Cool Things My Friends Do: Erik Lehmann - Game Changers

Each Friday on this blog I enjoy highlighting some of the cool things my friends do in their personal and professional lives.

My friend Erik Lehmann has always been a huge believer in dreams and living into purpose. When the Sandy Hook shootings took place, he and his partner thought; "We wonder if events like these would happen if all youth knew that someone believed in them and their dreams?" In trying to answer that question, he realized that something big could be in the way of our children finding access to their purpose or dreams.

Erik was troubled to learn that many kids are spending upward of 80 hours a week playing violent video games. The time spent playing these games is getting in the way of kids relationships with their family members, their community members, and most importantly....their purpose!

Thus he founded Game Changers and is creating experiences and building communities by encouraging youth to trade in a violent video game as they “RePURPOSE our HEARTdrives”! Kids hear the words ‘don’t’ and ‘No’ many times over their lives. Game Changers is aiming to create more “Yes” opportunities, as they introduce kids to Game Changers from all walks of life.

In the next six months, the Game Changers Movement will host several events that they call, "Game Changers Experiences". On November 15, 2013, in Ithaca, NY they are curating an event where attendees will trade in a violent video game as their ticket price, and then together they will transform the video games itself into art! Participants learn how to turn violence into works of art as they "play" with these video games-- literally turning them into art supplies.

On March 21st, Erik's Dream Catalyst organization will present a Game Changers Experience as the Grand Prize of a nationwide contest, where the school who trades in the most violent video games will have a Game Changers Experience presented on their campus. Byron Chamberlain, a former Pro Bowl Tight End for the Denver Broncos will be helping to present an athletic training camp for the students and faculty at the winning school. Kids will be able to get off the couch and connect with real Game Changers and have personal interactions with people who serve as heroes and role models to the next generation. They will also offer art workshops and have a concert in the evening to cap off the festivities.

They are also creating ongoing relationships with communities all over the country with plans to install murals and mosaics, composed of rePURPOSED violent video games as the artistic media for transformative creation in conjunction with artist LilyYeh.

You,too, can join the Game Changers Movement and help show kids how their dreams matter.  One child at a time, the world can change for the better.

There are several ways to support this movemet: You can add your reach to the Thunderclap campaign or you can contribute to the crowdfunding campaign (I did).  If you wish to support the Game Changers Movement, please contact Erik Lehmann directly at erik@dream-catalyst.org.

Have A Great Day

thom singer