Purchase Your Favorite A.R.T. For Life Piece Today!

The Official A.R.T. For Life original artworks are now available for purchase! Click your favorite piece, and it can be yours today 😉 

Video Recap: Royal Dynamite and YWC Pop-Up Shop

Check out this recap of the fabulous, exclusive shopping event that took place in Washington, DC this past weekend. The event was a collaboration between the gentlemen of Royal Dynamite and the ladies of Yehri Wi Cry as an effort to bring awareness to the issue of maternal and infant mortality in Sierra Leone, through the styles of the innovative Royal Dynamite! The exclusive pop-up shop served as a precursor to the conclusion of the A.R.T. For Life Campaign also headed by Royal Dynamite and YWC. If you didn’t make it out to the event, check out the video to see what you missed! 😉

Meet The Artists Behind A.R.T. For Life & Pre-Bid On Your Favorite Piece

Bidding for the A.R.T. For Life Campaign has officially begun! Take a look at the featured artwork, find your favorite, and use the form at the bottom of the page to place your bid!

A.R.T. For Life Auction to be Conducted at 4th Annual GWB Ball

The grand finale of the A.R.T. For Life Campaign will take place on April 28, 2012 at the 4th Annual Green White and Blue Ball. 

Upcoming Events: YWC in April

Yehri Wi Cry will be out and about throughout the community for the month of April. Click on each flyer to find out more about these fabulous events and organizations. Make sure to save these dates! We’d SOOOOOOO love to meet you!!!! xoxo

What Is A.R.T For Life?

Hear from leaders of both Yehri Wi Cry (YWC) and Royal Dynamite (RD) as they explain what the A.R.T For Life Campaign is all about.

1.    What does A.R.T stand for?
Altruism: devotion to the welfare of others
Reflected: to reproduce; show
Tangibly: real or actual, rather than imaginary or visionary and capable of being touched

We essentially want artists to show the devotion to the welfare of humanity via something tangible as their art.

2.    What is the goal of the A.R.T For Life Campaign?
The mission of the “A.R.T. For Life” Campaign is to create an atmosphere of giving back by the hands of the “art lover”. It is our goal to raise awareness on the serious issue of maternal and infant mortality in Sierra Leone through the eyes of the artist while also raising funds to contribute towards Yehri Wi Cry, Inc.’s mission to alleviate the crisis that plagues the West African nation. One in eight women die due to complications of pregnancy and childbirth, and one in five children die before even reaching their fifth birthday.

3.    What inspired you all to do this campaign?
We wanted a fun and innovative way to draw attention to a calamity that is so ominous over the nation of Sierra Leone. We chose art because it’s something that speaks to audiences universally. It’s a strong method of delivering an important message.

4.    What makes the partnership of YWC and RD so unique?
YWC partnered with RD, because we share similar values in common and our missions somewhat aligned. Both organizations call Sierra Leone home and both are concerned with the future outcome of the nation. Royal Dynamite is a socially conscious community based t-shirt line that embraces the concept of collaborative style for awareness; where in they partner with other businesses and brands, along with artists to raise awareness to important issues via t-shirts. It was only fitting that for the reasons stated above we form a strategic partnership  to help propel YWC’s cause.

5.    How can artists get involved?

Artists must electronically submit their work by April 11th to be considered for entry into a Facebook “like” competition; the competition will give fans an opportunity to vote for their favorite pieces.  If chosen, artists will be asked to mail their work no later than April 20, 2012 to be auctioned off at the Green White and Blue Ball on April 28, 2012. Voting for the Facebook competition will take place from April 16th to April 23rd. The winner of the competition receives a grand prize of:  a $200 Cash Prize & a Design Printed on a Royal Dynamite T-Shirt ($100 cash and $100 Royal Dynamite gift certificate), and one round-trip ticket to Sierra Leone to join Yehri Wi Cry, Inc. on their next mission trip, courtesy of Air Arik. For complete contest rules visit: The Official A.R.T. For Life Website. Contact artforlife.ywc@gmail.com for more information.

6.    How can supporters of the campaign get involved?

• Spread the word about this campaign by sharing this!
• Vote for favorite art piece on facebook from April 16-23, 2012
• Attend the A.R.T For Life Pop Up Shop event 4/28 @ 1pm
• Attend GWB Ball for the live A.R.T Auction and buy art 4/28 @7pm
•  Email artforlife.ywc@gmail.com for more information

7.    What is the future of the A.R.T For Life Campaign?
The plan is to create an awareness of the issues in Sierra Leone that is consistent and continuous. We want to create an atmosphere where in power of collaboration is embraced through ART to help further this campaign. The goal is to have a yearly ART For Life  design contest as well as utilize other forms of art such as music to help raise awareness to this important cause.

YEHRI WI CRY, INC. AND ROYAL DYNAMITE CALLING ALL ARTISTS FOR A.R.T. FOR LIFE CAMPAIGN

APRIL 3, 2012: Yehri Wi Cry, Inc. and Royal Dynamite have teamed up to launch the official “A.ltruism R.eflected T.angibly” Campaign to benefit Yehri Wi Cry, Inc.’s mission to alleviate maternal and infant mortality in Sierra Leone. The mission of the “A.R.T. For Life” Campaign is to create an atmosphere of giving back by the hands of the “art lover”. It is our goal to raise awareness on the serious issue of maternal and infant mortality in Sierra Leone through the eyes of the artist while also raising funds to contribute towards Yehri Wi Cry, Inc.’s mission to alleviate the crisis that plagues the West African nation. One in eight women die due to complications of pregnancy and childbirth, and one in five children die before even reaching their fifth birthday. “We wanted a fun and innovative way to draw attention to a calamity that is so ominous over the nation of Sierra Leone. We chose art because it’s something that speaks to audiences universally. It’s a strong method of delivering an important message,” says Yehri Wi Cry, Inc. Co-Founder and Co-Vice President, Nadia Sasso.

“When Royal Dynamite was approached by Yehri Wi Cry to do a collaboration for the ART For Life campaign, the decision to accept was a no-brainer. Their mission of empowering women and children in Sierra Leone aligns closely to our core values and the idea of utilizing art as a platform to raise awareness is what we take pride in as a brand. We look forward to a long and fulfilling partnership towards help Yehri Wi Cry accomplish their goals”, said Royal Dynamite co-founder and director Cecil Valentine.

The three-part campaign kicked off with a launch party at the Lexington Social House in Los Angeles, California on March 16, 2012 and will end on April 28, 2012 in Washington, DC at the 4^thAnnual Green White and Blue Sierra Leonean Independence Ball. Artists must electronically submit their works by April 11^th to be considered for entry into a Facebook “like” competition; the competition will give fans an opportunity to vote for their favorite pieces.  If chosen, artists will be asked to mail their work no later than April 20, 2012 to be auctioned off at the Green White and Blue Ball on April 28, 2012. Voting for the Facebook competition will take place fromApril 16^th to April 23^rd. The winner of the competition receives a grand prize of:  a $200 Cash Prize & a Design Printed on a Royal Dynamite T-Shirt ($100 cash and $100 Royal Dynamite gift certificate), and one round-trip ticket to Sierra Leone to join Yehri Wi Cry, Inc. on their next mission trip, courtesy of Air Arik. For complete contest rules visit: The Official A.R.T. For Life Website. Contact artforlife.ywc@gmail.com for more information.

About Yehri Wi Cry

Yehri Wi Cry, Inc. seeks to empower women by providing sterile birthing kits, along with infant-care products and information to encourage women to seek prenatal and postnatal care.

About Royal Dynamite 

Royal Dynamite is an e-commerce t-shirt company that seeks to promote innovative entrepreneurship and community empowerment by engaging artists, designers, and consumers through partnerships and contests.

Yehri Wi Cry, Inc. Teams Up With Royal Dynamite to Launch “A.R.T. For Life” Campaign

Los Angeles Calif, March 6, 2012—On March 16, 2012, Yehri Wi Cry, Inc. will launch their “Altruism Reflected Tangibly For Life” Campaign at TheLexingtonSocialHouse (1718 VineStreet, Hollywood, California 90028). The mission of the “A.R.T. For Life” Campaign is to create an atmosphere of giving back through the hands of the “art lover.”

All proceeds will benefit Yehri Wi Cry’s mission to alleviate the maternal and infant health crisis inSierra Leone, in turn saving the lives of mothers and children in the West African nation.

“We wanted to provide a way for our general audience to get involved without feeling overwhelmed by constant facts and statistics. Since art is universal and we all can relate, we figured if we could create an avenue for artists to express the seriousness of the maternal health system in Sierra Leone through their art, the message would be better conveyed and received,” said Yehri Wi Cry Co-Founder and Co-Vice President, Nadia Sasso.

The launch of the campaign-taking place at The Lexington Social House- marks the beginning of the nationwide campaign. After artists have submitted electronic portfolios of their work, Facebook users will have a chance to vote on their favorite pieces. The highest voted piece will be announced on Saturday, April 28, 2012 at the Annual Green White and Blue Ball in Washington, DC. For more information and updates on how to become a part of the “A.R.T. For Life” Campaign and Auction, e-mail: artforlife.ywc@gmail.com

About Yehri Wi Cry, Inc

            In 2010, childhood friends Marie Mansaray, Nadia Sasso, and Zainab Fadlu-Deen were engaged in a conversation about how they could give back to a country that they felt so close to, yet still distant. Although born in the United States, their parents are natives of Sierra Leone, a country where women of lower class tend to lack the health care resources necessary to carry a full term pregnancy into a successful delivery. They founded Yehri Wi Cry (YWC), a project geared towards diminishing the maternal and infant mortality crisis in the country. The name translates from the Sierra Leonean dialect of Krio into “Hear Our Cry.”

For their first initiative, a team of YWC members and founders traveled to Sierra Leoneon July 31, 2011 to distribute birthing kits and incentive packages, and to educate the global community about the magnitude of prenatal care and its significance to a successful birthing process. The maternal kits have proven to improve the livelihood of women and their babies during childbirth in villages where facilities are not available or are beyond their reach financially. YWC has already established partnerships with doctors from Sierra Leone, which will contribute to the effectiveness and efficiency of their mission. For more information visit: http://yehriwicry.org

Isaac J. Gourdine Middle School Teams Up With YWC For “Blankets For Babies”

“We were doing a science experiment involving lemons in my science class. I was searching the Internet and ran across an organization that talked about making lemonade out of lemons by helping others. I then read about the conditions in Sierra Leone and told my students about some of the problems people were facing there. My principal happened to be in my class and said, ‘Let’s help them!’“ explains seventh grade teacher Denise Cherry.

Check Out This Riveting Video On Maternal Health in Sierra Leone

Take a look into the state of the maternal health system in Sierra Leone. This is only a portion of the crisis.