Celebrities with Heart

This is such a weird thing for me to post...I haven't been interested in celebrities since, well, middle school. But I had to share because I have come across several awesome celeb charitable campaigns lately, and I LOVE when people use their fame for good (my Grandma always uses this argument for why her grandchildren should strive be famous, and I guess in a way she convinced me...other than the trying to become famous thing...)

Here's an awesome ad with one of my favorite up-and-coming actors, Ryan Gosling (not sure where the add came from, sorry!) and his beloved (and adopted) dog:

He's also involved in a PETA campaign that is working to end a horrible method of killing chickens and turkeys that are not suitable for consumption, and is working to get Kentucky Fried Chicken to only purchase chicken from farms with humane practices. He fights for poultry rights. He must have a pretty big heart.

And a great actress (and apparently great person, too), Scarlett Johansson has been an Oxfam Ambassador since 2007 (one of my favorite international non-profits). Check out the work she's been doing. And while you're at it, give a meaningful gift through Oxfam this Christmas.

Jack Johnson is one of my favorite famous activists because he is tireless and outspoken about environmental and social causes--he and his management crew created the "All At Once Campaign," which is a social action network focused on environmental and local and world sustainability causes. He also has a charity that matches whatever amount people donate to featured organizations at booths at his concerts (the Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation), he and his wife set up the "Kokua Hawaii Foundation" which supports environmental education in Hawaiian classrooms, and he is involved with or supports literally hundreds of other organizations. He donates amazing amounts of money (in 2008 and 2010 he donated ALL of his profits from his tour to environmental, art, and music education). He's just plain awesome.

The point of this post is not to commend our culture's obsession with fame...in fact, I think it's important to not give more credit to "conscious" celebrities than to average American activists. I have been involved in activism since high school, and I have come across some of the most devoted, hard working, strong, and compassionate people over the years. Often as a result of their complete devotion to their causes, many of the activists I've known are also poor, which most good-hearted celebs don't have to contend with while they travel the world for good causes. But I have to say, I appreciate this wave of young celebrities who care. And since America is so heavily influenced by celebrities, hopefully the wave of compassion will be carried over into the non-famous population of young Americans.