Sean Stephenson visits the Invisible Children office

Sean Stephenson, a world-renowned speaker and educator came by our office today to motivate and encourage us in the work we are doing here. He is an inspirational giant who refuses to let ‘buts’ take away the life and joy that we are meant to experience. Through tidbits of his experiences, he taught us today that it’s all about your perspective. What you hate owns you. Your time is not the most precious commodity you have – it’s your energy. We are so grateful we got to hear from this man. It was the best way to start a Monday.

Learn about his incredible journey in the video below.

Behind KONY 2012 tour: Team Texas

TEAM TEXAS
Texas, Louisiana, Las Cruces (New Mexico)
ANDREW BYRUM, STESHA DURANTE, THOMAS BOWMAN & SAMANTHA MELHAFF

Ugandan Roadie: Adong Vicky

Self-proclaimed team motto: “We’re fixin’ to dance”

Hi Team Texas! How y’all doin? Welcome to my office. Let’s begin with where you are from.

Samantha Melhaff (SH): Galt, California.

Stesha Durante (SD): Spokane, Washington.

Thomas Bowman (TB): Springfield, Virginia.

Andrew Byrum (AB): Raleigh, North Carolina.

What are you most looking forward to during your adventures?

SH: Southern hospitality.

SD: Southern hospitality…as long as they are vegetarian-friendly.

No pressure host homes!

TB: Living out of a van and being super simple.

AB: Moving from city to city, being a vagabond of sorts.

How did you initially find out about Invisible Children?

SH: I randomly met Jason Russell at his 30^th birthday party dinner and he told me about Invisible Children. Later I hosted a screening at my home church.

SD: My neighbor loaned me a copy of The Rough Cut in 2006, and then I went to the Global Night Commute.

TB: In 2008 I was a sophomore in college in Southwest Virginia, and my friend was the president of the IC club. I got involved and was hooked. That led me to host 3 screenings.

AB: I went to the Fourth Estate and after I graduated high school, I applied to be a roadie.

Do you have any pet peeves or annoying habits that you should mention before you embark together in an enclosed van for 3 months?

SH: I am very particular about coffee…I’m really only OK with Starbucks.

SD: I sing a lot. In vehicles. When I’m behind the wheel.

TB: I’m very sarcastic…I’ve already been threatened to be tied to the top of the van.

AB: I have a bad craving for junk food.

I try to throw football into most conversations, so what is your favorite team?

SH: San Diego Chargers.

SD: I usually watch minor league hockey but I support the Chargers.

TB: I’m a Denver Broncos fan.

I definitely preferred the first two answers.

AB: Carolina Panthers.

What is your biggest fear?

SH: Balloons.

SD: Heights.

TB: Not being accepted by people.

AB: Snakes.

Good ones, although balloons is a weird one. But no judgment. Who is your celebrity crush?

SH: Ryan Gosling.

SD: Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

TB: Zooey Deschanel.

AB: Regina Spektor.

And finally, what would you eat for your last meal?

SH: Italian.

SD: Frozen yogurt.

TB: Raspberries. Or frozen peas…I eat them frozen.

AB: Fast food…Bojangles.

We are so excited for the adventures that await you. Stop at nothing, Team Texas.

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Team Texas wants to two-step their way to a screening in your town. Call them at (619) 562-2799 Ext 177 or fill out this form.

Reminder: Book drive competition ending on February 7th

New M.I.A. Music Video with sweet Stunts

Romain Gavras really freaked us all out when he directed MIA’s last music video starring a red-headicide. With “Bad Girls” he keeps us on the edge of our office chairs with some pretty insane car stunts. How do you get a car on 2 wheels?! M.I.A. is tough as nails.

See you on Monday for your Monday Mini Mixtape.

M.I.A, Bad Girls from ROMAIN-GAVRAS on Vimeo.

Segal Family Foundation

One of our amazing supporters, the Segal Family Foundation, is a young organization that uses a common sense approach towards making a difference in the lives and communities of people in Sub-Saharan Africa. Like Invisible Children, they started out with a sincere curiosity to seek out an area of the world where there was the most need and could make an impact. The Segal Family Foundation’s funding has been focused on our Legacy Scholarship Program for female university scholars. Because of the Segal Family Foundation and other scholarship donors, 45% of our scholars are women in secondary programs. Incredible.

Read the inspiring article written by Martin Segal, the Managing Director of the the Segal Family Foundation here.

Behind KONY 2012 tour: Team Mid Atlantic

TEAM MID ATLANTIC
Kentucky, Raleigh (NC), Virginia, West Virginia, Washington DC
EMILY BURCHETT, LAWRENCE BREMER, DYANNA JAYE & FREESIA LEVINE

Ugandan Roadie: Odong Kizito

Self-proclaimed team motto: “Are you ready to rumble?”

Honorable mention: They call themselves Lawrence and the Machine.

Team Mascots: Juba (like the peace talks) and Troupa (like the troops)

Welcome to the getting-to-know-the-roadies interview. Let’s start with where you’re from.

Dyanna Jaye (DJ): Chesapeake, Virginia.

Freesia Levine (FL): Santa Rosa, California.

Lawrence Bremer (LB): Winchester, New York

Emily Burchett (EB): Salt Lake City, Utah.

You guys were just informed of who your Ugandan teammate is going to be. Are you excited?

DJ: It’s Odong Kizito! We’re so excited!

Thad [our photographer]: He is the most amazing man – you are very lucky to have him.

EB: We can’t wait to meet up with him!

So, how did you guys come to be familiar with Invisible Children? How did your roads lead here?

DJ: In 2006 my World History teacher showed The Rough Cut to our high school class.

FL: I went to a screening of The Rough Cut.

LB: I got involved after I saw pieces of The Rough Cut in college in Connecticut.

EB: In high school I saw The Rough Cut, and then won the golden ticket from the GO documentary and won a trip to Uganda.

What are you most excited about in the coming months?

DJ: I am looking forward to seeing Kentucky since I’ve never been there. And I’m excited to go to DC since they have been lobbying the bill.

FL: I haven’t been to any of the places we’re visiting except DC so I’m excited for everywhere.

LB: I’m excited to be in DC during an election year!

EB: I’m looking forward to Kentucky and the accents.

And the hats! In the event of downtime, what is your favorite movie that you’ll try to get your teammates to watch?

DJ: Love Actually.

FL: Life is Beautiful.

LB: Step Brothers

EB: Jurassic Park, or The Guardian.

Nice. What about TV shows?

DJ: The Office.

FL: Friends.

LB: The Office.

EB: Modern Family, or Dirty Jobs.

If you could have lunch with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?

DJ: Banksy [the British street artist].

FL: Bell Hooks…I have a social justice crush.

LB: Emma Watson…there are no words.

EB: The Silver Fox [Sean Connery] and/or Ryan Gosling.

What is your biggest fear?

DJ: Climate change.

FL: Getting lost by myself in a car.

LB: When I see people standing close to the edge of a cliff.

EB: Shots and needles. And I have a weird fear of sleeping next to a window.

Hopefully none of you will have to face your biggest fears while out on the road. We’re so excited for you to go launch the KONY 2012 campaign – stop at nothing, Team Mid-Atlantic.

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Team Mid-Atlantic wants to meet you at a screening. Call them to set one up at (619) 562-2799 Ext 180 or fill out this form.

Ivan & Alyosha Pledge Music Campaign for Invisible Children

Ivan & Alyosha played the Invisible Children Holiday Benefit show this last year and blew everybody’s mind. Not only are their songs phenomenal, but they’re some of the nicest guys we’ve had the chance to work with. Come to think of it.. we get to work with a TON of nice people. !

They’re making a new album and if you pledge to the album you can get signed vinyl, a Capella tracks, backstage passes or even private shows. 10% of all money they raise over their goal will go to Invisible Children.

Go here to support the making of this album:
http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/ivanandalyosha

Cillie Barnes covers Dawes for The Voice Project

Our good friends at The Voice Project are working to raise awareness about the conflict in Central Africa by encouraging amazing artists to cover songs by other amazing artists.

Their latest installment features a very sincere rendition of Dawes’ “Million Dollar Bill” by Cillie Barnes. I think I could listen to this song 100 times over, flip the tape, and listen to it 100 times more without growing tired of it. Enjoy.

Behind KONY 2012 tour: Team Southeast

TEAM SOUTHEAST
Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina (not Raleigh), South Carolina, Savannah (GA)
TESSA STADELI, LAURA WELDY, KEVO RIVERA & SHEA LEWIS

Ugandan Roadie: Aromorach Agnes

Self-proclaimed team motto: “Insanity at its finest”

Welcome Roadies. Who are you and where are you from?

Laura Weldy (LW): I’m Laura and I’m from Oakdale, Minnesota.

Tessa Stadeli (TS): My name is Tessa and Silverton, Oregon.

Kevo Rivera (KR): I am Kevo and I am from Burbank, California.

Shea Lewis (SL): I’m Shea and I’m from Orange County, California.

How did you come to be involved with Invisible Children as Roadies?

LW: In college [at University of Minnesota-Morris Campus], I was studying human rights work and showed The Rough Cut to a class when I was a teachers assistant. I realized this was what I wanted to do, so I postponed grad school and now I’m here.

TS: I saw The Rough Cut in high school and then went to The Rescue. I was part of the 25 campaign, and went to the Fourth Estate and met Tiffany and interned here last semester.

KR: I was bored one night in 2006 and saw this event posting on MySpace for the Global Night Commute. The next day I watched The Rough Cut and it changed my life. I started an IC Club in high school, and during college was an intern.

SL: I saw the Rough Cut in 7^th grade and felt a calling from God 3 months ago to apply to be a Roadie.

What TV show could you watch all day, every day?

LW: 30 Rock.

TS: Modern Family.

KR: Dr. Who.

SL: Sons of Anarchy & Rescue Me.

What are your pet peeves?

LW: When people recite lines in movies before they are said on screen. And only leaving a little bit of milk in the carton and putting it back in the fridge.

You would hate living at my house – we do all of those things. Tessa?

TS: I don’t like when people wear the same two colors on top and on bottom…especially if the shades are different.

KR: I get irrationally upset when people end phrases with prepositions.

SL: When someone says something and then says “but”…like…you did a great job but…

Gotcha. What are your biggest fears?

LW: I have an irrational fear of moths. They’re so dusty and gross!

TS: Apathy. Not just in my own life but world apathy. Living a life that’s not meaningful.

KR: I have a fear of tongues. They are like aliens residing in your mouth and you don’t really know if they are supposed to be there. And Zombie Apocalypse. You can’t kill zombies. Aliens, yes, but zombies no.

SL: Breaking up with a girl.

You mean you fear a girl breaking up with you?

SL: No, I mean having to break up with a girl. Have you ever had to do it? It’s terrifying. And I am fearful of rock paper scissors.

I won’t even ask for you to expand on that. If you could have lunch with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?

LW: A crazy writer that I love so I could pick their brain…like Charles McCloskey.

TS: Martin Luther King, Jr.

KR: Joseph Kony…with a GPS tracker.

Best. Answer. Yet. Shea, no pressure.

SL: Jesus.

And finally, what are you most excited to see on the road?

LW: Graceland!

TS: I’m excited to see South Carolina…Myrtle Beach.

KR: Tim McGraw in Nashville. I’m determined to find him and put on his cowboy hat.

SL: I’m looking forward to finding Taylor Swift so I can marry her…I have to find my future wife.

You guys are going to do great things. We’re excited for you to embark on your journey. Spread the word and stop at nothing.

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Team Southeast wants to meet you (even if you’re not Tim McGraw or Taylor Swift). Book a screening with them by calling (619) 562-2799 Ext 168 or fill out this form.

Monday Mini Mixtape #3 – Be Yourself

I was reminded this weekend of a pretty amazing quote about music:

“I hate a song that makes you think that you are not any good. I hate a song that makes you think that you are just born to lose. Bound to lose. No good to nobody. No good for nothing. Because you are too old or too young or too fat or too slim or too ugly or too this or too that. Songs that run you down or poke fun at you on account of your bad luck or hard travelling. I am out to fight those songs to my very last breath of air and my last drop of blood. I am out to sing songs that will prove to you that this is your world and that if it has hit you pretty hard and knocked you for a dozen loops, no matter what color, what size you are, how you are built, I am out to sing the songs that make you take pride in yourself and in your work.” – Woodie Guthrie

I don’t have Woodie’s talent to write songs, but I’m out to find the songs that help people connect and make you feel. The goal of these mixes is to help get you through the week. I connect emotionally to songs and am such a sharer, so this is an amazing platform to share tunes that mean so much to me. So whether the songs help you sit with an emotion, or inspire you to get out of your chair and dance to forget your problems for just a second… hopefully you feel connected to a community that is inspiring you.

So support these artists so that they can continue making wonderful songs for us to share.

Grab the mix here or by clicking on the image above.

1. Hooray for Us – Peter & The Wolf | I can’t get enough
2. Whole Love – Wilco | An old fave who keep pumping out great hits
3. Black And White – The Generationals | This band doesn’t know how to write a bad song
4. Black Water – Timber Timbre | Baritone vox that’ll relax you into lethargy
5. Candles – Daughter | I met my friend Whitney through our mutual love for music… she recently introduced me to Daughter and so I’m honored to pay it forward to you.
6. Ash Tree Lane – Ms Mr | Will draw comparisons to Florence
7. I Belong In Your Arms – Chairlift | Makes me want to rollerskate through an 80’s film
8. Hey Hi – Cillie Barnes | With an incredibly unique voice, full sound and approachable lyrics I expect we’ll be hearing more from her this year
9. Struggle and Strife – TW Walsh | “I broke ground on a brand new life/ Same love, same hate, same fear, new struggle and strife” .. tear my heart out!
10. No One Lied – Jack Peñate | Brits know heartache better than the rest of us. Jack’s vocals are so powerfully on point

We’re working on setting up a Spotify account for these mixes so prepare to subscribe next monday.

-Kenny