*Steps onto the world stage of Chuck’s Terrible Minds blog. Chuck gives the thumbs up to get started* Thank you, Chuck! *waves awkwardly* Hello, everybody! Can y’all hear me? Yes? Okay – let’s get this started:
The Pixel Project, a 501(c)3 anti-violence against women nonprofit, has been running our Read For Pixels program since September 2014 when Chuck himself, Joe Hill, Sarah J. Maas, and nine other award-winning bestselling SF/F, Horror, and YA authors helped us reach out to their readers and fandoms about violence against women (VAW) and raise funds to keep our anti-VAW work alive.
That inaugural Read For Pixels livestream author interview series and fundraiser was a resounding success and over 200 authors, 18 campaigns, and 9 years later, we are continuing to build what is probably the world’s largest archive of recorded livestream interviews and panels with authors speaking out about VAW. These are easily accessible on our YouTube channel to parents, teachers, kids, readers, writers, and fandoms worldwide who can either watch the videos to learn more about VAW while fanning over their favorite authors or use the videos to start conversations about VAW in their communities. Authors, editors, publishers, and agents have also helped us raise approximately $10,000 per year by providing exclusive goodies as giveaways for readers, fans, and book collectors who donate to support our work.
You’re probably thinking: “Cool! I’ll go check it out. So why the guest post on Chuck’s blog?”
The short answer: 2022 aka “Twenty [insert expletive of your choice] twenty-two”.
Like many small nonprofits, we are continuing to fight the good fight while navigating the continuing fallout from the pandemic and spiralling global inflation in 2022. Women’s organizations have experienced decades of scarce funding for the overall women’s rights movement and women’s human rights are often one of the first casualties in turbulent times such as these. So, with our current Read For Pixels fundraiser grinding to a halt like Artax sinking into the Swamp of Sadness in The Neverending Story (it’s been over a month and we’re stuck at $2,280, which is only 45% of the way to our modest $5,000 goal), you can imagine our growing, um, concern. While we are 100% volunteer-staffed, we do have certain bills to pay so we can keep our campaigns, programs, and services running.
Chuck being the mensch that he is, received our SOS and basically paraphrased “Mi casa es su casa”, then kindly published this blog post to boost the signal for our fundraiser.
So here I am, as Domestic Violence Awareness Month 2022 kicks off, presenting five win-win reasons why you should consider giving to our fundraiser to help get us to our $5,000 finish line by our extended deadline of October 31st 2022:
Win-Win Reason to Give #1: Support accessible information for victims and survivors of VAW… while slaying your holiday gift list
One of the key services that The Pixel Project provides is to bridge the information gap that victims and survivors encounter when trying to get help. Programs such as our daily helpline retweet session on Twitter which tweets out domestic violence and rape/sexual assault helplines for women in 205 countries worldwide from 8.00PM to midnight Eastern Time, 24/7, 365 days a year. We also create specific lists to address current major VAW events – this year, the team pulled together a starter list of organizations and groups specializing in assisting Ukrainian women and girls who are casualties of wartime sexual violence and human trafficking.
THE WIN-WIN FACTOR: When you donate to us, you can also tackle your holiday season gift list at the same time. From signed rare editions to goodie bundles stuffed with books and swag to tuckerisations galore, we have treats for every donation level. And while you’re appreciating the joy of squaring away some of your holiday gifts, also appreciate the fact that your donation will be going towards keeping our programs and initiatives that connect victims and survivors of VAW with the help that they need.
Win-Win Reason to Give #2: Support resources for educating folks about VAW… while getting your WIP workshopped
We have built an ever-growing archive of over 190 resource articles to date about everything from how to stop street harassment to lists of organizations tackling everything from child marriage to MMIW (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women). Additionally, our website has plenty of beginner-level primers about VAW and our Facebook page and Twitter account are excellent just-in-time sources for the latest headlines and articles about VAW.
THE WIN-WIN FACTOR: If you are a budding author who is thinking of making a donation, we have a stellar line-up of Read For Pixels authors who are offering critique bundles for WIPs (works-in-progress), including Alastair Reynolds (Science Fiction), Daniel H. Wilson (Science Fiction), Kathryn Purdie (YA Fantasy), Marshall Ryan Maresca (Fantasy), Pintip Dunn (YA Romance), and Romina Garber (YA Fantasy in English or Spanish). Some have a post-critique video chat bundled in; some welcome writing pairs; others allow for up to five questions via email from the donor about the critique. Enjoy knowing that while you are getting expert help for your WIP, you’re also supporting the creation and growth of online resources for educating folks around the world about VAW.
Win-Win Reason to Give #3: Support digital platforms for people to speak up about VAW… while chatting away with your favorite author
A key pillar of our activism and advocacy work is providing digital platforms which are safe spaces for people from different walks of life to speak up about VAW. In April, we hosted the Giving The Devil His Due blog tour featuring book bloggers using our first charity anthology to speak up about VAW during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. In June, numerous dads got on board our Fathers For Pixels program (including blog interviews, panel sessions etc) to share ideas with other dads about engaging with their peers and communities about sexism, misogyny, and VAW.
THE WIN-WIN FACTOR: While your donation keeps our platforms available for folks to speak up about VAW, it could also snag you a chat with your favorite author in the name of supporting a good cause. For this fundraiser, Jeffe Kennedy (Fantasy and Romance), Meg Gardiner (Crime/Thriller), Namina Forna (YA Fantasy), Roseanne A. Brown (YA Fantasy), and Sue Ann Jaffarian (Mystery/Crime) are all happy to have a video chat with donors to natter about everything from books and writing, to RV life, furbabies, and geeky hobbies. These video chats are open to individual donors and groups – fan friends, book clubs or library groups are also welcome to pool together the donation to get one or more of these chat sessions.
Win-Win Reason to Give #4: Support shining a light on anti-VAW activists and advocates worldwide… while surprising your loved ones with cool treats
Part of our work involves shining a spotlight on how anti-VAW advocates, activists, and organizations worldwide are changing the world for women and girls, as well as their ideas about what people can do to help stop VAW in their communities and countries. Our Inspirational Interviews series has been running for a decade and counting. We also run topical sessions with anti-VAW advocates and activists speaking about their work and educating people about VAW such as our panel of domestic violence experts discussing the negative repercussions of the Depp/Heard case on the movement to end domestic violence and what can be done about it.
THE WIN-WIN FACTOR: If you have a geeky friend or family member with a birthday coming up and you see a Read For Pixels goodie offered by their favorite author available on our fundraising page, donate to snag that unique treat and delight them while supporting signal boosts for anti-VAW activists and advocates. BONUS: You’ll have an interesting story to tell them about where the gift came from. It might even be a great opener for chatting with them about VAW.
Win-Win Reason to Give #5: Support the right of women and girls to live a life without VAW… while your donation benefits TWO anti-VAW nonprofits
Nearly 1 in 3 women and girls worldwide experience some form of VAW in their lifetime. In terms of domestic violence alone, over 1 in 4 women under 50 have experienced physical or sexual violence from a male partner. So donate to our fundraiser because you believe in supporting efforts to prevent, stop, and end VAW. Whether you can give us $5 or $500 to help us reach our $5,000 goal, every dollar counts.
THE WIN-WIN FACTOR: If you choose Mystery/Thriller author Carol Goodman’s THE NIGHT VISITORS $50/$50 Matching Donation treat, your $50 donation will not just support our work but Carol will make sure your impact is doubled by donating $50 in your name to the domestic violence shelter run by Family of Woodstock in Ulster County, New York, USA where she volunteers.
(And even if you don’t choose Carol’s treat, when you donate to us, please also consider donating either cash or supplies to your local women’s shelter or rape crisis center. Like us, they need all the help they can get.)
It’s time to stop violence against women. Together.
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Interested in checking out The Pixel Project’s anti-violence against women work? Visit us at https://www.thepixelproject.net/
Interested in checking out our Read For Pixels fundraiser and making a donation to help keep our work alive? Go here.
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Regina Yau is the founder and president of The Pixel Project, a virtual volunteer-led global 501(c)3 nonprofit organization on a mission to raise awareness, funds and volunteer power for the cause to end violence against women at the intersection of social media, new technologies, and popular culture/the Arts. A Rhodes Scholar with a double Masters in Women’s Studies and Chinese Studies, she has a lifelong commitment to fighting for women’s rights. In addition to running The Pixel Project, Regina also teaches English to middle-schoolers and high-schoolers, writes stories about cheeky little fox spirits and terrorist chickens, and bakes far too many carb-and-sugar-loaded goodies.
