African Journey of a Lifetime With Alicia Keys! - Documentary Follows Keep a Child Alive's Outreach to Communities Affected With HIV/AIDS
A Portion of the Documentary to Debut During 'IDOL GIVES BACK' Wednesday, April 9, on FOX
NEW YORK, April 7, 2008 /PRNewswire/ --
Alicia in Africa: Journey to the Motherland is the breathtaking documentary of Grammy Award-winning musician and Keep a Child Alive (KCA) Co-Founder Alicia Keys' month-long trip to Africa to visit communities affected by HIV and AIDS. Alicia's commitment to the fight against AIDS is contagious and she is leading the effort to spread the message of KCA virally: "Start a Virus to Stop a Virus."
"Everyone who visits Africa is changed by the experience, but not everyone can afford to go to Africa," Alicia explained. "Come with me on my journey and learn as I learn. Let's start a virus to stop a virus- send the film to everyone you know. Let's change this nightmare into our generation's greatest success story."
Spreading the message is so important to Alicia that she is making the documentary available for FREE online. A portion of the film will debut live on American Idol: Idol Gives Back on Wednesday, April 9 (7:30-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. Viewers who visit www.americanidol.com will be directed to www.AliciainAfrica.com where they can watch the entire documentary. Alicia in Africa will also be available to download courtesy of the documentary's exclusive download partner www.SpiralFrog.com. The film will also be available on MySpace.
By distributing the film for free online, KCA knows the broadest audience possible will be reached, translating into understanding and compassion for the people and then ultimately resulting in donations crucial to fulfilling KCA's mission.
Alicia's commitment carries over into her concerts. She'll screen the Alicia in Africa trailer before each concert on her American tour, which kicks off April 19 in Virginia. Go to Aliciakeys.com for tour dates. Alicia will also announce the "Text Alive" initiative, which allows anyone to make an immediate $5 donation to KCA simply by text messaging "Alive" to 90999.
Alicia in Africa, directed by South African filmmaker Earle Sebastian, shows us an Africa rarely seen. Travelling through Africa's beautiful landscapes we meet inspiring children, families and communities in South Africa, Kenya and Uganda. The documentary is a breathtaking journey of a generation that refuses to give up. In under an hour, Alicia introduces viewers to so many eye-opening topics surrounding the AIDS pandemic-from the Gogo grannies and the Agape Orphanage to the success of antiretroviral drugs, the ongoing need to access them and KCA's essential efforts throughout Africa.
"Each time I visit Africa, I'm reminded of what's most important in this life and uplifted by my African sisters' and brothers' courageous spirit," said Alicia. "Hopefully, my documentary will inspire others to help us in our mission to give the people of Mother Africa their dreams back, let their children be happy and healthy and preserve the family structure that is so important to them."
The focus, hope and determination of the children Alicia visits are the real power of the film. KCA hopes that watching the film will help non-African audiences better understand AIDS, see the human face of the disease and realize that Africans don't need charity-just equality, just the chance to live. When Alicia joins voices with her friends in Africa, they show that despite dire conditions and devastating illness, their songs still reveal strength and commitment to life.
"We hope this film will open your eyes and introduce you to the inspirational people that Africans are," said KCA Co-Founder and President Leigh Blake. "Although millions are suffering through the worst health crisis in human history, causing spiritual and emotional devastation because of AIDS, still they remain a testament to human dignity."
The Alicia in Africa site was created by NYC interactive shop Night Agency, a long time ally of KCA. It was partly because of the agency's expertise in designing and marketing user-friendly video-driven websites that KCA chose to distribute the film via the Internet.
About Keep A Child Alive
Keep a Child Alive is a charitable and educational foundation committed to accelerating action to combat the global AIDS pandemic. With more than 28 million dead and 15 million orphaned, the disease continues, wiping out whole societies, threatening economic infrastructures and creating tragic family devastation. KCA provides life-saving medication, social support, and orphan care, to keep these children and families alive. We also develop global awareness campaigns targeted at boosting funding for the fight against HIV/AIDS. For just a dollar a day, you can help save the life of a child or a parent who cannot afford essential treatment and care in some of the world's poorest countries. Keep A Child Alive.
About Alicia Keys
Since her debut album in 2001, singer/songwriter Alicia Keys has won 11 Grammys and sold over 20 million albums worldwide. With three studio albums and hits such as "Superwoman," "No One," "Go Ahead," "Sure Looks Good to Me," and "Fallin'," Alicia has been a routine presence on pop and R&B charts. She is a native New Yorker who has been a Global Ambassador for Keep A Child Alive and the backbone of their efforts. Alicia often comments that she was born the same year as the HIV and AIDS epidemic began and she has pledged her efforts to stopping this disease for future generations.
About Idol Gives Back
The brainchild of Simon Fuller, Idol Gives Back has been recognized as a life-changing program, earning praise from many of the world's best known figures including President George W. Bush, HRH Prince Charles and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Last season, Idol Gives Back raised over $76 million for charity and garnered a prestigious Governor's Award Emmy.
About SpiralFrog
Headquartered in New York, SpiralFrog(TM) (www.SpiralFrog.com) is a Web-based advertising-supported music experience that combines music discovery tools with free and legal downloads of audio and video content licensed directly from the catalogs of the world's leading music owners. With more than 2.6 million monthly uniques, 900,000 registered users, 1.1 million songs and 4,000 music videos, SpiralFrog offers music-lovers a compelling alternative to illicit file-sharing and pirate sites, with a secure environment for them to satisfy their unyielding passion and thirst for music and entertainment information at no cost.
Source: Keep A Child Alive
CONTACT: Lisa Labrado, +1-212-827-3778, llabrado@mww.com, for Keep A
Child Alive
Web site: American Idol
Alicia In Africa
Alicia Keys
SpiralFrog
MySpace
2 comments:
Very nice of Alicia.When will our own local Music and movie stars start reaching out and giving back to the very people who have to scratch out their hard earned money on them.Instead,what we see are the so called stars flaunting extravagance with reckless abandon.
Austynzogs,
Most of our artistes in Nigeria do not have the rhema.
This rhema is the reason why America is the richest country on earth.
Charity is the greatest of all virtues and values.
But opportunism is actually the best thing Nigerians are good at.
Most of those claiming to be singers and whatever in Nigeria are mere opportunists in the entertainment industry since I have been actvely involved from my teens and recorded my first single at 21 and even before recording and performing, I have made charity my priority.
Most of the artistes in America are philanthropists.
Jay-Z is committed to some charities in Africa, including Nigeria.
What we sow, we shall reap.
God bless Alicia Keys.
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