Coachella

April 23rd, 2008

JOIN "THE DIRTY HANDS CARAVAN"

A MOVEMENT DESIGNED TO

"INSPIRE INDIVIDUALS TO TAKE INDIVIDUAL ACTION"

The morning after the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, CA, a string of bio-diesel buses transporting up to 300 people will caravan 1800 miles in an effort designed to engage a new generation of activists. The Dirty Hands Caravan is the coming together of individuals who will be encouraged to get involved by building houses for the homeless, protesting the War in Iraq while supporting the needs of veterans and their families, caring for the sick or needy, cleaning up parks or neighborhoods across America, taking part in clean water initiatives for foreign lands or engaging in whatever way they feel compelled to help others. The caravan, which is the brainchild of Sean Penn, will make stops in numerous cities until it arrives at its final destination, New Orleans, where the spirit of Coachella will join the close of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. On Sunday, May 4th, members of The Dirty Hands Caravan will descend on New Orleans to help better the Big Easy through their good works.

Participants in the caravan will have their food, water, transportation and campground accommodations paid for in exchange for their service. As the bio-diesel buses make their way across U.S. cities, members of the caravan will be offered opportunities to volunteer on behalf of established local organizations. However, members of the caravan are free to choose whatever cause or do whatever good they feel inspired to do, whether it is officially organized or not. The goal of The Dirty Hands Caravan is to get people engaged and active in their world. Good works will be done, but the caravan's overall mission is to “encourage individuals to take individual actions.” To offer inspiration, the caravan will stop at campgrounds where individuals will have the chance to hear from musicians, activists, artists, filmmakers and guest speakers who will offer ideas on how to stand up for what you believe in and then effectively implement those ideas.

Those individuals seeking to join The Dirty Hands Caravan will need to fill out an application in advance. To request an application go to our temporary website http://thedirtyhandscaravan.ifanz.net. The official website www.thedirtyhandscaravan.com is coming soon. The buses will depart the Coachella Festival parking lot at Noon on Monday, April 28th. Participants must be at least 18 years of age and should plan on being away from their homes and families for at least ten days. Buses will depart New Orleans for the Coachella grounds at Midnight, May 5th and will return to Los Angeles by May 7th. Up to 300 people may be traveling on The Dirty Hands Caravan bio-diesel buses, but organizers hope many more will follow by any means they can, and encourage their friends and family to join them in New Orleans.