NoH8

February 18, 2010

On November 4, 2008 Proposition 8 passed in California, amending the state Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. The defeat provoked a groundswell of initiative within the GLBT community at a grassroots level, with many new political and protest organizations being formed in response.

The NOH8 Campaign is a photographic silent protest created by celebrity photographer Adam Bouska (http://www.bouska.net) and partner Jeff Parshley in direct response to the passage of Proposition 8. Photos feature subjects with duct tape over their mouths, symbolizing their voices being silenced by Prop 8 and similar legislation around the world, with "NOH8" painted on one cheek in protest.

Nearly one year since its inception, the NOH8 Campaign has grown to over 2,000 faces and continues to grow at an exponential rate. The campaign began with portraits of everyday Californians from all walks of life and soon rose to include politicians, military personnel, newlyweds, law enforcement, artists, celebrities, and many more.

The NOH8 Campaign has received overwhelming support from around the world, appearing on various local and national news programs and publications. The images are currently being used on various social networking sites to spread the message of equality, predominantly Facebook and Twitter. Eventually the images are expected to be compiled for a large-scale media campaign.

Funds raised by the NOH8 Campaign will be used to continue promoting and raising awareness for Marriage Equality and anti-discrimination on a global level through an educational and interactive media campaign.

Our family was proud to be able to take part in this campaign and the fight for equality for our friends, and anyone, in the name of love and family.

Life, Exploded

February 12, 2010 in LaLaLaLife

Where have the past 3 weeks gone? Running around from place to place, deadlines, new projects, horrific mind-altering events... too much to share. Too much to process.

The daily shoot and I have taken a bit of a break. I WILL get back into it, but my time schedules have been that of one where I don't have any. Plus, I would take a pic of something, post it for fun, and then the next day it would be the topic. Creatively, I was not sure how to work it. So I put it on the back burner for a few.

One project that I'm so honored and excited to be working on is Leucadia Sends Luv. My fave store in the whole wide world is helping raise funds for the children of Haiti with specialty Tshirts and an event next week. It's been wonderful to work on something that is doing amazing things for others. It's a lot of work, but the feeling you get from doing something good for someone else is priceless.

You can find out more about the project on the website: www.LeucadiaSendsLuv.com

On another note, expect an explosion of pictures next week as Jason and I travel across the country to NYC for the international toy fair, eating, shopping and snow!

January Oranges

January 27, 2010 in Pictures

It's amazing what winter rain does for us in Southern Cali. First it almost wrecks our never properly prepared infrastructure with power outages and floods, leaving us the laughing stock of the rest of the country who has been snowed under now for 3 months. But when the storm moves east to terrorize the mid-west some more, it leaves us with the most amazing, crisp, bright colors... and a renewed appreciation of why we live in one of the most overvalued housing markets in the country.

Yes, this is our backyard. We have our little "orange tree orchard and more birds of paradise than we know what to do with. With just one week of rain, the yard has come alive with color. The plants were so desperate for a good soak, that they all immediately perked up.

Even the weeds on the side of the house and the old brick incinerator/black widow breeding pit/baby death trap in the back looks like almost quaint...