Party with a purpose—what a concept! Recently I attended an event held by NextAid.org that perfectly combines social awareness with socializing. The dinner and DJ benefit was thrown by NextAid’s Director, Laruen Segal, and volunteer, Sonni Micocci, as a benefit for children orphaned by AIDS. The prix fix meal followed by Dj’s and dancing was held at the posh Levende Lounge in San Francisco. A combination of local urbanites, San Francisco Djs, and volunteers from Nextaid, gathered to raise awareness and rally a call for action.

“NextAid’s mission is to promote community-driven environmentally, economically and socially empowering responses to the AIDS orphan pandemic. NextAid collaborates with individuals, businesses and nonprofits to produce culturally-rich, awareness-raising projects and music events involving technology, the arts, public education projects, and volunteer opportunities.”

I have attended a variety of NextAid events in the past, and I’m continually impressed with their motto: “Using the beats of our generation to provide hope for the next.” How ideal! Back in 2001, founder Lauren Segal started dreaming about the potential of utilizing the international dance music community to create social change. NextAid has held dozens of events ever since, and continues to work towards helping the alarming AIDS epidemic in Africa.

After emailing everyone I know in San Francisco the “REFLECTIONS: A Benefit for NextAid” flyer, I was thrilled to share an evening with dozens of friends who joined me for the DJ, dinner, and social awareness combo. Mid-dinner, the new NextAid promotion video was shown to give an overview of the organization. World-renown Dj’s such as Louie Vega, Miguel Migs, Dj Colette read off statistics about the plight of children in Africa. The numbers were shocking.

• Every day 6,500 Africans die of AIDS
• Every 14 seconds a child loses a parent to AIDS
• There are more orphans in Africa than American children under the age of 5
• Areas of Mozambique are experiencing deforestation due to the demand for coffins
• 11 teachers a day die of AIDS in South Africa
• Only 10 percent, of the 15 million children orphaned by AIDS, are receiving any public services