It is a scary time right now for so many people. It is easy to feel overwhelmed. But I truly believe the problems can be solved if we all realize we matter and we make a difference and we each find our ways to do that. Today is #blackouttuesday where many people are stopping their social media posts and regular business activities to show solidarity and support for dramatic changes that would make a better life for everyone. I know I’ve said we must do better and I believe we can. We are joining in to #blackouttuesday today but I want to do more than simply abstain, I want to contribute.
I have spent the last few days researching organizations that are committed to making a real difference. There are a lot of great organizations out there, (and I encourage you to do your own research to find one that speaks to you). But one that spoke to me, was TAPS.
- “TAPS is an 11-week program primarily designed for at-risk youth where students partner with mentor officers to discuss issues including bullying, anger management, avoidance of gang life, drug usage and conflict management, as well as other youth and law enforcement-focused topics.”
- The goal is to bridge the gap between law enforcement and at-risk youth.
- “The Teen and Police Service Academy places both groups (at-risk teens and police mentors) on equal footing in order to exchange ideas and learn from one another with the hope that we can close the social distance between the two groups.”
- It is awe inspiring to see at-risk teens and police working together to understand why crime occurs and most importantly, what to do about it. Tapping into this resource creates a synergistic outcome that moves the discussion past “us” vs “them”, so that police are seen as assets to the community and youth move from being at-risk to at-promise.
Today, June 2, I am pledging to donate 100% of the proceeds from my website sales to TAPS. There are hundreds of beautiful things to shop for, and anything you purchase will help make a difference. I know it is simplistic, but I want to help make the world a better place. This is something I can do. If you’d like to help, I’d be honored.
Sincerely,
