Luis Valentino

Staying In Shape During the Holidays

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 18 Dec 2022 02:56:00 +0000

The holiday season is a time of joy and celebration, but it can also be when people tend to gain weight. This happens for several reasons, including increased food intake, decreased physical activity, hormonal changes, alcohol consumption, a lack of sleep, and others.

Here are some tips for staying in shape during the Christmas holidays:

Make a plan: Determine how you will fit physical activity into your holiday schedule. This might involve setting aside specific times each day to exercise or finding ways to incorporate physical activity into your holiday activities.
Stay active: Look for opportunities to stay active during the holiday season. This could include going for a walk or run, doing a home workout, or participating in holiday activities such as ice skating or skiing.
Watch what you eat: It's easy to overindulge during the holidays, but try to balance your meals with healthy options. Choose vegetables and fruits as snacks, and lean proteins and whole grains over high-fat and high-sugar foods.
Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water to help flush out any excess sodium and keep your body hydrated.
Get enough sleep: During the holidays, it is crucial to maintain a healthy weight and support overall health.
Seek support: If you're struggling to stay on track, consider enlisting the help of a friend or family member to keep you motivated and accountable.

While it's normal to gain a few pounds during the holiday season, it's important to be mindful of your eating and activity habits to prevent excessive weight gain. By making a plan and staying active, you can enjoy the holidays without overindulging or neglecting your health. So, it's better to be cautious about our habits and do some physical activity to stay fit and healthy during the holidays.

Christmas and the Educator

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 17 Dec 2022 00:59:00 +0000

As the holiday season approaches, it can be a time for educators to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. Regardless of spiritual or religious beliefs, the values of love, compassion, and forgiveness, may resonate.

For educators, Christmas can also be a time to focus on the importance of education and its role in shaping the future. As teachers, we have the opportunity to inspire and empower our students to reach their full potential and make a positive impact on the world.

One of the key messages of Christmas is the importance of giving and sharing with others. As educators, we can help our students understand the value of giving back to their communities and supporting those in need. This can be done through charitable acts, volunteering, or simply showing kindness and compassion toward others.

In addition to the spiritual and educational significance of Christmas, it can also be a time for fun and celebration. Educators can encourage students to engage in holiday traditions and activities, such as decorating the classroom or participating in holiday performances.

Overall, Christmas is a time for educators to come together and celebrate the many blessings of the season, both personally and professionally. It's a time to reflect on the values that are important to us and share them with our students. By embracing the true meaning of Christmas, we can inspire and empower the next generation to positively impact the world.

Ten Characteristics of Educational Leaders

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 07:22:00 +0000

Educational leaders, such as school principals, district superintendents, and others, play a critical role in shaping the direction and success of their schools and districts. They are responsible for creating and implementing educational policies and programs, managing budgets and personnel, and ensuring students have the resources and support they need to succeed.

Good educational leadership can help improve student achievement, increase teacher retention, and create positive student learning environments. On the other hand, poor educational leadership can negatively affect student outcomes and the overall functioning of a school or district.

Certain characteristics are commonly associated with strong educational leaders. Strong educational leaders can combine these characteristics in ways that enable them to lead their schools and improve student outcomes effectively. Ten essential characteristics of strong educational leaders include

Vision: has a clear vision for their school or district's future and can articulate that vision to others.
Collaboration: works well with others and can bring people together to achieve common goals.
Communication: communicates effectively and can clearly and concisely share their ideas and vision with others.
Empathy: understands and empathizes with the perspectives and experiences of others, including students, teachers, and parents.
Decisiveness: makes difficult decisions in a timely manner and they are willing to take responsibility for their decisions.
Adaptability: adapts to changing circumstances and is open to new ideas and approaches.
Integrity: A strong educational leader is honest, transparent, and consistent in their actions and decisions.
Professionalism: knowledgeable, competent, and professional in their approach to their work.
Passion: passionate about education and committed to improving student outcomes.
Emotional intelligence: aware of their own emotions and the emotions of others, and they can use that awareness to guide their actions and decisions.

How to Thrive Where You've Been Planted

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 00:03:00 +0000

Are you the sort of person whose degree of happiness is determined by unfavorable situations and
difficulties? Do you believe you will be happy when you receive the next big promotion, save enough money, or discover your true partner?

While good aspirations propel you, it is crucial to understand how to thrive in your current environment.

Instead of allowing your surroundings to influence how you feel, let your inner pleasure come through. Regardless of where you are, look for the positive. Remember everything you have to be thankful for, rather than dwelling on the sense that something is constantly lacking.

To flourish where you are planted, you must find the positive in every difficulty you encounter. Some of the wealthiest individuals feel hollow because they lack the unconditional love of others, good health, and other things that money cannot purchase. And some of the world's poorest individuals are the happiest. Why? Because they choose to focus on and concentrate on the positive.

Ask yourself the following questions when contemplating how to flourish where you are.

What do you have for which you may be grateful?
Do you have a place to live and sufficient food?
Are you employed? Can you pay your bills?
Are you in good health?
Do you have people who love you and whom you also love?
Do you rely on your faith to provide you with positive energy?

What you believe about yourself is crucial.

How you perceive the world and your level of self-confidence might impact your success in life. Those who behave as though they are happy usually are, as their lives tend to mirror their behaviors. Choose to identify the positive elements of every difficulty you confront. Instead of focusing on problems, you should concentrate on potential solutions until you obtain the desired objectives.

Also, speak positively about yourself. Both spoken and written words are incredibly potent. When individuals take these words to heart, they may profoundly affect their lives. Conversely, if you absorb negative remarks, anything for which you may be grateful would appear trivial. This negativity will leave you feeling disheartened and discontent. Instead, allow positive words to enter your mind.

Positive words can alter your life, whether expressed by you or over you. You may flourish where you are at the moment. Remember that abundant joy and tranquility may be found in every scenario or condition as you go toward your objectives and continue to grow. Start seeking happiness where you are.

Your views about yourself and the world around you determine your fate. How you feel is intricately tied to your thoughts. Consider life-affirming concepts, and you will feel alive. Consider negative and discouraging ideas, and you will feel miserable.

Choose to appreciate the present moment today. In the larger scheme of things, neither half of the glass is empty nor full. You will be happy and prosperous if you choose to be exactly where you are and nowhere else. Choose to be present and mindful in every moment today. If you do so, you will flourish where you are planted.

Discovering Your Inner Creative Potential

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 20:54:00 +0000

Believe it or not, there is creativity lurking within all of us. Creativity is not only the ability to draw a
picture or write a poem - creativity is simply thinking in a unique way. When you approach a situation, you're thinking creatively as long as you keep thinking of new ways to solve problems.

Here are some tips for discovering your inner creative potential:

Do What Makes You Happy. You may already have an idea about what you might like to do creatively, but you may be afraid of failure, so don't try. However, the only failure is if you give up before you start. So what if you fall flat on your face? So what if people judge you? Adopt the "you only live once" attitude and go for it!

Try Again. Let's say that you feel your true calling is filmmaking. You take a class, but your teacher doesn't like your work. What do you do? Do you give up or keep going? The answer's obvious: pick yourself up and keep learning the craft! Take another class or create a film on your own. If you're enjoying yourself, learning, and practicing, you'll create your version of success!

Don't Stop Thinking. Of course, you never really stop thinking. However, it would help if you approached your thinking, solutions, and ideas, especially in mundane situations. You mustn't just accept that things are done a certain way - you need to expand your thinking and keep coming up with new ways to do old tricks.

Inspiration. Creativity comes along for the ride when you follow what truly inspires you. Let's say you always wanted to start a business. That doesn't sound terribly creative on its own, especially if it's a type of business that already exists. But your inspiration will spark your creativity as you decide how your business will stand out from the competitors.

Stay Calm. Avoid situations where you feel overly stressed or uptight. If you're like most people, you'll likely do most of your creative thinking in a calm environment. Too much stress can hinder your creative mind, so remember to take breaks when needed.

Act on Your Ideas

There is only one authentic way to discover if your creative ideas will be successful. You need to make a plan and follow through with it.

Some people are held back by fear of failure, financial constraints, or other setbacks. But if you genuinely want to accomplish your creative goals, you'll need to figure out how to overcome the hurdles.

Stuck on Ideas

Remember: creativity is inside of you, just waiting to be tapped!

If you have a passion in life, you can bring creativity to that passion. If your passion is stamp collecting, for example, you can make that creative. Maybe you could develop a new design for a stamp collector's album. You could even design your stamps or start a website for other stamp collectors to get information. Just be creative!

Set aside at least a few minutes each day for some freedom to be creative. You might find it difficult initially, but before you know it, the ideas will flow.

Seven Steps to Enhancing Your Image

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 20:37:00 +0000

What do you tell people about yourself? Have you ever thought about how what you say about yourself transmits intimate knowledge to others? Do you say things like, "I never get anything done," "I'm so disappointed with my career," or "I wish I were a better parent?"

The reality is that when you say less-than-positive things about yourself to others, you create an inaccurate image of yourself in their minds.

Ponder these points to enhance your self-image as well as how others see you:

What kind of person are you? How would you describe yourself? What are the very best things about you? Spend some time looking at your actions.

Maybe you consider the needs of others over your own.
Perhaps you're a very giving person.
You might see yourself as patient, kind, confident, or "devil-may-care."
You could be a pioneer—you're never afraid to try something new.
Do you step up to help an elderly neighbor anytime she needs it?
Are you an "idea" person at work where others look to you to problem-solve a situation

What are your motives related to your personal choices? Why do you think it's important to (fill-in-the-blank)?" Ponder what motivates you to complete a task, stay in shape, and whatever else you came up with related to your positive qualities.

Which kind of remarks about yourself do you usually make: positive or negative? What compels you to do so if you tend to put yourself down? Are you trying to be humble? Do you encourage others to have a negative picture of you?

List the negative comments you make to others about yourself. Include all of them—"I'm so fat," "I can't seem to find time to clean the house," or "Nobody at work ever notices what I do." For each comment, allow time to jot down why you believe you say these things.

For example, troubleshoot the situation for the "I'm so fat" comment, rather than saying "Because I am" as your reason why you say it. What specifically makes you feel you're fat?
Your reasoning could look like, "Because I'm 20 pounds overweight, according to the weight charts," or "I'm wearing a size 38 pants instead of 34 like I used to wear."

The goal here is to determine the underlying reasons you make these statements. By becoming aware of your reasons, you'll put yourself on the path to raising your opinion of yourself.

Do you want to change something about yourself? If so, what could you do? Decide to change your actions if you're going to change your results. Make a plan with achievable steps to your goal.

It's solution time. You can accept the way you are without any more negative statements or endeavor to change whatever brings about your comments. If you decide to make a few changes, start now to work toward those goals and have confidence in your ability to change. Your conversations will reveal your new, more positive outlook!

Become the person you want to be by refusing to say anything negative about yourself to others. Share positive experiences with zeal without overdoing them. Through what you say to others, you can re-shape what they (and you) think of you.

You'll discover more happiness, experience more self-respect, and become more comfortable with the incredible person you are!

Return To School And Covid-19

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 15 Aug 2021 04:50:00 +0000

Schools are historically the safest place that we can assure for our children to be, and for them to learn.. The resurgence of COVID-19 has caused concern and uncertainty, creating an incredible challenge for our schools as we start the new school year.

In order to ensure our students and staff are safe, we need comprehensive safety protocols in place at our schools. We need to enforce following these safety measures by every person entering the school, including parents and guardians.

It will be important for parents to reassure their children the school is safe by discussing the protocols their schools have put in place, including masks, safe distancing, washing hands, using plexiglass barriers, etc.

Ultimately, only through vaccination will we slow down and control the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Schools and districts must work closely with their county health departments to promote vaccinations and testing for anyone over the age of 12.

Additional Information: Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 Schools

Helping Your Child Deal With Anxiety During This Challenging Time

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 01:26:00 +0000

The world can be a scary place, and during this time of the pandemic, many children have good reason to worry and manifest high levels of anxiety. Anxiety isn’t always a bad thing. A person should be worried if they’re in a dangerous situation, for example. Anxiety is protective, but too much or inappropriate anxiety isn’t healthy. As students navigate distance learning, they cope with a level of isolation they have not experienced before. They don't interact with their peers as much as when they are in the classroom, and the opportunities to participate in activities are limited.

Use these strategies to help your child over come their anxiety:

Be supportive and patient. It can be frustrating when your child is constantly worried about things that seem meaningless or silly. However, the anxiety they feel is just as real to them as your anxieties are to you. You don’t get to choose the emotions or fears of other people.

● Let your child know that you’re sensitive to their feelings and are always there to support them.

Avoid giving too much warning about a stressful event. If you know your child stresses out about things, it’s important to help them navigate their experience. When students showing stress out over school on Monday, are anxious about logging on, it will be important to downplay their significance.

● Too much attention can provide too much opportunity to worry. Figure out how much attention your child needs to keep their anxiety at a minimum. Some children appreciate a little time to process what’s going to happen.

Talk it out. Ask your child what they’re worried about and why. Talk about why this fear is or isn’t valid. In other words, look for evidence to prove or disprove the reason for the fear.

● If the fear is valid, develop a plan together to handle the issue.

● If the fear isn’t valid, help your child to trust the evidence they found that negates the reason for the anxiety.

Help your child to keep their attention on the present. We can only worry when we project our attention into the future and imagine negative outcomes. This is largely a habit.

● Teach your child to focus on the present moment and their surroundings. Show your child that it’s more effective to focus on what is, rather than what might be.

Take a look at your home life. Is your home life stressful for your child? Do you and your child’s other parent get along well, or is there a lot of arguing? Are there financial pressures in the household that the child is aware of?

● Children might give the impression that they’re not listening, but they are surprisingly adept at figuring out what’s going on.

Avoid avoidance. You might think you’re being nice if you help your child to avoid everything that causes them to feel anxious, but you’re actually contributing to the issue.

● Each time your child is allowed to avoid the situation due to anxiety, there’s a part of their brain that says, “Hmmmm. If I make her feel anxious, we can get out of doing these things.”

● The brain quickly learns what works. The next time, the anxiety will be even stronger. The brain will continue turning up the volume until it gets what it wants.

● Avoiding a stressor brings relief, which is very rewarding. The urge to avoid only becomes stronger as it’s reinforced.

● Be supportive but avoid letting them off the hook.

Get professional help. It’s very challenging for a parent to effectively help a child with moderate to severe anxiety issues. It’s likely that professional help will be useful. Find a therapist or psychologist that specializes in children of your child’s age.

Many children are under a lot of stress, not being able to be with their peers. They feel little control over their lives. Most aspects of their lives are controlled by parents or teachers. If your child is anxious, it can be heartbreaking to see them worry all of the time. Be supportive and patient and get professional help if your efforts prove to be insufficient.

Contribution of this article by the Valgar Institute

Finding Balance In Your Life

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 21:16:00 +0000

As a leader, you lead very demanding and challenging lives. While we are busy serving others, you fail to bring peace to your life. One way of achieving peace is by seeking a more balanced life, by keeping a more balanced schedule. You need to have greater clarity of mind to discern how you apply your energy, how you interact, and how you delegate.

Keeping your life in balance allows you greater peace of mind and rest. Considerations you must make,

value your rest time because it enables you to recharge my body and rejuvenate my soul. Making time for relaxation is equally important as the other to-dos on your daily agenda,
differentiate between that which I am called to do and that which I simply desire to do. I understand that just because I can do something does not mean I should do it.
put aside some minor responsibilities and other activities. The benefits of living a balanced life are worth the sacrifices of letting go of some things you believe you must do, or want to do. Playing the long game in your life versus focusing on the short game, can bring about greater mental and emotional health.
find within yourself the courage to candidly confront the reality of your intentions. Bring clarity of purpose to your life. Define what matters, and agree to spend 80% of your time on the 20% of the tasks that will improve your quality of life. Prioritize your values and fill your time with those things first.
make time your schedule for yourself. Be intentional about getting exercise, eating right, and sleeping well. At the end of the day, you should fall asleep comforted that you have taken steps to improve the quality of your life. Taking care of your mind and body enables you to have more strength to fulfill your calling.

Self-Reflection Questions:

How will you make time in your schedule for rest and exercise?
What will you adjust your plans to give yourself adequate time for sleep?
What changes will you make to your diet?

WHAT WE NEED IS A TAX PLAN THAT WORKS FOR EVERY AMERICAN

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 18 Nov 2017 02:25:00 +0000

House Republicans passed Trump's disastrous tax plan -- even though it raises taxes on hardworking American families and the middle class. Watch this video to learn more about the Republican scheme:

How Mindful Team Engagement Can Cultivate Innovation and Inclusion

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 17:55:00 +0000

I am pleased to welcome Melissa Shaffer, author of today's blog on mindful team engagement.

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There has been a rapid development of new technologies claiming superior approaches to leadership development and team engagement. However, big companies continue to struggle with creating inclusive cultures and retaining diverse workforces. Why? Technology clearly has its place in the game. However, we believe culture change also requires dedicated face-to-face time for connection, vulnerability and mindful team engagement.

What do teams and communities need to mindfully engage and create inclusive environments where each individual can communicate and contribute to their greatest potential? This is a question our team at HiveQuest thinks about deeply in our work.

An alternative approach to group learning

How many times have you sat in a room with one person speaking at the front, while you simply sit and “receive knowledge”? When you leave, you have to then figure out what to do with that knowledge, and have no context for how others received it. We feel this is not the way adults learn best and want to actively work to flip that model.

A community of practice is a research-based structure that makes a major paradigm shift in adult learning. It offers an ongoing space for people to meet and have room to surface dilemmas in their work and discover new approaches from the wisdom of others.

To test the impact of this group learning approach, we have been hosting in-person “Community of Practice” events with Culture Labx in San Francisco. Over the past couple of months, we’ve brought together local culture builders to have deep conversations and crowdsource their ideas about supporting belonging, inclusion, and diversity in the workplace.

We posed the following inquiry: How do we interrupt inequitable patterns of participation to engage in courageous conversations around inclusion?

To address this, we focused on practicing norms for inclusive collaborations. We theorized that attendees would gain valuable new insights from the co-construction of knowledge and peer-to-peer learning.

Through our experience facilitating these networking events, and thanks to the willingness of all involved to share openly and vulnerably, we arrived at some key takeaways to bring back to your workplace.

Using Norms to Foster Inclusion

From our own experience using the norms internally, and from event participant feedback, we’ve found norm setting to be crucial in holding safe space for everyone.

What’s important to know about setting norms:

PURPOSE: They help level the playing field. Everyone has access.
It’s much easier to give your 100% when you don’t have to climb a mountain to do so.
PROCESS: They can build team connection from Day 1.
Each person gives input and takes responsibility for developing the company culture.
PRACTICE: They take time to internalize and integrate into your culture.
Setting intentions and interrupting old ingrained behaviors that aren’t serving the greater good requires awareness of self and others to enhance communication.

Norms are important because they create equal access for all community members to make their voices heard in a positive and organized way. Extroverts can agree to pause more to allow others to speak. Similarly, introverts can agree to speak up and request time to process information when needed. Norms help account for different communication, processing, learning, and engagement styles. Furthermore, giving everyone a chance to share their ideas and perspectives sparks greater innovation.

One of our event facilitators had this to say after the event:

“Voices of dominant culture loudly communicate their discomfort and disapproval of messages that would fall outside the normative conversations. Ears are not trained to hear the silence of the oppressed.”

When we establish norms for mindful team engagement, we make space for the voices of the oppressed and ask dominant voices to embrace their discomfort. The deviant conversations that emerge often lead to the most creative and innovative results.

_____________________________________________________________

Melissa is the Community Relations Manager at HiveQuest. An important component of their work is using the Mindful Engagement cards. The Mindful Engagement cards can help you strengthen your community norms, core values, and organization's culture. Check them out at EngageMindfully.com

Feedback and Employees Retention

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 18:35:00 +0000

I am pleased to welcome Rae Steinbach, author of today's blog on feedback and employee satisfaction.

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Feedback is the Key to Keeping Employees: Here’s How to Use It

Happy employees increase a company’s bottom line, help build great culture, and boost business performance. While perks are part of showing employee appreciation for great work, effective communication far outweighs material gifts when it comes to increasing employee engagement and happiness.

Perks, though positive in nature, will also be forgotten much more quickly than strong workplace relationships, meaningful one on one interactions, and great communication. Here’s how to incorporate feedback into your management strategy for better retention and satisfaction in the workplace.

Reap the Benefits of Employee Feedback Loops

Employee feedback loops have been acknowledged as inspiring and incentivizing staff to always give their all and open up blocked channels of communication throughout a company. Regular, meaningful communication builds a healthy and energizing workplace culture – the thing known to be the cornerstone of employee engagement and retention.

Annual performance reviews with structured feedback sessions are simply not enough. The irregularity breeds a disconnect between teams and managers rather than building strengths. At best, they are considered a waste of time. At worst, they are a chokehold to employee motivation and introduce awkwardness to the relationship between teams and their leaders.

Great leaders communicate consistently with their teams throughout the year, ask meaningful and searching questions, and solicit feedback from employees about their own performance. Great teams understand that there is always room for improvement and relish the challenge of driving things forward for the business. They’re also able to provide constructive feedback to leadership and create an open dialogue for the benefit of organizational development.

Four Elements of Great Employee Feedback Loops

Feedback loops are reciprocal. Thus, they require good questions and active listening. They also need to spark action and reaction to be effective. Without these elements, they will not provide the necessary results for your leaders and the business as a whole.

1. Ask the Right Questions

Provide structure for feedback collection by asking the right questions, and make sure there is room for staff to elaborate and provide open-ended responses that will expose blind spots of the business. The right questions may be tough but will get to the heart of any problems.

2. Analyze

Go through responses objectively and define trends that may not be immediately obvious. By taking time to interpret feedback, you are setting yourself up for better results when you take the next step, which is acting upon the results.

3. Take Necessary Action

Productive feedback loops will highlight things that need doing, so do them, and do them straight away. Don’t just talk about what needs to be done, or plan for changes. Recognize what actions need to be taken and then act accordingly.

4. Communicate

The whole point of the ‘loop’ is to show your team that you have heard and are taking action on their feedback to you, just as you expect them to the same with the feedback you give to them.

Let them know their needs are being addressed and how this is being done. This lets them know that you take their thoughts seriously and will strengthen the feedback loop for next time.

Be Empowered By the Feedback

Great feedback loops allow your business to recognize issues before they become problems and act before they become crippling. They also empower your teams and company to become agile in response to changes through better communication. Employees feel supported, heard, and valued which enables them to understand and support problem solving methods better.

When all is said and done, looking after your greatest asset – your employees – will create a workplace culture that promotes open communication in support of your business’s bottom line.

Investing energy into building an environment that promotes transparent, supportive communication will help in the retention of top performing employees and protect your future profits.

Contributor: Rae Steinbach is a graduate of Tufts University with a combined International Relations and Chinese degree. After spending time living and working abroad in China, she returned to NYC to pursue her career and continue curating quality content. Rae is passionate about travel, food, and writing, of course, and is a contributor to 15Five.

Memo - Red to Blue CA Team

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 17 Oct 2017 01:34:00 +0000


To Interested Parties:
In order to Stop Trump and flip the House, we are targeting seven Republican members of Congress representing districts that Hillary Clinton won.
We are seeing energized Democratic and progressive voters in these districts -- a good early sign of enthusiasm, reflected by the data:
Last week we received poll numbers that show rightwing Republican Darrell Issa losing to his Democratic opponent by TEN points -- that’s great momentum!
We also got word that the political experts at the Cook Political Report have moved extreme Republican Dana Rohrabacher’s district from a “Lean Republican” seat to a pure “Tossup.” That’s amazing progress.
However, the fact remains that both Issa and Rohrabacher have more money than their Democratic opponents and deep ties to dark money special interests.
We need to make sure that our organization boosts our fundraising among progressive grassroots donors to make up the gap and beat these extreme Republicans and take back the House next year.
-- The Red to Blue CA Data Team
Donate Now

Defend DACA

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 05 Sep 2017 19:26:00 +0000

Donald Trump just sent Jeff Sessions in front of reporters to announce an end to DACA. He didn't even have the courage to tell us himself.

The decision to throw 800,000 young people who came to the U.S. as children into legal jeopardy is despicable and immoral. Our Revolution believes that no human being is illegal. We need a path to citizenship not only for DREAMers, but all 11 million undocumented people living in the shadows today. When we bring people together and build stronger communities, everyone benefits.

It's up to Congress to act and protect the DREAMers who came out of the shadows in the good faith of a government now threatening to betray them. Please call your member of Congress and tell them to pass protections for DACA recipients NOW.

There is a bipartisan consensus that DACA should be protected. It includes the most conservative and most progressive members of Congress. That's why your action is so important.

Call your member of Congress to protect DACA recipients, and all those who are vulnerable, from deportation.

In solidarity,

Erika Andiola
Political Director
Our Revolution
DACA Recipient

A Conversation on Race

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 19:12:00 +0000

Good Morning,

Now, more than ever, we must continue to have conversations on race, culture, equity, etc. I am learning that the fear of doing so is much less impactful than the result of not having the conversations and training. Please note this Op-Doc from the New York Times on "A Conversation with Native Americans on Race."

Ken

"Be the voice, not the echo..."

Anonymous

Become a CLEAR member by following this link: clearvoz.com/clear-membership/

Kenneth R. Magdaleno, Ed.D.

Executive Director

Center for Leadership, Equity, and Research (CLEAR)

559-346-8728 c

Director of Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership

California State University, Fresno

559-278-0294 t | 559-278-0457 f

Calling All Citizen Leaders: The People's House Project

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 14 Aug 2017 04:51:00 +0000

Calling All Citizen Leaders

The People's House Project looking for citizen leaders with warriors’ hearts to take back the House for the People. If you are new to politics, we welcome you. If you are a first time candidate, we can help you amplify your voice and values. If you are nervous about taking this leap, we can help you prepare for the jump and support you along the way.

The Problem

America is at a time of massive transition. Our working class is under attack thanks to the forces of automation, globalization, and greed. At the very moment when we most need our government to chart a new course, our elected leaders have turned their backs on the American people. They have attacked everything that’s dear to us from our health, to our earned living, to our bedrock values as a nation of immigrants. No more.
To fight back against these forces, we need a Democratic Party that will stand unbowed in its historic role as the champion of the people. Far too many have lost faith that the Democratic Party will truly fight for them while others have been uninspired by a vision that lacks clarity and boldness. We must win back the trust of these voters. To do so, we must support candidates who offer an alternative vision for the country based on working class solidarity and respect for the dignity of every American.
Even in difficult districts, we must compete with real campaigns and strong candidates to begin to rebuild organizing infrastructure and pave the way back to success for the true champions of the working class. That’s why the People’s House Project will incubate and accelerate candidates in every Republican held congressional district in our targeted region of Midwestern and Appalachian states.

Time to Fight

We are looking for citizen leaders with warrior’s hearts to take back the House for the People. If you are new to politics, we welcome you. If you are a first time candidate, we can help you amplify your voice and values. If you are nervous about taking this leap, we can help you prepare for the jump and support you along the way. One day our children will ask us what we did for our country in this time of great peril and uncertainty. Join us to restore the House of Representatives to our Founders’ original vision. Join us to reclaim the House of Representatives for the People.

CLICK HERE AND JOIN TODAY!

Reflection on our Life's Journey

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 06 Aug 2017 16:00:00 +0000

As we move through our life's journey, we value the opportunity to stop and reflect on where we've been, and where we're headed. Standing still long enough to integrate that into where we are today helps to remind us of what worked and what didn't, what matters and what doesn't, and how that can translate into the decisions we make moving forward.

Elaine DiMasi Represents Progressive, Evidence Based Policy for New York's 1st

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 21:24:00 +0000

CROWDPAC

____________________________________

Why you should support Elaine DiMasi for Congress

I’m Elaine DiMasi, and I’m exploring a run for Congress in New York’s 1st because I can see what's possible - Congress can collaborate, embrace science, and achieve prosperity for all. As a scientist I am trained to overcome the obstacles of bias and see problems for what they truly are, then find the best solution. I will apply this approach to finding answers to the problems we face - so that we can all get back to work.
Lee Zeldin is out of touch with Long Islanders, who know that fair access to health care is a necessity. Zeldin's approach for our economy rolls back protections against another big-bank crash. His many anti-environmental actions include prohibiting the U.S. Military from continuing to research and prepare for the effects climate change will have on military installations.
My message to Long Islanders:

Let’s re-energize our businesses! We can bring the best clean energy incentives to Long Island, creating high-tech companies and lowering energy costs for all businesses. At the same time, we can right-size the regulations, with protections, informed by the best science, that work.

Let’s reach our full potential! We can grow our Trade Schools into a third strong pillar to stand beside our renowned K-12 system and our world class colleges and universities. I envision a network of Trade Schools that will be the envy of the nation. And, let us keep working to guarantee healthcare for all.

Let’s commit to clean water! We must continue to protect our aquifers and our beaches. Suffolk County’s 1.5 million residents have hundreds of miles of shoreline in our care. Solutions developed here can save the world. Long Island can champion truthful, practical climate policy.

My commitment to science will find answers, not create new categories of winners and losers. As a physicist, I am committed to truth, using research and data to find it. Together, we can advance healthcare, women’s and LGBT rights, environment, gun control, and criminal justice reform. Donate today and let's get to work!

LEARN MORE HERE

Brewing employment opportunities for those with disabilities

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 17:40:00 +0000

CNN checks in at Bitty & Beau’s Coffee in Wilmington, North Carolina to learn more about what makes the coffee shop special. The local fixture’s popularity is due to its workforce. The shop mostly employs people with mental or developmental disability, ranging from Down syndrome and autism to cerebral palsy. It’s the first chance at employment for many, and their sense of accomplishment and joy is definitely present in each cup they serve. Click here to read more.

This Army vet wants to unseat one of Donald Trump’s yes-men

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 00:41:00 +0000

A progressive Army veteran is considering challenging “one of Donald Trump's most devoted and unquestioning yes-men in Congress”

The context from Joe Miguez’s campaign:

Being a Congressman takes “guts, backbone, common sense, and a core belief that our government should fight for all of us, not just a privileged few. On each of those points, Rep. Michael McCaul has failed. For over a decade, he has placed the wants of the super-wealthy and well-connected over the needs of Texas families.”

He's opposed Democratic initiatives and ideas, no matter how much they'd help Texans, and supported Republican ones, no matter how much they'd hurt us. And he's been one of Donald Trump's most devoted and unquestioning yes-men in Congress…[making] Texas less free, less fair, and less safe.

I’m an Army veteran, a former military intelligence analyst specializing in Middle East affairs, a member of the City of Austin Human Rights Commission, a lifelong progressive Democrat, a proud husband, and father of two beautiful daughters.

I’m seriously considering running for Congress so I can fight for the citizens of Texas's 10th Congressional District, and be your voice in Washington.”

You can contribute to Joe’s campaign here.

More about the candidate:

An Army veteran, Joe wants to “work tirelessly as a voice for all of us, not just Republican or Democrat, not just those with the most money or best lobbyists, to ensure that we all have a fair chance at safe, happy, and prosperous lives.”

A sense of duty has guided me throughout mylife, first as a soldier, then as a husband, a father, and a citizen. It now compels me to throw my hat in the ring, to fight for everyone.

I'm under no illusions.

Winning this fight won't be easy. It'll require every single one of you who cares about the issues I've described to get out and vote. It will require every ounce of energy you can give, whether that's spent registering voters, knocking on doors, and fighting to get our message out. And it will require money--a whole lot of it.

Michael McCaul has a massive family fortune, and we know his deep-pocketed corporate supporters will spare no expense to keep their grasp on power. And we will be fighting on a gerrymandered battlefield, one that was specifically designed to give Republican leadership free reign to ignore and marginalize us with impunity. To prevail, and to give this district the leadership it deserves, we will have to fight harder and smarter than we've ever fought, and raise every penny we can possibly raise.

But I know that, together, we can win.”

Making Poor People Pay More For Less Health Insurance

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 22 Jun 2017 23:47:00 +0000

As 23 million Americans risk losing their health care if the Republican bill passes, a doctor is running for office to fight for our “secure future”

Today, Senate Republicans unveiled the health care repeal bill which they’ve been working on behind closed doors.

Here’s analysis from Vox.com: “Policy after policy in the bill is built to achieve the same goal: making poor people pay more for less health insurance.”

The bill gives the wealthy massive tax breaks, and does so by slashing Medicaid funding and cutting health care subsidies for middle and low income Americans.

So far, opposition to the bill is strong—the AARP, the American Medical Association, and the Children’s Defense Fund are just a few examples of the groups voicing their disapproval.

Dr. Rob Davidson sees what’s happening in Congress right now, and he thinks America needs to do better. Having seen our system up close, he believes in health care for all. So he’s running for Congress in West Michigan.

You can contribute to Dr. Davidson’s campaign here.

Why Dr. Rob is running:

“As an ER doctor, Rob works with people from all backgrounds. Rob cares for them and their families, treating everyone the same and ensuring they get the best care.”

Rob understands the importance of health care for all Americans so no one has to worry about preexisting conditions, or disease outbreaks in our communities. Health care for all means reducing fears of going broke because of a medical emergency.

Our families face a lot of uncertainty about the future and they deserve a member of Congress who will address those concerns in a real way, not just with sound bites.

As a Spring Lake school board member, Rob fights for all children so they get a good education.

Rob believes we must invest in quality public schools that can prepare all students - regardless of background or ability - for a 21st century economy.”

Click Here To Support Dr. Rob Davidson

Can't contribute? No worries—share this campaign to spread the word:

Stop the Senate’s secret “health care” plan

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 23:53:00 +0000

Economic
Policy
Institute

By now you’ve probably heard that the House-passed “health care” bill would rob 23 million Americans of health insurance, push up premiums for those who keep it, and degrade the protections even employer-sponsored insurance provides.

But you may not be aware of the other ways Trumpcare would damage working families and our economy.

EPI research shows that Trumpcare’s cuts to Medicaid and insurance subsidies would drag down job-growth by more than a million jobs by 2020, and even more thereafter. Our research has shown that this job loss would occur in every state and the vast majority of Congressional Districts.

We have also shown that out-of-pocket costs like premiums, deductibles and co-pays would rise by a whopping $33 billion per year if the House plan was passed by the Senate. These costs would rise largely because key regulations forcing better behavior from health insurers―that were part of the Affordable Care Act―would be stripped away.

Sign the petition telling the U.S. Senate to reject the American Health Care Act and protect the health care of millions of working people.

We cannot allow a tax cut for the rich and corporations to masquerade as “health reform,” when in fact all it does it rob Americans of insurance, raise out-of-pocket costs by tens of billions, and slow the economy and job growth.

Stand with the EPI Policy Center to reject the Senate’s “health care” repeal legislation that would make health care unaffordable for working families, older Americans and people with pre-existing conditions.

Thank you for demanding an economy and a health care system that works for everyone, not just the wealthy few.

Sincerely,

Liz Rose
Communications Director, EPI Policy Center

SIGN THE PETITION TODAY

PatientsLikeMe: Putting Patients First

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 13 Jun 2017 16:08:00 +0000

Recently a former colleague, Chris, took a short trip from San Francisco, for a visit. During our conversation he shared about his family, and what his kids were up to. His daughter works for PatientsLikeMe. It is a website and smartphone app in the health industry that serves as an online community for people with illnesses, diseases, etc., that can crowdsource learning how to manage and overcome the challenges related to their setbacks. I am not doing it justice, so you should check it out yourself.

"Imagine this: a world where people with chronic health conditions get together and share their experiences living with disease. Where newly diagnosed patients can improve their outcomes by connecting with and learning from others who've gone before them. Where researchers learn more about what's working, what's not, and where the gaps are, so that they can develop new and better treatments"

I quickly went online, downloaded the app, signed up, and am now a member of a great community. I also contacted family members and encouraged them to go to the website and check it out.

I hope you find it as valuable as I did.

How Mindful Team Engagement Can Cultivate Innovation and Inclusion

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 07 Jun 2017 01:47:00 +0000

What do teams and communities need to mindfully engage and create inclusive environments where each individual can communicate and contribute to their greatest potential?

This is a question our team at HiveQuest thinks about deeply in our work.

An alternative approach to group learning

To test the impact of this group learning approach, we have been hosting in-person “Community of Practice” events with CultureLabx in San Francisco. Over the past couple of months, we’ve brought together local culture builders to have deep conversations and crowdsource their ideas about supporting belonging, inclusion, and diversity in the workplace.

We posed the following inquiry:

How do we interrupt inequitable patterns of participation to engage in courageous conversations around inclusion?

Using Norms to Foster Inclusion

We began each event by setting agreements about how we would engage with each other as a new community. For example, one norm was to “withhold blame, shame, or judgement”. Then a Block Party protocol allowed us to reflect more deeply on the norms and begin building trust as a group.

From our own experience using the norms internally, and from event participant feedback, we’ve found norm setting to be crucial in holding safe space for everyone.

What’s important to know about setting norms:

PURPOSE: They help level the playing field. Everyone has access.
It’s much easier to give your 100% when you don’t have to climb a mountain to do so.
PROCESS: They can build team connection from Day 1.
Each person gives input and takes responsibility for developing the company culture.
PRACTICE: They take time to internalize and integrate into your culture.
Setting intentions and interrupting old ingrained behaviors that aren’t serving the greater good requires awareness of self and others to enhance communication.

“Voices of dominant culture loudly communicate their discomfort and disapproval of messages that would fall outside the normative conversations. Ears are not trained to hear the silence of the oppressed.”

-Melissa Shaffer

Support Joseph Kopser for Congress, (TX - 21st District)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 03 Jun 2017 22:04:00 +0000

Trump just pulled out of the Paris Climate Agreement, but you can defeat one of the most anti-science politicians in Congress

The context:

Rep. Lamar Smith, Chairman of the House Committee on Science, just praised Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement. But a veteran, businessman and actual scientist is running to unseat him on a pro-science platform, and he’s already raised over $80,000 to do it!

Why is Joseph Kopser running?

“It’s time for new leadership in Texas. Rep. Lamar Smith has represented Texas since 1986 and built a reputation as Congress’s most persistent climate change denier – a fact that is even more disturbing considering he is the Chairman of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. Rep. Smith doesn’t believe in facts, and he doesn’t want them reported. Instead, he believes it’s “better to get your news directly from the President. In fact, it might be the only way to get the unvarnished truth.” We can do better.”

You can contribute $21 to Joseph's run today.

“I want to help move this country forward, which means supporting science and business while taking climate change seriously. I have the experience to do it. In 2013, I was recognized as a White House Champion of Change for my efforts in Energy and Transportation.

I served in the U.S. Army for 20 years earning the Combat Action Badge, Army Ranger Tab and Bronze Star. I graduated from West Point with a BS in Aerospace Engineering and received a Masters from the Harvard Kennedy School in 2002.

I’m currently the President of Grayline, where we work to bring together experts, data and solutions to help companies and public institutions manage disruptive change. Before joining Grayline, I was the Co-Founder and CEO of a Texas-based technology company that enabled seamless multimodal experiences and connected transit commerce to app users worldwide.

Your donation will help send a powerful signal that a people-powered campaign can defeat one of the most anti-science politicians in Congress."

Support Joseph Kopser Today