Brooklyn Bodega and The Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival:
March 3, 2008
Brooklyn, NY – On March 13th at the powerHouse Arena in DUMBO, Brooklyn Bodega, the producers of the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival (BHF) will officially launch their new cultural programming initiative SUPPORT, CELEBRATE, REPRESENT.
SUPPORT, CELEBRATE, REPRESENT is a fundraising and awareness initiative designed to rally support for the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival as well as other cultural programmers throughout Brooklyn and New York City.
Support Hip-Hop. Support New School. Support Old School.
Celebrate Graffiti. Celebrate Dance. Celebrate our Youth.
Represent Brooklyn. Represent Positivity. Represent Yourself.
From Wes Jackson, Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival Chair:
Our mission here at Brooklyn Bodega and the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival has always been, through free programming, to shine the light on a side of Hip- Hop culture that many miss. During this journey we have met a lot of good people and organizations with the same mission. We have found that the biggest obstacle to the successful execution of all of these programs is money. We have been able to mitigate that burden through the generosity of our sponsors, but more importantly it has been the people we serve who have consistently supported us. As we move forward with our 2008 programming and beyond we wanted to involve the people in a real way. To that end we are launching SUPPORT, CELEBRATE, REPRESENT.
Brooklyn Bodega needs the people’s support from every angle. From their attendance to their input to their energy to their financial support. The financial support from BHF sponsors only gets us so far. The cost of talent, port a potty’s, security, insurance adds up. As opposed to other festivals we do not rely on ticket revenue or public funding to help with these costs. After one of our sponsors unexpectedly went bankrupt in 2007 it was the people who came to our aid with donations of $5, $10, $20, and $100 gifts.
We need your support again. We have expanded our free programming for 2008 to include a film series, an additional outdoor date and a national tour. And our costs have grown with our vision. Again sponsors will help but it won’t work without you.
For those who are able to donate to our cause you will keep the financial burden off of those who can’t afford it.
-The young kids who need to see the inspirational artists that grace our stage.
-The Young Hip-Hop families like mine who simply can’t afford to spend $100 to see a Hip-Hop show.
-Those of us who are just struggling to make ends meet in this tough economy.
Should they be shut out from this because that money for a ticket is being spent on a Metro Card or a student loan? We don’t think so.
We are again asking the Hip-Hop community from Fort Greene to Oakland for to help in this fight.
Our goal is to raise $250,000 this year.
We believe that if we put the call out this year as we did last year we can achieve that goal in $10, $20, and $50 donations.
But this money is not just for the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival, it will go to support our partners including powerHouse Books and Arena. As all members of the Bodega community know we are not just here for our own property. We provide marketing and production services to a whole range of cultural programmers and producers. As a part of SUPPORT, CELEBRATE, REPRESENT we have created a network of these fellow soldiers. Individuals, crews, retailers, artists, and businesses dedicated to moving our art forward.
$250,000 that will mean:
-a top notch Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival
-the best talent
-more dates
And so much more as artists and organizations join the SUPPORT, CELEBRATE, REPRESENT network.
All funded by the people – the graf artists, the MC’s, the DJ’s, the teachers, lawyers, designers.
The people who toil away at their job just to get home and work on their own films.
Corporate citizens like one of our members who calls himself "The Wall Street Backpacker."
The young parents who appreciate the opportunity to bring their kids and grandparents to the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival.
We also want your input. Your donation will give you a piece of the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival. In 2008 we will group source the Festival from beginning to end. From fundraising to talent. For example through our relationship with SayNow supporters can call the special BHF number and get updates as well as leave suggestions as to who should be the headliner or the opening act.
We will also be launching a contest with SayNow called ‘8 Bars Should Do It’ where the best MC’s from around the world will get a chance to win a slot on the BHF stage.
We are breaking down the barriers that Hip-Hop has placed on itself.
We are bringing it back to the days of the jams in the Bronx.
The Block parties in San Francisco.
The bbq’s in Atlanta.
We are bringing it back to the people.
SUPPORT, CELEBRATE, REPRESENT.
Brooklyn Bodega will be hosting a launch event for SUPPORT, CELEBRATE, REPRESENT on March 13th in conjunction with the powerHouse Arena in DUMBO.
More details on the campaign and partnerships will be available then.
Members of the press and media interested in attending should contact The Room Service Group at press@theroomservicegroup.com.
Those interested in becoming a sponsor or partner should contact celebrate@brooklynbodega.com.
More information is also available at www.brooklynbodega.com
Brooklyn Bodega are the creators and producers of The Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival. They also maintain and online affinity group, combination destination site and blog at www.brooklynbodega.com.
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