RED TRUNK PROJECT (tm)
The Red Trunk Project cultural initiative is dedicated to preparing the world’s children to better understand and empathize with their fellow citizens around the globe. By introducing today's children to cultures other than their own, Red Trunk Project sparks a global dialogue to get children to Respect Every Difference (inspired by the R-E-D in the name) and thereby lays t
he groundwork for a brighter, more inclusive future. Red Trunk Project introduces children to daily-life objects of people from world cultures: clothing, utensils, musical instruments, books, arts and crafts, accompanied by audio and video recordings which contextualize them. Opening young hearts and minds to cultures which differ from their own — often distant parts of the world that they might not ever travel to themselves — Red Trunk Project connects children with one another in substantial and meaningful ways. Much of the world today remains deeply divided by race, nationality, faith, and politics. Red Trunk Project gives children around the world an in-depth, hands-on exposure to one another, doing its part to break down barriers and replace divisiveness, hatred, and violence with tolerance, and a shared understanding of one another. Red Trunk Project shines a light on what makes us similar while ultimately celebrating our fascinating and unique differences. The Red Trunk Project team travels the globe to identify and connect with local schools, and interview the students about their unique cultural experience. The team records their stories with video and photographs, and collects examples of tangible, cultural artifacts. This material is brought back to Red Trunk Project headquarters where it is cataloged, edited, and organized to fit into a trunk. Red Trunk Project acquires enough of each artifact so that each trunk can be duplicated hundreds of times, if necessary. The trunk's contents are translated into different languages, then shipped all over the world so kids can explore the trunk's contents and learn about a new culture. GOALS
(Note: While all these goals are realistic, they are aspirational.)
2015/2016
Turning Red Trunk Project from a great idea to a 501(c)(3) corporation. (Goal met)
2017
Launch awareness website: RedTrunkProject.org. (Goal met)
Launch Generosity fundraiser for the Red Trunk Project pilot program. (Goal met)
SPRING 2017
Travel to Addis Ababa and Oaxaca to gather material for 2 pilot trunks. SUMMER 2017
Translate, edit, organize material for first 2 trunks. Create lesson plans from materials gathered. FALL 2017
Test trunks in classrooms, both public and private, in NY and CA. (estimate 2,500 students engaged) Test trunks in Ethiopia and Mexico. WINTER/SUMMER/FALL 2018
Gather material for 5 new trunks. Expand into more schools in NY and CA. Begin testing in UK, Japan, Ethiopia, Canada, Mexico. Launch interactive kids’ website and app. TV show premieres in US markets. Spring 2019
Gather material for 8 new trunks. Expand into more US school systems. Begin programs in UK, Japan, Ethiopia, Canada, Mexico. Begin testing in China, Australia, Nigeria, France. Launch a program aimed at Kindergarten through second grades. Launch a program aimed at high school kids. TV show premieres internationally.
10 YEAR GOAL
In 2027:
10 million children will explore physical Red Trunks. In 2027:
100 million children will explore virtual Red Trunks and connect online. Where do your contributions go? The money raised for Red Trunk Project will be used to further cultural education for children around the world. Red Trunk Project has been working closely with experienced educators, artists, museum curators, filmmakers, musicians, and community specialists to build a high-quality, high-impact approach to cultural learning. Your donations support this effort. The contributions you are giving right now go to the pilot trunks. Red Trunk Project teams will travel to Ethiopia and Mexico to interview students, shoot video, and gather cultural artifacts. Each empty trunk costs $600. Filling the trunk with quality material that is edited, curated and supported by meaningful lesson plans is expensive; each trunk is a museum in a box. Red Trunk Project intends to have 20 trunks traveling to schools for testing in late-2017. Funds that you donate will help LAUNCH THE INTERACTIVE WEBSITE AND APP. The first iteration of the website/app will begin testing in 2017. This is an integral part of getting kids involved and making connections between them. Your support provides us with real power to generate working relationships and ‘brandships’. These are vital for Red Trunks’ growth and sustainability. FAQS
Where did the original idea for Red Trunk Project come from? In the summer of 2014, Kevin Thomsen, Founder of Red Trunk Project, was working on the spoken word version of a book by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn titled "A Path Appears: Transforming Lives, Creating Opportunity." While recording the book, Kevin had the sudden, burning passion to travel the world and collect the stories of children, and then somehow share those stories with all the other kids on earth. To eventually create a huge web of global, cultural interconnectedness. Kevin has two adopted daughters -- Sefan, 7 years old, from Ethiopia, and Penelope, 14, from the Republic of Georgia. (Sefan is the girl pictured sitting sideways in the Red Trunk.) Red Trunk is dedicated to Sefan and Penelope, and all the other children around the world, who deserve to grow up in a more engaged, more inclusive world. Why are the trunks red? The trunks were first imagined to be blue. But it turned out that the World Health Organization already had Blue Trunks, used to hold medical libraries for remote field hospitals. Who's on the team to make all this happen? The Red Trunk Project team is continually growing. New members are joining every week. Visit our website at redtrunkproject.org to check out the current Team members. You can be sure that Red Trunk Project will be working with the best talent available to meet its future needs. Is there a chance Red Trunk Project will come to a school in my area? We can't get to every school our first year. Or even our first few years. Our goal is be in every school possible within in the United States within 5 years. Which means, by 2022 we should have the distribution capacity to meet the needs of any school in America. Internationally, Red Trunk Project hopes to be in position to be in any classroom, anywhere in the world, by 2027. If you'd like Red Trunk to be in touch with a school in your area, please send us an email at: [email protected]. This includes any school anywhere in the world. For 2017 and 2018 Red Trunk will be focusing on schools in NY and CA, but we'd love to hear from parents, students, teacher, and administrators, wherever you are. Does Red Trunk Project have a website? redtrunkproject.org. It's a comprehensive 'awareness' site that will give you a 'deep dive' into how Red Trunk works. Plus there are some great celebrity testimonials, a series of informational videos on hands-on, experiential teaching methods, as well as a sample trunk from Oaxaca, Mexico and a section dedicated to books, videos, and websites that the Red Trunk Team loves. Is Red Trunk Project on social media? Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Please like and follow us everywhere. We're very followable. Besides donating money, how can I get involved? Go to the Red Trunk Project website and subscribe. It's quick and easy. You can get even more involved by becoming a Red Trunk Project Ambassador. Down the road the Red Trunk Project Ambassadors will help to spread the word about Red Trunk to friends, family, colleagues, teachers, school administrators, and governmental representatives. Red Trunk Project will work closely with the Ambassadors, giving them the tools to fundraise, if they're so inclined. This is the perfect chance to get involved with Red Trunk Project in a deep and meaningful way. Is Red Trunk Project, Inc, an official 501(c)(3) entity? Red Trunk Project, Inc. is a non-profit organization that has applied for tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is pending its approval from the IRS. Once the IRS determines that Red Trunk Project, Inc. is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3), your contribution will be tax deductible to the maximum extent of the law as of the date of your donation. Can this really happen? Yes, this can really happen. Because it has to happen. Overcoming prejudice is a necessary step in human evolution. Acceptance and respect of other cultures is part of our shared future.
