American Mustache Institute

The American Mustache Institute (AMI) is an advocacy organization and registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit based in St. Louis, Missouri. When founded in 2006, AMI was the only organization in the world working towards facial hair advocacy. AMI’s full-time staff supports a more than 300 global chapters which advocate for greater acceptance of mustaches in the workplace and throughout modern culture.

Efforts by AMI have included a 2007 campaign against "widespread and unacceptable discrimination in the workplace and society," as chronicled by media including the "Daily Telegraph" and The Learning Channel. [cite web |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1561394/Moustached-men-of-America-fight-back.html |title=Moustached men of America fight back |accessdate=2008-06-09 |last=Shipman |first=Tim |date=2007-08-26 |publisher=The Daily Telegraph] In December 2007, AMI lobbied the Royse City, Texas School District] on behalf of student Sebastian Pham, who had been forced by a teacher to shave his mustache, which in the opinion of Pham's family and AMI had violated his civil liberties. [cite web |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/122807dnmetmustacheboy.1c81a01.html |title=Royse City student pulls Mustache Institute into fight over facial hair |accessdate=2008-06-09 |last=Anderson |first=Karen Shaw |date=2007-12-28 |publisher=The Dallas Morning News] Additionally, the "New York Times" cited AMI as an example of modern online community building. [cite web |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/01/business/media/01adnewsletter1.html?_r=3&st=cse&sq=mustache%2C+elliott&scp=19&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin |title=For Fans of (Upper) Lippy Web Sites |accessdate=2008-06-09 |last=Elliott |first=Stuart |date=2007-10-01|publisher=The New York Times]

Part of the organization’s charter includes supporting communities in which it works, and therefore AMI created a charitable fundraising mechanism in 2006 for organizations such as Challenger Baseball, a baseball league for disabled children. AMI's first charitable fundraiser—'Stache Bash 2006—in July 2006. The event raised awareness of the issue of mustache acceptance, supported mustached Americans, and raised funds for Challenger Baseball. The organization held its second ‘Stache Bash in 2007, and just prior [http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/finalword/2007-07-31-final-word_n.htm USA Today wrote] the event was part of AMI's efforts to "to protect the rights of, and bias against, mustached Americans." As part of 'Stache Bash 2007, AMI also conducted voting for [http://www.broowaha.com/article.php?id=2020 the “Greatest Sports Mustache”] of all time, which was won in a popular vote by former Major League Baseball player Keith Hernandez as [http://www.americanmustacheinstitute.org/files/Voting_Winner-News_Release.pdf announced by AMI in August of 2007.] Fact|date=June 2008 Ultimately, the event raised enough funds to allow Challenger Baseball to add six new teams for the 2008 campaign.Fact|date=June 2008

On Monday, July 7th, the AMI threw their support behind Jason Giambi, in a hope their endorsement would spark a fury of votes for someone whose, in Aaron Perlut's, Executive Director of AMI, own words, “significant first-half production as well as his powerful lip fur – indicating great intellect and good looks – make two very compelling reasons for his place on the American League All-Star roster.” [cite web |url=http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/07/07/american-mustache-institute-throws-its-support-firmly-behind-jas/ |title=American Mustache Institute Throws its Support Firmly Behind Jason Giambi |accessdate=2008-07-14 |last=Brennan |first=Eamonn |date=2008-07-27 |publisher=Major League Baseball] . This move sent a ripple through both major and lesser known sites and blogs. [cite web |url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/07072008/sports/yankees/mustache_institute_backs_giambi_118885.htm/ |title=AMERICAN MUSTACHE INSTITUTE BACKS JASON GIAMBI FOR AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR TEAM |accessdate=2008-07-14 |date=2008-07-7 |publisher=New York Post] [cite web |url=http://deadspin.com/5022963/american-mustache-institute-backs-giambi/ |title=Major League All-Star Game: American Mustache Institute Backs Giambi |accessdate=2008-07-14 |date=2008-08-27 |publisher=Deadspin] The New York Yankees accepted and incorporated this endorsement into their already growing package supporting Giambi, and his mustache [cite web |url=http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20080707&content_id=3086241&vkey=pr_nyy&fext=.jsp&c_id=nyy/ |title=Yankees urge fans to vote Jason Giambi for final All-Star Spot; announce "Support the 'Stache" initiative |accessdate=2008-07-14 |date=2008-07-7 |publisher=New York Yankees] , climaxing in a stadium promotion, the first mustache giveaway in Yankee history, where the first 20,000 fans received a fake mustache in support of Giambi's. [cite web |url=http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080708&content_id=3091829&vkey=news_nyy&fext=.jsp&c_id=nyy/ |title=Giambi needs rally to win final spot |accessdate=2008-07-14 |last=DiComo |first=Anthony |date=2008-07-08 |publisher=New York Yankees]

In September of 2008, the AMI honored the late entertainer [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Goulet Robert Goulet] in named an award in his honor, "The Robert Goulet Mustached American of the Year" award, recognizing the most impactful Mustached American of the past year.

References

External links

* [http://www.americanmustacheinstitute.org American Mustache Institute]
* [http://www.americanmustacheinstitute.org/Media.aspx 'Stache Bash 2007]
* [http://americanmustacheinstitute.org/cs/photos/stachebash2006/default.aspx 'Stache Bash 2006]
* [http://www.challengerbaseball.org Challenger Baseball]
* [http://americanmustacheinstitute.org/cs/blogs/ami_administration/archive/2008/07/06/giambi-all-star.aspx|Giambi + Mustache = All Star]
* [http://www.americanmustacheinstitute.org/files/Goulet_Award_2008.pdf The Robert Goulet Mustached American of the Year" award