VoicesofChange Apparel

KONY 2012

If you’ve been doing anything but living under a rock today, you will have noticed, at some point or another, someone posting something about someone named Kony.

If you haven’t already, take the time to watch this 29 minute video. It’s meaningful, it’s powerful, and more importantly, it’s real: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc

I’ve spent the majority of my evening trying to study for my upcoming midterms, but every now and then I’ve taken a break and found myself on Facebook. And every time I’ve refreshed my newsfeed, I’ve noticed how many more of my friends have updated their statuses, reposted the link above, have joined the various Cover The Night events. How some have even gone to change their display picture to the Kony 2012 logo. To see this kind of response to a need this great is incredible. To see this kind of response affirms that change is not out of reach, that we ourselves are capable of making the change we wish to achieve. And to see how many of my friends are passionate about making this change, about making this difference, affirms just how blessed I am to be surrounded with such driven and caring people.

Needless to say, I was moved by what I saw in the video and on my Facebook. But it also got me thinking.

We all know the tale of the viral video. It spikes in viewership and commentary in the first bit, but then what? Eventually people grow tired. Even the funniest and most ridiculous videos, videos that give us entertainment (see Rebecca Black’s Friday, see Double Rainbow) grow tiresome. Same goes with celebrities. Same goes with television shows. I’m not trying to be negative. I’m just saying that after awhile, things kind of lose the “magic” that we first grew attached to and without meaning to, we slowly let them go. (American Idol, anyone?) And then there’s that other thing, where we aren’t really sure what we’re getting into, but we pretend we love it because that’s what everyone else is doing so obviously we need to love it too.

But that’s the thing. These invisible children are not by any means American Idol. They’re not going to be fine if we let them go. And we can’t just mob mentality it either. And sure, we can say now that we won’t ever let that happen, that this is something we are really and truly passionate about. But keep in mind how fresh this is. The video was only posted yesterday and has only gone viral today. Yes, we care today. But will we care tomorrow? Two months from now? Seven months from now? And would we care the same amount if we were given the same amount of information in a form less appealing than an extremely well-made YouTube video with a catchy slogan and name to boot? Caring is understanding, and watching a 29minute video doesn’t mean we understand it all. We need to research the facts and make sure we know what we stand for before we can truly stand for it.

I don’t really know why I’m writing this. I definitely should be studying. But I guess it’s just that I am all too used to the way things are. And by writing this, I’m sort of affirming the challenge and promise to myself (and hopefully you as well, if you’ve made it reading this far) that I (we) won’t let this fade. That I (we) won’t let this become just another video, just another story. Because the truth of the matter is that regardless of if this is just another viral video, or another thing we “Like” and sign our names to, or something we really care about, this is real. And it won’t stop or accommodate just to match what we’re doing and the what decisions we’re making.

How many other Jacobs are out there? I’m not talking Ugandan child soldiers. But how many other people are there with a great need and with a story that we haven’t been able to share because we ourselves do not know it? How many other Kony’s are out there? Just because there isn’t a movie showcasing it doesn’t mean the cry for help doesn’t exist. The truth is our world is not in the best shape. Not everyone is as lucky as us. And it kind of seems like trying to boil the ocean when we think of who we need to help and how to make this world a better place. There’s a lot. But this is definitely a start. And if we can stick through with this all the way, thinking as individuals and believing as a whole then who knows what else we can be capable of. But while it may start here, it certainly cannot stop here.

I’m sorry if you already knew all this, but I sometimes find that in my certainty of knowing something, I underestimate how easy it is to forget the things I know I know. (See midterms, see panic.) But regardless, thanks for bearing with me, friends.

kony2012.com

- Calvin and Hobbes

1

Hungry For Change

UPDATE: 09/15/11

Through our 24 hour famine this weekend we were able to raise $1500 for the Horn of Africa! The Canadian government will be matching donations up until tomorrow, which means we can be sure there will be $3000 dollars coming in to give aid. So inspired that a little change really can go a long way :)

So this weekend we’re taking part in a campaign called Hungry for Change with our youth choir. Basically it’s a 24 hour famine where we’re asking for pledges of coins from around people’s houses. The idea is that there’s no such thing as small change, that through little change we can make a big change. The funds raised from this weekend will go towards the Horn of Africa, where 12.1+ million people are currently faced with famine and drought.

It’s only been 8 1/2 hours but man, it’d be a lie to say I’m not hungry. It’s crazy to think that for some people, this isn’t an exercise but a lifestyle. According to UN estimates, a child dies from hunger-related causes every 8-12 seconds. I can’t even wrap my mind around that. That’s almost like saying a child dies every time my newsfeed on Facebook refreshes because someone’s posted something. It’s ridiculous.

I’m not saying that because we’re doing this famine I now all of a sudden understand what it’s like to be in the Horn of Africa right now. In fact, if anything I’m understanding what it means to be here. In Canada. How it means I’m so privileged. How it means I’m so blessed. How it means that no matter what we do, it will probably never be enough. But I’m also realizing that it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try.

 For more information on the crisis and how to help: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/08/02/501364/main20087152.shtml

Alternatively, if you’ve got change just lying around your house and want to put it to better use than to just collect dust, please let us know :)

- Jack Layton

1

- “Numbers” Andy Grammer

Skytrain of thought: transit is life.

Like when the train leaves the tunnel and you realize just how sunny it really is outside

And when you realize you’re not the only one coming from somewhere who’s got somewhere to go

Or when you realize no matter how long it takes, the person driving will always get you where you’re supposed to be

Unwritten

It’s almost been a full year since VoicesofChange Apparel was born, and while we couldn’t be happier about it, we can’t say we haven’t had our own share of difficulties. Yes, we created this company at the time because

1) We were bored

2) We were unemployed

3) We wanted to make a change

and so far, in the almost full year that has gone by, all 3 of those things have been done away with. And yet, we, or at least I, can’t help but feel incomplete. The whole point of VoicesofChange Apparel was to do exactly as its name suggests, to be a voice of change. However, amidst school and work and life, its not hard to feel like our voice itself is being changed, conforming to the static routine to which we’re so accustomed to. It’s not hard to forget what we are capable, not hard to forget there’s more to life than what lies beyond our comfort zone.

And so, today, almost a full year later since VoicesofChange Apparel was born, this blog is born. Through it we hope to exercise the voice that we may otherwise be on the verge of losing. And if you choose to come along for the ride to read and listen, we’ll be more than happy to have you. We’ll inform you of what’s going on with VoicesofChange Apparel, keep you updated on new products, contests, and everything under the sun. But more importantly, we’ll hopefully be able to learn together what it truly means to be a voice of change. Because, yes, this is a business. But more than that, this is a lifestyle. One that today, we are choosing over a life of routine mediocrity and complacency, and hopefully one day, you too will choose.

I’ve never been one to spare words, so I apologize for the lengthy post. But last week, we sang for a good friend’s birthday. As we brainstormed possible songs to sing for her, Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten” came up. And while we ended up not singing that song, its now constant replay in my head is a steady reminder that “today is where [our] book begins.”

And as for the rest? Well, it’s still Unwritten.