Behind the Mask fundraiser for the Friends of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights

Three weeks ago this evening, Erica Zawadowski and I executed the human rights-themed masquerade fundraiser we had begun planning last year as part of our Independent Professional Project in the Creative Communications program at Red River College.

We organized this event in order to raise funds for the Friends of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, while targeting an audience the organization had not yet successfully reached - post-secondary students age 18 to 24. The CMHR is slated to open in Winnipeg in 2012, and Erica and I couldn't be happier that this large-scale project is being built in our hometown.

When this project began, we knew we couldn't fundraise without "friend-raising". Therefore, we founded the Red River College Human Rights Group. We invited local guest speakers to attend our bi-weekly meetings. They included the following people: Shaneen Robinson, Creative Communications alumni and former CTV reporter; Dr. Marilou McPhedran, human rights lawyer and Dean of The University of Winnipeg's Global College; Shelley Faintuch, Community Relations Director, Jewish Federation of Winnipeg; Larry Updike, Senior Communications and Advocacy Spokesperson, Siloam Mission; and, our final guest speaker at this Monday's meeting is Lise Harris, Public Engagement Advisor, Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

Our masquerade fundraiser, Behind the Mask... We're All People, was held Thursday, February 25 at The O.C Social Club. With ticket sales, silent auction sales, and FCMHR shine pin sales, we've raised $2500.00 for the organization. Money is still needed to build this beautiful museum, so please help out by donating whatever you can.


Thank you to everyone who has helped out with our projects - we've really appreciated it! Please enjoy the video below taken at our event. It was filmed by Jeffrey Vallis and edited by Erica and I.



P.S - it was YouTube who blacked out the first six seconds of the montage... not sure why!