In early May, I’ll have the privilege of joining the hundreds of people who come together in Washington, D.C., each year to speak out on behalf of the world’s poor. I’ll get an inside look at dedicated activists as they advance U.S. policies that empower marginalized women and girls who, with the right tools, can lift entire communities out of poverty.

You can be part of this life-changing experience, too, through CARE’s National Conference & Celebration, which is rapidly approaching on May 5 and 6.

This year humanitarian Richard Gere will receive an award for his dedication to advocating on behalf of people around the world. We’ll hear from keynote speakers Wolf Blitzer and Gwen Ifill, as well as CARE Ambassador Sheila Johnson. Musician and activist Michael Franti will inspire us, too, with his songs.

But this conference is about more than “big names.” It’s about speaking up for those who can only dream of access to the halls of power. It’s about introducing policymakers to programs that make a difference for real people striving to overcome poverty. Some participants will have lobbied before. But for others, this will be the first face time they’ve ever had with a member of Congress. Together, they’ll speak for those around the world who can’t.

This year, we’ll be working to protect the futures of girls who are forced to marry as children; fix a food aid system that sometimes causes more problems than it solves; and put the needs of poor people front and center in the conversation about climate change. These are big issues that affect millions of people every day. We need your voice!

The 1 billion people who live on little more than a dollar a day are struggling to figure out how to cope with a global financial crisis not of their making. They feel the effects in severe, even life-threatening, ways.
You can remind leaders that global problems require global solutions.

CARE’s National Conference & Celebration offers the chance to learn about key issues from poverty-fighting experts. But past participants say they’ve left feeling empowered, too. They gain the tools to be a true champion for opportunity, equality and dignity for all people.

This is the one big event all year that brings together individuals like you who care about creating a world without poverty and who stand together to take action on Capitol Hill. I know I’m excited to see these citizen activists in action. You can be one, too! Take advantage of this opportunity and join us in Washington, D.C., on May 5 and 6! For more information, visit: http://careconference.org/.

-Brian Feagans, CARE

It’s conference season in our nation’s capital! Several of ONE’s partners are hosting national conferences, trainings and advocacy workshops for poverty-fighting activists like you! Check out the list below and sign up to attend!

• April 21-22: Save the Children’s Advocacy Day 2009
• April 26-29: Sojourner’s Mobilization to End Poverty
• May 5-6: CARE’s National Conference and Celebration
• May 26-30: Global Health Council’s 36th Annual International Conference on Global Health
• June 14-16: Bread for the World’s Gathering: Rejoice. Hope. Act.
• June 20-23: RESULTS’ International Conference: Empowering People to End Poverty

–Margaret McDonnell, US NGO Partnerships and Faith Relations Team, ONE

As we’ve been blogging about for the past few weeks, last night was the special live broadcast of “A Powerful Noise” screened at over 450 theaters across the country. Many ONE members (including yours truly) attended, and I wanted to round up some reactions, photos, and videos from this great event.

Hampton, VA
Women in Hampton, VA made a powerful noise in a quiet theatre by gathering to hear the stories of women from the developing world who are leaders in their communities and learning how to take action. The film was followed by an incredible panel discussion with Helene Gayle, Madeleine Albright, Nicholas Kristof, Christy Turlington Burns, and Natalie Portman who encouraged us to fight extreme poverty by advocating for sustainable solutions to our congressional representatives.

-Lauren Conn

Birmingham, AL
The room wasn’t full but Birmingham had a respectable number in attendance at A Powerful Noise, especially given that tonight’s screening was our second in the last 5 months. The attendees were very quiet and attentive, often seen wiping away tears. As they left the theatre, many were compelled to share what brought them to tonight’s event. One woman stumbled upon A Powerful Noise the previous night at 11:00 p.m. on the internet as she was helping her daughter research a paper on women’s rights. Another got an email from artist Michael Franti. One man enthusiastically said that he had finally found what he was looking for!

The theatre would not grant me permission to set up a table so I made up small packets to give to people as they left the auditorium. The packet proved to be a welcome “departing gift” for the diehards who stayed until the end credits. People responded with gratitude for being given the tools to go home and take action.

-Elaine VanCleave

Florida
Across the state, Florida ONE volunteers got together at various movie theatres last night to watch the screening of “A Powerful Noise”. It was exciting to celebrate International Women’s Day and at the same time learn more about the strength and solidarity of women who are fighting poverty around the world. Here in Florida, we are energized and ready to do what we can locally to empower women and girls to help us continue to raise awareness about extreme poverty and preventable diseases!

-Sara Paterni

Pittsburg, PA
Last night I went with some Pittsburgh ONE members to watch a local screening of A Powerful Noise. At the theater, we spoke with some of the movie goers and it was so encouraging to hear their thoughts and enthusiasm for a film that speaks so poignantly about the issues of global poverty, disease, maternal health, education and all of the companion issues that are so much a part of what we do at ONE. For some of these conversations, check out video from the event here.

-Christopher Geer

Minneapolis/ St. Paul, MN
Last night local ONE members attended screenings of ‘A Powerful Noise’ all over the Twin Cities, I met up with a group of about 10 at the downtown Minneapolis Theatre. We felt the documentary was fantastic and the panel discussion was extremely insightful and motivational. I interviewed a couple people to ask what they thought about the movie and what they hope people will take away from the experience.

I personally hope people leave motivated and find ways they can make a change in their own community or a community across the globe. A voice is a powerful thing and just like the women in the film, using it can impact and improve the lives of so many people. I hope people are inspired by these women and choose to make their own powerful noise by getting involved in organizations like ONE and CARE to make a difference in the world. Check out video from the event here and here.

-Libby Crimmings

Don’t miss the chance participate in A POWERFUL NOISE Live tomorrow night. Join thousands of people in 450 theatres across the US to watch “A Powerful Noise” and participate in the live town hall discussion with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, actress and activist Natalie Portman, CARE president and CEO Dr. Helene Gayle; CARE advocate for maternal health and contributing editor for Marie Claire Christy Turlington Burns; and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, New York Times columnist and acclaimed author Nicholas Kristof.

The event starts tomorrow, Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 7:30PM ET / 6:30PM CT / 5:30PM MT and tape delayed at 8PM PT and 7PM in Hawaii. Check out the list of participating theaters and buy your tickets here. Ticket prices range from $15-18 for adults; child prices are available at select theatres.

Some theatres have already sold out of tickets (Denver, DC, Arlington, and NYC’s Union Square) so go ahead and buy tickets today at a theatre near you.

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow night!

-Rosie Stafford

It’s not too late to buy your tickets for “A Powerful Noise” Live. ONE is working in partnership with CARE, the UN Commission on the Status of Women and NCM Fathom to bring you a one-night nationwide event featuring the acclaimed documentary “A Powerful Noise,” followed by a live town hall discussion with leading humanitarian experts and activists.

This moving documentary follows three women — Jacqueline “Madame Urbain” Dembele, Nada Markovic and Bui My Hanh— as each goes about the daily business of empowering, educating, and seeking justice in their respective societies. Weaving through locations in Mali, Vietnam and Bosnia, “A Powerful Noise” tells a tale of hope much larger than the sum of its parts. To learn more about the film, go here.

After watching the film in a movie theatre near you, you can participate in a town hall discussion broadcast live from New York City. The town hall discussion will feature a distinguished panel including former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, actress and activist Natalie Portman, CARE president and CEO Dr. Helene Gayle; CARE advocate for maternal health and contributing editor for Marie Claire Christy Turlington Burns; and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, New York Times columnist and acclaimed author Nicholas Kristof.

This ONE Night Only event in honor of International Women’s Day will take place on Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 7:30PM ET / 6:30PM CT / 5:30PM MT and tape delayed at 8PM PT and 7PM in Hawaii. Check out the list of participating theaters and buy your tickets here. Ticket prices range from $15-18 for adults; child prices are available at select theatres.

For more information on “A Powerful Noise” film and the featured town hall speakers, click here.

Check out the trailer, below:

-Rosie Stafford

Fathom, CARE and ONE are proud to present a one-night nationwide event featuring the acclaimed documentary “A Powerful Noise,” followed by a live town hall discussion with leading humanitarian experts and activists. Broadcast live from New York City, this event will take place in select movie theatres nationwide on Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 7:30PM ET / 6:30PM CT / 5:30PM MT and tape delayed at 8PM PT and 7PM in Hawaii.

Check out the list of participating theaters and buy tickets here.

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will be part of the live panel, which also includes CARE president and CEO Dr. Helene Gayle; CARE advocate for maternal health and contributing editor for Marie Claire Christy Turlington Burns; and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, New York Times columnist and acclaimed author Nicholas Kristof.

Click here to see the current list of participating theatres. Ticket prices range from $15-18 for adults; child prices are available at select theatres.

This moving documentary follows three women — Nada Markovic, Bui My Hanh, and Jacqueline “Madame Urbain” Dembele — as each goes about the daily business of empowering, educating, and seeking justice in their respective societies. Weaving through locations in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Mali, and Vietnam, “A Powerful Noise” tells a tale of hope much larger than the sum of its parts. To learn more about the film, go here.

Buy tickets here.

View the trailer:

-Emily Stivers

The self-declared “First Fair Trade Town in America” Media, Pennsylvania, hosted their first annual Fair Trade Concert on Sunday. Vendors, multicultural performers and non-profit organizations interacted with hundreds of guests at the all-day fair. ONE and CARE shared a table and we signed up nearly 200 new members!

Between noon and seven in the evening there was a constant flow to our table of interested concertgoers and many people grabbed white bands to wear the rest of the day. We found a very friendly audience in this socially-conscious community!

-Lauren Conn

Last Wednesday night, a few of us at ONE had the chance to hear Jeffrey Sachs speak at the CARE National Conference. It was a really exciting opportunity to hear from someone who has done so much research and reflection on the challenges of fighting global poverty and more specifically, meeting the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. It was great to hear his insights on both the looming food crisis and the upcoming election.

Sachs cited a lot of data that really put the crisis of global poverty into perspective. He compared the American defense and foreign assistance budgets to demonstrate how little we give to Africa as a percentage or our GDP (we give 1/100 of the defense budget in foreign assistance.) He also mentioned the food crisis as an example of the need to support local farmers and empower their growth instead of limiting our activities to emergency aid.

Sachs concluded his speech by sharing his wish to see the Millennium Development Goals in the next president’s inaugural address as a way of expressing our solidarity with the world’s poorest people. His message and enthusiasm were heard and embraced at the conference, leaving us with yet another voice encouraging us to keep pushing our leaders in such a significant year.

-Sarah Wald, ONE Intern

If you’re a DC area ONE member or are going to be in the area on June 20th, you won’t want to miss the regional premiere of “A Powerful Noise,” co-hosted by ONE and CARE. This moving documentary by Tom Cappello follows four women – Nada Markovic, Bui My Hanh, and Jacqueline “Madame Urbain” Dembele – as each of them go about the daily business of empowering, educating, and seeking justice, weaving through locations in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Mali, Vietnam and to tell a tale of hope much larger than the sum of its parts.

You can get all the information and purchase tickets here.

This will be my first year attending CARE’s National Conference in Washington on June 18 and 19, where CARE supporters from around the country travel each year at their own expense for an amazing and energizing few days. We’ll hear inspiring speakers like Jeffrey Sachs, director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University, David Gregory of NBC News, and Senator Richard Durbin. And we’ll be joined by CARE Ambassadors Christy Turlington Burns and Sheila Johnson, who are lending their famous faces to help get our message across to influential policymakers.

Participants will have a chance to hone their organizing skills, meet legislators face to face, and learn about crucial issues that CARE is working on – such as equal access to education for girls; access to small business loans that enable women to create economic opportunity in their communities; and global efforts to ensure healthy pregnancies and childbirth.

It’s been my great privilege to work for CARE for the past five years. In my job as a press officer I have traveled to almost 20 of the 70 countries where CARE works, meeting the dedicated field staff and community members who make possible daily progress toward our vision of a world without extreme poverty.

The Conference will be my first chance to meet firsthand our volunteer advocates — the activists who work tirelessly to mobilize Americans to influence U.S. policy. It’s their enthusiasm and dedication that help CARE tap into this country’s power to bring about positive change in the world.

The excitement and energy are already building, and I have no doubt this will be the most successful Conference ever. Along with ONE and our partner organizations, we are eager for a few days of big strides toward a better world. Won’t you join us? For more information go to: https://my.care.org/care/events/2008conference/

-Rick Perera, CARE