Feel Good Friday - The King Center

Today is not only Feel Good Friday, it’s also the birthday of American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. We’ll celebrate his legacy with a holiday on Monday, giving you plenty of time to learn about the work being done by The King Center. 

Established in 1968 by Mrs. Coretta Scott King and based in Atlanta, Georgia, The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (“The King Center”) is the official living memorial to Martin Luther King Jr. and a programmatic nonprofit with a mission to “prepare global citizens to create a more just, humane and peaceful world using Dr. King’s nonviolent philosophy and methodology (Nonviolence365®).”

 

The website is full of resources explaining the 6 principles of nonviolence, 6 steps on nonviolence and the Beloved Community, “a global vision, in which all people can share in the wealth of the earth… (and) racism and all forms of discrimination, bigotry and prejudice will be replaced by an all-inclusive spirit of sisterhood and brotherhood.

 

Some of the programs of The King Center include: 

• Nonviolence365® education and training, which teaches individuals about Dr. King’s methods of nonviolent social change as a means and strategy to accelerate progress in social justice initiatives.
• Camp Now Leadership Academy, an intensive program using technology, financial literacy and public speaking to help 13-19-year-old students become complete global citizens who will inspire nonviolent change across the world.
• The Beloved Community Talks (BCT), which are “bringing people out of their comfort zone to promote understanding and to influence equitable change to the national infrastructure”.
• Students with King, an opportunity for elementary through high school students to learn about the Civil Rights Movement from Mrs. King and family and friends of Dr. King.

 

In addition, The King Center leads the nationwide observance of the MLK holiday. The theme and call to action, for this year is “The Urgency of Creating the Beloved Community!” and you can find a schedule of events here: MLK 2021

 

If you need a shirt to wear on Monday, or some books about Dr. King, you can shop for them at the online store. To support the work of The King Center, make a donation and amplify their work by liking their Facebook page and following them on Twitter @TheKingCenter.

 

Feel Good Friday - Rocket Dog Rescue

We’ve made it to another Feel Good Friday! This week, I’m thinking globally and acting extremely locally by highlighting an organization located at the end of my street, Rocket Dog Rescue.

 

Founded in 2001, Rocket Dog Rescue is a San Francisco Bay Area dog rescue with a mission “to save the condemned animals from a cruel fate by providing them shelter through a network of temporary foster homes, until the animals are adopted permanently. Rocket Dog Rescue is operated entirely by a tight-knit group of volunteers and foster families who rehabilitate, train, and provide for the rescued animals.” 

 

The location I pass on my daily walks in Oakland is both an adoption center and urban sanctuary. What that means is they can provide care and temporary housing to homeless animals, pets of domestic violence victims who are unable to care for them, and rescue animals who require specialized care.

 

Even with housing at the sanctuary, Rocket Dog depends on a network of foster families to provide safe, stable, temporary homes for the dogs while they wait to be adopted. If you’re interested in fostering a dog, you can find more information here.

 

The ultimate goal, of course, is to find permanent homes for all of the dogs. If you’re wondering why you should adopt a rescue dog, consider this. In addition to saving a dog’s life, Rocket Dog takes care of basic training and veterinary services. They also perform temperament and behavior training and, since most rescue dogs are adults, you’ll have a pretty complete picture about the dog before you adopt it. Plus, the warm fuzzy feeling you get from rescuing a dog will be both figurative and literal. 

 

If you’re interested in adopting a dog, check out the adoption page. It provides photos and info on dogs that are currently available as well as guidelines and an application form. Virtual adoption events happen every Saturday on the Rocket Dog Facebook page. Since their founding in 2001, Rocket Dog had saved 9,333 dogs from euthanasia in overcrowded bay area shelters! You can read success stories from new pet parents here.

 

If you’d like to support the work of Rocket Dog Rescue, there are several ways to do it. Foster a dog, become a volunteer or donate some cash. You can also spread the word about their work by liking their Facebook pageand following them on Twitter @RocketDogRescue.

Feel Good Friday - New Year's Manifesto

Happy New Year and Happy Feel Good Friday!

In the 8 years I've been writing this weekly blog, I've only done a few repeats and here comes another one. 

The transition from 2020 to 2021 seems like a perfect time to bring back the post about creating your personal manifesto. Take advantage of some quality time at home to think about what's important to you and put it in writing.

Enjoy!

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