1 OCTOBER 2013 (WORLDWIDE): The Pixel Project is proud to launch their fourth annual “Paint It Purple” campaign. The campaign kicks off on Domestic Violence Awareness Month on 1 October and runs until 24 November 2013 which is the eve of the International Day of Elimination of Violence Against Women (VAW) and the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence campaign. ‘Paint It Purple’ began as an annual online campaign to raise awareness about VAW by getting the global online community to “paint” the internet purple using social media. It has now evolved to encompass a variety of purple themed activities for people to say NO to VAW.
The latest addition to the campaign is the first ever “Paint It Purple” online charity concert by AHMIR, The Pixel Project’s YouTube Music Ambassador and YouTube’s #1 R&B group. Regina Yau, Founder and President of The Pixel Project said: “We decided to hold the concert as our contribution to our partner, the Positive Music Association’s annual World Singing Days as well as part of ‘Paint It Purple’ as both take place in October. AHMIR, will not only perform the concert but will also be generously donating 50% of the concert proceeds to help keep our campaigns and programmes running.” This special live online concert will take place at 8pm EST, Tuesday 15th October 2013 on StageIt.com where fans can also chat with AHMIR live and there will also be a prize giveaway of Monster DNA headphones. The concert link is: http://is.gd/PaintItPurpleConcert.
The campaign also continues to raise funds for The Pixel Project and participating anti-VAW charities via annual “Paint It Purple” baking fundraisers. “Paint It Purple” 2013 baking fundraisers will be held in 3 cities in 3 countries. This year’s beneficiaries include: All Women’s Action Society (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), the Women’s Centre of East Texas (Longview, TX, USA) and Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (CRASAC) (Coventry, UK). Bakes sales will be held in conjunction with local independent bakeries: the Women’s Centre of East Texas will be supported by La Cabane De Dessert; In the UK, The Pixel Project will be collaborating with Two Cousins Bakery for a second year in a row to raise funds for both CRASAC and The Pixel Project. Both bake sales will feature cupcakes with The Pixel Project’s signature purple-and-white ribbon signifying men and women working together to end VAW.
New to the list of ‘Paint It Purple’ baking fundraisers is the ‘Paint It Purple’ Charity Baking Workshop held in partnership with the Academy of Pastry Arts Malaysia and the All Women’s Action Society (AWAM) in Kuala Lumpur. Participants not only learn to make three types of dessert tarts at this workshop but also meet 10 women and girls from YWCA Kuala Lumpur’s women’s shelter who are kindly sponsored by Microsoft Malaysia to attend the same workshop. Proceeds from the workshop fees will be shared between The Pixel Project and AWAM.
Home bakers, food writers, food bloggers, bakery/patisserie owners and pastry chefs are also invited to contribute their cupcake recipes to the ongoing Paint It Purple Cupcake Recipe Collection Project which aims to collect 100 or more signature cupcake recipes into a charity cupcake cookbook. This year, award-winning Flour Bakery founder Joanne Chang, vegan cookbook author and wellness coach Tess Challis and food blogger Traci Wennerholm have each generously submitted their signature cupcake recipes to the project.
Also returning this year is the second “People and Pets say NO” project which gets people to submit a photo of themselves wearing a purple outfit and posing with their pet and a sign with their names, country and the declaration “We say NO!” in recognition that a woman can be tethered to her abusive situation because she is unable to escape with her pets who usually also suffer violence from the abuser. A starter gallery of 30 statement pictures will be launched on Facebook and on The Pixel Project’s Portraits For Pixels campaign website. More will be collected and added to the gallery over the campaign period to show abused women and their pets that they are not alone and that help and support is out there.
Ms Yau said: “By making “Paint It Purple” a fun, creative and inclusive campaign that anyone can become involved with, we hope to further galvanise widespread support for action to end gender-based violence which continues to affect millions of women and girls worldwide.“
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For further information about the “Paint It Purple” campaign:
- Visit http://paintitpurple.thepixelproject.net
- Contact The Pixel Project team at info@thepixelproject.net
About The Pixel Project (www.thepixelproject.net)
The Pixel Project is a complete virtual, volunteer-led global 501(c)3 nonprofit organisation whose mission is to raise awareness, funds and volunteer power for the cause to end violence against women through innovative, powerful viral campaigns using the power of the internet, social media, new technologies and popular culture/the arts.
The goal of all Paint It Purple cupcake bake sales and fundraising parties is to raise money and awareness of agencies working to end VAW in their local communties. In 2012, we have four beneficiaries, each of whom we interviewed to learn more about the work they do. Today’s interview features Dianne Whitfield, Chief Executive of the 
