The winter solstice is upon us — Sunday, December 22. This year, Hanukkah (otherwise known as the Jewish Festival of Lights) happens to fall on the same day as the winter solstice. The Jewish calendar operates on a lunar calendar, which is based on how long it takes the moon to orbit the Earth.

About this time every year, my family engages in a battle of sorts—will there be sweet potato pie or pumpkin pie on the dessert table for Thanksgiving? In my family, you are expected to choose a side and be prepared to give your best argument in favor of your choice of pie and why that particular pie should hold space on the highly esteemed Thanksgiving dessert table.

On Saturday, November 2, more than 30,000 people gathered in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery to participate in an annual event to commemorate Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a cultural tradition practiced among many indigenous peoples of the Americas for over 3000 years. Traditionally, Dia de los Muertos is a day for honoring ancestors and other deceased loved ones by building altars that commemorate their lives, inviting them to visit with the living, and tending to their gravesites. This year the Hollywood Forever's event was named "Sacred Migrations" and its theme, the monarch butterfly.

After more than a year of Discovering, Dreaming and Designing the Destiny for our organization, on Oct. 21, 2019, the Be Strong Families Board of Directors met and approved a new strategic plan. Be Strong Families’ staff, board members, RPEA members and training consultants met many times throughout the year to Discover the best of what is, Dream about what could be and Design what should be for our organization. Using Appreciative Inquiry as our primary tool for evolving the organization, we engaged in interactive small group activities and World Café conversations to assist us in the process of refining strategies and goals for our 2020-2025 strategic plan.

This week we're highlighting United Planning Organization (UPO), based in Washington D.C. and dedicated to being change agents by offering services in early education, youth, community wellness, comprehensive treatment centers, and more to the community that surrounds them. One of these services is Parent Cafes. We asked them to share with us their Parent Café experience and some the benefits and success they reaped as a result of the cafes. Here is what they had to say.

Last year Flavio, my youngest child, decided to leave our home and live his dreams by going to Illinois State University. As a mom, I had so many worries. I felt like Flavio was not ready to be independent, to take care of himself, to survive without a close family!

Recovery is a multi-step process; taking the recoveree through acknowledging their addiction to being in active recovery and maintaining sobriety. There is no ideal path to recovery; every person’s journey is unique to them. In essence, no two recovery programs are the same. There are many challenges that come with maintaining sobriety and it is much more than just recovering from an addiction to drugs or alcohol; it is a complete transformation of the mind, body and spirit.