Fresh Start Festival http://www.freshstartfest.org Just another WordPress site Fri, 14 Oct 2011 00:08:53 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 VIDEO: 2011 Fresh Start Festival News Coverage http://www.freshstartfest.org/2011/10/video-2011-fresh-start-festival-news-coverage/ http://www.freshstartfest.org/2011/10/video-2011-fresh-start-festival-news-coverage/#comments Fri, 14 Oct 2011 00:08:53 +0000 admin http://www.freshstartfest.org/?p=344

Click play to watch three different videos from our Fresh Start Festival. Or click the “next” arrow to scroll through.
1. Telemundo News Story
2. KMEX News Story
3. NBC News

]]> http://www.freshstartfest.org/2011/10/video-2011-fresh-start-festival-news-coverage/feed/ 0 South LA Community gets a Fresh Start http://www.freshstartfest.org/2011/09/south-la-community-gets-a-fresh-start/ http://www.freshstartfest.org/2011/09/south-la-community-gets-a-fresh-start/#comments Tue, 06 Sep 2011 17:40:38 +0000 admin http://www.freshstartfest.org/?p=337

Children watching a performance on the Kid Space stage

Over 11,000 community members showed up today at Ted Watkins Memorial Park for free backpacks, free health services, free lunch, entertainment for the whole family and more.
Check out the Photos on Flickr
The community festival, produced by SEIU United Long Term Care Workers, aimed to provide families a much needed break from the dismal economy and recent no-growth employment rate. As ULTCW President, Laphonza Butler, said to the crowd, “The Fresh Start Festival is all about lending a hand to those in need and to let them know that we’re all in this together…no one is alone. Simply put, we could all use a Fresh Start.”

Boys 5-15 received free back-to-school haircuts

Highlights and favorites of the 2011 Fresh Start Festival were the FREE back-to-school supplies and backpacks, haircuts and nail polishing for children 5-15 years of age, and the family entertainment including the music of Salsa band Son Mayor, Aaron Nigel Smith, POWER 106 DJ Loud, R&B band Tyghtship, and the Taiko Drummers. Festival attendees were also entertained by the DeLeon Circus, juggler Scot Nery, Rhythm Child, the Bob Baker Marionettes and of course, Esperanza, our festival mascot!
Watch the video on YouTube!

Dancing Salsa to the tunes of Son Mayor

Boy receiving free backpack and school supplies

The Fresh Start Festival mascot, Esperanza!

]]> http://www.freshstartfest.org/2011/09/south-la-community-gets-a-fresh-start/feed/ 0 Today: A Fresh Start for the West Oakland Community http://www.freshstartfest.org/2011/08/today-a-fresh-start-for-the-west-oakland-community/ http://www.freshstartfest.org/2011/08/today-a-fresh-start-for-the-west-oakland-community/#comments Sun, 28 Aug 2011 02:58:35 +0000 admin http://www.freshstartfest.org/?p=325

Today, the Fresh Start Festival for Working Families came to DeFremery Park in West Oakland. The festival, put on by SEIU ULTCW, was filled with more than 2,000 community members of all ages.

The day started with a community forum hosted by ULTCW President, Laphonza Butler. A panel of community members joined President Butler at the forum; each testifying through their own personal story about the true impact of the economic crisis hitting our country. The forum really set the stage about what the Fresh Start Festivalis about: a fresh start for our communities, one in which, if even only for the day, we can envision a dream of our own just society.
Check out the photos on Flickr
Children 5 – 15 were getting ready for school with free haircuts for boys and manicures for girls, not to mention a free backpack filled with school supplies, to make sure they have a fresh start in 2011!

The sun-filled day turned out community and union members and guests who enjoyed some old fashioned R&B music from Martin Luther, danced to salsa with Cumbia Tokeson and ended the day with some festival favorites dropped by DJ CJ Flash.

Children enjoyed performances by the Alphabet Rockers, Circus Bella and Red Panda Acrobatics on stage. Around the park the big hits of the day were Esperanza, our own festival mascot, Maikaze Daiko (taiko drumming) and a Lion Dance.
Watch the video on YouTube
The Festival was here to provide families, many who have been hit hard by the economy, with the fresh start they need. Aside from entertainment there was free lunch and free health screenings and information for all attendees.

Check out a video of our mascot, Esperanza, getting down:

Read the Press Release here: http://ultcw.org/2011/08/over-2000-oakland-residents-attended-fresh-start-community-festival/

Learn more about the festival, sign-up for news, and more at www.FreshStartFest.org

]]> http://www.freshstartfest.org/2011/08/today-a-fresh-start-for-the-west-oakland-community/feed/ 0 It’s On: Fresh Start 2011 in Oakland! http://www.freshstartfest.org/2011/07/its-on-fresh-start-2011-in-oakland/ http://www.freshstartfest.org/2011/07/its-on-fresh-start-2011-in-oakland/#comments Wed, 06 Jul 2011 00:20:34 +0000 admin http://www.freshstartfest.org/?p=300

Just announced: Fresh Start Working Families Community Festival will hold it’s first annual event in Oakland, CA on Saturday, August 27th, 2011 at:

DeFremery Park, 1651 Adeline St, Oakland, CA 94607

The free festival will be from 12 – 5 pm.

Become a Sponsor
Get Involved

]]> http://www.freshstartfest.org/2011/07/its-on-fresh-start-2011-in-oakland/feed/ 0 Gearing up for a Fresh Start in 2011! http://www.freshstartfest.org/2011/06/gearing-up-for-a-fresh-start-in-2011/ http://www.freshstartfest.org/2011/06/gearing-up-for-a-fresh-start-in-2011/#comments Thu, 30 Jun 2011 22:01:56 +0000 admin http://www.freshstartfest.org/?p=270

Please save the date, Saturday, September 3rd, 2011 for this year’s Fresh Start Fest in Los Angeles, CA! Check out the video from Last year:

]]> http://www.freshstartfest.org/2011/06/gearing-up-for-a-fresh-start-in-2011/feed/ 0 Musical Act Very Be Careful and Added to 2010 Line-up http://www.freshstartfest.org/2010/08/musical-act-very-be-careful-added-to-line-up/ http://www.freshstartfest.org/2010/08/musical-act-very-be-careful-added-to-line-up/#comments Thu, 26 Aug 2010 00:47:14 +0000 admin http://www.freshstartfest.org/?p=223

Very Be Careful

We’re proud to announce the addition of the band Very Be Careful to our festival line-up.

Very Be Careful is a dynamic and popular LA-based act that plays Columbian vallenato music, a type of cumbia sound.

The festival will also feature local Top 40 and R&B cover band Clueless.

Click here for Very Be Careful’s website

Check out a recent Los Angeles Times article about Very Be Careful

Click here for the festival schedule

]]> http://www.freshstartfest.org/2010/08/musical-act-very-be-careful-added-to-line-up/feed/ 0 Expanded Website Live http://www.freshstartfest.org/2010/08/more-news-coming-soon/ http://www.freshstartfest.org/2010/08/more-news-coming-soon/#comments Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:19:35 +0000 admin http://freshstartfest.org/?p=57

We’ve beefed up this website.

Check out the menu bars above for more info on free stuff, entertainment and ways to get involved.

Questions? Email us at info@freshstartfest.org

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