Human Rights Watch Film Festival

September 18 - 19, 23 - 25 at the Museum of Photographic Arts 1649 El Prado, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA 92101 For the first time in its 21 year history, the Human Rights Watch Film Festival is coming to San Diego. The 2010 Human Rights Watch Film Festival is the world’s foremost showcase for films with a distinctive human rights theme and creates a forum for courageous individuals on both sides of the lens to empower audiences with the knowledge that personal commitment can make a difference. Please see Museum of Photographic Arts website for additional information: www.mopa.org Photo: Rose Mapendo and her daughter Nangabire reunited. From Pushing the Elephant. Courtesy of Arts Engine.

More Love From Our Friends....

We'd like to share with you this letter that our good friend Petra Eiko, former Good Works Space installer, creator of "What Is In Your Heart?" and close friend of Darrylynn shared with us....

what is in your heart? the world is listening
public art project by petra eiko
on working with good works space

Darrylynn Kaun and I share the same dream that is to make a difference in peoples’ lives. Her project, Good Works Space, is a tremendous contribution to raise awareness in and beyond our community of what is going on within us and around us.

When I told Darrylynn about my vision to unite people with one question to enhance a better understanding and consequently contribute to a happier, more peaceful life, she invited me to be part of her incredible installation space. We both saw the possibility to create something positive in our community that is dearly missed these days.

For the exhibition I created a large scale art piece that was hung in Good Works Space for six weeks. The purpose of this timely project was to entice viewers to put their busy lives on hold and take a moment to contemplate what is in their hearts that needs to be expressed. Colorful markers and paper were provided for brief or longer anonymous comments or drawings—as it moves us—which then become a part of the 16x8 foot art piece. Viewers’ thoughts and comments were displayed during and as part of the installation.

The collaboration with Darrylynn Kaun was not only inspiring to me and the visitors, but also very successful. After the first week people got truly engaged and made the project their own. After the six weeks of the exhibit we have collected more than 800 posts.

The wall of posts contained handwritten or illustrated love notes, good wishes, sorrows, worries, hopes, happiness and memories; all beautifully unique yet connected. We observed people overwhelmed with pure joy by just standing in the good works space and taking it all in. Some told us the secret stories of their hearts, others were laughing and giggling sharing posts with their lovers, and the kids were just delightful.

The project gives people not only the feeling of community and connectivity, but also the rare opportunity to reconnect with their own hearts and to help their community hands-on, only by taking part. The posts are collected and will be printed in form of a book, entitled: what is in your heart? – the world is listening.
This book will bear witness to and keep alive what is truly going on in our hearts

This project that was kicked off at Good Works Space was the second installation and that is to become a nationwide project. The energy and effort of Darrylynn Kaun and her tireless support of the project let it move on to an unexpected dimension. I am truly grateful to be part of her Good Works Space.

AUGUST 18 - Feed a Homeless Person

Please join us Wednesday, August 18 in feeding someone homeless. Wherever you find yourself on that day, you can participate. Afterward, you can share your experience with everyone else on Facebook:

"On August 18th, step outside your safety zone and do something for the less fortunate...buy a meal for a homeless person.

When you go for your morning coffee, grab a bagel for the guy on the corner. When you go to lunch, order an extra sandwich for the family on the off ramp. Bottom line, just do it! Help that person or family out.

And when you've done it, post your experience here...let others know about how you touched someones... life.

Please pass this event on to all of your friends...lets make something of it...lets all make a difference!"

"Retail Concept Creates Platform For Charities"

Dear Friends,

We are pleased to announce that an article about Darrylynn and Good Works Space was posted on www.allbusiness.com yesterday evening. Please take a look!

"Darrylynn Kaun never set out to make charity a key component of her retail concept. But that's exactly what happened at her ZeroMinusPlus at Fred Segal retail concept in Santa Monica, California. The store, which has been in business for 25 years, sells a unique collection of home goods, gifts with a bent toward green, sustainable and a general do-good philosophy. The fact that Darrylynn's foray into the world of charity was pre-destined shouldn't come as a surprise. Her house serves as home base for a couple young non-profit do-gooders she's taken in to help support their causes. And that's only part of Darrylynn's journey from retailer to champion of causes..."

LUSTBKLYN by Cat Greenleaf

(LOOK UP STOP TEXTING BROOKLYN)

At Good Works Space September 2010

LUSTBKLYN was launched by Cat Greenleaf. It encourages individuals to stop being distracted by texting and enjoy and engage in the world around them.
A portion of the procedes will go to support the rapper Common's charity, the Common Ground Foundation. It's based on helping kids become better leaders through education and communication.

A night of journeys at Wanderlust

Thank you all who came out to support Deanna, Darrylynn, and Good Works Space on the evening of Thursday the 8th. The overall theme of the night was about journeys, reflecting on others' and your own. We hope the event inspired you to dream up ideas for new ones near or far... whether it be through the friends made, the artwork, or anything else that may have triggered a sense of curiosity.
Deanna's mixed media artwork documented moments in Taipei and San Francisco with vivid color and a dreamy quality. Unique cameras by Power Shovel were placed on pillars in front of Deanna's installation, and a beautiful book entitled Wanderlust all gave Good Works Space a sense of wonder and inspiration.


Good Works Space and artist Deanna also embraced the spirit of adventure by supporting the non-profit organization Pack For A Purpose, which challenges visitors to other countries to bring with them even just a small amount of supplies to distribute to the people at their destination. The artwork purchased at the event went to benefit this wonderful organization.

Falling Whistles reflects on Darrylynn and Good Works Space

Falling Whistles is a small window into our world’s largest war. We
started a year and a half ago with no home, no office, and no plan -
just $5, a whole lot of heart, and an emergency that demanded our
everything. Friends helped us pull desks out of a dumpster and put
together a ramshackle office in our garage. Our goal was simply to
grow human freedom by asking others to speak up. Slowly we met others
who felt the same, and we have been organizing a coalition to speak
for peace in Congo ever since.

Darrylynn came to us when she was launching the Good Works Space at
Zero Minus Plus and invited us in. For something like this there was no
precedent, so it was risky business, but the history of change has
always been pushed forward on the shoulders of the courageous few who
were first to speak - whistleblowers. Though we didn't have all the
answers, Darrylynn defaulted toward action to elevate conversations in
her community about a dream that most call impossible - peace in
Congo.

The whistle is our symbol of protest, it's about you and me, me and
we, we the free, and our part to play in peace. By working together
we were able to illuminate stories that historically have remained in
the shadows through a beautiful storytelling display made with
reclaimed materials. It gave the community a tool to teach - and we
saw supporters coming back dozens of times with new friends to pull
into the story. In only two months nearly nine-hundred people stepped out
of Fred Segal and into their communities with whistles around their
necks, ready to rally a coalition of whistleblowers that will have a
global voice on this issue. The proceeds from the whistles they
bought went to rehabilitate more than 270 war-affected kids through local
leaders in Congo.

It was Martin Luther King, Jr. who said "The saving of our world will
come, not through the complacent adjustment of the conforming
majority, but through the creative maladjustment of a nonconforming
minority.” The Good Works Space has been demonstrative of that kind
of creative courage. Darrylynn simply did what she could with what she
had and now an industry is following, poised with the question - Could
this little whistle end our world’s deadliest war?

David E. Lewis
Director of Operations
Falling Whistles

Get to know Wanderlust and Pack For a Purpose

WANDERLUST

Good Works Space is very pleased to announce the latest installation and event, Wanderlust, featuring the intricate mixed media artwork of Deanna Fainelli and benefiting the organization Pack For a Purpose. Join us in exploring this vibrant visual journey on the evening of Thursday, July 8.