Last week, APJ CEO David Belle introduced APJ to Chicago! Advisory Board Member Dana Maksimovich organized an evening at the Dana Hotel to raise awareness about our work in Haiti. The cocktail event welcomed friends Rev. Jesse Jackson, Michael Ferro, Ken Griffin, Theo Epstein, Steve Traxler, Les Coney and many new faces to APJ! We couldn’t be more grateful to the Chicago community for the warm welcome. We’re excited for more good things to come in the Midwest!  Stay tuned.

Moby is a longtime supporter of our work in Haiti. Immediately after the earthquake, Moby volunteered to perform at an intimate fundraiser that raised $4.5 million for our programs. His commitment and activism are inspiring to us!

Get your tickets to #ThirdPersonLA today! thirdperson.eventbrite.com

“Well … pretty much anything that involves Artists for Peace and Justice I try to come out and support.” – Moby

Moby, otherwise known as Richard Melville Hall, is a multiplatinum American musician, DJ, photographer, and activist. His innovative electronic music albums Everything is Wrong (1995), Play (1999), and Destroyed (2011) have made him an international favorite, selling over 10 million copies around the world. Moby is also an outspoken activist for a variety of causes including veganism, animal rights, human rights, and intellectual property.

In 2004, Moby was awarded and appreciated with IMNF’s Music Has Power Award for his dedication to music therapy.

In 2007 Moby started a website designed for independent and non-profit filmmakers, film students, and anyone in need of free music for their independent, non-profit film.

In 2013 Moby “is back with arguably one of the best albums of his career, Innocents.”

“One of the reasons I’ve dedicated my life to making music is because I love the way that music affects me emotionally and the way that it affects other people emotionally…a lot of times I’m trying to make music that not only affects me emotionally, but also transforms the space in which I’m listening to the music. The test of a good song is, does it make something mundane seem more special?” – Moby

Moby has been actively involved with Artists for Peace and Justice for over three years, playing at our fundraisers and spreading the word about our work in Haiti.

Moby signs the Chrysler 300 at the 2011 Vanity Fair Campaign Hollywood event celebrating Artists for Peace and Justice.

With the help of  Ciné services, the film division of Artists Institute in Jacmel, Haiti, we are creating a new video profile series where we learn a little more about our students and their lives outside of the Academy and give them an opportunity to share their personal stories, dreams, and aspirations.

Our first subject is Rosias W., a super talented sixteen year old singer-songwriter and 11th grader at the Academy for Peace and Justice.  Rosias lives with his four siblings and looks up to his older brother who he describes as the important person in his life. Rosias loves Gospel and R&B. Below is an original song about the daily struggles of living in Haiti and the beauty that prevails that Rosias performed this year  at the opening ceremony of the third wing at the Academy for Peace and Justice. We are so proud of Rosias and his positive attitude, creativity, and leadership. Rosias has such a bright future ahead and we can’t wait to see where education and music will take him. Stay tuned for the full video!