For those bold enough to brave the cold and rain on Friday evening and make their way up to Drescher Courtyard, The Board hosted a nonprofit festival, featuring booths celebrating making a difference in the world. In addition to the array of booths, a cozy tent warmed by space heaters was filled with live music and places to munch on food from a free organic food truck.
Seven booths featured clubs on campus benefitting nonprofit organizations with the goal of making the world a better place. Ranging from causes in Congo to North Korea, all of the booths were student-hosted with a distinct mission in mind.
LiNK, a group started in 2004 by two college students, seeks to protect refugees fleeing North Korean tyranny. Refugees who are caught fleeing to China are deported back to North Korea and punished severely when they arrive.
“LiNK strives to protect refugees from the North Korean border and save them from abuse,” junior Stella Kim said.
The Face of Microfinance supports companies like Kiva and Opportunity International, nonprofit organizations that raise money for loans in developing countries. Anyone can lend as little as $25 to give opportunities to people in poverty-stricken countries.
“We facilitate the loans so that people with less opportunity can be given the chance to succeed,” junior Niki McManis said.
The newly formed TOMS club, based on TOMS shoes, raises money to buy shoes to give to children in local homeless shelters. When a shopper buys a pair of TOMS, a pair is given to a child in need. Since the shoes bought will be given to children in local homeless shelters, the TOMS club will be supporting children both locally and globally.
Outside their booth, the club had an activity called Experience the Walk, where participants were invited to walk barefoot through three different terrains — gravel, dirt and sand.
“We want people to experience what it’s like to be barefoot and to walk in the shoes of someone who doesn’t have any,” freshman club member Alanna Araujo said.
TOMS club is coordinating with We Art Aware, which also had a booth at One Wish. The clubs will be having a Style Your Sole event Dec. 10, where people can buy or bring TOMS to have them painted by members of We Art Aware.
We Art Aware also sponsored the fashion show of the night, with clothes provided entirely by Artifac Tree, a local thrift shop in Malibu. Artifac Tree is also a nonprofit organization that supports the local homeless community.
“We Art Aware tries to bridge the gap between the common individual and social needs and injustices through art,” said sophomore and president of We Art Aware, Genevieve Ruddock.
Teach For America, supported by The Board, is a two-year program for undergraduate students in any field to become teachers for underprivileged school children. Teach For America supports institutions wherever there may be a need for teachers, from schools in Washington, D.C., to various Native American reservations.
“I’ve always been able to have good teachers and been inspired by mentors, so it’s really important to me to be able to give that opportunity to someone else,” said senior Mimi Rothfus, who recently applied to be a teacher for Teach For America.
The Board was also promoting the Week of Hunger and Homelessness through International Justice Mission and the Pepperdine Volunteer Center. During the Week of Hunger and Homelessness, students have camped out in Joslyn Plaza, opting to go without beds and shelter in order to experience a little of what it’s like to be homeless.
Falling Whistles was also being supported by The Board, specifically through what is known as the Face Campaign. Falling Whistles is campaigning for peace and free elections in Congo, and instead of signing a petition, they are encouraging advocates to take pictures of themselves and send them to the White House.
“There’s even a handy little iPhone app now, so people can easily take pictures of themselves and their friends and send them directly to the White House,” senior Kevin Rivera said.
The final booth was for Lovemine, an organization dedicated to protecting political prisoners in Burma. The organization was founded two years ago by three Pepperdine undergraduates after a trip to the Thai-Burma border. Burma is currently experiencing a 50-year civil war due to a military dictatorship, where over 2 million people have been displaced. Lovemine aims to protect and support refugees fleeing the injustice of Burma.
“This is the longest running civil war in history, and 3,100 villages have been destroyed due to the military dictatorship,” said Tim Jones, missions director at Malibu Presbyterian Church.
“We’re made up of entirely volunteers, and we want to connect every individual and their particular skill set in order to help the refugees,” said Pepperdine alumna Lauren Hartley (2010.)
While each of the booths was promoting individual organizations, Green Truck was providing free organic, sustainable food, and a DJ and Pepperdine originals senior Greg Pinizzotto and freshman Karianne Larson were providing music.
Despite the rain, spirits were not dampened to inspire change in the world with One Wish on Nov. 11. Even if the digits do not align however, it’s never the wrong time to celebrate those that strive to make the world a better place.
