This Is The Get-Up
There is no such thing as an over-night success. But I do believe wholeheartedly in best-kept secrets.
In this year of our Lord, many of us are going back to the drawing board. The Listening is no exception, as we have had to figure out how to make the best of our (global, with the exception of New Zealand) situation. For context, much of our brand is immersed in with being around people. If you’ve been at any of our events, you know the vibe.
Hugs. Smiles. Laughs. Loud music. More hugs.
We’ve tried to convert that energy into our virtual events, which at the moments are limited to Virtual Open Mics. For the most part, it seems that we’ve been successful, attracting artists and supporters from all over the country. In many ways, we’ve not only gone back to the drawing board - we’ve also gone back to basics. Our get-up has become a little more simplified.
There is opportunity here.
You know the story of the album that inspired the name of our organization, right? Phonte, Big Pooh and 9th Wonder created a day-long listening session experience with their debut album. The title track itself carried a bounty of symbolism that captured exactly what I wanted this organization to feel like. There’s another song on the album, however, that provides a bit more storytelling and lays down the ground work for another page in our story. But first, consider the phrase.
Get Up.
Little Brother’s song (which is NSFW and is probably experienced best with your favorite headphones) conveys an energy that is undeniable. But that can pretty much describe their sound in general. Since their debut, their approach to music has been simple: dope beats, dope rhymes - a concept that was novel in the early aughts. They regularly promised something “new”, and in their song “The Get Up”, they extend an invitation to the listener to join them, get active, and…well, get up. Get active. Get involved. Pay attention.
So where does The Listening (the organization, not the album or song) fit in?
Before everything changed almost exactly twelve months ago, The Listening has been steadily changing and growing in our activity. From open mic sessions in crowded coffeehouses to newspaper covers, the glow-up has been real. Even as the pandemic required us to show up in different ways, we’ve been able to continue stop, collaborate and listen. We’ve kept it simple for the most part, but we’re at a point in our growth were we need to press the gas towards sustainability.
We want to be around for a while.
It’s time to level up, and we need your help to do it.
We would like to welcome you to The Get-Up.
Yes, the subject-verb agreement is a fluid concept.
Yes, it’s gonna be dope.
The get-up for what we do is very layered, and as has been said many times, we don’t do this for entertainment. Just as Little Brother used the get-up in their song, we’re using it for nearly all of its definitions. Our get-up (in terms of what we’re made of) is simple, but evolving. At the same time, we’re inviting you to get-up (in terms of participation and engagement). The Listening is able to fill a void in our community, and it is only possible because of donors like you.
As a nonprofit organization, we can only grow with your support. Research shows that regular giving is key to the survival of organizations like ours. Recurring giving, whether it be once a week, once a month, or once a quarter, is a predictable method of support that we can rely on and that you can plan on.
At the same time, we want to continue connecting and growing with our supporters. Dropping by once a year for the Philanthropy Rat Race is not our idea of building community. The Get-Up allows us to invest our time in some of our most loyal supporters. (NOTE: We definitely are working to align ourselves with Community-Centric Fundraising, where the focus continues to be on the mission of serving the community over appeasing the funders. Click here for info on their principles.)
As a part of The Get-Up, you’ll receive:
Quarterly Newsletters, with updates, video and photos from our programs and events!
Exclusive stickers from The Listening to welcome you!
An annual surprise year-end souvenir (expect something different each year!)
Preferred seating at our annual Donor Appreciation Event
Seasonal Exclusive Playlists, available only on Spotify