Thanks for taking the time to read about our ABC's!
We hope you will BRING TOXIC TUTU TO YOUR COLLEGE CAMPUS. And of course, spread word about our coalition to everyone you know!
PILLARS for PEACEFUL COMMUNICATION
• Understanding what you are feeling. Having the ability to convey how you are feeling by using empathic language that helps you communicate those feelings. Marshall Rosenberg's Center for Non-Violent Communications offers a free feelings and needs inventory. You can find it at: https://www.cnvc.org/Training/needs-inventory
• Understanding your unfulfilled needs. Having the ability to express your needs not being met with clarity. Needs that are directly related to uncomfortable feelings you are experiencing when in conversations with others. My rule is empathy over ego!
• Learn to give pause. Before you say something to someone (factual based content excluded), ask yourself - does this need to be said?
• Engage the conscious practice of removing all blame and judgement from your comments. While being open to receive others and what they have to share with us empathy, patience and kindness are key components in peaceful communication.
• • •
If the TOXIC TUTU trailer compels you to want to see the film we hope our Anti Bullying Coalition will encourage you to join us in our effort to reach students and BIAS Response Teams on college campuses in the US and around the world. You will begin to hear more about ABC when we are on our promotional tour with An Almost True Story: TOXIC TUTU, as an extension of our movie's message and what we believe is a necessary responsibility we have as filmmakers.
ABC is an acronym for ANTI BULLYING COALITION and represents our initiative to build unity and awareness on college campuses by engaging student activity organizations, and social organizations like sororities and fraternities to help spread the word.
The idea we want to share with groups on college campuses is that a TUTU can be worn by anyone as a symbol of solidarity on any given day, or during a campus event, or any time during the school year. In coalition with individuals and organizations, the TUTU becomes a powerful visual symbol. It will represent that someone wearing a tutu has had an adverse bullying experience and/or is empathetic toward anyone who has.
We are endeavoring to create the same non-violent climate the Guardian Angels created in NYC in the 1980's. They are our model for this coalition. The presence of a tutu on campuses will build awareness and just by having a "presence" can bring peace of mind to students.
Our coalition was inspired by stories told by many Melvin fans over the last four years of filming TOXIC TUTU. We learned, and it is proving to become more and more true - that the persistence of the acceptance of differences will eventually bring peace, unity and understanding to all.
We hope you will want to BRING TOXIC TUTU TO YOUR COLLEGE CAMPUS. And of course, we hope you will spread word about our coalition to everyone you know!
DARE TO BE DIFFERENT - ONE TUTU AT A TIME!
ABC SOCIAL ACTION
When and if you choose to speak on our behalf in any public setting about our Anti-Bullying Coalition here are some talking points we suggest:
• Our social action, anti-bullying coalition was inspired by the performance of Mark Torgl, who has become a cult hero to three generations of fans because his starring role as Melvin the “Mop Boy”, in the cult-classic, horror comedy “The Toxic Avenger” released in 1984, has helped his fans cope with their personal experiences with bullying.
• "The Toxic Avenger" is a horror film heralded for the environmental satire it exhibited at a time when no one was paying attention to the destruction toxic waste was causing the environment. The film has been adopted into and has enjoyed the success of a comic book, a children's environmentally positive television series, a theatrical musical and a Hollywood remake that is currently underway.
• "An Almost True Story: TOXIC TUTU" is a new feature film release that uniquely pays homage to “The Toxic Avenger”, and reintroduces a now mature, but determined Melvin character, who returns to his fans after thirty years of absence. Producers want to enlist a group of advocates, (you may want to insert here-like myself) who will reach out to their own community groups and college campus organizations to promote the anti-bullying themes that exist in our new fan film release.
• The goal is to utilize scenes from "Toxic Tutu" to start discussions about bullying and to build awareness about simple communication tools that can be practiced by anyone interested in improving their ability to engage in positive conversations with friends, family members, colleagues, peers, and/or co-workers anywhere.
• The coalition advocates the use of a PINK TUTU, which when worn as part of the campaign to build awareness, will become a symbol of the Anti-Bullying Coalition and a billboard that represents the recognition and celebration of the all people from all walks of life and the differences of all individuals.
Challenges
- All aspects of promoting the initiative will take dedicated advocacy
- We are in the process of establish an intake system to field inquiries from people interested in learning more, and a response team who will convert interest into action
- We are also developing a delivery mechanism that can be implemented to bring professionals and the services offered to communities who have identified a need.
Structural Components
- Coalition Advocacy Leadership
- Fundraising and Events
- Intake and Assessment
- Content Development and Licensing
- Delivery Mechanism and Outreach
- Educational Initiative
- Management
- Growth
JFN Revised 2-12-17
For more information email "Tutu Joe" Nardelli at: Melvin@toxictutu.com
