WeWinCon for Puerto Rico and Las Vegas: it’s personal

Oct 5, 2017 | Blog, Breaking News, Spotlight On, STRIP

It’s difficult to properly convey how the events of the last week have effected us all. They are on a scale hard for anyone to get their arms around, but they’ve also impacted Red Stylo personally. Our response in times of tragedy is to activate We Win Con, the charitable giving arm for Red Stylo, but this time even that entity is connected to the tragedy in a personal way.

WeWinCon.org was originally formed as a response to the Boston Marathon bombing. We co-founded the non-profit with Nick Dedual of Odd Truth, and WeWinCon has continued to evolve over these many years as events call for aid or support. The charities we choose are close to our hearts, as are the causes they work to address. When the hurricanes devastated Puerto Rico and aid response stalled, we updated our list to include an option to assist the people of Puerto Rico, Florida, and Texas. But we had no way of knowing how personal this tragedy would become. On Sunday in Puerto Rico, Nick Dedual lost his father in a hurricane related accident. Due to the chaotic conditions and spotty support there, Nick is unable to return home until conditions improve on the ground.
We grieve with Nick and all those who have lost loved ones and continue to suffer in the aftermath. Nick stood with us in creating We Win Con and it is only right that we stand with him. We have opened two ways to give on the WeWinCon.org page. We will also be accepting cash donations and “tips” via credit card at New York Comic Con this weekend, 100% of which will be donated to direct aid organizations. Everything matters. Anything can make a difference. At least we hope so.

Then on Monday, we woke up to the truly horrifying news from Las Vegas. This shooting is only the latest in a long line of mass murders in this country, but it is the bloodiest and deadliest. We were looking ahead to the debut of THE STRIP comic anthology at New York Comic Con. This situation casts an entirely different light on everything.

Throughout the campaign, we spoke about the importance of art as a light in the darkness. We’ve ultimately decided that postponing the book would be a sign that the darkness is winning. But darkness doesn’t win. WE DO. As editor James McGee noted in his recent KS update, THE STRIP has always been a love-letter to Vegas in all of its weird, wonderful glory. We want to share that love with all of you.

THE STRIP will debut as planned at NYCC, but we do so as a way to honor the work of our creators and in an effort to contribute to help for the victims of the shooting. For every copy of THE STRIP sold at NYCC, 100% of Red Stylo’s profits will be donated to the American Red Cross, Southern Nevada Chapter and the Las Vegas Victims’ Fund. Some of our creators have also earmarked their portion of royalties to this effort, and more continue to do so. This is the highest and best way we can think to contribute to aid for the victims. WeWinCon.org has also opened an option to give directly on this page as well.

We want to help. If YOU want to help too, please consider donating what you can via WeWinCon, or any other organizations of your choice.