I have come to believe that great change can happen through one conversation. I have sat through endless lectures, seminars, and conferences throughout my education. But I can look back on my journey and realize that a conversation with one friend or complete stranger has left just as much of an imprint on my life. A few years back I went to a concert with my brother and best friend, and met a girl about my age with a clipboard. For the first time, I heard about the ONE campaign. She talked to us about global poverty and great despair. She left with our signature, and we were left with the responsibility that always comes with awareness. I have followed the ONE campaign through emails and have anticipated the time to work more closely with this organization.

That time came when I helped a friend put on a TOMS Shoes, Style Your Sole Event. I was first introduced to TOMS Shoes when I walked into a boutique in Orange County, CA. The simplicity and creativity of the shoe caught my eye, and the sales associate noticed. She spent the time to talk to me be about their ONE for ONE vision. She was left with a sale, and I again was left with the growing awareness and the excitement to pursue this cause further. Since then, I have organized events for TOMS with the most recent event in Whittier, California where we invited ONE to speak to others as they once spoke to me a couple years back. Invisible Children, Not for Sale, and Krochet Kids International also joined the event to advocate on behalf of others.

I have spent time talking to my friends, realizing that sometimes it takes just one conversation to alter someone’s worldview and their course of action. I believe we did that together this past weekend. I hope we continue to find ways to spread the message to others in the future.

-Dianna Grobstein, ONE Member Pasadena

This past weekend the NAACP state conference was held in Manhattan Beach. Celebrating its 100 year anniversary of ensuring social equality for African Americans and all who have faced social injustices, the NAACP pressed forward with an exciting theme: “Reflections of Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow.” Founded in 1909 in New York City by a group of black and white citizens committed to social justice, the National Associate for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is the nation’s largest and strongest civil rights organization. Today the NAACP is a network of more than 2,200 affiliates covering all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Japan and Germany. The California State NAACP boasts 72 branches and youth units mobilized across the state to help ensure racial justice and equality.

Zephanii Smith, NAACP Youth and College Division President, invited ONE to contribute to their “CODE RED” program targeting young adults. The program featured organizations speaking to young Americans about local and global HIV/Aids. A group called “Positive Secrets” highlighted the event with a series of skits, written and directed by Melanie Curtis Andrews. The self titled play was inspired by true stories of HIV positive Americans before, during and after their HIV positive diagnosis. Through a medley of song and dance, the troop mesmerized the young audience while providing a simple message: get tested often and protect yourself always.

ONE’s message built upon this incredible performance by asking the audience to expand their knowledge of the same disease beyond their own neighborhoods. Twenty-two million Africans suffer from HIV/Aids, and while PEPFAR helped raised the number of treated patients from 50,000 to over 3 million, there are still many more people who need antiretroviral medication immediately. The young adults received ONE bands, signed up for ONE via text message, and were encouraged to visit our site to learn more about what ONE members do to advocate on behalf of others around the world.

I want to thank Zephanii Smith for recognizing the battle against HIV/Aids, while an imperative fight here at home, extends beyond our borders. With our invitation, Zephanii expressed the important role global education plays in protecting ourselves, as well as our local and global community. Make sure to check out the clip of Zephanii and other attendees.

-Roscoe Mapps, ONE Organizer, California

Roscoe Mapps reports from San Francisco and Berkeley; Marlaine Cover reports from San Diego; and Jim Herley Bowling reports from Ocean Park:

San Francisco Stands Up! At City Hall

[Because] “we can’t fail our conscience…”
[Because] “this is a fundamental issue along with climate change that drives the situation in the world today…”
[Because] “it’s important to note that we do have the resources to uproot poverty…”
[Because] “education is the most effective anti-poverty strategy in the world…”
[Because] “we have a President who was elected to help address the needs of the poor…”
“We are standing up today to say, ‘U.S. government, let’s address the fundamental causes, let’s address the issue of poverty…’

These were just a few powerful reasons ONE members joined the San Francisco State University International Relation Student Association, RESULTS, and the Bay Area Interfaith Millennium Development Goals Coalition to Stand Up Against Poverty on the steps of San Francisco City Hall. Standing with City Supervisors David Compos and John Avalos, those historical steps, which have often been a platform to address equality and injustices, became a background of support for those living on less than $2 a day. Check out clips from some of the passionate speakers we enjoyed during this noon event:

Berkeley Students Take Their Turn to Stand Up!

Since 2007 UC Berkeley students have had the option of pursuing a minor degree in Global Poverty and Practice. Under the Blum Center for Developing Economies, students accept the challenge of analyzing the “ethics of global citizenship” and increasing the role their generation has assumed in seeing an end to poverty in our lifetime. With their infamous passion, ONE by ONE, student leaders educated their peers on the purpose and the promise of the Millennium Development Goals. Joined by Professor Ananya Roy and CEO of Back to Earth Ari Derfel, over 130 students and community members attended. Afterward, Sara, an OCC leader, tabled for ONE next to other organizations who stood up that day. Berkeley, an institution known for its students of extraordinary leadership and conviction has once again set the bar for their community to get involved, speak out, and help make the case against poverty.

San Diego Stands Up!

On Sunday ONE San Diego hosted their fourth STAND UP San Diego event at Grape Day Park in Escondido. To underscore their theme of “Taking Humanity to Whole New Heights”, ONE organizers treated participants to kite making and music, and added 203 people to the global Stand Up total.






Church in Ocean Park Stands Up and Holds ONE Sabbath

This past Sunday in Santa Monica, the Church in Ocean Park had a wonderful ONE Sabbath and Stand Up Against Poverty event led by our congregation’s young people. We sang, danced, read the Millennium Development Goals, and announced our follow-up action to Stand Up: the Fall Fancy Dress Ball on Friday, October 30 to raise money for life-saving bednets purchased by the Against Malaria Foundation.

At the end of the service, we ended as we always do–holding hands in a circle. It was our moment to Stand Up with so many others around the globe, to be counted in the fight against global poverty.

ONE members visited Senator Feinstein’s San Diego office to thank her for her support of legislation related to fulfillment of the Millennium Development Goals. Seated in a conference room with Field Representative Laura McGann, we voiced special appreciation for the Senator Feinstein’s re-authorization of PEPFAR, support for the Lugar-Casey Global Food Security Act and most recently endorsement of the “Water for the World” Act. After hand delivering a petition signed by over 16,000 Californians and visiting her offices around the state, Senator Feinstein recently co-sponsored Water for the World Act of 2009.

Recognizing the disproportionate impact climate change has on the poor, we requested Senator Feinstein work to direct 5% of the revenue from current and future climate related legislation to assisting the poorest on our planet. We look forward to a new open door with Laura in the future and always enjoy working with other ONE members. If you are around San Diego you can join us at our next event: Stand-Up Against Poverty on Sunday, October 18th at 4pm. You can RSVP here.

We hope to see you there!

-Marlaine Cover, ONE San Diego

Yesterday, fellow ONE members Trisha Hensley and Sheila Lynch joined me in meeting with Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey (CA-6). After thanking the Congresswoman for voting in support of the PEPFAR reauthorization and the JUBILEE Act last year, as well as her co-sponsorship of the ‘Paul Simon Water for the World’, ‘Newborn, Mother and Child Survival’ and ‘Initiating Foreign Aid Reform’ bills this year, we asked her what issues facing the world’s poor she was most passionate. It was clear from Rep. Woolsey’s response that she has a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of the vast array of poverty-related issues, but her personal experiences in Africa have led her to connect most deeply with the prevention of HIV/AIDS and improvement of child and maternal health.

Earlier this year Congresswoman Woolsey joined CARE on a trip to Tanzania to learn more about the challenges facing people in the region. The interactions that she had with women in Tanzania and the struggles they face with lack of prenatal care and the risk of HIV/AIDS continue to compel her to work side-by-side with us at ONE in the fight against extreme global poverty.

Next, we learned more about Congresswoman Woolsey’s courageous stand on ending the genocide in Darfur. It isn’t everyday that a visit to a congresswoman is spent recalling an arrest for civil disobedience action organized by the Save Darfur Coalition outside the Sudanese Embassy in Washington!

Below are some of the Congresswoman’s remarks delivered immediately prior to her arrest:

“After recognizing genocide in Darfur almost five years ago, it’s far past time for the international community to come together to end it. We’re here today to send a message to Khartoum, and to the world, that lawmakers in the United States Congress are making ending the genocide in Darfur a top priority. This isn’t a Democratic issue or a Republican issue – this is one of the moral issues of our time.”

As a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health, Lynn Woolsey continues to be a great champion for world’s poorest people. She expressed gratitude for our visit, as well as the important work ONE is doing, and she encouraged us to spread the word to other members of ONE to visit their representatives, especially those members of Congress who haven’t already demonstrated strong support on these issues.

-Lori Saltveit, ONE San Francisco Bay Area

Friday evening and Saturday afternoon ONE members gathered at theatres in San Francisco and Berkeley for the premiere screening of Youssou N’Dour: I Bring What I Love. The film traces the journey of Senegalese artist Youssou N’Dour touring for his album Egypt. Vasarhelyi’s film highlights the contrast of the acceptance the album receives from Youssou’s home and neighboring countries as compared to western culture.

From the corners of the theatre I watched audiences cry and cheer, re-live and relate to Youssou’s story. After the film, we were privileged with a special Q&A session with Chai Vasarhelyi, Director and Producer of the film. I have included a small piece of video, as Vasarhelyi responds to a question regarding screenings in Senegal.

-Roscoe Mapps

On Friday ONE co-hosted a premiere screening of ‘Youssou N’Dour: I Bring What I Love’ in Los Angeles with the film’s director and producer Chai Vasarhelyi.

It was a very enjoyable event with over 200 in attendance for the amazing documentary on ONE policy board member and Senegalese artist Youssou N’Dour. It was great to view scenes of Youssou on Capitol Hill testifying about the importance of US assistance in the fight against malaria and on stage during Live 8.

Director Chai Vasarhelyi held a Q&A after the film. She shared her appreciation for ONE and told some great stories about the making of the film ad her travels through Africa.

ONE members in attendance gained great insight into Youssou’s life, faith, music, and his home country of Senegal. Some of the most captivating footage came as millions of Sufi Muslims of Western Africa traveled to Touba Senegal on pilgrimage.

All film goers received a cool ONE/Youssou t-shirt. Thanks to ONE volunteer Colleen for her help with our tabling efforts.

Check out http://www.ibringwhatilove.com/ to find out when the film will be showing in your home town. You won’t want to miss it.

-Matt Higginson

A month ago I received an email from a ONE Member named Gina Kim who simply said she wanted to do a small local event that brings attention to those living on less than $1 a day, and she wanted to do it with ONE. Well, I’d never met Gina before in my life, we lived over 450 miles away from each other, and I didn’t know she was also a ONE member. So, of course I said, “Sounds Great. Let’s do it!” – I called her and together we mapped a game plan over the phone.

Immediately Gina got a couple of friends together and they built a small coalition of people in her community. After just a couple weeks of spreading the word, Gina’s coalition included volunteers from church groups, student groups, local entertainers, a Starbucks and a shopping center called Amerige Heights Town Center. They scheduled a date and a set an important goal: Talk about extreme poverty, the solutions, the successes, and talk to as many people as possible in ONE business day! – AND WHAT A DAY IT WAS!

While 9 different performers drew crowds to the ONE stage, 15 volunteers went to work to start conversations. Computers were set up to show video clips of the work thousands of ONE members are doing around the country. Volunteers wearing ONE shirts handed out wristbands, recruited new members and started global poverty conversations throughout the day. It turns out that Gina’s short email to me, over a month ago, resulted in nearly 1 new ONE Member every 2 minutes that day! — And twice as many conversations! Gina said they were all so proud after their event and in her most recent email, Gina expressed: “..[in] the spirit of reverence toward becoming socially relevant… [a] community found itself chiming into a social agreement to make poverty history!”

ONE members like Gina are getting in touch with their local organizers all the time. Together we are finding creative ways to educate Americans on the smart solutions to fight extreme global poverty. Get involved with us! If you’re not sure how to get started contact your local field organizer, OR you can find a local event in progress.

Thanks for the email Gina – maybe ONE day we’ll get a chance to meet in person!

-Roscoe Mapps, ONE California

Yesterday, I had the great pleasure of meeting with Rep. Susan Davis, Congresswoman from California’s 53rd District. The event was sponsored by the Women’s Equity Council of the United Nations Association of San Diego. After giving a great speech about the role of woman in Congress and her latest trip to Afghanistan, I was able to speak with her briefly about ONE and the work we do.

not only was she gracious while hearing about our cause but the congresswoman was very engaged. The outcome was better than I could have expected! Not only did I get a green light to contact her during summer recess, Congresswoman Davis accepted and wore the ONE wristband. Thank you Congresswoman! And special thanks to Cynthia Kowalski for inviting ONE to be there.

-Josh McMahon, San Diego ONE member

As we celebrated fathers throughout the Bay Area, families were also stopping by a ONE member’s house – Lori Saltveit – Sunday afternoon to participate in her BeadforLife party. As a partner of ONE, many members have had the opportunity to attend BeadforLIfe jewelry making parties all across the country. Lori’s party allowed families to take time out of their Father’s Day events to help mothers in Uganda.

Since 2004, BeadforLife has provided sustainable income for Ugandan women and their families by selling their beautiful jewelry, handmade from recycled paper. The women are HIV+ mothers, refugees from a brutal civil war, former prostitutes and other impoverished people. Before joining BeadforLife, all of the members struggled to get by on less than $1 a day.*

These Ugandan entrepreneurs have been supporting their families and helping their economy by creating beads to then be sold separately or as pre-made jewelry. Once the beads are made, some of them are then shipped to Colorado and distributed throughout the U.S. to volunteers interested in helping Ugandan women sell their products. On Sunday, $654 worth of beads were purchased by a dozen adults (and some kiddos too)! I was there to witness Lori continue the conversation about ONE and the difference ONE and our partners are making through intimate events such as these. As we answered questions, ONE visitor even commented, “Wow, you really are making a difference.” Lori simply responded, “We’re trying to!”

You can visit the BeadforLife website to read the background stories of all the Beaders involved. You can begin hosting your own ONE event with your friends, and check out the rest of the list of ONE’s partners on our website.

-Roscoe Mapps, California Organizer

*BeadforLife – Eradicating Poverty One Bead at a Time Factsheet Q3.08