and have been featured in retailers such as Urban Outfitters, Karmaloop and Michael K amongst many others across the country. Using the proceeds of their powerful clothing line they are helping to provide free education for over three hundred children in India and Nicaragua. Their international focus is also contributing to the elimination of the exploitation of children by providing them with safe homes, education, counseling, and empowerment projects. Can fashion fight poverty? The verdict is still out, but we can sure as hell try!"