Thank You, Michael Jackson

You may wonder why we're thanking Michael Jackson. Fair enough. The answer is best seen, not read. Go to this link and watch the Humanity Project's latest offering, "If You Help Someone." www.youtube.com/hpflorida. Loosely based on MJ's classic video "Beat It," we use child dancers and actors in our own tale of bullying -- and how to stop it. You'll hear original music that's very different anything Jackson did -- but that also sends a strong message young kids will remember. (While you're at our YouTube site, also check out the other videos, especially the wonderful news story about last year's anti-bullying Thousand Youth March for Humanity.) We think these videos will make you smile! Thanks MJ ... and thanks to you for your interest and support!

Thank You, Elizabeth J. Liberty Charitable Trust Fund!

The kind folks at the family-run Elizabeth J. Liberty Charitable Trust Fund deserve a big thank you from everyone here at the Humanity Project! We just received a generous contribution from this organization to help support our original anti-bullying work in the schools. The timing of their donation was perfect too -- we really need donations and sponsorships to get our cutting-edge program to many more kids just now. Thank you so very much: Elizabeth J. Liberty, Anita Liberty, Phil Liberty and Frann Castillo. We are very grateful. The Humanity Project also wants to thank Anita and her two talented children, Trevor and Spencer Wayne, for helping us make our soon-to-be-released anti-bullying music video. Stay tuned for more details in this space. But for now, you should know that this new video included the acting and dancing skills of Trevor, 12, and Spencer, 8, as well as a slew of other talented young kids from performing arts schools. (Our new podcast talks more about this video: http://www.thehumanityproject.com/podcasts/Podcast66.html) We've already seen a rough cut of the music video and it will be something very special, shot in high definition. We expect to have it posted permanently on our website at www.thehumanityproject.com and on YouTube in the next few weeks. And it will be included as part of our in-school anti-bullying program. Thanks again so much to the Elizabeth J. Liberty Charitable Trust Fund for helping us to make it all happen. We appreciate your support more than you know.

Save This Date -- Really!

We know, we know. Everyone says, “Save The Date.” Like their event is the only thing to do in South Florida or something. But you may want to consider grabbing your pencil, or maybe pen, for this date. July 7, 2009. Here’s why: You can help kids to stop bullying in our local schools – AND meet some great people and listen to some terrific live music. All this for just $10. That seems like a date worth marking down. You’ll also be able to purchase food and drink at very reasonable prices, if you want, at the historic Downtowner Saloon. That community-minded establishment is the host for the grand finale to our “Freedom from Bullying Parties” over the 4th of July weekend. ALL of this money, every $10 we raise, will go to help us complete The Humanity Project’s anti-bullying program for South Florida elementary school students. These are the details for your calendar:
· Day/time: Tuesday July 7, 6 – 9 p.m.
· Location: Downtowner Saloon, 10 South New River Dr. East, Ft Lauderdale (954-463-9800) – Look for us in the beautiful refurbished Maxwell Room in back! A very cool space …
· Music: Jazz Survivors, a hot quartet that plays local festivals, jazz brunches, etc.
· Cost: $10, tax deductible – ALL money to benefit The Humanity Project’s anti-bullying program!
· Parking: Lots of free parking right behind the Downtowner.
· People: Fun, caring, looking to meet new friends!! (Not always easy to find in South Florida!!
;-))

Website Improvements For You!

Please make sure to see the significant additions to our website. If you go to our home page at www.thehumanityproject.com, you'll find two new menu items: YouTube Channel and NING Network. Click on the YouTube Channel to see an uplifting five-minute news story about our Thousand Youth March for Humanity, the nation's first ever mass children's march against bullying. The Humanity Project conceived and organized the march, and lead it to a huge success last November. The other website addition is our NING Network, which will bring you to a whole alternative website for The Humanity Project -- one with pictures of the march as well as informative anti-bullying videos and other resources related to our work. A BIG shoutout of thanks to our remarkable volunteer, Cheryl-Ann Henry, for tackling this web work for us. Eventually you'll find a completely redesigned website, with a bold new look as well as new features and new information that you can use. For now, enjoy the changes Cheryl made possible for us. And please, pass our website along to friends and family! We need your help for The Humanity Project to keep growing! Thanks!! ;-))

Sample a Yellow Strawberry

We hope you're planning your 4th of July "Freedom from Bullying Party," which we explained in the previous blog. But there’s another way you can help us complete our unique, effective anti-bullying program for the school kids if you live in South Florida. Our great friends at Yellow Strawberry Global Hair Salon in Fort Lauderdale are giving to The Humanity Project yet again. Owner Jesse Briggs is a wonderful guy who cares about kids a lot – and is helping us to stop bullying. He also has cut the hair of some pretty famous folks over the years. If you’ve never had the chance to try upscale Yellow Strawberry, now’s a great time because it will also help stop bullying. Here’s Jesse’s generous offer: Anytime in June, bring the below coupon with you and get a shampoo, conditioner, haircut and blow dry. He’ll give us $20 toward the music video for each woman’s cut (out of the total discount price: $45 -- or see this link for other services available with discount prices and anti-bullying donations: http://www.yellowstrawberry.com/ysblog/) and he’ll donate $10 for every man’s cut ($35 total price). Please make SURE to bring in the coupon below. The offer’s not valid without this. Just copy, paste and print the coupon. Simple, right? Ask for Jesse Briggs or one of the other four talented stylists who are helping us. They’re named in the coupon. You’ll get a great cut – and help a great cause!!
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COUPON COUPON COUPON COUPON COUPON COUPON COUPON
This coupon is redeemable for one woman’s haircut ( total price: $60; $75 for long hair) or one man’s haircut ($35) at Yellow Strawberry Global Hair Salon, 1007 E. Las Olas, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, between June 1 – June 30, 2009. Yellow Strawberry will donate $20 from each woman’s cut with coupon, $10 from each man’s cut with coupon, to The Humanity Project’s important anti-bullying program. Ask for Jesse Briggs, Shelly Van Pelt, Franco Magnotta, Christopher Durst or Edy Gomez. Call for appointment: 954-463-4343.
COUPON COUPON COUPON COUPON COUPON COUPON COUPON ____________________________________________________________________
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One Mom & Two Kids

Just a quick post to let our many blog followers know about a podcast they may want to check out. It's called "One Mom & Two Kids," the first Humanity Project show on which we've heard the voices of children who actually have experienced bullying first-hand in their school. It's an engaging interview with a mom and her kids and you can listen to all or part of the program, which runs about 1/2 hour long. An interesting way to spend a little free Web-surfing time! Check it out at http://www.thehumanityproject.com/podcasts/Podcast61.html. Thanks -- and please email the link to your friends!

Children’s March A Huge Success!

The Thousand Youth March for Humanity brought together more than 1,300 students by official estimates, from kindergarten through college, along with some 500 or more adults. We all united in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Sunday, November 16 – a picture perfect day! Our message was simple: “We want no bullying around!” We delivered that message loud and clear, with original songs and poetry slams and dance and great speeches of hope. To our knowledge, this event was a first anywhere in the United States.

It’s just one example of what The Humanity Project is all about: Finding practical ways to help fulfill human potential, such as stopping bullying. Listen for our next podcast, at the end of this month, which will help explain more fully what we’re really trying to accomplish. This group is not New Age, not religious. Our efforts are practical and our ideas are rooted in realities we all would recognize in our individual lives. Stay tuned for that program. But for now, thanks to everyone who helped make The Humanity Project’s Thousand Youth March for Humanity such a powerful anti-bullying message.