Latest Posts | By Abbe Sparks
2 days ago
This Land is Your Land at 80 Still Made for You and Me
Folk singer songwriter Woody Guthrie’s legendary song ‘This Land Is Your Land’ is still made for you and me as the anthem turns 80 on February 23rd. The folk hero and his timeless song have Socially Sparked® our lives since 1940. There have been many renditions over the decades of Woody’s unofficial classic anthem since [...]
5 days ago
Social Justice Day Focuses on Closing Inequalities Gap
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Advocacy
Today is World Social Justice Day and this year's focus is on closing the inequalities gap. An ever increasing recurring chant -- equality as a whole is a key focus around the globe. In this new decade of social justice, people and organizations around the globe continue to speak up and advocate for equality -- [...]
1 week ago
America Honors Presidents Past and Present: Presidents Day
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Advocacy
America honors its Presidents past and present today on the annual federal holiday of Presidents Day. Each of the US Presidents has Socially Sparked® Americans' lives in various ways. We highlight the four Presidents slain by gun violence as a reminder there's still much work to be done to safeguard all Americans, young and old. [...]
1 week ago
Try a Little Kindness: Random Acts of Kindness Week
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Advocacy
Try a little kindness: it's Random Acts of Kindness Week (RAK WEEK). Everyone can always use a bit of uplifting, especially with so much ugliness in our world. We can't think of a better way to be Socially Sparked® than to cease the DAY! Did you know that being kind or nice to another is [...]
1 week ago
GUN VIOLENCE TRAGEDY SPARKS MUSIC WITH A MESSAGE
It took just six minutes two years ago for 17 students and staff to be murdered at the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The impact of this senseless gun violence tragedy reverberated across the Nation and sparked a movement to end gun violence. The country and the world will never forget what [...]
2 weeks ago
Twofers Returns for NYC Off-Broadway Week 2020
Twofers return as NYC Off-Broadway Week 2020 begins. From February 10th thru February 23rd, theatre lovers -- New Yorkers and visitors alike -- can seize the opportunity to take in an Off-Broadway show for a steal -- two for one tickets. The twice-yearly program celebrates live theatre at its most spontaneous and intimate. The 11th [...]
2 weeks ago
Pizza Slices of Diversity Socially Sparked: National Pizza Day
Pizza Slices of Diversity Socially Sparked® our lives in countless ways. Today, pizza comes in all shapes, sizes, styles and flavors, making it one of the most versatile food favorites of every age group – from toddler through senior. In honor of National Pizza Day, here’s a bit of trivia on the diversity of the [...]
3 weeks ago
Celebrate Bubble Gum Day: Five Trivia Facts
Celebrate National Bubble Gum Day with five trivia facts that Socially Sparked® our lives. Every first Friday in February you can find children and adults alike chewing gum and blowing large bubbles for a great cause – fundraising for schools. Bubble Gum Day encourages philanthropy in children and allows the schools to support a charity [...]
3 weeks ago
Pricey Super Bowl Ad Spots that Socially Sparked 4 Change
This year’s pricey Super Bowl Ad spots did not deter some brands to advertise their social responsibility messages for social change. The ad spots came at the high price of $5.6 million dollars, and that’s just for a thirty second spot! Yet, social justice messages flooded the Big Game’s Ads in 2020 reflective of the [...]
3 weeks ago
Twenty World Cancer Day Sparks for 20th Anniversary
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Advocacy
Cancer and its far and wide reach has Socially Sparked® our lives in both, positive and negative ways. In honor of Word Cancer Day's 20th Anniversary we share twenty sparks on world cancer you should know. WORLD CANCER DAY is a campaign built to resonate, inspire change and mobilize action long after the day has [...]
3 weeks ago
Fabulous February Sparks Awareness with Love
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Advocacy
FABULOUS FEBRUARY AWARENESS Fabulous February sparks awareness initiatives for many important health and social issues. It is the month for Love, Black History, Heart Disease, Cancer and Teen Dating Violence Awareness, to name a few. Holidays this month include Valentines Day and President's Day. AWARENESS WEEKS this month bring us Burn Awareness Week (2/2-2/8); Random Acts [...]
4 weeks ago
The Ultimate Music Love-In Full of Roots
The ultimate music love-in fest is full of roots and called Folk Alliance International. This year in New Orleans, the music conference opened with a clear theme defining what Folk Music is all about and why it’s Socially Sparked® our lives. It’s all about the roots of people and place as the 32nd annual Folk [...]
1 month ago
Celebrating The King in The New Decade
Celebrating the King in the new decade to commemorate a hero of social justice takes on an urgency and a renewed energy in 2020. Today the world celebrates the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 52 years after his violent assassination at the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis, TN. REWIND TO MLK50 Courtesy of the [...]
1 month ago
Remembering Legendary Bassist Jim Rodford (1941-2018)
EPILOGUE Remembering the legendary bassist Jim Rodford today. Jim Rodford died on January 20, 2018, months after our Socially Sparked® Spotlight Interview was first published for Father's Day 2017. His death was sudden due to a fall down the stairs; days after a performance. Socially Sparked News spotlight feature with the legendary bassist for The Zombies, [...]
1 month ago
The Power of Music Sees the Light of Day
The Light of Day Foundation and its quest to find a cure for Parkinson’s Disease and the Parkinsonisms (ALS and PSP) begins with the power of music. The power of music to heal is a given. The power of music to raise awareness and funds for a cause -- in this case, for debilitating neuro-degenerative [...]
1 month ago
United They Roar for Women’s Equality +
New decade brings new energy and unity to The Women's March as they rise up and roar in solidarity for their rights. Women around the country and across the globe bonded together to rise up and roar for women's reproductive rights, climate justice and immigration rights. The underlying chant was to get out and vote [...]
1 month ago
United He Laughs: Comedian Yakov Smirnoff Socially Sparked
Comedian Yakov Smirnoff and his brand of neutral humor have Socially Sparked® our lives for over four decades. We caught up with the comedian at the APAP NYC conference this week to hear what he’s been up to, catch his APAP Showcase and discover what’s Socially Sparked his life. Russian born iconic comedian Yakov Smirnoff [...]
1 month ago
Six Oscar Nominee Facts that Socially Sparked
Six Oscar® Nominee facts that Socially Sparked® and a few that had the adverse effect. The Academy Awards® reveals this year's nominees with a few firsts and historical statistics. Yet, when it comes to the main categories, there is an obvious regression in all their 2018 progress towards leveling the playing field in Diversity and [...]
1 month ago
Here Comes Winter Broadway Week 2 For 1 Tickets
Here comes Winter Broadway Week 2-for-1 Tickets in 2020! Beginning January 21st thru February 9th, theater lovers will be able to purchase up to two tickets to select Broadway shows for the price of one! Tickets are on sale now through the official Broadway Week Page. Broadway Week is a bi-annual theater celebration offering discounted [...]
2 months ago
NYC Restaurant Week is a Culinary Mecca
NYC Restaurant Week® is a culinary mecca that is Socially Sparked®. The city's flagship dining program returns this winter from January 21st and runs thru February 9th. Foodies and non-foodies alike will have the opportunity to experience and enjoy over 350 diverse participating restaurants across 45 diverse neighborhoods across all five boroughs for the next [...]