A "Starr" For Humanity

The Beatles remembered, with Ringo Starr tagging along behind his bandmates.

This is the fourth in a new series of blogs written for our website by Humanity Project Founder, Bob Knotts, a playwright, poet and author of the book “Beyond Me: Dissecting Ego To Find The Innate Love At Humanity’s Core.” These blogs offer a more personal perspective on the goodness and inherent value of humanity, ideas that are the foundation of the Humanity Project’s work.

If I could sing, I would sing his praises today. Ringo Starr, great drummer of The Beatles … more recently a singer, songwriter and drummer of his own music. And a humanitarian. More than any other contemporary popular music performer I know, Ringo celebrates our humanity. To me, that’s worth pointing out for more folks to appreciate.

Obviously, Ringo doesn’t need help from me or the Humanity Project to gain recognition. He’s already one of the best known musicians alive. But I wanted to offer this personal perspective today on an important aspect of his songs that I don’t believe is widely understood. Ringo Starr focuses much less on the self-centered, ego-driven romantic variety of love and much more on an encompassing love of all human beings. That’s unusual — and as mentioned, not fully understood and appreciated by the public.

But I think it’s quite remarkable. As I wrote in my most recent book, “I’ve written love songs of my own. But now I hunger for songs that celebrate something deeper and more inspiring than commonplace romance. Why not songs of universal respect? Songs of unconditional self-value? Songs that enshrine human diversity, human sacrifice, human achievement? They can be written.”

The substantial body of work recorded by Ringo Starr includes many songs that offer this very perspective on our lives. Let me offer just two examples, here from one of his newest songs, “Not Enough Love in the World”:

“Every night I pray for some kinder time. Do we figure it out in time? The time’s coming soon. There’s not enough love in the world …. There’s not enough peace in the world. There’s not enough hope. There’s not enough love in the world.”

Or another new example from his song, “Zoom In, Zoom Out”:

"When your journey seems an endless one and fear is hard to overcome. Step-by-step is how you get it done. One day you'll be laughing. A wealthy man from way up high. A homeless child with a cardboard sky. If we could only see through each other's eyes imagine what could happen. Zoom in, to get a new perspective. Zoom out, to see we're all connected..."

I find more than a simplistic “Peace & Love” message to Ringo’s music. The songs he sings are almost unfailingly positive, upbeat, cheerful or witty, with the lyrics and music a charming complement for each other. A very fine musician himself, Ringo plays only with top pros including many colleagues who themselves are huge names in popular music. This means his sound is sharp, tight and enormously enjoyable. He also records in a wide range of genres that have carried him to country music and even reggae. But there’s more to it all than this. When you sit and listen to song after song from his extensive catalogue of albums, you soon find that there’s something deeper going on in Ringo’s music. There is an overarching optimism about our humanity, which is what the Humanity Project is really about. Remember our Humanity Project mission statement? “Instilling greater respect for the goodness and inherent value of humanity.” That’s what I hear in the music offered by Ringo Starr — and I, at least, know of no one else in pop music who’s doing the same.

So, yes, a personal blog today about some music I find exceptional in this way. And no, I’m not getting anything for promoting Ringo’s music, trust me. He wouldn’t know I’ve alive. But I’m a lifelong passionate fan of The Beatles who has been surprised to better understand just what their irrepressible drummer has really been doing with himself all these years later. His music smiles at us, urging Ringo’s fellow human beings to believe in the great value of our own humanity. We can do better, he reminds us, starting simply by discovering ways to express a little genuine respect and caring for each other.

Progress Against Pandemic

With our partners at Our Fund Foundation, the Humanity Project is making a dent in the pandemic. Obviously, a very small dent … this is a global problem requiring the efforts of millions worldwide. But yes, we have some progress to report — an issue we’re tackling to improve Covid vaccine equity in underrepresented populations.

First, we’ve been successful in setting up some vaccination events. The Pride Center, an LGBTQ agency in South Florida, injected some 600 people with Covid vaccine in April as a direct result of the Humanity Project’s efforts with the State of Florida and Broward County. With big thanks to Humanity Project Board member, Bob LaMendola, for making this important event possible! Also, we will hold another such event on May 30 at Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church in Pompano Beach, Florida and at least one other is likely in the near future. We’ll keep you posted.

In conjunction with the diverse coalition we launched in January called the Diversity Unity Coalition, the Humanity Project also has distributed nearly 1,000 Covid informational cards all around South Florida. This includes giving out the cards at community events such as food distributions — the picture above came from one such food giveaway in April. Thanks to our good friends Andrew Leone and Todd Delmay for helping with that effort.

With plenty of vaccine finally available around the U.S., our work on this issue now focuses especially on Covid vaccine education as we encourage everyone to take their turn and roll up their sleeves. As you probably know, this pandemic won’t end until we reach a level of herd immunity — and that means at least 75-80% of us must be vaccinated. We’re nowhere near that figure now. We hope you’ll do your part. Get vaccinated if you haven’t, please. And if you have, encourage your friends and family to do so. As they say, we’re all in this together.

Pledging For Life

Many more people have been signing the Humanity Project’s “Pledge For Humanity” in recent months — and taking their pledge quite seriously, it seems. Have you seen our pledge? Have you signed it yet?

This is what it says: “As one hopeful member of the human race, I promise to make every reasonable effort to live up to these words each day. Accordingly, I pledge:

  • To treat every human being with respect for their inherent value – even when I disagree with their actions, words or beliefs.

  • To look beyond myself, striving toward a humanity where each human being feels equally valuable.

  • To understand that this effort benefits me by strengthening my own self-worth and forging a higher purpose for my daily life.”

    You’ll find the pledge on our website. Visit the Pledge For Humanity page. And we hope you’ll become one of our new signers. We believe that human beings attach significance to statements they sign if they do so willingly — and a pledge carries even more weight for many folks. Think about it: Even the President of the United States merely repeats an oral pledge to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. It’s the oath of office, a pledge. And most presidents (not all …) have taken it very seriously indeed. For the rest of us in daily life, a pledge to behave in one way or another can help focus our values and clarify goals. And provide motivation to carry out the words we’ve pledged to live up to.

    So it seems with one of our pledge signers, Kelsey, who wrote to us with her pledge: “I will stand by this for the rest of my life.” Another signer, Liam, quoted Nelson Mandela: “To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.” And Laylah wrote to us these words added to her signature: “Everyone deserves to be respected, loved, and cared for in this world. We are all just trying to figure out our place in the world, it starts with us loving and cherishing not only ourselves, but others as well. With a little bit of more love and respect, we can create a big change in the world that sparks a positive and well needed chain reaction.”

    Thank you to each of these caring individuals, who have joined the growing list of people taking our Pledge For Humanity. We think they are sincere. By signing, they also became official members of the Humanity Project at no cost. And they help magnify our impact in the community by their agreement to live according to high standards of personal conduct, treating others with respect as they seek equality for everyone. We hope you’ll join them … and share the pledge link with your friends and family. As we like to say at the Humanity Project, “We need more humanity.” Our Pledge For Humanity offers another small but meaningful step in that direction.

Covid Vaccine Equity

What does, “Equality For Each, Respect For All” mean in this time of Covid? Is anything different during a pandemic as we strive to realize these ideals?

The Humanity Project believes the answer is yes. And so we have expanded our work to include Covid vaccine equity — doing our part to make sure underrepresented communities have equal access to these lifesaving vaccines and also fully understand the value and safety of the vaccines. In this effort we have joined the national Ad Council’s Covid Collaborative, which combats Covid vaccine hesitancy, especially in African American and Latino communities. We also are working on our own to set up vaccination events at local churches, community centers and other places that folks congregate.

We’re aided in this important work in two ways: First, our great Humanity Project sponsor, Our Fund, has awarded an additional grant to help fund our vaccine equity effort in the LGBTQ community, with an emphasis on LGBTQ communities of color. Second, the Humanity Project is leading a coalition of individuals who hail from a wide variety of backgrounds, forming the new “Diversity Unity Coalition.” We are liberal and conservative, Black, Brown and White, Muslim and Jewish and Christian and agnostic — and we include pastors, nonprofit leaders, businesspeople, university professors and more. The Diversity Unity Coalition grew out of a virtual panel discussion the Humanity Project held on January 23, three days after the new Biden Administration called for national unity. Our discussion hosted by the Broward library system was named, “Seeking Common Ground” … and indeed we did find common ground. This conversation has turned into action by focusing our coalition’s efforts initially on Covid vaccine equity.

The Humanity Project is proud to play our part in this vital broadbased initiative to crush the pandemic through national, and worldwide, Covid vaccination. Science again has given us the tools to improve human life. Now it’s up to the rest of us to take those tools and use them effectively … and fairly. “Equality For Each, Respect For All” must include equal access to Covid vaccines. And an equal willingness to receive the shots based on accurate information. You’ll find that information at this website: GetVaccineAnswers.org … We hope you’ll share the link with friends and family and colleagues. It’s up-to-date and CDC-approved. The more of us who get vaccinated, the faster we can put the Covid pandemic behind us at last.

"We need more humanity!"

The Humanity Project today announces a new campaign … with a very clear message: “We need more humanity!”

At our Board of Directors meeting two days ago, the Humanity Project directors decided that this is an idea very relevant to our times, an era of sharp political and religious and cultural divisions. The phrase has a double meaning, of course: “We need more humanity!” as a call for equality, respect, compassion and caring for others … and as a reminder that the Humanity Project is working to foster those very values. Our organization believes the world does need more humanity in our dealings with each other as well as more Humanity Project to contribute toward making this happen.

Fortunately, there are signs of hope. President Biden has called for greater unity in the United States. Public discussions have sprung up recently about the need for more respect, more kindness in our society. The Humanity Project even organized an online forum of diverse community leaders on January 23 to seek common ground — and indeed they found common ground. That panel has continued to meet to take joint action on pressing issues, currently fighting Covid vaccine inequality in underrepresented populations such as African American and Latino. “Equality For Each, Respect For All” must include equal access to medical care. That’s even more urgent during this pandemic.

So you’ll be seeing those four words often for a while in our social media, blogs, videos and elsewhere: “We need more humanity!” As we look around at the conflicts and hostility that sometimes seem everywhere these days, who could argue with that notion? Yes, we do need more humanity.

Progressing During Pandemic

The Humanity Project this week continued our series of online events aimed at promoting equality and respect in our society. Thank you to Dr. Laura Finley and Barry University for hosting the latest discussion. (Dr. Finley, of course, is a full professor at Barry U. and a Humanity Project Board of Directors VP.)

Despite the pandemic, the Humanity Project has continued to reach folks in our community through an ongoing series of virtual forums, panels, films and more. At Barry University, the topic was dating and domestic violence in LGBTQ relationships as extreme forms of inequality. You may also remember that just three days after the inauguration of President Biden, the Humanity Project convened a distinguished panel of 10 community leaders to discuss ways to foster equality and respect in our divided nation. That panel was comprised of a diverse group: Black and Brown and White, Jewish and Muslim and Christian and agnostic, conservative and liberal. We have continued to collaborate since that January 23 public forum. The panel hopes to soon announce new specific efforts to promote greater equality.

Please look for news about our upcoming virtual sessions. You’ll find them informative, respectful, insightful … and inspiring.

Good Neighbors, Great Partners

The “Good Neighbor” Company

The “Good Neighbor” Company

The Humanity Project again offers our immense gratitude to State Farm!

We have received another major grant from this wonderful community-minded company… our consistent partner since 2008. The Humanity Project’s acclaimed I Care program teaches young children the value of respect for all people, including #respectontheroads. This means recognizing the value of our own lives and the lives of others by driving with care and attention — something too many distracted drivers often fail to do. Children can help parents to understand this idea, research shows. In our nonprofit’s focus on “Equality For Each, Respect For All,” we feel it’s important to include teachings that extend to highway safety because so many lives are lost through traffic crashes, especially among teen drivers. Teens die from highway crashes more than from any other cause. Respect for each other in this society must involve every aspect of daily life — and this means driving too.

As ever, a huge thank you to Jose Soto and our other great neighbors at State Farm. We can’t carry out all our work without your vital help each year. Be sure to check out our special website devoted to parents of teen drivers: www.thp4parents.com … It’s fun, fresh and informative. It was also created with a generous grant from State Farm. As the company itself explains their work: “State Farm's mission is to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected, and realize their dreams. State Farm and its affiliates are the largest providers of auto and home insurance in the United States. Its 19,200 agents and 59,000 employees serve approximately 84 million policies and accounts – over 81 million auto, fire, life, health and commercial policies and over 2 million bank and investment planning services accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 36 on the 2020 Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more, please visit www.statefarm.com …”

So Much In Common

Our “Seeking Common Ground” panel — diverse community leaders collaborating in the common interest

On Saturday, January 23, the Humanity Project convened a distinguished panel of community leaders for a conversation about healing our divided society. Those who attended and those who participated were inspired by the respectful and insightful discussion. The panelists intend to move forward with future talks among each other — and future collaborations to foster greater respect and equality in our community. Catch the discussion. (Due to technical problems, only the last hour was recorded …)

This event was hosted online by the Broward County library system in South Florida, taking place just three days after the new U.S. administration was sworn into office and only five days after MLK Day. Appropriately, the 90-minute session began with a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “I am convinced that men hate each other because they fear each other. They fear each other because they don't know each other, and they don't know each other because they don't communicate with each other, and they don't communicate with each other because they are separated from each other.” The panelists all agreed this is one of the fundamental problems we face in our nation and in the world generally … and that solutions require us to bring together everyday people from a wide range of backgrounds, religions, political views and social values to, yes, simply get to know each other. It sounds so simple, so obvious, doesn’t it? But as we understand, it’s not simple at all. Assembling any group is tough in our busy internet-driven society, more so when the participants are diverse and often unwilling to meet with those who may not agree with them on key issues.

The Humanity Project panel discussed why human beings in today’s world indeed are so separated, and therefore so afraid and angry. Of course, the reasons are many and complex. But the remedy remains: We need to talk to each other and get to know more about that “other” person. It can’t happen online. Social media isn’t much help either, likely worsening our separation in real ways. We need to sit, face to face, and just talk. Clearly, this is a challenge in our Covid culture but we know the impediments will fade as the vaccine rolls out around the globe.

The Humanity Project’s commitment to “equality for each, respect for all” means we plan to continue our efforts to bring together many different folks for respectful discussion, as we’ve been doing under our “One Common Humanity” program. We hope that leads us to work with a variety of nonprofits, churches, businesses and individuals to forge a greater sense of community and to recognize our shared humanity. Because in the end, this is the genuine common ground: We each are human. When we agree to meet and talk with each other, as our panelists did, more of us can see that.

Gold Seal of Transparency

Our practices have earned this Gold Seal

For the first time in our 15-year history the Humanity Project has earned the Gold Seal of Transparency from GuideStar, the highly respected nonprofit information service. This follows several years of winning the GuideStar Silver Seal designation — which also is coveted.

But the Gold Seal goes a step further to assure Humanity Project sponsors, donors, supporters and friends that our practices are open, honest and responsible. In other words, we do what we say we do … and we live up to our motto: “Equality For Each, Respect For All!” We indeed take our mission seriously at the Humanity Project. And we work hard to teach our core values to both children and adults, with free programs, videos, blogs, podcasts, writings and other materials available worldwide.

We hope you’ll join our march for greater equality by signing the Pledge For Humanity, which makes you an official Humanity Project member at no cost. If you do, you will soon receive a personal thank you email from our founder — and information about how you can get more involved in our work. The time for healing our communities has come, a drive toward equality and respect for all. We need your help to make it happen.

Seeking Common Ground

We are a deeply divided nation – and our local communities reflect this split. Sharply divergent attitudes about political aims, social goals, religious beliefs and more often have resulted in misunderstanding, hostility and a failure to work toward a common good. The Humanity Project thinks the Inauguration of a new U.S. President offers an opportunity to ease these tensions.

On Saturday, January 23, the Humanity Project will lead a major online panel discussion in an effort to help begin the healing at a local level, bringing together a diverse collection of community leaders. This is just three days after the new Biden/Harris administration is sworn in. Our goal is to foster mutual understanding and respect, ideally agreeing on a course of action that will unite folks of very different beliefs. The conversation is called, “Seeking Common Ground.” No matter where you live, we invite you to share your own ideas during this free virtual forum. Please join us! We believe that this panel can identify ways to advance common values despite our varied perspectives. Afterall, human beings have much more in common as individuals than we have differences. Sign up for the Humanity Project’s free online panel discussion.

The panel will be hosted by the large Broward County library system in South Florida, organized by the Humanity Project and moderated by Humanity Project Founder and President, Bob Knotts. Panelists include:

• Dr. Laura Finley: Humanity Project Board of Directors. Professor of Sociology and Criminology at Barry University. Author or co-author of 31 books, including “School Violence.”

• Pamela Adams: President and CEO of Adams Consulting Group. Executive Director of the Fort Lauderdale Community Development Corporation and President of the Broward County Friends of the African American Research Library and Cultural Center.

• Evan Goldman: Vice President of Community Planning and Government Relations at the Jewish Federation of Broward County. Attorney and adjunct law professor at Nova Southeastern University.

• Shaikh Shafayat Mohamed: Humanity Project Leadership Council. Islamic scholar, founder/principal of Darul Uloom Islamic Institute.

• Pastor Greg J. Kritz: Lead pastor at Lighthouse Community Church. Longtime community activist.

• Dr. Anita Meinbach: Associate Professor at the University of Miami’s School of Education and Human Development. Author or co-author of more than a dozen books for educators.

• Todd Delmay: President and co-founder of the Hollywood LGBTQ Council. Business owner, author and speaker.

• Karen Smith: Community Outreach Coordinator of Sickle Cell Disease Association of Broward County. Longtime community activist.

• Duane Mellor: Outreach Director at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church. Longtime community activist.

• Andrew Leone: Director of Communications and Community Engagement at the Children’s Services Council of Broward County. Longtime community activist.

• Earl Maucker: Lighthouse Point City Commissioner. Former South Florida Sun Sentinel managing editor and Editor-in-Chief.

• Pastor Keith Spencer: Lead pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church of Pembroke Pines, Florida. Former U.S. Naval officer and U.S. Naval Academy honors graduate.

Please join us for this important conversation. We hope it will launch many more discussions in our own community and beyond, inspired by the understanding that all people deserve equal respect … and that only collaboration will bring about a better world.

Giving Tuesday & Beyond

It is time for that holiday tradition, Giving Tuesday. We hope you may consider a donation in any amount to the Humanity Project this year.

Despite the terrible pandemic, our work has continued. Teaching equality and respect for all to kids through virtual classes. Holding uplifting online panel discussions to help bring the community closer together. These include two panels hosted through the large Broward County Library system: our recent “Equality Amid Diversity” and our upcoming “Seeking Common Ground,” which will assemble a diverse community group just three days after the 2021 Inauguration for a conversation intended to bridge social divides.

You can easily donate to the Humanity Project on Facebook, if you like: Our Facebook Donation Page. Or you can simply visit the Donate page on this website: Our website Donate page. Both offer quick, safe and secure ways to make your Giving Tuesday donation for 2020.

Everyone understands what a very hard year this has been for nearly all of us — and how very sad as well for too many. Millions of infections with Covid, hundreds of thousands of deaths, massive damage to the economy and to the livelihoods of ordinary folks. Most nonprofits have struggled too, one way or another. Canceled fundraisers, reduced donations, programs on hold.

But as ever, the Humanity Project has persisted through it all. We have survived for more than 15 years now … and we expect to be around for many decades to come. You can count on us to offer effective and meaningful programs and other materials — for free. And to bring you our sense of optimism about the longterm future of the community and of humanity itself. We believe in humanity … and we want you to believe in humanity. Join us at no cost today! If you can, please also make a tax-deductible contribution as part of your holiday giving this year. Thank you … and Happy Holidays to all!

Why Believe In Humanity?

A fundamental goal of the Humanity Project is to persuade more people to hold this deep belief: a belief in humanity. But you may ask yourself, why is that important? And what does it mean?

For starters, think of things this way. Entire religions are based on one basic belief — Christians are asked to believe in Jesus, for instance, and Muslims to believe in Allah. Followers of these religions feel that great benefits come to them through their bedrock belief. To simply and genuinely believe is to become something new, something better.

The Humanity Project takes no position on religions, of course. We leave it up to individuals to decide for themselves. But we think that a powerful belief in the advancement of humanity, whatever your religious or spiritual beliefs, also brings great benefits both to individuals and to society. Because to truly believe in the value and progress of humanity is to believe in the importance of each human being. The ideas are inseparable: humanity is its individuals and their accomplishments, nothing more or less than that. Individuals of the present as well as of the past and future. And to honestly believe in the equal value of every individual automatically means we each must believe more fully in our own value as an individual. In turn, this fosters a confidence and sense of well-being that contributes to health, achievement and a desire to help others … in other words, to further fulfillment of humanity’s potential.

The details of that process are much more involved, as you would expect. But this can offer a brief explanation of the what and the why of belief in humanity as our fundamental goal at the Humanity Project. If you sign our Pledge For Humanity and then get involved with our work of promoting “Equality For Each, Respect For All” you will soon begin to understand more about all this. It becomes clear by living it. Sign our Pledge For Humanity. Our 15-year-old nonprofit organization focuses on working toward equality and respect with an emphasis on four marginalized communities: LGBTQ, racial minorities, religious minorities and women. The more of us who become part of this effort, the greater and faster our impact. Please, come march alongside us … and believe, really believe, in humanity.

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(Fables and some music are copyrighted by the author, Robert Spencer Knotts.)

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