Self-worth Is The Goal

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January 28 2024: Talking about the Humanity Project’s emphasis on self-worth

The Humanity Project was founded in 2005 with one central focus: to promote individual self-worth. Despite our many changes in all those years, that goal remains our focus. Briefly, we’d like to explain why this is true.

Our stated mission is “instilling greater respect for the goodness and inherent value of humanity.” And our trademarked motto is “Equality for Each, Respect for All!” How, then, is self-worth the focus of the Humanity Project’s work? Those statements sound as if our efforts involve social change more than individual change.

But here’s the connection, which some folks may not realize when looking over our programs: We promote social changes that result in the individual improvements we seek — that is, greater self-worth. For example, research has shown for decades that school bullying damages student psyches, lowering a child’s sense of value as a human being. Other kids are making fun of them, afterall, or even harming them physically. Obviously, this often makes bullying victims feel bad about themselves. So our acclaimed, nationally known antibullying programs help to stop the bullying, which is the immediate goal. But the true underlying intent of our programs is to prevent individual students from suffering psychological scars that may diminish their self-worth for a lifetime.

This underlying goal is also the reason the Humanity Project works as close allies of organizations in the LGBTQ community, whose individuals are disproportionately bullied and attacked, verbally and physically. And for the same reason the Humanity Project does whatever we can to promote the value of religious and racial minorities as well as all genders. By laboring for equality and respect-for-all, we’re really working to ensure that more people have the opportunity to feel good about who they are. That effort, that goal, is the fundamental “project” in our name — to create greater self-worth among our fellow humans. Or as many of us as we can reach, anyway.

Yes, equality for each, respect for all. Yes indeed, greater respect for the goodness and inherent value of humanity. These are just lovely ways of saying that the Humanity Project wants each person to appreciate their own worth, which in turn allows them to appreciate the worth of other people. We hope to inspire a recognition of our individual humanity … and thereby, the humanity of everyone else. That’s the Humanity Project.

Success Stories

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The Humanity Project has many many many success stories. We’re talking here about the progress of individuals helped by our programs, especially young people. Kids who start to believe in themselves. Teens who become leaders. Children of all ages who understand empathy and respect in meaningful ways. We’ve also helped parents learn to be better role models. And adults around the world to feel inspired by the deeper value of humanity.

Let us briefly tell you just a few of these stories — changing the names to protect the privacy of our kids.

Nelson was an insecure and immature fifth grade student when he joined our Humanity Club program. His mother explained he was unsure of his identity, perhaps his sexual orientation. We worked with Nelson week after week for an entire school year as part of our program. Little by little, we watched him emerge from his shy protective shell … and to assume leadership roles in our club. By the end of the school year Nelson said this: “I gained a lot of confidence from the Humanity Project. It helped me very much, that’s for sure.” It was obvious to everyone: After his time with the Humanity Project, Nelson was a changed child.

Another elementary school student, Tilda, avoided public speaking when she joined our program. She had a slight lisp and seemed very self-conscious. Within a few months, though, Tilda gladly took part in videos that required her to recite lines … and even led activities in front of the group. By the end of our Humanity Club, Tilda decided to write a letter to us: “Thank you for teaching me this year. You helped me gain confidence and knowledge. Thanks for all the attention you’ve given me. It made a large difference in my attitude. I’ve changed in so many ways. No other teacher has ever invested so much time in me, and I am truly grateful!"

Then there was Marion, a talented high school student. She quickly assumed a leadership role in our I Care program, arranging events and speaking to peers. And leading her own I Care team after school. Marion told us that I Care gave her an opportunity to learn, grow and develop more quickly and more fully than would have been possible without the Humanity Project. She matured as she acquired an understanding of both the issues addressed by I Care and the underlying human dynamics involved in leading other human beings. Marion went on to a college career of honors and achievement, in no small part due to her experience with the Humanity Project.

These are just some samples of the impact our nonprofit has had on individuals during the past 18 years. You can watch a short video that shows kids talking for themselves about our Humanity Club program. Perhaps we’ve also had some influence on your feelings about yourself and others. Maybe you’ve even signed our Pledge For Humanity. We know that our efforts inspire greater respect for the goodness and inherent value of humanity. Equality, respect and self-worth are our core values. Join our campaign, won’t you? “Equality For Each, Respect For All” are values that allow us to feel better about everyone, including ourselves. That’s the ultimate goal of the Humanity Project.

So Much In Common

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Our “Seeking Common Ground” panel — diverse community leaders collaborating in the common interest

On Saturday, January 23, the Humanity Project convened a distinguished panel of community leaders for a conversation about healing our divided society. Those who attended and those who participated were inspired by the respectful and insightful discussion. The panelists intend to move forward with future talks among each other — and future collaborations to foster greater respect and equality in our community. Catch the discussion. (Due to technical problems, only the last hour was recorded …)

This event was hosted online by the Broward County library system in South Florida, taking place just three days after the new U.S. administration was sworn into office and only five days after MLK Day. Appropriately, the 90-minute session began with a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “I am convinced that men hate each other because they fear each other. They fear each other because they don't know each other, and they don't know each other because they don't communicate with each other, and they don't communicate with each other because they are separated from each other.” The panelists all agreed this is one of the fundamental problems we face in our nation and in the world generally … and that solutions require us to bring together everyday people from a wide range of backgrounds, religions, political views and social values to, yes, simply get to know each other. It sounds so simple, so obvious, doesn’t it? But as we understand, it’s not simple at all. Assembling any group is tough in our busy internet-driven society, more so when the participants are diverse and often unwilling to meet with those who may not agree with them on key issues.

The Humanity Project panel discussed why human beings in today’s world indeed are so separated, and therefore so afraid and angry. Of course, the reasons are many and complex. But the remedy remains: We need to talk to each other and get to know more about that “other” person. It can’t happen online. Social media isn’t much help either, likely worsening our separation in real ways. We need to sit, face to face, and just talk. Clearly, this is a challenge in our Covid culture but we know the impediments will fade as the vaccine rolls out around the globe.

The Humanity Project’s commitment to “equality for each, respect for all” means we plan to continue our efforts to bring together many different folks for respectful discussion, as we’ve been doing under our “One Common Humanity” program. We hope that leads us to work with a variety of nonprofits, churches, businesses and individuals to forge a greater sense of community and to recognize our shared humanity. Because in the end, this is the genuine common ground: We each are human. When we agree to meet and talk with each other, as our panelists did, more of us can see that.

Our 15th Anniversary!

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On November 3, 2020, the Humanity Project turns 15! We are proud that our values, programs and ideas have proven lasting. And we’re very grateful to every person and organization that has supported our work. A special shoutout in that context to State Farm, Our Fund, Children’s Services Council of Broward County, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital and Google, among others.

As we look forward to the next 15 years, we also feel pride in the continuing improvement of our organization. Our mission statement has been thoroughly rewritten several times and our motto updated to be as clear, concise and effective as possible. Our Board of Directors and Leadership Council as well as our founder, Bob Knotts, all believe the current mission and motto at last make very plain what we’re fundamentally about. Our mission: “Instilling greater respect for the goodness and inherent value of humanity.” Our motto: “Equality For Each, Respect For All.” We see ourselves as spokespeople for humanity itself, reminding folks in our challenging world that despite all the conflicts and tragedies, among the many setbacks and losses, humanity continues its unsteady advance toward fulfillment. As a species, we are on the march toward equality for each, respect for all. Look around you — you will see the progress in major areas of our lives. Grand advances in human knowledge, major strides in access to water and food for everyone, progress in racial and religious and gender and LGBTQ equality. The work is far far from done, obviously. But step by slow step, humanity is gaining ground … “advancing on Chaos and the Dark,” as Ralph Waldo Emerson expressed it.

You may ask yourself, “What right does the Humanity Project have speaking for humanity? Who are they?” To which we reply, “We have every right, as do you. We are all human beings. We are members of the species Homo sapiens — and our membership automatically grants us the privilege to speak about human life as we see it.” We think a deep belief in humanity fosters belief in the individual human being. And in ourselves as individuals. And this strengthens humanity’s drive toward greater fulfillment of our best traits and abilities.

We take a long view of human history. If you try this for yourself, you’re likely to find it comforting. We each tend to become so lost in the daily flow of dispiriting news, political conflicts and disrespectful words and rampant inequality, that our minds easily lose a more accurate perspective. As Dr. Martin Luther King famously said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” And it also bends toward understanding, wisdom … and spectacular achievement. You and your family and your friends and all of us are the inheritors of a tradition that includes the Mona Lisa and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, the Parthenon and Petra, Hamlet and Ulysses and Moby Dick. We have stamped our footprints in the dusts of the moon, snapped photographs of galaxies and black holes, launched probes that have passed out of our own solar system toward destinations yet unknown. We have wiped out whole diseases, improved treatments of others. We have traced the obscure records of our history and envisioned ambitious paths to our future. We have gifts not granted to any other species, including the power and flexibility of our imaginations and an extraordinary adaptability.

We are humanity. So are you.

And we also are the Humanity Project. Yes, we’re justifiably proud of all we’ve accomplished in the past 15 years, including the nation’s first mass march against bullying and other large-scale events; effective programs that include Humanity Club, I Care, Antibullying Through The Arts and One Common Humanity; 128 podcasts so far and hundreds of blogs as well as original essays, fables, videos, music and more.

We hope you will become part of the Humanity Project too. Join our campaign at no cost by signing our simple “Pledge For Humanity”: Sign the pledge. Help us to speak on behalf of humanity’s best, assist in the effort to continue our species’ advance toward “equality for each, respect for all.”

"I Am Somebody!"

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Zoom image during the July 23 Humanity Club virtual session

At the Humanity Project, nobody is just anybody. We strongly believe, and teach, that everybody is somebody.

When human beings know their own value, they also naturally value others. So our Humanity Club sessions emphasize the importance of the kids in our program, whether we’re live in the classroom as in the past or online now during the pandemic. They learn, for instance, that all human beings are made of stardust. Literally. We teach them the science behind that knowledge — and help them feel the poetry and beauty of the idea. Each week, the entire group several times calls out key phrases such as, “I am somebody! I am special!” And we talk about why this is true for them, what makes each child somebody, what makes each special. And then they learn how to use those wonderful qualities so they can help others.

Everything is connected to the Humanity Project’s mission of working toward equality for each, respect for all. Our students understand they can do something to advance that cause by the way they act in daily life… and we work with them to come up with concrete ideas to create a more respectful community where everyone has an equal value.

But no one can accomplish such things if they don’t believe in themselves. Or if they’re afraid. So the Humanity Club curriculum includes lessons on overcoming fears. Look at this drawing, which one of our kids cranked out in 15 minutes during the July 23 Humanity Club.

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Afraid of lions? Not anymore.

It shows one young girl’s fear of lions — and the cage she built in her imagination to protect herself from harm. Other children depicted different fears and different ways to conquer them, including a fear of the dark, of scary movies … and in one case, of getting bad grades! But each student had the chance to consider what that fear meant, why they had it and how they might let go of it. This is just one of the many life lessons learned in our Humanity Club program. And that program is just one of several the Humanity Project offers for free.

We hope you may want to get involved with our work, whether by volunteering or donating … or simply spreading our ideas on social media. Look over our resources here on this website as well as on our other sites, www.thp4kids.com and www.thp4parents.com. You’ll find that the Humanity Project truly does believe everybody is somebody. Somebody very special.