The Cause Marketing King

This past weekend as I went through my normal ritual of "volunteerism" I encountered one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life-face someone that I knew was lying to me, eyeball to eyeball. The first instance came as I was co-hosting the 27th annual Dr. Martin Luther King breakfast at the Town & Country Hotel. I ran into someone I had just interviewed with for a position. He apologized to me for my not being picked for the position and then went on to ask me if I would be interested in working with him in another position that he was going to be campaigning for to seek nomination! All I could do was think to myself, if you didn't hire me the first time for the position I wanted (knowing I was fully qualified than the person you hired), then why would I want to go through the pain of two separate interviews (the first with his staff and the second, if I made it that far with him), all over again!!

The second incident came at the same place but with a different set of people who were on the interview team for another position and they personally knew me and my qualifications but I had received a turndown letter for the position. I later found out that they had politely cancelled the position and promoted from within. The sad part about this incident was that I had a passion for this particular non-profit organization, had volunteered for them before and really wanted to work for them.

As I later went on to several other events (Martin Luther King parade and another breakfast), I kept bumping into these same people and having to look into their faces knowing that they had hurt me personally by not letting me know upfront that they were not going to hire me gave me a distrust toward my fellow man.

Finally I came to my senses, let it go, and gave it all back to God! Now it's on to the next non-profit organization that can utilize my services.

Trying to make a difference

When I was laid off from my former position at Smooth Jazz 98.1 after sixteen years I took a long hard look at my life and I asked myself some serious questions. Questions like, "Is this the end of a long career or do I give up and say thanks for the memories?"  I asked, "Did anyone really give a damn?" Almost all of the answers came up an emphatic "No, it's not over!"

First, I was reminded that it was God that put me in this career and God would take me out! Secondly, there were thousands of people, non-profit organizations and causes that still needed attention, media exposure and a way to tell their story! After all, I had been successful in bringing the Dr. Martin Luther King Breakfast for the YMCA, the Dr. Martin Luther King Parade for Alpha phi Alpha, UNCF, Saving Soles for Souls Shoe Campaign for Ugandan Orphans and more than a dozen other non-profits to radio, television and newsprint-so why stop here!

That's when I made the decision to the impossible-start my own internet radio station. Now many professionals will tell you that there is nothing impossible about starting your own station. And many of them are doing it right now.

I agree, anyone can do it and it doesn't cost a lot. However, the question should be is what will make the station I start any different than the others?

First, I would think that you (the public), would hold me to a "higher standard." Why, because I've been doing this for thirty-nine years in the city of San Diego. You've remembered all the songs that have touched your heart from shows like "Coffee & Jazz with Tayari" and "Music for Lovers."

So a new chapter began: "Building an Internet Radio Station" and for sixty days I attempted to raise funds unsuccessfully over the internet. Today, as I write I'm reminded that I may be down but I'm not out so my fundraising will continue until I succeed.

I hope that you will contact me back at tayarihoward@gmail.com and let me know that you are with me on this campaign to build a voice of excellence.

Thirty Deeds in Thirty Days-Reflection

Today I drove around town paying close attention to people in general; I drove up College Avenue near Federal where I encountered three different people standing on street corners at street lights with signs. One saying "Will work for food," another saying, "Homeless Veteran" and a third with a Psalm Scripture on it. One was white woman, one was Mexican and one Black. The ironic part is that I had seen them the day before and the day before in the same general proximity but a different street corner causing me to wonder were they really homeless. As I listened to the news I heard on CNN today that one out of every four children live in poverty and are hungry in the United States. What's the point you say? Hunger and poverty don't discriminate, they don't differentiate between race, color, creed or religion. They don't affect just the old or Senior Citizens, they don't have socioeconomic barriers, white or blue collar. And last but not least, it's not going to go away over night. Can one person really make a difference? Most definitely! Here's my point to all of this-find something, anything, that YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE and Just Do it!

Thirty Deeds in Thirty Days-The Cause Marketing King

Day 18 of my Thirty Deeds in Thirty Days and though it may seem like I've been doing nothing significant-some of you know me and that is a stretch from the truth. So what is the truth? First, I continue to work on raising $20,000 for a friend suffering with breast cancer. A fundraiser has been put together called "Jazz & Jokes" featuring a Jazz band and several world class comedians; I've put together a synopsis to revive a former community street fair and recommended that it be revived. I've set up two separate dates to feed the Homeless, one on Thanksgiving day and another at a Senior recreation center two days before Thanksgiving. I continue to work on the Dr. Martin Luther King Breakfast for the Jackie Robinson YMCA, the Dr. Martin Luther King Parade Committee and even volunteered to deliver this Sunday's Bible study! I've met with three different San Diego non-profit organizations this past week regarding events or how to raise immediate funds. While on vacation from my Radio gig for the next ten days I plan to visit the downtown San Diego USO to thank some soldiers for their service, lead some middle school students on a tour of a radio station, some volunteer journalistic work for the Urban League of San Diego County, work on my own non-profit corporation in establishing its 501 (c) 3 status by 2011 and finally, attempt to "do something for me" on Black Friday! How's that for a full calendar?

Thirty Deeds in Thirty Days-Day Nine

I've been reluctant in reporting my daily deeds and keeping track. However, since I received a phone call November 1, 2010, from a friend that called me while I was on the air to say that she was simply calling to say "farewell," my world hasn't really been the same. I guess the million dollar question is what would you do to save a life? What lengths would you travel, how many people would you speak to, how far would you go to raise a seemingly astronomical amount of money? Well, to date my days and nights have been consumed in trying every "trick" in the book to get the word out about my friend needing a minimum of $25,000 for a special cancer treatment with little or no response. I've even put together a fund raiser at a local chic nightclub that I Host every Sunday night. The event called "Jazz & Jokes" will include comedians and a Jazz band but at best if every ticket is sold I would have only raised $4,000. Not even a drop in the bucket! I've tried so far unsuccessfully to get my local media's attention, television news, the Union Tribune newspaper thinking that capturing the masses would give me a better chance of locating that "One in a Million" person that saw a mere $25,000 as the perfect Christmas present in regards to saving a life!

So for now I guess, "Thirty Deeds in Thirty Days" is on hold because saving a life is the "Ultimate Deed!"

DJ Goes Homeless for Two Weeks to Raise Money

DJ Goes Homeless for Two Weeks to Raise Money

Thirty Deeds in Thirty Days

The day went mostly as planned visiting several non-profits to lend a hand in any way that I could. But the Deed of the Day came at 7:50pm tonight while I was on the air as the Host of "The Lites Out Lounge" on Smooth Jazz 98.1 here in San Diego. I received a phone call from a dear friend who I have known for approximately twenty years. She was a community activist and helped me when I was down and out; she had also helped many starving musicians and families throughout San Diego County. She had been on a "one-woman" crusade to raise $50,000. The reason? She was dying of breast and thigh cancer and was trying to get to Houston, Texas in order to get a revolutionary new treatment that might save her life. She had insurance but it would not pay for the treatment and to date she had only raised $4,000.  My instincts told me that this would be the "Deed" of all "Deeds" if I could someway help her. I began to E mail anyone I knew in the medical, journalism or banking profession to contact me with suggestions, ideas, etc. I even attached a portion of the recorded phone call clip so that those people I sent E mails to knew that this was by no means a prank. In less than 5 minutes of sending out the E mail to ten prominent people in my rolodex I had several positive replys and requests to make contact with my friend.  Now I'm not saying that I saved a life today, but I'm saying that the solution starts with just one person helping someone else. Have you did your good deed today?