It’s time to meet another line-up of this year’s Roadies. This week: Gulf Coast and East Coast. Coast to coast, these teams are hitting the areas that have the most power, and the most poverty, in America. Each of these Roadies has that special extra spice to get out there, roll up their sleeves and work for hope in New Orleans… or put on a suit and tie and hit the Hill in Washington, DC.

TEAM: Gulf Coast

Many of you have asked us why we haven’t gotten involved with the invisible children here in the States. Yes, our story and programs started in Uganda, but our hearts are also open for the tragedies here in our own backyard and across the world. Hurricane Katrina rocked our country and our generation unlike any other natural disaster, and there’s still so much work to do a year after the levees broke. So for this Tour, we wanted to get out there and get our hands dirty to help our brothers and sisters down in Louisiana and Mississippi. This team will be doing a lot of relief work and getting people involved during Spring Break. Stay tuned for more details, but first meet the all-stars….

Amy is a native of the beautiful Colorado Springs. She just graduated from Baylor University with a degree in film and has yet to stay in one place since college. She left the corporate world to jump on an RV with three strangers traveling the heartland of America on the first National Tour. Since she got back from the tour, she was hired to help in the film department at Invisible Children but knew that her heart was on the road. Her dream is to bring stories of suffering and injustice to life all across the globe. So this spring, she is heading back on the road and can't wait for the opportunity to serve the people of New Orleans. Be sure to keep her address down in pencil because she isn't planning on leaving the nomadic life anytime soon.

Sandra Sepulveda was born on the beautiful isle of Puerto Rico. She moved to the States at a young age and was raised in a small town in northern Michigan. She still calls that great state home and remains an avid U of M Wolverines fan. Before coming to Invisible Children, Sandra was attending Grand Valley State University, studying nursing there. It was at school where she first learned about Invisible Children when last tour’s Midwest team rolled through town and shared the story. Sandra knew that she had to do more than just watch, so she decided to take a break from her nursing studies and sign up for the World Tour 2007. Sandra recently had the opportunity to travel to Uganda to meet the people there face to face. Though her heart’s in Uganda, she can’t wait to hit the road and share her experiences and love with the rest of America.

Eric Mecca is from the tiny mountain town of Dubois, Wyoming. Though he has a deep love for the wild Wyoming frontier, a place he will forever call home, Eric has always been drawn to the far reaches of the earth and knows that he will live out his life as a traveler. Eric finds the vastness of our world captivating, and hopes to spend his days experiencing humanity in all its shapes and forms across the globe. His favorite memories are of hiking the mountains of Wyoming, sailing a tall ship through the Caribbean, and driving an RV across "Middle America" during Invisible Children's first National Tour. Eric came back for the World Tour 2007 because he believes that humans have such a beautiful potential for good, and he loves playing even a small part in the social transformation from apathy to action. Oh, and he’s the star of the recent “Book a Screening� podcast – what a star.

Johnny Parker was born in ’85 on a reservation in South Dakota. He learned about rain in Seattle and moved to Portland as a child to study it more in depth. His formal education involved the analysis of Human Development and Family Sciences – things that he thinks are rather important. Sitting on his front porch in Eugene one day, he realized he was bored. He went to Uganda and it changed his life. IC is creating a positive change and is currently a medium for the expression of his passion to serve oppressed people. Saul Bellow, Jack Kerouac, Dave Eggers, and James Wright are among the influential writers and poets who have inspired him. He likes to practice writing, and because of these writers mentioned, he has hope. His primary interests revolve around the management of lumber, brick, ore, wheat, and sheep. He likes his coffee black. After tour, Johnny has plans for travel through Europe and Africa with the intention of eventually finding his way back to Uganda. He hopes that he can reflect an earnest expression of life through his speech and actions. Johnny wants to be free.

Contact the team if you’re in the area for a screening or want to get involved:

Amy: amycollins@invisiblechildren.com
Sandra: ssepulveda@invisibilechildren.com
Eric: eric@invisiblechildren.com
Johnny: jparker@invisiblechildren.com

TEAM: East Coast

From Washington, D.C. and up into New York, this team’s packing their bags for quite an adventure. Between lobbying, screening at high schools, and hitting up the Big Apple guerilla-style, their open hearts and bright smiles are guaranteed to bring some California sunshine into these cold winter months…not to mention that each Roadie is brilliant (in that perfectly professional and intelligent way) and will win over even the toughest of hearts.

Tranica Esperas was born and raised in Fullerton, California. A year after her high school graduation in 2005, she saw “Invisible Children: Rough Cut� and immediately knew that she had to do something to help the emergency in Northern Uganda. She was raised in a community that impressed upon her the importance of helping where you can…so after returning home she started looking into volunteering for IC. The more she researched the organization, the more she fell in love with what IC’s doing to help those in the world who have unheard voices. One day, while on the website, she saw that Invisible Children was planning their World Tour; immediately, she knew that this was what she was meant to do with this season of her life. She sent in her application that Friday, had a phone interview the next Thursday, and within two weeks had packed up all her belongings and moved out for the first time…with $200 in her purse and a full tank of gas. Since living in San Diego and working with Invisible Children, she has found the most peace and contentment that she has ever experienced in life. The days are hard and often emotionally draining, but it is the most rewarding adventure that she has ever taken part in.

Liz Magnusson grew up in Washington, DC and went to Occidental College in Los Angeles. The summer after her first year of college, she returned home and saw Invisible Children. Her family decided to host a young girl from Northern Uganda who was a victim of LRA violence while she was in the US awaiting reconstructive facial surgery. From then on, Uganda became a country Liz was passionate about helping. She is incredibly excited about being an Invisible Children roadie because she believes that once people are aware of the travesties that are taking place in Northern Uganda, they will be empowered to help.

Jason Manion was born on top of a mountain – a mountain in Long Beach, California. He went to Long Beach State University where he graduated with a BA in History. He planned on becoming a teacher, but that plan was thrown out the window as he followed his passion to become an IC Roadie. He found out about Invisible Children while working for an incredible independent film company called Roadtrip Nation. Everything changed when Jason decided to interview Bobby. He decided that, from that day forth, he would not rest until he worked for IC. Jason has lived in London and traveled to bonnie Scotland, lush Ireland, adventurous Australia, beautiful New Zealand, and delicious-food Italy. Jason hopes that on this tour he will be able to spark a fire in the hearts of those on the East Coast to live to their fullest by helping and caring for others. And to meet amazing people, share legendary experiences, and to learn from everyone around him!

Jamie Roach grew up in the San Diego sunshine. (Which is why he can’t wait to get that cold exposure on the East side!) A graduate of UC Santa Barbara, with a communication degree, Jamie has spent the last year in a graphic design program in San Diego. He left the program for Invisible Children, a dream opportunity. He swam with one of the filmmakers in high school and always knew about IC; he has watched it from the sidelines, always eager to help out should the timing be right. And it did, after attending the San Diego GNC – with more than 5,000 participants, he knew he had to be a part of this movement. Most incredible to him is this organization’s commitment to changing youth culture in America. Jamie has lived in Paris, visited Central America, and traveled in Southeast Asia on a 4-month backpacking/motor biking/meditating trip of ultimate freedom. He loves the open road, and cannot wait for this Tour.

If you live in DC, Maryland, Pennsylvania, or New York, give them a call!

Tranica: tesperas@invisiblechildren.com
Liz: emagnusson@invisiblechildren.com
Jason: jmanion@invisiblechildren.com
Jamie: jroach@invisiblechildren.com

And don’t forget to check out the dates and routes on the Movement/World Tour page to see when your team’s coming to you! Call 619.631.0362 to book a screening.