Humanity Project Board of Directors

A Valued Addition

Celia Negron Marino

The Humanity Project is very pleased to welcome Celia Negron Marino to our distinguished Board of Directors. She brings to us her extensive experience with educating both adults and children — and a passion for improving the lives of individuals.

An educator for more than 30 years, Celia has taught students at many levels – from elementary school to high school to adult education. Her focus has been both on teaching ESOL classes (English as a second language) and training other ESOL educators. After developing and teaching adult education at a Long Island community school and at York College Queens in New York City, she began her long career in Broward County, Florida schools. Celia has served as Broward ESOL Council president, ESOL trainer for the district’s Cross Cultural Course and as New Teacher Mentor & Coordinator. A curriculum specialist, she has worked extensively in elementary schools coaching and training regular education and ESOL teachers.

The addition of Celia Negron Marino also helps our efforts to make our Board of Directors as diverse as possible. Not only do we have more women than men among our directors, we also boast diversity in sexual orientation, ethnic background and professional experience. Celia is originally from Puerto Rico, strengthening our ties to the Hispanic community that’s so well represented in our South Florida home base. We believe she will make important contributions to the ongoing work of the Humanity Project to promote “equality for each, respect for all.” Welcome aboard, Celia! We look forward to working with you.

Our Dear Friend

Shaikh Shafayat Mohamed

by Bob Knotts, Founder & President

A Personal Reflection

I have lost a valued friend. The Humanity Project has lost a valued Board director. And our community as well as the world at large have lost an important voice for respect among all people. I am profoundly saddened to announce the death of Shaikh Shafayat Mohamed, the result of an unexpected sudden illness that began only short days ago.

Shafayat was the Imam of a busy South Florida mosque as well as a highly regarded Muslim scholar who spoke all over the world, in person and through his TV program that was seen by millions. The Humanity Project twice was featured on that show. Everywhere he went, Shafayat spoke up for interfaith understanding and compassion — and he represented what it means to apply the Humanity Project’s core values in daily life: The need for self-worth within every individual. The importance of equality and respect at every level of society. The celebration of human diversity. As he said in a recent public forum: “Christians, Jews, Muslims, we need all sides to educate one another about each other.” Shaikh Shafayat Mohamed believed this to his core. And he lived it in his work and his day-to-day life.

I am writing this blog under my byline for a reason. The passing of this extraordinary man requires the expression of loss in terms more personal than a mere announcement by the nonprofit organization he served. I had many many conversations with Shafayat over the past few years, chats that usually began with the words, “Hello, my friend!” Every word I ever heard from him and each action I witnessed reaffirmed for me his deep and genuine commitment to universal respect among all people. He was a wise and compassionate human being. And I cared for him a lot, as I always will.

In closing, I feel it’s perhaps appropriate to share a musical composition I finished only about a month or so ago — with no thought whatsoever that it might be used in this way, of course. At this link, you’ll find a simple video to accompany the brief work I titled, “Of Fond Remembrance.” It’s a classical composition for flute and harp that tries to convey the bittersweet feelings of both gratitude and sadness at the memory of someone lost to us in one way or another. Listen to the music.

To the fine family of my friend, Shafayat, I and everyone at the Humanity Project offer our most sincere and deepest condolences on your loss. We know you will make every effort to continue his work — just as we at the Humanity Project will redouble our own fight to promote self-worth, equality and respect in our troubled world.

Speakers Bureau Is A Hit

We’re off to a great start … with big thanks to our wonderful Board of Directors member, Mandi Hawke — and our friends at Neighbors 4 Neighbors. The new Humanity Project Speakers Bureau gave our first talk in late May. Mandi was the guest of El Dorado Furniture in Miami, with about 35 of their employees attending the lunchtime session. Here’s how Mandi herself described it in a Facebook post:

“I am honored to serve on the board of @thehumanityproject 🥰. As part of our speakers bureau I had the privilege of presenting on ‘spiritual and personal growth recovering through the pandemic’ to about 35 employees at El Dorado furniture. I was blown away by the engagement and active participation. We spoke about our human need for deep connection, how to validate others suffering, as well as the importance of validating our own suffering. We shared different coping skills that work for us and talked about how good non judgmental listening feels. That was a great day...”

Mandi was too modest to also explain that the folks at El Dorado told her she was one of their best speakers … in the past 22 years! Bravo, Mandi! This talk was set up through our ongoing partnership with Neighbors 4 Neighbors, a respected South Florida nonprofit that works closely with CBS Miami to promote other significant nonprofit organizations. Recently, Neighbors 4 Neighbors featured the Humanity Project, creating PSAs about us that played on TV. See an example here.

Our Speakers Bureau offers a wide range of topics and accomplished speakers drawn mainly from our Board of Directors. You’ll find authors, a university professor, teachers, journalists — even a Tony-winning Broadway producer. We’ll take our talks to you in person or virtually within South Florida. Or anywhere in the world over the internet. Take a look and contact us soon. As you can tell, we have a message worth sharing.

Welcoming Three New Board Members

The Humanity Project Board of Directors has long been diverse, smart and very accomplished. Our three new board members just added significantly to our strengths. Today we welcome Mandi Hawke, Shaikh Shafayat Mohamed and Madelin Marchant to the Humanity Project Board, all three previously members of our Leadership Council.

Let us introduce you to them:

  • Mandi Hawke is a longtime activist and leader in the South Florida LGBTQ community. Starting in 2007 her experience includes 10 years in administration at SunServe, a nonprofit that assists lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning individuals – with most of her tenure served as Director of Youth Service. She owns and operates Proud EmPOWERment Business Solutions, a social media management and virtual assisting agency. Ms. Hawke is the author of two books: “PROUD emPOWERment” for LGBTQ youth and “Cosmic Unicorns,” a children’s book. Her writings offer inclusive, trauma-informed content aimed at inspiring constructive change in both young people and adults. Before joining the Board of Directors Ms. Hawke served on the Humanity Project Leadership Council in charge of outreach on the topic of LGBTQ equality.

  • Shaikh Shafayat Mohamed is a Trinidadian Islamic scholar and Founder/Principal of Darul Uloom Islamic Institute in Pembroke Pines, Florida. He has more than 40 years of experience in interfaith activities, the first Muslim to become president of the Interfaith Council of Greater Hollywood, Florida. Shaikh Mohamed hosts an international television program called Al Hikmat, which reaches a large global audience. A recipient of the Peacemaker Award from St. Thomas University, he sits on the WPBT/PBS TV Community Advisory Board. Before joining the Board of Directors Shaikh Mohamed served on the Humanity Project Leadership Council in charge of outreach on the topic of religious equality.

  • Madelin Marchant is an accomplished and active actress of stage, film and television in both English and Spanish. Cuban born and Miami raised, she served for nearly 21 years as Theatre Arts Director at South Miami Middle School, a Florida arts magnet school. Ms. Marchant sits on the South Florida Theatre League board and since 2010 has been Chairperson of the Junior Thespian District Festival, overseeing the middle school theatre competition for Miami-Dade County. In 2020, she was voted Arts Educator of the Decade by BroadwayWorld Regional Miami Awards. Before joining the Board of Directors Ms. Marchant served on the Humanity Project Leadership Council in charge of outreach on the topic of equality through education.

    We are very proud to add these great folks to our Board of Directors, where they can channel their experience and skills even more effectively into our campaign for “Equality For Each, Respect For All.” Welcome, Madelin, Shafayat and Mandi!

Welcome, Debra!

The Humanity Project is very proud to welcome a new member to our distinguished Board of Directors. After taking part in our December board retreat and remaining engaged in our efforts, Debra Annane officially has been elected to join our work promoting equality and respect-for-all.

Debra brings with her an impressive resume as Program Officer of the Health Foundation of South Florida. An adjunct instructor at the University of Miami Department of Public Health Sciences, Ms. Annane is fully certified by Brown University as a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) teacher. She has trained extensively in the Zen Buddhist tradition since 2005 and was ordained as an urban Zen priest in 2015. Ms. Annane has developed and facilitated numerous research protocols and mindfulness-based programs for improving health and health equity. Her work in public health engages underserved and at risk populations. Previously, Debra worked in the media including the Orlando Sentinel and Discovery Channel.

Beyond her obvious credentials, Debra Annane brings to us her warmth, wisdom and humor — and personal experience growing up in Jamaica and the United States as a multiracial and multicultural female. Her journey includes a hard-won reckoning with identity, migration, cultural constructs of race, stress, resilience, social justice and body-mind health.

We are excited to join forces with this talented woman as the Humanity Project moves well into our 17th year of existence. Much work remains in striving toward a community, a nation and a world that offer “Equality For Each, Respect For All.” Debra Annane can help us find new ways to advance those efforts.

New Members Of Our Team

Welcome to the Humanity Project, Sasha Medvinsky and Victoria!

Meet our newest Leadership Council parent-child team.

Sasha was born and raised in Ukraine, leaving for Florida in 1992. She’s a registered nurse who manages Outpatient Services in the Pediatric Ambulatory Department of Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. Her daughter, Victoria, is an honor roll student and a recognized leader in her school, often fundraising for causes that help children in need.

Of course, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital is a longtime sponsor of the Humanity Project. So we think Sasha’s involvement with the Humanity Project seems especially appropriate.

Our Leadership Council was formed several years ago to serve as an in-house consulting and creative group of parents who partner with their child, collectively offering guidance to make sure our programs become even more kid-friendly and parent-friendly too. Since then we’ve added key new members to that team. We know Sasha and Victoria will bring their experience and talents to our work now — and we’re grateful.

We think of the Humanity Project as a family: not only our Board of Directors and Leadership Council but also our great volunteers and the many students and teachers and administrators who work with us closely. Together, we help kids to help kids. Together, we really do make a difference.