Music, Media, Activism, and Aloha! with Makana and Katie McMillan from Hawaii

When Hawaii-based slack key guitar player Makana was asked to play for President Obama and other world leaders, he saw it not only as an opportunity to showcase his musical talent, but also an opportunity to get a powerful message to world leaders. His plan resulted in major media coverage from outlets such as CNN and Yahoo and, through his music, he galvanized a community hungry for social change. His song "We Are the Many" was called the “Occupy Anthem” by Rolling Stone Magazine.

Listen to "We Are the Many" here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xq3BYw4xjxE

Katie McMillan founded TEDxMaui, and along with a small team, has produced two very successful events that have been seen by over a million viewers. Not only have two TEDxMaui talks been selected for TED.com, the event has also inspired local residents to launch numerous innovative businesses. Perhaps, the most exciting result, is that it has inspired local youth to dream big and share their ideas. The first TEDxMauiYouth event will take place in April 2014.

Join Makana and Katie McMillan as they share their experiences on the power of art and digital media to impact social change.

From the tactical to the visionary, this is an opportunity to learn from two individuals who have merged their desire to create a better world into their life’s work. What have they learned? What are the challenges and risks? Where are the opportunities and gifts? How can you build a successful career with a social mission?

Following this conversation, Makana will perform a few songs from his new album Ripe.

About Makana

Described as “dazzling” by the New York Times, Makana is an internationally acclaimed guitarist, singer, and composer who is widely known for lending his musical talent for social change. His guitar playing has been featured on three Grammy-nominated albums, including the soundtrack of the Academy-Award winning film “The Descendants”. In 2011, at the apex of the “Occupy” movement, Makana’s song We Are the Many went viral on YouTube garnering more than half a million views and was coined the “Occupy Anthem” by Rolling Stone magazine. His unexpected performance of the song at an APEC World Leaders’ Dinner hosted by the Obamas also went viral and became the #1 news story on Yahoo worldwide for two days. Makana's captivating and wide-ranging performance style has led him to share the stage with Jason Mraz and Jack Johnson, as well as open for music legends such as Sting, Carlos Santana, Elvis Costello, and more. His sound, while rooted in the tradition of Hawaiian slack key guitar, encompasses multiple genres to include folk, pop, world and his own unique style coined “slack rock”. Makana's latest album Ripe was produced by multi-platinum producer Ron Nevison (The Who, Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones), along with Grammy-award winning keyboardist, composer, arranger Jeff Bova (Celine Dion, Michael Jackson, Eric Clapton) as well as renowned producer Mitchell Froom (Crowded House, Elvis Costello, Bonnie Raitt). With music ranging from Hawaiian classics to sexy love ballads to songs of resistance, Makana is not only keeping Hawaii’s musical traditions alive–he’s evolving them.

This event is free and open to the public. Parking is $3 in the Core West Parking Garage. More parking information is online at http://kresge.ucsc.edu/commonground/about/parking.html

For more information, please contact commonground [at] ucsc.edu