Right now many of our kids are being raised by Lil Wayne, Zombies and Minecraft.

As a mom with a 12 year old son who would play Minecraft 24/7 if I let him (I limit him to 30 minutes), I’d love to see that change. Not every child has the advantage of a working-from- or stay-at- home parent who has the ability to monitor online activity and TV watching and/or the flexibility to guide him/her to different activities.

The Heal Our World <–> Heal Ourselves Campaign links human health, the planet’s health and pop culture. It includes an open letter calling on mass media to produce more transformational children’s entertainment and a fresh urban dance/nature video to be released on Earth Day.

The campaign’s mission is to increase positive children’s entertainment and includes a call to action:

We encourage mass media companies (television, radio, publications and social media conglomerates) to broadcast, highlight and print positive stories that support the healing of our worlds and implore them to increase the amount of children’s programming that illuminates, inspires and transforms.

There’s an open letter for which they are seeking signatories as well as a fresh urban dance/nature video in production for an Earth Day launch.

The vision:

Today’s kids are digital natives, and spend onscreen an average of seven to 13 hours per day. Most of what they view on screen or commercial radio is vapid, if not violent, misogynist, or glorifying consumption reflecting a world rife with addiction, violence and pollution. At the same time, children are facing unprecedented health crises …

Yet, children are born brilliant. There are countless examples of children using their creative genius to make the world a better place: Children are inventing cancer detection devices, creating organizations to protect amphibians and end slavery, and so much more …

If we tell stories that illuminate, inspire and transform our relationship with the natural world and one another, we heal ourselves and the planet. It is the campaign’s fervent hope to work together in solidarity to provide the opportunity for all children and parents with the option to enjoy and learn from stories that support the children’s healthy development.

The Call to Action:

This coming Earth Day 2013, the campaign will call upon mass media to learn about transformational entertainment and ultimately increase the amount of transformational children and family programming. They will be implored to program more children’s entertainment that:

• >> Illuminates the good that is happening in the world
• >> Inspires children and families to action
• >> Transforms how children and families see the world
• >> Tells stories of a brighter future

See the open letter.

In early 2014, the campaign will recognize excellence in transformational entertainment for children as well as youth change agents at the 2nd annual Imagination Heals event.

Honorable Signatories…

• 13 Indigenous Grandmothers
• A Forever Recovery
• BALANCE Edutainment
• Best Drug Rehabilitation
• Children & Nature Network
• Conserve It Forward
• Dancing Without Borders
• elephantjournal.com
• ELEVATE
• Global Exchange
• Her Rising
• Hip Hop Caucus
• Imagination Heals
• Indigena
• Kids vs. Global Warming
• myEARTH360.com
• New Message Media
• Post Carbon Institute
• Transition US

The full signatory list.

How you can help.

If you and/or your organization has demonstrated a willingness and commitment to help make the world a more positive, healthier and safer planet, the Heal the World, Heal Ourselves Campaign would truly be honored if they could count on your participation in this life changing campaign.

There are many options available for your participation.

• >> Celebrities and organizations can be an honorary signatory thereby helping to promote this campaign and associated viral video. (Video is currently in production and to be completed by Earth Day.)
• >> Celebrities, organizations and individuals can become social network ambassadors by posting on twitter and Facebook. Sample scripts will be provided for tweeting and social media upon your confirmation.
• >> Celebrities can participate in a larger way by acting as a spokesperson for the campaign or joining the campaign in hospital visits to children’s wards for performances, story telling, sharing stories with the patients, etc.

For more information on participating in this campaign, please contact dave (at) pachaspajamas (dot) com.

P.S. Please share this wild urban dance and nature dance video to raise awareness of the campaign—let’s go spiral for the kids!

Click here to hip hop to the dance segment.

Adapted from my blog, I Count for myEARTH.

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