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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-734-E Cedar Ridge Cultural Explosion arts grant DocuSign Envelope ID:44D3DBCB-4533-455D-8575-E6B5F754CA86 �i G ORANGE COUNTY ARTS COMMISSION September 26, 2019 Intisar Hamidullah Cedar Ridge High School (Orange County Schools) 1125 New Grady Brown School Road Hillsborough, NC 27278 GRANT AWARD LETTER Fiscal Year 2020 Grant Category ®Grassroots Arts Program ❑Artist Project Grant Program Funding Source ®North Carolina Arts Council ❑Orange County Award $1458.27 Date July 1, 2019 End Date June 30, 2020 OCAC Report Due Monday,July 13, 2020 Project Title LI) Hip Hop and Jazz Ensemble Performance at Cultural Explosion Stipulations NGrantee must spend $375 on the hiring of multicultural artists specified in the grant application. ❑Grantee must properly credit the Orange County Arts Commission using the proper logo on all publicity materials. Download logos on the OCAC website at E https://artsorange.org/grants/grantee-resources NGrantee must properly credit the Orange County Arts Commission and the N.C. Arts Council using the proper logos AND N.C. Arts Council credit line on all publicity materials. Download logos and view proper credit line language on the OCAC website at EI) https://artsorange.org/grants/grantee-resources NThe Grant Recipient must enter all events, exhibits, and performances open to the public and related to this grant award on the Orange County Arts Commission website at www.artsorange.org/events. In addition,the Grant Recipient must add a link to www.artsorange.org (Orange County Arts Commission logo preferred)to their main webpage. Staff Contact Katie Murray, Director (919)245-2335 1 kmurray@orangecountync.gov It DocuSign Envelope ID:44D3DBCB-4533-455D-8575-E6B5F754CA86 0 Ei RAP, ,as!M� North �■ ■� + Carolina Arts ORANGE COUNTY ARTS COMMISSION '��� �/� Council it �+ G o u EMT Y Y S 2019-20 GRANT AGREEMENT ' r ` .40■' Fifty years ��klAl C551 qM t■■ � ■■r ❑fleodership THIS AGREEMENT, entered into this 1 day of October, 2019, by and between Orange County ("County"), by and through the Orange County Arts Commission ("Arts Commission") and Cedar Ridge High School ("Grant Recipient"). WHEREAS, the Arts Commission is a countywide arts agency that ensures the growth of local arts experiences by providing funding and support for diverse high quality programs and projects. WHEREAS, the Arts Commission administers the annual Grants Program to provide economic opportunities to Orange County artists and non-profit organizations coordinating arts projects benefiting the citizens of Orange County. WHEREAS, the annual Arts Grants Program is supported by Arts Commission with funds from the Grassroots Arts Program of the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, a state agency. WHEREAS, the Grant Recipient was selected by the Arts Commission to receive the annual Arts Grant through the procedures duly adopted by the Arts Commission; and WHEREAS, both parties wish to promote and maintain the integrity and clarity of the Grant Recipient's ideas and statements and delineate the Grant Recipient's obligations to the County; NOW, THEREFORE, the County and the Grant Recipient, for the consideration and under the conditions hereinafter set forth, agree as follows: 1. Approved Grant Project. Grant funds are provided under this Agreement for the project ("Project") described in the Grant Recipient's Grant Application, attached hereto and incorporated herein as Exhibit A. 2. Grant Award. Grant funds in an amount not to exceed one thousand four hundred fifty eight dollars and twenty seven cents ($ 1458.27) have been awarded by the Arts Commission to the Grant Recipient for the approved Project. The Recipient shall be required to match funds at least dollar-for-dollar with cash from the Grant Recipient's funds not derived from either Orange County appropriations or the North Carolina Arts Council, as outlined in the attached Exhibit A. 3. Contingency. This grant is contingent on North Carolina Arts Council Grassroots Program funding to the Arts Commission. Final decisions on Grassroots Program funds to the North Carolina Arts Council are subject to approval by the North Carolina General Assembly. 4. Responsibilities of the Grant Recipient 1 Revised July 2018 DocuSign Envelope ID:44D3DBCB-4533-455D-8575-E6B5F754CA86 A. Implementation. The Project implementation shall take place between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020. The Project shall be implemented in the manner described in Exhibit A. Time is of the essence in the implementation of the Project. B. Modifications to project. Grant Recipient shall present major changes to the original proposal, including but not limited to changes in design, implementation schedule and increase in Project budget by more than 10%, in writing to the Arts Commission for approval. Arts Commission shall approve or disapprove Grant Recipient's request for modifications within seven (7) days of receipt thereof. Consent to project modifications shall not be unreasonably withheld. Arts Commission's decisions shall be in writing. In the event the Arts Commission fails to approve or disapprove the requested modifications within the time stated herein, the modifications shall be deemed approved. C. Non—assignment. The grant cannot be assigned or transferred to a different project or artist without prior written approval of the Arts Commission. D. Records. Grant Recipient must maintain records and other evidence pertaining to costs incurred and revenues acquired during the Project implementation. Grant Recipient shall maintain financial records pertaining to the Project for three (3) years from the date of this Agreement, in case of audit. E. Use of Funds. Grant Recipient shall not use the grant funds to repay outstanding taxes or other debts of any nature. The grants shall be utilized solely for the purpose described in the attached Exhibit A. F. Final Report. Grant Recipient shall submit to the Arts Commission a Final Report on July 13, 2020. The Final Report shall be in the format required by the North Carolina Arts Council. Failure to submit the Final Report or late submission of the Final Report, for any reason, shall be grounds for denial and/or cancellation of grant funds for the Project and future grant proposals. 5. Responsibilities of the Arts Commission A. Payment. The Arts Commission shall release the grant funds in the amount of $1458.27 to the Grant Recipient. 6. Publicity A. Acknowled eg ment. Credit must be given to the Orange County Arts Commission and/or the North Carolina Arts Council using the proper logo(s) and credit line in brochures, news releases, programs, and all other printed and online publications. Copies of such printed materials must accompany the evaluation report. Official Orange County Arts Commission and North Carolina Arts Council logos may be downloaded at www.artsorange.org/grantee-resources and may not be altered in any way. When no printed information is used, verbal 2 Revised July 2018 DocuSign Envelope ID:44D3DBCB-4533-455D-8575-E6B5F754CA86 credit shall be given. In addition, all print and promotional material must include the following credit line and logo(s) (check all that apply): i. County Funds Only. Orange County Arts Commission logo required. Credit line required for audio projects: "This program is supported by the Orange County Arts Commission." ii. x North Carolina Arts Council Funding. The Orange County Arts Commission and the North Carolina Arts Council logos are required. Credit line: "This program is supported by the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. " B. The Grant Recipient must enter all events, exhibits, and performances open to the public and related to this grant award on the Orange County Arts Commission website at www.artsorange.m/events. In addition, the Grant Recipient must add a link to www.artsorange.org (Orange County Arts Commission logo preferred) to their main webpage. 7. Indemnity. The Grant Recipient agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the County, the Arts Commission and the North Carolina Arts Council and their officers and employees from any and all claims or actual injury, damage or loss to a person, or real or personal property that results from or is in any way connected to the use of the grant funds. 8. Independent Contractor. The Grant Recipient is an independent contractor and not an employee, agent or other representative of the County and/or the Arts Commission. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to create the relationship of principal and agent, or employer and employee, between Grant Recipient and Arts Commission or Orange County Government. Grant Recipient understands and agrees that he/she is not authorized to incur any expenses or any liability whatsoever on behalf of the County or the Arts Commission and has no authority, expressed or implied, to obligate or make representations on behalf of the County or the Arts Commission. In addition, Grant Recipient agrees to maintain his or her own worker's compensation insurance for himself/herself and his or her employees for the duration of the art work's installation. 9. Termination A. In the event of any of the circumstances set forth below (hereinafter referred to as "default"), the Arts Commission may immediately terminate this Agreement: (i) Any fraudulent representation in any verification required to obtain payment under this Agreement or other dishonesty on a material matter relating to the performance of services under this Agreement. (ii) Nonperformance, incomplete service or performance, or failure to satisfactorily perform any part of the Project or to comply with any provision of this Agreement, as determined by the Arts Commission in its sole discretion. 3 Revised July 2018 DocuSign Envelope ID:44D3DBCB-4533-455D-8575-E6B5F754CA86 (iii) Failure to adhere to the terms of applicable county, state or federal laws, regulations, or stated public policy. B. In the event of default by the Grant Recipient, the Arts Commission has the discretion to elect to terminate this Agreement, in whole or in part and/or require the Grant Recipient to repay the grant funds within seven (7) from written notice of default or allow the grant recipient the opportunity to cure the default. This clause shall not be interpreted to limit the County's or the Arts Commission's remedies in law or in equity. 10. Miscellaneous. A. Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the attachments contain the final and entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement. All modifications and amendments to this Agreement shall be in writing. This Agreement shall be binding upon the parties, their heirs, successors and assigns. B. Governing Law. Governing Law and Priority Both parties agree that this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of North Carolina and Orange County. Grant Recipient shall at all times remain in compliance with all applicable local, state, and federal laws, rules, and regulations including but not limited to all state and federal anti-discrimination laws, policies, rules, and regulations and the Orange County Non-Discrimination Policy and Orange County Living Wage Policy (each policy is incorporated herein by reference and may be viewed at htip://www.oran eg countync. og v/departments/purchasing division/contracts.php.). Any violation of this requirement is a breach of this Agreement and Arts Commission may immediately terminate this Agreement without further obligation on the part of the Arts Commission. This paragraph is not intended to limit and does not limit the definition of breach to discrimination. By executing this Agreement the Grant Recipient certifies that they has not been identified, and has not utilized the services of any agent or subcontractor identified, on the list created by the State Treasurer pursuant to G.S. 147-86.58. By executing this Agreement the Grant Recipient certifies that they has not been identified, and has not utilized the services of any agent or subcontractor identified, on the list created by the State Treasurer pursuant to G.S. 147-86.81. By executing this Agreement Grant Recipient affirms they are and shall remain in compliance with Article 2 of Chapter 64 of the North Carolina General Statutes. In determining the basic services to be provided, should any documents be referenced in or attached to this Agreement, the terms herein shall have priority in any conflict between the terms of referenced documents and the terms of this Agreement. C. Dispute Resolution: Neither party may initiate binding arbitration. Any disputes shall be resolved by nonbinding mediation. If such mediation fails either party may initiate litigation to resolve the dispute. Should either party initiate litigation to settle any dispute involving the terms of this Agreement such litigation shall be 4 Revised July 2018 DocuSign Envelope ID:44D3DBCB-4533-455D-8575-E6B5F754CA86 initiated in the General Court of Justice of North Carolina seated in Orange County,North Carolina. D. Signatures. This Agreement together with any amendments or modifications may be executed electronically. All electronic signatures affixed hereto evidence the intent of the Parties to comply with Article 11A and Article 40 of North Carolina General Statute Chapter 66. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Orange County and the Grant Recipient have signed this Grant Agreement, effective on the last date this Agreement is signed by both parties as indicated by the dates set forth under signatures below. For and on behalf of the Grant Recipient OacuSigned by'. 1"260569A01974D7 10/8/2019 . 'incipal Date For and on behalf of Orange County Government �ocu5igned by: �6lnJVUl. pu�KALYS 10/9/2019 0637994B755E477.. —junty Manager Date 5 Revised July 2018 DocuSign Envelope ID:44D3DBCB-4533-455D-8575-E6B5F754CA86 Orange County Arts Commission Powered by Submittable [� Organization Name Cedar Ridge High School 06/03/2019 (Orange County Schools) id. 13264421 by Intisar Hamidullah in 2019-20 Grassroots Arts Program Grant Application intisar.hamidullah@orange.k12.nc.us Original application 06/03/2019 APPLICANT Please tell us about your organization. INFORMATION Mailing Address of 1125 New Grady Brown School Road Organization Hillsborough, NC 27278 How did you hear Other about our grant program? Did you or a Yes representative of your orgnanization attend one of our grants training sessions? Nature of Arts Education Provider Organization Schools Only: If you No are requesting funds for teaching artists, performing artists, or artists-in-residence, are you booking the artist(s) through The ArtsCenter's Arts in Schools Program? DocuSign Envelope ID:44D3DBCB-4533-455D-8575-E6B5F754CA86 Organization Cedar Ridge High School, located in Hillsborough, is one of two Description comprehensive public high schools in the Orange County Schools' district. In April 2020, Cedar Ridge High School will host Cultural Explosion, an Orange County Schools' district-wide event, for students and families within the district. Orange County Schools, comprised of 13 schools (7,484 students), includes seven elementary schools, three middle schools, two high schools and an alternative school, all of which are located in Hillsborough and Efland. All elementary schools in the district offer art and music special area classes that students visit once per week. Middle and high school students have the option of taking art, music, band, chorus and/or theatre (high school only) as elective courses, and most schools have after school cultural arts clubs that students can opt to join. Cultural Explosion, hosted by Orange County Schools, is the most well attended cultural arts event in the district each year. The evening is comprised of student performances, interactive culturally-themed booths and demonstrations, community organizations and international food vendors. Cultural Explosion brings together all schools — students, teachers and parents - in Orange County and the surrounding communities to celebrate and explore diverse cultures from around the world on a very deep level through hands-on experiences while simultaneously building connections within the community. With collaboration from many cultural arts and world languages teachers in the district, as well as community groups, the event has grown over the years into a culturally-rich learning experience for hundreds of students and their families. This will be the tenth year Orange County Schools has offered this event for students and families in the district. Approximately 1,200 students and their families are expected to attend, and they will have multiple opportunities for learning about a variety of cultures across the globe in one venue. During FY19-20, will No your organization receive operational support funding from the North Carolina Arts Council or the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources? Organization's EIN 566001090 Organization http://www.orangecountyfirst.com/ Website Authorizing Official's Intisar Hamidullah Name Authorizing Official's Principal, Cedar Ridge High School Title DocuSign Envelope ID:44D3DBCB-4533-455D-8575-E6B5F754CA86 Authorizing Official's 919-245-4000, ext 21003 Phone Authorizing Official's Intisar.Hamidullah@orange.k12.nc.us Email Applicant Race Black/African American Free and Reduced 35% Lunch Percentage Financial Overview 1949da31-5cee-4c5e-8b3a-c7cbf9e41 d50.xlsx Organizational Financial Statements 2017-2018_Budget_Cu ltu ral_Explosion.xlsx 2018-2019_Budget_Cu ltu ral_Explosion.xlsx 2019-2020_Budget_Cultural_Explosion.xlsx Deficit/Surplus N/A PROJECT/PROGRAMTell us about your project or program INFORMATION Title of Grant Hip Hop and Jazz Ensemble Performance at Cultural Explosion Request Grant Amount $1500 Requested Is the person in Yes charge of this program or project different from the Authorizing Official? Project Director Tracy Thomas Name Project Director Title Parent Involvement Facilitator Project Director 2208 Bartlett Circle Street Address Hillsborough, NC 27278 Project Director 919-360-2361 Phone Project Director tracy.thomas@orange.k12.nc.us Email DocuSign Envelope ID:44D3DBCB-4533-455D-8575-E6B5F754CA86 What are you A specific program or project requesting funding for? Project/Program Funding from the Orange County Arts Commission will support the Summary hip hop and jazz ensemble - The Beast - to perform on stage at Cultural Explosion. Now in its twelfth year, The Beast is an innovative and electrifying hip hop and jazz ensemble dedicated to education and cultural outreach. From Durham, The Beast is a home-grown artistic force, mixing tap-dancers, puppeteers, and spoken word artists into its repertoire. The group has developed workshops on creativity, improvisation, and the history of African-American music based on the Blackademics Hip Hop Curriculum founded by emcee and vocalist Pierce Freelon. During Cultural Explosion, The Beast (comprised of a vocalist, drummer, keyboardist and bassist) will perform on an outside stage and captivate the audience with their entertaining and educational style. Their performance, titled "SANKOFA: African American Music from Spirituals to Hip Hop," will allow students and families to engage in call and response through interactive songwriting and improvisation. Students will learn about the oral tradition through the West African storyteller/poet known as the Griot; explore coded language in Spirituals; join musicians on stage to discover improvisation in Jazz; learn call and response in Reggae, and dance to some classic Hip Hop. The performance will be tailored to appropriately suit elementary, middle and high school audiences and will expose students to various music genres, as well as teach them African-American history in an engaging, fun way. Project Start Date April 1, 2020 (no earlier than July 1, 2019) Project End Date (no April 30, 2020 later than June 30, 2020) Project Goals The goals of Cultural Explosion (and the performance by The Beast) are: • to provide an avenue for students and families to explore and learn about diverse cultures, which directly links to many Social Studies standards, thus enhancing academic proficiency • to allow students and families from diverse cultures to share their own traditions and experiences with others so they feel they have something to offer, which in turn makes them feel more connected to their schools and local communities • to provide an accessible learning opportunity to all students and families regardless of income • to build connections and relationships with members of the community DocuSign Envelope ID:44D3DBCB-4533-455D-8575-E6B5F754CA86 Cirruculum and Students will be learning African-American history through music Enrichment (improvisation, storytelling, etc.) The performance will be tied to the Social Studies Essential Standards for grades K-12, which includes understanding that history tells a story of how people and events changed society over time (first grade), understanding how diverse cultures are visible in local and regional communities (third grade), understanding how different cultures influenced North Carolina (eighth grade), etc. In addition, the performance is also connected to the Music Essential Standards (K-12), such as understanding the interacting elements to respond to music and music performances and exemplifying how music is used by various groups for artistic expression within the local community. Many students do not have opportunities to see live performances outside of school, and often times even those are few and far between. Cultural Explosion is a free district event, so it is accessible for all students and families regardless of their socioeconomic backgrounds. They can watch an up close, live, on-stage musical performance and engage with artists/musicians from their own community, which is enriching to their social, emotional and academic development. Audience Description While Cedar Ridge High School is hosting the event, Cultural Explosion is for all student (grades K-12), as well as their families, in the Orange County Schools' district. Attendance at the event is expected to be representative of the population of students in the district. There are 7,484 students in the elementary, middle and high schools of Orange County Schools. Of the student body, 52%are male and 48%are female. Students in elementary school are between 5 and 11 years old, middle 11 and 14 years old and high school 14 and 18 years old. The following is a breakdown of race/ethnicity for Orange County Schools as a whole, and it is expected those in attendance will closely resemble this same demographic: White — 56%, Hispanic — 24%, African-American — 14%, Multi-Racial: 5%, Asian — 1%, American Indian — <1%, Pacific Islander - <1%. Approximately 44%of students within Orange County Schools receive free/reduced lunch. Location Description Cultural Explosion will take place at Cedar Ridge High School in Hillsborough. Students and families in Orange County Schools, coming from Hillsborough, Efland and Mebane, will attend. While the school is two levels, all activities at Cultural Explosion will take place on the ground floor and in designated outside areas, which are all accessible for individuals with disabilities. The hallways in the school are very wide, and bathrooms are handicap accessible. DocuSign Envelope ID:44D3DBCB-4533-455D-8575-E6B5F754CA86 Artist Description The Beast is made up of the following musicians: Pierce Freelon (emcee/vocalist), Eric Hirsh (keyboard/synthesizing/programming), Stephen Coffman (drums) and Pete Kimosh (bass). The Beast was chosen because of the band's relatability to young audiences and strong connection to culture and education. The Cultural Explosion Planning Committee strives to reach diverse, new audiences every year, and this hip hop/jazz ensemble would bring a fresh, exciting energy to the event. Pierce Freelon, the emcee and vocalist for The Beast, is a professor, director, musician, Emmy-award winning producer and former candidate for Mayor of Durham. With a BA in African and African- American Studies from UNC-Chapel Hill and an MA in Pan African Studies from Syracuse University, he has taught music, political science and African-American studies at UNC-Chapel Hill and North Carolina Central University. He is the founder of Blackspace, a digital maker space in Durham where young people learn about music, film and coding. He is also the youngest person to be appointed by the Governor to serve on the North Carolina Arts Council board and has served on the board of the Durham Library Foundation, Nasher Museum of Art, KidZnotes and others. Eric Hirsh, keyboardist, synthesizer and programmer for The Beast, has been writing and performing for the last twelve years in Durham. He is a 2012 recipient of the North Carolina Arts Council Composer Fellowship, and a four-time winner of the Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award. He has performed with the North Carolina Symphony and the North Carolina Jazz Repertory to name a couple. Recently he came out with his debut album, "Distillation." Stephen Coffman, drummer for The Beast, earned a music performance scholarship — specifying in Jazz -to UNC-Chapel Hill after high school. Upon graduating he toured throughout the country with the world renowned Michael Jackson Tribute Band, Who's Bad, and had enormous success. In addition to playing in The Beast, he also plays with the band Peter Lamb and the Wolves, a traditional New Orleans Jazz band, and NCJRO, North Carolina's most celebrated Jazz orchestra. Pete Kimosh, bassist for The Beast, is deeply rooted in jazz, but has also found his voice in a wide variety of genres including hip-hop, salsa, funk, rock, orchestral, chamber-soul and any combination of the above. In addition to playing in The Beast, he also plays with Shana Tucker, Orquesta GarDel and Peter Lamb and the Wolves. He is also a producer and recording engineer and runs Steady State Studios in Durham, NC. Are you hiring Yes multicultural artists with the requested funds from this grant? DocuSign Envelope ID:44D3DBCB-4533-455D-8575-E6B5F754CA86 What is the total 375 amount you will pay the multicultural artists with the funds you receive from this grant? How will the Because Cultural Explosion is a district-wide event there will be project/program be multiple forms of publicity disseminated out to families throughout publicized and the school year. An initial "save the date" will be emailed to all promoted to reach families from the district office, and schools will begin advertising the intended event in Fall 2019. During this same time period, the Cultural participants? Explosion Planning Committee will begin reaching out to student performance groups and booth participants, and a promotional flyer will be printed and sent home to all students. In addition, students will have the opportunity to participate in a poster contest and multicultural mask contest, and winners from elementary, middle and high poster contest will have their artwork on the final promotional poster for the event. These posters will be hung up in all Orange County Schools' schools and communicated electronically via emails from the district, emails from individual schools and social media. Beginning two months prior to the event, auto calls from the district will be sent out every other week encouraging attendance and participation from students and families. As part of the partnership with The ArtsCenter through the Artist in Residency program, many student groups showcase their artwork from residencies and/or perform on stage. As a result, The ArtsCenter also promotes the event electronically via social media, as well as through letters/emails to parents who have students participating. How will you This will be the tenth year Orange County Schools has sponsored evaluate the success Cultural Explosion, and the third time Cedar Ridge High School has of the program? hosted the event. A committee of teachers, many from the art and world languages departments, help plan and publicize the event each year beginning in the Fall. The committee component allows teachers to share ideas, reflect on past years (what worked and didn't work) and elicit feedback from students, families and teachers who attended. The same will be done for the event in 2020. Booth participants and performers will also be asked for feedback in order to strengthen the program for future years. In addition, attendance numbers at the event will be measured and compared to past years, as well as student engagement during the performance. PROJECT/PROGRAM Please fill out the charts below with your project's expenses and BUDGET income. Use the "Explanation" box to offer details for each category. NOTE: The Total Cash Expense must equal the Total Cash Income. DocuSign Envelope ID:44D3DBCB-4533-455D-8575-E6B5F754CA86 NOTE FOR Only requests for program/project funds need to submit a PANELISTS program/project budget. Requests for operating funds should be evaluated using the organization's financial docs submitted under "Organization Information." Project Expense 6a624c1 c-eea7-48c9-a540-a8e8ec145115.xlsx Project Income ead955f9-a9d7-4325-afba-0c167c654d84.xlsx Resumes of artists/administrators Pierce_Freelon_Resume.pdf E ric_Hi rs c h_B iog ra p hy.d ocx Pete_Kimosh_Biography.docx Stephen_Coffman_Biography.docx TRACY THOMAS_RESUME_1_1.docx Board of Directors List Orange_County_Schools_Board_of Education.docx IRS Tax Exemption Doc umentation_of Tax_Exempt_Status.pdf Publicity Samples 2019_Cultural_Explosion_Performance_Prog ram_FINAL.pdf Cu Itural_Explosion_Poster.jpg Work Samples Work_Samples.pdf Video Sample: https://youtu.be/EwbxFkxjKYo?list=UUEXyH78eAd9JcCWmml8GLzg External Link Letters of support (optional)