Pink Ribbons, Inc. Film Screening and Panel Discussion
Are you interested in cause-related marketing?
Does someone you know have cancer?
Are you raising money for a nonprofit?
Whether you have a personal interest in breast cancer, non-profit fundraising or cause-related marketing, there’s plenty for you to think about in the new documentary film, Pink Ribbons, Inc., which I’m bringing to Charlotte on MAY 3 at 6:00pm.
The screening and panel discussion will take place at Gorelick Hall in the Jewish Community Center, 5007 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC 28226 at 6:00pm on Thursday MAY 3.
Instead of marching against the man, we shop for a cure
Pink Ribbons, Inc. looks at how the breast cancer movement has moved from activism to consumerism and challenges viewers to rethink their assumptions about the meaning of breast cancer in our society.
Featuring interviews with an array of experts, authors, activists and medical professionals, the film also includes the participation of leading players in breast cancer fundraising and marketing. It also addresses the disturbing practice of “pink washing,” which is when a company that manufacturers products that increase the risk of breast cancer in turn raises money to fight the disease.
Talk back to the experts
After the film, I will facilitate a panel discussion with these experts:
- Tracy Cook-Brewton, of the Sisters Network Carolinas, Inc., which serves the breast health needs of African-American women, will address the point that breast cancer is marketed as a disease that strikes middle-class Caucasian women. She will provide information about how this affects access to care and treatment.
- Ann Fox, PhD, Associate Professor of English and Gender Studies Concentration Coordinator at Davidson College, who is interested in the “prettiness” versus “power” factor of the ubiquitous pink ribbon.
- Neel Stallings, Susan G. Komen for the Cure Outstanding volunteer of the year (2012) and Interim Director of the Charlotte Komen affiliate, will address the role of Komen affiliates, their degree of autonomy from the parent organization and the $11m granted since 1998 in the local area to underserved breast health needs.
- Rosemarie Tong, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Health Care Ethics in the Department of Philosophy and Director of the Center for Applied and Professional Ethics at UNC Charlotte, will speak to the ethical questions raised in the film.
Thanks to my pals at The Marketing Squad for discussing this topic with me from a marketing/branding perspective. Catch the podcast here (cue it to 22:00 for my segment).
Pinkwashing
This graphic does a better job describing it than 1000 of my words could.
Signing and Speaking in Seattle!
I love my life. I get to travel, ride motorcycles and meet great people for a living! If you’re in the Seattle area the first week of April, please get in touch. I’d love to grab a cuppa and hear YOUR story.
Signing books and riding motorcycles
On Friday, March 30 I’ll hit Seattle at 11am and be signing books at South Sound BMW by noon!
The South Sound team has asked me to stay until 2pm or until the throngs (ha!) disperse.
You know how much I love the Roundel, right? Well, I’ll be riding a F650GS around Seattle for five days thanks to TourUSA Motorcycle Rentals. I’ve ridden the F650GS before and look forward to its responsiveness in metro traffic. The only version of the GS line I absolutely cannot ride is the F800–I can’t even get my leg high enough to swing it over the seat!
East Coasters, if you want to ride the Pacific Northwest but don’t have time to ride all the way out there, consider renting from TourUSA and tell them I sent ya.
Saturday, March 31
I’ll be learning how to “ride like a cop” on a big CHiPs bike at Northwest Motorcycle School. I’ve never had a desire to OWN a big honking bike, but I’m looking forward to learning how to operate one (in a bucket-list kind of way).
I’ll be joined by two or three of my fellow Conga riders — that alone will make it fun for the spectators! I’ll bring the helmet cam. This school runs rain or shine, and as I’ve learned before, rain adds a layer of complexity to the learning experience; but I agree with the old saw that smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.
Tuesday, April 3 at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
When I visited Seattle a couple of months ago, the managers of Seattle Cancer Care Alliance’s cancer speciality store, Shine, fell in love with Live Full Throttle. They asked me to come back to sign books and speak to the patients staying in the SCCA House and the SCCA patient education department asked my Conga sis, Karen (pictured left), to team up with me for a evening presentation open to the entire community.
We have plans to razzle dazzle ‘em when we’re there April 3. We’ll start with a book signing/mix-&-mingle from 4-6pm and continue upstairs for the “formal” presentation from 6:30-8pm. Both events are free and we’d be delighted to speak to a full house! SCCA is at 207 Pontius Ave. North, Suite 101, Seattle.
Karen’s story
Karen cracking up in Shell, WY 2011
Karen’s got such a great story to tell–if you have a copy of Live Full Throttle, her story is in Lesson Four: You’re Terminal Too, Embrace It. Here’s an excerpt:
Given an eight-year prognosis, Karen says that while you can rail against it, pout, whine, deny, and try every new treatment, the real choice is whether you face cancer as a victim or a survivor. In the words of a true Pacific Northwesterner she resolved, “I’m not dead yet; I’m going to pilot this.” She doesn’t tell people she’s sick, “I’m no different than anyone else, I just have cancer.”
Karen had always wanted to learn how to drive a motorcycle but put it off because she was afraid she’d really love it and would therefore have to “do something about it.” She was right. I met her during our 2010 Conga, when she had been riding just a little over a year. By the time we met again in 2011 she was one of very few to pass a grueling motorcycle course designed by law enforcement officers to help civilians drive like cops.
If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to live life with a gift you never wanted, Karen’s got an inspirational message for you!
I’m hoping to get time with the good folks at Gilda’s Club, Cancer Lifeline, American Cancer Society Breast Cancer Resource Center, and a couple of Meetup groups while I’m in Seattle. Please let me know if there’s someone else in the area I need to know, ok?
Meet Me in Las Vegas!
My dad on his BMW K bike in Colorado
Mid-February I’ll be in Las Vegas spending time with family and bikers (in my dad’s case, that’s an overlap!).
If you are anywhere in the Las Vegas area please look me up:
- Women in the Wind Winter Ride In 2/16-19
- BMW Motorcycles of Las Vegas 2/17/12 at 5pm
- RideNow Powersports on Boulder 2/18/12 at 9am (including breakfast!)
My friend and Live Full Throttle collaborator, Christina Shook, will join me for a private signing event Sunday. This will give us a chance to practice our delivery for future events, including (we hope) the AMA Women in Motorcycling Conference in Carson City this July.
If you’d like to sponsor a signing event or recommend a conference please get in touch.
Breast Cancer,Inc.: Breast Cancer as an Industry
Since my involvement with breast cancer causes, I’ve become acutely aware of the commercialization of the disease. Looks like this filmmaker is ahead of me.
I see that the film will be shown in Richmond, VA on 2/10/12. My mother-in-law, whose breast cancer metastasized into bone cancer, is buried there. I’m inclined to go up and see the film and the panel discussion afterwards.
The film draws heavily on the book, Pink Ribbons, Inc. Breast Cancer and the Politics of Philanthropy.
Breast cancer advocacy is being transformed from meaningful civic participation into purchasing products.
The pink ribbon has come to symbolize efforts to find a cure for breast cancer. But it has also become a powerful symbol for corporate philanthropy, boosting the image of corporations, that promote products from yogurt to cars, slicing off a portion of proceeds to support breast cancer research. King, a women’s health issues scholar, explores the phenomenal growth of Pink Ribbons Inc.; the annual massing for the Susan G. Komen Foundation’s Race for the Cure 5K runs; and other high-profile events with huge corporate sponsorships. However admirable the effort to find a cure, King argues that it overwhelms efforts to learn how and why women get breast cancer and how it can be prevented. Prevention efforts could help more low-income women who lack the means to pay for treatment. King examines the history of philanthropy and how breast cancer became such a prominent cause, garnering far more support and publicity than other diseases, demonstrating the ability of American women to flex their political and economic muscle on behalf of an important cause. ~Vanessa Bush Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Book Tour: SoCal to Seattle
After a great book debut at Dilworth Billiards in North Carolina 12/8, I jumped on a flight the next morning for the West Coast to promote “Live Full Throttle” in cities where the International Motorcycle Show is touring.
Long Beach
Southern California was my first stop, and the show in Long Beach is one of the largest on the tour because so many companies have a presence in SoCal.
In addition to signing books and finding distributors for it, I met social media friends for the first time in real life (including moto-journalist Adam Mercado, aka @LeanAngles) shown here.
I saw several marvelous bikes in the “Dream Pavilion”including the Moto Guzzi v7 Racer, which made me swoon a little. I love the looks of a classic bike and of course the Italians are wonderful designers. My friend Neale Bayly, a moto-journalist, tells me it’s a sweet ride too.
Friday night I signed books at Yellow Devil Gear Exchange just a mile from the show. Yellow Devil has a terrific concept–a motorcycle swap and consignment shop with some brand new merchandise sprinkled in for good measure. You can find everything from helmets to racing suits and vintage “motorabelia” like posters and key chains.
San Francisco
After a quick flight up the coast Sunday night, I spent Monday with photographer Christina Shook, who collaborated with me on Live Full Throttle. We brainstormed book marketing while getting pedicures in Orinda (eat your heart out corporate marketing drones in your gopher cubes!). Later that night, over bowls of chili with friends, I rehearsed my book tour presentation. Thanks to their feedback and suggestions, the reception it got in Portland and Seattle at the end of the week was unanimously positive.
Motorcycle Gear Shopping
In an effort to improve my “big city” commuter skills I took BART (the train) from Christina’s to San Francisco’s Mission District, where I ate breakfast at the terribly-named but deliciously-stocked Pork Store with my friend Joanne Donn (aka @GearChic). Fortunately I didn’t have to make any transfers in my commutes. A lesson for another day.
Joanne then helped me find new Rev’It motorcycle pants at Scuderia West, also in the Mission District. What a treat, having a personal shopper! She knew which brands offer the functionality I need in cuts for my “American” proportions and emphasized the importance of proper fit. It hadn’t really occurred to me how dangerous my now-baggy gear had become (I’ve lost weight since I bought the gear in 2010), but skid pads slide away from the areas you want to protect when baggy gear meets the pavement. Ouch.
Marin County Cancer Institute
The next day was spent with friends across the bay in Novato, who took me to the Marin County Cancer Insitute, where one of them is being treated for breast cancer. I learned that Marin County is a breast cancer “hot spot,” which means the incidence of breast cancer per capita is extremely high.
After touring the Institute, I met Cancer Resource Specialist Diane Brandon (pictured right), who enthusiastically placed a copy of “Live Full Throttle” in the resource center and introduced me to the gift shop team, recommending the book for sale there. I fully expect to see the book in the gift shop soon!
Portland
Another quick flight brought me to Portland, where I signed books at Latus Motors, a Harley-Davidson dealership. 
My dear friend Nadine, who put me up at her farm and arranged the signing with Latus, ordered cupcakes with pink frosting ribbons from Safeway and we were both surprised when she picked up this cupcake cake instead. I’ve never seen so much frosting in my life!
Latus has a strong community of riders and in spite of rain and cold the week before Christmas, about 20 of them turned out to hear me talk about the Conga rides I’ve taken over the last two summers and the story behind “Live Full Throttle.” As with Long Beach, many of them were social media friends that I was happy to hug in the flesh.
New Friends Facing Cancer
In the middle of my talk, one woman dashed in with fresh news that a neighbor had just that day been diagnosed with cancer and asked me to quickly sign a book so that she could take it to him.
As often happens, one woman bought two books, one for herself and another for her sister. She had breast cancer a few years ago and her sister has a recent diagnosis.
An oncology nurse, whose father has cancer, surprised herself by crying during my talk. She thanked me for putting her in touch with feelings that her profession has caused her to sometimes repress.
On an upbeat note, I also met a wish grantor for “Make A Wish” and learned about the training and screening processes she went through to make wishes come true for children with life-threatening illnesses.
I’m grateful for the people and stories that keep coming into and blessing my life. As I’ve said before, motorcycling brought me to the cancer community quite unexpectedly. I’m here for a reason that is not clear to me just yet, and trust that I can be a channel for good as I continue walking this path.
Seattle
I love traveling by train, so I was delighted to learn that for $51 I could travel from Portland to Seattle on Amtrak’s Cascades line. Here’s a picture from the dining car.
Continuing my big-city commuter education, I jumped on a city bus instead of renting a car or hiring a cab to get to the apartment I had rented in the Lakeside area of Seattle. I find mass transportation to be sooooo convenient (and cheap). I wish my city, Charlotte, had a more complete system. We have a meager bus service and a tiny line of light rail. That’s it. I digress.
Speaking at the International Motorcycle Show
Saturday morning I opened the show with a talk on recommendations for newbie riders. After all, three months after I passed my licensing course last year I set off on a coast-to-coast journey, and repeated it this year, returning unschathed both times.
Since these trips involved fundraising with my Conga friends, I talked about traveling with a pink bra strapped across my bike’s windshield and gave some of the back story of “Live Full Throttle.” One of the women in the audience burst into tears when I told this story, then returned several minutes later to finish hearing what I had to say. Since she didn’t approach me, I am unsure what provoked her tears, but I bet was related to cancer.
Later that day I signed books at Ride West, a top-drawer BMW Dealership in Seattle. My Conga sis, Karen, joined me there and we horsed around on the bikes and talked to riders about don’t-miss routes in the NorthWest. Honestly, if you can’t be ON your motorcycle, the next best thing is to be at a motorcycle shop mixing it up with fellow riders!
Touring Seattle
Karen stayed with me through Monday, and as a Seattle native, took me to all the great spots in the city, including Pike Street Market. Note the two passing ferries in Elliott Bay, which I shot from Queen Anne’s Hill.
Seattle is a vibrant city and I have a little list of things to do next time I return, but I couldn’t live anywhere with so little direct sunlight. I had formed the idea that it rains a lot there, but was mistaken. However, the topography snags clouds, which both blocks sunlight and traps moisture. Karen tells me that the locals call it a “sunbreak” when the sun breaks through the clouds. No wonder they like strong coffee.
Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
Monday we toured the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA), where Karen is a patient (and whose doctor LOVES “Live Full Throttle”).
The SCCA’s patient areas are situated with lovely views of Elliott Bay through floor-to-ceiling windows. Eclectic art adorns the walls and corridors. I particularly enjoyed stepping into the little sanctuary, where visitors can sit on meditation cushions or chairs as they contemplate books and mementos from the world’s religions. Here’s a snapshot of the focal point. Note the kid-sized table and chairs below the adult-sized versions. After all, cancer affects people of all ages.
SCCA is a beautiful place and serves the only hospital food that I’ve ever truly enjoyed. Why do hospitals serve gray, greasy, over-processed and otherwise unhealth food, anyway? Another digression.
After speaking with the managers of the book and gift stores at SCCA, it looks like I’ll be back in Seattle in March for a book signing event. I may try to combine it with a visit to the EuroMoto show in nearby Lynnwood.
So this is how I combine motorcycling, writing, and humanitarianism. I am a truly fortunate woman.
Please tell me if you would like to host a speaking and signing event or if you know someone else who would. The rest of the IMS tour cities are listed here but I’m not limited to signing only in those cities.
West Coast Book Tour Schedule, December 2011
Thanks to everyone who came out to Live Full Throttle’s debut at Dilworth Billiards. Great pictures here by my friend Terry Pittman.
The next morning I jumped on a plane for my West Coast tour. Please find me and introduce yourself!
Friday, December 9, Yellow Devil Gear Exchange signing books from 6-8
Saturday and Sunday, December 10-11 International Motorcycle Show (IMS), Long Beach with the WRAPTER booth
Thursday, December 15, Latus Motors 4:00-6:00 pm (870 E. Berkeley St., Gladson, OR) (Portland area)
Saturday, December 17, IMS Seattle 10:30 am (Convention Center)
Saturday, December 17 at Ride West BMW 2:00-4:00pm (8100 Lake City Way NE, Seattle, WA)
Live Full Throttle Book Debut!
Please join me as I launch Live Full Throttle: Life Lessons From Friends Who Faced Cancer.
- When: Wednesday, December 7, 2011 from 5-7pm
- Where: 300 East Tremont Ave Charlotte, NC 28203 Dilworth Billiards
After riding my motorcycle through 25+ states with a pink bra strapped across the windshield for breast cancer causes, I’ve collected a lot of wit and wisdom about life from friends who faced cancer.
Drop by Dilworth Billiards any time from 5-7 to hear some of my friends’ stories. I’ll run slides from this year’s roadtrip on the wall and bring plenty of copies of the book.
Napoliltano’s will be there with Italian fare like paninis, pasta fagioli, minestrone and tuscan white bean soups, and chocolate ravioli for dessert.
If the weather permits, hang out around the koi pond in the courtyard or stay indoors and pick up a cue stick. Dilworth Billiards has been a great supporter, having hosted Think-Drink-Eat-Pink before I left for this year’s roadtrip.
I’d love to see you, whether you buy a book or just come to wish me well. Nothing formal; leave your tiara at home but bring a friend or co-worker.
Book Tour with the International Motorcycle Show
I’ll be following Progressive’s International Motorcycle Show this season as I introduce audiences in twelve major markets to my book, Live Full Throttle: Life Lessons from Friends Who Faced Cancer. Here’s the show schedule:
- November 18-20 San Mateo, CA
Tamela speaking at the 2010 International Motorcycle Show
- December 2-4 Dallas, TX
- December 9-11 Long Beach, CA
- December 16-18 Seattle, WA
- January 6-8 Novi, MI (near Detroit)
- January 13-15 Washington, DC
- January 20-22 New York, NY
- January 27-29 Cleveland, OH
- February 3-5 Minneapolis, MN
- February 10-12 Chicago, IL
- February 24-26 Charlotte, NC
- March 14-17 Daytona Beach, FL
Speaking at bookstores and motorcycle club events
While I’m in each of these fair cities I’ll be signing books and speaking about what I’ve learned about life after 25,000 miles across 32 states and 3 Canadian Provinces on my BMW motorcycle.
If you live near these cities I’d love to talk to your club. Perhaps you have a favorite book store you’d like to recommend I contact for a signing? Motorcycle dealerships often host authors with moto-themed books, so please let me know if your favorite dealer might be interested and I’ll take it from there. Cancer support groups have been interested in talking to me about the book, so please let me know if I should contact any of them in your region.
If you’re planning on attending one of the shows please look me up. I’m easy to find on Twitter: @TamelaRich and Facebook and GooglePlus.
Summer on the Road for Breast Cancer Causes and a Book
I’m riding my motorcycle across 20 American states and 4 Canadian provinces through July 28 raising money for breast cancer causes with other American and Canadian motorcyclists .
While on the road I’ll also be interviewing women motorcyclists who’ve battled cancer for a book I’m writing called Live Full Throttle: What you can learn about life from women who’ve survived cancer.
I took a similar trip last summer and managed to keep my clients projects moving and I’m equally committed to keeping the plates spinning this year. Please be a little patient as I return phone calls and emails with some time delays…but always within 24 hours. Most of my time will be spent in Mountain and Pacific time zones.
Check out my itinerary here and let me know if I’m in your town so we can grab a cuppa.
Please support my causes generously. One woman in eight is affected by breast cancer.
The Tradeoffs Road Trip Give-Back Partnership
HELP! I need a non-profit/charity partner on this summer’s Tradeoffs Road Trip.
I’ll be going coast to coast interviewing financial traders for the book I’m co-writing with Matt Davio, “Tradeoffs: Leveraging the Longs & Shorts of Life.”
I want to raise funds for an organization that helps those who find themselves at the other side of the financial spectrum from the traders. Here’s what comes to mind:
- Low-wage earners (Habitat for Humanity)
- Millions at risk of foreclosure (Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America)
- Billions who need better financial literacy (Institute for Financial Literacy)
- An organization whose programs include credit counseling along with other essential human services (United Family Services)
I haven’t fully defined the means by which I’ll raise money for the worthy partner, as I’m sure they’ll have great ideas of their own. That said, the corporate sponsors of the trip should be happy to kick in something for a worthy cause in addition to some of the grassroots efforts I can put into play, including:
- Motorcycle riders/clubs sponsoring a leg of the 8000 mile journey
- Sponsored Tweetups
- Side “wagers” on road incidents like flat tires, number of rattlesnakes encountered, whether it snows in SD while I’m at Mt. Rushmore, etc
Please weigh in with a cause or organization that fits the theme of the Tradeoffs Road Trip.
