“Arise, then, women of this day! Arise all women who have hearts whether our baptism be that of water or of fears…Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience…From the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with our own.  It says “Disarm, Disarm! The sword of murder is not the balance of justice.”

These lines are taken from Julia Ward Howe’s original Mother’s Day Proclamation from 1870. Mother’s Day was conceived as an activist holiday. She looked at the carnage caused by the Civil War and asked herself “why do not the mothers’ of mankind interfere in the matters to prevent the waste of human life which they alone bear and know the cost?”

According to a recent USA Today article, in 2011 (the last year for which the FBI has complete data) 1,668 blacks under the age of 22 were killed in this country. That’s more than triple the 469 American servicemen and women killed in Afghanistan that year.  In 2009, Black children and teenagers were just 15 percent of the nation’s population but 45 percent of our young people were killed with guns.

As we deal with the daily loss of the lives of our sons, brothers, husbands and daughters from gun violence – we see that we are in the midst of the carnage of another war. It is time again for the voices of the mothers to rise up and say disarm. We are tired of the murders.  We are tired of the devastating effect that guns have had on our community and we are tired of the lack of respect for life. Today, as we move closer to another Mother’s Day, we are asking all mothers, all mother figures and all who have known a mother’s love to join us and use this Mother’s Day to recommit ourselves to the original purpose of the day – to be a voice for peace.

In looking for meaningful ways to address this crisis in our community, we have partnered with the National Action Network on M.O.M.: Mothers on a Mission Against Urban Gun Violence. Like the original Mother’s Day proclamation, the M.O.M. campaign has several key goals: to mobilize mothers around decreasing the incidence of gun violence in urban centers by providing them with resources and actionable steps; to raise awareness about the prevalence of urban gun violence with a specific focus on the impact on African-American men and boys and to rebrand Mother’s Day, returning it to its original purpose.

The problem of gun violence in our community is so pervasive that we often feel overwhelmed. We don’t know what we can do to make a difference. We have developed  five simple actions that we are asking mothers to take in May:

—     Find a local anti-violence program in your area and donate time and/or money.

—     Work with other mothers to petition your local community center and/or church to stay open extended hours to provide conflict resolution and anti-violence programming for youth, especially during the summer months.

—     Contact elected officials and make your voice heard about guns.

—     Work with local organizations like NAN on programs like “Occupy the Corners.”

—     Lend your time to mentoring youth in your area.

These are simple steps that can have a huge impact.

We are also asking those savvy social media moms to tweet messages of peace and tweet the actions that we have outlined with the hashtag #disarm. Celebrity moms will join you. Grammy Award-winning singers Monica and Fantasia and actress Tichina Arnold have already pledged to be a part of our efforts.

We also ask that you join us on Mother’s Day by logging on to bet.com and adding your Mother’s Day message on how you can be a beacon of peace in your community.

Today is the beginning. This M.O.M. initiative is the first phase of BET’s anti-violence campaign DISARM. We will be using all of our network resources to work to bring attention to this crisis in our community and working together with partners, including the National Action Network, to find community solutions.

Debra L. Lee is chairman and CEO of BET Networks. This op-ed first appeared as commentary on BET.com.

The post Mother’s Day Is Meant for Activism appeared first on Viacom Corporate.

This Friday, the majority of Viacom employees put on their out-of-office autoreplies, made their way to a community service project of choice, and rolled up their sleeves to do something good – as is tradition on Viacommunity Day, our company-wide day to give back. All around the world, droves of Viacom employees dispersed across hundreds of volunteer sites — another year of record numbers, as participation steadily grows.  This year, employees worked on everything from packing goody bags for Boston First Responders, to rebuilding sites still devastated from Hurricane Sandy, and conducting mock interviews for the unemployed in need of such training.

In honor of Viacom’s service on Viacommunity Day, Viacom President and Chief Executive Officer Philippe Dauman and a group of employees rang the NASDAQ opening bell Monday morning. Following the bell ringing, I sat down with Dauman to hear his take on the Company’s corporate conscience and why this day of service is so important. Here’s what he had to say.

Was this your first time ringing the bell at the NASDAQ?

PD: Yes, it was. I’d rung the bell at the NYSE when we were listed there. And Viacom has rung the bell before, but this is the first time I’ve done it, and I am really thrilled to do it in connection with Viacommunity Day. We decided since we were going to ring the bell for Viacommunity Day, we were going to also bring people that worked for various organizations on Friday. We put out a note saying “first come, first serve” to come to the bell ringing, and we had the 40-or-so quota filled almost instantly. I talked to one of our people at the NASDAQ bell ringing and he said, “I jumped on it right away to make sure I got in there.” It was fun. Everybody was on the big billboards in Times Square, so we were all looking up at that.

What did you do for Viacommunity Day this year?

PD: Every year, I go around to various sites that we have people working on. I try to check out different organizations in the mix every year. This year I visited an animal rescue center, God’s Love We Deliver, an outdoor event in Times Square held for Second Chance Toys, and Gay Men’s Health Crisis.

Over the years, I’ve personally come to discover a lot of worthy causes that we are involved with and it’s always so invigorating to see our people’s enthusiasm. At many organizations, we have employees who are very actively involved and sponsored the project. The one aspect of Viacommunity Day that I’d love for more people to appreciate is that all these organizations, for the most part, were brought to our attention by the people who work here and get added to our list. If anyone at Viacom is involved with an organization, I urge them to suggest them for the day. The reason I do is that it’s a way for other employees to discover those organizations and get involved year-round. Because that’s really the objective – to get people involved not just for the day, but to get involved either in the particular organization or more generally on a year-round basis.

Why is it so important that we take part in Viacommunity Day every year?

PD: We see every day that there are a lot of problems that need to be addressed in society – from education to health issues to voting and hunger – the world, as we saw unfortunately last week, needs a lot of improvement. There are all sorts of worthy causes. Our veterans are coming out of the military service without jobs. Spike and its employees work on that cause. If we don’t get engaged as human beings, nothing’s going to improve. Our job as a company is to really expose our employees to organizations that come to our attention.

What are you most proud of this year?

I’m very proud of the fact that, once again, for several years in a row, we set record participation levels. More than 5,000 people participated in Viacommunity Day on a global basis. When you consider that we have 10,000 employees in the whole world including all our international locations, and we have a lot of employees who have to be at the office because we have to have our networks up and running — this new record is a testament to how involved our people are in their communities and how much they want to get involved. I’ve noticed over the years that we have a more and more engaged population – I think it has to do with a lot of the young people coming into the company. This is a generation that wants to be more engaged, and it fits right into our culture here. So I’m very gratified. And it’s not just in the U.S. – we had perfect attendance in Amsterdam, for example.

How would you say Viacommunity Day reflects our overall business or overall commitment to giving back?

PD: We have a special responsibility as a media company to address our audiences in a way that reflects our lives, and we have a responsibility to improve people’s lives and to improve the world community. We have a megaphone. So in order for us to be credible in doing that, we should also be engaged in our own personal lives. Viacom’s been recognized as one of the top 50 pro-social companies out there – I think we rank very high in that top 50, my personal opinion. That’s why we have so many programs here – we have mentoring programs that we put in place a few years ago – and opportunities to engage. We reflect that on our air and in personal lives and work lives. And that’s how it should be.

Right – and this week, Viacom launched a volunteer match program, for employees to find volunteer projects in their areas at any time.

As a company, we get more opportunities presented to us. People come to us and would like us to be involved, so we make those organizations available to our employees. We don’t require people to do anything; we just make it available and then it’s up to people to follow their own consciences. And in following their own consciences, they’ve been very socially responsible. I’m very proud of our employees, of the level of participation, and we should all be proud of what all of us collectively are doing. It makes a difference, and the combination of all our individual efforts are making it such that Viacom is making a difference. And that makes me very glad.

The post CEO Philippe Dauman, Viacom Employees Ring NASDAQ Opening Bell appeared first on Viacom Corporate.

Viacom’s year-long commitment to giving back culminates each year in Viacommunity Day, the Company’s annual day of volunteer service, during which we put on our out-of-office autoreplies, make our way to a volunteer project of our choice, and roll up our sleeves to do something good.

All around the world this past Friday, droves of Viacom employees dispersed across hundreds of volunteer sites — another year of record numbers, as participation steadily grows.  This year, employees worked on everything from packing goody bags for Boston first responders, to rebuilding sites still devastated from Hurricane Sandy, and conducting mock interviews for the unemployed in need of such training.

Beyond making a difference through our collective efforts, the objective of the day is to inspire employees to get involved either with that organization or in community more generally, year-round. It also reaffirms the ongoing relationships we have with many of the participating organizations.

Flip through the slideshow above for some of the day’s highlights, #nofilter, then check out some of our favorite #VDAY2013 Instagrams, featured below.  Shout out to the employee with crazy good nail art skills!

The post VDAY2013: Thousands of Viacom Employees Rally to Give Back on Viacommunity Day appeared first on Viacom Corporate.

Lady Gaga’s Born Brave Bus is traveling nationwide to empower youth by connecting them with community and youth services, mentoring, volunteer opportunities and bullying and suicide prevention resources. The fully loaded, polychromatic bus recently drove through Gaga’s hometown of New York City – stopping in front of Viacom’s headquarters in Times Square giving fans a peek inside.

Cynthia Germanotta, Born This Way Foundation President and Lady Gaga’s mother, spoke to VH1 about the importance of this passion project and all the bus has to offer young people across the country. Covered in artwork created by fans, the bus provides youth with an interactive way to meet like-minded peers and access information.

“This is a wonderful, mobile youth experience where they can come to connect to their society,” Germanotta told VH1. “This side of the bus we have different kiosks where they can learn about the foundation, about our partners and the services that they offer and also we have an amazing map where they can learn about organizations in their communities.”

Viacom is a proud partner of the Born This Way Foundation and a supporter of the Born Brave Bus’ March tour which stopped in Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C and New York City.  At Viacom, we continue to leverage our programming and platforms to work to advance the mission of the Born This Way Foundation. Our Viacom family wishes Lady Gaga a healthy, full recovery from hip surgery – her commitment to build a ‘kinder, braver world’ inspires people across the country to be courageous and accept their individuality. 

“Although my daughter is recovering and not able to complete the tour, it is important to her that the Born Brave Bus lives on,” said Cynthia Germanotta. “The bus has already impacted thousands of young people and, with the support of our partner organizations, this incredible resource will continue to help guide the large youth populations of Philadelphia, Washington, DC, New York and Chicago towards local support in their communities.”

For those who couldn’t board the bus last month, check it out online: http://bornthiswayfoundation.org/bus/virtual .

The post Lady Gaga’s Born Brave Bus Tours the US appeared first on Viacom Corporate.

Stevie Wonder Performs at the United Nations

It’s not every day that the legendary singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and activist we all know as Stevie Wonder performs a three-hour tribute concert for your birthday. UN Messenger of Peace Stevie Wonder did just that in October at the United Nations Day Concert presented by BET. The concert will premiere on Centric this Saturday, Feb. 23 at 9 p.m. and on BET on March 3 at 11a.m. ET/PT with special performances by Sting, Wyclef Jean, Doug E. Fresh, Estelle, Janelle Monae, Bebe Winans, Jasmine Cruz, Stephanie Mills, Valerie Simpson, and the WonderGirls.

United Nations Day commemorates the UN’s founding on October 24, 1945, and Wonder made it a priority to deliver a message of peace and hope throughout the evening. Scanning the audience in the General Assembly Hall there were hundreds of UN diplomats and notables including Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice.

Wonder thanked BET and Centric for their support and acknowledged BET President and CEO, Debra Lee and Paxton Baker, EVP and General Manager of Centric for making the concert possible. Reflecting on the concert Wonder turned to the audience and said, “This is one of the most exciting nights of my life.”

Stevie Wonder is not only a 22-time Grammy winner but a champion for peace, dedicating his life to philanthropy and activism. Notable efforts include his campaign to make Martin Luther King Jr. Day a national holiday, his advocacy against apartheid in South Africa, and his work to encourage those living with disabilities around the world.

BET President and CEO, Debra Lee in her remarks recognized Wonder for his humanitarian work and musical genius. She went on to say, “Stevie Wonder is a prime example that one person can make a difference.” That point was so movingly demonstrated when a young blind boy named Emmanuelle joined Wonder onstage to tell him in person what an inspiration and a role model he is in his life. An emotional Wonder hugged Emmanuel and gave him his harmonica, a gesture that brought a stirring round of applause from the audience.

This is just one highlight from the program — you don’t want to miss any of Stevie Wonder’s memorable performances, especially the all-star rendition of the “Happy Birthday” song that had everyone dancing in the aisles.

The post Stevie Wonder Sings ‘Happy Birthday’ to the UN appeared first on Viacom Corporate.

Last week, the UK’s House of Commons – the lower house of parliament – in which the Conservative party currently holds a majority, voted with an overwhelming majority of 400 to 175 in favour of a bill opening up the definition of marriage to same sex couples. Civil partnerships which effectively grant same sex couples the same legal rights as married couples have been introduced in the UK in 2005.

Today, France’s National Assembly passed a similar bill 329 – 229 with 10 deputies abstaining. The bill must still be passed by the Senate. Meanwhile, same sex couples in a number of other countries including Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Argentina, Canada and South Africa already have the right. In Brazil and Mexico a number of states/districts have also passed laws, as have 10 states/districts in the US with President Obama recently declaring “Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law — for if we are truly equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well”.

At the same time, Russia’s government is considering outlawing “homosexual propaganda,” meaning public events that promote LGBT rights and public displays of same-sex affection.

With all that in mind, we wanted to find out what Millennials – those aged between 12 and 30 in this context (we didn’t ask those under 12), think. Millennials in general are known to hold Tolerance as a very important value, and the acceptance of same sex couples – and marriages – would be just an extension of that.

What we found mostly confirmed that – agreement to the statement “All people should have the right to marry whomever they choose, including same-sex couples” was led by a few countries in which it is already legal and accepted (The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Germany, Canada, Argentina) followed by the UK, Italy (where the Roman Catholic church is hard at work lobbying against any laws) and France.

With 68% agreement, the U.S. comes in ranked number 12 among the 22 countries in this survey, behind Australia and just ahead of Greece.

Among those in our survey, only three countries came in with less than 50% agreement: India, Turkey (still in the high 40s) and Russia with 39% agreement.

The post Globally, Millennials Show Support for Same-Sex Marriage appeared first on Viacom Corporate.

Through both personal donations and giving through the Sumner M. Redstone Charitable Foundation, Viacom and CBS Corporation Chairman and philanthropist Sumner M. Redstone has contributed more than $150 million over the last several years to a myriad of causes, ranging from the eradication of poverty around the world, to innovative medical research and education.

Mr. Redstone’s giving has reached all corners of the globe, from Los Angeles’ inner cities to Siem Reap, Cambodia, and as his list of supported causes and contributions grows, his Foundation today launched a home online. The new site, www.sumnermredstonefoundation.org, outlines the Foundation’s goals for interested organizations, and articulates its areas of focus.

Today Mr. Redstone will be honored at the USC School of Cinematic Arts for his recent gift of $10 million, which, in line with his career in entertainment, will fund a state-of-the-art student production facility and do its part to support a new generation of media makers.

In advance of today’s ceremony, we spoke to Mr. Redstone about his philanthropic efforts, goals for the Foundation, and his passion for helping others.

How did you initially get involved with charity work, and how did the Sumner M. Redstone Charitable Foundation start?

SMR: It gives me great pleasure to give. I don’t even consider it charity to do good. The Foundation started a long, long time ago. For many years, much of my giving was private. But I decided that it made sense to centralize most of my charitable efforts in a Foundation.

What impact are you most proud of making through your philanthropic efforts?

SMR: The work of Children’s Cambodian Fund and Global Poverty Project are among my favorites. CCF used my initial gift to build a rescue center for the children of Phnom Penh – children in desperate circumstances who literally were living in garbage dumps. I wanted to do what I could to help them. I have made subsequent donations and am proud to have helped provide education and health care services that have improved their lives. GPP’s another favorite. I like to think that I have been bold in my career, and I admire this visionary organization that is dedicated to fighting poverty and eradicating polio all over the world – a devastating disease for children, their families, and society in too many countries. It’s a big goal, but I’m happy to help them achieve it.

I’m particularly passionate about the fight against poverty. But that’s not my only focus. I also support healthcare and research projects, such as the groundbreaking work of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and the Keck School of Medicine at USC, where Dr. [David] Agus [renowned oncologist, author of “The End of Illness”] is working to find cancer treatments and cures.

What are your goals for the SMR Charitable Foundation in 2013?

SMR: I want to keep doing what I’m doing. As long as there are people that need my help, I’ll be there for them.

You have been a champion of Viacommunity Day [Viacom’s annual, company-wide day dedicated to community volunteerism] – what was the initial vision for the company’s day of giving back?

SMR: My original family business, National Amusements, was truly a local business with theaters in communities all over America and now the world. So community service was always a central part of what we did. And that’s true at Viacom. Our initial vision for the day was to bring our employees closer to the communities where we work and live, and to help people where we could. Now, with employees participating around the globe, and volunteering throughout the year, it gives me great pleasure to see how under Philippe’s leadership, and the caring and commitment of the entire Viacom team, that vision has taken hold and grown. The spirit of Viacommunity and that commitment to giving back is one of the reasons Viacom is such a great company and why I am so proud of all my colleagues.

Under your leadership, Viacom has been active in promoting mentoring. If you were my mentor, what would be your best advice to me?

SMR: My best advice to you, Daina, is to remember that doing for others always makes you feel good about yourself. So, do all you can, give all you can and live every day with passion. I’ll send you a copy of my book, “A Passion To Win.” I think you’ll like it.

The post Media Magnate, Philanthropist Sumner M. Redstone Launches Site for Charitable Foundation appeared first on Viacom Corporate.

Holly Robinson Peete and Sakeena Irish, Leader of The ParentHood, Viacom’s Working Parents Affinity Group.

Viacom’s Office of Global Inclusion, The Parenthood, SOMOS, and The BEAT partnered to host an inspiring film screening and panel that successfully moved the silence around autism and encouraged the difficult dialogue about what it’s like to parent a special needs child. The audience was treated to a screening of the short film, Colored My Mind, which stars Blair Underwood and Nicole Ari Parker as parents coping with their son’s autism diagnosis. The screening was followed by a panel with the film’s director and BET Sunday Best producer Nia Hill and the film’s cast LaDonna Hughley, Donna Hunter, Tammy McCrary and Shannon Nash. The panel was moderated by actress, author and autism advocate Holly Robinson Peete.

The Colored My Mind title speaks to how children with autism see the world differently and often color the world to their way of seeing. The tear filled narratives of parents LaDonna Hughley, Donna Hunter, Tammy McCrary and Shannon Nash are weaved throughout the film and bring to the forefront the importance of talking about autism especially in communities of color.

Holly Robinson Peete discussed how delayed autism diagnoses are more prevalent in Black and Latino communities because talking about mental health is often discouraged. She spoke to the difficulty she had discussing her son’s diagnosis with her family. “My in-laws I think just three months ago said the word autism… my boy is 15. There is a generational stigma that made it very difficult to start to accept…that can impact the family the marriage and all those things but now that we have the diagnosis and we are moving on and in a proactive way.”

The panelists shared their personal struggles with grief, denial, coping, seeking understanding and finding help in the 1990’s when there were limited resources. Parents today have an advantage with the internet and access to information. The panelists encouraged parents to take advantage of the internet to build support communities and even credited organizations like Autism Speaks, the world’s leading autism science and advocacy organization, for increasing awareness. Representatives from Autism Speaks were in the audience and fielded questions about autism’s definition, causes and early signs of developmental disorders.

The panel ended on an inspiring note as each panelist reflected on their favorite parenting moment. LaDonna Hughley recounted that her proudest moment was when her son Kyle graduated college and her husband (comedian D.L. Hughley) received an honorary degree from the school and they shared a stage on graduation day. The Hughley’s experience is unique as many children diagnosed with autism don’t make it to college and parents should know that each autism case is different.

One might be quick to infer that lack of discipline is the reason behind a child screaming in the mall, but it’s important to think about these strong mothers profiled in the film. Consider that screaming child could have sensitivity to lights, colors and crowds, making a trip to the mall physically painful for them. This film will help shift perceptions and remove stigma especially in communities of color. As the audience left carrying signed copies of Holly Robinson Peete’s book My Brother Charlie (a children’s book about a young boy living with autism) – I am optimistic that this important conversation will continue on thanks to the many efforts of those on the panel.

The post Parents Speak About Autism, ‘Colored My Mind’ Film appeared first on Viacom Corporate.

Hispanic Millennials, who are a highly mobile and digitally connected generation, are the prime movers of smartphones and tablets. This group helps drive the dominance of social and networking sites such as Facebook, Google+, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Latinos, known for their sociability, have firmly established their presence in the online world.

New platforms targeting Latino usage are quickly gaining momentum in the market with organizations like Latinos In Tech Innovation and Social Media (LATISM) pioneering a better future for Latinos via the power of social media. Hispanics Millennials on Twitter use the “#latism” hashtag to watch conversations about anything and everything Latino.

The goal of such digitally-inspired organizations is to advance the social, civic and economic status of the Latino community, and through various popular hashtags they’re able to increase Latino visibility on social networks. Using these hashtags such as “#latism” is an effective way for marketers, advertisers, journalists and consumers alike to keep current on news and topics relevant to U.S. Hispanics.

Last year, LATISM surveyed more than 12,000 bloggers as part of a study that unveils insights into what motivates Latino/a bloggers and the issues that trigger most. These findings give brands, marketers and industry leaders alike a deeper connection to the behaviors and habits of one of the most powerful groups online.

2011 Survey Key Findings about Social Media:

• 61% use social media for personal purposes, followed by Business, Self Promotion and for doing Social Good.
• The top three blogging topics are Latino Issues (45%), followed by Social Good and Education.
• Reasons for blogging vary by individual, but a common thread is their deep connection to their community and their faith in the power of blogging as a tool for change.
• The majority (48%) prefer to shop online.
• Price is the biggest driver at the time of purchase.
• The overwhelming majority described Education as the top priority Latino issue, followed by Health and Jobs.

The marriage of social media and the growing number of Latinos online, whether via mobile/smartphone or tablet, is becoming an important part of the messaging channel for marketers. Connectivity combined with sociability and community awareness is a hallmark of today’s Hispanic Millennial generation. Expect this trend to continue into the New Year and beyond.

Sources: AdWeek, Hispanicize.com, Fox News Latino, LATISM.org

The post Living La Vida Digital appeared first on Viacom Corporate.

 The list which was published in November’s Bloomberg BusinessWeek , explains how each company was surveyed and evaluated on seven specific metrics:  leadership, measurement and strategy, design, employee civic growth, community partnerships, cause alignment and transparency. Viacom supports and invests in programs that address community challenges and demonstrates a strong commitment to measuring social impact.

“The Civic 50 features a comprehensive, transparent methodology to identify companies that have taken a leadership role in developing and implementing civic engagement programs. We believe it will raise awareness of the importance of a civic consciousness through the U.S. corporate world” said Norman Pearlstine, Chairman, Bloomberg BusinessWeek and Chief Content Officer, Bloomberg LP.

 In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy – we witnessed companies and small business around the country donating to the rebuilding efforts and pitching in. We are proud to be listed among companies who make giving back a priority.

The post Viacom Tops the Civic 50 List for CSR appeared first on Viacom Corporate.