Ben Cohen's socially conscious workshop

Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Ben Cohen has spent nearly four decades working to bring the world some of the best ice cream and yogurt with some of the best names from his home base in Burlington, VT. Now the Socially-conscious, entrepreneur is heavily-invested in freezing big money out of the American political system via a Constitutional Amendment through his Stamp Stampede campaign. He will be on hand to personally lead a workshop about the ins and outs of getting money out of politics during the opening day of the Virginia Key Grass Roots Festival of Music, Art & Dance’s Culture Camp on February 15, 2015, beginning at 9 am.

The Stampede utilizes the viral way that paper currency circulates to create a “petition on steroids” by turning money into media. The way to do it is simple: legally rubber-stamping messages like “Not 2 B Used for Bribing Politicians” and “Stamp Money Out of Politics” on the nation’s currency. More than 30,000 people from every state in the union are now participating.

The workshop will begin with a humorous anecdotal history of Ben and Jerry’s, the theory and practice of socially responsible business, and how the Stampede grew out of those same values. Featured activities include: a demonstration of the Stampede Machine, a live participative enactment of Pete Seeger’s “Giant Seesaw Parable;” and money stamping (Stampede stamps will be available for purchase). Participants are encouraged to bring lots of dollar bills with them for stamping (they get to keep their money after it’s been adorned).

The marketing and political organization of the Stampede, which now involves more than a million Americans, will be covered in the context of America’s campaign reform movement. Discussions will also include the current state of policy both nationally and in each state. Plenty of ice cream and stamps will fuel the discussion.

The location of this and all events is the Historic Virginia Key Beach Park, 4020 Virginia Beach Drive. Culture Camp tickets are available online - view the full schedule and purchase tickets online, click here. The cost to attend each day of unlimited workshops is $25 and includes dinner and a dance. Children under 12 are admitted free to all events.

To learn more about the Stampede campaign, visit stampstampede.org.  
For more information about the festival, call 786.409.5261.