Pro football player James Smith-Williams heard an advocate named Brenda Tracy speak about surviving a rape by college football players while he was a student at North Carolina State University. She shared a message that deeply resonated with him. “Her biggest takeaway was, if you’re a good man, what are you doing to be a good man?’ That really stuck with me” Smith-Williams said.
The 25-year-old defensive end for the Washington Commanders has committed himself to raising awareness and supporting survivors of sexual and domestic violence issues. In 2019, he founded the Champions program of Brenda Tracy’s nonprofit Set The Expectation to create a global network of current and former athletes using the power of their platforms to champion community agencies and groups who serve families and survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence.
The network raises money and awareness for nonprofits that support survivors. To date, Champions have helped raise $117,000 for programs and served over 2,200 children. $80,000 was given directly to local Washington DC survivor support and advocacy programs for their most needed projects. $37,000 went directly to buying items to support local DC drives and events.
James has organized multiple events and taken every opportunity possible to use his platform to raise awareness and give to survivors and their families. During October’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month, he’s supporting the Purple Leash Project, an initiative by Purina and the nonprofit RedRover to help domestic violence shelters become pet-friendly.
Smith-Williams said he got involved with the initiative because he was dismayed to learn that only about 15% of domestic violence shelters currently allow pets and almost half of the people who are in domestic violence situations delay leaving because of their pet. “They have nowhere to go with their pet but pets are family too” he said. James says he fully understands his individual ability to make a difference and the transformational power of athletes coming together for a cause, and it is for this reason that he founded the Champions program.
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A dog lover in Clayton, Yorkshire, has been hailed a hero for using her drone to reunite families with their lost pups. Erica Hart believes she’s rescued more than 200 dogs in the last seven years. She started a Facebook group called ieye drone where users share lost dog posts and Erica heads to missing pups’ last known location to try to locate them. She shares the happy endings on her page.
When a pet owner contacts Hart, she meets them near the last location they were spotted and uses the drone to guide them to their pet. People also post sightings of loose dogs and Hart heads there to help round them up so they can eventually be reunited with their owner. “Once that drone’s above the dog, it’s not going anywhere because I can guide people in quick enough. It’s like a military operation.”
She doesn’t charge any money for the service and says she does it purely for the love of dogs – even if it means spending money on fuel for her car instead of treating herself. “I’ve gone without stuff for myself to put petrol in the car to find a dog. When I post the happy ending on Facebook and I see the comments I lay in bed with a smile on my face and realize why I do it.”
Hart’s work has saved countless animal lives and often, she’s able to quickly cover ground that would take hours for a traditional search team which can make the difference between a safe recovery and a tragic loss.
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The parents of a baby boy who spent 6 months in NICU ask his nurse to become his godmother. Neonatal nurse Carly Miller held back tears when the thankful parents asked and said she feels honored that she will get to be a part of Conrad’s life for years to come. Miller bonded with baby Conrad and his parents, Austyn Evans and Branden Williams, during one of the most challenging times in their lives.
Evans had to deliver Baby Conrad at 35 weeks when doctors told her his heart rate was dropping. They were transferred from Florida to Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston for Conrad’s care where they did not have any local support. Baby Conrad was rushed to the neonatal intensive care unit right after he was born where he met NICU nurse Carly Miller for the first time. For his first five days in the NICU, Miller worked closely with Conrad for “continuity of care.”
Conrad had kidney problems and serious breathing difficulties that required a ventilator. For the first 37 days, Evans and her husband, Branden Williams, could not hold Conrad as he relied on machines to help him become stable and grow. Miller often provided Evans with updates and celebrated with them when they were finally able to hold him for the first time. When doctors planned to move Conrad to another pod so he could start continuous renal replacement therapy, Evans asked if Miller might be able to move to be with Conrad.
At first Miller hesitated because of her lack of experience; this type of dialysis machine was being used for the very first time with the hospital’s NICU patients. Doctors worried that Conrad wouldn’t be able to handle the treatment. While a little wary, Miller agreed to stick with Conrad.
Evans said throughout Conrad’s hospital stay, if the family had questions that Miller didn’t know how to answer, she’d track down the information they needed. Miller’s steady presence at so many crucial moments, such as when Evans first held Conrad, created a bond between the family and the nurse.
When Conrad was leaving the hospital after six months, Evans felt the urge to ask Miller to be his godmother — but she panicked and didn’t ask. “We kept everything as professional as we could in the NICU but just the conversations we had sitting in his hospital room or the victories that we celebrated and we cried over together were really important to me,” Evans said. “Thinking about leaving that place and having to never see Carly again was heart-wrenching.”
Evans invited Miller to come visit and presented her with flowers and a note from Conrad asking her whether she would be his godmother. Before Miller finished reading, she said, “Yes,” much to Evans’ delight. Miller said she feels honored that she will get to be a part of Conrad’s life for years to come.
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Cardi B donated $100,000 to her old middle school in the Bronx. The rapper returned to her alma mater to surprise students and staff at IS 232 in the Bronx on Sept. 13. She announced her donation and answered questions from staff and students. She was joined by New York City schools chancellor David C. Banks and K. Bain, the founder and executive director of Community Capacity Development, a nonprofit social justice organization.
Cardi later shared two videos from the visit on Instagram and wrote “ “I was trying to do this last year but couldn’t because of all the COVID rules at the time. This middle school, IS 232 in the Bronx, has a very special place in my heart!! It turned me from an 11 year old girl into a little teenage adult. Kids in the Bronx have to grow up quickly due to our circumstances and our environment. While some young teens like around 11-13 still live in that Disney world, these kids have to grow up fast and QUICK.”
The rapper continued, “Like a lot of these kids I went through so much while I was going to school here. Experiences that changed me forever and made me who I am today. I hope my donation can help create an amazing after school program that will help kids stay out the streets or a troubled home and most importantly allow them to learn something that they can take with them through LIFE. Thank you Community Capacity Development @ccdworldwide and K. Bain for partnering with me to also visit different schools and programs in Queens and Brooklyn. I love being able to help young kids however I can and I can’t waiiiittttt to tell y’all what I’ve been working on for the past two years. It’s something super close to my heart and I can’t wait to share very soon.”
This isn’t the first time Cardi B has shown her generosity. She paid the funeral expenses for the 17 people who lost their lives in a devastating Bronx apartment fire in January. Her representatives said the rapper made sure that all of the victims’ families were included in her donation and that the final wishes for their loved ones were met.
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A UPS driver in Iowa is being hailed as a hero for saving two dogs from drowning in a family’s swimming pool. Colin Mitchell dropped off a package at the home of Jeff and Rebecca Marra. As he walked back to his truck he noticed two dogs swimming in a pool without their owners anywhere in sight.
Feeling uneasy about the situation, Mitchell said he attempted to get the homeowners attention by knocking on the door, ringing the doorbell and yelling, “can your dogs swim?” which was caught on the ring camera. “I knocked a little louder, rang the doorbell… nothing. And then I just decided it was best to investigate,” Mitchell said.
As he got closer he saw one dog hanging on the side of the pool while the other was trying to get onto the solar cover. He ran to the pool and removed his socks and shoes to try to save them. After helping the smaller dog, Groot, and their bigger 90 lb dog, Remington, get out of the pool and back in the yard, Mitchell continued his route for the day.
The next day he stopped by to check on the dogs. The homeowners, Jeff and Rebecca Marra said the dogs had somehow gotten through the pool gate, typically locked, before jumping into the pool with no way out. They were shocked and thankful for Mitchell’s good deed saying the dogs would have been stuck in the pool another 3 hours had it not been for Mitchell’s actions.
“If it weren’t for him we wouldn’t have dogs, there’s no question about it,” Jeff Marra said. “I would say that he is a hero,” Rebecca added. They shared Mitchell’s heroics on social media and UPS caught wind of it and shared the post on the company’s page.
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American novelist and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has donated two Beverly Hills homes to charity for a total of $55 million. The California Community Foundation (CCF), a nonprofit philanthropic organization based in Los Angeles announced that Scott, 52, donated “two single-family residences valued at $55 million” to the foundation in July. The gated 2.5 acre compound includes a 12,000 square foot main residence built in the 1990s, a 4,500 square foot guesthouse, a swimming pool, a full size tennis court and 6 car garage.
The first home was purchased by Scott and her ex-husband Jeff Bezos in 2007 for $24.45 million. The second home was purchased by the couple in 2017 for $12.9 million. The CCF hopes to quickly sell the high-maintenance spread, with the proceeds going towards affordable housing projects and an immigrant integration program. “The cost of housing stands out as one of the most critical issues affecting the lives of millions of Los Angeles residents. A priority for Ms. Scott, the primary focus of the $55 million will be to permanently endow grantmaking efforts to benefit Angelenos in need of affordable housing,” CCF said in a statement.
CCF has been an advocacy leader for increased affordable housing production, helping lead the passage of Proposition HHH, an initiative to add 10,000 new units in the City of Los Angeles by 2026. Los Angeles is poised to exceed its target by funding 10,510 units in 178 projects. Scott’s gift will permanently support the expansion of these grantmaking efforts. This is the second time Scott has donated to the organization, giving the nonprofit $20 million last year to create the LA Arts Endowment Fund.
Scott, whose estimated net worth is $37 billion makes her the 29th richest person in the world. Scott still owns 4% of Amazon after selling $8.5 billion in company stocks. After her divorce from Jeff Bezos, Scott signed the Giving Pledge, promising to donate at least half of her wealth over her lifetime, and has since gifted billions of her dollars to large and small organizations dedicated to social equity. She has so far donated more than $12 billion to charitable causes and groups as part of the Giving Pledge. Earlier this year, Scott donated $436 million to Habitat for Humanity. Last year she announced donations of $2.7 billion to nearly 300 organizations.
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A 12-year-old from Oklahoma City became the youngest black college student in Oklahoma history. Elijah Muhammad Jr. started his freshman year at Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) last month, enrolling in three classes as part of his cyber security major. Muhammad, who is home-schooled and currently a senior, graduating with his associate’s degree and his high school diploma at the same time next year.
Muhammad is also a three-time state champion wrestler and began a clothing line called Smart Boy. The soon-to-be teen plans to go to an HBCU after he graduates. His proud father, Elijah Muhammad Sr., said “He was very attentive, and there were things I noticed from when he was two years old that were just different, and I was like it’s time to cultivate this.”
Elijah Sr. said his son is not the only prodigy in his family. His sister, Shania, became the youngest person to enroll at OCCC at 13. She was also the youngest to graduate, at 14, in May. She held the record until her little brother beat her. “His sister just made history as the youngest graduate from Langston University and Oklahoma Community College with two associate’s degrees on the same day,” Muhammad Sr. said.
“We have a bunch of competitiveness but she really helps me out with a lot of my studying,” said Elijah Jr. Now that Muhammad Jr. has broken his sister’s record, he plans to follow in her footsteps to land scholarships to help pay for his education. “I’m very excited about getting scholarships because I’ve seen my sister get multiple scholarships and I was like, man, I can’t wait until I start getting my scholarships.” While he hasn’t decided where he will attend school he says he’s keeping his options open. “I heard Hampton does have a good cybersecurity program, but I’m just exploring my options right now.”
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Thousands of runners rally around the U.S. to finish the run by Eliza Fletcher, the Memphis teacher who was kidnapped and killed during an early morning jog. In cities across the country, runs were organized to honor the mother of two on September 9th, one week after her abduction while on an early morning jog near the University of Memphis campus.
The runs were organized on social media in multiple cities across the U.S. At 4:20 a.m. — alluding to the last time Fletcher was seen alive — friends and strangers wearing bright colors and lights ran, jogged and walked in her honor. Runners in Memphis ran the same 8.2 mile path Fletcher regularly ran. Runners in Boston, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Dallas, Nashville, Tupelo and elsewhere organized their own events as a tribute to Fletcher. Hundreds logged their runs on a website dedicated to the event.
Fletcher’s Sept 2nd abduction, which was caught on a surveillance camera on Central Avenue, sparked an intense search for the vehicle. Members of the U.S. Marshals Service located the GMC Terrain in a parking lot the next day and the suspect was arrested after trying to flee the area.
Many organizers of the Finish Eliza’s Run events have declined interviews out of respect to her family saying they want the focus to stay on Eliza Fletcher and other women who have gone missing, been harassed or felt unsafe while exercising. Fletcher’s family have requested privacy while they grieve and released a statement thanking people for their support.
“Now it’s time to remember and celebrate how special she was and to support those who cared so much for her. We appreciate all the expressions of love and concern we have received. We are grateful beyond measure to local, state and federal law enforcement for their tireless efforts to find Liza and to bring justice to the person responsible for this horrible crime.”
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The cast and crew of the Gravesend TV series reunited with the teenager they saved while filming in Brooklyn last November. Nam Phuong, 14 was walking his dog when a driver lost control of her vehicle and hit him along with a parked car. The teen and his dog were trapped under the vehicle when the cast heard the commotion.
Good Samaritans and members of TV mob show “Gravesend” acted quickly to free the 14-year-old. The crew was shooting a scene in a video store when they heard a loud crash but they didn’t see anything in the street. When Michele Frantzeskos, a producer for “Gravesend,” wandered outside, she heard yelling bystanders and saw the crash. She immediately grabbed the elderly couple out of the car.
That’s when she heard a voice saying “Help me, help me!.” She looked under the cae and saw the child injured and pinned underneath. Frantzeskos grabbed actor William DeMeo as he was walking to his trailer and called on other crew members to help. They quickly rushed over to help and assess the situation.
Members of the film crew and neighborhood banded together to lift the car up, allowing the teen to get out from under the car. The teen’s dog also escaped from under the car as its leash was released. The dramatic video of the rescue, taken by a bystander, shows the teens legs flailing from underneath the car around 10 people begin lifting it off of him.
Paramedics transported the teen to the hospital in critical but stable condition. The teen says he remembers looking behind him just before the car hit and then blacking out and waking up to being dragged by the car. Phuong sustained serious injuries but is recovering. He and his family visited the scene of the crash to meet the cast and crew that saved him. He said he is thankful for their quick thinking.
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#BeKind21 Kindness Challenge is an invitation for you to practice kindness toward yourself and others each day from September 1 to September 21 to build kinder, more connected communities that foster mental wellness. Inspired by the idea that habits are formed by repeating an activity for 21 consecutive days, Born This Way Foundation annually hosts #BeKind21 and invites participants to build a habit of kindness.
Those who sign up pledge to be kind to themselves and their community and share their experiences on social media using the hashtag #BeKind21. Born This Way Foundation, founded in 2011 by Lady Gaga and her mother Cynthia Germanotta launched #BeKind21 with the aim to make kindness cool, validate the emotions of young people, and eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health.
#BeKind21 had more than 6.8 million people last year who collectively pledged and encouraged over 143 million acts of kindness in just 21 days. Over 400 partners, including entire school districts, cities, nonprofits, and corporations, participated in the campaign and helped to spread the word. The annual program is now in its fifth year and has generated over 291 million pledged acts of kindness since it’s launch in 2018.
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