Christina Gets Political

[Brady]

Christina Aguilera Says, “Do Something” Feb 2001
Not only did Christina Aguilera play upon the “genie” imagery on her first headlining tour last Fall, but she also played genie by working to grant the wishes of those in need. With her “Come on Over and Do Something” campaign, the 20-year-old encouraged her fans to better their communities by getting involved in various projects and getting their voices heard. “It’s really important to me to help inspire my fans to go out there and do something positive to make changes of their own,” says Christina

Fifty young people across the country who proved themselves as making a difference in their communities were awarded with $500 grants from Sears and Levis to continue their projects. These winners were also rewarded with tickets to one of Christina’s concerts and the chance to meet the pop sensation before the show. Anyone interested in getting involved in this campaign can still do so by surfing to www.dosomething.org, which contains an action guide, poetry section, advice on how to get involved in a special project and lots more.

Christina is also involved in the Stars in the Wild Foundation, along with ‘N Sync, Melissa Joan Hart, Tiffani Thiessen and with the sales benefiting ‘the preservation of our irreplaceable animal populations and of the environment.”

Not only does Christina Aguilera belt out her hits for her fans every night, but she also encourages them to “do something” with her charitable campaign.

http://www.christinamultimedia.com/n...articleID=8041





Aguilera's visit, story lift spirits at women's shelter
Monday, December 22, 2003

Maybe she didn't exactly look like someone who would donate $200,000 to Pittsburgh's domestic violence shelter: a tiny young woman with long black hair frosted red at the tips, and wearing skin-tight jeans, an enormous newsboy's cap and a shy smile. But Christina Aguilera -- former Wexford resident and international pop star -- has done just that, and yesterday she paid a surprise visit to residents at the Women's Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh in Oakland. For nearly two hours, the diminutive singer toured the center, signed autographs, wrapped presents and exchanged hellos with a startled group of 18 women and 23 children who are currently under the shelter's protection.

"I said, 'Oh my goodness,' when she walked in," said one woman resident, who asked that her name not be used. "They didn't tell us who was coming and then there she was. My 15-year-old adores her and she could hardly say two words when she saw her standing right there." Aguilera, 23, who now lives in California, stopped by the shelter during a holiday visit with her mother, Shelly Kearns, who still lives in the area and is on the board of the center.
"I'm so happy and proud to be a part of this," said Aguilera, who met first with about 100 staffers, volunteers and their families, posed for pictures and greeted children in the crowd before going upstairs to meet the residents. "It feels good to be in the room with all these people who have donated all their time to this."

This past summer, Aguilera auctioned off clothing, concert tickets and other items to benefit the center during her most recent tour to promote her album "Stripped." Aguilera has spoken publicly about the abuse she and her mother suffered at the hands of her father, Fausto Aguilera, and in one song she wrote that's on the album, "I'm Okay," she describes a little girl "living in a war that she called home."

"Every time my father's fist would put her in her place/Hearing all the yelling I would cry up in my room/Hoping it would be over soon."

"It's one of the most personal songs I've ever done," Aguilera said during an interview after meeting with the center's staffers. "It pinpoints what my mom went through and what I went through. It's been really therapeutic for me." Aguilera's father, who was in the military, moved his family a lot during her childhood, and whenever they arrived in a new city, her mother "would find out the phone number of the nearest shelter and keep it on a scrap of paper in her back pocket" -- just in case.

"Shelters are so important. I've seen that in my life firsthand, and I always thought that if I was ever in a position to make a difference, I wanted to do something to help," Aguilera said as she sat in a child's chair in the shelter's playroom, helping to wrap a few gifts for children staying at the center. "And for me, this is just the beginning. It's important to get the word out about domestic violence and its effects."
"It's about giving back," added her mother, who credited therapy and education about domestic violence with helping her gain independence. "I've been there and I want women in this situation to not be afraid to speak out, that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, a whole new life that's better than you even imagined."

Aguilera's financial help came just in time, said the center's executive director, Shirl Regan, who was invited to meet the singer last summer when she appeared at Mellon Arena. Funding cuts from United Way and other major donors this year -- mainly because of the struggling economy -- forced the center to lay off 14 staffers this past summer, Regan said. But the infusion of cash from Aguilera has enabled the organization to stabilize its finances for now, she said. Besides providing temporary shelter for female victims of domestic violence and their children, the center provides a 24-hour crisis hot line, ongoing individual counseling and support groups, advocacy and support services. It also provides school and community education and professional training on the origins and effects of domestic violence.

The center, which has won many state and national awards, is able to offer services to victims free of charge because of financial support from individuals, organizations and businesses. But maintaining that funding is a constant struggle. "This is one of the best things that's happened to us in a long time," said Regan. "We could not be here today without what Christina and her mother have done for us."

In April, Aguilera added a link to the Women's Center and Shelter Web site from www.christinaaguilera.com, which allows Aguilera's fans to learn more about domestic violence and the center's services and how to find referrals if they need help. Center officials said they've received an average of 194 referrals from Aguilera's Web site each month.

[Brady]

Christina Aguilera Kicks-off Rock the Vote’s 2008 Campaign
Building on the swell of young voters engaged in this Presidential election
Washington, DC - June 4, 2008

Today, Rock the Vote is launching its 2008 national public service advertising (PSA) campaign. Christina Aguilera is the featured artist in this first broadcast and print execution of the ad campaign. Targeting young people, the ads encourage individuals to take action by registering to vote and casting their ballot in November.

The powerful and emotional PSA opens with Aguilera singing a lullaby to her newborn son Max. She is singing a rendition of “America the Beautiful” while holding her son who is draped in an American Flag. The television spots along with the print ad end with a call to action: its time to make history, its time to rock the vote; register to vote at rockthevote.

Aguilera’s PSA supports her long-standing involvement with Rock the Vote and her personal passion to support young people’s involvement in the democratic process. “Voting is a right that we are fortunate enough to have and one that we should not take for granted. I encourage all young people to use this right and realize they can make a difference,“ said Aguilera.

This PSA comes at a time when young people are participating and voting in record numbers. Already in 2008, young voter turnout has doubled, tripled, and even quadrupled in every caucus and primary election. Rock the Vote will fuel this movement of young people and continue the momentum all the way to the ballot box in November.

This PSA will be followed by a series of ads featuring additional artists, young people and others expressing their opinions on why they vote and what they would like more or less of, depicting their desire for a better future and expressing their hopes including “less ignorance/ more education” “less apathy/ more empathy” and “less prejudice/ more pride.”

“Through the incredible support of artists such as Christina Aguilera we are able to connect with young people and inspire them to take action. Eighteen years ago, it was Madonna wrapped in a flag, today it is Christina Aguilera and her son Max donning the red, white and blue.” said Heather Smith, executive director of Rock the Vote. “Our advertising campaign will fuel the incredible momentum we’ve seen among young people this election season, inciting them to make a lasting difference the issues that affect them, on their future.”

Rock the Vote’s partnership with Christina Aguilera is keeping with the organization’s 18-year-history of inspiring, engaging and mobilizing a generation of action by fusing celebrity, music, and politics. This year, Rock the Vote will run the largest youth-voter registration drive in history, registering more than 2 million young people. Already, more than 850,000 individuals have downloaded the voter registration form from Rock the Vote’s website
http://www.rockthevote.com/about/pre...kicks-off.html




How Christina Aguilera Gives Back
Sure, she can sing, dance, and sell perfume by the vatful. But did you know she's helped raise $22 million to feed struggling women and children? Read here about the star's latest missions (in her own words and handwriting!) and learn how you can help.
http://www.redbookmag.com/fun-contes...ungry-children




Christina's Hunger for Change
Christina Aguilera does not do anything halfway, and her charitable work is no exception. Last May, United Nations representatives were so blown away by her fund-raising power — she'd done a series of performances and campaign ads benefiting the World Food Programme (WFP) and other hunger-relief agencies — that they asked her to take on the role of Ambassador Against Hunger. The position goes well beyond the typical celebrity show-up, and Christina accepted.

A week later, she was in Haiti, walking from tent to tent in makeshift camps and listening to stories of mothers trying to get by in dire conditions.

Read more: Christina Aguilera Helps Hungry Children - Christina Aguilera World Food Programme Work - Redbook

[Brady]

Aguilera kicks off "Declare Yourself" ad campaign
Apr 2004 In the run-up to the 2004 United States presidential election, Aguilera was featured on billboards for the "Only You Can Silence Yourself" online voter registration drive run by the nonpartisan, non-profit campaign "Declare Yourself". In these political advertisements, shot by David LaChapelle, Aguilera was shown with her mouth sewn shut, to symbolize the effects of not voting. She appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" to discuss the importance of voting.In late summer 2004 Aguilera released two singles. The first, "Car Wash", was a remake of the Rose Royce disco song recorded as a collaboration with rapper Missy Elliott for the soundtrack to the film Shark Tale. The second song is also a collaboration, but this time as a second single from one of Nelly's double-release albums, Sweat, titled "Tilt Ya Head Back". Both singles failed commercially in the U.S., but did considerably better in other parts of the world. After much delay, Aguilera's first DVD live-recording from a concert tour, Stripped Live in the UK, was released in November 2004.http://www.xtimeline.com/evt/view.aspx?id=19931http://www.declareyourself.com/multi...allery_10.html“The only way to change the course is to change the Congress” (AmericaBlog)

Christina Aguilera Speaks Out Agaist Bullies
Promoting their new film Burlesque, Christina, andCher had a chat with gay blog, Towerload.com where Aguilera explains:“I’m definitely in favor of gay rights. I think in any case your individuality is the most important thing and you have to be able to rise above anything. I grew up being bullied and it’s not fun. It’s a terrible thing and you have to try and find who your support system is and if you can surround yourself with positive people… you have to keep going. It gets better.”Adds Cher, “School is the least part of your life and everyone is stupid and going though changes… it seems like it should be better now and people should be much more free, much more open and willing to accept what’s going on.We should be going the opposite way. Bullying is a trend for everyone – I don’t get that trend but it seems to me that maybe we’re a less nice generation. You see it on reality shows… there are a lot of things going on that I don’t get, but I’ve seen it.”There are a lot of new organizations and movements coming out these days to stop bullying, mostly against gay students, after a string of teen suicides started popping up and could have been possibly prevented with this type of outreach.http://www.starzlife.com/20101213/ch...#ixzz1IxEQNDfY

Christina Aguilera promotes HIV/AIDS awareness
By John Morgan, Christina Aguilera sells millions of CDs combining her astounding vocal talent with provocative fashion and music. As a spokesperson for the MAC AIDS Fund, Aguilera hopes she commands even more attention with her message of awareness. "I think this whole topic of AIDS is something that can be taken very lightly in the world today, especially in the younger generation," says the Grammy-winning Aguilera. "They think it can't happen to them or that it only happens to a certain stereotype or gender but it's affecting everyone's lives." Many lives.

[PainfulTruth]

One of the main reasons that I love this woman
t4p Brady

[sean86]

thanks for putting that together

I love when she gets political and opens her mouth.

[Jimmyboy]

Ok...

[Bionicken]

I can't even pretend I care about that chit

[Savanna]

Democratina

[fionic/x]

Nice, T4P!

[funkyjaguilera]

she's such a philanthropist but the thing I love about her is that she doesn't flaunt it or show it off like she's trying to prove somthing, she does it from the kindness of her heart.

also she looked amazing for the Choose or Lose campaign, I remember how much MTV USEED to have her back, back in the day.

[christinalover27]

christina is smart, beautiful inside and out and I love her for being such a woman. thanks for posting brady!

[Darkness]

Great recopilation..i love that on her. it makes me feel more prou.

[Jayson]

Thanks for posting. She is such an amazing woman for being such a "diva" and a "bitch"...

[lia]

Thanks for posting!
Love her!

[XtinasMinx]

Wow what a great post!

I especially love the one about the women's shelter-since they really would have gone under without her. People forget that there are more animal shelters than shelters for women out there, and while I love animals and volunteer at one, it is a huge problem that many women STILL have no place to go to escape what Shelly went through.