TheHundred: Meet Mi Sun

From Liberty in North Korea, an organization that Christine and I support...

"In the fall of 2009, we dreamt of rescuing 100 refugees out from hiding in the underground.

With the goal of making that dream a reality, we launched a campaign called TheHundred and the first mission finally happened in the early part of 2010.

YOU dreamt with us and by the end of the year, 6 missions were successfully completed bringing 22 refugees to freedom. Mi Sun, a 22 year old North Korean refugee was included on our first mission. We met her in China just a few months prior to her escape and promised that we would help her find freedom.

TheHundred #3: Mi-Sun from LiNK Global on Vimeo.

At times when this goal has seemed unattainable, Mi Sun's story inspired us to keep pushing on. Through your continuous support and encouragement, we were able to launch our 7th mission just a few weeks ago and rescued another five refugees - bringing a total of 27 refugees to freedom through TheHundred Campaign. With donations from our generous supporters, we have secured funding to rescue another 27 refugees as soon as possible.

We hope to finish the campaign this spring by raising another $115,000 to rescue the remaining 46 refugees for TheHundred. But this will only be possible with your support.

With thousands of refugees still in hiding, we have an incredible opportunity to help them escape and provide them with freedom. We ask you to join us in committing $2,500 to rescue one more North Korean refugee from hiding.

On behalf of the refugees we serve, Thank You.

LiNK"

World hunger - A Billion for a Billion

"Hunger: every 6 seconds a child dies from hunger. If you're reading this, you can make a difference. Take action: https://www.wfp.org/donate/1billion"

Help LiNK Win $250K from Pepsi!

Vote for Liberty in North Korea (LiNK) in the Pepsi Refresh Project, so they can win $250K that will help them:

* Provide job training, and career counseling for refugees.
* Provide medical and psychological services for North Korean refugees.
* Provide food for North Korean refugees once resettled in the U.S.
* Facilitate language acquisition and cultural orientation for refugees.
* Provide housing for North Korean refugees once resettled in the U.S.

Chase Community Giving, Vote For the Center for The Pacific Asian Family!

HatTip to Teddy Zee. Helping out our friend, Teddy Zee, with his cause! Vote for the Center for The Pacific Asian Family to help them win the $1 million dollars prize of the Chase Community Giving contest. Go to www.voteCPAF.org

"Unite Against the Violence" video was created with the support of various Asian American actors and artists to support the Center for the Pacific Asian Family (CPAF) in the fight against domestic violence and sexual assault.




Music by Sam Geunjin Kang.

Join the fight with CPAF as we try to end the silence on violence!

Adrian On The History of Liberty in North Korea

The History
In 2004, two passionate individuals learned about the North Korea crisis and felt a burden to tell the rest of the world what had gone unnoticed for too long. Learn how LiNK was born. Join them in continuing to tell this story.

Wokai, A Donation-Microloan Hybrid in China

Great innovation and story from China. Since Kiva or a Kiva-like platform couldn't be launched in China due to its monetary policy, two entrepreneurs started Wokai, a nonprofit organization. More from Springwise:

"Dedicated to raising capital from around the world for entrepreneurs in rural China, Wokai works with field partners to select candidates for loans. Using a system that's similar to Kiva, people can browse a list of potential borrowers on Wokai's website, donate their chosen amount, and then track the recipient's progress through Wokai. Since they can't be paid back to the donor, loans are recycled: when a recipient pays back a loan to Wokai, the donor can select another farmer or entrepreneur to support. So far, Wokai has raised USD 42,766 for loans to 159 recipients. Many donors have business or family ties to China."

"Red & White" Charity Wine Tasting Event, April 18th

Reposting about our upcoming charity wine tasting event! Inviting everyone in the Bay Area to the "Red & White" wine tasting fundraiser on April 18th from 6:00PM - 10:00PM.

Also Christine kicked ass in getting raffle and silent auction prizes. Here is the list:

RAFFLES PRIZES
*$10 for 3 raffle tickets
- 3 month club membership to Monterey Bay Sailing (valued at $550)
- Gift certificate to Talent Mosaic's networking workshop in May (valued at $400)
- Ravenswood Monte Rosso Zinfandel 1994 magnum (valued at $330)
- Private tour and tasting package for up to 30 people at Byington Winery (valued at $300)
- Portrait photoshoot on the beach by AK Rowland Photography (valued at $300)
- Semi-private kiteboarding lesson by NorCalSurfShop.com (valued at $200)
- Private wine tasting for 4 people at Ledson Winery & Vineyards (valued at $100)
- Intro to Sailing for 2 by OCSC Sailing (valued at $80)
- 2005 Chateau Dassault Grand Cru Classic (valued at $70)
- 2004 Ponzi Dolcetto Oregon Pinot Noir
- Gift certificate to dine at Pampas (Palo Alto)
- Gift certificate to dine at Palomino (SF)
- Lunch for 2 at Swan Oyster Depot (SF)
- One hour bay cruise by Monterey Sailing

AUCTION PRIZES
- Casey O'Connell art, critically acclaimed SF based artist (valued at $6,000)
- A case of custom wine labeling of 2006 Merlot, Napa Valley by WineFornia.com (valued at $1020)
- The Crew Course - a full two days of sailing on the Bay by OCSC Sailing (valued at $445)
- Feng Shui consultation by Kali Design (valued at $450)
- Photoshoot session by Annie Tao Photography (valued at $250)
- Digital painting by Gabriela Hernandez Lepe
- Discover Sailing package for 2 by Club Nautique (valued at $270)

WINE OFFERINGS
Audelssa Estate Winery 2000 Carbernet Sauvignon
Banyan Wines 2008 Monterey County Gewürztraminer
Ca' Del Solo, Albarino 2006
Charles Krug Winery 2006 Chardonnay
Chateau St. Jean, Sauvignon Blanc
Cinnabar Vineyards, Mercury Rising Red
Donkey & Goat Winery, Four Thirteen 2007
Dunning Vineyards Estate 2007 Chardonnay
Ravenswood Monte Rosso Zinfandel 1995, 1996
Quady Winery dessert wine selection (2007 Essensia – 100% Orange Muscat, 2007 Elysium – 100%) Black Muscat, 2007 Electra – Orange Muscat, n/v Starboard Batch 88 – Tinta Roriz) - will be paired with Dagoba Organic Chocolate* (Dark, Eclipse, Lavender Blueberry, Super Fruit, Xocolati flavors)
and more wines offered by Michael-David Winery and others.

It's not just any YMCA, it's the Central YMCA that is helping many underprivileged youth and seniors living in the Tenderloin District, which is the poorest area in San Francisco. Especially in these tough economic times, they need your help to keep programs going as many members rely on financial assistance from the Y. Please consider attending the wine tasting fundraiser (tickets can be purchased online here).

For $50 ticket, you will get unlimited tastings from various wineries from Napa, Sonoma, and Santa Cruz Mountains. Also, each attendee will get a $15 gift certificate from Bottlenotes.com.

Even if you cannot attend, consider donating to the Central YMCA by clicking here and please enter "wineevent" in the reference box.

Thanks to your support:

* 250 teens find a healthy, safe refuge with academic support in our youth program here in the Tenderloin, a community struggling with drug use and violence.
* 500 Seniors come into our YMCA and participate in our wide range of programs, including fitness, language, and life skills classes.
* 700 low income individuals from all walks of life gain access to our facility and become socially involved in our YMCA, supported by our Financial Assistance program.

Look forward to seeing you there!

"Red & White" Wine Tasting Event, April 18th@6PM

Christine and I decided to make our board activity for the Central YMCA fun and creative this year, so we have organized a wine tasting event. I'm inviting people in the Bay Area to the "Red & White" wine tasting fundraiser on April 18th from 6:00PM - 10:00PM.

It's not just any YMCA, it's the Central YMCA that is helping many underprivileged youth and seniors living in the Tenderloin District, which is the poorest area in San Francisco. Especially in these tough economic times, they need your help to keep programs going as many members rely on financial assistance from the Y. Please consider attending the wine tasting fundraiser (tickets can be purchased online here).

For $50 ticket, you will get unlimited tastings from various wineries from Napa, Sonoma, and Santa Cruz Mountains. Also, each attendee will get a $15 gift certificate from Bottlenotes.com. We also have exciting items being auctioned/raffled off: art work by Casey O'Connell, custom wine label and bottling services by Winefornia.com, an exclusive Byington Winery touring and tasting for group of 30 and other great prizes.

Even if you cannot attend, consider donating to the Central YMCA by clicking here and please enter "wineevent" in the reference box.

Thanks to your support:

* 250 teens find a healthy, safe refuge with academic support in our youth program here in the Tenderloin, a community struggling with drug use and violence.
* 500 Seniors come into our YMCA and participate in our wide range of programs, including fitness, language, and life skills classes.
* 700 low income individuals from all walks of life gain access to our facility and become socially involved in our YMCA, supported by our Financial Assistance program.

Look forward to seeing you there!

One Water Launching This Spring 2009

One Water is a UK brand and company that donates 100% of its profits to select charities. They are launching in the U.S. this spring where 100% of their profits will go to PlayPumps International. To date, they have donated $2.5 million, which in turn has provided clean drinking water to over 220 communities in rural Africa. It happens that my old grad school friend, Ron, is heading their U.S. efforts.

Did you know that 1 billion people in the world don’t have access to clean water? Or that 2 million people die each year as a result of water related diseases?

"The great news is that now you can make a difference and it’s as simple as a trip to your local store. Next time you are looking for a bottle of water, buy a bottle of One water, and all our profits - every last drop - will go toward funding the installation of a PlayPump water system. The PlayPump is an incredible innovation that we guarantee will capture your imagination and heart.

THINK about it. Every time you buy a bottle of water, you are choosing to make a difference. We have raised $2.5M to date and funded over 220 PlayPumps from our sales in the United Kingdom, bringing clean water to millions. We’re funding a new pump every 3 days. With our launch in the United States we will soon be funding a new pump every day! To learn more about PlayPumps or how you can help us make One a success, email (infous@global-ethics.com) us today."

You can find out where to buy it here, or consider carrying it in your restaurant, office, or local supermarket and use the form described here.

"A Fistful Of Dollars: The Story of a Kiva.org Loan"

Love Kiva and donate to it. Great video summary by Kiva Fellow, Kieran Ball:

This video follows the path of a $25 loan from London, England to Preak Tamao village, Cambodia. Kiva.org is a website that allows internet users like you or I to lend money to people that need it in developing countries, with the aim of empowering them to lift themselves out of poverty.


A Fistful Of Dollars: The Story of a Kiva.org Loan from Kieran Ball on Vimeo.

Google.org, The New Model for Nonprofits?

The first plenary session at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco was with Dr. Larry Brilliant, Executive Director of Google.org. He was interviewed by John Battelle and Tim O'Reilly.

Brilliant (love the name since I think of beer) was telling the story of how Google.org got started by Larry and Sergey before Google went public. They borrowed from Salesforce.com's foundation their framework to contribute 1% of Google's equity, profits and employee time.

How Google and Salesforce.com differ is that Google.org was established as hybrid philanthropic organization (something I learned a while ago from Christine). It is not a 501(c)(3) nonprofit but a for-profit entity. This allows Google.org to provide grants as a traditional nonprofit foundation, but also to invest in for-profit ventures that fit into one of their five initiatives.

In 2007, for the first time charitable giving went above the $300 billion mark ($306.39 billion). The other side is that 501(c)(3) organizations hit an all-time high of 1,126,367 (733,790 nonprofits in 1998). This overall growth is continuing and an increased visibility of each cause through the Internet and new online platforms, such as Causecast, has created an intensely competitive market for donor dollars. Some nonprofits have explored creative methods for fundraising, such as a nonprofit IPOs (The Economist, September 11, 2008).

A coming recession, the possibility of an economic downturn of 5 years or greater, and capital gains taxed 20% (from 15%) will have an immediate impact on individual donations, which is 82% of all giving (vs. corporate and foundations). There is the long-term possibility of overall taxes hitting 50%, which will also affect donations (all Western nations with government-mandated universal health care have such tax rates). The nonprofit sector has to be prepared for the worse and will be forced to innovate.

One model to consider is Google.org. While it is not an operating nonprofit and a grant and investing entity, its structure is something to consider for cause-oriented organizations. Whether becoming a for-profit entity or a hybrid (i.e. for-profit entity within the 501(c)(3)), nonprofit organizations can provide a more attractive option for donors. It will satisfy their hearts and reward them with a possibly upside. These could be for-profit ventures related to a nonprofit or their causes. Of course not all causes are able to develop viable for-profit ventures, but this should be an increasing consideration.

Call + Response... More Slaves Today Than Ever Before

I recently learned about this documentary, "Call+Response." It's about a topic that is ignored especially relative to the mass scale of the problem of modern day slavery. I first learned about the extent of this horrific issue through International Justice Mission years ago. Check out the site and go see this film! Here is the summary of the film project:

Call+Response is a first of its kind feature documentary film that reveals a terrifying secret: there are more slaves today than ever before in human history. In 2007, slave traders made more money than Google, Nike and Starbucks combined. Call+Response goes deep undercover where slavery is thriving. First hand accounts from luminaries like Cornel West, Julia Ormond, Madeleine Albright, Daryl Hannah, Ashley Judd, and Nicholas Kristof provide the backdrop of for this 21st century nightmare. Grammy-winning and critically acclaimed artists including Moby, Natasha Bedingfield, Cold War Kids, Matisyahu, Imogen Heap, Talib Kweli, Five For Fighting, Switchfoot, members of Nickel Creek, Rocco Deluca, move this information into inspiration offering this century its first abolitionist songs.




CNN's report: A new movie is working to shed light on the international slave trade. CNN's Kareen Wynter reports.

American Express Members Project... Vote for LiNK or Five & Alive! Both!

A couple great causes I know of are participating in the American Express Members Project where the winning project will be awarded $1.5 million. Second and third place projects will win $500,000 and $300,000 respectively, and then two finalists will win $100,000 each. Very cool effort by American Express.

The first project to consider is Liberty House by LiNK (Liberty in North Korea):

Liberty House: a refugee resettlement center specifically for North Korean refugees seeking asylum in the U.S. In conjunction with the federal government, full financial support, basic necessities, and core services – such as case management, vocational/ educational training, job placement, counseling, mentorship, cultural orientation, and recreational/ youth activities – will be provided. The goal of Liberty House is to acculturate these unique refugees and help them become self-sufficient.

North Korea is home to some of today’s worst human rights violations. As such, up to 300,000 have fled to China risking torture/execution if captured and repatriated. A fraction escape and seek resettlement in nations willing to provide asylum. Once resettled, refugees face issues like discrimination, acclimating to a new culture/language, getting jobs, and starting new lives alone. Due to the unique background of these refugees, it’s critical there is a program to address their specific needs. (read more and vote here)


Mi Sun: A North Korean Refugee


Adrian Hong, LiNK's Co-founder and Executive Director, is a friend and asked me to be an advisor to their incredible nonprofit organization earlier this year.

The second project to consider is Five & Alive. It was founded by Kate Roberts, who I met during the Socrates Society Seminars of the Aspen Institute. Very cool and amazing person. Kate founded the Youth AIDS program and then founded Five & Alive. Both are initiatives under PSI. More on their project:

Five & Alive reaches children five and under to prevent and treat malaria, water-borne illness, pneumonia and malnutrition. Five & Alive, a program of Population Services International (PSI), provides children and their families with the education, products, services and care needed to improve health and save lives in more than 30 countries.

Every year, an estimated two million children under the age of five die from diarrhea. Children die in such shockingly high numbers because of loss of fluids during severe diarrhea. Approximately 95% of these deaths could be prevented. There is a solution that is simple to use, cost effective and could save millions of lives. That solution is oral rehydration salts (ORS) combined with zinc.

Five & Alive has such a treatment in one complete package called a Diarrhea Treatment Kit. This kit costs just 37¢ and is easy to distribute. This Five & Alive project can be eligible for the top Members Project prize of $1.5 million but we can’t do it alone - we need your help. (read more and vote here)


Reducing diarrhea risk for Cambodian children


The first round of VOTING ENDS AUGUST 31ST. Vote for one of these great causes! Vote for both!!

ONE | Voices

ONE is nonprofit dedicated to ending poverty. The organization was a result of Bono's TED Prize wish. Anyway, their new ad campaign is starting soon:

"For more than a year, ONE members have been trailing the presidential candidates asking them to go on the record with their plans to combat global poverty. Now we're taking our message to the airways with this major new TV ad. The ad features Matt Damon with different Americans' voices - among them Michelle Obama, Cindy McCain and Mayor Bloomberg.

Watch for it on TV and across the Internet starting Sunday, August 24th, but add your voice and share the online video with your friends now."

"Berkeley Women Speak Out On Egg Donation!"

I serve on the board of the Center for Bioethics & Culture. Through this position I have come to learn about the atrocities of the egg donation business and how it damages the reproductive capabilities of thousands of unsuspecting women. Check out the video and read Jennifer Lahl and Josephine Quintavalle's article, "Unscrambling the Human Egg Donation Debate"

U.S. Tour of North Korean Defector

Press Release from LiNK:

US TOUR OF NORTH KOREAN DEFECTOR BORN AND RAISED IN CONCENTRATION CAMP

Washington, DC – LiNK will be hosting North Korean defector Dong-hyuk SHIN on a speaking tour entitled, "Born and Raised in a Concentration Camp," from Wednesday, April 30 to Wednesday, May 14. Shin will recount his experiences as a North Korean who was born into slavery as a political prisoner in a North Korean concentration camp. After some relatives defected, Shin's father, grandparents, and uncle were deemed treasonous and sent to separate camps. His father was sent to Political Prison Camp No. 14 in Kaechon, South Pyongan province, which houses approximately 60,000 inmates and is about 50 miles north of Pyongyang. For good behavior, he was permitted to marry a fellow inmate.

Dong-hyuk SHIN was born on Nov. 19, 1982 and called the camp home until 2005. While at the camp, Shin endured daily beatings, torture, starvation-level rations, saw forced abortions and even witnessed the public execution of his mother and brother in 1996. Shin described his life of total isolation from the world: "In South Korea, although there is disappointment and sadness, there is also so much joy, happiness and comfort. In Kaechon, I did not even know such emotions existed. The only emotion I ever knew was fear: fear of beatings, fear of starvation, fear of torture and fear of death."

The speaking tour will be held in Washington, DC (4/30-5/5); New York City (5/6-5/8); Chicago (5/9-5/10); San Francisco (5/11-5/13); Los Angeles (5/13); and Irvine, California (5/14). For more details, please visit: http://www.libertyinnorthkorea.blogspot.com/

LiNK's Executive Director Adrian Hong and Deputy Director Hannah Song will accompany Shin on the tour and will be speaking about the broader issue of human rights in North Korea, as well as the current refugee situation and LiNK's resettlement activities. Liberty in North Korea, or LiNK, is an international non-governmental organization devoted to human rights in North Korea and the protection of North Korean refugees.



So Christine and I are helping LiNK with this tour. Christine set up the Tech Talk for LiNK and Dong-hyuk Shin at Google, and we're helping Michael and Sunny Yang who are hosting a private event at their home in Los Altos Hills on May 13th. If you're in the Bay Area and interested in attending, just email me at bernard.moon[at]gmail.com. Also here is the rest of the tour's schedule.

Joining The Center for Bioethics & Culture's Board of Directors

As I mentioned before, one of the benefits of my downtime has been meeting good people (yes, i'm from chicago and not the south). One of them was Jennifer Lahl, Founder & National Director of The Center for Bioethics & Culture. I've read her articles at AlwaysOn over the past couple years, but we had a chance to meet up about a month ago. She was passionate about her work, energetic and a good-hearted person. So when she asked if I was interested in joining their board of directors, it was something that I really looked forward to researching and deliberating on. It didn't take long for me to accept Jennifer's gracious invitation. I'm looking forward to serving on their board. Very cool and exciting topics and issues that I will learn about in the coming years.

I know most of the readers of this blog primarily visit for my tech related posts, and deal with my political slants but I hope you will check out The Center for Bioethic & Culture's website or their blog, "the Human Future." More about the CBC:

CBC is about shedding light on the bioethics issues within our culture that most profoundly affect our humanity -- especially among the most vulnerable. We are increasingly aware that to accomplish this we need to challenge those who influence our culture to advance a morally responsible science that respects the inherent value of humanity and that celebrates its beauty and complexity.

The CBC Challenges:
- Science and medicine do not always apply a human-life-affirming set of standards to their work.

- The public at large is generally blind to the long-term risks of this lack of moral anchor in biotechnical fields.

- The strong trend in science and medicine is toward the utilitarian commoditization of life which undermines the dignity of all human life.

- Not all scientific progress is truly human progress.

Scientific progress is too often presented as truly human progress, without question. Clearly this is no longer the case as it once was; CBC seeks to define truly human progress.

The CBC Mission:

The CBC exists to collaborate in providing resources and a public forum to: educate our culture about the impact of biotechnologies, engage in dialogue about what it means to be human, and to challenge those who influence our culture to use science that is grounded in moral responsibility.

Advancing a culture where biotechnology truly serves a human future.


Also a great post from their blog here...

"Dr. Shinya Yamanaka on Embryos and Little Girls"

Dr. Yamanaka said this, “When I saw the embryo, I suddenly realized there was such a small difference between it and my daughters.”