March 24, 2000
New York, NY — The national youth leadership organization Do Something and Rolling Stone Magazine are launching a nationwide search for young community leaders to apply for the Do Something BRICK Award for Community Leadership and the opportunity to win a $100,000 grant. The annual award honors and financially supports America's best young community leaders under age 30 who are taking action to measurably strengthen their communities.
Do Something BRICK Award winners each receive a $10,000 grant to support their community-building activities and a national grand prize winner receives a $100,000 grant at an annual Do Something Gala in New York City. Since 1996, Do Something has awarded more than $700,000 in grants to 40 young leaders who have measurably improved their communities.
"The Do Something BRICK Award honors and supports outstanding young leaders who are building better communities brick by brick," said Nydia Rojas, the teen mariachi sensation and Do Something spokesperson. "We believe in the power of young people to change the world."
Recipients of the Do Something BRICK Award are selected based on a series of essays as well as interviews with a panel of accomplished community leaders. The judges evaluate the applicants' leadership and entrepreneurial skills, long-term vision for their community and the measurable results of how their efforts have created lasting, positive change.
Last year, South Florida migrant farmworker Lucas Benitez received the $100,000 Do Something BRICK Award grand prize for his efforts to expose two slave labor operations, negotiate the first wage increase for tomato pickers in 20 years and collect more than $100,000 million in unpaid back wages for migrant workers. Other Do Something BRICK Award winners are tutoring at-risk students, improving health care access for low-income families, revitalizing Native American communities and helping gang members choose peace.
"We have managed to bring about real change by coming together as a community and fighting for what is right," says Benitez. "I know that change is possible if we organize and make our concerns heard. Our community did it. You can do it too."
Young leaders can request a Do Something BRICK Award application by calling 212-523-1175 or by sending an e-mail to brick@dosomething.org. The application is also available on the Internet at http: //www.dosomething.org/brick and at Blockbuster Video stores. The application deadline is Wednesday, May 10, 2000.
Do Something is a national nonprofit organization that inspires young people to believe that change is possible, and trains, funds and mobilizes them to be leaders who measurably strengthen their communities.
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