Drum Out Poverty

Surely a gallant effort, but the global drum circle proved to be just to ambitious.  That, and the advent of the Haiti crisis simply overwhelmed our sponsors who are, mainly global NGO's who rushed immediately to Haiti and funding simply disappeared.  Well, we've had a month to lick our wounds (and our egos) and have decided to relaunch the effort as follows:  First, we will recalibrate our "Drumming An End To Poverty" event so that it runs in conjunction with the Global Microcredit Summit in Spain in 2011.  That is a year way and should provided us and our prospective sponsors, supporters, and volunteers plenty of time to get organized.

In addition, we also have decided to add an innovative, unique, and exciting feature to the mix.  We will run a series of "Drum Out Poverty," events right here in Washington, DC and in our own community.  We will run these events in cooperation with other local drum circles, most notably the famous and long running (30 yrs) Malcolm X park circle.  (I have played there every Sunday for the last few years)  Working with these folks will give us the coordination and relationship building expertise necessary.

So now the question has been asked, what does drumming have to do with poverty?  This is our vision ...   Every year, according to the UN's leading authority on poverty, 8 Million people die simply because they cannot afford to stay alive! ... just think about that for a moment.  Eight Million People - Every Year!

The heart beats within all of us.  The heart is the primal drum of life.   What could  be more compelling than to imagine the stilling of 8 million hearts.  ... those drums will never beat again!  How totally appropriate that voice in our drums should speak out for those who will never speak again.  How fitting it is to dedicate our "drums" to memorialize these lives   How righteous is it for us to use the voice and spirit in our drums to raise the alarm, to Drum Out Poverty!

 The great Ghandi once said that,"... poverty is the worst possible form of violence.".