Participant Media presents entertainment that inspires and compels social change. Behind these films and issues, there are thousands of people nationwide who work tirelessly on campaigns that use the films as inspiration to make a difference. As a member of the company’s Social Action team, which develops initiatives that are inspired by the films, I’m excited to announce the first posting of a weekly blog of Sarah’s Social Action Snapshot, which will offer the latest updates on our campaigns and offer specific actions and tools, from our campaigns, for people to get involved in issues in the news.

Food, Inc.
Do you want to know about rGBH dairy, issues facing small farmers or organic yogurt? If so, check out our recent online chats with some of the leading food advocacy organizations from our campaign and Stonyfield Yogurt.

We learned this week that obesity rates continue to climb with an expected 103 million Americans to be obese by 2018. Scary? Yes. Preventable? Yes. Take action by supporting menu labeling and check out our campaign’s 10 tips for healthy eating.

Read the rest of this entry >>

I will never understand how anyone could abandon a baby. Luckily there are folks like Debbe Magnusen around to help care for those children left behind. In 1996 after reading a newspaper article about the discovery of a dead baby in a file cabinet in Yorba Linda, Calif., in 1996, Magnusen started a hotline called Project Cuddle and announced on TV that women unable to care for their newborns could drop them off on her porch in Costa Mesa, California. Over the past 13 years Magnusen has rescued 661 babies finding most adoptive homes.

And now her life will be the topic of a made-for-TV movie. Tonic.com reports that John Stamos, National Spokesperson for Project Cuddle (best known as Uncle Jesse from Full House) is producing the film about Magnusen and her wonderful work.

Project Cuddle doesn’t just help house unwanted infant, it also offers needed resources such as job and other assistance to allow a mother to keep her baby and shelter and medical aid. You can help Project Cuddle by contributing to their organization wish list or you can volunteer to be a rescue family anywhere in the country. Learn more by clicking here.

Today, November 20 marks the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), the most widely ratified international human rights treaty. The UNCRC laid out the civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights for children all over the world. The documented has been ratified by 193 countries including every U.N. Member State but the United States and Somalia.

I was surprised to learn that the U.S. was not included in the 193 supporting nations. VOA News reports: Despite the success of the Convention in raising awareness of children’s rights worldwide, one of the largest and most influential countries in the world has not ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The United States has not approved the Convention because it fears government interference in family life and the possible loss of its sovereign rights.

But ratifying a treaty doesn’t always promise results as many are acknowledging that 20 years later, children’s rights are still being violated. Many nations that ratified the Convention have not taken all the steps to protect children leaving many children victim to preventable diseases, malnutrition, violence and exploitation. Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF, Saad Houry, calls the Convention a milestone, but notes the reality does not always live up to the document’s vision of a world made safe for all children. He says millions of children remain excluded from that dream saying “despite remarkable economic growth in scores of countries over the past 20 years, shocking disparities are also growing, with the poorest children left further behind.”

However many are hopeful that the anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child will serve as a reminder to countries to keep their promise and take action to protect our littlest citizens. Click here for a list of worldwide UNCRC anniversary events.

CREDO Mobile, a cell phone provider that donates 1% of your charges goes to progressive nonprofits, is mailing coat hangers to all the democratic members of the House of Representatives who voted in support of the Stupak-Pitts Amendment in Obama’s health care reform bill.

The Credo site is asking people to sign their petition saying: “We know what happens when women are denied access to reproductive health care including abortion. And we can’t go back to an era of coat hangers and back alley abortions. Reconsider your vote on the Stupak amendment. Tell House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid that the final health care bill that emerges from the conference committee can’t turn the clock back on women’s rights.” When you sign the petition they’ll send a coat hanger to the 20 formerly pro-choice Democrats who voted to take away women’s rights.

It’s a harsh action, but it definitely sends a message. To learn more about how the healthcare reform bill is affecting reproductive rights, check out this article on the Frisky.

CREDO is also the company I wrote about earlier this year that offers those great free stickers in support of gay marriage, click here to get yours.

I am so sad to report that Oprah has confirmed that in 2011 she will end her daytime talk show.

A spokesman for the CBS Television Studios, which distributes her show, said “We have the greatest respect for Oprah and we wish her nothing but the best in her future endeavors, we do know anything she turns her hand to will be a great success.”

But Oprah can’t retire until I’m one of her guests! I adore Oprah, her shows are insightful, compassionate and smart. I always dreamed of being onstage with her and answering her thought-provoking questions and discussing our new collaborative charity project. The show would of course end with us giving her audience free autographed copies of my latest book and dvds of the first season of my sitcom, to which they would howl and cheer with overly enthusiastic joy!

Aside from Oprah’s always fantastic shows, she is well-known for her generosity and amazing amounts of charity work. Oprah’s Angel Network was established to “encourage people around the world to make a difference in the lives of others. Oprah’s vision is to inspire people to help others rise to their potential.” To date, Oprah’s Angel Network has received more than $80 million in donations from the public and has used those funds to help build more than 55 schools in 12 countries, provided education for thousands of children in rural areas throughout the world, helped victims of Hurricane Katrina and Rita, given life-changing assistance for women and girls, and so much more. I know once the Oprah Show goes off the air, Ms. Winfrey herself will continue her wonderful charity work, but I (and all of her fans) will still miss her daily does of on-air goodness.

The first thing that got me excited about Defamation is the fact that one of the main characters in the film is infamous college professor and author Norman Finklestein.  (When I was in college at DePaul I took a class with Finklestein and it was one of the best classes of my entire college career.) When I started to learn more about the film it looked like it would be a pretty fair and balanced look at anti-semitism and Judaism in general.

The trailer below is pretty loose and doesn’t really name who the experts will be but I kind like that.  It paints a portrait of a film and makes it clear what you’ll be spending your time delving into a film about religion, persecution and power.

Read the rest of this entry >>

Volkswagen recently introduced the Fun Theory Awardan initiative that encourages people to create fun ways of doing mundane things to help people remember to do that thing. The person with the best idea will be named winner of the Fun Theory Award and receive 2,500 Euros.

Here’s an entry example based on the idea that taking the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator will make you feel better, however few people actually follow that advice. To solve that issue the idea here is to make the stairs more fun, check it out:

I love that!

Submissions will be accepted until December 15. Entries can be submitted either in writing and/or visually (drawing, video, etc), as long as it demonstrates change for the better and it’s fun!

A few weeks ago Danny blogged about Organizing for America’s recent video contest concerning health reform (he showcased his favorite entries) and I am happy to report that they’ve chosen a winner!

There were nearly 1,000 submissions and 20 finalists and millions of views from supporters and judges and now the winning video is below.  The folks at OFA are working to make sure the video airs as much as possible before the final vote.  For now though watch below and spread it around! Read the rest of this entry >>

Tonight on PBS’s Frontline they explore the recent conflict in Iran and the death of the Iranian protester named Neda with a piece called A Death in Tehran.  From the PBS website:

FRONTLINE investigates the life and death of the woman whose image remains a potent symbol for those who want to keep the reform movement alive. The film also explores a number of unanswered questions in the aftermath of the greatest upheaval in Iran since the 1979 revolution: How many were arrested and killed as the security forces attempted to contain the growing protest movement? To what extent was the presidential vote manipulated? What is the future of the movement that seems to have been silenced?

It sounds like an amazing and inspiring piece of journalism.  It airs tonight at 9pm in most places and a trailer for the show is below. Read the rest of this entry >>

It’s amazing to realize that Hurricane Katrina was four years ago, and even more amazing to realize how devastated some of New Orleans still is this long after the disaster. Yet Friend of the Show EA Hanks just visited the Lower Ninth Ward, and shot video with Jonah Evans, who is heavily involved with saving Charity Hospital. Check out the footage. I don’t even have words to describe it.

The Lower Ninth Ward 4 Years Later (EA Hanks & Jonah Evans) from EA Hanks on Vimeo.

After the jump, another video from Hanks and Evans, in which they explain why we need to save Charity Hospital. Read the rest of this entry >>