Every day for the past two years, The Pollination Project has made seed grants to up and coming social change leaders around the world. We are happy to share the extraordinary people and projects we supported this week.
Honoring Elders in Cleveland, Ohio.
Incarceration in California. Writer and director Alexander L. Lee is a former prisoners' rights attorney and activist living in the California Bay Area. A dying client and his surviving family inspired Alexander to write the short film, El Camino. The film highlights some of the challenges faced by the 2.7 million youth with incarcerated parents in the United States, including financial and housing instability, depression, educational difficulties, bullying, and being forced into the foster care system. The film aims to both empower these youth by giving a voice to a familiar experience, as well as to encourage the general public to relate to the emotions behind the experience. "Ultimately the film shows grief to be a universal emotion that defies nationality, race, and class and engenders our compassion for each other," said Alexander.
Technology Training in Kenya.
Clean Water in Mozambique.
Crafting Beauty in Charlotte, North Carolina. MoaZen Jewelry is a specialty brand with its roots in the community of Charlotte, North Carolina. Founded by visionaries and twin sisters, Faith and Hope Rivers, the Moazen Project works to encourage individuals to discover the beauty that exists in cultures outside of their own. They currently design jewelry and manufacture it in a small studio. "Each season, we design around a new culture and introduce our brand supporters to all of its wisdom and beauty," said the founders. The funds they receive from jewelry sales are used to sustain their MoaZen MeToo! Programs, which encourage "equal access to inspiration" by offering quality art programs to youth who would not otherwise be able to participate in arts. They also host workshops that introduce preschoolers to art and culture, preteens to design and self-esteem, and adults to a more conscious lifestyle.
Promoting Care for Pets in Santa Cruz, California.
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