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.

Feel Good Friday - Autism Society of America

April is National Autism Awareness Month and we’re kicking it off by highlighting the Autism Society of America.

Founded in 1965 and headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, the mission of the Autism Society of America is to “create connections, empowering everyone in the Autism community with the resources needed to live fully.”

Let’s start with the basics. As they explain on their website, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) “is a complex, lifelong developmental condition that typically appears during early childhood and can impact a person’s social skills, communication, relationships, and self-regulation.” In the United States there are approximately 5.4 million Autistic adults, and one in 36 children is diagnosed with ASD. You can explore this page to learn more.

The work the Autism Society does "connects people to the resources they need through education, advocacy, resources, and community programming.” Their website has an extensive list of resources organized by topics such as communication, housing, employment and public policy. By partnering with 70 local and state affiliates, they are able to support Autistic individuals with services designed for their communities. You can contact this helpline to learn about, and be connected to, resources and services in your area. 

The public policy team advocates for legislation that improves quality of life. In 2023 the Autism Society supported 40 federal and 30 state bills and 2,702 people sent letters congress through the Autism Society’s Action Center.

Currently, they are in the midst of an education campaign called Autism Is, designed to amplify the voices and lived experiences of Autistic individuals and acknowledge that everyone’s experience is unique and valid. You can learn more by watching this short campaign video, reading stories of people with autism or sharing your own story at this link.

In 2023, the Autism Society network served half a million people with 97,900 people contacting Autism Society helplines, 19,000 people attended conferences, and 393,000 people attending over 10,000 Autism Society events.

If you’d like to help the Autism Society of America achieve their vision of “a world where everyone in the Autism community is connected to the support they need, when they need it” there are several things you can do. Visit the action center to support current campaigns, contact your legislators or track legislation. Shop for merch, make a donation and amplify their work on social media. Follow the Autism Society on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn and subscribe to their YouTube channel.