Fremont News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Brian Killgore – 510-657-2350 x12594

(Fremont, CA, November 16th , 2015) – While it’s typically adults praising and rewarding children for good behavior, students at the Fremont Unified School District (FUSD) will take the lead in their own movement encouraging kindness and compassion toward each other.

With input from FUSD staff and partnerships with local organization ‘Compassionate Fremont,’ the Students United for the Representation to the FUSD Board of Education (SURFBoardE) – a leadership group comprised of high school students – have announced the formation of ‘Promoting Positivity’

“Our students asked for a campaign that went beyond an anti-bullying program that only addresses one type of behavior,” said FUSD TK-12 Induction Coordinator, Kristina Najarro, who also serves as SURFBoardE advisor. “The goal of ‘Promoting Positivity’ is to encourage kindness, compassion and empathy by recognizing and rewarding one another when those traits are demonstrated – while simultaneously creating a record of these actions that the public can follow and be inspired by.”

Thanks to a generous donation from the Fremont Unified Student Store (FUSS), FUSD purchased over 10,000 individually-numbered wrist bands, which SURFBoardE members will distribute among FUSD’s 42 schools. When a student is observed acting in a positive way toward other students, he/she will be presented with a band. That student will then be asked to pass the band along to someone they witness demonstrating kindness. As the band is passed from person to person, the band giver is encouraged to log on to www.fusdk12.com, enter the band’s number and describe where and why it was awarded. The hope is to create an online ‘path of positivity’ that can be followed by students and the community.

While Promoting Positivity will begin at FUSD schools, students are encouraged to pass bands on to members of the community they witness committing acts of kindness.

“We want this program to expand beyond the school district and encourage our entire community to Promote Positivity,” said SURFBoardE & FUSD Board of Education Student Member, Joshua Basa. “As diverse a City as Fremont has become, I look forward to logging on in the future and seeing our bands and their messages travel all over Fremont and beyond.”

About FUSD: The Fremont Unified School District (FUSD) is made up of 42 schools serving over 34,000 students in grades K-12. With 15 National Merit Scholars and eight California ‘Distinguished Schools’ in 2014, FUSD’s mission is to provide equitable opportunities to Educate, Challenge and Inspire students of all ages, talents and ability levels, while striving to prepare each with the skills required to adapt and succeed in an ever-changing world. FUSD is located in the City of Fremont, California, a thriving international community. Residents come from countries across the globe to call Fremont home. FUSD takes pride in its diversity, its community, and in its schools. Visit the District’s website at www.fremont.k12.ca.us, Facebook, or Twitter pages for more information.

By Sara Giusti

How do you describe Fremont? Would you call it compassionate? Such a quality may soon become part of local vernacular with the help of a grassroots organization, Compassionate Fremont. The organization is gaining momentum to declare Fremont as a Compassionate City, joining an international phenomenon of following the Golden Rule.

In 2008, notable religion and spirituality scholar and author Karen Armstrong was awarded the TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) Prize for her contributions to sparking global change. Winners receive $100,000 and are asked to share a wish that the TED community then helps them actualize. Armstrong's wish was for all to live a life of compassion and to help create and uphold a Charter for Compassion, in which people and cities around the world sign, uniting them with compassion and peace, one place at a time.

The Charter for Compassion was released in 2009. Written by Armstrong and a multi-faith, multi-national group of religious thinkers and leaders known as the Council of Conscience, the Charter is a 312-word document based on the Golden Rule of treating others as you would like to be treated. ÒWe urgently need to make compassion a clear, luminous and dynamic force in our polarized world. Rooted in a principled determination to transcend selfishness, compassion can break down political, dogmatic, ideological and religious boundaries. Born of our deep interdependence, compassion is essential to human relationships and to a fulfilled humanity, states the Charter. It also asks signees to teach diversity, traditions, and cultures to youth, effectively cultivating well-rounded and compassionate individuals for the future.

Famous signees of the Charter range from the Dalai Lama and Goldie Hawn to Queen Rania of Jordan and Mohammed Ali. From celebrities to faith leaders to politicians and kings and queens, the Charter of Compassion has taken the world by a peaceful storm.

Seattle became the first city to sign the Charter in 2010, and other communities began following suit. The campaign grew to fruition named Compassionate Cities, which calls all cities across the world to sign the Charter and live compassionately. Today, there are over 280 cities that are actively participating in the program, and 60 of them have already signed the Charter.

The Charter got the attention of some folks in Fremont. The Tri-City Interfaith Council, a group of leaders from different faiths that sponsor interfaith programs, carry out community service, and prepare community faith events, immediately recognized FremontÕs potential in becoming a Compassionate City.

The Council formed Compassionate Fremont, a grassroots organization working since 2013 to have Fremont sign and affirm the Charter and become a Compassionate City. They are reaching out to other local nonprofits and organizations to join them in this endeavor. The Fremont Charter modified the original Charter adapting it to fit Fremont's needs, focusing on respect of different traditions, celebrating diversity, and cherishing the planet, rather than the religious leanings in the original Charter.

Members of Compassionate Fremont come from many different walks of life. A few current members are Linda Wasserman, 'Godmother' of Fremont and wife of the late Mayor Bob Wasserman; Raj Salwan, Vice Chair of Fremont's Planning Commission; and Alanna Powell, Founder and President of Boldly Me.

One original founder of the Compassionate Fremont movement is Sister Annette Burkart, member of the Tri-City Interfaith Council and a Sister of Notre Dame de Namur. She was inspired by "Fremont, USA," a 2009 documentary showcasing Fremont's religious diversity that was produced by a team from Harvard University. "I was deeply moved by how [Fremont] helps people. There's a sense of welcome here" explained Sister Burkart. "I'm so sickened by violence in the world, war - we want peace, to live compassionately with each other. As a community, compassion transforms everybody's life," she said.

"We can all be more compassionate," said Raj Salwan. "Fremont is already there, but we can take it up a notch," he explained. "The goal is to transition compassion into action." Linda Wasserman agrees. "There's always room for improvement," she said.

Some ideas Compassionate Fremont are considering to amp compassion are evolving Fremont into an "Edible Town," in which certain landscapes are made into free fruit and vegetable gardens; furthering unity between Fremont's religions and cultures; establishing a Compassionate City book club; and seeing what to do about Fremont's feral cat issue, as discussed in an 'Open City Hall' online forum hosted on the city's website.

Compassionate Fremont is campaigning to receive as many signatures of Fremont residents and business owners as possible, and has created a Change.org petition for easy signing and sharing. Members are working towards Mayor Bill Harrison signing the Charter in January 2016, coinciding with Fremont's 60th birthday. Signing is free and only asks signees to uphold living and acting compassionately - something anyone and everyone can benefit from. Fremont could be the first city in the East Bay to join the Charter if Mayor Harrison signs (Millbrae signed in 2011).

Volunteers to spread the message of Compassionate Fremont are also very welcome. There are two 'Ambassadors for Compassion' training days coming up for people interested in volunteering. Training days are September 23 and 27, and will be held at Connections Counseling Center. Sister Annette will be leading the training.

There will also be Ambassadors collecting signatures of support at the Fremont Public Main Library twice a month on Saturdays, happening now until mid-January.

There's nothing to lose but a whole lot to gain by signing the Charter. Don't miss out on being a part of Fremont history and affirm the Compassionate Fremont Charter today!

Read and sign the Compassionate Fremont Charter at www.change.org/p/fremont-residents-support-compassionate-fremont. Like Compassionate Fremont on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CompassionateFremont.

source: http://www.tricityvoice.com/articlefiledisplay.php?issue=2015-09-15&file=CompassionateFremont+986TSP+++TCV.txt

By Julian J. Ramos - Fremont Bulletin

A more than year-long campaign to see more kindheartedness in the city has come to fruition. Led by members of Fremont's Human Relations Commission, the Tri-City Interfaith Council and others culminated the effort at the Jan. 12 City Council meeting with Mayor Bill Harrsion and his colleagues by signing a Compassionate City Charter.

The document is meant to act as a catalyst for encouraging future activities and benevolent actions by local businesses, service organizations, faith and cultural groups, government and political leaders and individual residents.

In 2008, Karen Armstrong, a scholar who has written more than 20 books on religions and the modern world, received the TED prize -- awarded annually to an individual with a creative, bold vision to spark global change -- for her groundbreaking work around the universal "golden rule" to treat others as you would like to be treated, the city said.

As part of her acceptance of the prize, Armstrong asked TED participants to help her create, launch and promote a "Charter for Compassion," written by a group of inspirational thinkers and based on the fundamental principles of universal justice and respect.

The Charter for Compassion was endorsed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors in 2013, the city said. More than 50 countries and more than 70 cities have joined the Compassionate City movement.

Goals of those promoting a Compassionate City Charter for Fremont include moving beyond tolerance to care and respect for each man, woman and child while reaching out to those who do not have a voice; and celebrating the history and diversity of Fremont while building a safe and respectful community among a diverse population with the belief that compassion is an essential ingredient in building and maintaining thriving, healthy institutions and communities.

In 2014, the city's Human Relations Commission agreed to support the Tri-City Interfaith Council's efforts to have Fremont participate in the Compassionate City movement. Since then, the commission and interfaith council have held several workshops, which gave residents the chance to help shape a Compassionate City Charter unique to Fremont.

The commission also helped collect public input on the Compassionate Community concept through the city's Open City Hall website, fremont.gov/opencityhall.

source: http://www.mercurynews.com/fremont/ci_29414851/fremont-signs-onto-compassionate-city-charter