https://tinyurl.com/Brooklyn-Story-Lab

July/August 2025

Newsletter

https://tinyurl.com/4mkmx6u7

https://tinyurl.com/Keeling-Curve-Prize

Terraformation is just one of 10 organizations recognized by the Global Warming Mitigation Project (GWMP) as winners of the 2025 Keeling Curve Prize (KCP). The Keeling Curve Prize — overseen by GWMP, a Brooklyn Story Lab partner — supports organizations developing practical, scalable answers to the climate crisis.

This year, the 10 winning organizations were announced by Jacquelyn Francis, Founder and Executive Director of GWMP, at the TED Countdown Summit main stage in Nairobi, Kenya, awarding $50,000 to each project to help expand their impact in the fight against climate change.

Learn more about the 10 winning organizations — and GWMP — here.

Travel 200 miles from any country’s shoreline and you enter the “High Seas,” the UN’s designation for international waters. The High Seas might as well be the Wild West, as there are few laws that govern this territory, which covers 43% of Earth’s surface (the ocean itself covers 71%). That chaotic lack of law jeopardizes the future health of the ocean, including the Blue Economy: the food that 3 billion people globally count on, and the economic opportunities on which 11% of the planet depends.

Elephant Mothers Elephants are a matriarchal species. This year, World Elephant Day (August 12) is honoring both the matriarch elephants AND the women conservation leaders and rangers in communities in Africa and Asia who are working to protect them.

EXCLUSIVE OFFER FOR BROOKLYN STORY LAB READERS Expert Fundraising Offer for BSL Readers Fundraising is expensive. Yes, it takes money to make money, and hiring a consultant can be hugely impactful, but doing so can also be costly. For startups or small nonprofits already reeling from the shock and awe of recent political events, that can create a barrier to entry that has existential implications. Our strategic partners at boutique fundraising firm Hudson Ferris have come up with a dynamic solution: a new platform called Margaret, which democratizes the fundraising experience at an affordable price point (hundreds a month as opposed to thousands). Membership offers unlimited fundraising questions from experts in the field via the platform. Margaret already includes partners such as Civic Hall (which has 62,000 members), fundraising CMS platform Arreva, and donor-research tool DonorAtlas, the latter two of which have integrated Margaret into their platforms. To learn more about Margaret — and a special introductory package for the Brooklyn Story Lab community — visit here. Take a Video Tour of Margaret

July/August Calendar Though the new Administration has banned references to many, there are social-awareness days or tentpole events every month that can help organizations like yours connect to a larger, purpose-driven audience. By creating content connected to these key dates, you have the potential to create viral experiences. Here are the global dates that stand out to us in July and August. 6/30-7/3: Green Climate Fund Board Meeting (Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea) 6/30-7/3: International Business Forum (Seville, Spain) 6/30-7/4: SDG Investment Fair (Seville, Spain) 7/6-7/7: BRICS Summit (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) 7/7-7/11: Montreal Protocol, 47th Meeting (Bangkok, Thailand) 7/7-7/25: International Seabed Authority Assembly (Kingston, Jamaica) 7/8-7/11: AI for Good Global Summit (Geneva, Switzerland) 7/11: World Population Day 7/12: International Day of South-South Cooperation 2024 7/12: International Malala Day 7/14-7/23: UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (New York, U.S.) 7/17: Day of International Criminal Justice 7/18: Nelson Mandela International Day 7/27-7/29: UN Food Systems Summit Stocktake (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) 7/29: International Tiger Day 7/31: World Ranger Day 8/5-8/8: UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (Awaza, Turkmenistan) 8/9: International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 8/10: World Lion Day 8/12: International Youth Day 8/12: World Elephant Day 8/19: World Humanitarian Day 8/20: World World Mosquito Day Day 8/23: International Day for Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition 8/24-8/28: World Water Week (Stockholm, Sweden) 8/26: Women’s Equality Day 8/27: World Lake Day 8/29: International Day Against Nuclear Tests Ask us how to create noteworthy content that connects with these dates for your purpose-driven organization or brand — or how to get more attention for your social media, digital media, or feature stories. Contact Us Let’s Tell Your Story Brooklyn Story Lab is a globally focused media consultancy that creates content solutions for purpose-driven organizations, with a particular focus on their social good commitments. Our work is aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals — a blueprint for making sure no one on the planet is left behind. If you would like your purpose-driven project to reach new audiences and deliver more impact, we’d love to help you tell the story through our Content Solutions:   Articles and Impact Stories Brand Strategy Campaign Ideation and Execution Content Strategy and Storytelling Fundraising Collateral and Strategy Newsletters Op-Eds and Thought Leadership Podcasts: Audio and Video Seminars, Panels, and Moderated Events Social Media Campaigns and Events Storytelling Workshops Strategic Partnerships Video: Longform and Short Web Design and Development Please send us more information about your project so we can help you get started. Fill out our contact form here, or email info@brooklynstorylab.net.   Get in Touch

The post Protecting the ‘Wild West’ Ocean 🌊 🐳 appeared first on Good News!.

Arriving in the Kilimanjaro International Airport late evening we were met by our safari driver-guide outside the arrival lounge and transferred to our accommodations at the beautiful Kibo Pace Hoel in Arusha Tanzania. Our package featured Arusha Lake Manyara, Serengeti National Park, Tarangire National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Arusha is the gateway to some of Tanzania’s most famous attractions: Mt. Kilimanjaro the National Parks and Lodges for Game Drives. Arusha is also known for the precious stone Tanzanite, produced in Arusha and exported worldwide.

After a great breakfast at 6:00 am, our group set out on our first safari to discover East Africa’s legendary wildlife. Our small group was outfitted in a six-seat safari vehicle with pop-up roof allowing for excellent viewing and photography. Our tour leader would rotate each day between our small group of two safari vehicles and tell us fascinating stories of the wildlife. Our sharp-eyed naturalist guides offered insights about the ecosystem
while spotting huge herds of elephants, wildebeest, zebras, towering giraffes and antelope. These huge herds gather to stay in Tarangire National Park until the onset of the rains whey they migrate to good grazing areas.
                       

We departed after breakfast the following day and began the two-hour drive to Lake Manyara National Park, nestled on the basin of the Great Rift Valley. This small National Park has seven distinct habitats which are home to quite a few wildlife. Here we viewed small baboons black-faced monkeys, blue monkeys, impalas, giraffes, buffalo, elephants, waterbuck, bushbuck, zebras and wildebeest- all gathered in groups. Today’s highlight was a large hippo pool with hundreds of hippos. We were allowed to get out of our vehicle to take close-up photographs of these hippos. In the distance were thousands of flamingos on Lake Manyara.

On Tanzania safaris you are not allowed to get out of the safari trucks – this was the one exception. After a late picnic lunch of chicken legs, a small sandwich, water, juice and cake we continued our safari before proceeding to our lodge in Karatu for dinner and overnight. Karatu is one of the seven districts in the Arusha region of Tanzania. The sounds of a bush baby, known as a “Galagos” could be heard during the night.

The following day was a rare opportunity to take a village walk to the Tloma Village-Gibbs Farm to experience different activities of the local Iraqw Tribe. The tour included visiting a school, the Makonde Tribe carving center, the village church with traditional singing and dancing, and an outdoor local coffee grinding station. After returning to the lodge for lunch and a short nap, we continued touring the farmers market before our return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Today was the start of two days in the Serengeti National Park’s great migration. At 6:30 am, we proceeded to the Serengeti National Park entrance gate for a two-and half hour drive. Once inside the park we stopped for a picnic lunch where numerous birds could be seen. We were looking forward to enjoying our afternoon game drive en route to Central Serengeti. The annual wildebeest migration through the Serengeti is the largest mass movement of land mammals in the planet. Towering above is Mt. Kilimanjaro, the world’s largest mountain. The Serengeti ecosystem protects the most varied collection of terrestrial (animal) wildlife on earth and is one of the last migratory systems still intact. Not only did we see the wildebeest migration, we encountered baby lions being fed by their mothers, elephants taking baths, zebras, elands, giraffes, waterbucks, families with baby baboons, a tiger and a leopard sleeping in a tree. This was one of the most amazing wildlife spectacles to see.

The last morning our safari departed at 6:39 am with a packed lunch for a four-hour drive to the Ngorongoro Conservation Center. Ngorongoro is technically a caldera, which is an extinct volcano and the largest intact and unbroken caldera in the world. The crater is a microcosm of African scenery with abundant wildlife of more than 20,000 larger animals. Over the years the floor of the crater has become mostly grassland with a lake whose size changes, depending on the rains. We descended 2,000 feet to the base of the Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the lake were colourful flamingos and a variety of other birds – ostriches, cranes and storks. Glimpses of elephant, buffalo, cheetah, hyena, warthog and many antelopes were grazing on this land, Mid-afternoon, we slowly began the climb out of the Crater as we headed for a hot lunch at a lodge overlooking the Crater. After lunch, a two-hour drive took us to our lodge for an overnight and a late dinner. Our wildlife viewing was fascinating and the experience unbeatable on this game drive in the Ngororngoto Crater.
After breakfast, we were driven back to Arusha for last minute shopping at the Cultural Heritage Center. We proceeded to the Kibo Palace Hotel for lunch and a day room to freshen up. In the evening we were transferred to the Kilimanjaro International Airport for our flight back home.

The post ON SAFARI IN TANZANIA, EAST AFRICA by Terri Hirsch appeared first on Good News!.

Chuck is the Chief Executive Officer of Stone Point Capital and Chairman of the Investment Committees of the Trident Funds. Chuck joined Stone Point in 1998, and he is actively involved in all of Stone Point’s portfolio investments. He is the chief architect behind Stone Point’s “Elephant Process” investment philosophy and partnership model with founders and owner-operators.

Prior to Stone Point, Chuck was a partner at Goldman, Sachs & Co. where he spent 23 years.

Career Highlights
Goldman, Sachs & Co.

· Head of Investment Banking Services Worldwide

· Co-Head of Americas Group

· Head of Financial Services Industry Group

· Member of the International Executive Committee

Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.

· Vice Chairman

· Board Director

Education
· Columbia University – MBA

· University of Vermont – B.A.

Other Board Representation
· Board Director of AXIS Capital

· Board Director of Progressive

· Board Director of Hershey’s

· Member of the Advisory Board of Deutsche Bank

· Board Director of Stone Point Capital Foundation

The post Charles A. Davis appeared first on Good News!.

New Twist on an Old Favorite

Paint-by-Numbers are now

BIGGER than ever – literally!

Thanks to Elephants on the Wall you can now paint an entire mural on your child’s bedroom wall in no time. It’s easy. Just TAPE, TRACE & PAINT. These adorable paint-by-numbers wall murals are an easy do-it-yourself project – they are perfect for even the “artistically challenged”. So skip the expensive wallpaper and muralist, and transform your kid’s room decor with a full-sized wall mural for much less. Some murals can even be personalized with your child’s name. Each kit comes with the full-sized paper pattern, transfer paper, directions and a color guide. The prices range from $19.95 to $129.95. To see all the designs go to:  www.elephantsonthewall.com

Where Have They Been Seen?

Elephants on the Wall and their murals have been featured in Pregnancy Magazine’s Beauty & Style Guide, HUDSON’S Childrens wear Review, The Patriot News’ “AT HOME” magazine, Better Homes and Gardens, Paint Magic Magazine and The House that Faux Built. They have been filmed for an upcoming episode on HGTV”s “I Want That!” and can also be seen in a project for Habitat for Humanity. They have been reviewed by Mom’s Favorite Stuff (www.momsfavoritestuff.com), Popular Baby Products (www.popularbabyproducts. com) and  Grandparents.com (www.grandparents.com). They have been blogged about at One Crazy Mother (www.onecrazymother.com).

Just The Facts…

What are they?

These are paint-by-number wall mural kits designed for kids’ rooms.

How many mural designs are available?

We have over 220 different designs including Jungle, Beaches, Garden, Princess,

Fashion, Fairies, Sports, Pirates, Woodland Critters, Barnyard, Nursery Rhymes,

Underwater, Sun, Surf & Beach, Dogs and many more.

Do you do Custom Designs?

Yes, for a bit more, we will work with you to create your own unique mural specifically for YOUR room, using YOUR colors, working around YOUR furniture and YOUR bedding.

How much do they cost?

For existing murals the prices range from $19.95 to $124.95.

Custom Murals range from Custom murals start at $175.00.

What’s included in the kit?

Each kit comes with:

• A full-sized paper pattern

• An equal amount of transfer paper

• Directions and a Color Guide which tells you exactly which colors to buy.

(Paints are sold separately so if you want to change colors you can – without wasting money.)

More Facts…

How do you get an Elephant on a Wall? Easy!

What kind of paints do we need and where do you get them?

We recommend the non-toxic Americana Acrylics by DecoArt. They are easily available at any Michael’s or Joann’s Super Craft store, Hobby Lobby or Ben Franklins for about $1.00-1.50 each. Each mural uses an average of 8-14 colors. (You will only need ONE bottle of each color except for the most predominant color(s) in which case you will probably need two bottles.)

Other supplies you will need:

• A variety of paint brushes (1/4” diameter to 1” flat brushes)

• Brushes

• Painter tape

• Ball point pen

• A container for water

• A plastic lid to use as your palette.

Is it safe to use them while pregnant?

The Americana Acrylics by DecoArt are non-toxic and have no lingering odor.

Preparation:

For best results, start with clean, dry walls. If the background is a gloss finish, then sand lightly before painting.

Clean up:

These are quick-drying, water-based acrylic paints. For spills or drips. clean up immediately with damp cloth or wait until completely dry an scrape off gently with a utility knife.

How long does it take to paint a mural?

Smaller murals can take as little as a few hours, a larger mural takes about 2 – 3 days. It makes a perfect weekend project. If you have two people it will take about half the time and you can have twice the fun!

Where can I find them?

Our murals are available online at www.elephantsonthewall.com

About the Artist…

Southern California award-winning designer and creator of Elephants on the Wall, Patti Newton, is more than an entrepreneur. She is the keeper of whimsy and delight for children’s wall murals.

Since 2005, Patti’s murals have given youngsters something to dream about when they shut their bedroom doors and watch their personal space come alive.

As a former designer for Walt Disney Imagineering and a past instructor at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif., Patti’s background combines all of her passions – graphic design, themed environments, lots of color, and love of sharing her talents with others. She is thrilled when moms, dads, school teachers and her other customers say “I can’t believe I did this myself! It was so fun and easy – it’s absolutely Dummy-proof!”. Patti’s design talents are not limited to just children’s art – her passion for theming has helped her transform her mountainside Altadena home into a tropical paradise and her love of cute & whimsical characters has led her to designing five floats for the City of La Cañada Flintridge for the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade.

How did her idea come about? During a visit with her twin grandchildren in Hawaii, she was asked to work on an unfinished paint-by-number wall mural in the children’s room. Once she started painting the mural, she began modifying the characters more and more for more accuracy and cuteness. After she finished her masterpiece with much improved characters, her son, Scott, said, “Why don’t you do this?”

It didn’t take long for Patti to realize there was a need for her skills and that she was good at envisioning what parents and children really want in a wall mural. So, six months later, Elephants on the Wall was born.

Patti’s mural designs fulfill children’s fantasies in wall art and parents’ desires to be artists. There is nothing Patti can’t create – from princesses to pirates and from sports to sea treasures, and perhaps even an occasional elephant on the wall.

What Do Our Customers Say?

Mike & Laura – Erie, PA

“We absolutely love the mural and the baby looks at the bright colors and animals all the time. I thought at first it would be difficult or not turn out right, but it was completely dummy-proof. I don’t think it is possible for it not to turn out right if you are painting over the lines. It was really easy and it was a nice way for my husband and I to get ready for the baby together.

Colleen – Wheeling, IL

“Just wanted to let you know, I finished the Circus Train in my daughter’s playroom and I love it. It took about a month and a half to complete but boy what a difference with your murals versus others in the preciseness of details. You are terrific!”

Melinda – Plymouth, MI

“I highly recommend decorating with these great murals!! I love color and wanted my girls to have fun new rooms. Three of my girls are five and under. I looked at wallpaper, stencils, hiring someone to paint murals, etc. When I found this web site I KNEW this was the answer. I am not a bit artistic nor do I have any extra time-since I work outside the home as well. But this was sooo fun and easy. I worked on it at night after the kids were asleep. I finished all three rooms in a month. EVERYBODY raves over them and the kids are so proud of them!! I fully anticipate doing it all over again in a few years when they outgrow their current themes. Patricia was fabulous working with to do the custom orders I had requested, she is very creative, very professional and timely. I am a very happy customer!!”

Jennifer – Charleston, SC

“I was afraid in the beginning that I might have been in over my head but once I got started it was so easy. I had a hard time stopping. This was so much fun! I’ve given your name to everyone I know with kids. Everyone should do this. My twins love playing in their new room. Its fabulous!!”

Aaron & Lisa – Renton, WA

“I absolutely love them and Sami has been carrying around the pictures saying “I LOVE the fairies. Mommy, you go upstairs and paint!” I can’t even tell you how much fun I’ve had with this one!!! And the end result is absolutely breathtaking!!!! I couldn’t wait to share it with you! NOTE: Check out the GLITTER on the fairy wings!!”

CL – Timonium, MD

“We received our order

The post Elephants on the Wall appeared first on Good News!.