“The artist’s job is to be a witness to his time in history.”

– Robert Rauschenberg

Robert Rauschenberg, a painter, sculptor and mixed media Renaissance man, used his artistic talents to draw attention to social and political issues.

Creating collages, called “combines,” Rauschenberg transformed images from popular culture into commentary on society. One of his better known collages, “Signs,” displays themes of the Vietnam War, suppression of African-Americans and the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr.

In 1984, Rauschenberg began the Rauschenberg Overseas Cultural Interchange, an ambitious seven-year, 10-country tour to encourage “world peace and understanding” by collaborating with artists from the various countries.

Rauschenberg saw his art as a vehicle for philanthropy. Until his death in 2008, he was active in promoting charitable causes. He created original artwork to benefit the United Nations and the people of Tibet, and he founded the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation to promote causes and groups close to his heart, including education, the environment and humanitarian work.

Select WED DC Events include:

April 22: Earth Day on the National Mall
May 24: SEU/OPC Education Forum
June 2: Empowerhouse Energy Efficiency Workshops and Solar Home Tour
June 3-4: WED Fair & Expo
June 3 at the Fair: Earth Force Youth Summit
June 4: Student Environmental Workshop with Dr. Mae Jemison and International Children’s Painting Competition Awards Ceremony
June 5: Panel Discussion on Achieving Global Transformation for Sustainable Cities with UNEP, USGBC and World Business Council
June 6: Press Conference and release of UNEP’s Global Environment Outlook report
Ongoing: DC School Assemblies Presenting Energy Efficiency and Renewable Activities

INTERVIEW OPPS: Allen Burriss, WED DC Host Committee Chair and CEO, Earth’s Natural Force  Amy Fraenkel, Director of UNEP’s Regional Office for North America  Sharon Cooke, Chief, Office of Community Relations, DDOE

WHEN: April 22, 2012 through June 5, 2012

BACKGROUND: World Environment Day, established by the U.N. General Assembly in 1972 and celebrated annually on June 5, is a global event that raises awareness about the environment in an effort to galvanize political attention and action. With thousands of events in the UN’s six global regions, World Environment Day is considered one of the largest environmental events of its kind. To learn more, visit: http://www.unep.org/wed/

CONTACT:
Matt Forke, (202) 248-5484, moc.mmocnavnull@ekrofm
Elisabeth Guillbaud-Cox, (202) 974-1307, gro.penunull@xoc-duabliug.htebasile

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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will present Lauper with an award for her work on behalf of homeless LGBT youth through her foundation, the True Colors Fund. Together with SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde and Acting Assistant Secretary for the Administration on Children, Youth and Families George Sheldon, they will honor youth from across the country who have overcome trauma, as well as their Heroes of Hope—family members, providers, and the community members—who have helped them. Joint Surgeon of the National Guard Bureau Major General Joseph K. Martin, Jr., will be among the dignitaries at the event.

Emmy Award-winning news anchor Leon Harris from ABC-7/WJLA-TV will emcee the tribute. The program will feature stories of resilience from youth across the country and performances in tribute to their Heroes of Hope, the caring adults that have helped enhance their resilience following traumatic experiences. Preceding the event, there will be a reception sponsored by the Child Mind Institute, featuring an art exhibit with artwork from students across the country sponsored by the American Art Therapy Association.

National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day is SAMHSA’s annual observance of the importance of caring for every child’s mental health. More than 130 public and private organizations and more than 1,100 communities across the country will participate in local events and activities in celebration of Awareness Day.

WHAT:  SAMHSA presents National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day 2012:
Heroes of Hope

WHEN:  Wednesday, May 9, 2012 5–7 p.m., Art Exhibit and Reception 7:30–9:30 p.m., Heroes of Hope Tribute

WHERE: George Washington Lisner Auditorium  730 21st Street, NW  Washington, D.C. 20052 Metro: Foggy Bottom/GWU (Orange and Blue Lines)

TICKETS: The event is free and open to the public; visit www.awarenessevent.org to reserve your tickets.

MEDIA: To attend the event or request an interview, please contact Rachael Siefert at (202) 248-5466.

For more information about Awareness Day and to view the list of collaborating organizations, visit http://www.samhsa.gov/children. Follow #HeroesofHope to join the conversation about National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day on Twitter.

SAMHSA is a public health agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Its mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities.

CONTACT:
Rachael Siefert, (202) 248-5466
SAMHSA Press Office, (240) 276-2134

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“It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save the environment.”

— Ansel Adams

Born in 1902, Ansel Adams was a celebrated photographer and environmental advocate who used his eye for natural beauty to promote wilderness preservation and help expand the National Park system.

He first visited Yosemite National Park when he was 14, and wrote, “A new era began for me.” For the rest of his life, Adams used his passion for nature to capture the most beautiful places on Earth. His iconic black-and-white photographs set the standard for landscape photography.

His photography was only one aspect of his environmental activism. Adams joined the Sierra Club at 17 and remained an active member throughout his life, serving on the board of directors for 37 years. He created a photo book as part of the Sierra Club’s efforts to secure Yosemite as a national park and testified before Congress to protect wild lands. He was elected to become a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1966, and in 1980 Jimmy Carter awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

Ansel Adams died in 1984, leaving behind critical protections for the lands he so beautifully captured through his art.

George Clooney arrested for civil disobedience after protesting at the Sudan Embassy in Washington Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

Actor George Clooney was arrested today in Washington, D.C. Clooney; his father, Nick Clooney; Martin Luther King, II; NAACP President Ben Jealous; Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.); Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) and former Rep. Tom Andrews (D-Mass.) were taken into custody this morning while protesting in front of the Sudanese embassy. Until this week, the atrocities occurring in Sudan have remained a blip in the U.S. news cycle. Clooney’s strategic efforts to get the world’s attention have resulted in a high-profile, international news frenzy.

The Enough Project and Clooney invited a full press corps and a cadre of well-known and respected celebrities and civil rights leaders to attend their protest on the steps of the Sudanese embassy, giving the Sudanese government no alternative than to arrest Clooney and his colleagues for all the world to watch. In the next 24 hours, more people will be aware and engaged in this decade-long struggle of the Sudanese people than have paid attention over the past several years. They found a way to make their immovable and unrelatable cause a trending conversation topic in offices and homes around the world.

Clooney slowly built this moment by participating in a Capitol Hill hearing on Sudan, followed by a meeting with President Obama at the White House earlier this week. His week-long campaign resulted in even more attention to the high-profile public protest staged at the Sudanese embassy today. By this morning, media worldwide were engaged in Clooney’s efforts, and even pop culture reporters brought themselves up to speed on the cause. When the protest took place, the media ate right out of Clooney’s handcuffs. Also, by selecting Friday for the protest — a slower news day — protest organizers helped stake a strong foothold for the story in the weekend news cycle.

Understand that I’m not advocating that getting arrested is the best way to bring attention to a cause, but the results speak to the importance of building momentum and understanding, then staging and positioning a pivotal moment for maximum impact.

The photographs and video footage of Clooney and the other protesters being arrested are a powerful and valuable tool for sparking conversation about Sudan. And while we don’t all have George Clooney as a spokesperson, we can work to find the sweet spot of strategy and timing that forces our opponent to make us lemonade from our own lemons.

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