Los Angeles (Top40 Charts/ Adopt the Arts) Rock and Roll Hall of Fame musician and humanitarian, Matt Sorum (Guns N' Roses,
Velvet Revolver) partners with philanthropist and South Asian rock star Shehzad Roy, to raise the quality of public education and to increase funding for the arts in underprivileged schools - at an international level.
The Peace through
Music Gala (September 15, 2013 from 5:00-10:00pm) takes place at Wolfgang Puck's Ray Dolby Ballroom - Loews Hollywood Hotel. Featuring live auction with items donated by the celebrities, the red-carpet gala boasts performances by Matt Sorum and Shehzad Roy, Macy Gray,
Slash (Guns N' Roses,
Velvet Revolver), as well as, appearances by Jane Lynch (Glee), Mark McGrath (Sugar Ray),
Danny Masterson (That '70s Show), Johnathan Schaech (Ray Donovan) and many more guests to be announced.
According to Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), 50% of the 535 elementary schools' in the district are not receiving arts education due to budget cuts. 80% of its students live at or below the poverty line, so they do not have access to the arts outside of school either, explains Matt Sorum. "Kids learn four times better with music and arts, without which, their education suffers and we lose a creative force of the future."
"We founded Zindagi
Trust to help the 10 million children in Pakistan employed in child labor," says Shehzad Roy, "I soon realized over 85% of school-going children only have access to government schools plagued with low teacher attendance, dilapidated facilities, and a curriculum that encourages rote-learning. Only through government school reform, can all children get quality education." Zindagi
Trust now works to reform public schools, educate working children, and lobby the government to improve education policy in Pakistan.
Separated by 8000 miles— Adopt the Arts and Zindagi Trust— are two nonprofits with similar missions founded by musicians, that led Adopt the Arts co-founder, Abby Berman, and activist-writer, Sadia Ashraf, to collaborate on the Gala to build bridges between different cultures. Jane Lynch who serves on the board of Adopt the Arts said in support of the event, "Music is a universal language that unites us all, regardless of our backgrounds. Arts help kids think critically and perform better in school making them adults who contribute more to society."
All proceeds will benefit both organizations: disbursed towards girl's education in Pakistan through Zindagi Trust's schools; and Adopt the Arts support of a school in Compton as well as the only school in the district that serves blind children in Los Angeles.
ADOPT THE ARTS BOARD & ADVISORY COMMITTEE include Abby Berman, Matt Sorum, Jane Lynch, Johnathon Schaech, Adrianne Zarnegin,
Linda Kaye-Crowder, Richard Grant Shepard Fairey, John Stamos, Slash, Gina Gershon,
Juliette Lewis,
Danny Masterson, Steve Stevens, Billy Bob Thornton, Michael Wincott, Adrian Young & Antonio Pelayo.
Tickets for the
September 15, 2013 5:00pm-10:00pm Peace though
Music event are $200, $500 & $1000 and can be purchased at https://adoptthearts.org/peacethroughmusic .
Ray Dolby Ballroom / Loews Hollywood Hotel: 1755 North
Highland Avenue Los Angeles 90028
For interview requests: Contact: Sadia Ashraf ashsadia(at)hotmail(dot)com 630.926.7711
Kymm Britton kymmbritton(at)me(dot)com 310.656.5900
About Adopt the Arts: https://adoptthearts.org/ Matt Sorum and Abby Berman co-founded the nonprofit with a mission to fund arts education and support disadvantaged schools by bringing artists, public figures, entrepreneurs and policy makers united in a common purpose: to invest in future generations by ensuring they are receiving a well-rounded education in the arts and music. Adopt the Arts has lobbied in Congress for the Arts; donated 1,000 instruments to 30 LAUSD elementary school; implemented a visual arts curriculum focusing on endangered animals in 40 LAUSD elementary schools; adopted a LAUSD elementary school, fully funding its arts and music programs and teachers' salaries; and is scheduled to adopt three more schools this fall.
About Zindagi
Trust (Life Trust): https://www.zindagitrust.org Founded in 2002 by Shehzad Roy, one of Pakistan's most popular musicians, Zindagi
Trust is a non-governmental, non-profit organization that strives to improve the quality of education available to underprivileged children in Pakistan. The "I Am Paid to Learn" program educates 2300 students in 34 schools, who work in urban slums. Zindagi
Trust has reformed schools, updated government textbooks and curriculum while introducing learning modules like sports, art and pottery for students. Its work in government policy advocacy has most recently resulted in a national Pakistan law to eradicate corporal punishment in all schools.
