The english version of Si, Se Puede Cambiar with lots of new footage (specially the later part). Please help us share this video and spread the word. OBAMA 08!
Showing posts with label presidential race. Show all posts
Showing posts with label presidential race. Show all posts
Friday, October 31, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
RICHARDSON endorses BARACK OBAMA
"This is a man who understand us and will respect us" Said Richardson in Spanish ("Este es un hombre que nos entiende y nos va a respetar") in his glowing speech endorsing Barack Obama's candidacy for the presidency of the United States. As a former member of the Clinton administration this was an extremely difficult choice to make for the Governor of New Mexico, but his choice reflects what he believes is "best for the country". Governor Richardson also credited Obama's recent "historic speech" on race and unity as a factor that "cinched" his decision.
"He's a really good guy" "Who could've thrown me under the bus but he stood behind me" referring to a question Richardson missed on a debate, and Obama whispered it to him.
Richardson, part of the 90's Clinton administration and with impressive foreign policy experience said to Barack Obama: "You are a leader who has shown courage, judgment and wisdom throughout the years, you understand the security challenges of the 21st century and you will be an outstanding commander in chief. Above of all you will bring all America together. Your candidacy is a one in lifetime candidacy and you are a once -in-a-lifetime leader. You will make every American proud to be American, and I am proud today to endorse your candidacy as President of the United States of America ".
Wow! Watch the crowd go absolutely ballistic, chanting "Yes we Can" and after Richardson, "Si, Se Puede".
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Meeting Barack Obama and other recollections from Houston, TX
My friends from United for Obama were kind enough to get me to Texas, for the first time in years, to campaign for Barack Obama. It was an exciting whirlwind of activity which still seems like a blur: I hadn't gotten out of the airport when we hooked up with Obama volunteers coming from all over the country, ( one of them, Rob, gave us tons of cool Obama buttons and t-shirts that even the rental car guy wanted to wear... we gave him some) I met with Senator Cedillo and the people of the HQ, some of which knew me from the Si Se Puede Cambiar video. There was the canvassing and precinct-walking : we were welcomed by some people but some tall white guy walking his dogs in a very affluent neighborhood warned us that "people 'round here don't like Obama, they got shotguns and will shoot you". HE actually said that, no Kidding. We kept going and laughed it off, sure the guy was a strong conservative doing his bit to try to derail the huge, record-breaking democratic turnouts, which was probably the case, but later on the car radio we heard a report of someone actually getting shot for walking through somebody's lawn while the shooter was talking to 911. Crazy. I also did some press, gave interviews, performed live, made some great new friends. Will post links later on. We also got some good footage but haven't uploaded it yet as Eric and Annabel are in Japan, and I'm just trying to catch up here in LA.
I have to say one of my fondest memories from this trip was seeing my brother who is thirteen but since last I saw him has grown from a kid to a deep-voiced , sweet-natured young man! He knew the lyrics to my song better than I did. It was a bit embarrassing that I wrote the song, granted very recently, but quite a few people know the lyrics already and I still rely on the the printed words every now and then. My little brother (or not so little anymore) joined me for a whole day, always helpful , and got a glimpse of this flurry of grassroots activity in what will no doubt be remembered as a historic time in US politics.
I got to see my dad and his wife but unfortunately didn't have time to see more of my extended family or friends. However it was also great to connect with strangers on the street for a common cause, the ideals and dreams that unite us deep down. It was specially touching to be greeted so warmly by the Obama supporters who recognized me on the street as the guy from the video, I have this particular woman in my mind right now as I type this, a large African-American woman who was driving out of a parking lot when she saw me from the window and slammed on the breaks. Screaming to her friend, she got off the car which was now blocking the entrance to the lot, rushed up to me and gave me one big, long hug, "You brought tears to my eyes" she kept repeating, she was so excited, her friend too, I was speechless. It is very humbling to think that whatever you are feeling at any given point in time, whatever you're trying to express, that there are so many people in the world feeling the exact same way, that we're all connected, and all we have to do is to discover that thread to find each other again. This song has been such thread for me.
Another great connection where the two great guys who interviewed me for the Brazilian magazine Veja, who I'd keep meeting over and over again on the campaign trail and kindly gave me a ride when Eric took off with the car to help out in another district in dire need of Obama visibility. Hanging out with Eric and Annabel was a treat as was meeting their friend Duarte and fellow volunteers Quan, Gerry, K.S. and Joanne.
I also did a live translation of Barack Obama's touching, rousing speech when we joined him at the George Brown Convention Center and we'll post some video from that at some point. Another memory that stands out is my brief interaction with Barack Obama after the event, with the enthusiastic crowd surrounding us, this was truly the eye of the hurricane but these things stand out for whatever reason: the genuine sense of honesty and down-to-earth recognition in his gaze,( he struck me as such real, genuine individual). Also his uncannily soft, skinny hands. You'd think they would've hardened by so much contact with his followers. The apparent ease of pronunciation of the few words Obama spoke in Spanish, and most of all, his Chanting "Sí, se Puede" with me as cameras flashed (except ours, Eric and company where still at the opposite end of the stage!), Anyway, now I have a better grasp of the man, not only the ideas that moved me into action, but also great attitude and energy of the man in person.
Quite a trip indeed.
I have to say one of my fondest memories from this trip was seeing my brother who is thirteen but since last I saw him has grown from a kid to a deep-voiced , sweet-natured young man! He knew the lyrics to my song better than I did. It was a bit embarrassing that I wrote the song, granted very recently, but quite a few people know the lyrics already and I still rely on the the printed words every now and then. My little brother (or not so little anymore) joined me for a whole day, always helpful , and got a glimpse of this flurry of grassroots activity in what will no doubt be remembered as a historic time in US politics.
I got to see my dad and his wife but unfortunately didn't have time to see more of my extended family or friends. However it was also great to connect with strangers on the street for a common cause, the ideals and dreams that unite us deep down. It was specially touching to be greeted so warmly by the Obama supporters who recognized me on the street as the guy from the video, I have this particular woman in my mind right now as I type this, a large African-American woman who was driving out of a parking lot when she saw me from the window and slammed on the breaks. Screaming to her friend, she got off the car which was now blocking the entrance to the lot, rushed up to me and gave me one big, long hug, "You brought tears to my eyes" she kept repeating, she was so excited, her friend too, I was speechless. It is very humbling to think that whatever you are feeling at any given point in time, whatever you're trying to express, that there are so many people in the world feeling the exact same way, that we're all connected, and all we have to do is to discover that thread to find each other again. This song has been such thread for me.
Another great connection where the two great guys who interviewed me for the Brazilian magazine Veja, who I'd keep meeting over and over again on the campaign trail and kindly gave me a ride when Eric took off with the car to help out in another district in dire need of Obama visibility. Hanging out with Eric and Annabel was a treat as was meeting their friend Duarte and fellow volunteers Quan, Gerry, K.S. and Joanne.
I also did a live translation of Barack Obama's touching, rousing speech when we joined him at the George Brown Convention Center and we'll post some video from that at some point. Another memory that stands out is my brief interaction with Barack Obama after the event, with the enthusiastic crowd surrounding us, this was truly the eye of the hurricane but these things stand out for whatever reason: the genuine sense of honesty and down-to-earth recognition in his gaze,( he struck me as such real, genuine individual). Also his uncannily soft, skinny hands. You'd think they would've hardened by so much contact with his followers. The apparent ease of pronunciation of the few words Obama spoke in Spanish, and most of all, his Chanting "Sí, se Puede" with me as cameras flashed (except ours, Eric and company where still at the opposite end of the stage!), Anyway, now I have a better grasp of the man, not only the ideas that moved me into action, but also great attitude and energy of the man in person.
Quite a trip indeed.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
United for Obama's "Si Se Puede (cambiar)" Press Release
By Eric Byler
For Immediate Release
February 25, 2008
LATINO, ASIAN ARTISTS UNITE FOR OBAMA VIRAL VIDEO
***Spanish Language Obama Video Goes Viral With Mainstream Audience
LOS ANGELES, CA -- A pro-Obama music video intended for
Spanish-speaking voters in Texas has caught fire with a mainstream
on-line audiences across America, racking up over 56,000 hits in less
than three days, primarily from English speakers.
"Si Se Puede Cambiar" (Yes We Can Change)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ky8Hvq-F0U
"For too long we have been sleeping, but we have been afraid to
dream." So begins the Spanish language song "Si Se Puede Cambiar"
(Yes We Can Change) by Andres Useche (30), an immigrant from Colombia
living in Los Angeles. The song's emotional arc expresses Useche's
despair over the failures of the Bush administration, and the feeling
of empowerment and civic responsibility inspired by Senator Barack
Obama's candidacy.
"The lyrics were thoughts that have been growing within me, and I'm
sure, many others," explained Useche, who is fluent in both English
and Spanish. "Volunteering for this campaign focused my thoughts into
words that came out in a matter of hours."
The video was produced by "United For Obama," a team of Asian American
and Latino volunteers who have organized road-trips, canvassing, and
in-language phone calls (over 20,000 to Virginia from cities around
the nation) on behalf of Sen. Obama. Shot in five different states,
the video documents a wave of boots-on-the-ground volunteerism spurred
by its producers, Eric Byler (36) and Annabel Park (39), both Asian
American filmmaker/activists who work closely with Latinos on the
immigration issue. A swish-pan dissolve links Useche's Latino
outreach in East Los Angeles with Park's Korean American outreach in
Northern Virginia. The video was also shot in Maryland, New York,
and Nevada and features brief cameos by Asian American celebrities
Kelly Hu (X-Men 2), Kal Penn (Harold and Kumar), and Ken Leung (The
Sopranos).
"We don't want our communities to be the last to embrace this
movement," said Byler, a mixed race Chinese American best known for
the indie hit Charlotte Sometimes. "For various cultural reasons, we
probably will be the last statistically. But every person we bring
into the process is precious to us and precious to America, so this is
a precious time."
The video was co-directed and edited by Chinese American filmmaker
Warren Fu (32), who, like Useche, connected with Byler and Park
through YouTube. Fu, who directs music videos for such bands as The
Strokes, sent a YouTube message to YouTube.com/UnitedForObama after
seeing a video featuring actress Hu. Park responded suggesting he
edit the video being shot by Byler and Useche.
Fu points to unity across ethnic lines as an essential goal in his
artistic and political life. "We're Asian Americans collaborating
with Latino Americans with the goal of electing an African American
President," he said. "That in itself speaks volumes about the power
of this movement."
Webcastr CEO Tim Devine promised to promote the video sight unseen
based on a chance encounter with Useche. "I recognized his passion
for what he was doing, which I knew would show through to our Webcastr
viewers in the video he made," he said. Thanks to English subtitles,
the video received more than 19,000 hits on webcastr.com over the
weekend, and more than 36,000 on YouTube (despite the fact the video
sharing website was inoperative most of Sunday). The largest number
of hits were from English language websites like DailyKos.com.
"Although our target was Latino voters, it's exciting to see so many
English speakers embracing the message and sharing the video with
friends," Park said.
For Immediate Release
February 25, 2008
LATINO, ASIAN ARTISTS UNITE FOR OBAMA VIRAL VIDEO
***Spanish Language Obama Video Goes Viral With Mainstream Audience
LOS ANGELES, CA -- A pro-Obama music video intended for
Spanish-speaking voters in Texas has caught fire with a mainstream
on-line audiences across America, racking up over 56,000 hits in less
than three days, primarily from English speakers.
"Si Se Puede Cambiar" (Yes We Can Change)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ky8Hvq-F0U
"For too long we have been sleeping, but we have been afraid to
dream." So begins the Spanish language song "Si Se Puede Cambiar"
(Yes We Can Change) by Andres Useche (30), an immigrant from Colombia
living in Los Angeles. The song's emotional arc expresses Useche's
despair over the failures of the Bush administration, and the feeling
of empowerment and civic responsibility inspired by Senator Barack
Obama's candidacy.
"The lyrics were thoughts that have been growing within me, and I'm
sure, many others," explained Useche, who is fluent in both English
and Spanish. "Volunteering for this campaign focused my thoughts into
words that came out in a matter of hours."
The video was produced by "United For Obama," a team of Asian American
and Latino volunteers who have organized road-trips, canvassing, and
in-language phone calls (over 20,000 to Virginia from cities around
the nation) on behalf of Sen. Obama. Shot in five different states,
the video documents a wave of boots-on-the-ground volunteerism spurred
by its producers, Eric Byler (36) and Annabel Park (39), both Asian
American filmmaker/activists who work closely with Latinos on the
immigration issue. A swish-pan dissolve links Useche's Latino
outreach in East Los Angeles with Park's Korean American outreach in
Northern Virginia. The video was also shot in Maryland, New York,
and Nevada and features brief cameos by Asian American celebrities
Kelly Hu (X-Men 2), Kal Penn (Harold and Kumar), and Ken Leung (The
Sopranos).
"We don't want our communities to be the last to embrace this
movement," said Byler, a mixed race Chinese American best known for
the indie hit Charlotte Sometimes. "For various cultural reasons, we
probably will be the last statistically. But every person we bring
into the process is precious to us and precious to America, so this is
a precious time."
The video was co-directed and edited by Chinese American filmmaker
Warren Fu (32), who, like Useche, connected with Byler and Park
through YouTube. Fu, who directs music videos for such bands as The
Strokes, sent a YouTube message to YouTube.com/UnitedForObama after
seeing a video featuring actress Hu. Park responded suggesting he
edit the video being shot by Byler and Useche.
Fu points to unity across ethnic lines as an essential goal in his
artistic and political life. "We're Asian Americans collaborating
with Latino Americans with the goal of electing an African American
President," he said. "That in itself speaks volumes about the power
of this movement."
Webcastr CEO Tim Devine promised to promote the video sight unseen
based on a chance encounter with Useche. "I recognized his passion
for what he was doing, which I knew would show through to our Webcastr
viewers in the video he made," he said. Thanks to English subtitles,
the video received more than 19,000 hits on webcastr.com over the
weekend, and more than 36,000 on YouTube (despite the fact the video
sharing website was inoperative most of Sunday). The largest number
of hits were from English language websites like DailyKos.com.
"Although our target was Latino voters, it's exciting to see so many
English speakers embracing the message and sharing the video with
friends," Park said.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Obama wins ten states in a row
It was a good night. I was working on the editing of the music video for my pro-Obama song Si Se Puede with Eric (Byler, director of Charlotte Sometimes)and remotely with Warren Fu (who's up in San Francisco also working on the new Indiana Jones film) when we heard the fantastic news that Obama was the projected winner in Wisconsin and then Hawaii, and the margins just kept growing after that. What a night.I'm tired now but we hope to have a final cut on our music video by tomorrow night.
In the meantime here is two clips to celebrate.
In the meantime here is two clips to celebrate.
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