About The Culture Shock Community Project

 
The Culture Shock Community Project is a new and exciting kind of non-profit organization.  This chapter-based organization calls out to members from all social, political, cultural, religious, and generational background to come together in an effort to spark a movement of direct community involvement.  Our membership strives, on a day to day basis, to make the most of their lives, not just for themselves, but for the benefit of others and a community in need.  But what does that all mean? 

We see our communities struggling every day in a world of growing ignorance, apathy and division. Well, in Culture Shock we believe that these ills are all connected by the fact that we live in a culture of “the surface.” We all agree that bigotry, racism, homophobia and xenophobia, are merely ignorance. But isn’t ignorance just a person looking at another on a superficial level, and not looking deeper and closer at what is truly there? Isn’t apathy merely us being superficial toward our place in the world? Isn’t our superficiality towards our personal connections causing the growing divisions between us?

In Culture Shock, we see that we have a responsibility to our community, to each other, and to ourselves to truly be deeply connected with what is around us and make the most out of life.  It is time to end an era of selfishness and apathy, ignorance and polarization. It is from this that we have our four core missions: “Live Deep / Do Good / Make Waves / Unite!” We must deepen our understanding of our selves and each other.  We must deepen our thoughts. We must deepen our involvement with our community AND in the lives of those that are a part of that community. We must deepen our connections, and develop them so that the connections are not there merely in empathy or commiseration, but in support and solutions. We must stop taking ourselves so damned seriously, and be willing to go to the cutting edge and, yes, even be silly once and a while, because life is about more than “coolness”. We must deepen our responsibilities as humans to our world and everything in it.

This is not just philosophy.  We organize direct projects, actions, events, and interactions meant to inspire, support, enliven, and effect.   We also have a program that is specifically designed to allow members with extremely busy lives (who doesn’t) to participate and effect the world around them.  We encourage people from ALL walks of life to join. We are a non-partisan, non-religious, open community group. (We would have to be, wouldn’t we?)

The Culture Shock Community Project is a brand new venture, but we are growing to be a National, chapter-based organization.  We are a 501-C3 non-profit organization.  For more information write to cultureshockproject@gmail.com or join our MySpace at www.myspace.com/cultureshocknational.  (At the time of this CDs publishing, Culture Shock is undergoing a facelift and will be changing its name, but the contact info will still remain good.

About Radio Free Salem

Radio Free Salem is an upcoming non-commercial community-oriented FM radio station broadcasting in Salem and the Mid-Willamette Valley region at 88.5 MHz.  At the time of publishing this CD set, Radio Free Salem (officially known as the Salem Folklore Community Radio Project) is close to receiving a broadcast license from the FCC for a full-power radio station that will be committed to promoting local Salem culture and community, and highlighting the  music by Mid-Valley artists.

The station will serve as a beacon for local events, news, ideas, and the arts.  It is our intention that any community member could be a part of the radio station in any capacity she or he desires—programming, investigative reporting, grant writing, administrative duties, promotion, etc.  The organization that will officially hold the FCC broadcast license will be the Salem Folklore Community (SFC), a nonprofit organization that has been in existence since 1981. 

The primary goal of SFC has been to promote traditional music, dance, and culture from local areas and around the world by organizing performances and gatherings.  In 2006, SFC teamed up with Karen Holman, the founder of Radio Free Salem, to establish a mutually beneficial partnership that will bring fresh local voices and diverse music to the airwaves.  More information on SFC and Radio Free Salem can be found at www.salemfolklore.org and www.radiofreesalem.com.