NextAid Builds a Movement of Social Responsibility at the

20 th Annual Winter Music Conference,

As well as the M3 Summit in Miami, Florida

Los Angeles, CA/Miami, FL - At this years 20 th annual Winter Music Conference (WMC) held in Miami, Florida's South Beach from Tuesday, March 22, 2005 – Sunday, March 27, 2005, players from all corners of the dance music industry joined NextAid in inspiring the dance music community to raise awareness about the African AIDS orphan crisis. This year NextAid, a Los Angeles-based non-profit organization whose motto is, “Using the beats of our generation to provide hope for the next,” was present at over 10 events empowering dance music leaders and building relationships with the conference attendees and a musical/cultural delegation from South Africa. NextAid hosted their own event, organized a panel discussion for WMC, set up a cabana at the M3 Summit , manned a booth inside WMC's Exhibit Hall and set up their traveling information booth at some of the best parties through out the week. And to round off the festivities NextAid, along with OM Records, announced the release of their benefit compilation-CD entitled, REBOOT, Notes for the Next Generation , due out this summer.

The week kicked-off for NextAid on Wednesday, March 23 rd at the WMC hotel, the Wyndham, as they co-organized a panel entitled

“Music as a Vehicle for Social Change,” with the WMC's Mark Walker from 4:30pm - 6:00pm. This was the first of its kind at WMC but will surely not be the last. The panel was well attended with about 80 people, including a South African delegation of about 20. A group of eager new collaborators rushed to the stage afterward indicative of the type of support people felt for all of the panelists and the work they do. Panelists included the legendary Hugh Masekela , the original South African trumpeter and Jazz master, Mel Cheren of LIFEbeat, the Music Industry Fights AIDS non-profit, Lauren Segal Co-Founder of NextAid, DJ Liquid Todd of Solid State KROCK, Rob Cowan of Point Blank, DJ/activist D:Fuse, and moderated by NextAid Media Activist Susan Mainzer.

NextAid was delighted to be present at the popular upstart conference, the M3 Summit. NextAid had an info cabana at M3 Summit's “Sunset Sessions” on Thursday (3/24), Friday (3/25) and Saturday (3/26) evenings at the Doubletree Surfcomber Hotel. Produced in a beautiful, pool-side, beachfront environment and featuring state-of-the-art sound, video, and multimedia, the M3 “Sunset Sessions” presented both A-list artists as well as exciting new talent, pushing the boundaries of electronic and urban music featuring turntablists and live performances. David Prince , M3 Summit founder noted, “We are thrilled to be giving NextAid a cabana at our “Sunset Sessions.” We are forwarding progressive future culture at M3 and believe that creating an atmosphere of altruism is crucial for this. NextAid is using cutting edge technology and the culture of electronic music to solve some of the world's most serious problems. We are happy to support their work.”

NextAid also had a booth in the WMC Exhibit Hall on Thursday and Friday. Hundreds of domestic and international music heads were present and many were thankful that NextAid was representing at the conference. The general response from those interested was that of support and gratitude.

NextAid traveling information booths were set up at parties all week including:

- MUSIC2 Productions' event, “Party Over Here,” on Wednesday, March 23 rd at Amica (1532 Washington)

- OM Records 10 th Anniversary party on Thursday, March 24 th at Mansion (1235 Washington)

- The World Party events at the Shelborne: including“Hear Tomorrow” on Wednesday 3/23 and “Wet Grooves Day Two” on Friday 3/25

- UrbanGroove hosted a NextAid table at their “Bandages” party on Friday night 3/25 at SoHo Lounge (175 NE 36 th Street in the design district)

- Ultra Music Festival Eco-Village all day Saturday 3/26

Ultimate DJ Gear is also supporting NextAid by donating a Carl Cox autographed DJ Bag to raffle off.

The internationally recognized music week in Miami was also the sight of NextAid's first record release party. They held an invite-only sneak-preview event for their OM Records' benefit compilation REBOOT, Notes for the Next Generation prior to the MUSIC2 Productions event ,“Party Over Here,” on Wednesday March 23 rd at Amika from 9:30pm – 10:30pm. This early soiree featured DJ sets by Marques Wyatt and one of South Africa's top DJ's, Troydon.

In 2004, NextAid partnered with San Francisco-based OM Records, one the most respected dance music labels in the world, to begin production on their first music CD. REBOOT, Notes for the Next Generation , which is due out in June 2005, is a collection of some of the biggest stars with the most generous hearts from the scene. REBOOT artists include Thievery Corporation , Louie Vega , BT , DJ Spinna , DJ Garth , Miguel Migs , Kaskade , Marques Wyatt, Gina Rene , Mark Farina , aFRO-mYSTIK , Adam Freeland , Vinny da Vinci , and Troydon. Graciously, they all donated unreleased, original songs. Release parties are being planned this summer in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, and South Africa.

All proceeds from the sales of the CD will help fund NextAid's pilot project, the building of a multi-purpose center for Youth With A Vision, a South African youth group who use theater and music to teach AIDS awareness and other issues to their peers in a poverty stricken rural area 2 hours outside Johannesburg called Dennilton. NextAid is working with Eco-Architect Joseph Kennedy in the design and building of a sustainable, earth-friendly center for these teenagers, a home for an additional 60 children orphaned by AIDS, a resource center for the larger community, and a beacon of hope for many more. Intended to showcase green building design, this center will serve as a template for many such centers NextAid plans to develop throughout the continent.

NextAid's presence in Miami this year was felt through out both conferences and they truly made steps towards building a movement of social responsibility in the scene evident by the numbers of individuals who signed on to partner at some level and lend support for NextAid's efforts. The international dance music community is the PERFECT place to raise awareness for the plight of children in Africa. The opportunities are abundant: from placing displays and flyers in record stores around the country, to the production of release parties for the upcoming REBOOT compilation CD, to organizing fundraising events, to creating online partnerships, link exchanges, and much more.

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For more information about NextAid or to request photos or an interview with NextAid co-founder, Lauren Segal please contact Lynn Hasty at Green Galactic at 323-466-5141 or lynn@greengalactic.com .