Your donations will go to support the development of Street Teams across the country which are activating thousands of young people, giving them the motivation, training, and tools to become civically active in their communities.

Be a part of the movement.

Flobots.org is an non-profit organization and 100% of your donations are tax deductible. To learn more about Street Teams visit www.fightwithtools.org

Our goals during the DNC are:

To celebrate the fact that a progressive African-American candidate running a grassroots campaign on an antiwar platform has secured the nomination of a major political party.

• To claim this nomination as a victory for the antiwar movement.
• To reaffirm our moral obligation to end the occupation of Iraq, support the reconstruction of Iraq, and fully fund veterans’ benefits.
• To call attention to ongoing efforts to address other forms of violence and neglect in US foreign and domestic policy.
• To commit ourselves to transforming this country into a resource for peacemaking and sustainability.

To meet these goals, we will participate in a variety of events and activities and engage in dialogue with those around us. Whatever your role in the convention, we invite you to get involved in the following ways:

1. Do all within your power to ensure the safety of all people you encounter, regardless of ideology or role.
2. Help educate yourself and others by participating in workshops and events scheduled for the week.
3. Join us on Wednesday, August 27th at the Denver Coliseum united with Rage Against The Machine, The Coup, State Radio, Wayne Kramer, and 10,000 to call for an end to the occupation of Iraq.

With the eyes of the world on Denver, we have an opportunity to begin embodying the America we would like to become. As Langston Hughes said, “America never was America to me, and yet I swear this oath- America will be!”

“What the Obama campaign has shown is that a lot of Americans want change,” said Flobots lyricist Jamie Laurie, also known as Jonny 5. “But real, long-lasting change only happens when a lot of people put pressure on whoever is in power. This means it is our responsibility to determine what that change will be.“

The campaign title comes from a line in Langston Hughes’ poem “Let America Be America Again”. The historical inspiration for the project can be experienced at www.americawillbe.org. The site features an interactive web-collage guiding users to a forum at www.letusrise.org, where people are asked to complete the sentence “America will be…” The results will be coalesced into an independent, grassroots vision for change.

“Effective action starts with clear vision,” said Let Us Rise Convener Kris Abrams. “If we don’t like the way this country is going, then lets embody the spirit of true democracy by listening to every voice and creating a vision for change from the grassroots up. Then we can act together to implement that vision.”

The Flobots’ songs contain powerful calls for social change, and emphasize that ordinary people have the power to change the world for the better. The band skyrocketed to fame over the past several months with appearances on Jay Leno and Carson Daly, two music videos airing on MTV, and the song “Handlebars” reaching number one on the iTunes hip-hop chart.

Let Us Rise is a new Denver-based community which recently launched a visioning campaign to create an independent, grassroots vision for Colorado and the US. All are invited to share a vision for a better society at www.letusrise.org, either by hosting a “Visioning Circle” with friends or colleagues and uploading the results, or by blogging one’s individual vision at the site.

Fight With Tools is the Flobots’ non-profit, whose goal is to harness fans’ energy into action for positive change. At concerts, fans are invited to utilize a social networking site, www.fightwithtools.org, to connect with other audience members and form “Street Teams.” Street Teams then engage in voter registration and other volunteer activities in their local communities.

“When an idea’s time has come, things just naturally fall into place,” said Fight With Tools Executive Director Carol Mehesy. “Let Us Rise, which is focused on Colorado, developed the idea of a grassroots, democratic visioning campaign, and the web technology that allows everyone to participate. Independently of that, the Flobots were considering a campaign based on the Langston Hughes poem “America Will Be” to help ordinary Americans reclaim the promise of our country. Add to that the tremendous popularity of the band, and the fact that Fight With Tools has a network of Street Teams organized nationwide, and you get the America Will Be! campaign.”

To participate, people can go to www.americawillbe.org. Flobots Street Team volunteers will also be fanning out throughout the Democratic National Convention to ask people what their visions for America are. Let Us Rise is convening “Visioning Circles” at Resurrection City Free University, on Monday, Tuesday or Thursday at 3 p.m. in Cuernavaca Park. And starting in October, Flobots.org Street Teams around the country will convene Visioning Circles in their communities.
From the very beginning, America has been a country of contradictions. Our founders gave voice to humanity’s deepest desires for freedom, justice, and equality; and yet this country built its wealth by taking land from indigenous peoples, enslaving untold numbers of Africans, denying rights to women and poor people and people of diverse faiths.”

Today, our country is in a violent, unjust war. We lead the destruction of our planet. Many of us can’t afford to visit a doctor when we are sick. Most of our children can’t get a decent education. Many of us can’t afford a place to live. America’s founding values of freedom, justice and equality remain illusions for many.”

It is time for us to break the chains of our apathy, to take an unwavering look at both the beauty and the pain of our country, and then to square our shoulders and create America anew. As Langston Hughes wrote, “America never was America to me. And yet I swear this oath: America will be!”

Flobots are a new phenomenon with an old soul. Six shining artists with unique contributions, united to create a more brilliant whole. Melding vibrant, uplifting music, with a progressive, unifying message, Flobots represent much more than the latest iTunes hit, quietly speaking a loud truth in the way that proud, honest artists should.

Before rocking the Hollywood & Highland Center on May 20th upon the release of Fight with Tools, Flobots met with Wide-Eyed at the Renaissance Hotel to share a few moments away from the brightening lights and blaring sounds of popularity. Like seizing a microphone overlooking a sea of wide eyes and open ears, Flobots proved fearless in grasping the opportunity to express their thoughts and share their tools of hope… –

Read the full interview online at http://www.wideeyednation.com/

Read Article

To find out more about this program, and to hear the kids perform music and live poetry, please visit http://www.denverchildrenshome.org

]]> http://www.flobots.org/2008/06/live-at-denver-childrens-home/feed/ http://www.flobots.org/2008/05/get-involved-vote/ http://www.flobots.org/2008/05/get-involved-vote/#comments Fri, 30 May 2008 21:13:11 +0000 flobot13 http://www.flobots.org/?p=9 One of our goals for 2008 is to register as many new voters as possible before the election - be a part of the movement.

Our 2008 project is Voter Registration and we are very passionate about getting folks to register AND vote in the upcoming election. Why? Because this election is going to be a big one, and we want everyone to have a say in it, not just the small percentage that show up to vote in elections. Here’s how you can help!

REGISTER TO VOTE! - Registering to vote online couldn’t be easier, we recommend www.rockthevote.com

Educate! - There are a lot of people out there that feel like their one vote doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Let’s change their mind and let them know that their voice needs to be heard, not just for us, but for our future. Why vote in 2008? It’s time to inspire. Time to lead. Time to seek peace. Time to be courageous. Time to be outraged. Time to believe. Time to fight for what is right. Time to think. Time to make history.

JOIN A STREET TEAM - We’ll be in touch with news on events and registration drives through the summer at concerts and various events. Sign up with the STREET TEAM today!

Flobots Street Team was initiated by the Flobots in order to connect music to social change and bring fans together to not only support and promote the band, but also to take action within our own communities.

Taking action creates change and it starts with each individual. Everyone’s thoughts matter! So often we hear people talk about change or protesting something they don’t like. Street Team provides an outlet that inspires new ideas and drives us to fight for that which we believe in rather than just talk about it.

Look around you…decide what changes you want to see in the world and take the next steps to do it! Wake up! We are looking for people all over the country who are interested in investing time and energy in improving their communities; so if you want to get involved, sign up today!

Vision
A music scene that fosters a culture of civic engagement by encouraging individuals to gain the training and experience they need to become agents of change.

Mission
To provide a structure through which bands can invest their social and cultural capitol in efforts to increase civic engagement, volunteerism, literacy, and creative expression, and to build a community of music fans around these efforts.

Current Programs

• Live at DCH: 12 hours per week of small group classes with residents at the Denver Children’s Home, focusing on three areas: writing & performance, guitar & music theory, and studio recording sessions.

• Street Team: A community of music fans recruited online and at the concerts of partner bands. Members of street team agree to commit to invest 3-4 months of time in at least one of several community projects. Click here to sign up for Street Team