Feel Good Friday - FAI - The National Trust for Italy

Ciao! Felice sentirsi bene vernerdì!

I'm back from my trip to Italy and still interested in all things Italian, including today's Feel Good Friday organization, Fondo Ambiente Italiano (FAI), the National Trust for Italy.

Founded in 1975, FAI "restores and takes care of special places in Italy so that present and future generations from all over the world may enjoy a priceless legacy." Italy has more UNESCO sites than any other country. FAI focuses on protecting these cultural, artistic and natural wonders as they say, "forever, for everyone." Watch this 2-minute video to see some of the sites and learn more.

Today, FAI manages 64 sites across Italy, 31 of which are open to the public. You can virtually tour them at this link: visit fai. These villas, castles and parks are acquired by donation, or granted by state or local authorities. With the help of individual and corporate sponsors, FAI restores the sites and then opens them to the public for exhibitions, events and educational programs for students. Collectively, these sites managed by FAI welcome a million visitors each year!

Whether you choose to visit Ieranto Bay, home of the sirens that tempted Ulysses; Villa Necchi Campiglio, an icon of 1930's deco in the heart of Milan; or Teatrino di Vetriano, the world's smallest public theater, do your research on the FAI website before you go. You can check this page for a listing of upcoming events.

If you'd like to support the work of FAI in preserving the cultural heritage of Italy you can do so by becoming a member, making a donation and spreading the good word on social media. Like their Facebook page and follow them on Instagram @fondoambiente. Grazie!

Feel Good Friday - Outdoor Afro

Happy Feel Good Friday! Today we’re going get outside with Outdoor Afro.

Founded in 2009 by Rue Mapp and headquartered in Oakland, CA, the mission of Outdoor Afro is “to celebrate and inspire Black connections and leadership in nature.” The work they do is designed “to disrupt the false perception that Black People do not have a relationship with nature.” 

How does Outdoor Afro foster these connections? With help from over 100 passionate, volunteer leaders. Every year these leaders are required to attend a training event to receive ongoing education. Training topics include risk management, policy and storytelling interpretation. These volunteer leaders then create and guide monthly trips to foster collaboration and strengthen people’s connections with the outdoors. Each year more than 40,000 people join a trip with Outdoor Afro!

With locations in 56 cities around the country, the recreational activities available are quite varied. Examples include hiking, birding, fishing, kayaking, and gardening. In 2022, the focus is on swimming. Black children ages 5-19 are six times more likely to drown in swimming pools than white children so Outdoor Afro has a goal to teach 100,000 Black children to swim. They’ll do this by offering scholarships for swimming lessons, aka swimmerships. Learn more in this 30-second video.

For Black History Month, Outdoor Afro is encouraging Black people to share photos of their outdoor adventures on social media using the hashtag #BlackHistoryOutdoors. In 2020, Oprah joined Outdoor Afro to hike in the redwoods at Joaquin Miller Park in Oakland! If you’d like to join an adventure, use this link to find a group near you. As they explain on their website, “anyone who supports our mission is welcome to attend our events. You don’t have to have an afro, to be part of Outdoor Afro.”

You don’t have to have an afro to support Outdoor Afro either. Make a donation, shop for merch, and help amplify their message on social media. Like their Facebook page and follow them on Twitter @OutdoorAfro and Instagram @outdoorafro #OutdoorAfro.

Feel Good Friday - Wildlife Conservation Society

Friends, the 2020 election is over! While there are still some ongoing shenanigans, I am moving on and fulfilling my blog promise to dedicate today’s Feel Good Friday post to animals. In particular we’ll look at the animals protected by the Wildlife Conservation Society.

 

Founded in 1895 as the New York Zoological Society, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) was one of the first conservation organizations in the U.S. Their mission is to save “wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature.”

In order to maximize their resources for the greatest impact, the programs of WCS focus on conserving “14 intact regions on land and in the sea, while reversing the decline of six priority species groups: elephants, apes, big cats, sharks & rays, whales & dolphins, and tortoises & freshwater turtles.” 

Solutions focus on partnering with governments and indigenous communities to protect wildlife, wild places, oceans and fisheries. The team of scientists at WCS share information with other organizations to help combat climate change and wildlife trafficking. They use their expertise to investigate and prevent diseases that move between people and animals, advise on wildlife management, and to influence international policies that will benefit both wildlife and wild places.

 

In addition, in the 125 years WCS has existed, they’ve “supported governments and communities in the creation or expansion of 268 national parks and protected areas.” They also manage four zoos and an aquarium in New York and provide educational experiences and programs that connect people to animals and inspire an interest in conservation. If you’ve got a favorite animal, whether it’s the African elephant, Siamese crocodile or Siberian tiger, you can search through the WCS website to get information on specific conservation efforts.

 

To learn more about the history of the World Conservation Society, you can watch a 16-minute film created for this year’s anniversary celebration. You can also support the work of WCS with a donation and stay current by liking their Facebook page and following them on Twitter @TheWCS. #StandforWildlife