I found it hard to sleep last night after receiving word that I will be an audience member during tonight’s live “Idol Gives Back” show (8/7c), American Idol’s star-studded event to raise awareness about extreme poverty in Africa.

As a LA-based field organizer for the ONE Campaign, I am really looking forward to seeing ONE’s founder, Bono, on the show tonight discussing the ONE Campaign and our on-going effort to make poverty history. I also can’t wait to hear the American Idol contestants sing “American Prayer,” a song written by Bono and Dave Stewart about the AIDS emergency in Africa.

Stay tuned, as I’ll report back on how it goes.

UPDATE: Buy your own ONE band and shirt here.

What an exciting morning!

I was contacted earlier in the week to be on Orlando’s O-Rock 105.9 “Morning After” show with Drew, Savannah and Rob to talk about ONE! So this morning I met ONE members Dawn, Jody and Melodie and we headed up the 4th floor of the radio station for our interview, bearing gifts of ONE bands, shirts and donuts! Although this show is a crazy rock morning show, they still took the time to focus on issues like extreme poverty, AIDS and Malaria Day, which is recognized today. Drew is a true Bono fan, (had the song “ONE” playing during our interview) and wanted to hear about what’s happening with ONE on American Idol this week. Last night the judges and many of the contestants were wearing the white band, and tonight will be even more exciting for the ONE Campaign. What a great opportunity to be able to reach out to over 30 million people about such important issues.

We told our audience how they can get involved by signing up on ONE.org and locating a group in their city to take part in local ONE outreach, whether it be AIDS Walks (where we met the gang from O-Rock) or faith-based groups, or concerts, there’s something for everyone of all ages with ONE. During our interview we even had a listener call in and say how proud they are of what we are doing, and how important it is to get involved. DJ Drew had our website up on the screen and commented on how the 2.4 million members number will rise over the next couple of days… everyone is taking guesses on by how much…what’s your guess? While on the site, Drew joined ONE and signed the declaration too!

After almost a 1/2 hr. of interview time (thanks guys!) we left the audience with important information about ONE.org, and we left the O-Rock team with with ONE prize packs that included ONE bands, ONE shirts and “On the Move,” Bono’s National Prayer Breakfast speech in book form. (And the donuts!).

As I got in my car and continued listening to their broadcast – they were asking the question “so what have you learned today”… I learned how easy it is to provide awareness about issues that are important to you – especially if your message comes from the heart. Thanks again to the crew at O-Rock! Looking forward to following up with them in a few days.

In opening, let me just say, we are all one. On Saturday, this was further proven at the annual earth gathering we have in Yoctangee Park. The variety of people, ethnicities, backgrounds, lifestyles, and professions was incredible and the positive energy was everywhere.

There was a vibration in the air, and maybe I’m bias, but I feel a lot of that was coming from our awesome ONE tent. We had such a melting pot of people volunteering for this common cause — everything from fire fighters, to tree sitters, to musicians, and yours truly, a surgical assistant. We inspired and educated and actually got most people interested in volunteering for ONE. It was unity at it’s finest.

All together we gathered 160 signatures. A proud day for us all I would say. It was incredibly moving to see so many people gathered together out of love for a cause and a love for other human life. I wish everyone could have been there. I’m still buzzing from it. A huge thanks goes out to Shelley Pocock, the organizer of the earth gathering. She is a truly talented individual and we appreciate her helping us out so much. And thanks especially to the incredible volunteers that showed up today. You are the movement, you are sparking the fire that will spread and ignite the world to light up with love and compassion. You are representing ONE where it counts, you are proving that ordinary people can do extraordinary things with only a few hours and minimal resources. So again, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

With thousands of sign ups coming in, this was an out and out fantastic night for the ONE Campaign. We couldn’t be more excited for tomorrow’s show, and if you’re one of our new members, we couldn’t be more excited to have you on board.

The ONE TV spot, which aired on American Idol tonight is below. Note appearances by Brad Pitt, Penelope Cruz, P. Didddy, Susan Surandon, Edward Norton, Cameron Diaz, Dennis Hopper, Justin Timberlake, Al Pacino, Antonio Banderas, Alfre Woodard, Noah Wiley, Jack Valente, Jewel, Bono Kevin Bacon, Tom Hanks, Benicio Del Toro, Ryan Gosling, Ellen Degeneres, Rita Wilson, George Clooney, Bishop Frank Griswold, Emma Thompson and Jamie Fox.

Also, my list for ONE bands spottings from tonight’s show:

Host Ryan Seacrest
Judge Randy Jackson
Judge Simon Cowell
Judge Paula Abdul
Contestant Melinda Dolittle
Contestant Lakisha Jones
Contestant Phil Stacey
Contestant Jordon Sparks

Please let me know in the comments if I missed anyone.

UPDATE: Buy your own ONE band and shirt here.

At 8:52 exactly we here at ONE headquarters turned up from our work when we heard the ONE TV spot air live on American Idol.

Already we can report thousands of new sign ups. That’s before the end of the show and very much before tomorrow night’s show (8/7c) when Bono will meet with contestants to talk about the ONE Campaign and how viewers at home can get involved in ONE and our grassroots fight to end extreme poverty.

If you missed it, the TV spot will be up here on the ONE blog in just moments.

UPDATE: Buy your own ONE band and shirt here.

American Idol is starting up.

At the top of the show we saw video of Idol’s Simon Cowell and Ryan Seacrest visiting devastating regions of Africa, meeting children and families living in extreme poverty.

ONE band sightings so far:

Host Ryan Seacrest
Judge Randy Jackson
Judge Simon Cowell
Judge Paula Abdul
Contestant Melinda Dolittle
Contestant LaKisha Jones

Help us out, comment below if you see more ONE bands on stage tonight.

And make sure to watch out for the new ONE TV spot at 52 minutes after the hour.

Since last Monday, ONE members have been writing and calling their senators asking them to sign on to the “Feinstein-Hagel” Dear Colleague letter asking for $39.8 billion for the international affairs budget (IAB). We want 60 signers by Friday, and right now we’re at 42.

If you don’t see both of your state’s senators below, please call 1-800-786-2663 or write them a letter now, urging them to fully fund the IAB in 2008.

* Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hi)
* Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
* Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
* Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
* Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC)
* Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
* Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-MD)
* Sen. Robert Casey (D-PA)
* Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY)
* Sen. Norm Coleman (R-NM)
* Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)
* Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT)
* Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-NC)
* Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND)
* Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL)
* Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI)
* Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
* Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR)
* Sen. Chuck Hagel (D-NE)
* Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)
* Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI)
* Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
* Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA)
* Sen. John Kerry (D-MA)
* Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI)
* Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)

* Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
* Sen. Joseph Lieberman (ID-CT)
* Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN)
* Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL)
* Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
* Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)
* Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL)
* Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL)
* Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO)
* Sen. Jack Reed (D- RI)
* Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR)
* Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME)
* Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
* Sen. John Sununu (R-NH)
* Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH)
* Sen. John Warner (R-VA)

The whole office is working to make sure that everything is in place for American Idol tonight and tomorrow night.

Tonight, at 8:52pm EST, the show will air our newly edited 30 second ONE TV Spot.

Tomorrow night, Bono will meet with contestants to talk about the ONE Campaign and how viewers at home can get involved in ONE and our grassroots fight to end extreme poverty.

Show info:

Tuesday, FOX (8/7c)

Wednesday, FOX (8/7c)

Stayed tuned for more info.

Mayor Rudy Giuliani was in town this morning for breakfast with some New Hampshire voters. In his speech, he gave a quick example about what it means to be a US Ambassador: He said that as an ambassador your job is in part to explain what America is to the world.

After the speech the mayor came around and shook hands with people in the room. I was able to give him a ONE band, which he recognized and put on.

Later, I was able to speak with Mayor Giuliani and told him that as a ONE member, I thought our US efforts to fight AIDS and extreme poverty in Africa show the world exactly the type of people Americans are.

Our efforts with the ONE Campaign represent a partnership between the best of Americans and of Africans. We are saving lives in the developing world and when we do so, we become ambassadors of our own country in the poorest nations.

According to new reports from the World Bank, approximately 985 million people around the world now live on less than $1 day, down from an estimated 1.25 billion on 1990.

Extreme poverty is often defined as living on less than $1 a day and the “over a billion” figure has found a home on many ONE Campaign materials.

Find ONE’s updated fact sheets
here.