Wilde Things

I’m proud to sit on the foundation board of the ACLU Southern California.

Voltaire said, “I disagree with what you say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.” But what does that really mean for us in America? We are lucky to have one of the strongest constitutional protections for speech in the world. However, the words on the document don’t mean anything without someone to enforce them. As the ACLU saying goes, freedom can’t protect itself. That’s why the ACLU has worked tirelessly to preserve the right of artists, political activists, war resisters and many others to express their beliefs and opinions, however critical of the government they may be.

I believe we have to judge our society not by how we treat the privileged and the empowered. We judge the civility and quality of our society by how we treat the silenced, the condemned, the undocumented, and all those whose views and rights are deemed inconvenient. The ACLU upholds the promise of the Constitution for those people. One day, some of you may find yourself in a position of holding an inconvenient view and looking to the ACLU for support. I am so proud of all of us for helping the ACLU fight the good fight. I am a member of the ACLU. You all are members in spirit. I hope that you will choose to become a member in practice.

http://www.aclu.org

I first became involved with Power Up Gambia (PUG) a few years ago, after meeting its founder, Kathryn Cunningham Hall, at the Do Something Awards.  Kathryn spent time volunteering in The Gambia’s Sulayman Junkung General Hospital (SJGH) in 2006, and witnessed people dying from deaths that could have been prevented on account of the lack of sufficient electricity. In some hospitals in The Gambia, generators only have enough energy to power hospital electricity for one to two hours per day! (Imagine a pregnant woman trying to plan to have her baby between 9:00-11:00 am)

Following her visit to the Gambia, Kathryn began fundraising to install solar panels on hospitals and medical clinics in The Gambia, in order to harness solar electricity. Solar panels are a viable and efficient solution to The Gambia’s energy problem. Since 2008, more than 108 solar panels have been installed at SJGH, thus providing hospitals with the essential energy that they need to power up lights, and lifesaving machines.

This organization impresses, inspires, and excites me. It’s the perfect combination of humanitarianism and environmentalism.

I’m hoping to visit The Gambia with PUG sometime soon. I’m also excited to pick up some tips for equipping my own home and the production set of HOUSE with solar panels as well.  I live in Los Angeles–like in The Gambia, solar powered energy is just common sense!

Visit PUG at, http://www.powerupgambia.org/

The Environmental Media Association (EMA), is an incredible organization that strives to promote environmental awareness through various forms of media, and in partnership with the entertainment industry.  Their projects range from the “greening” of production sets for television and film, (including the “greening” of the HOUSE set, in progress!), to handing out awards to those creative individuals whose artistic work attempts to raise environmental consciousness.

The EMA also supports organic urban gardens in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).  Currently, the EMA works with 10 different elementary and high schools in LAUSD.  The students and teachers are directly involved in every aspect of the garden–from the fertilization and planting, to the daily upkeeping (weeding and watering), to the harvesting, and most importantly–feasting!

I visited the 60,000 square foot garden plot at Venice High school in the end of February and was amazed by the diversity of edible delights.  The students introduced me to the Wasabi plant.  I’ve been eating it in my salads all week! Amazing for clearing up your sinuses! We planted carrots together, and I saw the most beautiful artichoke I’ve ever seen. I can’t wait to return for the harvest in May!  To learn more about the EMA, and to find out how you can get involved in the Organic Garden project, go to, http://www.ema-online.org/.