OUr 2020 WrapUp
Seriously folks, hasn't this felt like the LONGEST year in history?
Back in January, none of us knew that 2020 would force every single one of us on the planet to pause and take stock of who we are, what we want, and how we intend to make it happen…when the rules of normal are in a state of upheaval. Yet, through the pandemic, we have persevered in ways great and small. And so, we want to take a brief moment to look back at some of the good that has come from all this, and how Soul Sanctuary refining and retooling as an organization to address the call of an uncertain tomorrow. Recommitting to our mission. Finding areas of strength and grace. Being better, for the long haul.
Here’s a shout to some of the victories we claimed this year.
Meet the new “brain” of Soul Sanctuary Radio - the engine driving our ramped-up on-air presence!
SOUL SANCTUARY RADIO - ALL DAY, EVERYDAY!
Podcasting. Seems like everybody has some skin in the game now, and it’s fast becoming like the radio dial here in Philadelphia. Jam-packed, too similar, too kitschy, and running out of meaningful things to say.
On top of those realities, now that major syndicators have started paying celebrities to make content, it won’t be long before they will find a way to ice out independent producers and make podcasting a strictly pay-to-play environment. During this pandemic, Soul Sanctuary has decided that we’re looking for a different business model. If anyone should get paid off of the content we produce, it should be us and the other independent voices we support.
So we did a Fall Fundraiser on Facebook, putting out the call for a few good “Soul Mates” who would help us pull an early dream down off the shelf and make it our reality…taking Soul Sanctuary Radio to a full-time streaming media resource! We raised the funds for the laptop [pictured left] and the software to run the station. Now, a few more days to program the schedule and set it up to launch. So be sure to check our SOUNDS page regularly for confirmation that we’re up and running…whenever and wherever you listen!
PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY PAYS DIVIDENDS!
In January, we were busy negotiating with schools and cultural organizations to take our exhibit of Maurice Sorrell images—PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY—on the road, with gallery showings, Q&A/lectures, and other ways to interact with the content. Then, COVID happened, and we’re still holding our breath that some of those same venues will be able to reopen to the public in the future, if at all.
Because of our efforts to digitize and preserve those images, and the installations we secured in 2018 and 2019, word about the work reached some important eyes and ears, particularly in the form of media creators who have been laboring to take their works-in-progress to final to help fulfill the enormous demand for content. Enter Roband Productions Ltd and Mint Pictures in London, who are working on an as-yet-untitled boxing documentary. Now, two of Sorrell’s images of Sugar Ray Leonard with his family have been licensed for use in their film. We hope that, even without the promise of gallery spaces and classrooms available anytime soon, we can continue to find creative ways to inform and expose others to Sorrell’s wonderful photography as a living legacy of his impact on journalism and culture.
The late Maurice Sorrell, holding one of the many cameras he used that made him famous
Photo by Carl Heyerdahl on Unsplash
INTERNS, APPLY HERE!
Have you ever heard the saying, “Many hands make light work?”
In order for Soul Sanctuary to continue on the path to self-sustaining security, we cannot do it alone. The generosity our Congregation and Soul Mates have shown us reaffirms our intention to give them more content and opportunities to build community than they could ever possibly exhaust — the preservation and proliferation of positive urban culture that our mission states.
In order to make good on that promise, we need a few more good people to join us in the production of that content. Because everybody is working from home these days, your global whereabouts are not important. A stable internet connection, your creativity, your commitment to soulfulness, and a solid work ethic are what we’re looking for. Graphic designers, audio producers, and social media enthusiasts are our more immediate needs, but if you have an idea for how your skills can be useful, please let us know! We can offer a modest stipend, for now, but we are ALWAYS seeking out paid opportunities for talented folks who know how to produce results. Send us a message from the CONTACT US tab for more details.