John Mackey on Conscious Capitalism
As we were browsing you tube for socially conscious resources we came across an inspiring interview with John Mackey, Whole Foods CEO, talking about the role of business in society and its responsibility to the community where they live and work. He believes, as we do, that governments world-wide do not hold the key to improving our world and the environment. However businesses can have a larger impact on peoples lives and be a means for social change. Watch the video and share your thoughts with us.

haustalk with The Conciliation Project: Ethnic and Racial Stereotype Images in Mass Media
Hosted by Slash Coleman
In conjunction with The Conciliation Project, Thinkhaus presents a special haustalk to bring about a stronger awareness of how stereotypes are translated into the images and sounds that we see and hear in mass media. These stereotypes reinforce the social barriers that can deprive different groups, races, and genders of the quality of life available to others.

Thinkhaus invites designers, artist, educators, business leaders, and the entire Richmond community to gain a better understanding of how they can take on an active role to prevent stereotypes from becoming barriers for these people. John O’Neill, President and founder of Thinkhaus says, “This event is intended to discuss these issues openly. To build the City of Richmond for tomorrow we must understand how and why people have been stereotyped throughout history.”

Slash Coleman, an award-winning professional storyteller and performing artist, will be our emcee for the night. Graphic design students from Virginia Commonwealth University will be presenting their research and perspectives on how visual communicators and designers have impacted the attitudes and behaviors shown towards different races and genders throughout history.  A theatre performance about the history of racism and a forum organized by The Conciliation Project will follow.

haustalk will take place on Wednesday, April 7th at the Virginia Center for Architecture. The Virginia Center for Architecture is partnering with Thinkhaus to host haustalk to promote how architecture and other design disciplines can be a means for social change. Come to be inspired, leave the with the mindset to do your part to improve Richmond.

Virginia Center for Architecture
2501 Monument Ave. 23220
7:00PM

For more details about the event please visit: http://blog.thinkhausdesign.com

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Thinkhaus is a socially conscious company in Richmond providing sustainable graphic design services that foster meaningful change and community advancement by supporting the growth of ethical businesses. With its multi-disciplinary approach of print design, web-based media, brand identity development, signage, and environmental graphics, Thinkhaus produces works for the nonprofit sector, the green industry, and small businesses. Thinkhaus’ green marketing, print design, and logo work have been published in design books internationally.

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The Conciliation Project (TCP), is a creative social justice organization that uses theatre arts to include everyone in the dialogue on racism in America. TCP does this through six theatrical plays that uncover racist attitudes and behaviors towards different races and genders. After each performance TCP has a open forum with the audience about the topics and issues seen in the play. They also offer workshops and lectures for businesses and organizations to help them eliminate racial and cultural stereotypes in the workforce and in their communities.

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Best known for his PBS special and Off-Broadway one man show, “The Neon Man and Me,” award winning storyteller, Slash Coleman, has also been featured as an Exchange Place Teller at the 2009 National Storytelling Festival, and the 2008 Oral History Performance Conference at Columbia University.

Slash is also the creator of the acclaimed two-part class for artists entitled “Make More Money with Your Art.” He has been
featured nationally at dozens of universities, conferences, community art organizations, and most recently in the NPR series, “How Artists Make Money.”

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The Virginia Center for Architecture invites the public to explore the power and importance of architecture  and design through exhibitions, educational programs, publications, and its stewardship of a historic landmark.

Our favorite blog: Osocio, Social Advertising and Non-profit Campaigns from Around the Globe
Many of the readers of our blog often ask us what are the blogs and websites that we read and study. One of the blogs that we visit daily is Osocio, a blog and online resource regarding social advertising and non-profit campaigns from around the globe. Osocio is a place online where advertisers, ad agencies, grassroots activists, and social entrepreneurs can view samples of social advertising and non-profit campaigns and attain a variety of resources such as web links and online profiles.

The site can be viewed at http://osocio.org. Fans of the site can also follow them on twitter at www.twitter.com/osocio and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/osocio

YOUR PRESENCE NEEDED FOR AN IN-PERSON SHOW OF SUPPORT THURSDAY AT THE VA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The proposed House budget actions would eliminate critical support for arts and cultural institutions, small and large, urban and rural, at a time when arts organizations are under unprecedented financial pressures and endanger receipt of federal arts funds by Virginia.  Only once since the creation of the Virginia Commission has any organ of state government ever proposed the complete elimination of the Commission and its grants.  This proposal, made by former Governor Doug Wilder in the budget cutbacks of the early 1990s, was overwhelmingly rejected by the General Assembly.

Supporters of the arts from across the state banded together then to resist that devastating recommendation, and created Virginians for the Arts as a permanent advocacy presence to ensure that such an effort would not be made in the future.  The time has come once again to fight for the life of arts and cultural institutions in Virginia.

YOU are urgently needed at the Virginia General Assembly, in person, THIS THURSDAY, March 25th.  It is essential that arts advocates demonstrate to legislators that we care enough to come to the Capitol IN PERSON to oppose elimination of the Virginia Commission for the Arts by the end of FY2012.

Plan to join your colleagues and friends who care about arts funding in Virginia.  Be there to make early morning visits to legislators and to stand in the gallery during debate where the future of arts funding in Virginia could be determined.  Make an appointment with your legislator, if possible–if not, plan on dropping in.

PLEASE EMAIL VaForArts@aol.com (Trish Poupore) to let us know you will attend so we can supply you advocacy handouts and updates.

REPRESSED V: FREE TO SPEAK
Call for Entries From our friends at Gallery 5 in Richmond, Virginia comes this call for activist art…

José María Heredia - poet: inspired the Cuban people to stand up and fight against Spain.

Seymor Chwast-designer - illustrator: his anti-war poster “End Bad Breath” indirectly encouraged the anti-war movement of the 70’s.

John Lenin and Yoko Ono - famous musicians/artists: created the powerful anti-war campaign stating “THE WAR IS OVER…if you want it to be.”

What makes statement driven art so emotionally powerful? It being witness to a piece of work that creates a bond between you, the viewer and the creator of the piece. A bond that can change the direction of thought and purpose.

A successfully executed statement driven piece can be the catalyst that inspires the average person into an active agent for change. Art exists in societies to create shared dialogues and experiences. No matter the medium, art and artists can be the spark to establishing a commonality, to allow us to empathize with each other and encourage altruistic pursuits for the greater good.

Dedicated to social awareness, Gallery5 invites visual and performing artists to submit their statement focused work to Repressed V: Free to Speak.

Deadline is March 6th.

For more information please visit http://www.gallery5arts.org/repressedvapplication.pdf

Project H Starts Studio H
Project H Starts Studio H Project H Design is a nonprofit team of designers and builders working locally to improve the quality of life for the socially overlooked. Their long-term initiatives focus on using design to improve public education experiences, spaces, and curricula in the US.

In doing so Project H is starting a new high school in rural North Carolina. Studio H will be a 1-year high school curriculum for the Bertie County School District in rural North Carolina that combines design thinking, vocational trade training, and community citizenship to equip low-opportunity teenagers with critical creative problem solving skills for life. Over 2 semesters (Fall/Spring), students will collaborate to design and develop, a prototype community project (e.g. bus shelters for the school bus system, a co-op greenhouse, or a public park). The following summer, the students will be offered paid summer jobs to actually construct the project. Studio H will empower students through team-based hands-on learning, engage educational capacities to the fullest, and provide a diverse skillset for the next generation to access new job markets, improve their community and excel academically in the state’s poorest and most racially polarized county.

Communicating Our Socially Conscious Mission With Clarity
As we talk to other socially conscious businesses, one of the main difficulties that we face is knowing if we are communicating with clarity, and if our socially conscious mission is beneficial to clients and consumers.

What we often tell other business owners is to not assume that because you have a socially conscious mission clients and consumers will understand it and will buy into your way of business.

We tell others to state the reasons why they have a socially conscious mission in the first place. Using our good friends from Green Duck as an example, Jocelyn Tice, founded the compostable and biodegradable
product company because of the amount of waste that is generated and the harm it does to the environment. Uncovering facts about the harmful effects of waste is important to Green Duck. It will show why their products are not only healthier for the consumers but it changes attitudes towards how we improve the climate for future generations.

More and more of us are finding value in social issues but businesses are also concerned how being socially conscious will help their business grow while increasing profits and saving time and money. You must appeal to the reasons why your socially conscious mission is the best method of doing business.

By stating the facts on how your business is both good for society and a great way of conducting business, many people will be more likely to use your product. You will attract the people who are emotionally attached to your sense of doing good and fighting for a worthy cause. From our own experience this kind of individual is easy to influence because they feel a sense of connection to your ideas for change but often they do not have the necessary buying power. To win over the people that have buying power you must appeal to business owners, smart minded consumers, and other decision makers who are looking for sound reasons to invest in you company and product. These are the individuals that you need to win over. They are harder to convince but by communicating with clarity your company can influence anyone.

Those who are passionate about our way of doing business know that our socially conscious missions are a win-win situation in terms of solving a social issue while being a great way of conducting business. You, like us, have to back it up with sound facts and reason why that is so.

It is our recommendation that you find brand, marketing, and design associates to help you craft your company’s message in an attempt to give you the best chance of winning over consumers. Using professionals in these areas is the best way to assure that you are communicating with clarity. This will enable you to focus on your core strengths and give you more time to work on your mission.

Thinkhaus’ O’Neill Reports For RVA NEWS
John O’Neill, President and Design Director of Thinkhaus, recently wrote an article for rvanews.com featuring Impact Makers. Impact Makers is a local IT and management consulting firm that has a social entrepreneurship business model that enables them to foster the community in ways that larger businesses can not. As more local corporations continue to go out of business it is time for businesses like Impact Makers to become leaders in Richmond.

Read all about it here: http://rvanews.com/features/impact-makers-changing-the-way-business-gets-done/24585

This is the second article that O’Neill has written for rvanews.com. This past fall John highlighted, The Urban Farmhouse, a new organic cafe in Richmond. You can also read this article here: http://rvanews.com/features/new-start-ups-mission-doing-good-all-the-time/23067

Fabio Sergio: Design Thinking and The Future
Fabio Sergio, creative director at frog design beautifully communicates how design thinking is at the heart of the design profession. During his presentation at LIFT09 in Geneva. Sergio describes that it is this kind of thinking that shapes cultures and goes beyond usage or consumption.