Breakthrough (human rights)
Encyclopedia
Breakthrough is a global not-for-profit organization that uses pop culture to promote human rights
. Breakthrough's stated mission is to "empower individuals and communities to stand for universal human rights by using multimedia tools that transform hearts and minds." They promote a message of human dignity, gender-based equality, and justice through ground-level community mobilization in conjunction with advertising, music videos, musical concerts and films in the United States and in India.
In the US, Breakthrough's work includes immigration
, immigrants' rights, and racial justice, among other areas. In India, the concentration is on women's rights
, with special focus on education
and outreach about domestic violence
and the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS.
Breakthrough was founded in 2000 by Mallika Dutt
, who also founded SAKHI. Dutt stated that Breakthrough began with the thought that, "in a globalizing world, what better way to reach the public, especially young people, than through the entertainment industry, which has increasingly shaped and reflected a global media culture." Since its inception, Breakthrough has become a global leader in using pop culture and community mobilization to advance human rights.
The organization's projects have been awarded such honors as the 'Best Integrated Campaign of the Year, the Media Abby Award at Goafest for Public Service, Appeals and Charity,' and the 2001 National Screen Award in India for best music video. The founder, President, and CEO Mallika Dutt
has been recognized many times for her work through Breakthrough, including the American Courage Award from the Asian American Justice Center.
The organization's most recent project is America 2049, a Facebook
video game which addresses sex-trafficking, racial profiling, and immigration issues. Recent ad campaigns also include Bell Bajao!
, a domestic violence awareness campaign, "Restore Fairness, which urges U.S. government to restore due process to US immigration system, "Is this Justice?", a campaign about discrimination against women, and "What Kind of Man Are You?
", about HIV/AIDS and condom use. The U.S. has also seen the release of an interactive video game called ICED: I Can End Deportation
!
: An Album of Women's Dreams, which won the 2001 National Screen Award in India for best music video. The full campaign, focused on promoting women's rights and bringing attention to domestic violence, is based on the music video and album of the same name. The aesthetically and emotionally powerful music video was shot by Sujit Sircar and Gary and tells the true story of Shameem Pathan, who courageously broke out of her abusive marriage and became a truck driver to support herself and her child away from her violent husband. The album features five songs by Shubha Mudgal
, composed by Shantanu Moitra
, with lyrics by Prasoon Joshi
. The record was released through Virgin
records. Mita Vashisht
stars in the music video, which was viewed by over 20 million people worldwide. The Hindu
described the impact of Mann ke Manjeeré saying, "Mann ke Manjeeré has made a breakthrough by claiming public space for women's aspirations."
, racism around the world is exposed and the intention of governments in Durban to address these issues is highlighted.
, Houston, and Chicago
, and featured leaders from the ACLU, Rock the Vote
and the National Immigration Forum
. Youth gathered to discuss new policies and their own potential for involvement in the democratic process.
is a mass-media campaign in India asking men to use condoms to protect their wives from HIV/AIDS. This campaign heightened awareness for the over 2 million married women with HIV/AIDS in India who were infected by their husbands. The campaign encouraged an open, national dialogue about a woman's right to negotiate safe sex within marriage. The campaign was featured on 160 mainstream media outlets, and was created pro bono by McCann Erickson
. This campaign won multiple awards in the Public Service and Political Advertising Agencies Association of India Awards. This campaign led to a partnership with Rediff to create India's first text message HIV/AIDS helpline resulting in over 10,000 queries.
in New York City, Why Can't America Have Human Rights?
This event featured prominent activists, entertainers, and community leaders, and was attended by over 600 people. Why Can't America Have Human Rights? discussed injustices and issues from the labor movement, women's rights movement, Native American movement, immigrant rights movement, and many more.
and deportation
- from a mother whose teenage daughter was detained to a wife whose husband was deported. Additionally, Breakthrough produced interactive sites and tool kits about restoring the right to due process for all immigrants.
produced this campaign pro bono in four languages: Hindi
, English
, Kannada and Marathi
. The "Is This Justice" PSAs received the 2007 Radio and TV Advertising Practitioner's Association of India award for "Best Film with a Social Message" and the 2008 Bronze Abby Award in the Public Service category.
(standing for I Can End Deportation) is a role-playing video game about immigration launched by Breakthrough in early 2008. The name plays off the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement
(ICE). The game puts the player in the role of an immigrant
in the United States. The game highlights the limits on immigrants' rights which were a result of immigration laws passed in 1996. Players must avoid deportation by participating in community service and keeping a low profile. The characters in the game were based on real situations. ICED has also been a part of school curricula for better student understanding of legal and human rights issues.
--Hindi for Ring the Bell, in 2008. This campaign promoted individual action against domestic violence. The campaign featured award-winning Public Service announcements, as well as media and training tools. The campaign targets boys and men, and calls on them to intervene if they witness domestic violence. A key aspect of the campaign was thinking of men as partners in ending domestic violence, instead of only as violators. The PSAs reached over 130 million people. Like the "Is This Justice?" campaign, this campaign was produced pro bono by the advertising agency Ogilvy and Mather
. The global campaign was launched at the Clinton Global Initiative. United Nations Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki Moon joined the campaign as the inaugural global “champion,” and Breakthrough joined forces with his UNiTE to End Violence Against Women campaign as the campaign's first global partner.
as an undercover journalist. The goal in the game is to determine what happened to Boubacar Bah, a real man who died in detention. Players recognize, through the game, the harsh and inhumane conditions in immigrant detention centers.
organization Breakthrough
. I AM THIS LAND launched in November 2010 by Breakthrough. The campaign began as a response to a year of divisive rhetoric surrounding identity
, race, and immigration
. The video contest is Breakthrough’s call for a more positive and open-minded future for the United States, as well as an opportunity to celebrate diversity, dignity, equality and justice. Participants submitted videos using the phrase "I am this land." The videos dealt with themes of acceptance, race, and diversity. The contest had over 30 video entries. Participation opportunities were also available on twitter
. I AM THIS LAND partners included Activision
(makers of Guitar Hero and DJ Hero), Change.org
, WITNESS
, Parlour Magazine, Holla back, Mobilize.org
, HeadCount
, Women’s Media Center
, The Fbomb, See3, Therapy, Latina Lista, 20,000 Dialogues and Vivir Latino. The top winner, Dillon P., submitted the video "Role Call" and received a grand prize of $2500 and a Skype call with an Academy and Emmy-nominated filmmaker, Activision music games including Guitar Hero, Band Hero, DJ Hero. Additional prizes included tickets to the hit Broadway musical Mamma Mia
, and more.
game. The game presents an America in the near future where human rights and have been severely limited, and democratic values seem to have disappeared. Each player is an agent of the Council on American Heritage, and have the assignment of tracking down a presumed terrorist. The game is part thriller, part spy-novel, and full of clues for the player to piece together a winding puzzle, and inviting the player to consider questions of human rights, immigration, and democracy. America 2049 is the first Facebook game to integrate the social networking platform with many other resources, online and off: multimedia and interactive features, historical artifacts, clues planted across the Internet and real-life events at leading cultural institutions nationwide. The game also uniquely features prominent celebrities such as Harold Perrineau, Victor Garber
, Cherry Jones
, Anthony Rapp
, and Margaret Cho
.
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
. Breakthrough's stated mission is to "empower individuals and communities to stand for universal human rights by using multimedia tools that transform hearts and minds." They promote a message of human dignity, gender-based equality, and justice through ground-level community mobilization in conjunction with advertising, music videos, musical concerts and films in the United States and in India.
In the US, Breakthrough's work includes immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
, immigrants' rights, and racial justice, among other areas. In India, the concentration is on women's rights
Women's rights
Women's rights are entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies.In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed...
, with special focus on education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
and outreach about domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
and the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS.
Breakthrough was founded in 2000 by Mallika Dutt
Mallika Dutt
Mallika Dutt is the Founder, President, and CEO of Breakthrough a global human rights organization that uses the power of media, popular culture, and community mobilization to inspire people to take bold action for dignity, equality, and justice...
, who also founded SAKHI. Dutt stated that Breakthrough began with the thought that, "in a globalizing world, what better way to reach the public, especially young people, than through the entertainment industry, which has increasingly shaped and reflected a global media culture." Since its inception, Breakthrough has become a global leader in using pop culture and community mobilization to advance human rights.
The organization's projects have been awarded such honors as the 'Best Integrated Campaign of the Year, the Media Abby Award at Goafest for Public Service, Appeals and Charity,' and the 2001 National Screen Award in India for best music video. The founder, President, and CEO Mallika Dutt
Mallika Dutt
Mallika Dutt is the Founder, President, and CEO of Breakthrough a global human rights organization that uses the power of media, popular culture, and community mobilization to inspire people to take bold action for dignity, equality, and justice...
has been recognized many times for her work through Breakthrough, including the American Courage Award from the Asian American Justice Center.
The organization's most recent project is America 2049, a Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
video game which addresses sex-trafficking, racial profiling, and immigration issues. Recent ad campaigns also include Bell Bajao!
Bell Bajao
Bell Bajao is a campaign which urges local residents to take a stand against physical abuse through simple acts. The campaign was launched on August 20, 2008 by Breakthrough in collaboration with the Ministry of Women and Child Development, UNIFEM and the UN Trust Fund. "Bell Bajao!" is a domestic...
, a domestic violence awareness campaign, "Restore Fairness, which urges U.S. government to restore due process to US immigration system, "Is this Justice?", a campaign about discrimination against women, and "What Kind of Man Are You?
What Kind of Man Are You?
Launched by Breakthrough in 2005, What Kind of Man Are You? is a mass-media campaign in India asking men to use condoms to protect their wives from HIV/AIDS. This campaign heightened awareness for the over 2 million married women with HIV/AIDS in India who were infected by their husbands...
", about HIV/AIDS and condom use. The U.S. has also seen the release of an interactive video game called ICED: I Can End Deportation
Iced!
ICED! I Can End Deportation is a computer game in which the player takes on the role of an illegal immigrant. The creators have stated the purpose is to put the gamer in the shoes of the character and see how life is for illegal immigrants....
!
Campaigns and Projects
Over the past ten years, Breakthrough has developed various campaigns championing causes, and educating and entertaining the public. The campaigns have addressed issues including violence against women, sexuality and HIV/AIDS, immigrant rights, and racial and social justice. These campaigns have included music, music videos, blogs, documentaries, cartoons, public events, video games, and various media and entertainment platforms in between.Mann ke Manjeeré
Breakthrough was launched with Mann ke ManjeeréMann ke Manjeeré
Mann ke Manjeeré was an album, music video, and ultimately and entire campaign created by human rights organization Breakthrough which promoted women's rights. Breakthrough was launched with Mann ke Manjeeré: An Album of Women's Dreams, which won the 2001 National Screen Award in India for best...
: An Album of Women's Dreams, which won the 2001 National Screen Award in India for best music video. The full campaign, focused on promoting women's rights and bringing attention to domestic violence, is based on the music video and album of the same name. The aesthetically and emotionally powerful music video was shot by Sujit Sircar and Gary and tells the true story of Shameem Pathan, who courageously broke out of her abusive marriage and became a truck driver to support herself and her child away from her violent husband. The album features five songs by Shubha Mudgal
Shubha Mudgal
Shubha Mudgal is a well-known Indian singer of Hindustani classical music, Khayal, Thumri, Dadra, and popular Indian Pop music.She has been awarded the 1996 National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film Music Direction for 'Amrit Beej', the 1998 Gold Plaque Award for Special Achievement in Music,...
, composed by Shantanu Moitra
Shantanu Moitra
Shantanu Moitra is an Indian music director who has composed music for the Hindi film industry, and is most known for his score in films Parineeta , Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi , "Lage Raho Munnabhai" and 3 Idiots , and private albums, Mann ke Manjeere and Ab ke Saawan sung by Shubha Mudgal.-Early...
, with lyrics by Prasoon Joshi
Prasoon Joshi
Prasoon Joshi is an Indian lyricist, screenwriter and advertising copywriter. A prolific Writer-Poet whose first book of 3 books "Main aur Woh" was published when he was 17 years of age, an internationally acclaimed Indian advertising professional, Bollywood film songwriter, as well as a...
. The record was released through Virgin
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
records. Mita Vashisht
Mita Vashisht
Mita Vashisht is an Indian television, film and theatre actress, who graduated from National School of Drama , New Delhi in 1987.-Early life:...
stars in the music video, which was viewed by over 20 million people worldwide. The Hindu
The Hindu
The Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
described the impact of Mann ke Manjeeré saying, "Mann ke Manjeeré has made a breakthrough by claiming public space for women's aspirations."
Bringing Durban Home
In 2002, Bringing Durban Home featured film and texts teaching audiences about global racism as a means to share the message of the 2001 World Conference on Racism. The United Nations hosted the World Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa from 31 August to 7 September 2001. Breakthrough, through film and text enabled audiences to bring this experience home. In a film narrated by "The Color Purple" author Alice WalkerAlice Walker
Alice Malsenior Walker is an American author, poet, and activist. She has written both fiction and essays about race and gender...
, racism around the world is exposed and the intention of governments in Durban to address these issues is highlighted.
Speak Up! Act Up!
As early as 2004, Breakthrough’s campaign Speak Up! Act Up! encourages youth to be active in their communities to bring about positive change. An inability to vote does not mean that one cannot affect change, and youth is the time to develop leadership skills and to foster community involvement. This campaign involved public forums in New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Houston, and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, and featured leaders from the ACLU, Rock the Vote
Rock the Vote
Rock the Vote is a non-profit organization in the United States of America whose mission is to engage and build the political power of young people....
and the National Immigration Forum
National Immigration Forum
The National Immigration Forum is an immigrant rights organization based in Washington, DC that publishes studies, lobbies congress members, and networks local organizations with the goal of increasing public support for immigration to the United States...
. Youth gathered to discuss new policies and their own potential for involvement in the democratic process.
What Kind of Man Are You?
Launched by Breakthrough in 2005, What Kind of Man Are You?What Kind of Man Are You?
Launched by Breakthrough in 2005, What Kind of Man Are You? is a mass-media campaign in India asking men to use condoms to protect their wives from HIV/AIDS. This campaign heightened awareness for the over 2 million married women with HIV/AIDS in India who were infected by their husbands...
is a mass-media campaign in India asking men to use condoms to protect their wives from HIV/AIDS. This campaign heightened awareness for the over 2 million married women with HIV/AIDS in India who were infected by their husbands. The campaign encouraged an open, national dialogue about a woman's right to negotiate safe sex within marriage. The campaign was featured on 160 mainstream media outlets, and was created pro bono by McCann Erickson
McCann Erickson
McCann Erickson is a global advertising agency network, with offices in more than 130 countries. McCann is a subsidiary of the Interpublic Group of Companies, one of the four large holding companies in the advertising industry....
. This campaign won multiple awards in the Public Service and Political Advertising Agencies Association of India Awards. This campaign led to a partnership with Rediff to create India's first text message HIV/AIDS helpline resulting in over 10,000 queries.
Why Can't America Have Human Rights?
In 2006, Breakthrough hosted a unique forum in Riverside ChurchRiverside Church
The Riverside Church in the City of New York is an interdenominational church in New York City, famous for its elaborate Neo-Gothic architecture—which includes the world's largest tuned carillon bell...
in New York City, Why Can't America Have Human Rights?
Why Can't America Have Human Rights?
Why Can't America Have Human Rights? was an event hosted by human rights organization Breakthrough. In 2006, Breakthrough hosted a forum in Riverside Church in New York City, Why Can't America Have Human Rights? This event featured activists, entertainers, and community leaders, and was attended by...
This event featured prominent activists, entertainers, and community leaders, and was attended by over 600 people. Why Can't America Have Human Rights? discussed injustices and issues from the labor movement, women's rights movement, Native American movement, immigrant rights movement, and many more.
Restore the Right to Due Process
As of 2006, Restore the Right to Due Process was a campaign featuring multi-media expressing the belief that America should be a place that respects basic human rights. For this campaign, Breakthrough produced numerous video-stories with people who have been directly affected by detentionDetention
Detention may refer to:*Detention *Detention *Detention, a form of punishment used in schools*"Detention" , Episode 58 of the CBS TV drama Cold Case...
and deportation
Deportation
Deportation means the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. Today it often refers to the expulsion of foreign nationals whereas the expulsion of nationals is called banishment, exile, or penal transportation...
- from a mother whose teenage daughter was detained to a wife whose husband was deported. Additionally, Breakthrough produced interactive sites and tool kits about restoring the right to due process for all immigrants.
Is This Justice?
Is this Justice? is a multimedia campaign, launched in 2007, bringing attention to the stigma and discrimination faced by women--especially widows-- living with HIV/AIDS. Many women living with HIV/AIDS have been infected by their husbands or male partners, and suffer discrimination because of the disease. In India, 92% of women widowed by AIDS are forced by family members to leave home after their husband's death. This campaign sought to put a face to the issue through public service announcements, and by inviting HIV-positive women to share their stories. The advertising agency Ogilvy and MatherOgilvy & Mather
Ogilvy & Mather is an international advertising, marketing and public relations agency based in Manhattan and owned by the WPP Group. The company operates 497 offices in 125 countries with approximately 16,000 employees.-History:...
produced this campaign pro bono in four languages: Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Kannada and Marathi
Marathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
. The "Is This Justice" PSAs received the 2007 Radio and TV Advertising Practitioner's Association of India award for "Best Film with a Social Message" and the 2008 Bronze Abby Award in the Public Service category.
ICED - I Can End Deportation
ICEDIced!
ICED! I Can End Deportation is a computer game in which the player takes on the role of an illegal immigrant. The creators have stated the purpose is to put the gamer in the shoes of the character and see how life is for illegal immigrants....
(standing for I Can End Deportation) is a role-playing video game about immigration launched by Breakthrough in early 2008. The name plays off the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Homeland Security , responsible for identifying, investigating, and dismantling vulnerabilities regarding the nation's border, economic, transportation, and infrastructure security...
(ICE). The game puts the player in the role of an immigrant
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
in the United States. The game highlights the limits on immigrants' rights which were a result of immigration laws passed in 1996. Players must avoid deportation by participating in community service and keeping a low profile. The characters in the game were based on real situations. ICED has also been a part of school curricula for better student understanding of legal and human rights issues.
Bell Bajao (Ring the Bell)
Breakthrough launched Bell BajaoBell Bajao
Bell Bajao is a campaign which urges local residents to take a stand against physical abuse through simple acts. The campaign was launched on August 20, 2008 by Breakthrough in collaboration with the Ministry of Women and Child Development, UNIFEM and the UN Trust Fund. "Bell Bajao!" is a domestic...
--Hindi for Ring the Bell, in 2008. This campaign promoted individual action against domestic violence. The campaign featured award-winning Public Service announcements, as well as media and training tools. The campaign targets boys and men, and calls on them to intervene if they witness domestic violence. A key aspect of the campaign was thinking of men as partners in ending domestic violence, instead of only as violators. The PSAs reached over 130 million people. Like the "Is This Justice?" campaign, this campaign was produced pro bono by the advertising agency Ogilvy and Mather
Ogilvy & Mather
Ogilvy & Mather is an international advertising, marketing and public relations agency based in Manhattan and owned by the WPP Group. The company operates 497 offices in 125 countries with approximately 16,000 employees.-History:...
. The global campaign was launched at the Clinton Global Initiative. United Nations Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki Moon joined the campaign as the inaugural global “champion,” and Breakthrough joined forces with his UNiTE to End Violence Against Women campaign as the campaign's first global partner.
End Homeland Guantanamos
End Homeland Guantanamos built on the success of ICED--I Can End Deportation. End Homeland Guantanamos is an online game-like experience created to expand awareness of inhumane conditions faced by people in U.S. immigrant detention. The campaign tells the stories of real former detainees. Players navigate a virtual detention centerImmigration detention
Immigration detention is the policy of holding individuals suspected of visa violations, illegal entry or unauthorised arrival, and those subject to deportation and removal in detention until a decision is made by immigration authorities to grant a visa and release them into the community, or to...
as an undercover journalist. The goal in the game is to determine what happened to Boubacar Bah, a real man who died in detention. Players recognize, through the game, the harsh and inhumane conditions in immigrant detention centers.
Restore Fairness
In 2009, with the start of a new White House administration, Restore Fairness was initiated to call for fair immigration policies and racial justice in the United States. After 9/11, many policies were introduced which limited immigrant rights. This campaign featured an active blog and video documentaries.I AM THIS LAND
I AM THIS LAND is a video contest campaign by the Human RightsHuman rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
organization Breakthrough
Breakthrough (human rights)
Breakthrough is a global not-for-profit organization that uses pop culture to promote human rights. Breakthrough's stated mission is to "empower individuals and communities to stand for universal human rights by using multimedia tools that transform hearts and minds." They promote a message of...
. I AM THIS LAND launched in November 2010 by Breakthrough. The campaign began as a response to a year of divisive rhetoric surrounding identity
Identity
-Philosophical topics:* Identity , also called sameness, is whatever makes an entity definable and recognizable* Law of identity, principle of logic stating that an object is the same as itself...
, race, and immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
. The video contest is Breakthrough’s call for a more positive and open-minded future for the United States, as well as an opportunity to celebrate diversity, dignity, equality and justice. Participants submitted videos using the phrase "I am this land." The videos dealt with themes of acceptance, race, and diversity. The contest had over 30 video entries. Participation opportunities were also available on twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
. I AM THIS LAND partners included Activision
Activision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
(makers of Guitar Hero and DJ Hero), Change.org
Change.org
Change.org is an online platform for social change launched on February 7, 2007 by current CEO Ben Rattray and Mark Dimas, and certified as a B Corporation in January, 2011. Its stated mission is to "empower anyone, anywhere to start, join, and win campaigns for social change."...
, WITNESS
Witness (human rights group)
WITNESS is a human rights non-profit organization based out of Brooklyn, NY. Their mission statement is "WITNESS uses video to open the eyes of the world to human rights violations...
, Parlour Magazine, Holla back, Mobilize.org
Mobilize.org
Mobilize.org is an national non-profit organization that works with and for members of the Millennial Generation . The mission of Mobilize.org is to improve the way democracy works by investing in Millennial-driven solutions ....
, HeadCount
HeadCount
HeadCount is a nonpartisan organization that works with musicians to promote participation in democracy in the US. It is best known for registering voters at concerts – having signed up 175,000 voters since its launch in 2004. It also encourages voter turnout and general civic participation...
, Women’s Media Center
Women's Media Center
Women's Media Center is a 5013 nonprofit women’s organization in the United States founded in 2005 by writers/activists Jane Fonda, Robin Morgan, and Gloria Steinem...
, The Fbomb, See3, Therapy, Latina Lista, 20,000 Dialogues and Vivir Latino. The top winner, Dillon P., submitted the video "Role Call" and received a grand prize of $2500 and a Skype call with an Academy and Emmy-nominated filmmaker, Activision music games including Guitar Hero, Band Hero, DJ Hero. Additional prizes included tickets to the hit Broadway musical Mamma Mia
Mamma Mia!
Mamma Mia! is a stage musical written by British playwright Catherine Johnson, based on the songs of ABBA, composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, former members of the band. Although the title of the musical is taken from the group's 1975 chart-topper "Mamma Mia", the plot is fictional, not...
, and more.
America 2049
America 2049 is Breakthrough's newest project. America 2049 is an alternate reality FacebookFacebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
game. The game presents an America in the near future where human rights and have been severely limited, and democratic values seem to have disappeared. Each player is an agent of the Council on American Heritage, and have the assignment of tracking down a presumed terrorist. The game is part thriller, part spy-novel, and full of clues for the player to piece together a winding puzzle, and inviting the player to consider questions of human rights, immigration, and democracy. America 2049 is the first Facebook game to integrate the social networking platform with many other resources, online and off: multimedia and interactive features, historical artifacts, clues planted across the Internet and real-life events at leading cultural institutions nationwide. The game also uniquely features prominent celebrities such as Harold Perrineau, Victor Garber
Victor Garber
Victor Joseph Garber is a Canadian film, stage and television actor and singer. Garber is known for playing Jesus in Godspell, Jack Bristow in the television series Alias, Max in Lend Me a Tenor, and Thomas Andrews in James Cameron's Titanic.-Early life:Born in London, Ontario, Canada, Garber is...
, Cherry Jones
Cherry Jones
Cherry Jones is an American actress and recipient of the 2009 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Drama Series and the 2005 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play.-Career:...
, Anthony Rapp
Anthony Rapp
Anthony Deane Rapp is an American stage and film actor and singer best known for originating the role of Mark Cohen in the Broadway production of Rent in 1996 and later for reprising the role in the film version and the Broadway Tour of Rent in 2009...
, and Margaret Cho
Margaret Cho
Margaret Cho is an American comedian, fashion designer, actress, author, and recording artist. Cho is best known for her stand-up routines, through which she critiques social and political problems, especially those pertaining to race and sexuality. She has also directed and appeared in music...
.