Dear friends of freeDimensional,

As we struggle to adjust in these difficult economic times, your support of freeDimensional is more important than ever. The unfortunate truth is that social injustices increase when economies falter. By making a tax-deductible donation to freeDimensional today you will help us save more voices tomorrow. The equation is that simple. The need is that strong.

Donate now:
https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/ExpressDonation.aspx?ORGID2=371511158

After establishing a mobile office-in-residence for much of 2008 in Cairo, this year freeDimensional has relocated that office to Sao Paulo, Brazil. Hosted by our Sao Paulo partner center, Casa das Caldeiras, our presence in Brazil will allow us to engage in the Conectas Human Rights Colloquium, the World Social Forum and other initiatives. We've managed this while maintaining our office and programs in New York.

Thanks to you and your support we've been able to help people like Issa Nyaphaga. In 1990, Issa began working as a political cartoonist for a satirical newspaper, "Le Messager Popoli". He was opposed to the political regime in Cameroon, and was tortured and jailed for publications that spoke out against the regime. In 1996, he escaped from his country to seek asylum in France where he lived until 2007 when he moved to New York. Issa Nyaphaga is not only an artist, but also an advocate of freedom of expression.

With your help we can extend our work further. Click here to donate to freeDimensional online through Network for Good:
https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/ExpressDonation.aspx?ORGID2=371511158

Or, send a check to us at the following address:
freeDimensional
c/o Alexandra Zobel, Treasurer
589 Park Place Apt. 13
Brooklyn, NY 11238
U.S.A.

Here's just a little snapshot of how freeDimensional worked with Issa Nyaphaga in 2008:
- During freeDimensional's Action Lab on Economic Migration Project fD worked with one of Issa's political cartoons to incorporate it in an international media intervention that was launched in Dakar, Senegal, during the Dak'Art Biennale.
- In early fall of '08 Issa traveled to New Orleans for the Artist As Refugee symposium at Louisiana Art Works and to Bilbao, Spain for the Censorship Festival. During both trips he was accompanied by fD staff, where they helped to secure a show for his art and have his work included in New Orleans' first Biennale (Prospect 1) as well as create new and unique opportunities for the network (fD is now the international nominator for artists to the Censorship Festival).
- In NYC, fD forged a new friendship with an artist residency program (Harlem Studio Fellowship- HSF). fD used an invitation by the artHARLEM tour to be part of their arts festival in October '08. In turn fD partnered with HSF for the festival and was able to secure Issa with a three month residency at HSF leading up to his show at the ArtBreak Gallery in NYC in January 2009.

Thank you for your support. To stay informed regarding all of our activities, please be sure to visit our web site at http://freedimensional.org. Your involvement drives our work. Your support fights injustices.

All the best,
Todd Lester
Executive Director
freeDimensional

Imported from external blog