Caring ... Boldly

New student-designed I Care logo

(Editor’s Note: This post is adapted from the April 2013 Humanity Project email newsletter, Humanity News. You can sign up to receive the free newsletter once each month by clicking on the “Go” button in the right-hand column of this home page under “Sign up for our Email Newsletter.” We ask only for your email address.)

See that new logo in this story? Cool, isn’t it? This boldly redesigned I Care logo is only the beginning of all the great new elements coming to our Humanity Project I Care teen driver safety program. We’re about to launch teen-created videos and memes as well as Tumblr and Twitter pages to join our Facebook page … even a whole website devoted to I Care. 

All of it will be intended to offer fun things that attract more teens to our I Care book, which just may save their lives. The work is being carried out by talented students from South Plantation High School, a magnet school in South Florida, as well as by communications majors from the University of Miami. Our great friends at State Farm are providing the critical funding for this innovative program, which relies on teen friendships and positive peer pressure rather than ineffective scare tactics. For now, we wanted simply to show you the new logo and let you know what’s coming soon. Stay tuned … the awesome I Care videos and lots more are on the way.

Can Music Save the World?

Haikaa Yamamoto: Singer, songwriter, peace activist

(Editor’s Note: Haikaa Yamamoto is a singer and songwriter as well as a peace activist. She is co-creator of the Humanity Project’s PeacePage on this website. Ms. Yamamoto wrote this blog especially for the Humanity Project.)

 Can music save the world?

 Why do we love music so much? I think it might have to do with the fact that when we listen to songs we like, we become music. For those brief moments, we go a little beyond our rational selves with name, position, job and we get to experience a broader range of emotions. Our hearts sing to the beat of music and we experience freedom. And in that space of closeness to our essence, we also get to establish connection with others’ essence. I think that’s the magic of music. It happens at a very personal level and yet it serves as a bridge. When we cross that bridge, we understand each other better. This understanding is the first step towards accepting others and thus establishing stronger social connections. 

As a singer-songwriter, I’ve always been drawn to this particular aspect of music, the aspect of connection. Hey, that’s how I connected with the Humanity Project and became a member! I can truly identify with this group’s philosophy of shared value and that concept permeates my work inside and outside of the Humanity Project.

 Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with people who are effectively using music to bring about change. I came across some very inspiring projects, especially involving children, which broadened my perception of the world. I had a feeling that these stories could help many other people. So I decided to share some of them by producing a 10-episode webseries called “Can music save the world?”.  On this show, I’m hoping to interview some of these wonderful people I’ve met and of course there will be lots of good music too.

 To finance this project, I just launched a Kickstarter campaign. You can find it at this link: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/435477872/can-music-save-the-world-webseries. So we need support from you and your friends to make this project happen and I would really appreciate any help you can offer. All we ask is for a $1 donation. It’s quick and easy and painless to make a contribution to “Can music save the world?”.

 So, is it possible? Can music save the world? I’m pretty sure that the Humanity Project is helping to answer that question.