resources Archives - Good News!

Why Not Focus on Community Continuity and Continuous Resilience By Stephen Jordan

Austin Tang — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 18:29:52 +0000

Listen to “Why Not Focus on Community Continuity and Continuous Resilience By Stephen Jordan” on Spreaker.

ISD Background

By Stephen Jordan

I had an interesting conversation today with a senior corporate executive. As we wrapped up, she said something that made me realize we really need to clarify that the Institute for Sustainable Development is trying to break through with new concepts that the current frame of talking about community shocks and stresses doesn’t take into account:

“It’s a shame you focus so much on disasters.”

At ISD, we actually don’t.

Our mission is grounded in the opposite idea: communities shouldn’t have to endure a disaster to get the resources, attention, or leadership they need to become stronger.

What we focus on is community continuity—reducing the harm from future disruptions and strengthening resilience every single day.

Businesses already understand this. They don’t build “Business Emergency Plans.”They build Business Continuity Plans because interruptions cost money, customers, and competitiveness. Continuity is practical. It’s strategic. It’s how organizations stay viable.

Communities deserve the same logic.

Moving Away From Focusing on Responding to Sudden Shocks to Addressing the Stresses Beneath Them

Too often, we treat disasters as isolated events—wildfires, floods, hurricanes, pandemics—when in reality they are sudden shocks that expose deeper, ongoing stresses:

aging infrastructure
brittle housing systems
fragile local economies
limited access to capital
social and health vulnerabilities
governance bottlenecks
outdated rules and planning assumptions

At ISD, we don’t just look at the dramatic moment of impact.We look at what the shock reveals.We look at the conditions that made the disaster as destructive as it was.

And then we ask the real question:

Why aren’t we working on reducing those stresses continuously?

The Kid Soccer Problem: Chasing the Ball Instead of Covering the Field

Every time a disaster strikes, there’s a tendency for the press and community leaders to act like how little kids play soccer —everyone bunches up and chases the ball.

#StephenJordan

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The LAGRANT Foundation Earns Platinum Seal of Transparency on GuideStar

Austin Tang — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 15:21:25 +0000

LOS ANGELES (February 4, 2025) –The LAGRANT Foundation (TLF) has recently earned a Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar, a database that provides comprehensive information about nonprofits across the United States. Organizations who receive a Platinum Seal of Transparency demonstrate a commitment to transparency, impact, and effective use of resources.

“TLF is proud to earn the Platinum Seal of Transparency, a recognition that highlights our commitment to providing impactful results in the fields of advertising, marketing, and public relations,” said TLF Chairman and CEO Kim Hunter. “We are grateful for the continued trust and support from our donor partners and look forward to working together in supporting the future of industry professionals.”

GuideStar is widely used by donors and stakeholders nationwide to research, evaluate, and assess nonprofits. To receive a Platinum Seal of Transparency, a nonprofit must provide comprehensive, up-to-date data about its financials, programs, and impact. The seal indicates that a nonprofit is trustworthy, dedicated to accountability, and is producing tangible results.

TLF previously held a Gold Seal of Transparency in 2023. It was able to earn a Platinum Seal of Transparency after submitting updated data and a three-year strategic plan, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to its mission and long-term goals.

About GuideStar

GuideStar, www.guidestar.org, is the world’s largest source of nonprofit information, connecting people and organizations with data on 2.4 million IRS-recognized nonprofits. Each year, more than 7 million people, including individual donors, nonprofit leaders, grantmakers, government officials, academic researchers, and the media, use GuideStar data to make intelligent decisions about the social sector. GuideStar Nonprofit Profiles are populated with information from the IRS, directly from nonprofits, and via other partners in the nonprofit sector. In addition, users see GuideStar data on more than 160 philanthropic websites and applications. GuideStar is itself a 501(c)(3) public charity.

About The LAGRANT Foundation (TLF)

Since its inception in 1998, The LAGRANT Foundation (TLF) has provided more than $3 million and 891 scholarships to continue its mission to increase the number of ethnic minorities in the fields of advertising, marketing, and public relations. With the generous support of its major donors and supporters, TLF provides scholarships, career & professional development workshops, mentorships, and internships/entry-level positions to African American/Black, Alaska Native/Native American, Asian American/Pacific Islander and Hispanic/Latino undergraduate and graduate students.

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Note to reporters and editors: “The” in The LAGRANT Foundation name is part of the Foundation’s legal name. Please do not drop the “The” or lowercase the “T.” When spelling “LAGRANT,” capitalize all letters. As an alternative, you can use the letters TLF in lieu of The LAGRANT Foundation.

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Kayla Peale, a Strawless Sea? Amazon.com, Inc.

Austin Tang — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 22:05:32 +0000

Kayla Peale, a Strawless Sea? A wonderful young woman full of Good News who will help lead the world to be more sustainable along with the great company Amazon.com, Inc.

http://goodnewsplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/kayla_peale_1.mp3

Here are two Projects that we speak about ( then put Project Essay attachment and then Project Summary)
Project Essay_Kayla Peale
Project Summary_Kayla Peale-3

Here are some resources/links. Please let me know if you need anything else.

https://earthoptimism.si.edu/

https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2020/04/07/d-c-area-high-schoolers-pitch-amazon-on-a-green.html

https://earthoptimism.si.edu/blogs/news/2019/08/27/strawless-sea/

https://www.arlingtonmagazine.com/do-you-really-need-that-plastic-straw/

#kayla #peale #strawless #sea #woman #good #news #world #sustainable #amazon #projects #project #speak #essay #attachment #summary #resources #links #please #need #anything #else #earth #optimism #biz #journals #edu #high #schoolers #school #pitch #green #arlington #magazine #plastic #straw

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Look what C. S. Lewis said in 1942…

Austin Tang — Tue, 08 Sep 2020 15:41:42 +0000

The post Look what C. S. Lewis said in 1942… appeared first on Good News!.

A Celebration of Asian American & Pacific American Heritage WWW.CAPAONLINE.ORG

admin — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 12:29:15 +0000

WHAT – 34th Annual Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Festival- Press Event- 2013 Festival Event Details Announced
WHEN- Next Tuesday, April 23rd- 3:30-4:30-pm
WHERE- Mika Japanese Cuisine & Bar-150 Centre Street, Chinatown NY http://mikanyc.com
New York, NY April 17 – The 34th Annual Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Festival Press Conference will be held next Tuesday April 23rd 3:30pm at Mika Japanese Cuisine & Bar, 150 Centre St, Chinatown, NYC. Festival details, brief performances, light refreshments will be served.
About -Annual Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Festival:
Organized by the Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans (CAPA) since 1979, this annual festival is the longest running and largest event celebrating Pan-Asian heritage nationwide. It celebrates not only the value of family, but also the heritage which makes us proud to be Asian American and Pacific Islander.
Celebrating Asian Arts, Cuisine, and Community at the 34th Annual Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Festival-
May 4, 2013 in Flushing Mall in Flushing, NY, AND
May 18, 2013 in Confucius Plaza and Yung Wing School, NYC.
The festival is free, rain or shine and open to the public thanks to generous contributions from this year’s sponsor: Nielsen. Many Asian community organizations also help make the festival possible. Hours 11am- 6pm.
More than 10,000 visitors are expected for an impressive line-up of performances, fun carnival games for children, workshops for adults, and the “Remembering 1882- Fighting for Civil Rights in the Shadow of the Chinese Exclusion Act” exhibit on May 18 in its only NYC area appearance. Numerous Asian American and Pacific Islander organizations will be present to inform visitors about useful services, volunteer opportunities, and resources to get involved in the community. Attendees can expect a riveting lineup of performances and speakers.
The community festival will be packed with lively entertainment, tasty eats, and valuable resources in celebration of Asian American and Pacific American Heritage Month — and the rich culture, history and accomplishments of Asian American and Pacific Islander
For schedule and details on the event, go to: http://capaonline.org
The Coalition of Asian/Pacific Islanders is a 501C(3) non-profit charity managed by 100% volunteers. It is the producer/promoter of the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Festival

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Your Pot Habit Is Contributing to a Guacamole Crisis

admin — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 21:45:08 +0000

As California faces severe water shortages and farmers let their groves go fallow, a study finds that marijuana growers are sucking streams dry.
News on Wednesday that California’s snowpack has hit a record low of just 6 percent of normal means next-to-no spring runoff will flow into streams and reservoirs that supply water to the cities and farmers who feed much of the nation.
But before you light up a (legal) marijuana cigarette to take your mind off impending doom, consider this: With every puff you take, you could be making the epic drought even worse.
A new study finds that pot growers in the Northern California weed belt are diverting 100 percent of the water in some streams to irrigate their cash crops.
“Last summer, we went out and picked a handful of streams in the study area, and we looked at real-time stream flow,” said Scott Bauer, an environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. “Four out of those five streams went dry.”
A Humboldt County, California, pot farm.
That means no water for endangered salmon and other wildlife, not to mention people. Some avocado growers, for instance, are letting their groves go dry because of water shortages and the high price of irrigation. In other words, kiss your guacamole goodbye.
Agency scientists focused on illegal pot operations in Humboldt County, the epicenter of California’s marijuana industry. Greenhouses dot the hillsides, and the pot plants inside are thirsty: Each uses about six gallons of water per day, compared with the 3.3 gallons wine grapes consume.
Wildlife officials started receiving calls about stream diversion in 2009, said Bauer, who is based in the Humboldt town of Eureka. “A number of us started going out with game wardens called out to grow sites and our focus was to document the environmental damage,” he said.
The scientists noticed significant problems—stream diversion, hillsides graded to make level growing fields, and dirt being dumped into waterways.
“We started to realize this was a real problem,” said Bauer.
In 2012, as the drought began to take hold, the researchers used Google Earth to count all the plants and figure out how many are in greenhouses, and to compare the number of plants with stream flow data.
They chose four areas, all surrounded by forests, and all with streams containing endangered salmon. The scientists estimated that the growing operations were using between 138,200 and 191,265 gallons of water a day. People in Northern California, for comparison, use an average 172 gallons of water per day per person.
Marijuana growers were taking 100 percent from three of the streams studied and 25 percent of a fourth stream.
Those streams aren’t just picturesque—they’re critical to the survival of the coho and Chinook salmon and steelhead trout.
Will there be a movement for sustainably grown pot?
“I think if people understand what’s going on, hopefully they’ll asking questions about how green is their product,” Bauer said. “If they’re concerned about our state’s natural resources, they should be asking those questions. Is this something that isn’t harming California’s resources?”

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Ernest Chu

admin — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 20:57:16 +0000

Are you striving or just surviving?
Learn how to thrive!

Spiritual abundance coach and teacher Ernest Chu, author of Soul Currency: Investing Your Inner Wealth for Fulfillment and Abundance, brings his unique experience as a former Wall Street investment banking executive and capital markets expert to show you how to use your immense inner resources to create an abundant life.

NEW! Mentoring program for conscious entrepreneurs
Are you ready to get serious about success? Rev. Ernest Chu’s new intensive mentoring program for conscious entrepreneurs provides unprecedented instruction and support, including introductions to companies and people who can help you fund and expand your business. ONLY FIVE clients may enroll in this exclusive program. If you already use spiritual principles in your business and your enterprise serves a greater purpose, and if you are willing to participate in a screening interview and authorize a background check, please contact Ernest for more information.

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Xcel Energy, Edison International, Sempra Energy, Northeast Utilities, PG&E Rank High; Dominion Resources, Southern Company, SCANA Rank Low

admin — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 19:16:34 +0000

As the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) prepares for July 29^th – August 1^st listening sessions on its Clean Power Plan for existing power plants, a new report from Ceres and Clean Edge ranks the nation’s largest electric utilities and their local subsidiaries on their renewable energy sales and energy efficiency savings. The report found that many utilities are deploying lower carbon fuel sources and that state policies are a key driver in that performance, but there is variability in performance even among utilities operating in the same states.

A first-of-its-kind report, Benchmarking Utility Clean Energy ranks the 32 largest electric utility holding companies, which collectively account for about 68 percent of 2012 U.S. retail electricity sales, on three clean energy indicators. The report also provides data on 87 subsidiary companies – the distribution utilities to which electricity consumers pay their monthly bills. Subsidiaries’ rankings generally tracked with the rankings of their larger parent holding companies – though some outperformed or underperformed their owners and peers.

“Renewable energy and energy efficiency, two of EPA’s Clean Power Plan building blocks, are increasingly cost-effective options for electric utilities seeking to lower their carbon emissions,” said Mindy Lubber, President of Ceres, a nonprofit sustainability advocacy organization, which authored the report in partnership with Clean Edge. “Our analysis shows that some utilities are beginning to deliver substantial amounts of clean energy and energy efficiency, while others are lagging.”

Among the 32 holding companies, NV Energy, Xcel, PG&E, Sempra, and Edison International were found to rank the highest for renewable energy sales, with renewable resources accounting for nearly 17 to 21 percent of their retail electricity sales in 2012. Southern Company, SCANA, Dominion, AES, and Entergy ranked at the bottom, with renewable energy sales accounting for less than two percent of each company’s total power sales. Five of the 32 companies included in this report accounted for nearly 54 percent of renewable energy sales.

“Xcel Energy’s clean energy strategy is a model for how utilities and states can work together to significantly reduce emissions at the lowest cost for customers,” said Frank Prager, Vice President, Policy and Strategy, for Xcel Energy. “Collaborating with our states has enabled us to provide the renewable resources and efficiency programs that customers value without compromising the highly reliable and affordable energy service they require.”

Energy efficiency top performers among holding companies included PG&E, Edison International, and Northeast Utilities, whose cumulative annual energy efficiency savings were equivalent to 16 to 17 percent of their annual retail electric sales in 2012. PSEG, SCANA, Pepco Holdings, Dominion Resources, and Entergy ranked at the bottom, with cumulative annual energy efficiency savings accounting for less than one percent of their annual retail sales.

“One of the keys to becoming a leading utility in the country is to be innovative and environmentally sensitive, and this report from Ceres and Clean Edge shows how we’re achieving that in the key area of clean energy,” said PG&E President Chris Johns. “Our customers want PG&E to provide solutions to the challenge of global warming, while at the same time helping them use less energy and save money. As their local utility, we’re focused on partnering with our customers to develop innovative energy solutions and meeting their needs well into the future.”

Analyzing 2012 data from nearly a dozen federal, state and industry sources, including the U.S. Energy Information Administration, state Renewable Portfolio Standard annual reports and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission 10-K filings, the report benchmarked companies on three indicators: 1) renewable energy sales, or the total amount of retail renewable electricity sold, including Renewable Energy Credits retired by the utility; 2) cumulative annual energy efficiency savings, which includes savings from projects that were implemented in prior years and were still saving energy in 2012; and 3) incremental annual energy efficiency savings, or the energy savings from new programs or new participants in existing programs.

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THE APOLLO THEATER PRESENTS – HARLEM HEALTHY SOUL FESTIVAL

admin — Fri, 31 May 2013 17:44:57 +0000

SPONSORED BY COCA-COLA
SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 2013
12PM – 6PM
New York, NY (May 15, 2013) – The Apollo Theater announced today a new community initiative focused on family health and wellness – Harlem Healthy Soul Festival. Sponsored by Coca-Cola, Harlem Healthy Soul Festival is designed to serve as a platform for Harlem families to learn about the numerous community health resources to live active and healthy lives. This daylong, free event will take place on Saturday, June 1st beginning at noon and will transform 126th Street behind the Apollo, into a block party filled with music, entertainment, celebrity performances, health and educational resources and family fun. Families are encouraged to participate in an array of activities such as health screenings, nutrition-focused cooking demonstrations, celebrity performances, and exercise modules. EmblemHealth and Manhattan’s Physician Group will also provide free health screenings.
WBLS’s Dr. Bob Lee will serve as the Apollo’s host for the Festival that will feature Apollo Amateur Night winners, Harlem Seeds, Dance Theater of Harlem and kids group Little Club Heads to name a few. This cultural celebration of healthy living will host a Men and Women’s Health Pavilion, Kid’s World Pavilion, Family Health and Wellness Pavilion and Healthy “Soul” Food Pavilion. Additionally, special celebrity guests, actors Tichina Arnold, Tamara Tunie and Lamman Rucker will conduct exclusive interviews and book signings at the Celebrity Hot Spot.
“In addition to being one of upper Manhattan’s most active performance venues and working theaters, the Apollo is also deeply committed to serving and enhancing the life of the Harlem community, and to the well-being of our neighbors” said Jonelle Procope, President& CEO of the Apollo Theater. “So we are delighted to present the Harlem Healthy Soul Festival and are thankful to Coca-Cola for their support.”
Recently, the Apollo Theater and Coca-Cola announced the extension of their long-term partnership which spans over 25 years. During this tenure, Coca-Cola has supported many of the nonprofit Theater’s major programs, including education in the arts, and its long-running signature show, Amateur Night. The Apollo’s Harlem Healthy Soul Festival is an extension of Coca-Cola’s sponsorship.
The Harlem Healthy Soul Festival promises to be an Apollo Theater signature cultural event joining the famed Apollo Amateur Night, the Apollo Music Café and Apollo Uptown Hall to name a few. To learn more about the Harlem Healthy Soul Festival, please visit www.Harlemhealthysoulfestival.org.

About the Apollo Theater
The Apollo is a national treasure that has had significant impact on the development of American culture and its popularity around the world. Since introducing the first Amateur Night contests in 1934, the Apollo Theater has played a major role in cultivating artists and in the emergence of innovative musical genres including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop. Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Sammy Davis, Jr., James Brown, Michael Jackson, Bill Cosby, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, and countless others began their road to stardom on the Apollo’s stage. The Apollo Theater’s new artistic vision builds on its legacy. New Apollo programming has music as its core, driving large scale and more intimate music, dance and theater presentations. The Apollo will continue to present historically relevant presentations, as well as more forward-looking, contemporary work. Based on its cultural significance and architecture, the Apollo Theater received state and city landmark designation in 1983 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. For more information, visit www.apollotheater.org

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Celebrate Mexico

editor — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 16:44:00 +0000

Mexico receive the Star Diamond Award for Gastronomy. a first for the award given to a country at a phenominal dinner at the Plaza Hotel opening of the Oak room and bar.

The North American country of Mexico stretches between an ocean and a gulf, as shown on the map of Mexico. Travel to Mexico to experience a nation rich in history, tradition, culture, and natural beauty. The inhabitants of this modern country use their land and other resources to create unrivaled handicrafts and a varied and colorful cuisine. Mexico’s tourism industry is strong, with every state offering a unique travel experience.

Description: http://stardiamondaward.com/images/AAHS_folder/aahs.jpg

award@stardiamondaward.com

Ambience the Oak Bar and Room at the Plaza

The Oak Room, New York’s fabled landmark, is open in The Plaza Hotel, reinstating the New York icon as the most romantic meeting spot in New York City and bringing old-world glamour to the next generation. Originally designed by Henry Hardenbergh in 1907 as a men’s bar, The Oak Room closed during Prohibition and re-opened in 1934 as a full service restaurant. The Oak Room’s detailed wood-paneled walls and barrel-vaulted ceiling remain today, as do the three carved niche with murals of German feudal castles that fill the arches.

The Oak Room, a New York landmark and iconic meeting spot within the Plaza Hotel, is re-introducing elegance to Manhattan by providing an ideal option for the uptown crowd that wants to see and be seen. The Oak Bar serves as an informal gathering place for New York’s luminaries for lunch or dinner, serving distinctive cocktails with the classic view of Central Park South from its windows.

The Oak Room is available for private events. Please see our Private Dining & Events page for more information.

All meals will be served in The Oak Bar:

Monday-Friday Lunch & Dinner 12pm-10:30pm

Saturday Dinner 8pm-10:30pm

Sunday Brunch 11:00am-2:30pm

The Oak Bar is open Sunday – Friday from 12pm-12am , Saturday from 8pm-12am

Credit Cards: Amex, VISA, MC, Discover

The Oak Bar

The Oak Room features an extensive selection of fine wines & spirits from around the world. Our list is available for your review. The wine list is updated frequently and may change according to availability. We recommend you pre-select wines as soon as possible to ensure your request can be fulfilled. If you desire a sommelier for your event, our sommelier is available to customize wine pairings for your event. The Oak Bar can also design signature cocktails tailor made by our mixologist for your event.