WE ARE DISCONTENT

Thanks again to everyone who came out and supported our benefit concert last weekend. We could not have done this without our four beautiful bands, all the volunteers, the art donors, KRUX, and all those who have supported us by attending screenings, buying bracelets, and coming out to the show.

In case you missed the event, here are a few pictures of what WE ARE DISCONTENT looked like.

Plastic Apples supports Obama at the PhotObama Booth

And the show begins! Attendees watching an IC video

Jonathan Berry of Pioneers of Primetime TV and Michelle Blades at sound check

JB on the stage he so beautifully prepared

Amanda and I having some fun setting up the photo booth

If you missed this, don't think there's nothing left to do. We are still working hard to reach our $7500 fundraising goal by December 14.

Join us Thursday at 6:30 on the second floor of Corbett.

We are discontent. We are IC Team Las Cruces.

The Pioneers of Prime Time TV

Promotion on Campus for WE ARE DISCONTENT

Today we were promoting our benefit concert, We Are Discontent. Plastic Apples came out to draw attention to us, and we had a lot of fun! Here are a few pictures from our day.

House Foreign Affair Committee Hearing

Yesterday, the House Foreign Affair Committee met for the first time to discuss the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act and it's implementation. Here is Resolve's coverage of the meeting.

Resolve Covers Yesterday's House Foreign Affair Committee Hearing

Take Action!

President Obama Targets LRA from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

Obama is Sending Troops

Check it out! This is happening.

Obama sends 100 troops to Uganda to help fight rebels

Sleeping At Last: Resolve

One of the many great partners with Invisible Children is Resolve. Resolve focuses on what the United States can do through politics to stop the LRA. It's a great site, I recommend you check it out here.

Resolve is partnered with a filmmaking team called Discover the Journey (DTJ). Resolve helped fund and coordinate a trip for DTJ to LRA affected areas last year. DTJ made a series of powerful videos, one of which was titled Be Resolved. Ryan O'Neal of the band Sleeping at Last composed the music for that video. He then went on to add lyrics, title the song "Resolve," and put it on the band's latest EP, September.

Again, another way that music is helping to end this conflict and stop the LRA. Also, Sleeping at Last is pretty great.

Via Michelle Mirelez

Wonderful work! See you all there!

We Are Discontent Highlighting: Plastic Apples

PLASTIC APPLES

Armando, Chris, Garrett & Isaac

So tell me the story of how you guys started. On Facebook it says you all met in marching band?

Armando (A): Yeah, well us three (Chris, Garrett, Armando), we played the trumpets.

Chris (C): Yeah we knew each other from trumpets.

Garrett (G): From trumpets?

(laughter)

A: It was actually me and my friend Vinny, a trombonist, that wanted to start a band, so we asked these two (Chris, Garrett) to join us. We got together at my apartment, played a few songs and there was magic.

C:We played a few songs.

A:We recorded our first song on the first day...

C:On an iPod actually. Thanks Steve (Jobs).

Isaac (I): Yeah and at the beginning of this summer I saw them playing at the shell and I just thought maybe I could add something to them. I really wanted to drum for them.

A: Yeah, and he just showed up and we started playing. We were tired of borrowing drummers.

I: It just fit and everyone was like “yeah, this is good.”

How long have you been the Plastic Apples?

A: Like a year and half. Not long.

Why the Plastic Apples?

G: It was either that or like the Tendertones.

The Tendertones?

(laughter)

A: Yeah. It was either that or Mando and the Tendertones. But Plastic Apples came from, um one day we were looking for percussion instruments at Hubbards Music and our old trombonist gave me a plastic apple and I jokingly suggested the Plastic Apples.

C:It’s because the plastic apple was our only percussion instrument when we started.

(laughter)

A:And no one really liked the Tendertones. Chris always jokes around that our rival band is the Rubber Pears, or like the Porcelain Bananas.

(laughter)

Describe your sound:

C: People always ask us and we never know how to answer.

G: We always just say “go to our shows.” Our music is very versatile so we incorporate a lot. It makes it really hard to define our style.

I: That’s what I like about it. It’s a melting pot of music.

C: It’s the stuff we like, all together.

A: We each have different backgrounds. Isaac likes Deftones, I listen to a lot of Mexican music so it’s a unique mesh.

How did you hear about IC and what motivated you to help in this concert?

G: Mando told us all about it.

A: Last year I went to a screening and I was like “what can I do? I don’t have any money.” I gave like two bucks, you know? I signed up for the email listing and recently you guys started back up again. I just figured I don’t have money but I have a band and we have talent, we can do something and offer our time.

Okay, one more question. What is on each of your playlists right now?

C: The Flobots. Lonely Island.

G: Someone was ready for this question.

A: Razika, a Norwegian girl band, pretty cool.

I: Deftones, Modest Mouse, Temper Trap.

G: You were all ready. Um, Peanut-Butter Wolf.

(laughter)

G: That is a legitimate name. Also Metal Face Doom, The Congos.

A: Camila, it’s a Mexican pop trio.

I: The Roots.

G: There you go. Hey, will you stop watching soccer?

I: Sorry.

(laughter)

____________

You can catch the Plastic Apples Friday November 4, 2011 8 p.m. at Mikey's Place (3100 Harrelson St. Las Cruces, NM 88005) performing for Invisible Children New Mexico State University's benefit concert We Are Discontent: A Night of Music Combating Injustice.

Check out this video and see how awesome these guys are!

Greek Life Screenings

Wonderful Greek-lifers Jonathan, Neechelle, Naomi, and Elliott

ICNMSU Co-Presidents: Valerie, Alex, and Andrea

Come out tonight for another screening of TONY!

Six o'clock in Hardman 106

The Musician Coalition

So this is really, really awesome. As a music education major, I am always excited to see music being used for things like this. It's so easy with music to get caught up in your own life and what you want. I love seeing musicians focusing on using their art to educate and raise awareness. That's what I love about the idea of music education, the thought that through music, people can be pulled into something so much bigger than themselves. Music can save lives. Such a cool thing, check it out.

The Musician Coalition from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

It's Here!

Good news everyone!!! The LRA Crisis Tracker is up and running! This is an amazing thing. Check it out!

http://lracrisistracker.com/

If you leave out justice you will find yourself breaking agreements and faking evidence in trials 'for the sake of humanity', and become in the end a cruel and treacherous man.

C.S. Lewis

Mere Christianity

The Vice Guide to Congo

This is a five part video series talking about the Congo and some of the issues with conflict minerals. It isn't only the LRA that is causing fear in the lives of people in Congo. Even though Invisible Children is focused on stopping the LRA, I think it's important to realize that there are other issues that shouldn't be forgotten.

http://www.vice.com/vice-news/the-vice-guide-to-congo-1

Beautiful People 2.0

so, every time i think of a blog and have the chance to actually post, my team mates beat me to it and i love it! right now i am so excited im headed to work and posting from my handy dandy blackberry device. (that is why my punctuation and capitalization is not present.) to the point nothing is more true than the past few posts, but the beautiful people were also in this town! you people, the ones that came to our tabling and attended our screenings. it has been a mere pleasure to meet you guys. i got to speak to a few of you, even go as far as hold and comfort you as tears of empathy fell from your perfect little hearts. know that we are excited and thankful for your participation. this term is special and every world changer i've been fortunate to meet this week is indeed beautiful. i am very blessed to be in this energy.thank you.

Frontline Tour

The IC NMSU club hosted the Deep South team last night for a screening of "Tony," a story about a young man from Northern Uganda. Aromorach Agnes also shared her personal story with us.

We cannot thank the roadies enough for all their hard work and sacrifice. We also want to extend a whole-hearted "thank you" to everyone who attended the screening and everyone who helped out.

Your smallest efforts can make an enormous difference.

Find out how you can join the movement this Thursday at 6:30 on the second floor of Corbett Center.

Beautiful People

This week, Invisible Children's Frontline Tour launched! We were lucky enough to host 11 of the 16 roadie teams as they passed through Las Cruces on the way to their various locations. That's 44 people. And every one of them was incredible. There was very little sleep and an overwhelming amount of love and friendship. It was an incredible experience for me. I've never wanted to instantaneously be best friends with so many people at once, especially while knowing that they would be leaving in a matter of hours. The passion I saw in everyone was astounding. They were exhausted, but they were excited. We were strangers, but we were already friends through our common desire to see the LRA stopped and peace in Central Africa. It was only a few hours that we got to spend with these people, but by the time they were leaving, I felt I had just substantially increased the size of my family.

These people are sacrificing so much to go out and work for what they believe in. They are amazing human beings. And what's really cool is we can support them from home! We can also fight for peace and see the LRA disarmed. Getting to meet the roadies was inspiring and encouraging. We're working for change, and we're seeing it happen.

So get involved! Be part of this. You won't regret it. Team Las Cruces is just getting started, and we want you to join us.

Screenings!

Invisible Children Team Las Cruces will be hosting two screenings of the film Tony tomorrow, Thursday the 8th. We will also get the oppurtunity to hear directly from an Ugandan advocate about how they have personally been affected by the conflict. Come and hear the story of Tony, the current situation in the Congo, and how you can help.

Location - Fountain Theater, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe
Time - 2:00pm

Location - NMSU, Corbett Center Ballroom (3rd Floor)
Time - 7:00pm

We really hope you can make it out to one!

Silver Series by Invisible Children

Interview with Team Mid-Atlantic - featuring Thad McRae

His second home is Las Cruces. He knows it.

Click here to be re-directed to interview featuring Thad McRae

Alight

One of our team-mates, Jacob J. Watson is currently interning this fall semester as a roadie for Invisible Children. This is (a peace of) what he is doing, this is just the beginning. He is in our prayers, daily.

Alight from Jacob Watson on Vimeo.

First trial at the ICC Comes to an end

"The is the first international trial to focus entirely on the crime of child soldier recruitment and is expected to set significant legal precedents for prosecuting the use of children in armed conflicts"

http://www.haguejusticeportal.net/eCache/DEF/12/906.TGFuZz1FTg.html

http://invisiblechildren.com/history-of-the-war

Gulu Women's Choir and The Voice Project

So this is something cool I found! The Voice Project uses music to encourage the LRA soldiers to come home. And I think that's awesome. Here's a video explaining The Voice Project and also a clip of the Gulu Women's Choir joining in on the chorus of Home by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes.

The Voice Project from The Voice Project on Vimeo.

"Home" Edward Sharpe (MEGA FM Uganda - The Voice Project Gulu Woman's Choir Mix) by thevoiceproject

Emily Williams

Hi everyone, my name is Emily. I'm a follower of Christ. My major is music education for voice, although I don't know what on earth I'll do with that. I'm starting my senior year at New Mexico State University, and the most exciting part of it is my involvement in Invisible Children. I had never heard of Invisible Children until my sophomore year in Las Cruces, and I still knew nothing about it when I met Valerie in the fall semester of my junior year. We had a couple of classes together, and we quickly became great friends. It came time for NMSU's fall screening. I remember hanging out with Val and the rest of the club, waiting for the roadies to arrive. I didn't really know anyone, and I felt really out of place, but I also felt a connection with these people that I'd never known with anyone else. So when Val told me to go to the screening, I agreed to go. While I felt impacted by what I saw, I didn't really know what to do or how to process it. I have spent the majority of my life refusing to watch the news and refusing to accept that there is so much unnecessary killing in the world. I hate to have to deal with hearing about atrocities while feeling like there is nothing I can do. Then Val applied to be a roadie and ended up interning with IC for 7 months. Luckily for me, I became friends with the rest of the IC club here just before she was gone. I love all of them, so naturally, I ended up helping more with IC. I think the moment I really understood that Invisible Children was a way for me to acknowledge and combat some of the wrongs in the world was when we went to talk with Senator Udall's office about getting funds appropriated to the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act (https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2241/images/S1067%20Final.pdf). I was excited for weeks after, and I knew I was going to be more involved. Then 25 came. I read a lot of the history of the war through Human Rights Watch (www.hrw.org) and that moved me substantially. Working on the 25 event and remaining silent proved to be an exciting challenge that got attention. I realized that I can spread the word, raise funds, and do something instead of just ignoring the problem. Now, with two of my best friends going on the road with the Frontline Tour, I want to take more responsibility. So that's been my journey with IC and how I've come to be part of Team Las Cruces.

You can be part of this too! http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise/ic-team?ftid=821

Greetings!

I’ll give you a shallow rundown on who I am.

My name is Amanda, I’m 20 years old, and I’m currently embarking on my third year at NMSU studying Journalism. I love Jesus. My favorite color is purple. My favorite poet is John Keats. My brother is my best friend. I’ve been listening to a lot of Van Morrison lately. I enjoy Kanye West way too much. If candy could sustain me, I would let it. In my head I'm British. I enjoy the oxford comma. Now...

My Invisible Children story is rooted in a book. I began college at NMSU in the Fall of 2009 and by the end of that semester apathy was pumping my blood. While walking through Barnes & Noble one December morning, a display probably titled “Inspirational”, caught my eye. A vibrant lime green foreground zeroed on the chilling image of a shoeless boy, under a hot sky, towing a sinister gun on his back. This was the cover of A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of A Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah.

Wanting to rid myself of the apathy that had been harvesting in my heart, I bought it. After finals, I began to read and those few days were some of the most emotional I have ever had. This is an autobiography of the atrocities Beah encountered as a child soldier in Sierra Leone, including the difficulties of his rehabilitation and reintegration into society. It absolutely plowed the hardness of my heart.

That Spring semester a childhood friend told me about some wonderful people heading up the Invisible Children Club at NMSU and encouraged me to go to their first meeting of the semester. “Invisible Children uses film, creativity and social action to end the use of child soldiers in Joseph Kony’s rebel war and restore LRA-affected communities in central Africa to peace and prosperity” (http://www.invisiblechildren.com). I walked in at the end of the meeting (I’m still working on my punctuality) and awkwardly explained that a book had brought me there. I did my research, and have yet to encounter a more flexible, creative, and innovative non-profit organization like Invisible Children.

Their adaptability is something I appreciate deeply and consider it one of their strongest traits. Funds raised are spent wisely: preventing attacks through early warning systems, building radio towers, as well as an emphasis on rehabilitation (schooling, medical, and psychological).

I just returned from The Fourth Estate and with a revived passion and confidence in IC and ICTLC, I know we can positively impact the people and areas affected by the LRA and finally bring this war to an end. I encourage you to look into Invisible Children, read Beah’s work, understand and let yourself be moved. Together we can “prove the Universal through the specific”.

Best,

Amanda

Brianna Stewart

Hello everyone, I am Brianna Stewart and I am nineteen years old. I am thankful to be apart of the wonderful "IC: Team Las Cruces". I have been aware of Invisible Children since my junior year in high school, but aware of the treacherous attacks of the LRA since my sophomore year. I found about these tragedies due to my high school English teacher that challenged me to take my research papers to another level. It was not until I entered college in New Mexico to study film a few years ago that I was re-introduced to I.C. and became heavily involved. Being apart of such an involved and innovative team I realize our roles shift, from leadership to creativeness, and I appreciate it deeply.

In Spring of 2011, I had the privilege to take part in the "Breaking the Silence" campaign and gain the support from you, my friends and family. This changed me, with everyday life challenges happening I saw love exemplified like never before...from YOU.

Today, I am here to let you know my efforts are not complete. The LRA is still breaking apart homes viciously. I only hope that through my humility, passion, and dedication I will continue until I finish strong. I need your support. Whether it is by mention, through prayer, or donation. I cannot accomplish it alone. I deeply believe that completing this 'mission' is apart of God's call on my journey. Please follow along, as I am serving frontline.

Frontline Video

lovelovepeace.

Introduction

Hello! Welcome! Thank you for visiting our blog. First take a look at the picture above, we are merely some of your team leaders. We are Invisible Children's Team Las Cruces. We have so much to share with you and are thankful of your attention.

For the next few days our Frontliners will be posting their stories, look out for them and scroll around!

Be Intentional.