Revolution #251, November 27, 2011
BA Everywhere Campaign:
$23,000 to be raised for the film:
Occasioned by the Publication of BAsics: A Celebration of Revolution and the Vision of a New World
By Monday, December 12
Here's the plan, and it needs you!
Gathering momentum off of Black Friday sales of BAsics and raising funds to send it to prisoners, we are moving to the next nodal point of a six-week plan which is kicking off the full mass campaign to raise big money to get Bob Avakian's vision and works into every corner of society: BA Everywhere... Imagine the Difference It Could Make!
As we learn from this last experience and continue the fundraising for copies of BAsics to prisoners (which will be reported on soon in the pages of Revolution newspaper), the focus of this next nodal point involves raising funds for the production and release of the film of the cultural event last April which was occasioned by the release of BAsics. All of it continuing to raise funds, making BA known in the process and building up community and connections as we do.
The deadline for the $23,000 goal is Monday, December 12 at midnight EST. You can see the latest that has been raised at indiegogo.com/basicsevent.
Over the next two weeks, we have a three-part approach to raising the $20,000 more that's needed. All the funds for the film are coming in online through a campaign on indiegogo.com/basicsevent. Donors may give directly online. It's all tax deductible, and donors may make their identities or donation amounts or both appear anonymous online. Some donors will prefer to give cash or checks, which can be bundled and donated through Revolution Books across the country. (In New York City, contributions will be given through the fundraising coordinator, who can be emailed at collective_impact@yahoo.com.)
What this will be and why it matters:
April 2011 marked the release of BAsics, a book by Bob Avakian, the revolutionary leader who has developed a new synthesis of communism. This book of quotations and essays speaks to essential questions of revolution and human emancipation. On this occasion, a range of artists, musicians, dancers and actors from a diversity of perspectives came together in a unique cultural event to celebrate revolution and the vision of a new world.
This film will tell the story of what those artists did and why they did it. It will bring a taste of the remarkable connection between these artists and the hundreds in the audience that night.
For everyone who has dreamed of a different and better world or wondered how art and culture can be part of creating it, this is a film that needs to be seen.
But it won't be made without your support.
Contribute toward the production and release of the upcoming full-length film about this event (currently set for late winter). Be part of something that can be a source of great inspiration, enabling imagination to take flight with revolution and envisioning a whole other way the world can be.
This basic message should come through in everything we're sending out. Along with that, at indiegogo.com/basicsevent, you can see a trailer of the film, still photos of the performers, and short video clips. There will be regular updates sent from the page, so keep checking. Also, a new sample fundraising letter is at Revolution online which talks more specifically about what came together in this event and why it needs to be seen. You can read this here. Over the next two weeks, we will be releasing more short video "asks" and statements from donors on indiegogo.
All this will provide the essential content for:
1. Mass online fundraising
Online fundraising works when thousands of people hear about it through websites, email, text messages, phone calls, Twitter and Facebook, and then when a few people start donating and commenting... they tell others they're doing this, who tell others... and the momentum builds.
Whether thousands of people have the chance to donate depends on dozens, and preferably hundreds of people, concentrating on spreading the message in a focused way.
Over the next two weeks, we are planning to make a big deal out of online TUESDAYs on November 29 and December 6, asking everyone to forward, share and post online during those days.
Use the text from indiegogo.com/basicsevent and include the film trailer in your messages! There are icons on indiegogo right under the film trailer where you "like" on Facebook, embed on websites, email contacts, and tweet a link. Also, people can "favorite" this online campaign on indiegogo.com by choosing "add to favorites" under the trailer.
When you donate, or see others donate, spread that online—or call a friend, and say, "I donated, now your turn." People can donate in the name of someone else, and get creative with promoting what they like about BAsics, the Bob Avakian clips, or any of the performers.
2. Larger / matching / challenge donations
Larger donations will help "challenge" and "match" smaller online donations. We are aiming for a large matching donation over the weekend of December 3/4 which we will post to encourage more donations.
If you know of donors who will give $250 or more, please contact basicsevent@yahoo.com immediately, so that we can coordinate their gift with a plan to build momentum and bring in more donations.
3. Our first all-together weekend December 10/11
This weekend will cap off the film fundraising and be an important way for everyone to come together informally, raise the rest of the funds needed to make this important film, and let people know about the BA Everywhere mass fundraising campaign.
Imagine: "There are big parties, with food donated from local restaurants, in the projects and on campuses. Car washes, bake sales, and yard sales are organized and publicized. In another part of town, there's a big cultural benefit. A fundraising salon is held among wealthier sections of people. Maybe someone with more resources publicly pledges to match whatever is raised by a big group of people in a housing project. Everyone participating in something that is bigger than their individual efforts while at the same time, their individual efforts have a decisive effect as part of that." (From "BA Everywhere… Imagine the Difference It Could Make!" Revolution #249, November 6, 2011)
If you're hosting a social gathering—a brunch, dinner party, or fundraising dance party—send out invitations to all your friends, especially anyone agonizing about the state of the world and yearning for a liberatory alternative, a different way to think, feel and be. Invite people to your social gathering, and in the invitation let them know you're throwing this to raise funds for this film, and say why you think it matters for this to be out in the world. Link to the trailer and the indiegogo page, and invite your friends to attend a fun evening, find out about this film, and kick in some funds.
Through holding dozens of such events around the country, we plan to bring in the final chunk of funds. Just sending out the invitations—even if people can't attend—will build awareness, and lead to donations.
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