Hope Abides

“It always seems impossible until it's done.”
— Nelson Mandela (1918-2013)

While serving a life sentence, Nelson Mandela never lost hope. He had a deep sense of knowing, a commitment that he expressed after his 1964 trial: “I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.” After 27 years in prison, Mandela was freed, and one of 20th century’s greatest champions of social justice helped negotiate an end to South Africa’s minority-ruled government and lead a peaceful transition to a democratic system. 

“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”
—Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom (1995) 

With universal suffrage, Mandela was elected president (1994-99) of the country’s first multi-ethnic government. His compassion, tenacity and strength of spirit continues to inspire generations. A symbol of hope globally, Nelson Mandela is Force For Good’s inspirer of the month as we premiere our new music video, “Hope.” You can visit the Nelson Mandela Foundation here. Following are a few of Mandela's inspirational quotes.
—Hillary Black, Editor

“It is not our diversity which divides us; it is not our ethnicity, or religion or culture that divides us. Since we have achieved our freedom, there can only be one division amongst us: between those who cherish democracy and those who do not.” ―Nelson Mandela

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” ―Nelson Mandela

“A critical, independent and investigative press is the lifeblood of any democracy. The press must be free from state interference. It must have the economic strength to stand up to the blandishments of government officials. It must have sufficient independence from vested interests to be bold and inquiring without fear or favor. It must enjoy the protection of the constitution, so that it can protect our rights as citizens.” ―Nelson Mandela

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” ―Nelson Mandela

The right to bear arms and responsible gun laws do not cancel each other out. In fact, 97% of Americans want expanded background checks. This month, Force For Good premieres Safe, the award winning music video from FFG’s Passions CD. In the spirit of Safe, the FFG team finds great inspiration from former Congresswoman Gabrielle (Gabby) Giffords.

Gabby is a responsible gun owner and supports the Second Amendment. At the beginning of her third term in the House of Representatives, Gabby survived a near point-blank shot in the head at an outdoor event for her constituents. In 15 seconds, the gunman emptied a 33-round magazine into the crowd, injuring numerous people; six died, including a 9-year-old girl. In fact Gabby may not have survived without the quick response of an intern, Daniel Hernández Jr., who performed first aid while waiting for paramedics. With the help of her husband, retired astronaut Captain Mark Kelly, Gabby fought to learn to walk and speak again. She’s still mostly paralyzed on her right side, and her sight is greatly impaired. Gabby writes, “Speaking is difficult for me now. But silence is impossible.”

Today Gabby calls for more courage to make us safer—not to tout her courageous rehabilitation, but the courage to work against interests that continue to block gun safety legislation that would save lives. She and Mark advocate for responsible gun laws and supportive legislators via Giffords. They started the nonprofit after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting where 20 children and six adults were murdered in Newtown, Connecticut. “Enough” was the word Gabby was able to make clear to her team at the time. “Too many people are dying.” In fact, every day 100 people die from gun violence in America; the estimated annual cost of gun violence is $229 billion. Commemorating the innocent people shot and killed a year ago in Midland-Odessa, Texas, Gabby reminds us: “This is why we vote,” via Twitter @GabbyGiffords.

Some might consider me an unlikely advocate for gun rights because I sustained terrible injuries in a violent shooting. But I'm a patriot, and I believe the right to bear arms is a definitive part of our American heritage. —Gabrielle Giffords

For more on Giffords: Courage to Fight Gun Violence, visit Giffords. For additional resources, visit FFG’s Resources page here. Watch a short video with FFG’s founder, Jonathan Sprout, here. Watch the Safe premiere here.

—Hillary Black, Editor

A Life of Grace

What are your impressions of “grace”? Here are some thoughts: 

Grace is the spiritual energy that transforms conflict into peace, confusion into clarity, and brokenness into healing. —Melanie Douty Snipes

 Gary Zukav describes grace as “uncontaminated conscious Light.”

 Artistic and athletic movement is a physical manifestation of grace. When we live with grace, we put our best intentions forward, hoping to recognize beauty and perfection in everything, and everyone, we experience. —Jonathan Sprout, Founder, Force For Good

Like you, we at Force For Good are inspired and uplifted by those who live graceful lives. Certainly His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet is such a light, an inspiration in both grace and forgiveness. The Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, Buddhist spiritual leader of the people of Tibet, draws us in with his great enthusiasm for life and encourages our shared responsibility for each other and all living beings.

Today, more than ever before, life must be characterized by a sense of Universal responsibility, not only nation to nation and human to human, but also human to other forms of life. —His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet

In 2016, FFG founder Jonathan Sprout journeyed to Tibet. His experience sparked many emotions, including awe. Here he shares some thoughts on grace and forgiveness from this once-in-a lifetime trip. “I was shocked to learn of the harsh treatment Tibetans have endured for decades,” he said. “In the late 1940s, China invaded Tibet, destroying more than 6,000 temples. Chairman Mao had enforced the destruction of the local barley crop, replacing it with his ‘miracle crop’—wheat. But in high altitude Tibet (the capital Lhasa is 11,000 feet above sea level), wheat cannot grow! More than a million Tibetans died, many by starvation.”

Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them. —His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet

“When we visited important historical and religious sites in Lhasa, we were sometimes required to enter through airport-style security screening devices,” Jonathan remembers. “Water bottles and cigarette lighters were forbidden. Why? Too many Tibetan monks had already embarrassed their invaders by dousing themselves with gasoline and lighting themselves on fire. In modern day Tibet, self-immolation is for some the only way to meaningfully protest.”

We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.” —His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet

Jonathan recounts: “During the invasion of Tibet in 1949, many monks were murdered. Some were given the choice of death or having to abandon monastery life, forced to marry and have children. The 14th and current Dalai Lama narrowly escaped. He has since been forbidden to return. His thousands of followers pray for him daily, fearing that if this 85-year-old man cannot return home before his death, the centuries-old line of Dalai Lamas will be forever broken.”

“In spite of unimaginable trauma, this sweet, forgiving and kind man shines in our world as the embodiment of grace. I don’t know how he does it, but he has my respect and love. I pray that his grace will touch and soften the hearts of us all,” Jonathan says.

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive. —His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet

On June 22, 2020, with millions of followers and likes on his social media platforms, His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote: “I’m 85 and physically very healthy. I feel this is because my mind is peaceful as a result of my cultivating altruism. My favorite prayer says: ‘For as long as space endures, and for as long as living beings remain, until then may I too abide, to dispel the misery of the world.' And, in trying to fulfill that aspiration, I feel my life has been of some benefit.” To commemorate his 85th birthday July 6, 2020, the Nobel Prize winner released his debut studio album, Inner World, a collection of mantras and teachings set to music and “focused on bringing peace and compassion to the world” with net proceeds supporting SEE Learning and Mind & Life Institute.

For more from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, visit www.dalailama.com. Go HERE to watch Force For Good’s song-film, Grace.

—Hillary Black, Editor

Reimagining Community

Force For Good founder, Jonathan Sprout, has a lot to say about community. Set to debut June 1, Force For Good’s song-film Community was written and produced months ago, long before 2020’s extreme events brought “community” into focus more than any of us could have imagined. Collectively we’ve experienced stay-at-home quarantine and/or venturing out for essential work or shopping—and the hazmat-level stress of returning home to disinfect so everyone stays well, as in doesn’t die. Pre-COVID-19 you might say many of us were so busy we forgot to think about—let alone appreciate—the fabric of our communities. As our priorities were forced to shift, almost overnight our neighborhood restaurant hang or an escape to the cinema became like out-of-reach luxuries, our virtual noses pressed to the cold, dark glass. Missing hugs and familiar faces, sunshine and nature, we’ve discovered ways to meet virtually, or safely distanced—and to find humor wherever we can. Those struggling to make ends meet need community support more than ever. Sharing grief, tears, laughter and resources, we find that “community” is integral to our health and happiness. 

          Looking back, communities planted roots for geographical or political reasons: a merging of rivers, a safe hilltop, or a weather-sheltered bay afforded our predecessors reasons to stop roaming and settle down. Rivers offered a food source and arteries for commerce. Impassable mountains led to foothill villages. Some communities were established because inhabitants were forced to move there. Political boundaries sometimes demanded border settlements.

           But once in a while a community is founded proactively by visionaries who have the courage to think through the tiniest of details with future generations in mind. One of these is the setting for FFG’s song-film Community. On a quiet, mostly-wooded 240 acres, 17 miles “as the crow flies” from Center City Philadelphia, Pennsylvania rests an intentional community that was established in 1940 by 12 visionary Quaker families. Bryn Gweled (Welsh for “Hill of Vision”) remains a thriving community that includes 75 two-acre homesteads and 90 acres of common land. The community gathers regularly to maintain the commons, share a meal and discuss needs. Many residents, like Force For Good’s founder Jonathan Sprout, live low-carbon-footprint lives, having invested in solar and geothermal energies, heating their homes with wood harvested in the community. “Most homesteads have their own wells and septic systems, yet the creek water exiting Bryn Gweled is cleaner than the water that enters it,” Jonathan says. “Where 80 years ago there were meadows, now there are deep woods inhabited by owls, foxes, deer and the summertime calls of thrushes resounding along peaceful trails.

           “Nothing is more powerful than an idea that’s time has come,” he notes. Perhaps now, amid the global climate crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, with our collective experiences still unfolding, “creating shared communities that prioritize living with a lighter load on nature while reinforcing the ties of a compassionate society are the direction humanity should be heading,” Jonathan says. Bryn Gweled is one shining example to inspire the kind of community we can create if we wish to survive—and thrive.

           Visit The Foundation for Intentional Community for ideas and inspiration, how to live with a lighter carbon footprint and, perhaps, a more socially fulfilling life.

Go HERE to watch FFG’s song-film, Community.

—Hillary Black, Editor

Small House, Big Heart

Not everyone can say they’ve put words in Winnie-the-Pooh’s mouth—but Dave Kinnoin the “Song Wizard” can. The celebrity children’s music songwriter and recording artist’s tunes have been sung by many familiar friends: Kermit the Frog, Mickey Mouse, Big Bird, Belle, Sebastian the Crab, among many others. While Dave’s award-winning music and lyrics, including eight CDs, have filled the homes of many families through the years with endearing and enduring messages that teach character, citizenship, love and kindness, it’s “home” that drives Dave to live what he teaches. This month’s featured Force For Good Inspirer, Dave puts it simply: “It bothers me that some people don’t have a decent place to live.”

So, when Dave isn’t in the studio recording or on the road sharing his “Character Counts!” and “Best in Me” at school assemblies and performances, he’s on the road with Los Angeles-based non-profit One Small House (OSH) as a volunteer home builder. For more than 25 years, Dave has helped OSH build homes and community centers in Tijuana, Mexico, Les Cayes, Haiti and Clarksville, Mississippi. The OSH website states “One small house makes a big difference” and Dave testifies to this truth. “Edward Everett Hale said ‘I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.’ Building someone a house does lasting good,” Dave says. “It also affords my family an opportunity to bond while we share a worthwhile experience.” He explains, “When far from home with a challenging project in front of you, you learn a lot about yourself. You find out who you are.”  

Dave and the OSH volunteers also bond with the communities they help. Working together to achieve their goal, “it’s uplifting to see how neighbors and friends in addition to the home recipients pitch in with labor and food,” Dave says. “We all develop a tremendous feeling of wishing each other well.” Volunteers return home with a keener eye for the needs of others and a larger confidence that one person can indeed make a difference. The resulting rewards for Dave Kinnoin are as satisfying as the gifts to the dozens of new-home recipients.

But Dave’s resourcefulness and generosity continue even after the building is complete. Not long after a community center build in Mexico, Dave, who is an avid sewer, and a volunteer friend, Victor Campos, started a sewing clinic. Through private donations, they have hired a teacher and procured 30 sewing machines and the necessary components. One good deed begets another: Alfreda and Robert Leath at Pasadena Vacuum & Sewing graciously repair and refurbish the gifted machines at no cost. It seems everyone involved in this chain of charity is “paying it forward,” touched by the acts of kindness of others and inspired to reciprocate.

Get Involved:

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”—Benjamin Franklin

We are learning too well that a little precaution before a crisis occurs is preferable to a lot of fixing up afterward. The more we proactively help people with safe shelter now, the fewer people we’ll need to reactively assist in a future crisis. 

Once the Coronavirus threat subsides and travel restrictions are lifted, you too can participate in a One Small House build. It takes one week of your time, getting to the San Diego, California airport, and contributing approximately $400 (for lodging, insurance, transportation and food). You can also make a donation to One Small House. Tell them Dave sent you.

—Hillary Black, Editor

Exactly What We Need: Solar

If you’ve ever enjoyed the fresh scent of sun-dried sheets, you have experienced one of the many benefits of solar energy. Hanging your wash out to dry also provides some exercise, vitamin D and—it’s free. Fortunately there are folks versed in technology above-and-beyond the clothesline so the rest of us can even better engage our super star, to help us save money and to live lighter on the planet. Dara and Mark Bortman are two such sun-energy champions. Installing and servicing solar-energy systems in the greater Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area, the couple owns and operates Exact Solar and told Force For Good that “we like to say we’re saving the world, one solar-energy system at a time.” 

Dara and Mark Bortman have always been interested in energy efficiency and the need to address climate change. So they engage with notable organizations and educate their customers about solar technology and the process of “going solar.” Most of us understand the critical need to lower carbon emissions globally and know that going solar is part of that solution locally. But many of us are in the dark about the details, even given how quickly solar-energy use and awareness is growing. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), as of May, 2019, the United States is “home to more than 2 million solar PV [photo voltaic] installations.” The SEIA goes on to note that it took 40 years to reach the one million mark—but just three years to jump to more than two million installations. Dara Bortman says that the “solar coaster”—ongoing changes in federal and state policies—“keeps things interesting” but she adds that she and Mark are “proud that our customers know exactly what they're getting. We are happy to answer any and all questions because an educated consumer is our best customer.”

In 2017, the Exact Solar team worked with Force For Good founder, Jonathan Sprout, to convert his home to solar energy. Sprout shares his enthusiasm for the technology in the prologue to FFG’s recently released song-film, Solar “I love my solar panels! I had 26 of them installed on the roof of my home,” Sprout says. “They are guaranteed for 25 years and yet they’ll pay for themselves in half that time.” While he receives an 8% return on his investment “probably more importantly,” he continues, “I’m doing good for the environment. 12,000 pounds of carbon are offset every year from these panels. It’s a win-win.” Sprout explains that when his panels provide more energy than his home needs, the green energy goes back to the power grid for others to use, offsetting traditional energy sources.

Another win-win: The Bortmans extend their outreach beyond their customers and support non-profits committed to help under-served communities with energy security, solar energy awareness and sustainable solutions. Visit Power Up Gambia, Solar Electric Light Fund, and Philadelphia Solar Energy Association to learn more. Dara Bortman says, “We make donations to these organizations in honor of each of our new customers so we can share their good work and, hopefully, our customers will also become supporters of these worthy organizations.” Not surprising, Exact Solar has been named one of Inc. magazine’s top 5000 fastest growing companies in America 2017, 2018 and 2019 and has received numerous awards and accolades for their service and high standards. For more information, visit ExactSolar.com. 

—Hillary Black, Editor

It seems as if those scientific reports and predictions just magically appear on our smart screens, TVs and in our newspapers. But of course there are people behind the fascinating discoveries and recommendations. Force For Good is thrilled to honor one of these hardworking scientists: hydroclimatologist Dr. Kirsten Findell with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), our January 2020 Inspirer. “As a hydroclimatologist, I focus on understanding the global hydrological cycle in a warming world,” she says. “At the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL), we build and use numerical models of the earth system to improve our understanding and prediction of all aspects of the climate system, including the oceans, atmosphere, sea ice, and land surface.”

Featuring Kirsten coincides with Force For Good’s premiere of Ice—the first in a series of song-films—that highlights the beauty and fragility of this precious resource. “Carbon emissions are at the heart of this [global warming] problem,” Kirsten says. “The more carbon humans add to the atmosphere, the higher the global average temperature will rise. This will bring changes to the climate system, and the changes that are already happening are causing unprecedented levels of damage and destruction.” She notes some ways that each of us can reduce our carbon footprint: “fly less, drive less, take public transport, eat less meat, turn off the lights, turn down the heat, lighten up on the air conditioning, choose renewable energy sources, choose fuel-efficient cars.” She adds, “We are all in this together, and the choices that we make as individuals and at the local, national and international levels will determine how big this crisis grows in the future. Let's all do our part to choose a lower carbon future.”

Scientific Discoveries

Kirsten’s path to the atmospheric sciences started by way of Princeton as a math major but thanks to a friend leading her to engineering, she soon discovered that she enjoyed hands-on fieldwork rather than theoretical practice. From math to engineering, then geology where she “fell in love with fieldwork: learning about the earth while being in it.” She says, “During the early days of Superfund cleanups, I heard a lot about groundwater contamination, and went to graduate school thinking I would contribute to environmental activism through work as a groundwater hydrologist.” But that changed after attending atmospheric sciences courses at MIT. There she “discovered a passion for understanding the way that the land surface influences the overlying atmosphere” and earned a masters and a PhD in hydroclimatology “working primarily in the field of land-atmosphere interactions.” 

Find Your Passion

Kirsten is grateful for the guidance that led her to discover her field, her passion. Even with a hectic family life that includes gardening and raising chickens, she makes time to talk to children about climate science “in part to simply expose them to different possible career paths” they may not even know exist. “I love working to understand the intricacies of the earth’s energy and water cycles.” To others, she offers this: “Find your passion. Whatever work you do, put your heart in it. This world needs people full of love and laughter; the world is made better by people sharing their heart and being their best selves.”

For the long term, Kirsten hopes to “make a bigger impact through communicating climate science to the public and to policy makers. The scientific community has been slow to take this on as a central responsibility in the past: now it needs to be viewed as a fundamental part of the job,” she says. She notes that GFDL has been at the forefront of climate research since the 1950s. “I feel lucky to work at an institution with a history full of fundamental breakthroughs in climate science. I hope we continue to push the envelope of understanding, share our understanding with the broader community, and help evaluate mitigation scenarios to improve our future on this earth.”

—Hillary Black, Editor 

Force For Good celebrates former President Carter who, with First Lady Rosalynn, has made a life’s work to better the world “waging peace; fighting disease; building hope” (cartercenter.org). This October, Mrs. Carter has invited the world to wish the Nobel Laureate a happy 95th birthday and you can send him your well wishes here.

Jonathan Sprout, Force For Good’s founder, marvels how “at 95, President Carter continues to stand for the rights of underprivileged people the world over. He’s helped entire populations by recognizing and curing diseases. He boldly pulled the curtain of secrecy away from millions of enslaved people—more than there were during America’s Civil War. And he’s helped stop wars by visiting embattled world leaders, helping them see alternatives to fighting.”

Champions for a peaceful, healthy world, President and Mrs. Carter founded The Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia 37 years ago. They “put together a team that has helped improve life for millions of people in more than 80 countries,” The Carter Center CEO Ambassador (ret.) Mary Ann Peters said in her introduction at the September “Conversations at the Carter Center” event. The honored guests for the evening, President and Mrs. Carter, humbly took the stage and shared past and recent accomplishments (the first NGO to fulfill duties as United Nations official peace observers), answered questions from the audience (alas, Carter isn’t up to a 2020 presidential run) and even offered some personal advice (having your own space is key for a successful relationship but so is finding hobbies to share). Mrs. Carter spoke about her Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism and shared her triumph to begin partnering with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She said beginning in Georgia, and later to hopefully reach all states, the school-based program is a big step toward reaching her ultimate goal: to do away with mental health stigma and discrimination.

A Natural Diplomat

Noting 2019 marks the 40th anniversary of President Carter “normalizing our relations with China,” Carter reminded the audience that since 1979 (his presidency was 1977-1981) China has not been at war with any country. “In the meantime, of course, as you know, the United States has been at war with Iraq and Afghanistan and Sudan, with Syria and with many other countries. And we’ve spent about an average of 2 trillion dollars on these unnecessary wars.” He went on to compare China’s spending that has built 1700 new universities and 18,000 miles of high-speed rail in that country. “And they will eliminate extreme poverty in China this year. So, that just shows the difference between peace and war.” He said that while the U.S. has been a nation for 243 years, we have been at war for 226 of them. “Peaceful only 16 years. I won’t tell you who had four of those years,” he said, his voice getting softer as he looked down, finishing with a small smile.

Inspiration for Today—and New Goals

President Carter received the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Introducing President Carter, Gunnar Berge, chairman of the Nobel Committee said, “He is one of the most deserving—and least controversial laureates in a long time.” The official announcement stands as inspiration today: “In a situation currently marked by threats of the use of power, Carter has stood by the principles that conflicts must as far as possible be resolved through mediation and international co-operation based on international law, respect for human rights, and economic development.” (Watch the Nobel Ceremony here.) Also of note, the Carters’ 35-year relationship with Habitat For Humanity not only raises world-wide awareness for the non-profit that shares the Carters’ values but the week-long Carter Work Project event is ongoing in a different location annually. This month, the 2019 Carter Work Project will build affordable homes in Nashville, Tennessee and as always, volunteers will work alongside the Carters.

As the evening came to a close, in an informal passing of the torch, Carter shared a hefty bucket list for The Carter Center’s future focus and acknowledged that this may be their last “Conversations” event given the couple’s advanced ages. With a nod to the upcoming elections, Carter said he hopes to hear (at least) one of the nominees take on the same issues he is recommending to The Carter Center’s leadership: peace as a human right; protecting the environment and “the most important issue” is facing global warming; constructive criticism of the United States government (this received applause); and inclusivity and human rights. While President Carter’s lofty goals were acknowledged his optimism didn’t waver as he shared his vision “…to make the United States the number one champion of peace. So that people living in all other countries in the world, in a few years will say ‘why don’t we go to Washington and see how they do it because they don’t have any wars.’” Now that would be a birthday gift indeed.

—Hillary Black, Editor

Photographs courtesy of The Carter Center

Force For Good salutes climate activist Greta Thunberg’s youthful, brave spirit and creativity. Her quest for world leaders to make significant, swift advances toward arresting the climate crisis is inspiring young people and others across the globe to stand up for science and demand responsible action. The Swedish teen will speak at the United Nations Climate Action Summit later this month in New York where she recently arrived on a zero-emissions yacht. A collection of her speeches has been published and the title reminds us that No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference.

You don’t meet someone like Rodney Whittenberg every day. He’s enthusiastic. He hears you. It feels good to be in his company. We all have gifts and his are a humble beacon, like bright copper pots hanging from an itinerant seller’s cart, shining in the sun, drawing you near to see more: you can’t miss them and you definitely want one.

So how did a self-proclaimed shy guy get to be an Emmy-award winning composer and exuberant multi-media storyteller? It’s no surprise that his early non-profit work was art education to help kids. Throughout Rodney’s childhood his father’s example and guidance nurtured his son’s talents and Rodney experienced the value of inspiration and encouragement. “My dad was very smart. He was the first African American selling refrigerators and air conditioners at Sears. It was the new thing and everyone wanted one,” Rodney says. "He also rehabbed houses. He would say, ‘We’re going to build a house today!’ I would help him running wires, fixing walls.” Rodney saw how these trashed houses were transformed. “I learned that if I imagined something in my head and worked really hard I could make it become real,” Rodney says.

Rodney’s father also encouraged his son’s innate interest in everything electrical. “I was always curious. When I was in 5th or 6th grade, my dad came home from work and gave me a stack of books that was a correspondence course in electricity. ‘Do this if you want or not, but the test is in the back.’” By summer’s end, Rodney had an A on the test and was on to the next courses: basic electronics and home organ repair.

Besides taking his son to see “every movie that came out,” Rodney’s dad brought him to a meeting he’d set up with a composer/arranger. “When I was around eight, my dad wrote a country song and he wanted to send the sheet music to Charlie Pride. I watched my dad sing on the microphone,” and Rodney saw the behind-the-scenes process and recording equipment. Soon Rodney was making up his own songs and singing them into a cassette recorder. “In my parents’ basement I had a little lab with a table where I could design electronic circuits; on the wall was a big reel-to-reel I had found in the trash and fixed. Then I’d try things like microphones in pillows hit with drumsticks. I’d go to my friends who were always interested; we’d put on a show or put together a band,” he says. By age 12 he had built a keyboard from scratch and was playing in garage bands then in clubs and in his 20s, with Dark Blonde, a multi-ethnic Philadelphia-based group that won Best Unsigned Band 1990, toured widely and got a lot of radio airplay.

“Opportunity is everywhere. You just have to ask.”   — Rodney Whittenberg

While not afraid of being in front of audiences—he serves as a lay preacher at his Universal Unitarian Church—Rodney says he was “painfully shy and awkward, uncomfortable in my own skin.” But watching his dad’s salesmanship and learning "that we could do anything, take creativity and turn it into taking care of ourselves” must have given him confidence. Just out of high school, when he overheard storeowners talking about a commercial they were doing for this “new thing called cable,” he jumped in and asked, “Do you have a jingle for your commercial?” The fact that he asked still surprises him—but he recorded jingles that ended up winning numerous awards.

It’s no surprise that this Force For Good team member’s advice is: “Find the thing that you are most passionate about and match that with your skills and abilities and go for it.” With his company, Melodyvision, Rodney now provides his clients with a bit of what his dad did for him: he helps them along a path of creativity to bring their dreams to light. Rodney says he is deeply compassionate and sensitive thanks to his mother and many of his projects reflect these qualities. One film he co-produced and scored, Portraits of Professional Caregivers: Their Passion, Their Pain led to hearings for firefighters to testify how secondary trauma affects them and in turn, they received funding for supportive services. “I’ve learned you can’t really change people but you can be a catalyst or an inspiration for them,” he says. With Force For Good, he hopes the music and films will be used by many organizations and non-profits “to deepen their connection with others, their community, and help show what it is they do and why they do it. If we didn’t move anyone emotionally [with these films] then our job wouldn’t be done. And I hope Jonathan [Sprout, FFG founder] will see recognition for his compositions,” he says.

Besides Force For Good and numerous multi-media projects, Rodney is preparing for a February debut of his one-man show, the working title “How I Discovered I was Black Because Everybody Keeps Reminding Me.” And he hopes to carve out more time “to just dream and be inspired. If I go to the Library of Congress and do some research, or go to a show, I come back fed. The hardest part for art/business people is to keep feeding ourselves so the well of creativity doesn’t dry up.” You can visit Rodney here.

—Hillary Black, Editor