"Viktor's personal background is a major reason as to his interest in the work of Vox Culture. Originally from Croatia, his travels, as well as the opportunity to live in several countries such as Venezuela and Mauritius, have exposed him from a young age to the beauty and importance of different cultures. At the same time, these experiences have also taught him about the numerous injustices and the problems of poverty the world faces. The concept of introducing others to culture, in every way and shape, while also advocating for poverty and injustice drew Viktor to the cause of Vox Culture, and he hopes that with the knowledge and experiences he has gained throughout the years he can help contribute and further strenghten the voice of Vox Culture. He holds a MA in Political Science with a Concentration in International Studies as well as a Graduate Certificate in Security Studies from the University of Texas at San Antonio. He also holds a BA in Political Science with Minors in International Studies and Sociology from Louisiana State University."

• RSVP - so we will have plenty of food ready for you!
• Volunteer - so everyone can have a great time!

• Superhero Recap Video by Johnny Lin. Vox Culture + Salvation Army = VOX ARMY
• Party and Photobooth Pictures by Daniel Sun & Andrew Fox
• Shoutouts from Superhero Academy by Teams & Volunteers
• Press Release by Cindy Wu
• Testimonies by Salvation Army Staff & Kids

“This event was a huge success! The creativity of the concept, the props, the capes and belts and badges, the games.... everything put together made for an inspiring, positive, and fun morning!” ~Cindy Wu aka "Vortex", Blue Tornadoes

Stay connected to the Salvation Army and all the wonderful ways they are doing the most good for the Greater Houston Area - Check out "Programs" tab: http://www.salvationarmyhouston.org/

c. CALL: HELP SHAPE VOX
Momentum is the key word and Vox is on the brink of a major growth spurt. With growth, we are seeking passionate people to join our team and help shape the organization in the steps ahead. Our goal is to connect everyday people with social issues in a creative way...and we'd love your involvement! Our hope is that our audience would become more aware of the causes around them, and use their gifts and talents to create great change. {It's Interactive. It's Fun. It's Good.}

Join us in our vision. We invite you to take this 2 minute survey to let us know how you would like to contribute: http://bit.ly/Jh87lj

Imagine all the amazing things we can do if we worked together! To learn more, attend our Townhall Meeting on Tuesday 5/8 @ 7PM (Vox Warehouse 8570 Katy Fwy, Suite 116). RSVP to Alissa.Kit@voxculture.org. Dinner will be served :)

Superhero Party Photos

Photobooth Photos

Also, don't forget to watch Superhero Party Recap~

Credits:

Photographers: Daniel Sun and Andrew Fox
Filmmaker: Johnny Lin

Date: Saturday, May 5
Time: 11AM-2:30PM
Location: Vox Culture Warehouse (8570 Katy Fwy, Suite 116)

This is an open invite, so RSVP and bring your friends and family! See you there :)

“This event was a huge success! The creativity of the concept, the props, the capes and belts and badges, the games.... everything put together made for an inspiring, positive, and fun morning!” ~Cindy Wu aka "Vortex", Blue Tornadoes  

“I remember when I just got there, we had a lot of quiet ones, but towards the ends I remember a lot of the kids were starting to hold my hand and even though it was just a day, I felt that the kids and I were very attached to each other” ~Angel Chan, Orange Flames

“I think the most compelling argument in this is that I couldn't tell who had a better time: the kids or the volunteers.  The volunteers were just glowing after they had got done with the day” ~Daniel Wang aka "Mr. Maniac", Green Mutants

FAVORITE MEMORIES FROM THE SUPERHERO PARTY:

“It was one of our very first training stations and we went to the one where we had to use teamwork to roll the toilet paper over our heads and the hula hoop over our bodies. I could tell that our entire team was very shy, but after working together and cheering each other on, I could see that they were starting to open up. That by far has to be my favorite memory of the event.” ~Angel Chan, Orange Flames

“I am a horrid drawer and everyone else was drawing these amazing works of art on the kids faces. One very little special girl says to me "I only want stars and hearts, so you can draw on my face". Made my day, she had hearts and stars everywhere!” ~Renia Lusby-Butler aka "Purple Rocket", Purple Protectors

"The thoughtfulness in the inception concepts (ie: teamwork, healthy eating, diversity) that the kids discussed about before completing the training challenge. Great job Daniel Wang & Sam Mar for incorporating the pertinent learning into the 6-page script!" ~Alissa Kit aka "The Cross Examiner"

“My favorite memory was when I saw that I had an older kid on my team, I was a bit worried that he would think all this superhero stuff would be cheesy and dampen the mood. It turned out that he loved it! He was the one providing ideas to our cheers, poses and chants. The other kids looked up to him and even called him their older brother. That made my heart smile.” ~Jeena Lee aka "Violet Venus", Purple Protectors

“The smallest girl on Team Thunderbolt conquered the "flying" station like a champ.  She has the sweetest smile but when asked what building she wanted to leap over, she chose the tallest one with a look of ferocity and determination on her face.  The power of empowerment!” ~Stephanie Truong aka "B-Fly", Yellow Thunderbolts

“Our youngest kid responding only to the name of "Superman" the whole day and completely ignoring his real name.” ~Daniel Wang aka "Mr. Maniac", Green Mutants

“When the kids started chanting each other's names during kryptonite bowling!” ~Stephanie Truong aka "B-Fly", Yellow Thunderbolts

“{A young boy} saying that he didn't want to eat the strawberries and yogurt cup, then eating two cups of it after we said it was super food.” ~Daniel Wang aka "Mr. Maniac", Green Mutants

“The oldest girl on our team took initiative and helped count the kids when transitioning from station to station and put on their badges for them.  Favorite quote from her..."help others before you help yourself" ~Stephanie Truong aka "B-Fly", Yellow Thunderbolts

“Darnell, aka Bee-Guy, SO committed to staying in character that he was willing to subject himself to the sweltering heat in his leather jacket the entire day!” ~Stephanie Truong aka "B-Fly", Yellow Thunderbolts 

"Loved the fashion show and all the team chants / poses / cheers! Truly debuted the camaraderie and unity within each group." ~Alissa Kit aka "The Cross Examiner"

“My favorite memory was when the Superheros got captured by villains and the students immediately chased after them all the way to the cafeteria. I don't think any of us expected their indignant reactions because just 1.5 hours before, many of these kids were shy and tentative about participating. By this point, it was evident that they formed really tight bonds with their groups and Superhero leaders. The kids had to collaborate with each other and answer questions correctly in order to break the chains off the door. It was so great to see them work together as a collective whole to free their captured Superheros!  When the chains were broken and their leaders were set free, the kids stormed into the conference room and embraced their leaders with huge hugs and smiles from ear to ear; order in this world was finally restored again. It was such a heartwarming, Kodak moment! :)” ~Denise Liau, Vox Volunteer

“{During the rescue} I was explaining that we needed to come together and use Teamwork to get the Heroes back. They were so concerned for Stephanie aka B-Fly! One of the girls on our team just kept saying "We gotta get her back!! What are we gonna do?!! How are we gonna get her back?!" It was so sweet how they were concerned for her! :-) They were all so excited when the Heroes were released! A truly blessed day!! Thank you for this experience!!”  ~Darnell Allen aka "Bee-Guy", Yellow Thunderbolts

“{During the rescue} We asked them what they learned today that we could use to save Cindy aka Vortex.  One kid said jump, and then another said use our brains. Once we were all inside to save the superheroes, I was proud to see {a young boy and girl} raise their hand to volunteer to save Vortex as they were one of the quietest kids in our group.  Once Vortex was released, {the young girl} gave Vortex a huge hug, and it was once again, very adorable. Overall, it was amazing to see how with such a short period of time, the kids opened up so quickly after the attention and praise/confidence we gave them.” ~Stephanie Wei aka "Whirl Girl", Blue Tornadoes

“I was surprised and touched when the kids ran up and hugged the Superheros after being released by The Sphinx. It really felt like we had made some kind of team bond (even with the more shy kids) at that point.” ~Sam Mar, Orange Flames

“When our kids first arrived, it was immediately obvious some kids needed some encouragement to participate. One little boy, was so shy he was practically stoic. Coming up with the chant and pose without much bonding time was a little tricky for our group, but luckily we had one girl who obviously had cheer-writing experience and we eventually came up with something, thanks to her. As we moved on to the activities, {the young boy} started warming up to Stephanie aka Whirl Girl, who would do most of the games with him. He began to relax a little. After the event was over, he ran up to us while we were packing up in the Green Room, waved and yelled "Bye!" It was neat to see the transformation in his little face in over just 2 hours.” ~Cindy Wu aka "Vortex", Blue Tornadoes  

“A kid asking us in our group if we would come back, even asking us to stay for lunch, and trying to sell it by saying "we're having pizza" to make it more compelling.” ~Daniel Wang aka "Mr. Maniac", Green Mutants

“Towards the end of the day, I was following one of the students talking to his Superhero, and he asked if we would come back anytime soon. I know it's always an amazing thing to be invited to do something, but I think the real telling part is when you've touched somebody so much that they want you to come back. That was awesome.” ~Keith Chan aka "The Professor"

SPECIAL THANKS to all the wonderful volunteers and planning team that made this event so memorable! Appreciation also goes to our sponsors for providing healthy snacks and props for the training games: HEBuddy from the HEB @ Buffalo Speedway, HEB @ Bunker Hill, HEB @ 18th St and Target @ Meyerland!

SEE MORE 1. PARTY PHOTOS 2. PHOTOBOOTH PHOTOS

and Sign-up here

38 volunteers + 2 hours = 60 capes, 48 belts, 288 badges, 42 favors, 1 cityscape!

Vox Imprint: "Making an imprint on our world through homemade crafts."

"LIKE" us on Facebook and see more pictures from Cape Making!

Next up: Superhero Party @ Salvation Army on Saturday March 24. Sign up to volunteer!

"Children are our most valuable resources" ~ Herbert Hoover. Under the umbrella of Vox's 2012 Homegrown theme, our first cause focus will be around underprivileged children. Join us in the following months as we explore more about this social issue in Houston and create opportunities in partnership with Salvation Army to serve our community!

• Vox Imprint (Arts & Crafts): Sun 3/4 Cape Making
• Vox Culture (Social Event): Sat 3/24 Superhero Party
• Vox Conspiracy (Discussion): April TBD

b. FIGURES: At Risk Children in Harris County

The term “at risk” is frequently used to describe children who are subject to factors such as poverty, childhood health concerns, inequitable education and safety issues. According to the Salvation Army 2010 Annual Report, as of 2008, there were 1.1MM children ages 0-17 in Harris County. 264M (23%) live in or near poverty. Children in low-income families have a higher risk of dropping out of school, poor adolescent and adult health, poor employment outcomes, and experiencing poverty as adults. In addition, 229M children live with a mental illness and approximately 10% of whom suffer an emotional disturbance enough to disrupt daily life. 38% of the poor children in Harris County live in a household headed by a single woman. To learn more, check out:

• “Who Are America’s Poor Children?”
•  Homeless Families with Children

"We didn't choose to be what we are. And it could be argued that this life chose us. We live it. With all its changes and challenges. Obstacles. Disappointments. Failures. Its successes. Its joys." ~Wonder Girl

c. FACTS: Salvation Army Family Residence

The Salvation Army is an international 501(c) Christian non-profit organization with a mission to serve the less fortunate. The Family Residence is 1 of 17 SA operation centers in Houston.

The Family Residence provides temporary assistance for needy families. This Federal Grant Program has 4 goals: 1) Assist needy families so that children can be cared for in their own homes, 2) Reduce dependency of needy parents by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage 3) Prevent out-of-wedlock pregnancies, 4) Encourage 2-parent families. The Family Residence also provides behavioral management training for parents and children, psycho-education on childhood mental disorders, domestic violence counseling for survivors, and trauma focused therapy. 88.4 cents of every dollar donated goes to direct services.

d. FUN: 3/4 Cape Making & 3/24 Superhero Party

"Let's show these kids they're not only worth fighting for, but we're fighting alongside them" ~Johnny Lin, Salvation Army Counselor Intern aka Freedom Fighter for Kids

• Volunteer Sign-Up: Power Up, Superheroes!
• Scholarships: For only $10, sponsor a scholarship for a child to attend Superhero Academy. Donation covers alternate identity, training, school supplies and super foods! Donate online or make checks payable to Vox Culture Houston (PO BOX 42535, Houston TX 77242)

e. FUTURE: Upcoming Events

• Texas Salsa Congress 3/9-3/11: Support our instructors from the Vox “Knock Your Socks Off” Salsa Night! Put on your dancing shoes and register here!
  
• The Road to Slavery - A Discussion on International Trafficking: 3/29 @ 6:30-9:00PM | Jerabeck Athletic Center 4000 Mt. Vernon St. | CAMSA