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Blue Skies Event Highlights Video (3:04 minutes)
Blue Skies Event Highlights Video (3:04 minutes)
Welcome
Welcome
The Blue Skies House Concert and Fundraiser took place on Saturday, August 10th, 2024 in Birchwood, Minnesota. Forty people joined together to meet new friends for an evening of special music, community-building, and hopeful support for our common future embodied in the presidential campaign of Kamala Harris & Tim Walz.
The Music: The performance featured Jayson Coleman and David Martin playing songs that captured the joy and love in the Harris-Walz campaign. The song recordings will be released here (and at the Full Spring Studio FaceBook Page) each week leading up to the election. Learn more about the musicians below.
The Hosts and Presenters: The event was hosted at the Birchwood, Minnesota home of Peter Atakpu and Michelle Maiers-Atakpu. Presenters included Jonee Kulman Brigham of Full Spring Studio, event planner and sponsor representative; Robert Blake, of Native Sun Community Power Development and Solar Bear; Julia Frost Nerbonne, Activist; and Art Girls for Kamala - teens Clara and Aurora.
The Fundraising: The event raised $3,020 for the Harris/Walz campaign! Donations were made by individuals through the ActBlue website.
For Harris-Walz donations, ActBlue can be accessed from https://kamalaharris.com
The Matching Donation: For every attendee, $25 was donated to MIGIZI Communications by the event sponsor. With forty in attendance, this totaled $1000! This helps MIGIZI Communications in their work to honor and support American Indian youth.
Attendee gifts include: a Harris sticker* and a canvas tote with campaign art handmade by Art Girls for Kamala. Raffle items were a variety of campaign mugs* and two paintings* by Jeffrey Scherer, an artist living in Portland, Oregon. *Some Attendee and Raffle items mailed after the event.
Event Sponsor and Planning: The event and its documentation were funded by the Herbert M. Kulman Trust in memory of Herb’s love of music and hope for the future. Event planning & design are by Full Spring Studio, LLC.
Performers
Performers
Jayson Coleman, Vocal Artist
Jayson Coleman, Vocal Artist
Jayson Coleman, is a vocal artist from San Diego, CA. He sings in different languages including Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, and French. He has performed with the San Diego Opera Chorus, the San Diego Lyric Opera, the San Diego Choral Artists, the Starlight Theatre (in Balboa Park) "Cherry Cola" (a 50's-60's rock 'n roll group), as well as in church settings, and other various theatres, the group, Silverwood, and the Moonlight Serenade Orchestra (MSO), providing big band stylings from the 30's, 40's, and 50's. He's also done radio work, narrative dialogue, and voice-overs.
David Martin, Guitarist
David Martin, Guitarist
David Martin is a guitarist and bassist, originally from the Ohio/West Virginia area. Over the last 30 years he’s been in Minneapolis playing all styles on both instruments. Recent CDs include ‘Dark Star‘ (2016), ReLit (2024), and ‘Play On‘ (2019) with vocalist Vicky Mountain. David recently received a 2020 Artist Rescue Trust Grant, a 2020 and 2021 Twin Cities Music Community Trust Grant, a 2020 Springboard for the Arts Grant, and a 2020 Working Partnerships USA Grant. Locally, he plays in Salsa del Soul, DAT Trio, The Bill Simenson Orchestra, and the Minneapolis Jazz Guitar Duo.
Hosts, Presenters, and Contributors
Hosts, Presenters, and Contributors
Event Hosts: Peter Atakpu
and Michelle Maiers-Atakpu
Event Hosts: Peter Atakpu
and Michelle Maiers-Atakpu
Co-hosts Peter and Michelle opened their home to make this event possible. They are long-time residents of Birchwood, and small business owners.
Jonee Kulman Brigham
Full Spring Studio, LLC
and Herb's Daughter
Jonee Kulman Brigham
Full Spring Studio, LLC
and Herb's Daughter
Jonee Kulman Brigham organized and facilitated the Blue Skies event on behalf of her late father in honor of his love of music and his hope for a better future.
Robert Blake, Native Sun Community Power Development and Solar Bear
Robert Blake, Native Sun Community Power Development and Solar Bear
Robert Blake, of Native Sun Community Power Development (https://nativesun.org) and Solar Bear, LLC (https://solarbear.earth) shared news of his collaborative work in the clean and just energy transition that creates jobs and has garnered national attention, including from the Harris/Walz campaign.
Julia Frost Nerbonne, Activist
Julia Frost Nerbonne, Activist
Activist, Julia Frost Nerbonne offered advice on how to help the campaign by making authentic connections with those you know.
Clara and Aurora, Art Girls for Kamala
Clara and Aurora, Art Girls for Kamala
Art Girls for Kamala created hand made canvas campaign bags for all attendees at the event using their original design.
Jeffrey Scherer, Scherer Works
Jeffrey Scherer, Scherer Works
Retired architect and west coast artist, Jeffrey Scherer donated two original artworks for the raffle at the Blue Skies event. Learn more about his work at https://www.schererworks.com
Matching Donation to MIGIZI Communications
Matching Donation to MIGIZI Communications
Blue Skies Event Matching Donation: For every event attendee, $25 was donated to MIGIZI Communications by the event sponsor. With forty in attendance, this totaled $1000! This helps MIGIZI Communications in their work to honor and support American Indian youth.
Mission:
MIGIZI provides a strong circle of support that nurtures the educational, social, economic and cultural development of American Indian youth.
Vision:
For our youth
American Indian youth are acknowledged and honored for their sacred gifts and boundless potential, which they share—as leaders—with their communities and nations.
For our organization
MIGIZI’s circle of relationships is part of a broader movement that advances success, well-being and social justice.
Learn more and support MIGIZI Communications at: https://www.migizi.org
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements
Blue Skies House Concert and Fundraiser
Blue Skies House Concert and Fundraiser
Thank you to all who participated!
This memorial event and its documentation were funded by the Herbert M. Kulman Trust in memory of Herb’s love of music and hope for the future.
Event planning and design by Full Spring Studio, LLC
Music Coordinator and Presenter: Jayson Coleman
Featured Vocalist: Jayson Coleman
With Guitarist: David Martin
House Concert Hosts:
Peter Atakpu & Michelle Maiers-Atakpu
Photography:
Chris Cooper
Blue Skies Photograph: Lynn Greyling, Public Domain Pictures
Videography:
Chris Cooper
Sound Design:
Chris Cooper
Audio Engineer: Afthal
Sound Mixing: Samuel Brigham
Event Support:
Event Assistant: Gabriella Briggs
Special Thanks to Scott Brigham
Speakers:
Jonee Kulman Brigham, Full Spring Studio, LLC
Jayson Coleman
Robert Blake, Native Sun Community Power Development, Solar Bear
Julia Frost Nerbonne
Art Girls for Kamala: Clara and Aurora
Contributing artist for raffle: Jeffrey Scherer
How to Get Involved and Contribute to the Campaign
How to Get Involved and Contribute to the Campaign
Questions? Contact Jonee at: fullspringstudio@gmail.com
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