Feel Good Friday - TreePeople

As Earth Month comes to a close, we’re celebrating with another nature-related post, this one about TreePeople.

Initiated by 15-year-old camp counselor, Andy Lipkis and incorporated in 1973, the mission of TreePeople is “to inspire, engage, and support people to take personal responsibility for the environment, making it safe, healthy, fun, and sustainable.”

The Los Angeles region faces severe impacts from climate change, as we saw with the wildfires earlier this year. “TreePeople unites the power of trees, people and nature-based solutions to grow a more climate-ready city.” They are now one of the largest environmental organizations headquartered in Southern California, and in the last 50 years they’ve inspired over 3 million people to take action for the environment. They do this through several programs and focus areas.

The forestry program provides volunteers with the tools, plants, and education necessary to plant trees everywhere from the mountains, to the cities and schoolyards. School greening involves not only planting trees, but also removing asphalt and educating students in the participating schools on environmental awareness and sustainability. In addition there are Environmental Education programs that help students, teachers and community members gain skills in environmental and climate literacy.

TreePeople also conducts research, provides publications and advocates for nature-based public policy solutions in Southern California. They oversee more than 3,000 acres of land in the Santa Monica Mountains as part of the TreePeople Land Trust and they maintain and operate Coldwater Canyon Park, where you can go for a hike on your own or join one of their eco tours.  

Since they began, TreePeople has planted and cared for more than 3 million trees; developed the nation’s largest environmental education programs which have educated hundreds of thousands of youth; helped drive hundreds of millions of dollars in public funding towards climate solutions; and stewarded and protected over 3,000 acres of wilderness.

If you’re interested in helping TreePeople grow a more climate-ready SoCal, there are many ways to get involved. Those of you in and around the Los Angeles area can volunteer your time. All of us can shop for merch, make a donation and amplify their work on social media. Follow TreePeople on Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky or LinkedIn and subscribe to their YouTube channel.  

Feel Good Friday - Sierra Club

April 22nd is Earth Day and what better way to prepare for it than learn about the Sierra Club.

Founded in 1892 and headquartered in Oakland, California, the Sierra Club is the largest and oldest grassroots environmental organization in the United States. Their original focus was on the conservation of California's Sierra Nevada mountains and they have since evolved into “an organization that works to advance climate solutions and ensure everyone has access to clean air, clean water, and a healthy environment.”

Their mission statement is focused on three areas. “To explore, enjoy, and protect the wild places of the earth; to practice and promote the responsible use of the earth's ecosystems and resources; to educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment; and to use all lawful means to carry out these objectives.”

From legal challenges to direct actions, the Sierra Club works with partner organizations, non profits and campaigns to achieve their goals. They also mobilize volunteers from chapters in all 50 states to take action to protect the climate, conserve the environment and help people gain equal access to the outdoors. In fact, each year Sierra Club volunteers lead over 15,000 trips to bring people outside where they can enjoy nature.

In the 130+ years the Sierra Club has been active, they have protected over 10 million acres of wilderness, retired 382 coal plants, and established 467 parks and monuments. Their goals for 2030 include protecting 30% of US lands and water, ensuring an additional 50 million people can exercise their human right to connect with the outdoors and replacing fossil fuels with clean energy. You can read details on this 2030 Strategic Vision page.

If you’d like to help the Sierra Club achieve their future vision there are many actions you can take. Volunteer with your local chapter, sign a petition, or join a virtual monthly action hour. You can also shop for merch, make a donation and amplifying their message on social media. Follow the Sierra Club on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or LinkedIn and subscribe to their YouTube channel. Happy Earth Day!

Feel Good Friday - American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee

April is National Arab American Heritage Month and a great way to celebrate is by learning more about the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.

Founded in 1980 by former U.S. Senator James Abourezk and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) is "a civil rights organization committed to defending the rights of people of Arab descent and promoting their rich cultural heritage.” It is the largest Arab American grassroots organization in the U.S.

The goals of ADC are to protect the civil rights and liberties of Arab Americans, promote mutual understanding among cultures and preserve Arab American cultural heritage and history. They do this through a variety of programming.

The Research Institute sponsors “public programs and initiatives in support of the constitutional and First Amendment rights of Arab Americans.” They also train Arab Americans in the exercise of their constitutional rights as citizens. One example of this is the Know Your Rights video created for international students. They also run a 24/7 Legal Hotline, which you can call at 844-ADC-9955 to report a hate crime.

The Arab-American Business Advisory Council provides assistance to business owners and entrepreneurs. People who become members of the council receive expert advice, mentorship and access to meetings with government officials. There is also a Women’s Empowerment Forum which is focused on promoting issues such as women leadership roles and gender equity. 

With a mission is to foster mental health and well-being within the Arab American community, the Mental Health Resource Hub provides accessible resources and hosts informative webinars led by experts in the field.

Finally, there are programs that celebrate and uplift the cultural heritage of the Arab American community. These include webinars and social media campaigns during the month of April, events such as book launches and musical performances, and the annual ArabCon conference which takes place in Dearborn, Michigan in September.

If you’d like to support the goals of ADC, there are many ways to do so. Become a member, make a donation and amplify their work on social media. Follow the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee on Facebook or Instagram and subscribe to their YouTube channel.