Stand Up / Stand N Rock (Official Video)

Still from the Stand Up / Stand N Rock Video

Something worth sharing far and wide, Taboo Nawasha (of The Black Eyed Peas) just released this beautiful and inspiring song about standing up for Standing Rock. Make sure you give it a watch, for me it was love at first listen. It features voices from across the #NoDAPL Movement, and it has some amazing First Nations dancers too.





Also, there is a website address that follows the video for People's Climate Music, which has a letter you can sign to thank all Water Protectors for their sacrifice, their acts of courage, and leading with peace. Sign this note and all your names will be shared with leaders of the Standing Rock Sioux. I urge you to add your name to the list, their fight was not a selfish one, it was meant to save the water for all of us who depend on it for life. Mni Wiconi means Water is Life or Water is Sacred, both are true and so very important for us to remember at this critical moment in the Climate Crisis.

Bernie Sanders Has Brought Us Closer to "One Day"

Bernie Sanders will be talked about by future generations the same way people talk about Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., Eleanor Roosevelt, and other transformative figures in history. I believe this, and I am teaching my young nieces and nephew about how inspiring Bernie is. Bernie Sanders, his delegates, supporters, and each person that donated their time, talents, and passion to get Bernie's message out to the world have started a progressive revolution and reengaged countless numbers of disaffected voters. Our "One Day" will come, I believe in humanity, and Bernie is bringing us closer to that dream because he is such a decent man.

Matisyahu has been a curiosity to me since I first caught a performance on a random late-night show some time in 2006. Here was a man who was clearly comfortable with his personal beliefs, and who wrote songs that reverberated in my heart. It had nothing to do with his religion, he was saying things that I needed to hear, thing that matter to all of us. It is rare for someone coming from a traditionally close-knit Orthodox Jewish upbringing to move into public life, it is more rare when he sings, beatboxes, and has a remarkable reggae sensibility. Whatever personal journey Matisyahu is on at the moment, his music has always been remarkable.

I am not a religious person, I have no problem with people who are, who believe in a god or a higher power, that is the beauty of living in a democracy. I do not find prayer to be an answer to real scientific problems, I don't think it solves financial disasters, nor do I feel it is an absolute good. We know too much of the history of organized religion, and any ''holy scripture' can be manipulated to justify the most vicious and violent atrocities. I believe in the golden rule, that humans are overwhelmingly decent and good, and that we have more in common than not. I believe that positivity can overcome tremendous odds. I believe in the power of inspirational voices. When someone I know is hurting, I send them my most positive energy, my support, and my love, because to me those things are real.

I recently was sent a link to a video of an adorable young musical couple, YoNina, baby in arms, doing an acapella version of Matisyahu's "One Day" in a Carpool Karaoke moment [don't freak out, they were in a parked vehicle]. The words of the song really resonated with me as if I had never heard them before. I heard a song of peace, love, hope, and unity - and I thought of Bernie Sanders. Bernie, I want thank you for bringing us all closer to "One Day". We can get to that day, but only if we continue to make our voices heard. Matisyahu says it succinctly in this song. "One day this all will change, Treat people the same, Stop with the violence, Down with the hate".