This spotlight comes to us from AWBW Advocates Pascale Cardozo and Eva Zachova, founders of Ryze Project who use their business to raise awareness and build support for nonprofit organizations in our community. Eva and Pascale share why they support AWBW:

We are inspired by Cathy’s story [AWBW’s Founder & Executive Director] and her drive to help women and children in shelters who have been affected by domestic violence and trauma, but I would say we are most inspired by the AWBW team and volunteers. Everyone in AWBW’s community has an amazing fire within, which is contagious.

We first became involved in AWBW in 2014. When launching our startup, Ryze we were looking for a non-profit partner that supported the arts and was aligned with our values of giving back to the community. Eva found AWBW and we instantly fell in love with the mission and the team. Since then, Pascale has been on the event committee for Art in the Afternoon each year.

While growing up in New York City, Pascale was chosen to dance in a nonprofit dance organization. Being able to do something she loved (DANCE!) with kids from all corners of the city in a program like National Dance Institute was the highlight of her childhood. She has always been touched by what this program gave to her and wanted to give back to the arts. With this in mind, we decided that Ryze’s mission was to support our talented makers and craftsman, while also giving back to future artists and creators – because these are the people that will keep culture growing.

Giving back to causes that are important to you is about finding time and space for fulfillment. We are thrilled to be able to give back part of Ryze’s profits to support AWBW and other community art programs, but what is most fulfilling is taking time to be part of events, meetings and outreach that helps strengthen and grow these organizations. It’s that involvement with like-minded people that will bring you true fulfillment. There are so many amazing causes and organizations, that it feels overwhelming, but we encourage people to start small, even if it’s volunteering at one event a year, it will warm your heart.

In 2018 a percentage of Ryze sales will be donated to AWBW. We will be launching a Ryze T-Shirt series in March. The first tee of the series will say “poco a poco” (Spanish for “little by little”). The idea behind it is to celebrate choosing to live a connected life – enjoying our process, our struggles, our art, our journey. Living “poco a poco” is experiencing yourself, your friends, family, food, and community in a more connected way. The inspiration for this tee was years of living in Spain and seeing the enjoyment of life and its journey in their culture and creative processes.

Thank you Eva and Pascale for your support of AWBW – we love working with the two of you!

If you or someone you know is interested in working with AWBW like Pascale and Eva do, please reach out to Jaime at jreed@awbw.org, or call us at 310-396-0317.