Citizen Voice, a rapidly growing non-profit movement based in Sacramento, is announcing the kick-off of a brand-new project during Week of the Young Child aimed at helping kids have an impact on their world in unique ways tailored just for children. “World Change Kids” is a special project that offers fun ways for children to support groundbreaking Citizen Voice efforts such as the highly acclaimed CV SAFELY OUT™ project, which has just gone national.   SAFELY OUT™ helps protect the vulnerable by getting specially designed evacuation kits into the homes of frail elderly, people with disabilities, families with young children, and anyone who might be impacted by a sudden disaster that requ

As we hear the pounding hooves that constitute the 2012 election year, I offer up my non-winning essay I wrote when the soon-to-be-newly minted Obama Administration launched a contest that would net the winner a sweet front row seat at the inauguration. Recently I came across my unpublished piece and I was struck by the fact that I still believe every word, albeit one must substitute telling references from the past such as "January 22, 2009" and "inauguration" with other timely, perhaps more general mentions, such as "in the future" and "the presidency." I realize "hope" has become part of a hackneyed phrase.  Truly that fact does not negate the importance of preserving hope, regardless

"Why the Climate Crisis Can Only be Solved by Citizen Lobbyists” Sacramento Sustainability Forum is a monthly venue for connecting businesses, non-profits, government and interested citizens in the Sacramento region in order to promote sustainability, share insights and resources, and support movement toward a more sustainable future. The May SSF event was held at SMUD Auditorium Thursday, May 20. Approximately 65 attendees filled the auditorium, including interested citizens and students as well as members of the business, nonprofit and government communities. The Keynote topic was called "Why the Climate Crisis Can Only be Solved by Citizen Lobbyists", presented by Mark Reynolds, Exec

April 16 marked the arrival of TEDx in Sacramento, bringing a “TED-like experience” to our area. What is TED? TED stands for “Technology, Education, Design.” It is a small nonprofit organization devoted to “Ideas Worth Spreading.” Started in 1984, its purpose has spread to include an annual U.S. conference in Long Beach as well as a TEDGlobal conference in the United Kingdom, a TEDTalks online video site, an annual TED Prize, a nationwide local program called TEDx and more. Per TEDx Sacramento, “The TEDx Conference provided a license and general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.” Brandon Weber, TEDx Sacramento curator, said the local team want

Members of the Regional Food System Collaborative (RFC) turned their attention again Thursday morning to improving the region's food system. The gathering, hosted by Valley Vision, couldn't have been held at a more fitting location. While colleagues gathered inside the Sacramento Food Bank, the hungry lined up outside to receive bags of free food. Attendees came from local organizations that have a stake in our food system and share common goals: improving our eating habits and the way the local food system functions. The discussion was facilitated by Valley Vision's Bill Mueller and the group of more than 50 broke into three subgroups to put their plans for change into action. The coll

What kind of change is impacting you right now? Are you laid off? Is your job changing due to "doing less with less"? Have you graduated college and trying to start your career? Are you preparing for retirement? And, how do you react to change? In my conversation with Becky Shook, Psychology Practitioner who helps individuals and groups move through transition, we explored the difference between change and transition and the six types of transition styles each of us tends to experience. Change and transition are not the same. "Although used interchangeably, they are different", says Becky. "Change is the actual event or situation that occurs ... transition is the emotional space people m

Photo credit- Riverview Media Photography Tia Gemmell www.phototia.com