Fifty years ago come December 24 (Christmas Eve), 1968, the Apollo 8 mission changed how we see the earth and ourselves forever.

November 4, 2018

Apollo 8 launched on December 21, 1968 and took nearly three days (68 hours) to travel the distance to the…

See the Full Post

California, Racial Disparities, and Homelessness

October 22, 2018

What did 41 California continuums of care answer when asked about racial disparities in the provision or outcome of homeless…

See the Full Post

What Did the Continuums of Care with the Largest Number of Persons Experiencing Homelessness in the U.S. Answer When Asked about Racial Disparities in the Provision or Outcome of Homeless Assistance?

October 15, 2018

80% indicated that there were racial disparities and selected strategies to address the issues. Read more at https://urban-initiatives.org/brief/what-did-the-continuums-of-care-with-the-largest-number-of-persons-experiencing-homelessness-in-the-u-s-answer-when-asked-about-racial-disparities-in-the-provision-or-outcome-of-homeless-assistance/

See the Full Post

Commemorating the Birth of Nelson Mandela By Remembering What He Was Prepared to Die For

July 14, 2018

Nelson Mandela was born a 100 years ago on July 18, 1918. He dedicated his life to ending the apartheid…

See the Full Post

Lent, Fasting, Cesar Chavez, Robert F. Kennedy, and Justice

March 11, 2018

On March 10, 1968, which is 50 years ago today, labor leader and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez offered Senator…

See the Full Post

Lent, Fasting, Cesar Chavez, Robert F. Kennedy, and Justice

March 11, 2018

Ask yourself the questions based on lessons learned by Chavez and Kennedy at the very end of this reflection On…

See the Full Post

Dying While Homeless: The Other Homeless Count

February 2, 2018

Too many members of the public are not fully aware that prolonged exposure to homelessness has a significant negative effect…

See the Full Post

Why Affordable Housing Isn’t Enough to Solve Chronic Homelessness in California

January 16, 2018

When someone says we need more affordable housing to end homelessness, it is often an unintended half-truth. Read more at https://homelessstrategy.com/end-chronic-homelessness-california-need-distinguish-permanent-supportive-housing-affordable-housing/

See the Full Post

Inspired by Martin Luther King, Jr.

January 12, 2018

“We are called to play the Good Samaritan on life’s roadside; but that will be only an initial act. One…

See the Full Post

We Buried Two Remarkable Social Reformers, Martin Luther King, Jr. (Age 39) and Robert F. Kennedy (Age 42), 50 Years Ago This Year

January 1, 2018

Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) would have turned 89 years old this year (born January 15, 1929) and Robert F.…

See the Full Post

The Little Office for the New Year: Praying the Great Psalm

December 29, 2017

Psalm 119 is worthy of being called the Great Psalm. Not because it is the longest Psalm in the Bible,…

See the Full Post

O Holy Night: Preparing for the Charm of Christmas Morning

December 22, 2017

Slowly savor the sweet sentiments of this song right now. Read more at https://urban-initiatives.org/o-holy-night-preparing-for-the-charm-of-christmas-morning/

See the Full Post

Praying the Christmas Prayers of the Mystics – Part III

December 15, 2017

Commemorating the birth of Christ on Christmas morning can be enhanced and enriched by praying the Christmas prayers of the…

See the Full Post

Praying the Christmas Prayers of the Mystics for Advent: Preparing for the Charm of Christmas Morning (Part II)

December 8, 2017

The intimate, sweet, and tender language expressed by mystics to God concerning Christmas, can cultivate a calm and caring Christmas…

See the Full Post

Praying the Christmas Prayers of the Mystics – Part I

December 1, 2017

Mysticism is a passionate love affair between the mystic and God. Read more at https://urban-initiatives.org/praying-the-christmas-prayers-of-the-mystics-for-advent-preparing-for-the-charm-of-christmas-morning-part-i/

See the Full Post

Can We Finish the Job of Ending Homelessness Among Veterans in the United States?

November 27, 2017

Half of the continuums of care with the largest number of homeless persons in the U.S. recently reported not having…

See the Full Post

Keeping President John F. Kennedy’s Vision of New Generations of Proactive and Innovative Leadership Alive

November 20, 2017

On November 21, 1963, the evening before his assassination, President John F. Kennedy (JFK) gave a speech in Houston during…

See the Full Post

The Interconnected Lives of Martin Luther King, Jr., Robert F. Kennedy, Albert Luthuli, and Nelson Mandela

September 21, 2017

The appalling assassinations of two accomplished advocates, Martin Luther King, Jr. (died April 4, 1968) and Robert F. Kennedy (died…

See the Full Post

Labor Day, Child Labor Reform, and Vocational Education

September 3, 2017

It was a 100 years ago that the National Vocational Education Act of 1917 was passed by Congress that helped shape…

See the Full Post

Albert Luthuli Social Reformer • Nobel Peace Prize Winner • Lay Minister

July 17, 2017

–On July 21, it will be 50 years since Albert Luthuli was fatally injured in an accident and some still…

See the Full Post

The Interconnected Lives of Martin Luther King, Jr., Robert F. Kennedy, and Cesar Chavez

June 29, 2017

Next Year It Will Be 50 Years Since the Assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. & Robert F. Kennedy We…

See the Full Post

The Little Office of the Birth of the Christian Church for Renewal on Pentecost Sunday – Preparing for 9:00 am: Part III

May 31, 2017

You are encouraged to find an upper room or sacred space for at least one designated time of prayer today…

See the Full Post

The Little Office of the Birth of the Christian Church for Renewal on Pentecost Sunday: Part II

May 25, 2017

The Little Office of the Birth of the Christian Church, for the Society of Urban Monks, is comprised of passages…

See the Full Post

The Intertwined Lives of MLK and RFK

May 1, 2017

Next Year It Will Be 50 Years Since the Untimely Deaths of Martin Luther King, Jr. & Robert F. Kennedy…

See the Full Post

Unaccompanied Women Who Are Unsheltered in Southern California: What Will It Take to End Their Homelessness?

May 1, 2017

Next steps to help end homelessness among unsheltered women without children. Read more at https://urban-initiatives.org/brief/unaccompanied-women-who-are-unsheltered-in-southern-california-what-will-it-take-to-end-their-homelessness/

See the Full Post

The Little Office of the Birth of the Christian Church for Renewal on Pentecost Sunday: Part I

May 1, 2017

From ancient times to the present day, designated hours of the day have been set aside for sacred times with…

See the Full Post

Commemorating the 24 Hours Between the Last Supper and Christ’s Entombment Before Celebrating the Resurrection

April 7, 2017

The events that unfolded between the Last Supper and Christ’s entombment are marked by periods of time by the Gospel…

See the Full Post

Approaching the Appalling Assassinations of Two Accomplished Advocates

April 4, 2017

In a Year It Will Be 50 Years Since the Deaths of Martin Luther King, Jr. & Robert F. Kennedy…

See the Full Post

Reflection on Silence: The Movie

March 24, 2017

After watching the recently released movie entitled Silence, I recalled a quote that has been attributed to God, which is…

See the Full Post

Senses and Census: Creating a Sense of, and Solutions for, Social Justice

July 27, 2016

Our senses often allow us to grasp and understand our surroundings if we allow it. Read more at https://urban-monk.org/senses-and-census-creating-a-sense-of-and-solutions-for-social-justice/

See the Full Post