ARTIST IN ACTION
Harmonic Humanity was founded almost 10 years ago when AJ Lovewins, a community activist, and social artist, who had experienced the devastation of homelessness in his younger years, asked himself, how he could expand upon a music program he had created at a soup kitchen in Seattle Washington in service to the homeless..
He found the answer to the question while in a self expression and leadership course at Landmark education designed to help emerging leaders bring their visions to life . The idea was to create Compilation CDs of uplifting music and distribute them directly to the homeless through street vendor programs. The vendors would purchase the CDs for $1 and sell them directly on the streets keeping 100% of the profit.
This simple program he and his community soon realized created a device and a structure that enrolled countless people in need, into a program where they could build self esteem, actually provide for themselves, and connect with the community in a positive way while learning about human consciousness and sharing great music.
Soon it became clear that this concept was “working” and empowering individuals far more than welfare checks, meals and beds alone and he, with the help of his best friend Joseph Jacques, and a growing community of musicians, activists and heroic homeless individuals began to engineer a program about social responsibility and inner change.
These relationships grew to the point where vendors began coming into the distribution hubs each day buying the CDs. During the first year of the program in 2009/19 the project helped homeless street vendors selling the CD’s to raise an estimated $200,000 for for themselves and success stories poured in from the streets as the local news took note.
It was clear from early on that this project had magic in it. In fact, the first time that Joseph and AJ posted up outside of Whole Foods that same year to test the CD concept themselves, it was none other than Dave Matthews who walked up at 9am to buy the first CD. Since then, Joseph and AJ have enrolled several musicians to this program to donate tracks and promote the concept.
There have been two CDs so far, Harmonic Humanity that have included artists such as John butler Trio, SOJA, Fishbone, Sierra Leone Refugee Allstars, Katie Grey, Singing Bear, The Luminaries, Manas Itene from Spearhead and Luc and the Lovingtons to name just a few see musicians here .
Future artist who are now jumping on board and have offered support for future projects include Jason Mraz, Michael Franti, Soja, Maroon 5, Sarah McLachlan, John Butler, The Sierra Leon Refugee All Stars, Katie Grey, and more.
To date, Harmonic Humanity has helped people experiencing homelessness in Seattle, Los Angeles, St Louis and San Francisco. The music employment program is simple. Caring musicians donate empowering music to be on compilation Albums.
So far, Harmonic Humanity has distributed over 25,000 empowering compilation CD’s to the homeless in the U.S. to help them. Thanks to all who have helped; musicians, activists, organizations and caring volunteers like you. Dream work takes team work!
Get in Touch. Get Involved.
1. Watch the video
2. No using drugs or alchol while vending
3. Get your picture taken for your badge (oppional)
4. Get your 10 Hero Albums and 10 Be Love Postcards = $250 worth of revenue.
10 things that happen when buying products from our HH VENDORS.
- Build self-esteem.
- Lessen likely to commit a crime.
- Provide them with the money to eat healthy food and drink clean water.
- Less of a burden on the health care system.
- Allows them the money to buy bus passes so to travel.
- Allows them the money to buy toiletries & clothes.
- If they sell 3 Be Love Postcards & 1 HERO Cd, that’s, $35 per hour.
- Have them part of a Family that cares about their personal day to day needs.
- Give back to community an empowering message of LOVE and INSPIRATION.
- Make money to shift their circumstances.