Latest on Link http://www.linktv.org/about/blog en-us Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:26:39 -0800 http://www.linktv.org/about/blog/post/1157/link-tv-continues-to-build-a-bridge-to-iran a8240cb8235e9c493a0c30607586166c <a href="/bridgetoiran"></a>If you read and watch entertainment news, you know that an Iranian filmmaker, Asghar Farhadiis, is racking up the Hollywood awards for A Separation even in a climate of <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/feb/05/separation-iran-film-critics-backlash" target="_blank">US-imposed sanctions</a>. And if you're paying attention to most media coverage, you're well aware of the nuclear issue. But other than that, do we have a lens into the lives and stories of Iranians? Does this kind of cultural lens matter as we settle into our perspectives about Iran? Yes. Without showing the lives, struggles and culture of everyday people living and working in Iran, we in the West have a potentially skewed image of Iranians.   In 2006, Link TV developed a documentary TV series, <a href="/bridgetoiran">Bridge to Iran,</a> to provide a window into the lives and struggles of everyday Iranians -- to respond to the cultural and political tensions that have developed between Iran and the US since the Iranian Revolution.  Over the years, Bridge to Iran has covered a wide range of social and political issues in modern Iran, including the experiences of young girls facing womanhood and uncertain futures, religious pilgrims who risk their lives to visit a holy site in war-torn Iraq, rural life and political awareness, an exploration of Tehran as an urban metropolis, and Iranian women's participation in the election process.   The <a href="/bridgetoiran">new season premieres on February 14</a>. In each of the four episodes of Bridge to Iran, in-depth discussions between host Parisa Soultani and top Iranian filmmakers provide a unique lens into some of the challenges and realities facing Iranians during a time of increased instability -- including censorship, sanctions and safety concerns.   Here are the details about the films and when to catch the episodes, on Link TV or online:   <a href="/programs/iran-a-cinematographic-revolution">Iran: A Cinematographic Revolution</a>, directed by Nader Takmil Homayoun, explores the history and politics of Iran through its rich filmmaking tradition; premieres on February 14 at 7:30 pm ET / 4:30 pm PT and February 16 at 10:00pm PT. Watch online starting February 14.   <a href="/programs/the-queen-and-i">The Queen and I</a>, directed by Nahid Sarvestani, documents the filmmaker's complex relationship with the exiled former queen of Iran; premieres on February 21 at 7:30pm ET / 4:30pm PT and February 23 at 10:00pm PT. Watch online now!   <a href="/programs/we-are-half-of-irans-population">We Are Half of Iran's Population</a>, directed by Rakhshan Bani Etemad, looks at women's participation in the controversial 2009 elections; premieres on February 28 at 7:30pm ET / 4:30pm PT and March 1 at 10:00pm PT. Watch online now!   <a href="/programs/siah-bazi-the-joy-makers">Siah Bazi (The Joy Makers)</a>, directed by Maryam Khakipour, traces the demise of a popular form of irreverent street theater; premieres on March 6 at 7:30pm ET / 4:30pm PT and March 8 at 10:00pm PT. Watch online starting March 6.   Bridge to Iran offers a diverse perspective on a country on the receiving end of a torrent of media attention -- but with a lens that's inclusive of the people and the art found within Iranian borders. We hope you'll tune in and tell others.   * * *   Caty Borum Chattoo is a producer and communication strategist with Link TV, assistant professor in the School of Communication at American University in Washington, DC, and media fellow with the AU Center for Social Media. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0800 Link Media, Inc. Middle East Asia North America http://www.linktv.org/about/blog/post/1133/red-chair-interview-why-yul-kwon-ditched-law-for-tv fd06b8ea02fe5b1c2496fe1700e9d16c Yul Kwon, host of Link TV's <a href="linkasia">LinkAsia,</a> recently did a Red Chair Interview with CNN, in which he shares some key experiences in his life. Along with his on-air interview, Yul ellaborates further in an eloquently written essay posted on the CNN blogs about his Korean background, explaining how he turned to a career in television to overcome social stereotyping of Asian-Americans in the media and come to terms with his own cultural identity. Both video and essay can be seen <a href="http://inamerica.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/16/red-chair-interview-yul-kwon/" target="_blank">here</a>. Below is a moving excerpt from his essay:   "My parents immigrated to the United States from South Korea in 1970 with big dreams, but little money. Since they couldn't afford to put my brother and me in daycare or preschool, they encouraged us to watch television as a way to learn English. Every morning, my brother and I watched "Sesame Street" on PBS, which taught us how to count and recite the alphabet. Not only did our TV become another caregiver, it became the primary medium through which I learned about the world. It allowed me to see and experience things I'd never seen before.  It helped me imagine a better future for me and my family. I studied hard and eventually made my way to Stanford University and then Yale Law School. For a poor kid like me, television helped provide the inspiration and vision I needed to realize the American dream.But as much as television was a source of empowerment and inspiration, it was also a powerful source of constraint. Television defined the way I saw myself and my relationships with other people, and I didn't see a lot of people who looked like me. Asian-American characters were few and far between, and for lack of better alternatives, my favorite childhood hero was Big Bird. He wasn't real, of course, but I didn&rsquo;t care. He was nice, had lots of friends and was yellow -- and hence, clearly, Asian..."   <a href="http://inamerica.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/16/red-chair-interview-yul-kwon/" target="_blank">Read the complete blog post on CNN here.</a>   About Yul Kwon Yul Kwon is the host of Link TV's original Asian news program <a href="/linkasia">LinkAsia</a>. Yul has had a diverse career spanning law, business, technology, and media. Although his multifaceted professional experience spans almost two decades, his rise to international acclaim began in 2006, when he became the first Asian American to win the CBS reality show, Survivor.Prior to his Survivor victory, Yul held positions at both Google and McKinsey & Company. As an attorney, he clerked on the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, practiced law at Venture Law Group and Wiltshire & Grannis, worked as a legislative aide in the US Senate, and most recently served as Deputy Chief of the FCC's Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau. Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:00:00 -0800 Link Media, Inc. Asia http://www.linktv.org/about/blog/post/1125/documenting-life-and-death-in-nigeria-in-the-edge-of-joy c21002f464c5fc5bee3b98ced83963b8 (Guest blog from the director of "The Edge of Joy", originally posted on the PBS NewsHour website)In the time it takes to read this post, somewhere in the world a pregnant woman will have started hemorrhaging and her baby might soon be motherless. One thousand women die every day trying to bring new life into the world, and this toll is what drew me to shoot my documentary film, <a href="http://www.viewchange.org/videos/the-edge-of-joy" target="_blank">The Edge of Joy</a>.   I encountered many of the heartbreaking and hopeful stories that underpin this global tragedy, but it was only through the people, the doctors and nurses of Nigeria that I was able to tell them. The roughly one dozen Nigerian doctors and midwives I worked with closely over the course of making the film, didn't push agendas, or act as obstructionists when I asked tough questions or wanted to follow story lines to their natural conclusions.   Nigeria is better known for corruption and oil production than as the vanguard of fighting maternal mortality, but this small close-knit group of men and a handful of women trusted me not to create an indicting portrait of pregnancy and childbirth in their West African country.   Documentary filmmaking is an art, not a science, and at times during the making of this film, the process was challenging. I always kept my questions dignified and did my reproductive health homework so I could ask informed questions in hospitals and in the communities.   Getting permission to film in such sensitive settings requires government approval, a process that Habib Sadauki, the second obstetrician/gynecologist to be trained in the Nigerian state of Kano, helped me through.   After many meetings with the Ministry of Health and a mutual understanding that I would have a "minder" assigned to me while filming in the north, I was given permission to film in tertiary hospitals and primary health centers.   What I didn't know at the time is that the then Minister of Health Babatunde Osotimehin, recently appointed executive director of the UN Population Fund, had approved the access himself. During his tenure as minister, his office approved some ground breaking research about postpartum hemorrhaging.   I caught up with Osotimehin in May of 2009 at a health conference in Los Angeles. Our scheduled time to sit down and talk on camera kept being pushed back, so I made the bold move of taking over the role of the waitress at the café where he was enjoying a coffee.   Handing him a glass of water, I introduced myself as the filmmaker who had been documenting maternal health initiatives in Nigeria. I kept going on and on and he stopped me and said something to the effect of "you are persistent and persuasive just like they say" and with that got up, and came to sit with me for more than an hour.   We discussed safe motherhood, community leadership for better healthcare and, at the conclusion of our interview he shook my hand and said "your access is continued, enjoy your next trip to Nigeria." My field director and I began breaking down the equipment and she asked why I looked dazed. I said I was not even aware our access had to be renewed.   The freedom to shoot in medical settings was crucial to documenting the harsh realities of giving birth in Nigeria. In the film, blood became a ubiquitous character: women were losing too much of it, there wasn't enough of it when you needed it and midwives were always trying to keep it from flowing.   "Hemorrhage requires that you stop the bleeding and you repair the blood loss. If you don't repair (replace) the blood loss the woman will die," Sadauki told me.   We documented a case of severe bleeding where the midwives were able to manage a patient's hemorrhage with a drug and saline until her husband found a pint of blood and she received the transfusion in time to save her life.   And there are new tools on the horizon. A low-tech first aid device, known as the non-pneumatic anti-shock garment, shunts blood out of the extremities and back to the vital organs in cases of hemorrhage. No magic bullet, but a potential game changer for women giving birth in the developing world and new hope for the health care providers.   After I showed this film recently, I was embraced by a woman in the audience who thanked me for saving the world. Locked in a bear hug with a complete stranger, I thought to myself: "Thank you, but no, I'm not saving the world, I just make films about people who are saving the world."   # # #   Dawn Sinclair Shapiro's documentary film, The Edge of Joy, which was featured on PBS NewsHour in April 2011 as a selection of the PBS NewsHour partnership project with The Economist magazine -- <a href="http://film.economist.com/film/the-edge-of-joy" target="_blank">the Economist Film Project</a> -- will premiere on independent <a>Link TV</a> on Friday, October 28, at 5 pm ET and Tuesday, November 1, at 8 pm ET, and will stream on Link TV's <a href="http://www.viewchange.org/videos/the-edge-of-joy" target="_blank">ViewChange.org</a> beginning on Tuesday, October 25. The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, an international journalism organization, has created an <a href="http://pulitzercenter.org/education/lesson-plan/lesson-plan-edge-joy-combating-maternal-mortality-nigeria" target="_blank">online curriculum</a> that accompanies the film to be distributed to high school educators around the country; educators and others can download the film for free to accompany the curriculum at <a href="http://www.viewchange.org/videos/the-edge-of-joy" target="_blank">www.viewchange.org</a>. Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Sub-Saharan Africa http://www.linktv.org/about/blog/post/1127/link-media-partners-with-revolution-hunger 678a1491514b7f1006d605e9161946b1 This week, we had the opportunity to talk with Dr. Sharon Norton, Director of Development at the <a href="http://www.mathileinstitute.org/" target="_blank">Mathile Institute for the Advancement of Human Nutrition</a>. Link Media is collaborating with the Mathile Institute for the Advancement of Human Nutrition this year to raise awareness about global hunger and malnutrition through Revolution Hunger. <a href="http://www.revolutionhunger.org" target="_blank">Revolution Hunger</a> is a unique campaign that harnesses the power of teens across the United States to take on the problems of hunger and malnutrition around the world. <a href="http://www.revolutionhunger.org" target="_blank"></a> Hi Sharon. Thanks for joining us to talk about your work. First and foremost, what is the mission of the Mathile Institute for the Advancement of Human Nutrition, and what type of work does it do? Our mission is creating lasting solutions that enable nutritional well-being in children. Our work is focused on children under the age of five and particularly those under the age of two. The provision of proper nutrition to this difficult to reach and often overlooked age group can help prevent stunting, improve cognitive outcomes, and ensure more positive health consequences for life.   In terms of hunger and malnutrition, what are the major challenges happening globally? Overall, the majority of our work is aimed at resolving hidden hunger. Hidden hunger is a chronic lack of vitamins and minerals that can lead to physical and cognitive afflictions. In Central America for example, there is a dire need for nutritional intervention to alleviate hidden hunger as evidenced by the average prevalence of 23.5% stunting regionally. Stunting is essentially where children do not grow to their potential in height and Guatemala and Honduras top the list with 54.5% and 30.1%, respectively, in stunted children under the age of 5. Moreover, anemia, iodine and/or vitamin deficiencies affect over 16 million young children and 5 million pregnant women in this region. This is a significant issue as those affected by micronutrient deficiency worldwide exceeds two billion. Dietary deficiencies are borne disproportionately by children, mothers, and those living in rural communities. Resolution of these deficiencies will result in improved health outcomes for children and mothers.   How did you find your way to the position you now hold? How do you feel personally connected to this cause? I think it has been the combination of an open mind, a spirit of discovery and skills that had the potential for broad application. When I entered college, I was 100% sure I wanted to be a veterinarian, then I started taking nutrition classes and learned that I loved nutrition, ration formulation and working with large animals. That took me into an entirely different career, but my degree in nutrition has allowed me to work in a number of different nutrition related sectors. Today, at the Mathile Institute I am using my nutritional training to help resolve malnutrition in children. But I also get to apply other skills I picked up while working in the packaged goods sector such as technical communications and consumer understanding methodologies. My personal connection to my work stems from my belief in the "Golden Rule" -- treating others as we would wish to be treated. I believe in treating people with dignity and respect and, for children, I believe that includes their right to a healthy diet.   You have the amazing opportunity to learn about a lot of positive work happening in the field around this cause. What is one of the most inspiring stories you have come across recently? I was incredibly inspired by an experience I had not long ago in El Salvador. We met with FUSAL, a private non-profit organization in El Salvador that channels the experience and social responsibility of a committed Salvadoran business family. This family has solidarity with the most vulnerable people in society and are dedicated to human development, which is why health and education are at the core of their non-profit organization's work. I had the opportunity to visit one of FUSAL's project sites in a rural community. The community workers were teaching the mothers about nutrition and health, demonstrating how to prepare more nutritious meals and ways to provide their babies stimulation to enhance cognitive development. I was so inspired by the sense of community, kindness and the care among these women and among those that were serving them. It was an example of the kind of humanity and action that we need to solve the problem of hunger in this world.   Another story that continually moves me the life and work of Dr. Norman Borlaug. This one, soft-spoken man, with humble, Midwestern roots, was able to change the world through his Green Revolution, an agricultural initiative, which increased crop yields so countries could feed their people.  He received the Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions to ending hunger. Norman Borlaug has been credited with saving over a billion people from starvation.  Knowing that one person can make that type of impact is personally inspiring.   What does "under-nutrition" mean to you? Where is this happening? Many people may hear the word undernutrition and think this means not having enough food or calories.  While that is one form of undernutrition, hidden hunger that I described earlier is another and very prevalent form. But even in the developed world, we see undernutrition due to the inability to access nutritious food. While some of this is linked to poverty, many with the financial means and ability to access a healthy diet make poor food choices. They often do not consume enough of the foods they need to derive important nutrients needed for health. The bottom line is, undernutrition is a global epidemic and the first step in ending it is awareness of the issue and the causes.   Your organization has just launched a new initiative called "Revolution Hunger," what ignited your interest in an initiative that mobilizes teens? I am really excited about this initiative and it was actually inspired by Norman Borlaug. He dedicated his life to fighting hunger around the world. His skill, passion and deep respect for communities in the developing world ignited a global movement that would feed billions worldwide. The spirit of Revolution Hunger was born out of his example and is a campaign that arms teens with information about hunger's causes and solutions and challenges them with calls to action to fight the issue. Everyone has a role and everyone can be a hunger fighter through Revolution Hunger.   What do you hope to see as a result of the work of your organization? We hope that through our collaborative effort we will alleviate malnutrition and put an end, once and for all to the 25,000 daily deaths that result from hunger-related issues. We believe that capacity-building with initiatives like Revolution Hunger are part of the answer. We also are confident that our approach to establishing new nutritional innovations coupled with community awareness and education programs, relevant behavior change initiatives, and ongoing engagement of community leaders will produce scalable and sustainable solutions.   How can others get involved in what you do? For teens go to revolutionhunger.org and learn what it takes to become a hunger fighter. Watch the video, take a personality quiz and begin the journey to face, fight and live the battle to fight hunger. Participate in activities to fight hunger in your local community and beyond. For adults, I would also suggest visiting revolutionhunger.org to not only learn more about hunger but also what you can do to become a teen advocate. If you are a teacher, we also have begun to develop case studies that can give students the opportunity to explore and tackle real issues in the classroom. I hope everyone will join the fight and join the revolution! Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. South America North America Central America http://www.linktv.org/about/blog/post/1124/world-food-week-interview-with-foodcorps c7635bfd99248a2cdef8249ef7bfbef4 <a href="http://foodcorps.org/" target="_blank"></a>On our last couple days of programming for World Food Week, Link TV spoke with co-founder of <a href="http://foodcorps.org/" target="_blank">FoodCorps</a>, Curt Ellis. Want to get inspired and spread the word about taking real action in communities around food justice? Read this interview. And continue to visit our <a href="/food">food page</a> for "Hungry Planet" airtimes, to watch programs online, and to learn more about these critical issues.   Hello Curt, thanks for joining us. Could you tell us a little bit about FoodCorps and how your organization specifically works to fight hunger? FoodCorps works with a network of young leaders around the country in a kind of Peace Corps for healthy school food. Our service members teach children about healthy food and where it comes from, build and tend school gardens that help kids to grow and cook healthy food themselves, and work with school food service staff and local farmers to bring high-quality food into school lunch. Taken together, these three things -- knowledge, engagement and access -- address two big problems at once: childhood hunger and childhood obesity. It sounds paradoxical, but those two problems are closely linked. Kids who don't have reliable access to healthy food don't get a balanced diet, and all too rarely get reliable access to healthy fruits and vegetables -- so food insecure populations are often the ones with the highest rates of both hunger and obesity. As we see it, school is the best place to start fixing both these problems: 32 million children eat roughly half of their calories 180 days of the year in school. In helping to make that food fresher and healthier, we're setting kids on a path out of hunger and into lifelong health.   Food Corps does a lot of work with youth. What do you think the importance of working with youth around this issue is? We have a serious health crisis in this country, and it's directly related to the food we eat. Studies show that the relationships we build with food -- healthy or unhealthy -- start in childhood. Children who are eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, as children will grow up to be adults who eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. And, likewise, children who grow up being served fast food in their school cafeterias will feed their own families' fast food someday. If we help kids understand from an early age that healthy food tastes good, that it's fun to grow and prepare, that it makes you feel good, and that it doesn't have to be out of reach financially, we can put powerful and positive change into motion.   What would you say are the current root causes or main factors that contribute to hunger both within the United States and globally? Unfortunately, much of the food that is seen as affordable in America -- fast food, processed food -- is also some of the least healthy. So we have a shocking number of people in our country who are simultaneously obese and malnourished. Until we have solved problems of access to fruits and vegetables, whole grains and high-quality protein -- both in terms of physical access and financial access -- we'll continue to have these problems of hunger and obesity.   As I see it, if that solution is going to start anywhere, it's going to start in our schools. My grandparents' generation made an important decision: that the children in our country should have lunch in school, so we can be sure they all have an opportunity to get at least one healthy meal a day. Now, with the addition of school breakfast and after-school snack, school food is even more important than it was a generation or two ago. But the food we're serving kids these days looks all too much like fast food, and too little like carrots. We need to change what's on the lunch tray and make sure the tools we're using to fight hunger -- like school lunch -- are really solving the problem they set out to fix.   What do you think are the most pertinent problems in the food industry today? For a long time, the food industry -- and its consumers -- prioritized quantity over quality. I applaud the efforts to give all people access to an abundant food supply, but I think we took that ideal too far. It's hard to think of anything more important than food, yet we don't treat food, or farmers, with the respect they deserve. I think the food we produce and consume as a nation should have integrity. It should be grown and processed in an ecologically sustainable way, by farmers and workers who are compensated fairly, it should be safe and healthy for people to eat, and it should be accessible to all -- even the least fortunate members of our society. I think those are standards that are important to uphold for something as fundamental as the food we eat. And if we live out those ideals, hunger won't be a problem anymore. Diet-related disease won't be a problem anymore. We won't see Florida tomato growers getting brought to trial on charges of slavery in the fields. And the soil we depend on will continue producing high-quality food for eons to come.   What are the advantages of eating locally grown foods? Locally grown foods are fresher, so in most cases they'll taste better and be more nutritious to boot. Vitamins are fragile, so vegetables that are trucked long distances can lose half their nutrient content! Also, sourcing locally grown food keeps a huge amount of money in the local economy, and the reduction in transportation reduces greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on oil. In some ways, though, I think the most important thing that comes from eating locally is the sense that food comes from somewhere. That it's grown by someone. And that's a reminder that those people and places matter.   You've also co-created a few documentaries. Can you give our readers a synopsis of those films and how they relate to food? Before joining the effort to start FoodCorps, I got to collaborate on a few films that explored the food world. I worked with Ian Cheney and Aaron Woolf on a documentary called <a href="http://www.kingcorn.net" target="_blank">King Corn</a>, which was about a year we spent in Iowa growing an acre of corn (well, an acre of corn syrup and corn-fed fast-food meat, as it turned out). I worked with those two again on a follow-up to King Corn called Big River, which explored the ecological consequences of modern agriculture. And then I helped Ian make a film about the wacky and amazing people who are bringing farming into urban places. That film was called Truck Farm, and it starts with a project we did planting a vegetable garden in the back of an '86 Dodge Pickup. You can find the first couple films on Netflix, and the third on Amazon.   How can people help alleviate hunger both on an individual and societal level? That's a big question, and if it could be answered in a paragraph I think someone would have done so already. But I'll highlight a few things. On the individual level, I think it's important that we learn -- and help others learn -- how to grow and cook healthy, affordable food. During World War II, home gardeners were producing more than half of America's food. There's no reason we shouldn't be planting our window boxes and truck beds and vacant lots in healthy, high-quality, incredibly affordable food. On the societal level, we have some powerful building blocks for creating a healthy food environment for all. The national school lunch program is a powerful place to start. If we use that existing program as a way to make sure all children in America grow up having regular access to real, healthy food, we'll go a long way toward solving hunger in America.   What role does independent media play in raising awareness about these issues? The mainstream media has really embraced food as an important issue in the last decade, and that's been great to see. Unfortunately, before that, I think they were missing much of the story, and it was independent outlets that were the first to highlight the way that food shapes our environment, our health and our sense of justice and equality.   What changes do you hope to see in the next 50 years? Most importantly, I'd like to see us reverse the present statistic that this generation of children is the first that is likely to have a shorter lifespan than their parents. In fifty years I hope we have healthier children: children who feel connected to their food and have an enduring and healthy relationship with it.   I hope we can come together as a nation around the simple belief that food is important. That it's important enough that no child should go hungry. That it's important enough that it should be produced responsibly, sustainably, and ethically. That it should be available to all. If we can do that, I'll feel pretty good about our ability to solve some of the other tough problems we're facing as a society.   How can someone get involved in your organization or work? For young leaders, the best way to get involved is to <a href="http://foodcorps.org/get-involved/sign-up" target="_blank">apply to become a service member in FoodCorps</a>; applications for next year's class will be available this winter. For everyone else, if you support FoodCorps with a financial contribution, no matter how small, you can help us meet our goal of expanding our program into all 50 states by 2020. With your help, we can make sure more than a million kids are eating healthy, high-quality school lunch every day. Fri, 21 Oct 2011 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. http://www.linktv.org/about/blog/post/1123/world-food-week-africas-last-famine 2cfd4560539f887a5e420412b370b361 A message from Link TV's President & CEO, Paul S. Mason: Like all of you, I have watched the tragedy of famine as it continues to threaten the lives of millions in the Horn of Africa. I've watched and read the news reports, and I've followed the efforts of humanitarian groups and governments as they supply aid to millions of people in need. And now, as we prepare to recognize World Food Day on October 16, the urgency is particularly acute. The world is in a recession, and extreme weather patterns -- drought and more -- will likely increase. Status quo will not be enough to avert further crises -- we must do better.   In recognition of this global crisis, Link TV has teamed up with international relief and development organization, <a href="http://www.oxfamamerica.org" target="_blank">Oxfam America</a>, to produce a half-hour documentary special that examines possible solutions to famine and hunger around the world:<a href="http://www.viewchange.org/videos/viewchange-africas-last-famine" target="_blank"></a> <a href="http://www.viewchange.org/videos/viewchange-africas-last-famine" target="_blank">ViewChange: Africa's Last Famine</a> features the story of an Ethiopian farmer, Medhin Reda, and interviews with Francis Moore Lappé, humanitarian, activist and bestselling author of Diet for a Small Planet. The show takes a hard stance on food justice and disputes the notion that famine is simply caused by a lack of food in the global supply. According to Moore Lappé in the documentary, "the world produces more than enough for all of us to thrive...the real crisis is the crisis of human relationships, how we share in power."   I hope you will join us in watching the show <a href="http://www.viewchange.org/videos/viewchange-africas-last-famine" target="_blank">online</a> or on <a href="/programs/viewchange-africas-last-famine">Link TV</a>, in spreading the word to others, and in joining Oxfam America's efforts to end global hunger. <a href="http://www.oxfamamerica.org/growpledge" target="_blank">Please sign Oxfam's pledge</a> and <a href="/food">click here</a> for more information about what you can do.   Sincerely,   Paul S. MasonPresident & CEO, Link TV             View online:<a href="http://www.oxfamamerica.org" target="_blank">OxfamAmerica.org</a> or <a href="http://www.viewchange.org" target="_blank">ViewChange.org</a>Watch Tuesday, October 18 at 11pm ET/8pm PT<a href="/reception">DIRECTV Channel 375 | DISH Network Channel 9410</a>Follow us @LinkTV#AfricaLastFamine Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Sub-Saharan Africa http://www.linktv.org/about/blog/post/1121/world-food-week-interview-with-tekiah-jones 3a15c7d0bbe60300a39f76f8a5ba6896 In this next addition to our World Food Week blog series on key people in the field tackling hunger, we talked with Tekiah Jones, a 17-year-old High School Student from Washington DC. She works as the New Media Producer on a campaign called <a href="http://www.revolutionhunger.org" target="_blank">Revolution Hunger</a>. Link Media is working in partnership with Revolution Hunger to engage teens and their communities around hunger and malnutirition at home and around the world. Continue to <a href="/food">visit our food page</a> for "Hungry Planet" airtimes, to watch programs online, and to find out what you can do.   Hi Tekiah, thanks for being a part of this interview! First and foremost, how did you first learn about this issue of hunger? It was actually through Revolution Hunger. I had seen the position online from a friend, so I applied for it, but I didn't know much about hunger. I remember seeing commercials with children in Africa with flies on their face, but that's all. I didn&rsquo;t know much about it, and didn't learn about it until I joined the campaign.   You are a part of this campaign, Revolution Hunger. Can you tell me a bit about it? Revolution Hunger is a campaign that is trying to get more teens involved in bringing awareness about world hunger, and hunger here at home. We are really dedicated to trying to get people involved and dedicating their future careers to helping to solve it.   What is your role in the campaign? My role as New Media Producer is to really expand out the mission and vision of Revolution Hunger, (we in the DC area -- District of Columbia, Virginia, Marylan) -- and to reach teens in schools, and in our community using new media and online tools. We are using social media to get the word out, especially because that's where young people are at. I also work with the Regional Coordinator and we do some outreach projects together, like organizing a youth team in DC, attending events, and doing in school presentations. I write blogs and do things that are online, to really reach out to people and show them what we&rsquo;re doing, though the new media age.   How do you think new media can impact and engage teens in learning about this issue? To me, all teens are on their phones and the computer at some point in the day. All of our networks are on the new Android or EVO, and people are on Twitter or Facebook, so the best way to really get to teens is to blog and Tweet and get on their Tumblr accounts. I think that when you use something that teens go to every day, that's what will maximize our impact. When the Tsunamis hit a couple years ago, people weren't talking about Twitter, but people on Twitter were the first to talk about it. I think New Media can take organizing to a new age, and it already is. It's so much more accessible to click on a link. It helps teens get more involved, and allows them to learn about something new. Even in our school, we don't hand in paper assignments, we send them online. With so much online, you don't have an excuse not to be involved. With Revolution Hunger, we are trying to get kids engaged both online and then to get off their computers and go do something positive.   How can teens get involved? Go to <a href="http://www.revolutionhunger.org" target="_blank">revolutionhunger.org</a> and create an account! Teens can start educating people about hunger, blogging about it themselves, and make it a trending topic. When you start getting into it it, really consumes you. When you know that every 3.6 seconds someone dies of hunger, that's a big thing. The ways that teens can get involved is starting up a club at their school to bring awareness to global issues and hunger. Really just educating each other about it. Not enough people really know about it yet, or care about it. Going up to your friends and talking about it, wearing t-shirts from our campaign, or re-Tweeting our posts help a lot. I have so much more knowledge about the issue. To me, it seems so much greater than the presidential debate.   What is your vision for the future? For the campaign, I wanted to go viral like the Trevor Project. I would have expected it to start, we're later in the year. I wanted people to be like "have you heard about this campaign?", or one of those things where people are like "are you going to that event today? I want to help out." I really want people to get involved in hunger. People are living off absolutely nothing and don't have anything to eat. We make a big deal out of a new Walmart, but there are people starving.I want to see lots of people involved. I want to see it on the Ellen show. I want it to go viral so badly. I want people to see it and see the pretty colors and really get into it, into Revolution Hunger. But more then that, make a life long commitment to stay involved and do your part.   What do you hope to see in your community and around the world? In my community, I hope to see more people getting along with each other, and less hungry people. I want everyone to get along in the different quadrants. There's all this hatred, gang violence, people getting shot or stabbed, fighting in high school, and poverty. I want people to understand we have bigger issues than what hood you're from or who said what at lunch. We have some many bigger problems in DC alone, like hunger or our education system. I want to really be one of those communities where everyone helps each other out. In the world I want the same things on a bigger scales. Like the wars, people don't know about each other's cultures. I want people to get to know about different world religions and cultures. Different cultures. I want everyone to be a part of fixing social injustices. Hunger is one of those. I really want everyone to just love everyone, to love humanity. That's my wish, that's what I want. Tue, 18 Oct 2011 12:32:21 -0700 Link Media, Inc. North America http://www.linktv.org/about/blog/post/1120/world-food-week-interview-with-slow-food-usa c6036a69be21cb660499b75718a3ef24 This week on Link TV, we are airing a week of programming uncovering various global perspectives on food. <a href="/food">Visit this page</a> for airtimes, to watch programs online, and to find out what you can do. In addition, we are interviewing key players and partners who work around issues of hunger and food justice. In today&rsquo;s report, we interviewed Jane Sung E Bai, Director of National Programs for <a href="http://www.slowfoodusa.org/" target="_blank">Slow Food USA</a>.   <a href="http://www.slowfoodusa.org/" target="_blank"></a>   Thanks for doing this interview, Sung E. First and foremost, can you tell us a bit more about what Slow Food USA does? Slow Food USA is part of a global, grassroots network with supporters in 150 countries who believe that food and farming should be sources of health and well being for everyone and for our planet. In the US, Slow Food USA brings people together through food, organizes them to improve their local food systems, and garners that power to change legislative policies that shape our food and farming system. Slow Food USA has more than 250,000 supporters, and 25,000 members working together in 225 local chapters.   What are a few programs you are currently working on with Slow Food USA? We are currently developing a campaign to ensure that the next reauthorization of the Food & Farm Bill (the single largest piece of legislation that shapes our food and farming priorities) in 2012 protects and invests in the efforts of those working to make food sustainable, healthy, accessible, and affordable.   While our chapters are running diverse projects to raise awareness and to change people's relationships with food and farming locally, we are specifically supporting local efforts that are focused on improving children's relationship with food (both in and out of the classroom), as well as on providing alternatives to industrial agriculture (e.g. fast food). Such efforts were illustrated by our recent <a href="https://secure3.convio.net/sfusa/site/SPageServer?pagename=5Challenge_Home" target="_blank">$5 Challenge</a> campaign to take back the 'value meal,' and are part of our long-standing work to promote and to protect plant varieties and animal breeds that are under the threat of an increasingly homogenized food system. We provide resources, trainings, and other forms of support to those already doing this work, and to those interested in initiating a project.   As our network of supporters is sizeable and has varied interests, we regularly run activities that raise awareness of the challenges of our current food and farming system, provide opportunities for individuals to come together with others (especially through eating and growing food), and inspire people to take collective action.   Can you describe what the "Good, Clean, and Fair" Movement is? Good, clean, and fair refers to food that is good for us, good for those who produce it, and good for the planet. Slow Food USA believes that all are vital to our vision for a different food and farming economy. Workers must be paid fair wages, farmers need to sustain themselves and their families, all people have a right to food that is good for them, and we all have a responsibility to protect our natural resources.   What is the importance of eating "Good, Clean, and Fair" food over factory farmed foods? There is a correlation among the growth of factory-farmed foods, decreased income for farmers, stagnation/decline of wages, surge in diet-related diseases, and continued damage to our climate and ecosystems, among other socio-economic problems our society faces. Rather than supporting farmers to grow biodiverse non-GMO crops, grass-fed animals, and sustainable practices, factory farming has unfortunately become the solution to feeding people who cannot afford good, clean, and fair food, as well as those who can! This contributes to the massive healthcare costs of nutrition-related illnesses, the contraction of family-run farms and jobs, increased greenhouse gases, and dwindling diversity of food sources -- just to name a few consequences.   We are what we eat. And what we eat is based on the economic and political priorities of government and corporations. Unfortunately, the health of people and our environment is not the priority right now. And it needs to be the number one priority.   Slow Food USA believes that we need to reshape the story of food and farming so that it is one that we can feel proud of and we can be sustained by. Our organization's story includes producing food humanely, treating workers fairly, increasing job opportunities, adequately compensating farmers, preserving (rather than depleting) natural resources, and appreciating food traditions of diverse cultures and communities.   What would you say are the current root causes or main factors that contribute to hunger both within the United States and globally? The UN has found that the number one factor leading to hunger is access, whether to land for growing or to income for purchasing. The issue is not innovations in farming or distribution. Rather, it is an issue of poverty. In order to eradicate hunger we have to eradicate the root causes of systemic poverty.   Rather than seek to elevate solutions to hunger through supporting communities to grow food and earn a living, the drive often seems to be towards 'cost efficiency' and 'profit.' There is an invisible expense to this drive. Investment in genetically modified foods means a divestment in the livelihood and health of people -- food is not just about nourishment. Food is part of a larger ecosystem, which includes working the land to grow the food that feeds us. We need more farmers, not just more scientists. Study after study shows that we as a global community can in fact produce enough food to feed the world. We produce more than enough food for every human being, yet 1/3 of all annual food production is wasted. We need solutions that are based in values of human dignity, health, and well being.   How do you feel can people help alleviate hunger both on an individual and societal level? On an individual level, we need to have the awareness that we are all part of the problem, and part of the solution. This means that we need to reflect on our own practices: How are we living? Sharing information (with our children, families, and friends)? Reducing waste? And, how are we supporting the survival of those who are seeking to address hunger? What can we do to volunteer or support (through money or in-kind donations) those organizations that are dedicated to eradicating hunger? You can dedicate a patch of your own garden to a local soup kitchen or volunteer to tend a community garden plot whose produce is donated to a food bank. Get involved in gleaning projects. Reduce waste.   As a society, we must first embrace the responsibility to be part of the solution. Then, we need to make a choice to start doing something with the intention of supporting the eradication of hunger. Each act contributes to the possibility of a greater motion of change.   What role does independent media play in raising awareness about these issues? Similar to the way that our food system is structured -- largely controlled by a handful of corporations -- so is our media system. This has meant that we are hearing the same stories again and again through mainstream media, and they are sometimes skewed to uplift the interests of those who benefit from the current food system the most. Even as 'healthy living' and 'eating healthy' has taken center stage due to both grassroots activism and political interests, they are conveniently absorbed, and repackaged by the same corporations who contribute to a broken system. What is too often ignored are the root causes for why it is so hard to have access to affordable good, clean, and fair food. It is only through independent media that everyday people can hear other sides of the story -- the stories of those who are most impacted by a broken food and farming system, the stories about root causes. And as people become more aware, they are able to act from a more informed and powerful position. And as more people act, mainstream media will be more compelled to cover such stories.   What changes do you hope to see in the next 50 years? In 50 years, my daughter will be 54 years old. I hope that she is part of raising a next generation where every day, every child in this country and around the world has a belly full of healthy food that comes from the calloused hands of farmers and workers who are able to live sustainably and peacefully. I hope 54 is the new middle age because domestic and global priorities have shifted to pool together resources and knowledge to eradicate poverty and human-made illnesses. I hope that farming and working in the food chain are embraced as dignified and valuable work. I hope that food continues to be the common ground for breaking bread and building relationships across difference.   How can someone get involved in your organization or work? First, go to our website -- <a href="http://www.slowfoodusa.org/" target="_blank">www.slowfoodusa.org</a> -- or call us at 718-260-8000.   Once you have signed up to receive our communications, you will be able to find a meal to attend or a garden to volunteer at. If you do not find one in your local area, host a meal with some friends or start a conversation about the food system in your community. We also have a fast growing and active <a href="http://www.facebook.com/SlowFoodUSA" target="_blank">Facebook community</a>, <a href="http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/slow_food/blog/" target="_blank">blog readership</a>, and <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/SlowFoodUSA" target="_blank">Twitter following</a>. If you are interested in doing work related to children and food or alternatives to processed foods, please do not hesitate to contact us and join a community of volunteers who do this work locally across the country. You can also get involved in our national campaign around the 2012 Food & Farm Bill to improve legislation that shapes our food and farming system. By becoming a member, you can join a chapter, start a chapter, and/or keep up with the latest food news; obtain tips on cooking slow food, gardening and buying local; and start advocating for better food for all.   More about Jane Sung E Bai: After 25 years of racial and economic justice and immigrant rights organizing, she embraced food justice when she enrolled her daughter in a daycare that serves low-income children. Dismayed by the Board of Education-provided meals, Sung E made a commitment to prepare her daughter&rsquo;s breakfast and lunch everyday and to work towards improving access to nutritious food for working people. Along with being the executive director of a community-based organization for almost 12 years, Sung E has held teaching appointments in higher education, been a certified advocate for domestic violence survivors and trainer for grassroots organizers, and served on various leadership bodies of local and national organizations. She believes in the power of everyday people making change every day. Mon, 17 Oct 2011 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. North Africa Europe Oceania Sub-Saharan Africa Middle East South Asia Asia South America North America Central America http://www.linktv.org/about/blog/post/1110/saving-children-in-sudan-from-link-tv-journalist-to-activist 2cbca44843a864533ec05b321ae1f9d1 I have never looked at a film with as much trepidation as Machine Gun Preacher. The film is based on the true story of Sam Childers, an ex-con and drug addict who went to Africa and experienced a complete transformation. He exchanged his old days of drug addiction and violence to become the impassioned founder of the Angels of East Africa, a rescue organization for children orphaned in Sudan.   I had already known about the unspeakable horrors that families have experienced in Sudan. I had vaguely known about Joseph Kony, the head of the Lord's resistance army (LRA), and how he kidnapped children and then enslaved them. I knew that it would be incredibly painful to see the depiction of children suffering this way and being stripped of their innocence. However, I felt it was my duty as a citizen of the world to see this movie. You bet I was a crying basketcase during this film, but I became a transformed activist as well after the credits rolled.   Sam Childers is a real flawed hero, a larger than life personality that Hollywood scriptwriters can only dream of creating. As an ex-biker-gang member, he found God and made the life-changing decision to go to East Africa to help repair homes destroyed by civil war. He became outraged by the horrific violence faced by the region's vulnerable populace, especially the children. Ignoring the warnings of more experienced aide workers, Sam breaks ground for an orphanage where it's most needed -- in the middle of territory controlled by the brutal LRA, the renegade militia that forces children younger than ten to become soldiers, or sold into sex slavery (which fortunately was not depicted in this film). But Sam not only builds a shelter, he leads armed missions deep into enemy territory to retrieve kidnapped children, restoring peace to their lives. He wields an AK-47 in one hand, and a bible in the other, channeling all of his anger into finding Joseph Kony. That a biker with lambchop sideburns and tattoos could single handedly save over a thousand orphans is an inspiring message that one person could indeed affect positive change.   Actor Gerard Butler gives an intense performance, channeling the intimidating yet empathic Childers. While it is hard to empathize with his unlikable character in the beginning of the film, you transform along with him in his journey toward the end. You see his intensity and passion when he is preaching, even as his Scottish accent is replaced with a very believable Southern drawl. You can feel every bit of anger in the sweat beads on his brow as he pleads with community members to help him with his cause. Equally important to this narrative is his wife Lynn, who patiently and bravely supports him as he sells his business to use the money for the orphanage, flies to Sudan regularly to dangerous missions, and nearly forecloses his home to raise more money for the orphans' food and supplies. Michelle Monaghan was perfectly cast as a woman who appears vulnerable, but has the quiet strength and fortitude to counterbalance Sam's angry and unpredictable outbursts.   Some critics may argue that Machine Gun Preacher relies too much on Sam's boldness and not enough on the character exploration of the children, but I can see the motive. If the job of this film is to embolden people to do more to help the situation in Africa, then the goal has been accomplished. Perhaps the director, Mark Forster, wanted the audience to feel for the children's plight without exploiting them.   Anyone can identify with San Childers, whether wealthy, poor, a victim, a perpetrator, a religious person, or an atheist. If the point is to move people across the board into action to save these children, then I think Machine Gun Preacher does this brilliantly. Of course the children deserve their own narrative, as they are victims of a man that would make Osama Bin Laden look tame in comparison. But they need our immediate help even more. The primary question in my mind after the film was: why don't more Americans know about the so-called Lord's Resistance Army, and the hundreds of thousands of innocent people they have killed for nearly three decades? Why don't they know that this army forces children to hack their own parents with a machete to death in order to instill violence and self hatred in their young hearts... and making it impossible to return home? Why don't they know that this army decapitates the lips, ears, arms and legs of these children and other villagers to punish them?   While I have always been a donor to Unicef, UNRWA, and St Jude's Hospital, this film compelled me to do two things: First, I donated to Sam Childer's cause at <a href="http://www.Machinegunpreacher.org/donate" target="_blank">Machinegunpreacher.org/donate</a>. Secondly, I decided to register and participate in the Global Forum on Human Trafficking through <a href="http://www.Notforsalecampaign.org" target="_blank">Notforsalecampaign.org</a>. The primary victims of slavery still alive in this world are women and children from Sudan to Armenia, Thailand to Brazil. Machine Gun Preacher challenges us to take part in this narrative -- through the eyes and experience of fellow American Sam Childers. As I wrote earlier, I was a basketcase after watching this film, but I have now filled my basket with an arsenal of tools to try and make a difference in these innocent lives, the start of my own journey from a Link TV journalist, to an activist.   Link TV Journalist Blanche Shaheen had the opportunity to interview Machine Gun Preacher stars Gerard Butler and Michelle Monaghan about their experience making the film. Watch the conversation here:   To learn more about Blanche Shaheen, visit <a href="http://www.blanchestudio.com/" target="_blank">www.Blanchestudio.com</a> Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. http://www.linktv.org/about/blog/post/1086/socialissue-documentary-30-tackling-global-poverty-with-link-tvs-viewchange d91d1b4d82419de8a614abce9cc0e6d4 [Ed Note: This article first appeared as <a href="http://www.mediarights.org/news/social-issue_documentary_3.0_tackling_global_poverty_with_link_tvs_viewchan" target="_blank">a guest blog post</a> on <a href="http://www.mediarights.org/" target="_blank">MediaRights.org</a>]   Can social-issue documentaries play a role in helping to end global poverty?Link TV thinks so. Almost one year ago, the nonprofit global affairs media organization and broadcast network launched a project based on the idea that documentary storytelling, combined with social actions and the latest news, could make a meaningful contribution to the challenge of global poverty. The idea became <a href="http://www.viewchange.org" target="_blank">ViewChange.org</a>, an online portal built on the foundation of semantic Web technology that connects documentary stories to news and social actions in global poverty. In other words, in one place, people can watch character-driven stories, read the latest news about issues covered in the films, and then connect directly to action campaigns around each social issue. It&rsquo;s a site and tool that&rsquo;s primed for grassroots awareness and action. The <a href="http://www.viewchange.org" target="_blank">ViewChange.org</a> platform is now a curated documentary hub with more than 400 short- and long-form character-driven documentaries from around the world &ndash; and all of them illustrate real progress toward achieving the <a href="http://www.un.org/milleniumgoals/" target="_blank">Millennium Development Goals</a>, which together comprise the world&rsquo;s &ldquo;blueprint&rdquo; for ending global poverty. The portal site now includes the best stories from top global development organizations and filmmakers around the world.I work on the project in a kind of hybrid role that combines documentary producing, communication campaign strategy and partnership cultivation with top global development organizations, including Devex, InterAction, Save the Children, UNICEF, PSI, Global Health Council, ONE, Comminit, Bread for the World and more. And thanks to the expertise of these groups, combined with the amazing repository of films now licensed to ViewChange.org, we&rsquo;ve started producing half-hour TV specials in partnership with several top global development organizations &ndash; the <a href="http://www.viewchange.org/tv" target="_blank">ViewChange TV series</a>. For each show, the narrative is informed by the expertise and objectives of the partner organization, and the main story and outreach campaign are developed simultaneously against the backdrop of the group&rsquo;s organizational (and sometimes advocacy) objectives, creating a powerful campaign-style approach. But one key to the project is simple and so powerful for those in the social-justice community to organize around specific issues &ndash; the fully-sharable/embeddable formatting of the acquired films and the final jointly-produced shows. By giving the videos, films and global development shows to groups and blogs to embed and share for their own purposes, we&rsquo;re offering a tool that&rsquo;s useful not only in our own campaign outreach, but for others to use in theirs. Interested in raising attention about the connection between climate change and drought in developing nations? Want to support innovative hunger relief programs in poor areas of the world? Need a documentary story that can be used in your own awareness/activist campaign to organize for purposes of advocacy or other goals? Navigating through the ViewChange.org tool provides all of these opportunities.   Just last week, one of these jointly-produced documentary specials premiered on <a href="/programs/viewchange-challenging-hunger" target="_blank">Link TV (Friday, August 12 and 16)</a> and on ViewChange.org. Working closely with <a href="http://www.bread.org/" target="_blank">Bread for the World</a>, an anti-hunger advocacy organization, the &ldquo;<a href="http://www.viewchange.org/videos/viewchange-challenging-hunger" target="_blank">ViewChange: Challenging Hunger</a>&rdquo; documentary special combines filmmaking from Bread for the World itself, along with short films from Oxfam and the Sundance Institute. In this particular show, the organization&rsquo;s advocacy goals &ndash; to use foreign aid more effectively to help poor and hungry people &ndash; provide the narrative thru-line. The call to action is urgent: With more than a billion people suffering from chronic hunger, the timing of potential budget cuts would be particularly devastating to developing nations. And the special debunks a <a href="http://blog.bread.org/2011/05/myths-about-foreign-aid.html" target="_blank">key foreign assistance myth</a> and provides new insight into the ripple effects of chronic hunger: Most Americans believe that about 25 percent of the U.S. budget goes toward foreign assistance, but, in fact, less than 1 percent supports crucial foreign assistance programs&mdash;including anti-hunger programs and food aid. The funding is vital to the continued development and management of innovative programs that provide long-term solutions to hunger. The outreach includes a grassroots campaign to reach out to Bread for the World&rsquo;s network of thousands of individual members, churches and denominations around the country, as well as reaching out through its college-age hunger activists group. Teams at both Link TV and Bread for the World are working jointly in an integrated strategic communication campaign model that includes traditional media outreach, blogging, sharing the show via embeddable links, outreach to top global development influencers, and social media.   To support Bread for the World&rsquo;s work directly, check out its fact sheets and advocacy opportunities on its site: Tell Congress to create a <a href="http://www.bread.org/hunger/budget/" target="_blank">circle of protection</a> around funding for programs that are vital to hungry and poor people in the US and abroad. Follow ViewChange on Twitter <a href="http://www.twitter.com/viewchange" target="_blank">@ViewChange</a> and at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/viewchange" target="_blank">Facebook.com/ViewChange</a>.   You can watch and share the full show here:   Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Sub-Saharan Africa South Asia Central America http://www.linktv.org/about/blog/post/1070/hiv-30-years-later-viewchange-spotlights-whats-working-in-global-prevention dc58e3a306451c9d670adcd37004f48f <a href="/hivprevention"></a>Thirty years after the CDC confirmed the first cases of HIV, millions have died, particularly in developing nations. But there's hope. Innovative HIV prevention programs -- including a peer education program from hair stylists in Zimbabwe and a media campaign promoting male circumcision in Africa -- are contributing to a decrease in the global rate of new HIV infections.   These and other stories of effective programs on the ground in developing nations are showcased in a new TV documentary, <a href="/programs/viewchange-hiv-prevention">ViewChange: HIV Prevention - Looking Back & Moving Forward</a>, that premieres on Friday, July 29, from Link TV and international global health organization<a href="http://www.psi.org/" target="_blank"> PSI (Population Services International)</a>. Debra Messing, actor and PSI ambassador, narrates the half-hour show.   You can view <a href="/programs/viewchange-hiv-prevention">ViewChange: HIV Prevention - Looking Back & Moving Forward</a> online at <a href="http://www.viewchange.org" target="_blank">www.viewchange.org</a>.   You can also watch the documentary on Link TV (DIRECTV channel 375, DISH channel 9410) at the following times: Friday, July 29th at 7pm ET/4pm PT Tuesday, August 2nd at 11pm ET/8pm PT   We hope you'll join us in marking this key milestone, and that you'll spread the word about what's working in global HIV prevention. Fri, 29 Jul 2011 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. North Africa Europe Oceania Sub-Saharan Africa Middle East South Asia Asia South America North America Central America http://www.linktv.org/about/blog/post/1027/exploreorg-presents-dog-bless-usa 883e881bb4d22a7add958f2d6b052c9f <a href="http://www.facebook.com/exploredogs" target="_blank"></a>From Memorial Day to Veterans Day, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/exploredogs" target="_blank">Dog Bless You</a>, a non-profit community created by <a href="http://www.explore.org" target="_blank">explore.org</a> founder Charlie Annenberg Weingarten, will celebrate dogs and soldiers in America through a new campaign called Dog Bless USA. Funds raised by a challenge grant on the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/exploredogs" target="_blank">Dog Bless You Facebook page</a> will be used to give service dogs to war veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). <a href="http://www.explore.org" target="_blank">explore.org</a> will donate one service dog to a veteran suffering from PTSD for every 5,000 "Likes" on the community page, up to 100 dogs or $500,000. <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001923/" target="_blank">Post-traumatic stress disorder</a> affects as many as <a href="http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/how-common-is-ptsd.asp" target="_blank">20 percent of military personnel</a> returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. This crippling <a href="http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/common-reactions-after-trauma.asp" target="_blank">anxiety disorder</a> causes anger, depression, major stress, fear, agitation, and numbness. Hidden from sight, PTSD isn't as obvious as physical injuries but can be just as serious. And sometimes the best therapy is the companionship of a service dog. The <a href="http://iava.org/" target="_blank">Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)</a> and an assortment of dog and veteran related organizations have come together to raise awareness of PTSD and the healing role that dogs can play in people's lives. This unique campaign offers people a chance to participate in spreading the word and raising money simply by clicking "Like" on the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/exploredogs" target="_blank">Dog Bless You Facebook page</a>. The community page is comprised of over 260,000 people already, and features photos, videos, and discussions aimed and educating and inspiring. <a href="http://www.facebook.com/exploredogs" target="_blank">Join today</a>.     Wed, 20 Jul 2011 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. North America http://www.linktv.org/about/blog/post/1058/monday-world-premiere-of-exploreorgs-raindrops-over-rwanda b4d168b48157c623fbd095b4a565b5bb The gruesome images that made their way out of Rwanda during the summer months of 1994 are indelibly etched into all of our minds. Over a million people were killed while the world looked on and ultimately did nothing. In a media atmosphere where the world's attention shifts rapidly away from tragedy almost as soon as it ends, Rwanda in 1994 has stuck with us. But what has happened in this small, landlocked country since then? Exactly seventeen years have now passed since the genocide occurred, and Rwanda has managed to maintain a semblance of stability, avoiding the crises that its neighbors have endured. What is the reason for this? How has this country reconciled its past, and how do victims and perpetrators alike live together in the present? Charles Annenberg Weingarten and the <a href="http://www.explore.org" target="_blank">explore.org</a> Team traveled to Rwanda to answer that very question. The film that resulted from the trip, <a href="/programs/explore-raindrops-over-rwanda" target="_blank">Raindrops Over Rwanda</a>, focuses on the Kigali Memorial Centre and a young man who survived the genocide and now serves as the Centre's head guide. Link TV is bringing you the world broadcast premiere of <a href="/programs/explore-raindrops-over-rwanda" target="_blank">Raindrops Over Rwanda</a> on Monday, 5pm PT/8pm ET and Wednesday at 8pm PT/11pm ET. Kigali Memorial Centre is more than just a museum. It is a focal point for honoring the anonymous dead, a communal cemetery for a country where there were too many bodies for most to be identified. It is a space for the community to come together for reconciliation and healing. It is a way to remember the past in the hopes that it will never be repeated. For most foreigners experiencing the memorial for the first time, <a href="/video/6692/raindrops-over-rwanda-interview-honor-gatera" target="_blank">Honoré Gatera</a> is the guide, teacher, storyteller, and historian all in one. <a href="http://explore.org/videos/player/honor-at-link-tv" target="_blank">Honoré is our guide</a> in this film as well, providing a first person perspective on genocide that few people in the world are able to give. After <a href="http://www.explore.org" target="_blank">explore.org</a>'s trip to Rwanda, Honoré came to the United States for the very first time and sat down with Charlie at Link TV headquarters for a <a href="/video/6692/raindrops-over-rwanda-interview-honor-gatera" target="_blank">memorable interview</a>. Stay tuned after the film as we bring you this exclusive behind-the-scenes look at how the movie was made, as well as Honoré's experiences and unique worldview. Survivors like Honoré, and the Rwandan people in general, have the ability to teach the world not only about how to avoid genocide, but also how to heal and forgive in order to live together in the future.   <a href="http://www.facebook.com/exploreRwanda" target="_blank">TAKE ACTION: Join the community on Facebook to help explore.org raise $50,000 for the Kigali Memorial Center (featured in the film).</a>   Watch a promo for Raindrops Over Rwanda (airing Monday, 5pm PT/8pm ET):   Sun, 17 Jul 2011 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Sub-Saharan Africa http://www.linktv.org/about/blog/post/1059/friday-on-viewchange-starting-over 4a08142c38dbe374195d41c04562d9f8 Each year, <a href="http://www.oxfam.org/" target="_blank">Oxfam</a> estimates that more than 500,000 people are killed due to armed violence with countless more left devastated, displaced, traumatized, and angry.  Armed violence destroys lives, drains government resources, undermines development efforts, and fosters a culture of violence, fear, and corruption. It is big business with huge ramifications.      At the moment, there is no global arms trade treaty regulating the transfer of arms. Too often, cheap yet highly destructive weapons land in the hands of those who use them to assert power insidiously and further continue a vicious cycle of violence. For developing countries, particularly those in conflict or post-conflict situations, the low-cost accessibility of weapons wreaks havoc on efforts to achieve reconciliation and development. While decades of tensions slowly settle, an arsenal of cheap, available weapons remains&mdash;stunting efforts to move forward peacefully.  Families are left displaced and devastated by the loss or injury of a family member; their home may be destroyed or no longer safe to live in, and they may be left virtually income-less with no able-bodied workers or farmland. Already struggling health care systems are overburdened; schools are forced to closed or get by with meager support; access to food becomes limited. Anger, hopelessness, and fear grow. Any tensions that may arise or continue in communities&mdash;ethnic or religious conflicts, neighbor or land disputes&mdash;are resolved through violence. And when you are angry and disempowered with no job or education opportunities&mdash;no potentials to grow or support your family, when an AK-47 or grenade is as cheap and accessible as a pint of beer, as is the case in Burundi, it is easy to see how violence remains the preferred medium for conflict resolution. Violence infiltrates every aspect of the culture; it becomes a daily part of life.    &ldquo;Weapons call out to other weapons,&rdquo; says Teddy Mazina, a journalist in the documentary film <a href="http://www.viewchange.org/videos/shooting-poverty-bang-for-your-buck" target="_blank">Bang for your Buck</a>. The huge supply of cheap weapons leftover from Burundi&rsquo;s civil war has contaminated his country, he says, causing an intractable cycle of violence and corrupt power that undermines all development efforts. Underlying issues such as why violence is so easily resorted to are obscured by the sheer supply and availability of cheap grenades and Ak-47s. There needs to be regulation: a path towards disarmament.     <a href="http://www.viewchange.org/videos/shooting-poverty-bang-for-your-buck" target="_blank">Bang for Your Buck</a> beautifully illustrates this need. As winner of <a href="http://www.oxfam.org/en/campaigns/conflict/shooting-poverty-true-cost-arms-trade" target="_blank">Oxfam&rsquo;s "Shooting Poverty&rdquo; contest</a>, the film was made to galvanize the <a href="http://www.controlarms.org/" target="_blank">Control Arms Campaign</a>, a global civil society alliance, of which Oxfam is a part of, calling for a universal <a href="http://www.controlarms.org/att.php" target="_blank">Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)</a>. The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) would outline universal standards for arms exporters and importers, eradicating any loopholes or variance in regulation that could be used to evade responsibility and further fuel armed conflict, poverty, and human rights violations. The Campaign calls on members of the United Nations to secure this urgent treaty&mdash;one round of negotiation is underway this week in New York with the final conference scheduled for July 2010.  You can <a href="http://controlarms.org/join.php" target="_blank">join the campaign and help ensure the government takes this opportunity</a> to comprehensively regulate the deadly weapons trade.     A universal Arms Trade Treaty is an important step towards ending irresponsible arms transfers that promote corrupt agendas and violate human rights, drain resources, and hinder development efforts in countries striving to rebuild, particularly in the aftermath of civil war. Much more needs to be done, however, in order to start over. To learn more about the struggle for new beginnings check out <a href="http://www.viewchange.org/" target="_blank">ViewChange.org</a>&rsquo;s new episode, <a href="/programs/viewchange-starting-over" target="_blank">Starting Over</a>, where <a href="http://www.viewchange.org/videos/shooting-poverty-bang-for-your-buck" target="_blank">Bang for Your Buck</a> is featured along with two other powerful films. In the episode you will meet Teddy Mazina as he walks you through the realities of daily grenade attacks in Burundi, learn about Rwanda&rsquo;s Gacaca justice tribunals, and witness one ex-patriot&rsquo;s dream to promote economic development through tourism in Sierra Leone.    <a href="/programs/viewchange-starting-over" target="_blank">Starting Over</a> airs on Direct TV Channel 375 and DISH Network Channel 9410 on: Friday, July 15th 4 pm PSTSunday, July 17th 12am PSTTuesday, July 19th 8pm PSTWednesday, July 20th 3am and 10am PSTFriday, July 22nd  5am PSTSaturday, July 23rd 11:30pm PST.<a href="/programs/viewchange-starting-over" target="_blank">And can also be viewed online at LinkTV.org</a>. Fri, 15 Jul 2011 15:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Sub-Saharan Africa http://www.linktv.org/about/blog/post/1042/caty-borum-chattoo-what-does-it-take-to-educate-a-girl 9ac403da7947a183884c18a67d3aa8de <a href="/" target="_blank">Link TV</a> and <a href="http://www.viewchange.org" target="_blank">ViewChange.org</a> are proud to present the world broadcast premier of the documentary <a href="/programs/viewchange-to-educate-a-girl" target="_blank">To Educate a Girl</a>. Produced by Frederick Rendina and Oren Rudavsky, in collaboration with the <a href="http://www.ungei.org/" target="_blank">United Nations Girls Education Initiative</a> and <a href="http://www.unicef.org/" target="_blank">UNICEF</a>, this film explores the necessity of increasing access to education for girls in the developing world. Link TV's Caty Borum Chattoo has <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/caty-borum-chattoo/what-does-it-take-to-educ_b_882099.html" target="_blank">written an article for the Huffington Post</a> expanding on these issues and giving background into the film and the monumental goal of achieving gender equality in education:   For millions of girls around the world, going to school is a life dream that's out of reach. Why? Early marriage, child labor, pregnancy, lack of access, violence. Solving the problem is a gauntlet deeply grounded in cultural traditions and the ripple effects of poverty -- seemingly impossible.In 2000, then United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan issued the challenge: How can the nations of the world work together to stop the gender inequality around education?His declaration, a formal recognition of the terrible tragedy of leaving an entire generation of girls behind, established the United Nations Girls' Education Initiative (<a href="http://www.ungei.org/" target="_blank">UNGEI</a>), a partnership that includes <a href="http://www.unicef.org/" target="_blank">UNICEF</a> and other organizations working around the world to provide equal access to education to girls by 2015. And as it turns out, educating girls is not just a moral duty or altruistic pursuit. As data from UNICEF and others now document, providing girls in the developing world with an education is a key link in the fight to alleviate global poverty and its many implications, including HIV/AIDs, challenges with sustainable development, and on and on...   Read the rest at the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/caty-borum-chattoo/what-does-it-take-to-educ_b_882099.html" target="_blank">Huffington Post's Impact blog</a>     Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Sub-Saharan Africa South Asia http://www.linktv.org/rss/linktv_rss.gif http://www.linktv.org/about/blog