Spring is in the air and we’re excited here in DC. In fact, we’re toe tapping, booty shaking, finger clicking excited. You could say we’re just totally jazzed to announce our February grant recipient. A huge Awesome Foundation DC congratulations to Tom Pipkin (who tries to be awesome, often), and his project, The Pentworth Jazz Festival – a monthly jazz performance in the local park for the residents and neighbors of Petworth to enjoy, and an excuse for people to meet and interact. The performances will take place about an hour before dusk on Saturdays, once a month over Spring and Summer. Tom told us that “I believe it will show folks how easy it is to bring arts and music to local communities. There is tons of talent in this city, and loads of people who are thirsty for it. Without this Awesome Grant, I wouldn’t be able to fund the project.” We were particularly impressed with Tom’s ability to describe how his skills and experience would make this a viable and achievable project. He was able to clearly explain how he would spend the grant money (to pay musicians and purchase some AV equipment), and he has already… read more →
A big welcome to our newest board member – the remarkable Mr Danny Harris. Danny is the founder of Peoples District, the blog where he collects the fascinating stories of strangers from around the District of Columbia. People’s District was my way of meeting the people I saw every day, but never stopped to introduce myself to: Carolyn, the crossing guard on my street; Cedric, who ran by my office most days, spinning in circles while yelling ‘HOOT, HOOT’; Dave, who rides his bike up and down my street in a finely tailored suit and fedora; and Josh, who checks my ID at the 9:30 Club. I saw these people more often than I saw my own family, yet I had never exchanged more than a ‘good morning’ or ‘thank you’ with them. During one of those proverbial wake-up moments in July 2009, I stopped my first person to ask, ‘So, what’s your story?’ Joe, my first interviewee, spoke passionately about growing up on U Street and his first experience of going downtown after the end of segregation. After Joe came Andrew, talking about overcoming homelessness, then Eric and Maddie, discussing the D.C. hardcore music scene. Each story shed light… read more →
Hey DC, you’re really finding your awesome groove! Maybe it’s this great article from DC’s own awesome board member Alex Howard in the Huffington Post, or maybe you heard yours truly and a few of our “arbiters of Awesome” on WAMU 88.5, (it’s also even possible that you may have started to hear rumors about an Awesome party coming your way…). Whatever it is, the submissions for the January grant were so chock-a-block with awesomeness that we have chosen to reward THREE (3) AWESOME PROJECTS. Congratulations Ward 8 Market Master! After much deliberation, we have awarded the January grant to the Ward 8 Farmers Market. I spoke to the folks over there who said: Our market is for and about our community. For example, Ward 8 has a higher diabetes rate than ANY COUNTY IN THE UNITED STATES. Ward 8 Farmers market offers an alternative: a junk-food-free environment, a kid-friendly place for young ones to touch, taste, and enjoy good food and develop good habits. Our markets have a partnership that brings a nutritionist to every market, offering samples and answering the all important question of “how do you cook an eggplant anyway?” What does winning the Awesome Foundation DC… read more →
It gives us great pleasure to announce the first award for the Awesome Foundation DC grant is (drum roll please): Fab Lab DC. After reviewing over 70 applications and with much passionate discussion, our board came to a completely unanimous agreement for the winner of the first Awesome Foundation DC grant. So what is this Fab Lab and why is it AWESOME? Phyllis Klein, the powerhouse behind the application, is currently operating a mobile Fab Lab over on 14th St. The Awesome Foundation grant is going to help her activate their new bricks and mortar space on North Capitol Street, NW. Here’s her proposal for an awesome grant: In the spirit of MIT’s Fab Lab community outreach project, Fab Lab DC will create a high-tech, fabrication laboratory/community workshop in the heart of the Nation’s Capital to advance creativity, innovation, and collaborative projects. Fab Lab DC will serve and foster the creative community by providing access to digital fabrication technology, rapid prototyping, and the global Fab Lab network. Fab Labs enable people to use technology to create, experiment and produce, shifting the paradigm away from people merely “consuming” technology toward using technology to create solutions. With a focus on life-long learning… read more →
It is with great pleasure that we announce that the Awesome Foundation DC is open for business and ready to uphold your rights to awesomeness from the nations capital. The board of the Awesome Foundation DC is staffed by some of the districts most committed civic innovators, ready to help turn your dreams of awesomeness into reality, $1000 at a time. The Awesome Foundation DC is (L-R): Mark Drapeau / @Cheeky_Geeky, Shana Glickfield / @Dcconcierge, Frank Tobia / @Ftobes, Erica Williams / @Ericawilliamsdc, Philippa Hughes / @Pinklineproject, Garlin Gilcrist II / @Garlin, Charlie Bengel Jr, Peter Corbett / @Corbett3000, Eric Mill / @Klondike, Alexander Howard / @Digiphile, Bonnie Shaw /@Bon_Zai (Dean of Awesome + contact for queries) Each month (starting now!) we will award $1000 cash to a project that promotes awesomeness in the District and surrounds. Your idea/innovation/project can be sublime or ridiculous (or sublimely ridiculous!) as long as it meets the following criteria: 1. It’s awesome. 2. It’s got impact. 3. It’s going to happen soon. First round submissions close midnight Tues 30 November. To enter, complete the Washington DC application form here. For further inspiration, read more about the origins of Awesome here and check out what… read more →