We Have a DREAM!

We have a Dream!

Miracle Moment® “Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends. And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”” Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have a Dream

A Message from Founder/Executive Director, Cynthia Brian Delivered before a crowd of more than 250,000 people on August 28 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C, “I Have a Dream” by the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. is one of the most famous speeches in history. Dr. King dreamt of freedom, unity, equality, and the guarantee of the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Today, 58 years later, Americans are slowly realizing the dream. On January 20th, the United States will hold its 59th inaugural ceremony to swear in President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. History is being made with the first female Vice-President, first Black and first South Asian vice president, and she will be sworn in by the first Hispanic and third female justice in US Supreme Court history. The past twelve months have been one of the most tumultuous in American history. We have endured a deadly global pandemic, numerous natural disasters, racial unrest, political polarity, increased unemployment, struggling economy, paralyzing paranoia, violent insurrection, and a President impeachment…twice. Can democracy survive in America? Martin Luther King remarked in 1967: "We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there is a such a thing as being too late...This is a time for vigorous and positive action." We have a dream. It is the same dream that Dr. King declared in 1963. May this nation rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men and women are created equal.” Celebrate MLK Day and January 20th with a new beginning of unity, inclusion, respect, and decency knowing that we are all Americans. 2021 is the year for vigorous and positive action. Listen to the science, wear a mask, social distance, and stay calm. Get your vaccine when it is available so that we can get through this turmoil and terror together. This year, let’s make the DREAM our reality. The urgency is NOW! Wishing you health, happiness, peace, and togetherness in the new year of 2021. Happy New Year and many blessings to you, Cynthia Brian Founder/Executive Director Be the Star You Are!® PO Box 376 Moraga, California 94556 Cynthia@BetheStarYouAre.org https://www.BetheStarYouAre.org http://www.BTSYA.org DONATE: https://www.paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/1504

Using Diplomacy to Move Forward in the New Year

Hi. I’m Maggie Campione and I have a program called “The American Connection” on Express Yourself!® Teen Radio. My goal is to focus on all the ways we, young people, older people, people of different backgrounds and races, are connected. Make sure to tune in on Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 3pm PT on the Voice America Network, Empowerment Channel, where I will be discussing diplomacy in two segments of my program. Additionally, I look forward to an informative interview with Katherine Manning, a former senior attorney adviser with the Justice Department and author of The Empathic Workplace. . Now, as we start a new year, we have an opportunity as a society to focus on how we can remain connected in a diplomatic way. Maggie Campione is a 7th grade volunteer with BTSYA who is passionate about theater, reading, public speaking and most importantly, helping others. She hosts the “The American Connection” on Express Yourself! where she presents stories about community connections and staying united during difficult times.

THOUSANDS OF BOOK REVIEWS FOR TOTS TO TEENS When you are seeking a great book for young readers, check out the thousands of book reviews at our literacy partner, The Reading Tub. Be the Star You Are! volunteers read and write honest, first person reviews with recommendations for similar books. The amazing Executive Director, Terry Doherty, double-checks every submission for accuracy and authenticity. https://thereadingtub.org/books/be-the-star-you-are/

Be Kind: Leave a Sparkle

by Karen Kitchel Often it’s the little things we do that have the greatest impact. Spontaneous acts of kindness can leave a little sparkle in someone’s day. Need a few ideas? * Tell your best friend what you appreciate about them * Leave a note on someone’s windshield wishing them a good day * Buy a box of cookies and take them to a domestic abuse shelter * Tell the next service person you encounter how good they are at what they do * Fill a bag with snacks, socks and a bottle of water. Toss it in your car and hand it to the next homeless person you see. Karen Kitchel who penned two chapters in the book, Be the Star You Are! Millennials to Boomers Celebrating Gifts of Positive Voices in a Changing Digital World, is the Kindness Coordinator volunteer with BTSYA. She serves meals to the homeless and is a volunteer teacher, writer, job coach, and mentor. www.scatteringkindness.com

EDU_TAINMENT WITH BE THE STAR YOU ARE! RADIO LIVE on Wednesdays from 4-5pm PT, be entertained, informed, amused, and educated on StarStyle-Be the Star You Are!. Then be inspired and motivated onSundays from 3-4pm PT, it's Express Yourself! Teen Radio with our Be the Star You Are! star teen hosts. You'll meet authors, actors, artists, activists, musicians, poets, scientists, educators, and other creatives. Enjoy the HOLLY-DAZE radio parties on the Voice America Network Empowerment Channel or wherever you like to listen. Visit https://www.StarStyleRadio.com for our line-up of guests.

SHOPPING? We have suggestions for you to shop, save, and stay safe. Please use these web sites for all of your shopping essentials. 1. AmazonSmile donates .5% of purchases https://smile.amazon.com/ch/94-3333882 2. Discounted books at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shops/be_the_star_you_are_charity 3. Giving Assistant: Shop. Earn. Give! Use Giving Assistant to earn cash at 3500+ popular online stores :https://givingassistant.org/np#be-the-star-you-are-inc 4. Shop at over 1300 stores on IGIVE: http://www.iGive.com/BTSYA 5. Buy “Read, Lead, Succeed” black tanks and books at StarStyle® Store: http://www.starstylestore.net/ 6. Are you a gamer, lover of new software, or other digital content? Buy all of your favorites at Humble Bundle. http://ow.ly/cYs130iN6n4 STAY SAFE! WEAR A MASK! BE UPLIFTED WITH BE THE STAR YOU ARE!® RADIO BROADCASTS As part of our Be the Star You Are! Disaster Relief Outreach program (https://www.bethestaryouare.org/copy-of-operation-hurricane-disaste), StarStyle® Productions, LLC and Be the Star You Are!® are showcasing authors, artists, actors, poets, musicians, and many others, all of whom are out of work. We believe in supporting creativity that provides escape and joy, especially during tough times. Tune in to StarStyle®-Be the Star You Are!® on Wednesdays at 4pm PT for “Wednesdays with Writers and Performers” LIVE http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/2206/be-the-star-you-are as well as our teen program, Express Yourself!™ airing on Sundays at 3pm PT for “Super Smart Sundays” https://www.voiceamerica.com/show/2014/express-yourself MAKE A DONATION TO OPERATION DISASTER RELIEF DIRECT LINKS you can use for Be the Star You Are!® Positive Results: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/positive-results About Us: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/about_us Programs: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/programs How to Help: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/how-to-help Blog: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/blog-1 Events: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/events Contact us: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/contact GREAT NON PROFITS REVIEWS: https://greatnonprofits.org/org/be-the-star-you-are-inc GUIDESTAR/CANDID: https://www.guidestar.org/profile/94-3333882 PLEASE DONATE It's not too late to make a tax-deductible donation for 2020. Because of a provision in the CARES Act, you can deduct up to 100% of your AGI. Date your check before December 21, 2020 and send to: Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3 PO Box 376 Moraga, California 94556 For 2021: Make a DONATION through PAYPAL GIVING FUND and PAYPAL with 100% going to BTSYA with NO FEES: https://www.paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/1504 United we stand. Divided we fall. We are the United States of America. DREAM!