HOUSTON, Texas - October 2006 - At a time in which the news media is filled with stories of horrific acts of violence being committed against young women in our schools, and in support of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, MyCityRocks (http://www.MyCityRocks.com) invites its members and the community at large to STAND against violence and CELEBRATE happy relationships.

Coordinated by Bay Area Turning Point (http://www.bayareaturningpoint.org) with support from MyCityRocks, the 3rd Annual STAND AGAINST VIOLENCE will take place Saturday, October 14th, 2006 from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm in the Webster suburb of Houston, on the lawn of McWhirter Elementary (300 Pennsylvania, Webster, Texas). MyCityRocks members will join many other community participants in standing along NASA Parkway for 15 minutes while holding signs with messages like "CHOOSE RESPECT!" Following the stand, a celebration of healthy relationships will include a wide variety of family activities such as a chili cook-off, raffles, moonwalk, free food, games, safety information, and a free concert.

Recording artists scheduled to play at Stand Against Violence include Dipstick, Mlee Marie, and Sheila Swift (http://www.sheilaswift.com), providing a preview from her "The Shape of Things" album due for release in January 2007. "We are thrilled to support Stand Against Violence and to have the opportunity to bring such exciting musical artists to the event as a part of our ROCK SAFE program," explained MyCityRocks Executive Director Cliff Kurtzman.

MyCityRocks is a grassroots social engagement venture that engages people in: 1) Having fun--enjoying their passions for things like music, art, food, sports, romance, and travel; 2) Giving back--helping to make their part of the world a better place; and 3) Representing--sharing their passion and spirit for life with those around them.

"Each of our members wants to be able to represent that their part of the world is a great place to live. MyCityRockers believe that every individual can contribute to making their own part of the world ROCK," Kurtzman stated, "Not just in terms of music, but also in terms of culture, living conditions, health, economics, and human rights. Grassroots social engagement is a powerful force in shaping our society, and MyCityRocks provides a framework for making it all happen that is fun, fulfilling, and exciting."

The ROCK SAFE program was created by MyCityRocks and women's crisis center The Bridge Over Trouble Waters (http://www.tbotw.org) to use social networking technology to reach out to young people and help them learn:

• How to party safe while still having fun.
• What to do if someone finds they are in an abusive relationship, and what options they have to get help.
• How individuals can protect their identity online and offline to avoid unwanted attention from those who might pursue or stalk inappropriately.
• What young male and female teens can do if inappropriately approached online by a potential predator.

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The MyCityRocks testbed was launched in Houston in 2005. After seeing the local network grow to nearly 20,000 people, MyCityRocks began expansion into 100 cities in 2006. Details on the venture and and a photo archive of its achievements are online at http://www.MyCityRocks.com/os.html. The white paper "Marketing to the MySpace Generation and the Economics of Social Networking" (http://www.adastro.com/apogee/social.html) provides additional background on the venture.

Bay Area Turning Point, Inc. is a non-profit organization which empowers survivors of family violence, sexual assault, and displacement by providing crisis intervention and emergency shelter, and promoting education and awareness within their community.

Contacts:

Dr. Cliff Kurtzman
Executive Director
MyCityRocks
http://www.MyCityRocks.com/os.html
(281) 480-3770

Kelli Moore
Development and Compliance Director
Bay Area Turning Point
http://www.bayareaturningpoint.org
(281) 338-7600