There is a new billboard in Hollywood, and it is right next to Big Blue.
It sits literally on top of what used to be known as the Apollo Training Academy (ATA) which was home to the Cadet Org back in the day, also the PAC RPF for a while and is now used to print promo.
It is directly across Fountain Ave from Bridge Publications and a stone’s throw from the AO.
The billboard was unveiled this morning at 8:15am.
Here is a shot of Phil Jones with the billboard in the background…
Phil was instrumental in getting this billboard up. You may recall, in April 2016 he and his wife Willie launched the CallMe billboards. Phil is one of the new additions to the Board of the Aftermath Foundation and we are extremely happy to have his shoulder at the wheel.
We are hopeful that this message, which will be seen by a whole lot of Sea Org members in PAC — right from the windows of their offices and berthing — will generate more people reaching out to escape.
If you want to keep this billboard up, or help get others placed, you can go here.
Great reporting, Mike. Thank you for all the great work you’ve done and continue to do.
I have a question, did Phil Jones fundraise for the billboard independently, before he joined the board? Or was it part of an idea the AF came up with and then got Phil involved for his previous clever ideas?
I am only asking as the link for continued support of this billboard has the networkforgood in the link and they are also a 501(c)(3). I just found that two separate 501(c)(3) is odd, if they are fundraising for the same thing
The idea came from Claire Headley. We discussed with Phil at a New Years get together we had. Phil immediately volunteered to help arrange it due to his previous experience and subsequently joined the board.
The Network for Good is the fundraising software the Foundation uses to administer fundraising. Google Network for Good and it explains its function.
Mike, above “Lina” is scientologist OSA staff Amy DeVoe trolling and collecting info for OSA.
This is wonderful! Congrats to Phil on his appointment to the Board. You are all doing great work!!!
Nice to see new board members with resourcefulness. I hope there are funds for the new people. I hope you come to accept the protestors with appropriate grace as they are talking to thosands of people around the world daily now. Cities have discovered their ability to reject tax exempt status for particular instances and are following through. Law Enforcement outside of LA doesn’t like to have their time wasted. No more kids raised in Scientology.
Did you listen to my podcast with Rachel Bernstein where I gave my perspective on the value of the TikTokers/protesters? I am not sure why you think I need to come to accept them or with “appropriate grace”? I explained the value I see them providing — educating a whole new generation to stay away from the weirdos.
“So far the response has been to lock down PAC and not let anyone outside…” And of course, the cherry picker stratagem.
But reading this I just sort of GOT it; I mean, it just kind of HIT me:
This is AMERICA! The United States of America! And this sort of thing is HAPPENING. People locked UP. Not allowed to go outside! This is happening and its LEGAL – in THIS country!!!
Who besides us who KNOW, would beleive this?
People locked up – like nuns and priests in the Dark Ages in Europe.
Thank you for reading this rant; I’m amazed that, out of the blue, I have to process something that I’ve known about for a long time.
Ok, I’m better, thank you 🙂
WELL DONE, AFTERMATH AND PHIL. Awesome idea, awesome sign. A beautiful thing!
Yay Aftermath Foundation! So glad Phil has joined the board. This billboard is genius!!
Outstanding. Yay Phil and Willie! And excellent work AF – keep doing what you do. Donation unlocked
So far the Scientology response has been to lock down PAC and not let anyone outside
… the result of which is that all of the PAC staff are talking about what’s going on = a billboard about leaving Scientology.
Excellent move against the cult, and lets hope it gets some of their victims on the way out of the cult. Keep up the good work at the AF Mr R and rest of board.
I see the cult installing a billboard on their property to block the Aftermath one.
It would be great to know if you have seen an increase in calls or people reaching out because of the billboard – no numbers but a percentage increase would be fantastic. Maybe we can put one up in Clearwater too.
Gives me an idea.
This year marks almost twenty years since I left the SO. I joined when I was very young, genuinely thinking I could help and change the world, but it was all colossal bullshit, and I stayed there for almost 15 years before realizing it. Unfortunately, the AF wasn’t there yet.
I was in my mid-30s, didn’t even have a driver’s license, and didn’t know how to do anything. The “baggage” of experience from the SO was useless, if not detrimental. The real world is completely different. The only skills I had were my own, not the result of scn; rather, the miserable life you lead in there forces you to develop them if you want to survive.
I lived with my parents for a couple of months and found a job in the city where I moved to live in an apartment with other people. Without a diploma or qualification, you can only do a few jobs. I gritted my teeth and kept going, wanting to stay positive regardless of what life threw at me. And at the beginning, life threw a lot at me. Of course, you accumulate emotional baggage and carry it with you, but you have to look ahead. It’s like starting over but 15 years late. I did any job that came my way, almost always heavy ones. I still wake up at 4 am and do two tough jobs until 7 pm, and I work on Saturdays and Sundays too, without exception.
Certainly, things have changed a bit recently; I have a growing family, but it’s always been an uphill battle until now, with many sacrifices, and never stopping to look ahead.
I don’t wish for anyone leaving the SO to find themselves in such situations, or like what happened to others, to live with their parents for years.
Now that things are going better, I will find a way to contribute to the AF as much as I can, so that others can start their new lives without immediately encountering obstacles that knock them down.
I thank Mike because throughout this journey, your blog has been crucial in helping me break free from the indoctrination they implant, and I also thank all those who commented here, as their experiences and ideas have been very helpful.
Epic!!! Way to go guys!!!
Any chance getting it on city buses like the “call me” signs? I would love bumper stickers to match so folks can be driving with the information available. Job VERY WELL DONE – take a win!
Gives me another idea!
100 people in t-shirts standing on a street corner holding up the same signs…different corners the busses go by. They will never know what corner what day. Freedom of speech baby …freedom of speech.
Ellanorah Wilson, organizing 100 people with signs would be amazing butmay not be doable but the bumper sticker idea on people’s cars – wow, that’s brilliant, seriously. I would contribute to having them made and distributed!
In the early 80’s LRH felt that production at the Int base was unviable. He felt the reason was due to counter intention from staff that didn’t want to be there. He ordered that all the staff get brought to the dining hall and told that they could leave the Sea Org if they wanted to. All they had to do was move over to one side of the room. There would be no interrogation on the E-meter. No one would try to talk them out of leaving. They would get help packing up their belongings and transport would be provided to get them to Los Angeles. To my surprise 150 staff moved to one side of the room which was over 25% of the staff at that time. They all left over the next couple of days. My point is there is a high percentage of Sea Org members who would leave given the opportunity. The Aftermath Foundation is there to help provide that opportunity. The Billboard lets them know help is available. The staff were put under lockdown for a good reason.
Reminds me of my time in the SO when an order was issued that offered to reduce the freeloaders debt of anyone routing out. It came out under LRH’s consent.
Hearing your story now makes me wonder why DM doesn’t follow command intention and do the same. Oh yeah; he doesn’t follow LRH but seem to follow Hitler.
Great location for this billboard. Looking at the map included, I thought Bridge was on Catalina st. When I was still in it was back in 1981-1982. But it seems they moved it to Fountain Ave just past AOLA which I think was called the Research building back in the day.
I hope there is a permanent camera so that vandalisation is filmed.
Was the board expanded or did Phil Jones replace someone?
Expanded
Looking forwad to hearing updates! Maybe if/when you design a new one, put the number on it in a few places. Wish it could be moved a little one way or that other so they would have to keep moving their lift..that would be so funny.
Fantastic! Be proud, Phil! <3
Love it. The panic that would have ensued amongst the exec.s would have been hilarious to watch. This will have long-term ramifications that “we” won’t see for a while yet, but they’ll be there.
Back in the last decade, a bunch of us went and picketed the CLO/AOSH ANZO berthing at Dundas in Sydney and the kult went wild, especially when the police that they called on us then went and did a welfare check on some RPFers that “we” were there specifically to call attention to. We all went home thinking it was a job well done.
Later escapees told us that the place has gone into meltdown and absolute paranoia reigned for up to a year after. But the best thing was that the local RPF was basically disbanded within 6 months, with long-term incarcerees (dunno if it’s actually a word 🙂 ) being suddenly “graduated” after being stuck there for a decade or more in some cases.
So thank you Phil and others for this action. I believe it will have some interesting and totally unexpected great results.
What a great Aussie battler you are maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate! BONZA !
Excellent!!! This is perfect.
I hope you have a camera there so you can catch any future vandals that may strike. 🤞🏻
I wont be surprised if the billboard suffers a completely baffling and mysterious accident.
I give it a week before OSA has someone vandalize it. They can’t help themselves.
One suggestion: I hope that as the SO and staff call for help getting out, that once you help them escape, you put their story (without names obviously) up for us to read on how they got out. Or the number of people who called or the number of people who you helped. It really gives us donors satisfaction to know how many responded to this, or the life story of some who succeeded in getting out, their success story as it were.
Yes, it would be nice to read now and then something about the activities of the Foundation. Not necessarily statistics as that could give away too much. But something along the lines of “A day in the life of the Foundation” or “Here’s a weekly review” describing what drama you went through to help someone get out, or or or, “fill the vacuum” as it were. Absolutely include what it was that got them to change their minds (being asked for too many dollars, reading which website, etc etc). as if there is a common demominator then that is what we need to stress.
Thank you. l agree.
Great! Right across from little davy’s residence
I foresee windows being blacked out at ‘Big Blue’ in the near future. Along with new routes between locations for staff and Sea Org to avoid exposure to the sign. Along with some extreme stupidity from Miscavige attempting to make the billboard go away.
This is absolutely incredible!!!
Wow. Good work indeed!!!
The number of calls to the Foundation will increase. Hopefully not too many faked ones.
I woke up and knew I should donate. After doing so I read this post. Can I count that as a win or confirmation that donations to the right group puts you at cause
THanks so much!
Aaron blabs about how bad Sciento is and then tars you and The Aftermath Foundation with the same brush. No surprise he is no longer on your board. you are helping people and Aaron is libeling you. He is defaming you directly after seeing success he had with Rabbit and, I guess, with Ford Greene!
This is incredible. I love how close the billboard is to Big Blue. This will be a huge help to any scientologists who are trying to leave. I’m sure it will bring more attention to the public as well who don’t know about what Scientology does.