Relive Our 1st Annual “Party with a Purpose”
On Monday, May 3rd, we launched our OUR SCHOOLS MATTER Campaign with a bang. We held our first annual “Party with a Purpose” at Smashbox Studios in West Hollywood. The event was hosted by Keisha and Forest Whitaker, Lyn Lear, and a bunch of friends.
Thank you to everyone that came out to support the launch of this campaign. The night was an enormous success. We all need to get involved to help our schools and our youth.
To learn more about the OUR SCHOOLS MATTER Campaign or make a donation, please click here.
To just enjoy some of the memories, keep scrolling down. And, hopefully you can make the next one.
On The Red Carpet
Inside The Party
Watch The Interviews
Keyes Elementary Student Video
The students of Keyes Elementary in Northern California are making their Monday’s matter. They surprised us by sending us this video that they created. They are clearly taking our YOU MATTER curriculum to a whole new level. We might be biased, but we think that is pretty awesome.
Thanks Keyes Elementary. You matter!
From Uganda, Watoto Children's Choir Matters
At EMM, we often talk about a world where people look out for one another. They are grateful, appreciative, joyful, polite, and never take things for granted. In some ways, it seems like we talk about this so called “world” as though it doesn’t exist. Rather, it is an utopia, a fairytale, something to strive for but always fall short of.
Well, we found it. And, we found it in a place that most people (including us) would never think to look…through the eyes of orphaned children from Uganda, Africa.
Two weeks ago, I had the honor of hosting 2 young boys, Edward and Moses (10 and 12 years old) and their Uncle Steven (27 years old) for five days. They are part of the Watoto Children’s Choir and were performing on a 6 month concert tour of the western United States. They had five straight days of performances in Los Angeles, so my home got to be their home for their LA leg.
Over the five days together, I took them out for lunches and dinners, to the beach, to the Santa Monica pier for a day of rides and video games, to The Grove, etc. I gave them gifts, painted with them, and even let them have my bedroom while I slept on an air matress. On paper, it seems like I was one heck of a host and that the exchange was a one way street…me spoiling them. But, the beauty of it is that it couldn’t be further from the truth. They gave me things I will never forget…
They thanked me 30 times a day.
They hugged me 15 times a day.
They said “I love you” 5 times a day.
They asked permission for everything, never assuming anything.
They were polite, sweet, happy, grateful, appreciative, and more.
These two little boys, who lost their parents from HIV/Aids and who, by Western standards, had absolutely nothing, had so much to offer that it was overwhelming. They showed me the most beautiful side of human beings - the stuff that matters most. I will never forget these 5 for as long as I live and will probably find myself visiting them in Uganda in the near future. The “land of nothing,” yet more than we could ever hope for…what an eye-opener.
Edward and Moses…You Matter! Thank you for everything.
From CNN to What Matters Most
You remember her face from CNN. She reported LIVE during the 9/11 attacks. She was a 12 year mainstay at CNN – reporting on AIDS and famine in Africa, the Washington DC Sniper, the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy, and more.
But now Daryn is on to new horizons. It was time for a change. Time to report on positive things in the world. News that matters, as we like to call it. She has written a book, launched her website, and you might be able to catch her on one of her speaking tours (wow, sounds like a familiar lifestyle).
Today, Daryn did a segment on Every Monday Matters and a teacher in Los Angeles who is making her Mondays matter.
Click here to check it out – the segment is on her home page and will start playing on it’s own, right after a ten second commercial.
And thank you Daryn. You matter.
HEALING HUNTER – THE POWER OF POSITIVE WORDS
This news comes with a heavy heart, but we feel it is something we need and want to share with our EMM family. Hunter needs us.
Most of you remember little Hunter. Hunter was diagnosed with AML Leukemia when he was just a newborn. If you recall, our very first Los Angeles book signing was also a “Party with a Purpose” for Hunter and another beautiful girl named Brittany, both stricken with cancer. You came out and showed your support for these two children and you touched a lot of people’s hearts in doing so.
In September, Hunter celebrated his 2nd birthday and seemed to be victorious in his battle with cancer. Sadly, we were just informed today that his battle continues as his cancer has relapsed. Doctors have determined that 45% of his bone marrow has been infected with Leukemia.
In an email, his mom wrote:
We are asking everyone to think and feel and send as much love and energy our way that you possibly can. I believe it truly helps in the healing process. We are frightened to death, but confident he’ll get through this. The statistics state that he has a 56% chance of surviving and there is not a reason in the world that Hunter isn’t going to be one that survives! He’s a fighter.
Sending all of our love,
Lenore, Zen and Hunter
PLEASE TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO POST A NOTE BELOW TO HUNTER AND HIS FAMILY. THEY DID NOT ASK FOR US TO DO THIS – WE DID IT ON OUR OWN. BUT WE FEEL THAT THE LEAST WE CAN DO IS OFFER THEM AS MANY WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT AS WE CAN. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE AND PLEASE PASS THIS ALONG TO YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. YOU MATTER.
EMM Launches YOU MATTER K-12 School Curriculum
For the past 6 months we have been writing our YOU MATTER K-12 School Curriculum. Seven K-12 schools from Stanislaus County, CA have been piloting the curriculum for 3 months now and the results have been phenomenal. These students have already had a significant impact on their schools, communities, and families. And they are just getting started.
Now it’s time to spread the word.
March 1st marks the official launch of the curriculum. We already have over 40 schools signed up…and the list keeps growing. If you are a student, is your teacher on the list? If you are a teacher, has your school signed up? If you are a parent, does your child’s teacher know about this?
To get started or get more information, email/call us at:
contact@everymondaymatters.com
(310) 704-7040
We look forward to working with your school and your students.
EMM gets interviewed on MommyCast.com
EMM’s Matthew Emerzian was interviewed on MommyCast last week. For you mothers out there, MommyCast is an amazing Podcast – listened to by over 2 million people per month. This is EMM’s second interview with Paige and Gretchen. They have been huge supporters from day one.
Thanks you two. You matter.
Click here to listen to the interview. Scroll down the page to interview #359.
YOU'RE INVITED – MATTHEW EMERZIAN SPEAKING IN CHICAGO
This month, Elements[Chicago] welcomes Matthew Emerzian of Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways to Make a Difference, to discuss the power of identity as uniquely gifted individuals in community and the power of this collective whole’s aggregate movement…the underlying idea is that all of humanity is truly interconnected and that YOU MATTER to the collective whole. And, as each of us move toward an expression of the self for the good, in not just individual moments, but as a community, we will together make a difference in the world and raise the collective consciousness, thereby creating a legacy worth participating in…one Monday at a time.
The conversation will take place on Thursday, January 15th at 7pm at Flourish Art Studios, located at 3020 N Lincoln, an art studio dedicated to continued individual expression through the creative arts. Significant works of art will be on display for viewing and purchase, as well as an Every Monday Matters schwag and various novelties.
All are welcome. Feel free to bring a friend or forward this invite to people in the Chicago area.
EMM IN JAIL…A SECOND CHANCE
Last week, I had the most emotional EMM experience I have had in the short year that we started. I received an email from a judge in Northern California who was using our book in her Drug and Alcohol Rehab Program. She has convicted felons ”doing” Every Monday Matters. Amazing. The thought of convicted felons reaching out to make the world a better place moved me beyond words. But that is just the beginning of it.
Not only was the purpose of the judge’s email to inform us of what she is doing, but it has included an invitation to come speak to the men and women in her program. This is where is gets interesting…
As I sat in her courtroom last Monday morning, I wasn’t completely sure of what I would say. My usual speaking gigs have a “let’s get inspired” vibe to them, but this one was different. I was the one who was inspired. They had inspired me, and I really just wanted to hear from them. I wanted to learn. But I guess that’s not why the judge asked me to be there, so I had to figure something out.
And just when I thought I was ready and had my message, the courtroom security guard opened the side door and in walked 8 men and women in full chains. Now, I have seen in this on tv and in the movies, but never in person. Ankle chains, waist chains, handcuffs, prison jumpsuits and flipflops with socks on. Hmm. I wasn’t quite ready for that and being their “guest speaker” became a new gut check for me. But it was time.
The judge gave a beautiful introduction and then asked me to come to the front of the courtroom to share with her “students.” At that moment, everything I thought I was going to say vanished, and I was left with two words…YOU MATTER. And for the next 15 minutes that is all I spoke about. How much they matter to themselves, to the world, to their families, to their judge who wanted nothing more than for them to take advantage of this second chance at life. And they listened. Eyes wide open, like they were hearing “I love you” for the first time in their lives. I had to do everything I could to hold back my tears.
I was then allowed to give them all YOU MATTER bracelets…a visual I will never forget. Handcuffs and a YOU MATTER bracelet on the same wrist. So poetic. But there was so much hope. I got to talk with some of them who had been in the program for a few months and the program is working. These men and women are changing and they want to matter. I got hugs, “God Bless You’s,” and even a couple of recent emails.
Thank you Your Honor for what you are doing. And thank you to all the men and women I spoke to that day. You clearly know that the things you did to get there were wrong, but you seem to be embracing a ”new way.” Keep embracing it. You Matter.
THANK YOU INVISIBLE CHILDREN!
Thanks Invisible Children for including us on your holiday gifts list. We know it’s a short list and we appreciate it. Ho, ho, ho!
For those of you reading this who are not aware of Invisible Children, you have to check them out. They are one of the coolest organizations out there. Go to their website and see what they are doing for the children of Uganda. It is pretty dang cool. Also, if you have our book, check out the videos on the CD-ROM in back of the book. One of the videos is from an Invisible Children event. You will dig it.
