11 Days of Global Unity – 11 Ways to Change the World
Celebrating our 11th Anniversary in 2015!
| For 11 Days and other Updates Subscribe to the WE Campaign Global Action Newsletter here |
 WE – A global campaign of We, The World to unite and amplify the efforts of people, organizations and movements working for the common good www.WE.net 11 Days of Global Unity – 11 Ways to Transform Your World! September 11- 21, 2015 |
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 11DaysOfGlobalUnity.org 11 Campaigns For Change Promoted Globally Culminating on Sept. 21st the U.N. International Day of Peace 11 Days of Global Unity September 11-21 is a worldwide platform providing 11 Ways to Transform Our World. All agents of social change are invited to join in this global campaign for peace, justice, sustainability and transformation.Join the Extraordinary Partners and Allies of 11 Days of Global Unity! Register your group (it’s free) – Your Group’s Name, Link, Mission, Goals and Action Steps will automatically go up on our 11 Days Participation pages which we regularly promote to a global audience!
Become a Program Partner – Post your Events and Announcements from anywhere worldwide on our newly launched Global Unity Calendar. This Calendar is compatible with Google, Outlook, Apple and many other Calendars so you can easily Subscribe and add your group’s calendar events to the Global Unity Calendar!
Become an Outreach Partner – Provide outreach and promotion of 11 Days of Global Unity to your networks and followers and we will feature your work on our Partners & Allies pages and promote your group’s activities to our global audience. Reply to this message or click here!
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Deep Dialogues on Each of the 11 Themes of Change Featuring some of the most Visionary Thinkers
and Activists of our Time
When you register you can also participate in the Shift Network’s ongoing Summer of Peace Speaker Series. Speaker Schedule
Dialogues start each day at 1:00PM USA Eastern Time: Sept 11 Unity – Deepak Chopra
Sept 12 Interdependence – Indigenous Grandmother Agnes Pilgrim & Carole Hart Sept 13 Environment – Rhea Landig Sept 14 Economic Justice – Andrew Mazzone Sept 15 Health – Patch Adams Sept 16 Children & Youth – Cherine Badawi and Mariah Lin Sept 17 Women – Eve Ensler Sept 18 Human Rights – Jacqueline Murekatete Sept 19 Freedom – Rabbi Michael Lerner Sept 20 Disarmament – Helen Caldicott & Alice Slater Sept 21 Peace (the UN International Day of Peace) – Deborah Moldow & Ambassador Anwarul Chowdhury (Philip Hellmich, Co-Host with Rick Ulfik) Host and Moderator for each dialogue: Rick Ulfik (Founder of We, The World) (Note: Schedule is subject to change – please check 11daysofglobalunity.org for updated information.) Have a question you want to ask Deepak Chopra or one of the other Summit speakers? Click here! Click here to register – it’s FREE! To be a Co-Sponsor or an Affiliate of this 11 Days Summit reply to this message or click here! |
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It’s Time to Unite Our Efforts We, The World is seeking highly motivated individuals passionate about creating social change to positively impact people and the planet. If you want to join the WE Team and help coordinate one or more of the 11 Campaigns For Change CLICK HERE. Together, WE Will Transform Our World!
Thank you!Rick Ulfik
Founder of We, The World and the WE Campaign at WE.net Your generous Donation will help us to continue and expand our coalition-building. |
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The vigil for international peace is a transformational grassroots effort dedicated to promoting peace through participation in music, art, poetry, dance and prayer. Our vision is to heal and bridge our lives and communities, to achieve alignment, and recognize the oneness in all.
The Vigil for International Peace and Ecology was inspired by the United Nations’ Resolution 55/282 designating September 21st of each year as an “International Day of Peace”. a full day dedicated to global ceasefire and non- violence. The original International resolution was passed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1981 in resolution 36/67.
Many vendors and individuals participating with booth rent donated to Hope’s Wings.
It’s Pow Wow time again! After eleven years of celebratory dance, song, and drumming, this year’s 11h Annual Rock, Rattle & Drum Pow Wow will explode in another weekend of American Indian music, dance, education, entertainment, arts and crafts vendors and cultural festivities fun for the whole family!
For two exiting days, Bennington, Vermont will be the center of Native American art and culture where American Indians will gather and share the richness, diversity and beauty of their Indigenous culture.
The National Tartan Day New York Committee President, Kyle Dawson, announced that acclaimed actor Tommy Flanagan, born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland, will be the Grand Marshal of the 19th Annual New York Tartan Day Parade, which will take place on Saturday April 8th.
150 East 55th Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10022
“It is an honor to celebrate my culture,” said Mr. Flanagan about his appointment to Grand Marshal. “I have great pride in my heritage. Although I now live in Malibu, I visit Scotland regularly with my family. I’ll have my daughter flying her flag forever.”
The parade steps off at 2:00 PM and marches up Sixth Avenue from 44th Street to 55th Street.
Bands, Pipers, Dancers and Clans from Scotland and throughout the United States, Canada, Scotland and elsewhere are joining the Parade, along with dozens of Scottish and West Highland Terriers. To register to participate, please visit: http://nyctartanweek.org/
If you have any questions about your registration, please write to info@nyctartanweek.org.
National Tartan Day New York Committee
New York City, NY 10022
MindfulmediaMom Karen Palmer host of GlobalkindnessTV will interview the founder and hear the back story of how #LoveGlassesRevolution is spreading love and hope all over the world.
We will be flying kites for Peace at a game park in Harare Zimbabwe. We will be hosting 40 charities who will be fundraising and spreading awareness of their causes. We hope to inspire unity hope peace gratitude and love
Everyone is invited who would like to enjoy more prosperity and peace for all.
Peace Summit everyone is invited to share an evening of peaceful connecting. If you would like to enjoy more peace in your heart, home, and community please join us and invite friends and family.
All are invited who would like to experience more peace in their heart, home, and community.
Share your smiles, compliments, time, talents, money, and energy with those around you. We must truly be the change that we want to see. And we can do it. We are doing it. Believe that the future is full of mindfulness where hearts mean more than our accounts.
The Love Initiative.
Notes From the Road – Bright Lights Blog
http://troubadourofpeace.blogspot.com/
Book a house concert or music for a yoga class today!!
TOUR DATES
| Date | Time | Venue | Location | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3/22/18 | 3:00 PM | Choices | Akron, OH | |
| 3/22/18 | 6:00 PM | Tea Time for Peace | Kent, OH | |
| 3/23/18 | 5:00 PM | Friends of the Metro Parks Benefit w/ the Bright Lights | Akron, OH | |
| 3/27/18 | 7:00 PM | Brother’s Lounge | Cleveland, OH | |
| 3/30/18 | 6:30 PM | 330 Day @ Akron Civic Theatre | Akron, OH | |
| 3/31/18 | 10:30 AM | Celebration of Life for Marilyn Stroud | Cuyahoga Falls, OH | |
| 4/3/18 | 6:30 PM | MLK Kirtan | Akron, OH | Donations |
| 4/4/18 | 6:30 PM | Nonviolent Communication Circle | Akron, OH | Donations |
| 4/6/18 | 7:00 PM | Big Love Night @ Live Music Now w/ Rhodes St Rude Boys | Akron, OH | $5-10 |
| 4/7/18 | 8:30 PM | Mustard Seed Highland Square w/ Bright Lights! | Akron, OH | |
| 4/10/18 | 7:00 PM | Brother Lounge | Cleveland, OH | |
| 4/16/18 | 7:00 PM | Wolf Creek Winery | Norton, OH | |
| 4/21/18 | 6:30 PM | Bright Lights @ the Rialto | Akron, OH | $5 |
| 4/22/18 | 4:00 PM | Yoga Central | Canton, OH | |
| 4/28/18 | 7:00 PM | Wine Mill | Peninsula, OH | |
| 5/2/18 | 6:30 PM | Nonviolent Communication Series | Akron, OH | Donations |
| 5/4/18 | 7:00 PM | Big Love Night @ Live Music Now w/ Gretchen Pleuss | Akron, OH | $5-10 |
| 5/5/18 | 12:00 PM | Cleveland VegFest | Cleveland, OH | |
| 5/5/18 | 6:00 PM | Bent Ladder winery | Doylestown , OH | |
| 5/8/18 | 7:00 PM | Brother’s Lounge | Cleveland, OH |
Kids Earth Day Celebration by Los Angeles County Department of Beaches & Harbors
DATE AND TIME
Sat, April 21, 2018
11:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
LOCATION
Don’t miss the first Earth Day celebration at the Dockweiler Youth Center! Join 3rd Rock Hip Hop as they teach kids about environmental awareness through hip hop music. This community and family-oriented event will also feature:
- Environmental exhibitors
- Hands-on activities
- Bouncy houses
- Games
- FREE giveaways
- & so much more!
COST: Admission is FREE!
Faster Check-In w/ EventBrite RSVP Tickets! For faster entry into the event and access to the rides & attractions, each entrant must show a printed or digital EventBrite ticket showing acceptance of the liability waiver.
Regular Check-In: Upon arrival, all entrants to the event who don’t have an EventBrite ticket that shows acceptance of the liability waiver must complete & sign a hard-copy liability waiver form before accessing the rides & attractions.
Please click here for a downloadable flyer. Call (310) 726-4128 for more information.
In celebration of our common humanity, we join with citizens from all around the world on September 21st for International Peace Day. This year we are excited to celebrate the EMPOWERED VOICES OF YOUTH in our commUNITY, who are leading the way to a more peaceful and just world. International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by unanimous United Nations resolution and this day of peace provides a globally shared occasion for all humanity to commit to peace above all differences and to contribute to building a culture of peace.
Come and join us as we
march, chant, dance, rally, listen and create
with one another to celebrate our
connection, hope, and commUNITY!
Festivities include:
March
Unique voices from our International community
Performances
International Flag Ceremony
Face-painting
Sign Making
…and more!
Our next Community Conversation will be on
Thursday, July 18
9:00 – 10:30 am PST / 12:00 – 1:30 pm EST
The terrible issue of immigrant children detained at the U.S. border
The United States of America has, since its inception, been a country formed by immigrants. Yet now, at our southern border particularly, thousands of people leaving their home countries are requesting asylum or entrance and are being held in detention centers and processed very slowly. Meanwhile, the immigrating families are being separated and the children held in cells – cages in many cases – without adequate sanitation or bedding, without adequate nutrition and without access to their parents or adult relatives. In spite of legal and popular objection this problem has continued and continued to worsen for over a year under the Trump administration.
Is the description above adequate to define this problem? What are some of the underlying causes of the problem and what can or should be done instead? What actions can we take to effect those changes?
Looking at this issue through your social justice and elder lenses, please read the materials suggested below, focus your attention on this issue in other news you read and conversations you hear, then bring your thoughts on the subject to our conversation July 18th.
In our Community Conversations we draw on the experience and wisdom of our group to better understand the critical issues we are facing and discern what actions we would want to take as elders in our society today. We offer moral support for each other as we grapple with the issues and challenges of our times and discern how to best support the activism that we are each engaged in.
Resources:
Letter from Santa Fe Dreamers:
Dear Friends and Supporters,
We know that you have all been reading and watching the absolutely horrific news unfold about the conditions of detention on the border. We know that many of you feel scared, frustrated, angry, and powerless by the way that our government is treating vulnerable people, especially children. We are writing today with information and direction towards action but also to urge you not to feel powerless. We are always capable of making change through our collective power. Of course this requires courage, stamina, and an intelligent, disciplined, and organized theory of change. It will not be easy. We encourage you to turn away from despair and towards this place of collective power knowing that it will test you. We will be with you the whole way. Below you will find some ideas for inspiration.
Love,
Your friends at Santa Fe Dreamers Project
- Educate yourself: Here at SFDP this is always our number one piece of advice. The more you know, the fiercer you will be as an advocate and a voter. There are plenty of explosive news articles to read but here are a few that we have learned from recently: We suggested this piece in our last newsletter but if you haven’t had a chance to read it we highly suggest Dara Lind’s “The Border is in Crisis. Here’s How it Got This Bad”. The New Yorker ran an incredibly thought provoking piece written by a historian about “The Unimaginable Reality of American Concentration Camp”. Again from the New Yorker, a report from the lawyers who were recently allowed in to inspect a children’s facility in Clint, TX, “Inside a Building in Texas where Government is Holding Immigrant Children”. Another really important thing to learn about (and something that is not highlighted enough in the news) is the Migrant Protection Protocol or MPP program that has currently turned thousands of thousands of migrants around at the US border to wait in Mexico. This is an excruciatingly dangerous policy that is threatening the lives of migrant families day after day.
- Understand that this cruelty is not new and these tactics did not just begin. In fact, the Obama administration reignited the practice of family detention in 2014. One of the reasons this summer feels so out of control is because the sheer numbers of people asking for asylum are so high. The Obama and now Trump administrations’ policies attempted to deter migrants through punishment, suffering, and torture but their success was dependent on the flow of migrants actually stopping. Now that the numbers are so high, these cruel and failed policies have now turned deadly.
- Engage with politicians: Here is the thing: The Trump administration cannot be swayed with moral arguments or blame. They are doing this on purpose. One way of thinking about engaging with politicians is to remember that Congress has the power of the purse and is funding this enforcement regime. One theory is that we can defund ICE and CBP and redirect that money to agencies or NGO’s that are capable of handling a humanitarian crisis of this scope and are not killing people for political motive. This means we have to pressure progressives and democrats and republicans with a conscience to do more than just signal compassion for immigrants. We need these leaders to articulate how they are going to disempower the Trump Administration and make sure it is part of the work they are doing to secure our votes. We can and must demand courageous leadership from our Senators and Representatives and that their actions reflect our deep desire to end the state sponsored violence on the border.
- How to respond to the threat of ICE raids: Trump’s twitter threat for a massive enforcement action last week was credible and achieved its purpose of scaring the shit out of immigrant and refugee communities all over the US. While it has been “delayed”, now is a wise time for communities to get organized. The American Friends Service Committee published this resource about how allies can support their immigrant and refugee neighbors during this time. Here is the ACLU’s guide to knowing your rights during ICE encounters and we suggest exploring it. Santa Fe Dreamers will be holding walk in hours for people to help families with power of attorney and family prep plans every Friday in Santa Fe from 1-5 at our 1213 Mercantile Rd office. If you work with concerned families let them know about this resource.
- Actions happening in NM: There is a lot of talk about national protests to close concentration camps on July 12. One of the organizations that is involved with planning this is called Lights of Liberty. Their Facebook page is a source of info– although we don’t have much info yet about that organization. We are talking with folks in NM about planning more locally focused actions and as soon as we have more details we will announce it. Choose your social media of choice or keep reading our emails to stay in touch.
- Where to donate: Of course here at Santa Fe Dreamers Project we use your donations to protect vulnerable immigrants and refugees in a million different ways every day. Specifically, we need more help on the border. We just rented a much larger office space in El Paso for our expanding team there and are raising funds for a legal assistant so we can have greater impact in the borderlands. You can donate to that effort here. Write border in the note! We are grateful for any help you can give putting this donation link out there into the universe. For those of you wondering where else it might be useful to donate here is our list of several grassroots legal organizations that we know are having impact (we also know we have left many out!)
- And finally an offer of poetry from our director, Allegra, who likes to contemplate what this particular poem is trying to teach us when thinking about the horrors we witness:
Now you know the worst
By Wendell Berry
To my granddaughters who visited the Holocaust Museum on the day of the burial of Yitzhak Rabin
Now you know the worst
we humans have to know
about ourselves, and I am sorry,
for I know that you will be afraid.
To those of our bodies given
without pity to be burned, I know
there is no answer
but loving one another,
even our enemies, and this is hard.
But remember:
when a man of war becomes a man of peace,
he gives a light, divine
though it is also human.
When a man of peace is killed
by a man of war, he gives a light.
You do not have to walk in darkness.
If you will have the courage for love,
you may walk in light. It will be
the light of those who have suffered
for peace. It will be
your light.
Regarding Investor Activism:
Here are some groups focused on Social, Environmental and Governance-conscious investing:
- Proxy Impact
- Sustainable Investment Institute
- As You Sow
- Green America (and also: www.greenamerica.org/finance)
And finally, for your research about political donations, money flow and lobbying influence:
How to join the conversation:
We will be using Zoom video conferencing, which is very easy to access by computer or regular telephone. If you choose to use your tablet or smartphone, be sure to download the Zoom app ahead of time. We will be starting each meeting on time so please connect 15 minutes before the call so that the host can help with any technical difficulties or questions you may have. Once the call starts the host will be not be able to help with connection issues. Once you are connected via Zoom you are welcome mute your microphone and turn off your video until just before the meeting starts, or you may enjoy chatting with others in the meeting while you wait.
Instructions and access to Zoom conferencing
To receive email reminders for Elder Activists for Social Justice (EASJ) meetings, monthly community conversations and workshops, please sign up here:
SIGN UP
Camp Kindness Day — July 23, 2019
On July 23, the camp community will participate in Camp Kindness Day – an event highlighting the practice of intentional kindness that happens every day at American camps. This is an opportunity to raise awareness of the the great work that camps are doing to teach kindness in engaging, simple, repeatable, and high impact ways that live on in the daily lives of campers and staff members when they return home.
Focusing on our youth and young adults, Camp Kindness Day will help showcase the commitment of the camp community to fostering the core values of kindness, compassion, generosity and care, and integrating those values more fully into every aspect of our society. These values are already part of the fabric of the camp experience. We share the mission for our youth to be nurtured, taught, supported, and inspired to grow into our new generation of kind, compassionate, socially-minded, community-oriented citizens.
Camp Kindness Day will allow camps to incorporate into their July 23 programming fun theme-based activities and cooperative games, cool projects, and memorable moments which will celebrate the value and impact of kindness.
How your camp can participate:
- Schedule Camp Kindness Day into your programming on July 23.
- Help spread the word in a unified social media campaign by tagging #CampKindnessDay into your social media and other communications.
- Share your plans so that ACA can support you through localized public relations efforts.
To support your camp’s involvement in Camp Kindness Day, ACA has produced an electronic #CampKindnessDay Backpack, complete with programming ideas and activities, FAQs, social media tips, and other information on how your camp can celebrate Camp Kindness Day.
Be part of the nation-wide evolution! Plan now to add #CampKindnessDay to your camp’s programming on July 23.
Socially Conscious Leadership from the Inside Out
Our guest this week has come to believe that “No matter how wonderful a program is, if it is done as a bestowing – a certain group of people making decisions for another group – that is never going to bridge the divide in our city.” Does your work fit within this paradigm of “bestowing,” and how do you plant seeds for a deeper mindset or consciousness shift to address underlying structural issues? Share Your Reflection »
Dallas-based therapist, activist, writer, community leader and speaker Michelle Kinder examines and teaches conscious leadership “from the inside out.” She offers practical, achievable steps for parents, teachers and others to support children’s social-emotional health, and for business and other leaders to drive transformation in their lives and organizations. While exploring the lack of mental health resources in southern Dallas, Kinder got to know the work of the Momentous Institute, a 99-year-old Dallas-based nonprofit organization that has been building and repairing social-emotional health through education and mental health programs. Momentous Institute serves vulnerable children through therapy services, curriculum and teacher training focused on See full.
Five Questions for Michelle
What Makes You Come Alive?
Thank you for asking. Learning makes me come alive. Learning combined with contribution has long been a winning formula for me feeling most alive. Over the years I developed the habit of checking in with myself every six months or so with the questions “Am I learning? Am I contributing?” There have been interesting seasons on how the two balance each other. There are times that striving to contribute crowded out the kind of white space by brain needs for deep learning and I have had to course correct. And there have been other times that I was learning a lot, but didn’t feel like I was being a good steward in terms of making a difference for other people or for causes I care about. I should also say that because I am currently in a season of more white space and more time for discernment, increasingly, simple pleasures are what make me come alive. Listening to birds, watching our dogs, yoga, running, sunshine, good coffee and the sound of my girls laughing together. Things like that.
Pivotal turning point in your life?
When I was in High School I left my family in Guatemala and came to the states to attend boarding school. It was a transformational experience. The wonderful faculty there saw qualities in me that they nurtured into leadership and I really learned who I was and what I was capable of during those four years. Interestingly, in my previous school, there were teachers who experienced the exact same qualities as problematic, annoying or something to control. Having that experience has made me very interested in how adults show up in the lives of children in a way that respects the enormous privilege and responsibility. I always say there are no neutral interactions when it comes to our relationships with children – all interactions are either positive, negative or missed opportunities.
An Act of Kindness You’ll Never Forget?
When I was in college, my 24-year-old sister died suddenly and it was an enormous challenge to go back to school while navigating the grief process. Several weeks into it, when people had stopped checking in, I found a card tucked into one of my books. It was from a classmate I knew somewhat, but not super well. It said something like, “I know time has passed but your hurt hasn’t.” I still tear up thinking about that act of kindness. It meant so much and it has shaped my desire to show up for others in similar ways.
One Thing On Your Bucket List?
Have the kind of flexibility to visit different places for a month at a time and work remotely while folding into the local scene.
One-line Message for the World?
Regardless of the situation, if you ever aren’t sure how to be most helpful, regulate your own nervous system.
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Awakin Circles: A hub for local meditation circles that started in the Silicon Valley and have now spread to 80+ cities around the globe. The circle start with an hour of silence, followed by a circle of sharing and dinner in silence. A newsletter with a passage selected from various wisdom traditions and an audio reading is sent out to 87,000 subscribers each week. See also Awakin Calls that hosts weekly conversations with wide-ranging thought leaders.
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ServiceSpace is an organization run entirely by volunteers. We leverage technology to encourage everyday people around the world to do small acts of service. Our aim is to ignite the fundamental generosity in ourselves and others, creating both inner and outer transformation.
ServiceSpace was conceived by volunteers, was built by volunteers, and is run by volunteers — all for the benefit of volunteers. Our projects range from a daily positive news service, to an acts-of-kindness portal, to a gift-economy restaurant. Regardless of the endeavor, we act in concert to create service opportunities for each other and to support each other’s service journeys.
In September of 2011, we formally changed our name from CharityFocus to ServiceSpace. Founded in 1999, ServiceSpace was originally started to help non-profits with technical services. Over the past dozen years, the organization has become an umbrella for many generosity-driven projects. Thus we have expanded our services from focusing just on helping charities, to encouraging everyday people to contribute in meaningful ways to the world around them. As the name suggests, our new expanded ServiceSpace platform allows people to stay connected with others interested in service, participate in service opportunities through any of our dozen projects, organize their own local service event using our tools, and stay connected to inspirational content. Above all, we believe in the inherent generosity of others and aim to ignite that spirit of service. Through our small, collective acts, we hope to transform ourselves and the world.
We hold these three principles steadfast within our organization:
Stay fully volunteer-run.
ServiceSpace was founded by volunteers and is run by volunteers. There is no paid staff, no office, and no central facilities. All ServiceSpace programs are conceived, designed, implemented, and administered by people who selflessly give their time so that others can benefit from those services.
Based on twelve years of our experience with a volunteer-run infrastructure, we’ve developed a streamlined process that structures projects in a distributed and decentralized manner. This allows more volunteers to give small chunks of time and still deliver high quality services to the end-receiver.
Being volunteer-run also allows us to organically self-organize. Instead of hierarchies and prefabricated business plans, our volunteer infrastructure is dynamic, low-cost and open to radical change. Everything is based on relationships and presence, and that creates a powerful context to BE the change.
We continue to be amazed at what inspired and dedicated individuals can do. Margaret Mead eloquently said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever does.” We could not agree more.
Serve with whatever we have.
We have chosen a slightly different path than most organizations, and choose not to focus on fundraising, grants, or other sources of revenue – for example, none of our websites contain any advertisement. All services are distributed are gifted without any fees. Thus, we serve with whatever support and resources that come in organically when people are truly moved to give.
ServiceSpace projects are built within a gift-economy system, an economic system in which goods and services are given freely, rather than traded. In a traditional market economy, one’s wealth is increased by saving. In a gift economy, giving leads to increase: an increase in connections and relationship strength.
Our services are given freely, without asking for anything in return. Instead of scarcity and fear for an uncertain future, our second principle roots us in abundance and trust. We have realized that over time, if you serve with pure intentions, people’s cups of gratitude overflow. They don’t give to fulfill a need, they give as an expression of their own solidarity and joy. These genuine gifts, no matter how small or large, are what sustains us.
Focus on the small.
Our attempt is to do “small acts with great love”. As our tagline says, “Change Yourself, Change the World.” If we started out by having a goal to change the world, we might have been a little disappointed in our abilities; when we start with ourselves, we notice that the ripples around us continue to get bigger and bigger and as more people try to do small acts, we have every potential to change the world.
Just as every tiny bit of a hologram contains information of the whole, we feel that paying attention to the process, to the present moment, gives us plenty of information to become instruments of a larger, systemic change.
This is how ServiceSpace makes things happen. But essentially the engine that drives the organization is inspiration, pure and simple. We learn from each other, spur each other, help each other, and frequently amaze each other. Sure, we are stirred by the words and lives of great men and women like Gandhi and Martin Luther King and Mother Theresa; but the examples set by our ServiceSpace colleagues–everyday heroes–are the real sustaining forces behind our projects.
THINK KINDNESS, WE CHARITY, COUNT ME IN CHAMPION KINDNESS WORLD WIDE
There’s a growing crisis among young people today. One-in-five students report being bullied, cyberbullying is on the rise, and teen suicide is at a record high. As these problems continue to worsen, many adults may be left scratching their heads. How do we stop this crisis and help our youth?
There are a lot of possible answers, but there’s one that I’d like to pose today that I think is too often overlooked: kindness.
Yes, the simple act of kindness – not just witnessing it, but participating in it – has the ability to change people’s lives for the better. To make our world safer and happier for our children, we need to be teaching them how to be kind at home, at school, and in their communities.
This may seem overly simple, but science backs it up. According to research from places like Harvard and UC Berkeley, among others, acts of kindness release chemicals in the brain, such as serotonin and oxytocin, which reduce depression and anger and boost overall happiness.
Being kind isn’t something we should just mention to our kids in passing – it should be an integral part of their daily activities.
As the founder of Think Kindness, I am blessed to have an incredible job. I go into schools all across the country and help kids tap into their inner kindness potential. In my ten years here, I’ve seen some amazing results. For instance, after my very first speech, a student who struggled with suicidal thoughts wrote me to tell me how getting involved in helping others radically changed his life for the better.
Luckily, Think Kindness isn’t the only organization that makes kindness its mission.
There’s a group called Count Me In, founded and led by youth, which helps to connect young people with volunteer opportunities in their communities and around the world. To date, the organization has inspired over 100 million volunteer hours. In addition, Count Me In has an annual leadership summit which serves as a bootcamp training kids how to be volunteers and do good in the world. I am also blessed to sit on the advisory board for such a powerful and meaningful organization.
Similarly, there’s an organization in Canada called the WE Charity which does incredible work to connect kids to acts of kindness. For instance, WE offers volunteer trips to impoverished communities around the world, giving young people a powerful chance to make a real difference for people in need.
They also host what they call We Days, which draw hundreds of thousands of children into stadiums across the world to hear nspirational messages about doing good around the world.
Organizations like these and others are essential to turning the tide of anger, depression, and sadness among our youth today.
But they need backup, because according to one study, youth volunteering has gone down over the last fifteen years. All of us – parents, teachers, community leaders – need to promote kindness to young people.
We can do it in two ways: first and foremost, by showing kindness ourselves; second, by connecting our kids to groups which can give them the tools they need to be conduits of kindness everywhere they go.
Let’s get to it – it just might change the world.
With Kindness,
Brian Williams
President & Founder, Think Kindness
#BeKindTogether
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About this Event
????Festival of the Child is a completely FREE event and takes place ONLINE, from Nov 14th-20th, featuring experts and change-makers working tirelessly for the good of children everywhere.
????Supporting a paradigm shift in learning, we are reimagining education.
????Join us and add your voice to the collective.
????Learn directly from visionaries, storytellers, teachers, activists, doctors, psychologists and more to get the latest insights in how to grow today’s child for tomorrow and restore wellbeing now.
????So many of our children suffer from mental health issues that directly result from ways in which they are being educated and a system that is failing to look at their developmental needs.
????Learn tried and tested strategies that support YOUR child to grow up healthy, happy and full of hope for the future.
????Now more than ever we have an incredible opportunity to shift the learning paradigm into one that supports ALL of our children to truly thrive.
????It is time to be bold in our vision and brave in our footsteps as we re-imagine what learning looks like in the 21st century.
????We know that you want your children to grow up with a connection to themselves a strong sense of self and personal identity, empathy and care for others and full of creative solutions to transform humanity as this crucial time in our collective evolution.
????Come join the education revolution. Be heard. Have your say. Be a part of this important conversation.
????Completely free to sign-up. ????
But only available to registered participants.
Get your FREE eventbrite ticket then head on over to our website www.festivalofthechild.com to REGISTER.
It’s the only way to access the videos – as all links will be sent out by email.
Can’t wait to see you all on the other side!
ShaRon Rea
The Whole Family Coaching
480-420-9551
ShaRon@TheWholeFamilyCoaching.
www.thewholefamilycoaching.com
2020
New York City at Sony Hall
Get ready to celebrate!
Join us in New York on March 9, 2020 as No Bully celebrates our partners and friends at our annual Broadway Against Bullying event. This annual one-night-only cabaret show, featuring stars from some of Broadway’s biggest musicals, benefiting No Bully’s mission to eradicate bullying and cyber-bullying worldwide.
Calling all New York area Friends who LOVE Broadway. March 9th: Broadway Against Bullying, a one-night-only cabaret featuring stars from some of Broadway’s biggest musicals. Lexi Lawson (Hamilton), Telly Leung (Aladdin) and Kevin Duda (Book of Mormon). A wonderful organization, committed to a kinder world, No Bully has teamed up with Broadway Stars,(Year 2) for an evening supporting bullying prevention school programs and positive action initiatives. Entertainment and Doing Good! Get your tickets for March 9: www.nobully.org/broadway2020 and join the movement to end bullying! #broadwayagainstbullying #nobully #bullying #kindevolution, #nobullyingperiod
IGNITING COMPASSION
Words that come to mind when describing our team include: compassionate, kind, inclusive, strong, and has a generosity of spirit.
Each one of us has our own personal story around bullying and we hold this work near and dear to our hearts. We are constantly trying to live out our mission on a day to day basis, both igniting compassion around the office and also the world!
No Bully takes a holistic approach to partnering with schools and districts by involving the administration, staff, parents, and students in the process.
FIND OUT MORE
No Bully is the most comprehensive professional development program proven to combat bullying and enhance school culture.
There are so many ways to become a part of No Bully’s mission to dramatically reduce bullying. Consider yourself invited to tell us how you’d like to connect.
Phone:
(415) 767-0070
Mailing Address:
No Bully
1012 Torney Ave
San Francisco, CA 94129
Awakening Humanity’s Consciousness as One,
“Celebrating Our Planet,
Healing our Heart“
The13th AnnualWORLD PEACE EARTH DAY CELEBRATION 2020
Planet Heart Logo © Elana Stanger,
a.k.a. St. Angel www.diversityarts.com Come join us on EARTH DAYWednesday, April 22, 2020, at
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Portions of the Proceeds supportWe, The World andPlanet Heartto produce these events.“We hear Mother Earth’s call to simultaneously become more heart centered and action oriented. Feeling Mother Earth’s sacredness in our hearts can be profound motivation to act on Her behalf. Many actions are needed now, from calling legislators to attending rallies … art making, creative planning, spreading the word, writing letters to the editor … advocating for clean water, renewable energy … as well as social, racial, and economic justice issues that are inseparable from co-creating a sustainable, thriving world that works for all. We believe these actions are most effective, and most beautiful, when they are inspired by and carried out with love and respect for this beautiful planet, all who reside here, and whatever divine energies are loving us and encouraging us through this Great Turning. This feeling of connection, love, and inspiration is what we seek to create through Planet Heart’s Annual World Peace Earth Day. Please join us, be inspired, keep your heart open, and channel that love into action. ”
Ellen Osuna, Environmental and Peace Activist
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From Indigenous New England
 https://indigenous.boston |
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Oscar winner Wes Studi launched a new PSA raising awareness about the seriousness of COVID-19 in Indian Country. (courtesy photo)
ADDISON, Texas — From small-town Oklahoma native to internationally acclaimed actor and musician, Wes Studi forever changed a stereotype with his unforgettable performances in Dances with Wolves, The Last of the Mohicans, Heat and Avatar.
Now, he’s working on another mission.
Yesterday, the Cherokee citizen and legendary film star released a public service announcement (PSA) to raise awareness of the serious effects of COVID-19 in Indian Country and request widespread support for Partnership With Native Americans (PWNA) to ensure Native Americans are not left behind during the pandemic.
What sparked the PSA is a series of vital health issues happening in the wake of COVID-19, even with many stay-at-home orders in place. The risk of contracting the virus is higher among Native Americans due to overcrowded housing and high rates of diabetes, kidney disease and asthma. And despite more than 7,100 confirmed cases of COVID-19 within the Navajo Nation and other tribal communities, federal aid has been slow to arrive.
In his new PSA, the Oscar winner reminds the public of the need for immediate attention and charitable donations to PWNA, which has secured tribal clearances and follows CDC and tribal guidelines to continue delivering critical items, such as food, water, sanitizer and personal protective equipment (PPE).
For more information on the PSA, and to learn how to donate, visit NativePartnership.org/
“Every day, remote reservation communities face shortages of food, water and healthcare, and COVID-19 has magnified that reality,” said Joshua Arce, PWNA president and CEO. “Donations are critical now as we bring relief to under-resourced communities.”
Studi notes PWNA is a nonprofit he trusts. In 2019, they collaborated in a five-part Realities Video Series with Wes Studi that aimed to give an accurate portrayal of reservation life and dispels long-held myths that continue to impact Native communities.
The post Legendary Actor Wes Studi Urges the Public to Assist Indian Country Amid Pandemic appeared first on Native News Online.
Virtual Rites of Spring 2020
We gather in May for our 42nd time to celebrate the sacred Earth and the turning of the seasons in the mountains of western Massachusetts.
Join us online, (and in person in September) – as together we:
Weave the web of community;
Share in ancient traditions and new rituals;
Look forward to what we can become;
Learn through workshops and dialogue;
Light the Sacred fire;
Feel the rhythms of life in our drums and dance to raise our spirits;
Form lasting friends and see families grow as we come together in community – learning, sharing music, celebrating with ritual, and fueling our joy.
Register now for virtual Rites of Spring programming!
We are terribly sad not to be able to be together for the first time in 42 years, but we are excited to be able to still offer a substantial program. Zoom links and program details will go out to everyone who registers.
Please spread the word!
Virtual Rites of Spring 2020 – EarthSpirit
www.earthspirit.com
We gather in May for our 42nd time to celebrate the sacred Earth and the turning of the seasons in the mountains of western Massachusetts. Join us online.
Saturday
- 8 – 8:30 AM Family Program – Seasonal Stories and Creative projects with Andrew Coate, and Sarah Rosehill
- 11:00 AM Workshop: Pagan Perspective Permaculture Primer with Martin Bridge
- 3:00 PM Web Ritual
- 8:00 PM Bardic Circle Sign Up Sheet
- 11:00 PM DJ Meow Meow
Sunday
- 8 – 8:30 AM Family Program – Seasonal Stories and Creative projects with Andrew Coate, and Sarah Rosehill
- 11:00 AM Workshop: Anamanta: a Pagan Practice for Troubled Times with Andras Corban Arthen
- 3:00 PM EarthSpirit FUNdraising Kickoff with Billy Bardo, Anya, Arianna (and maybe Patrick)
- 6:00 PM The Feast at home
- After Feast: DJ Dawn Dance Party! with Dawn Flatt
Monday
- 11:00 AM Closing Ritual with Deirdre and Andras Arthen
Plus Recorded Programs on YouTube
- Healing Ritual
- Building a Sacred Shrine
- Maying!
- Preparing your own Feast
Register Online
If you are registered and paid for Rites of Spring 2020 (May or September), please follow this link to get your virtual Registration number. This program is an included add-on to your registration.
To register if you are not already signed up for Rites of Spring: Admission for the week is a sliding scale $50 – $100. Please pay what you are able, to help us keep going through this time of crisis. No one will be turned away for serious financial hardship, as long as you pay something. Additional contributions are appreciated.
Once you are registered, close to the date of the virtual events, you will receive a registration code, an accessible link and password for the Zoom sessions, and a link to the Facebook Virtual Dining Hall. Please save that registration number for access to the Virtual Dining Hall or for any questions on your registration.
We look forward to seeing you all online.
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| Join the Next Pulse – SUMMER SOLSTICE Sunday, June 21st at 12pm PT, 3pm ET, 7pm GMT Timezone ConverterThis month’s theme: Celebrating Our Coherence Featured Organization: Earthdance Global Featured Musician: Miranda Macpherson
Followed by the Earthdance ConcertReserve My Space
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The 8th Annual Children’s Global Wave Of Love
June 21 at 1:11 pm in your heart and time zone.
We collectively come together to cultivate and
send forth our mission
“Children Across the Planet in Love, Care, and Respect.”
Since everyday is children’s day, we create a year-long, free, activity platform for children, families, communities, schools, organizations and YOU to empower
heart space and help transform the world!
Our Mission Statement: Our mission is to provide complete and total support to all children with an entire month of activities that enhance all aspects of a child’s life.
