What Do Kids Say?

The Humanity Project’s highly regarded “Humanity Club” program works with kids for extended periods, typically one or even two full school years with the same group. These young leaders of color then help teach their peers about values such as self-worth, respect for all people, equality. But what do the kids themselves think of their program?

After a full year at Pembroke Pines Charter Elementary School in Pembroke Pines, Florida, we asked Humanity Club members. Without prompting or advance warning, no preparation — these are their spontaneous and candid remarks. Take a listen to this brief but uplifting video. (With great thanks to Piper Spencer, Humanity Project Board Director and teacher at Pembroke Pines Charter Elementary School.)


A "Borrowed" Fundraiser

Something “Borrowed is coming to town — and it will benefit both the Humanity Project and our good friends at Neighbors 4 Neighbors. If you’re in South Florida, you may want to consider reserving a couple tickets soon.

The exciting new LGBTQ-themed play, “Borrowed,” opens next week, running from June 23 through July 17 at House of Games in Miami Ironside. The play is by Tony-winner Jim Kierstead, produced by Tony-winner (and Humanity Project Board Director) William Fernandez. A full 20% of your $50 ticket price will go to the Humanity Project and Neighbors 4 Neighbors. But ticket buyers MUST use this coded link when buying: https://www.borrowedtheplay.com/?cc=HumanityProject/N4N It will take you to the ticketing website for “Borrowed” and automatically apply 20% to our nonprofits. You won’t pay a cent extra but you’ll be helping two great nonprofits to do more of the work needed in our community.

We think you’ll find “Borrowed” a compelling new drama performed in a delightful Miami small theater. Again, just please remember to use that code when buying your tickets so Neighbors 4 Neighbors and the Humanity Project receive a donation from you. It’s a win-win: You experience a new play, we use part of your ticket price to help folks who need us. And it all begins in June, Pride Month. Happy Pride!

#respectontheroads

We’re on a campaign here at the Humanity Project. “Equality For Each, Respect For All!” And we strongly believe that in our distracted high-speed world those important values must include something we call “respect on the roads.” This means showing respect for the lives of other motorists, our passengers and ourselves whenever behind the wheel of an automobile. Because, truly, when is respect among human beings more immediately urgent than when we’re traveling on highways at 70 mph?

We’ve just created a cool new video about #respectontheroads — young kids asking all adults to drive more safely. Research shows children can influence the driving behavior of parents and other grownups if kids learn when and how to speak up. We believe this video speaks loudly to adults who drive. And we’ve just added it to our State-Farm sponsored website for parents of teen drivers, www.thp4parents.com. Check out the video on the homepage by scrolling down a bit … and then maybe also take the online safe driving course while you’re there. It’s quick and it’s fun. As always, a huge thank you to our friends and longtime major sponsor, State Farm … We can’t do it without you!

Tragic Recipe For School Shootings

Editor's Note: This blog was originally posted on our website on February 15, 2018 -- one day after the massacre at a Parkland, Florida high school. We are reposting it one day after the massacre at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. And we are saddened by the need to offer these thoughts yet again ... They remain sadly relevant.

by Bob Knotts, Founder & President

Yesterday one of the worst mass school shootings in U.S. history happened in the school district where the Humanity Project works, day in and day out. Here in Broward County, Florida, at least 17 people were killed by a disturbed young man. I know this school -- only two years ago, I was there as part of a panel for parents about teen suicide. So today, as we look for answers to school violence, I must offer these personal thoughts.

Look around carefully and reflect on what is in front of our eyes. School shootings can’t be stopped with any quick fix. Liberals want strict gun control. Yes, it’s needed. Yes, it will prevent some deaths by guns. Conservatives call for mental health measures – and yes, better treatments are much needed. But for me, the real problems are embedded in a culture that has long celebrated anti-intellectualism and violence as a solution. Consider the recipe:

We begin with a broth of ignorance as virtue. Our culture, unlike most other modern societies, has long celebrated the John Wayne attitude toward problems: “Hit first, shoot first … ask questions later. But not very deep questions. Afterall, he had it coming.” Many Americans regard intelligent thought suspiciously, nuance as confusing, facts as fluid. Don’t muddy the waters with information that withstands critical thinking. Just do it. Punch the bully back in the face. Shoot the home intruder dead. Elect an unqualified person because he acts tough; he’ll fix things. This is America – and ignorance is our birthright. Step one in the recipe to cultural violence.

Stir in an oversized portion of isolation. Social media doesn’t bring us together. It isolates us. We live with the illusion that Facebook brings connection and Twitter transmits knowledge. They do the opposite. So people resort to treating their dogs like children and their cats like spouses. We are alone and lonely. For the youthful screen-obsessed generations, this has greatly diluted their ability to communicate with people intelligently, if at all. Their noses are buried in trivia backlit by an Apple cellphone. This isolation has changed the culture, much for the worse. For too many reasons to offer here. But for troubled minds, the isolation from humanity and the access to warped points of view and anonymous self-expressions of hate can push some toward violence.

Season with celebrations of ultra-violence. America always has celebrated violence. But not in the way we do today. Kids spend hours daily glued to video games that show shockingly real depictions of explosions, gun deaths and worse. These are portrayed to young minds as cool. Just as bad, so many of our major stars portray action heroes who live and die by the John Wayne mentality: “Shoot first. Don’t think. Violence always is the solution.” How can we convince children that bullying isn’t cool and that respect is cool … when all they admire shows the opposite? Being big and bad and tough, that’s cool according to Hollywood. Every time any one of us buys a ticket to see the latest shoot-em-up by The Rock or Tom Cruise or Charlize Theron we contribute to the problem. Action films make big bucks: therefore action films get made and promoted. To a troubled kid, real violence looks like glory.

Sprinkle with sloppiness, laziness and ineptitude. American society encourages parenting that is about shallow achievements rather than healthy growth. Parents take their kids to every known form of lesson, training and camp – and spend time working on a child’s soccer technique instead of helping them understand what it is to be a human being. Kids need time, space. They need to play and pretend. What child do you know who gets these things in proper proportion? Parents in this country are horrendous at parenting. Schools aren’t much better, though many try. They’re driven by pointless testing rather than real knowledge, by rote learning rather than deep curiosity. No time for anti-bullying programs, no support for training in meditation or projects that teach respect for all people. Because, hey, our school needs to earn a better grade during state testing. Adult attitudes and adult behavior toward kids contribute to violence by those kids who suffer deeper problems.

Finally, mix vigorously with lack of compassion. This is related to our ignorance as virtue, but actually cuts even deeper. Americans are not taught compassion or empathy. We’re taught to be wary of these virtues, replacing them with the judgmental and hard-hearted. As a result, we can’t understand why a kid would take a rifle and kill 17 innocent people. The answer is because that kid isn’t you. Or me. He grew up with very different parents and siblings and experiences. He learned very different values and beliefs. Even his genes are different. Yes, of course you can watch The Rock for 2 hours at the multiplex without being inspired to violence. Because you’re you, with all your relatively stable life experiences. To the troubled kid, the movie means something different. Americans, many people in general, suffer from the delusion that the way a fairly normal person feels about something is the way everyone feels. It isn’t. And for some, the movie and the video game and the culture of violence, the isolation and shallowness slice to their core – and then one day it all explodes suddenly to everyone’s great surprise.

In the end, we need to learn to be human. Humanity is a species of soaring qualities, mostly untapped. Until we accept this idea and work toward the fulfillment of our humanity, the past is mere prologue … and the next shooting is only just around the block.

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.

Nordic Prime Ministers Offer Serious Peace Plan

The Humanity Project finds this an extraordinary document, offered on April 28, 2022 by the five prime ministers of the Nordic countries. (Four of them are women.) It is a serious proposal for peace in Ukraine -- and a sustained world peace. We hope you will read it … and share it widely.

By Nobel Peace Prize Watch, April 28, 2022

https://worldbeyondwar.org/a-nordic-initiative-for-peace.../

Honorable Prime Ministers of the five Nordic countries, Magdalena Anderson, Mette Frederiksen, Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Sanna Marin, and Jonas Gahr Støre

The war in Ukraine once again shows that the world is like a city with brutal gangs constantly roaming the streets, looting and fighting with loads of heavy weapons. No one will ever feel safe in such a city. The same applies at the international level. No amount of weaponry can make us safe. No country will be safe until also neighboring countries can feel safe. The present international system is broken, to avoid future wars we need deep reforms.

Once again, now in Ukraine, we have seen that arms cannot prevent war. We should not, in the present state of shock, expand or prolong the militarist traditions that guarantee eternal war and, in the nuclear age, a constant risk of annihilation. Our recommendation is that the five Nordic countries together take an initiative to activate the UN goals of global democracy and collective security. In a renewed UN, the member nations should act in loyal co-operation and take their charter obligations seriously. A most promising step here was yesterday´s resolution in the General Assembly curbing the Security Council veto.

A way out of stalled negotiations can be a major shift of perspective or arena. Mindful that Mikhail Gorbachev called for a disarmament race, and Vladimir Putin has repeatedly proposed a law-based international order, it seems to us that an end to the Ukraine war might be reached by making it part of ending the wider, geopolitical war between the US and Russia.

Fear of US expansion does, of course, not justify Russia´s attack on Ukraine. And yet, it is troubling that the US, with a 40% share of the world’s military budgets and 97% of the military bases abroad, seems to be seeking more influence. The Nordic countries should carefully consider whether four US bases (Norway), NATO membership (Finland, Sweden), further arms purchases (all), will improve their security. Only a year ago the outgoing US president released an attack on Congress. The US power of coercive diplomacy is waning. It is imperative to take the time necessary to thoroughly evaluate the developing world situation and the legitimacy and dangers of taking irreversible steps to increase US power.

Facing a stream of global crises, humanity can no longer afford wars. We need to cooperate, build solidarity and trust with effective, common enforcement of international law. Instead of complicity in future war crimes, how much more tempting must it not be to instead engineer a Nordic initiative to realize the collective security provisions of the UN Charter?

The Nordic countries enjoy trust and credibility in the world. They are particularly well positioned for an initiative to empower the Security Council and enable it to fulfil its responsibility for maintaining peace. This will require nations to transfer a part of their sovereignty, which Norway and Denmark already have prepared for.* Instead of more NATO, the world urgently needs to unite across all borders, ethnic and religious divisions, political and economic systems, to rebuild, empower and recommit to the United Nations, build peace, and reallocate the expenditures for war to serve the needs of people and nature.

With reverent greetings

NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WATCH

Fredrik S. Heffermehl, Oslo

We agree in the essence and would welcome a Nordic peace initiative:

Richard Falk, Santa Barbara

Bruce Kent, London

Tomas Magnusson, Gothenburg

Mairead Maguire, Belfast

Klaus Schlichtmann, Tokyo

Hans Christof von Sponeck,

David Swanson, Virginia

Jan Öberg, Lund

Alfred de Zayas, Geneva

Careers That Make A Difference In Minority Communities

A social service specialist at work

Editor’s Note: From time to time, we publish original guest blogs on topics relevant to the mission of our nonprofit. This article was written exclusively for the Humanity Project by Rebecca Jenna, a freelance writer based in the United Kingdom.

by Rebecca Jenna

When it comes to equality, the United States still has a long way to go. Valerie Wilson, a director at the Economic Policy Institute, points out that racial inequality has become so normalized that individuals from different races have vastly disparate lives. If you want to become part of the push for equal opportunities for all genders, races and more, here are some useful careers:

Social Service Specialist

Minority communities often lack access to necessary services and resources due to racial and gender-based barriers. The good news is that social service professionals can eradicate these gaps by serving as a bridge. Social service specialists connect individuals with services that they require from hospitals, government institutions and nonprofits. Their training in sociology is crucial to their understanding of social systems, which is why these professionals continue to serve on the frontlines of communities in need. Working in social services helps ensure that minority community members can improve the quality of their lives.

Health Equity Expert

Health disparities persist due to the inaccessibility of healthcare services or even due to the biases of healthcare professionals. Recognizing these disparities, medical experts are pushing for health equity education. Health equity experts transform lives by educating healthcare professionals about the negative health outcomes caused by systemic racism and bias. Training in health equity can advance inclusivity by enlightening healthcare professionals regarding conditions among various races. This important work will help you improve the quality of care that minorities receive.

Policy Analyst

Public policies and legislation can serve as protections for minority communities. Consequently, there's a greater need for policy analysts focused on studying and improving the lives of these communities. Policy analysts can increase the government’s awareness regarding minority communities by creating persuasive reasons to adopt new policy initiatives. Those in this field recommend studying political science since this teaches students how the legislative process works, a crucial background to help pass legislation that protects the ancestral lands, the safety and the quality of life of minorities.

Now that you've learned about these careers, how would you like to start making a positive change in communities?

Kids Rap Against Bullying

We hope you’ll take just one minute to watch the latest video by some of our Humanity Project kids — members of the Humanity Club program. It’s their own lyrics, their performances … all to help stop bullying in their school and beyond. “Bully, bully, bully, can’t you ever see? Your words really really do bad hurt me!”

If you can’t watch it through the embedded video below, here’s the link on our Humanity Project YouTube channel. We just know you’ll enjoy it … and perhaps feel inspired that these young children care about the feelings of other human beings. This video is one more way our nonprofit inspires self-worth, promotes equality and prevents disrespectful bullying behavior, whether in the schools, at home, on the roads or in the workplace. “Equality For Each, Respect For All!”

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!

Worth A Thousand Words

We love this photo. It shows two of our Humanity Project kids enjoying a spontaneous moment together. It was unplanned, unstaged, unrehearsed. And to us, it reflects the essence of the Humanity Project.

Take a moment and just give that photo a good look. One smaller boy offers his high five to a taller boy of a different race who looks a bit surprised. In reality, these two know each other — both are members of our Humanity Club at Pembroke Pines Charter Elementary School in Pembroke Pines, Florida. (They’re wearing gardening gloves after helping to plant our latest Humanity Garden.) Like all the kids in that club, they are bright and caring individuals. But that moment, that joining of hands … it suggests something we find encouraging. To us, that photo is saying, “Yes, we can all get along despite any differences we may have.” It’s a small tidbit of hope in a world that badly needs hope just now. We felt this photo was worth sharing with you for that reason. Perhaps you’ll want to share it with others …

Our Kids Ask For Peace

We hope you’ll watch this new Humanity Project video. It shows kids from our Humanity Club program, directly asking Vladimir Putin to stop the war in Ukraine. To us, it’s a powerful message of hope for a better future — children calling for peace. Please share it on social media, in emails and texts. Anywhere you can. The world needs more messages like this one, surely.

Neighbors 4 Neighbors

The Humanity Project has a new friend — and a new partner. Neighbors 4 Neighbors is a longtime presence in the diverse South Florida community, telling the stories of nonprofits that make life better for kids and adults. Now Neighbors 4 Neighbors is sharing the story of the Humanity Project with folks throughout our region.

The mission of Neighbors 4 Neighbors is to promote the good work of other nonprofit groups. They carry out this mission through a close affiliation with CBS Miami, one of the major South Florida TV stations. Through television pieces as well as YouTube posts, Neighbors 4 Neighbors airs snippets that show some of the many ongoing efforts to improve South Florida. They also raise money for those in need at the holidays or after misfortunes such as fires or hurricanes. This organization is widely known for being there whenever and wherever help is required.

So we’re very proud to partner with Neighbors 4 Neighbors. And we want to share their first piece about the Humanity Project, a YouTube story that focuses on our Humanity Club program. You can watch it here: See the Neighbors 4 Neighbors video. It shows our kids working on our latest Humanity Garden, which was funded by Children’s Services Council of Broward County. Our Humanity Club program itself is funded by Our Fund Foundation and State Farm. We are very grateful to these organizations.

Big thanks, then, to Katy and Doug, Alexa and Carolina at Neighbors 4 Neighbors. We believe that our partnership will help many more people to know about the Humanity Project … and to benefit from our free programs.

This website and all materials on it are copyrighted by the Humanity Project®.

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

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