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The Humanity Project®

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.

For Kids & Community

Children’s Services Council of Broward County is a special friend of the Humanity Project. Today we thank them again, as so many times in the past. And we remind the community of their important work helping to improve life for kids and families.

CSC Broward is a tax-funded agency that supports programs and offers other assistance to make sure that children grow up to be healthy, educated, well-balanced human beings. What could be more important? Since 2008, Children’s Services Council of Broward County has consistently aided the work of the Humanity Project as we continue to teach kids about respect for each individual, about equality, about bullying and how to stop it. Our programs are proven effective — and we have 16 years of empirical results to show their effectiveness. CSC’s funding is a reflection of our work’s value in the local community.

We recently received another generous grant from Children’s Services Council of Broward County to build a new “Humanity Garden” at an elementary school. The garden project is part of our Humanity Club program, which works with young student leaders to help them understand and spread throughout their school the values of equality and respect. We are proud of this program — and grateful for the continued support from CSC Broward. We know that expanding the minds of children requires efforts that also connect with their hearts. Our Humanity Gardens are one important tool to do just that.

We hope you’ll visit the website of Children’s Services Council of Broward County. They play a vital role in the life of the South Florida community — and in the work of the Humanity Project. Thank you, CSC Broward!

One Child At A Time

At the Humanity Project, we believe in the individual. Humanity, afterall, is only a collection of individuals past, present and future. Our programs for both kids and adults focus on the value of every individual: “Equality For Each, Respect For All.”

Now we’re launching something new that gives more attention than ever to the individual. One child at a time. In November, the Humanity Project begins our own mentoring program, starting with two boys and one girl from Morrow Elementary School. Big thanks to our good friend, Guidance Counselor Mindy Nguyen, for helping us set this up. We view the mentoring as an expansion of our Humanity Club, which works intensively with young school leaders who in turn teach their classmates about respect-for-all, equality and antibullying. The three young kids chosen to begin our mentoring efforts each will partner with one member from the Humanity Project Board of Directors, connecting one-on-one weekly for special lessons focused on human values. We’ll teach these concepts wrapped up in games and discussions as well as through fun assignments in reading and writing. In this way, we advance their literacy skills as we help them better understand their own worth and the importance of other human beings.

So many children fell behind during this ongoing pandemic. Reading and writing are among the areas that especially suffered. We believe the Humanity Project can assist educators trying to make up this lost ground through our individual sessions. At the same time we further fulfill our mission by teaching a select group of kids “greater respect for the goodness and inherent value of humanity,” as our mission statement says. That includes helping them better appreciate their own value. To us, this seems an important new step forward as the Humanity Project turns 16-years-old in November. We hope to expand our mentoring program in the months and years ahead.

Fabled Lives

We want you to know about a special book, with 100% of royalties for the first two years going directly to the Humanity Project. That audiobook is called, “Fabled Lives: Simple Stories You Need For Living In A Complex World.” You’ll find it available on Apple Books, Walmart, Google Play, Barnes and Noble and nearly every other major seller of audio-only books. (Amazon/Audible does not sell books that are available only on audio.) Or you can just visit the Author’s Guild website of Robert Spencer Knotts, who wrote the fables and the original music that accompanies each story in this charming book: Visit the author’s website.

That author, of course, is also the founder and president of the Humanity Project, Bob Knotts. He wrote these dozen fables over a period of 14 years — and they are posted for free on this website: Visit our Fables page. One of them is even posted here in an audio version. Overwhelmingly, those fables are the most popular feature on the Humanity Project website, attracting hits daily from nations spread around the globe on six continents.

Now you can enjoy them all in a single new audiobook, produced and engineered by Matt Corey — an award-winning sound designer and a VP on the Humanity Project Board of Directors. The audiobook is professional quality and runs more than an hour long. You’ll find these morality tales written for an adult audience, or even older kids. Each carries a clear lesson as fables have for centuries, from Aesop on down. Enjoy them, pass them along to friends and family … and maybe give them a little thought as well. They are cleverly written but, yes, simple stories we all can use for living in this very very complex world of ours.

Stories From The LGBTQ Community - an event

The Humanity Project is co-hosting a big event on Sunday, November 14. If you’re in South Florida we hope you’ll join us and our friends from SAVE, co-hosts for “Open Dialogues: Stories from the LGBTQ community.” It will be a special night.

You’ll enjoy an evening of arts and a short documentary that features coming out stories from South Florida, a powerful film you probably won’t have seen anywhere else. The documentary was produced by the Art and Culture Center/Hollywood, in Hollywood, Florida, and directed by Freddy Rodriguez. (Watch a 90-second trailer of the film.) A discussion will follow the film — and then we’ll offer short theater pieces by members of Lesbian Thespians as well as vocal performances. The event is free but donations are welcome. Drinks and snacks will be available for purchase as well. Consistent with many other local theaters, we request that all guests are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (at least two weeks after final dose) and provide proof of vaccination; i.e. original vaccination card, copy of vaccination card, or picture of vaccination card. Masks are required to be worn, covering the mouth and nose, while inside the theater at all times regardless of vaccination status.

The event will coincide with the Humanity Project’s 16th birthday: we were founded on November 5, 2005. Our friends at SAVE have been around even longer, the oldest LGBTQ advocacy organization in South Florida. You can follow our Facebook event page, if you like: Follow us on Facebook. Or you can register for free on Eventbrite to make sure you reserve seats: Our Eventbrite page. Both the Humanity Project and SAVE believe in equality and respect for all human beings. That’s the theme of our November event — and we think you’ll find it both hopeful and inspiring. Join us.

  • Sunday, November 14, 6 — 8 p.m. at The Foundry at Wilton Theater Factory, 2306 North Dixie Highway, Wilton Manors, FL 33305

  • Free, but donations are welcomed (and will be evenly split between the Humanity Project and SAVE)

Back In The Classroom

We’ve persevered during a pandemic, keeping our work moving forward through programs, presentations and panel discussions at parks and libraries… sometimes virtually, sometimes in person as we deemed safe. Now the Humanity Project is back in the classroom, both virtually and in person. So far, our Humanity Club sessions are going well.

We’re working with 12 hand-picked student leaders at Pembroke Pines Charter Elementary School in Pembroke Pines, Florida. These are bright, engaged kids who want to make a difference in this challenged world. Our wonderful Humanity Project Board of Directors VP, Piper Spencer, is a teacher there, working for us in person to help our young folks understand the importance of “Equality For Each, Respect For All.” Other knowledgeable Board members offer virtual lessons during our one-hour sessions.

As always, we plan to involve the entire school in promoting respect — and stopping bullying. We’re also going to build another “Humanity Garden” as a place of rest and reflection and inspiration at this 700-student facility. We’ll tell you more about all that in the coming weeks … and our other efforts to contribute to a society where every human being feels valuable. For now, we want to thank Piper Spencer and Pembroke Pines Charter Elementary School. We’re very glad to get back inside the classroom.

Humanity Club -- Live Again

Humanity Club: Summer 2021

We’re back! Our acclaimed Humanity Club program is working with kids again … in person! No Zoom, no frozen video or inaudible audio. And it’s great!

Yes, some things are still different than when we last were live. Masks are needed for instance — worn by everyone in the room but lowered or removed briefly when the moment seemed safe. And all of us on the Humanity Project team of course are fully vaccinated. We’re doing our best to make sure the children, their teachers and our own Humanity Project folks all stay healthy.

Take a look at a few pics from yesterday’s first non-Zoom Humanity Club session in 16 months. This was at Reverend Samuel Delevoe Memorial Park, beside the African American Research Library in Fort Lauderdale. We began teaching these smart girls of color what we mean by “Equality For Each, Respect For All,” using art projects, games, music, stories and more to connect with their young minds. We plan to help them build a Humanity Garden by the end of the summer: a lovely spot that celebrates our collective humanity by expressing respect for each individual. Check out the photos below. The kids seemed just as happy as we were to be back in the classroom again.

Notice the car… respect even on our roads!

And notice the rainbow with two girls… Equality For Each, Respect For All!

Having fun, all together again!


Our Latest Covid Vaccination Event

On Sunday, May 30, the Humanity Project held another Covid vaccination event. This time, we worked with parishioners and walk-ins at Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church in Pompano Beach, Florida. It was a success, as you can see from some of the photos taken that day.

Before this, we set up a large event at the local Pride Center, which offers services to the LGBTQ community. And we have worked for months on distributing information to promote Covid vaccine equity among LGBTQ, African American and other underrepresented communities that may not receive the vaccine at rates experienced by other populations. Our wonderful major sponsor, Our Fund Foundation, helped support this work with a generous grant to the Humanity Project.

Though the pandemic is waning in this country, it seems, the Humanity Project remains committed to vaccine equity — and we continue to strive toward that goal. Our motto, afterall, is, “Equality For Each, Respect For All.” We believe that a worldwide health crisis creates many glaring inequalities. Our mission requires us to do what we can to help correct this imbalance.

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.

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.

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 …”