In partnership with The Spot on Kirk, BUZZ is proud to present a new 30-minute talk show called BUZZ LIVE! that’s designed to be a “Tonight Show” for nonprofits!
Dear Hive:
In honor of the seventh day of Christmas – and with apologies to those swans a-swimming – I offer up these “7 Bees a-BUZZing” highlights of 2024!
Now that Giving Tuesday is over, let me share why I regret Giving Tuesday.
Yesterday I received at least 43 emails from 27 different nonprofit organizations asking for my support on #GivingTuesday. This doesn’t count all the texts, social media posts and so forth.
Mind you, I don’t fault the nonprofits. They’re taking advantage of this one day — fabricated with good intentions, I’m sure, in 2012 — to inspire us to think beyond ourselves during the holiday hustle and donate to these organizations that bind us together when so many other institutions have failed.
But the unintended consequence of Giving Tuesday is a further relegation of nonprofits to subservient status. By hyping this one day for charitable giving, we suggest that the countless causes with which nonprofits grapple aren’t important the other 364 days.
We just finished premiering our latest round of six BUZZ in Birmingham episodes on Alabama Public Television. Watch now on demand to see how we highlighted and helped the nonprofits Nurse-Family Partnership, United Ability, Small Magic, College Choice Foundation, and the Alabama Association of Nonprofits!
On the eve of Election Day, please allow me to share my welcome remarks from our recent BUZZ in Birmingham preview party:
“Good evening everyone. My name is Michael Hemphill and it’s my privilege to be the creator of this TV show called BUZZ, which I launched in 2020 to highlight and help nonprofit organizations.
For the last 20+ years I’ve worked in the nonprofit world in and around my home in Virginia, where I’ve developed a deep passion for these charitable organizations because they literally do everything!
Have a tissue nearby as you learn about the incredible people serving, and served by, Children’s Assistive Technology Service in our 52nd episode of BUZZ.
Join our free Watch Party on October 10, 5:30 pm Central, at Red Mountain Theatre Arts Campus when we preview our newest episodes of BUZZ television show highlighting and helping nonprofits in Birmingham, Alabama!
The Watch Party will include hors d’oeuvres, cash bar … and an opportunity for the greater Birmingham community to meet and greet the stars in our shows and learn more about their missions: Nurse-Family Partnership, United Ability, Small Magic, College Choice Foundation, and the Alabama Association of Nonprofits’ Micro-Film Initiative.
You’ve seen him on BUZZ as a spoken word artist extraordinaire. As a healing therapist for people suffering depression. And as the heart and soul behind “It’s Here!” – his tribute to his beloved city that we featured in our episode highlighting Art & Economic Development in Roanoke, Virginia.
He’s even voiced Motown-singing female meerkats on internationally acclaimed Cece Bell’s newest book Animal Albums from A-Z.
Now Bryan “Harvest Blaque” Hancock takes the spotlight as we celebrate the release of his second album, The Care Package, on August 15, 6:00 p.m., at Hotel Roanoke’s AKA Lounge! Listen and watch the music video of Dear God which dropped June 14.
As originally broadcast July 17, 2024, on Blue Ridge PBS …
Celebrate a milestone with us as we present our 50th episode of BUZZ on PBS!
BUZZ has earned 2 Emmy Award nominations!
Our “Staying Connected through Art at Roanoke City Public Schools” episode — produced in partnership with Roanoke Cultural Endowment and Art in Roanoke — received the nod in the Education/Schools (Long Form Content) category. And our feature of The Least of These homeless shelter was nominated in the Societal Concerns (Long Form Content) category.
