Today is the Launch of A Positive Spin, An Online Fundraising Auction

December 10, 2013 

With the holidays in full swing, it’s a perfect time to think about ways to give back! We’re excited to announce A POSITIVE SPIN, an online fundraising auction to benefit Give a Beat and We Are The Movement, two programs which use electronic music to make a positive impact in the lives of youth.

The online auction runs from December 9 through December 22, featuring amazing items from several generous donors, including (in alphabetical order) The BPM Festival, Dubspot, Fool’s Gold Records, Fusicology, Goldenvoice, HARD, House of Blues, Insomniac, Krewella, LED, Major Lazer, Mysteryland, Native Instruments, Pattern Bar, Pioneer, Ultra Music Festival, USC Events and more. The auction is live at www.32auctions.com/APositiveSpin.

In conjunction with the online auction will be a day of DJ and production workshops on Saturday, December 14 at The Optimist Youth Home in East Los Angeles. 50 youths ages 13-18 who are wards of the state (in the foster system) will get a chance to learn various aspects of DJing and production (turntables, CDJs, beat-making and more) from some of electronic music’s biggest names including (in alphabetical order): A-Trak, AC Slater, Big Syphe, Craze, Flinch, Harvard Bass, Kill The Noise, Klever, Mr Choc, Protohype, Richard Vission, Tittsworth and Valentino Khan. 

The event is being coordinated by Candice Fliedner (We Are The Movement and Optimist Youth Homes & Family Services) with the involvement of Denise Melanson. Promotional is support provided by The Firm Graphics, Plexi PR, fusciology, and Universal Rhythm.

About the organizations:

Optimist Youth Homes & Family Services (OYHFS) is a nationally accredited non-profit 501(c)3 corporation. We are one of the oldest and largest agencies of its kind in Southern California. We have locations in three counties though referrals are accepted from throughout the state of California. We serve over 500 at-risk youth and their families’ every day. 

We Are The Movement helps at-risk foster and probation youth increase their emotional intelligence, self-awareness and confidence by encouraging them to explore outlets of creative self-expression, within the accepting environment that the positive and loving dance music community creates. We Are The Movement offers lessons in DJ’ing, digital music production, sound engineering, live instrumentation, songwriting and recording, and freestyle expressive street dance to youth in an informal environment where children can express and celebrate their own individuality, and not be subject to the judgment of peers. We provide, as a mobile unit, a DJ learning station, live instrumentation such as percussionists, spoken word artists and poets, freestyle dance instructors, and movement therapy practitioners.

Give a Beat serves as a catalyst to transform the positive energy of global dance music culture into meaningful interactions that build community and generate social good. We provide dance and world music producers and lovers with a unique channel for activism and philanthropy by empowering them to make purposeful decisions. By creating a dynamic presence online, and participating in live events, we raise awareness of pressing issues and injustices and allow our supporters to make a difference through small, but deeply impactful, socially conscious acts. 

###

Additional donations are being accepted for the auction now through December 12.

Contact auction@giveabeat.org to contribute. 

For media inquiries, please contact:

Lydia Fong | lydia@plexipr.com

Dance Local. Think Global.