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.

Bread & Butter Barcelona!

As many of you know, Rise Up International partners with Rise Up Clothing (a fashion line) to help raise money for our projects. When you purchase a tee-shirt, hoodie, or pair of jeans...a portion of the proceeds goes to help break the cycle of poverty all over the world. Recently, the clothing line provided the funding for twenty teens to receive scholarships to go to high school outside of the garbage dump (where they live) in Nicaragua.

They recently debuted their Spring collection in Barcelona, Spain at the Bread & Butter trade show.
You can see more photos at the Rise Up flickr page here.

To view the entire Spring collection- visit the Rise Up Clothing website here.

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)