This morning I woke up with a sense of hope. Today is the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States. The first African-American President of the United States. I get chills just writing this. I called my Mom to say good morning and see how she was going to spend the inauguration. She said that she already started. For breakfast, her and my dad ate cereal with milk and blueberries and strawberries. This was her way to show her patriotism: red, white and blue breakfast.

Today, millions and millions of people all across the world are tuning in to the historic ceremony. My mom is DVRing it. I am watching on my computer at work. My boyfriend is listening on the radio. My friends are in DC trying to inch their way up to catch a glimpse of the action. Where are you watching?

Take some time today to reflect with your family.

Tonight? It’s all about the Green Ball.

According to the ball’s organizers, every facet of the Green Ball was designed to minimize environmental impact. Among the various green elements of the ball Treehugger reports:

1. The Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium was selected as the venue for this event because it is conveniently located just a half a block from Metro and guests were encouraged to take advantage of public transportation

2. Buffets included organic and local ingredients with vegetarian and vegan options

3. The bars served local and organic beverages and all bottles were recycled

4. All of the food waste from The Green Ball was composted at a local farm

5. Staff and VIPs were transported to the Ball in electric cars

6. All ticket sales were handled on-line to eliminate paper waste

7. The power used to produce the event was offset by the purchase of Renewable Energy Credits from American Wind, Renewable Choice Energy’s signature portfolio

8. Our own Graham Hill said he was impressed that guests did not receive gift bags, which often create unnecessary waste

Well I may not be celebrating with Wyclef Jean or Al Gore, but that fact that there even is a green ball puts a smile on my face!

–Stephanie Singer, KIWI staff and lover of families

Black History Month is a time to acknowledge the many African Americans who have made valuable contributions to our country. This year is exceptionally significant: February 12 marks the 100th anniversary of the NAACP, and an inaugural ball on January 20 will commemorate the election of Barack Obama as the first African American president of the United States.

This February, make an effort with your family to learn about groundbreaking African Americans. Check out a book from your local library, such as Follow the Drinking Gourd, by Jeanette Winter (preschool-grade 2); Journey to Freedom: A Story of the Underground Railroad, by Courtni C. Wright (grades 3-5); or a classic like Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin for older readers. Visit KIWI’s Bookworms Book Club for more of our favorite Black History Month reads and reviews. Taking time with your kids to reflect upon the victories and sacrifices of others can lead to greater global unity.

–Marygrace Stergakos, KIWI intern and avid book collector

January 19 is the day this year that we celebrate the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.;  a man who changed the world. Who knows where we would be without this hero who put his life on the line so that people would  “not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character”?

I wonder if Dr. King’s parents, while he was growing up, ever realized how great their son would be. What did Alberta and Martin Luther King, Sr. do to create such an incredible child? What values, what inspiration did they give him? Did they know that he would improve the lives of countless people and change the face of our world? Did Barack Obama’s mother know as she held her beautiful baby in her arms that he would someday become President; that the hope of a nation would rest on her angel’s shoulders? Do any of us know what greatness lies in our children?

As parents, we all think our children are special. We love them with a biased heart.  However, the lesson of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Barack Obama is that our children truly are the future of the world. This realization makes our job even more critical—raising our children with a social and environmental conscious can actually make a difference.

Let’s take these next few amazing days, the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the inauguration of Barack Obama as President of the United States, to see that the potential is there for our children to make the world a better place. We are raising the next scientists, politicians, philanthropists, explorers, nutrition experts, artists, computer geniuses and more.

So, as you kiss your children goodnight on the 19th, on this crossover between two historical days, feel the power that is yours and theirs.  Infused with love and wrapped in your commitment, anything is possible.

—Maxine Wolf, CEO & Publisher, KIWI Magazine