The NYHelpsNY Benefit Event at Dixon Place on December 16, 2012 was an evening dedicated to bridging the huge disconnect between those who know first hand:the relief work and level of trauma in our city, and those who don’t, as well as to fund raise and unite us in our cause.
With the public being hit with ads like this from Coca Cola:
That is simply not the whole story.
We brought together speakers who have been on the forefront of relief efforts in different areas of the city and topnotch performers, to create a performance-centered event that fostered dialogue with the topic at hand:
The Sandy Hurricane.
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Douglas Everett Turner (Performer, MC)
Douglas did relief work after Katrina in New Orleans and was our host of the night.
Photo Credit: Jim Moore (Left) Jeremy Schaller (Right)
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Amin Hussain– Occupy Sandy Staten Island
Photo Credit: Jim Moore (Left) Stacy Lanyon (Right) of Strike Debt.
Amin Hussain came to speak on behalf of the work Occupy Sandy is doing in Staten Island at 1128 Olympia Blvd.
The red square on his shirt is the symbol of Strike Debt!
https://statenisland.recovers.org
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Jack Somebody- Marina Tsaplina with Operation Thunderstick
Photo Credit: Stacy Lanyon (top and bottom right) Jim Moore (Left)
Born on the tsunami-destroyed streets of Kesennuma, Japan, the piece is the experience of Jack as his home falls apart and comes back together. Operation Thunderstick has done extensive relief work in Japan, and is now working in NYC.
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Kiki Valentine-Rawosky- FUUB Red Hook
Photo Credit: Jeremy Schaller (Left) Jim Moore (Right)
Kiki is a performer, artist and Red Hook resident who has taken on the role of Disaster Relief Coordinator with First Unitarian Universalist Brooklyn. She has been working with the elderly and was fundraising for a $900.00 pair of specialized orthopedic shoes for a woman in the Rockaways who is currently unable to walk.
disaster-relief@fuub.org
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Andrew J. Nemr– Performer (Tap Dancing)
My response to Andrew’s performance:
“Here are my feet. Here is the floor. Here is my will. Let’s go.”
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Patrick D. Wall- Coney Island U.S.A
Coney Island U.S.A has been completely destroyed and Patrick gave a powerful speech on the efforts of the organization as well as the surrounding area.
http://coneyisland.com
To Donate: Cick HERE!
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Zero Boy
Zero Boy performed with his brilliant vocal trickery an excerpt of his latest piece of how differently the diverse parts of NYC reacted to the Hurricane.
http://www.zeroboy.com/
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Nancy Valadares- Carl Bini Memorial Fund, Staten Island
Nancy spoke on behalf of the Carl Bini Memorial fund, a co-producer of the event and an organization that has been doing a lot of relief and recovery work in Staten Island.
http://binifund.org/
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Time of Whelm– The Ecologic Vibrancy Theater Project
This object theater piece was developed as part of the Puppets and Poets festival. A review from one of the festival organizers was “This piece made me think more then any other…about the relationship between “stuff,” need, and class…visually mesmerizing and actively engaging while not being obvious or trite.”
thevibrancyproject@gmail.com
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Bottom Photos Credit: Jeremy Schaller
Recipe for Recovery- NYHelpsNY
Occupy Sandy Wellness
All proceeds from the event went to the organizations present. We created an interactive installation “Recipe for Recovery” for fundraising. The “Love” component of the Recipe was Becky Wartell of Sandy Wellness who provided relaxing and nurturing body work.
Sandy Survey Pool
A team of photographers have come together after the hurricane to document the damage, and the recovery efforts. The Sandy Survey Pool had an installation of their beautiful photographs and important work, as well as an online slide-show.
http://twitter.com/sandysurvey
http://www.flickr.com/groups/sandysurvey/
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PRODUCERS
Carl Bini Memorial Fund
Yana Domuschieva
Lilia Trenkova
Marina Tsapina
Nancy Valladares
DONORS
Questions? Future Participation? Donation?
Please email us at nyhelpsny@gmail.com
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This post was written and assembled by Marina Tsaplina
