In order to maintain positive mental health, I try to focus on at least 3 positive things I am grateful for in my life.  Four of my top list are:#1 – The love of my wife #2 – My Health #3 – My awesome job #4 – My creative outlets For my birthday, I have only two requests:#1 - Please consider making a donation to "MakeOurSchoolsSafe.org" and “StandForTheSilent.org, two wonderful nonprofit organizations doing amazing things to keep kids safe in schools. #2 - Please sign and share my new petition on Change.org/OneCentTax.Thank you so much for spending a few minutes with me on my birthday. I hope you have an amazing day and look forward to having you back soon. We are one nation!

Today is episode #5 of "A Safe Place" and I am excited to share with you some great news I received yesterday.  Last year, I wrote an article about updating historical reports on school shootings in order to keep kids safe in school. And yesterday, I learned that that article has been officially published in EDUCATION. For those of you that are not familiar with this publication, this is an education journal that has been published continually for more than 142 years! So, as you can imagine, I am ECSTATIC!  I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic, even if you don’t agree with me. I appreciate you so much for tuning in. I recognized you have lots of options to choose from and I’m honored that you chose to hang out with me. If you would like to receive updates on when both of my titles will be published, follow me on this podcast and make sure to sign up for my newsletter on www.ASafePlaceBook.com.If you would like to check out my article on EDUCATION, Volume 143, Number 2, 15 December 2023, pp. 74-88(15), go to this link: https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/prin/ed/2023/00000143/00000002/art00005     I’ll see you on the next episode. One nation.

Yesterday, on October 31st, 2022, I learned that my sister committed suicide. The emotional and mental anguish my family and I are experiencing is overwhelming. I wish we could have all been there to help her through her darkest moment.Sometimes I know it’s easy to get stuck in a dark place. It can feel like you’re suffocating with no way out…It’s terrifying. But that is exactly when you need to reach out the most to someone who can help you see the light again. Someone who has a different perspective. Remind yourself,  it’s OK to feel sad. It’s OK to cry. Recognize it. Call it out, even. “I’m feeling sad, angry, or feeling like crap.” Recognize it is only a feeling that will eventually pass, just like a season. It does not have to conquer you. The spring always comes after the winter. You will see the sun again and things will get better.Reach out to people who care about you and to professional counselors. It is only a season and it will pass.Please hug your loved ones today and tell them you love them. Take care of each other.

meet real live superheroes. Kirk Smalley is the President of StandForTheSilent.org. This nonprofit organization was started in 2010 by a group of high school students in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma after they heard the story of Kirk’s son, Ty who committed suicide after standing up to bullies in his school. Stand for the Silent has chapters in 40 states and 18 different countries. Kirk's organization has spoken with 4,911 schools and over 3.5 million children in order to help prevent bullying. The positive impact that Kirk has made in this world will last for generations and it was an honor to speak with him, even for just 30 minutes. I hope you are touched and inspired by his story as I am. I am forever humbled by the strength of those who muster the courage and strength to make a positive change in this world when they have suffered so much pain and grief. I only hope if I ever experienced such pain that I would have the strength to do the same. Kirk Smalley and Lori Alhadeff (from my 2nd podcast) are true superheroes.Learn more about and support "Stand for the Silent" on their website and social media pages:Stand for the Silent website: https://standforthesilent.org/Social Bullets website: https://socialbullets.org/Facebook: @SFTSorgTwitter: @SFTSorgInstagram: @sftsorgMusic used with permission from the license holder.SONG: Hey BullyARTIST: Morgan FrazierALBUM: The BestLICENSES: Curb Records (on behalf of Curb Records); PEDL, LatinAutorPerf, ARESA, BMG Rights Management (US), LLC, ASCAP, MINT_BMG, Audiam (Publishing), CMRRA, and 7 Music Rights Societies

For my first guest on "A Safe Place" podcast, I am honored to interview, Lori Alhadeff. In 2018, Lori lost her 14-year old daughter, Alyssa, in the Parkland shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Since then, she has been fighting so that no other parent has to endure the pain they live with through her nonprofit organization, “Make Our Schools Safe.”   Through Lori's tireless efforts, her organization has helped pass "Alyssa Law" in Florida, New Jersey, and New York. This unique legislation is critical to addressing the issue of law enforcement response time when a life-threatening emergency occurs because time equals life. The law calls for the installation of silent panic alarms that are directly linked to law enforcement, so in case of any emergency, they will get on the scene as quickly as possible; take down a threat; and triage any victims. Make sure to check out "The Make Our Schools Safe Club" -- an in-school, on-campus club comprised of motivated and school safety-minded students. All club members have the same goal… to create a culture of school safety. These club members are the voice of the MOSS movement.  Empowerment of today’s youth is the best chance we have to make necessary changes in the world. As Make Our Schools Safe founder Lori Alhadeff so passionately says “your voice is your power!”: https://makeourschoolssafe.org/alyssas-law/ *Visit Lori's website at: MakeOurSchoolsSafe.orgFollow "Make Our Schools Safe" on social media:Facebook @makeourschoolssafe17Instagram @makeourschoolssafeTik Tok @makeourschoolssafe_Twitter @makeschoolsafe8

Welcome to "A Safe Place" - a podcast where we discuss school gun violence and how to keep kids safe in schools. I am your host, Luis Aponte. I am a librarian, author, filmmaker and the founder of Dragon Film Productions. Thank you for joining me. I am honored to have you here with me today.This is the first episode of "A Safe Place." This podcast is inspired by two nonfiction books I have recently completed. One is called "A Safe Place: Imagining Schools Without Gun Violence" and the second book is called "The Ultimate U.S. School Shooting Reference Guide." Or at least, those are the titles at the moment. Perhaps my publisher will want different titles in the future. Who knows?If you would like to receive updates on when both titles will be published, make sure to sign up for my newsletter on www.ASafePlaceBook.com and follow me on this podcast.These interviews will be available on YouTube, this podcast, and some of the interviews will most likely be featured in my feature-length documentary film based on my book, “A Safe Place.”You are all invited on this journey to find the answers to the question, “How do we stop the next school shooting?” I say “we” because there is no single person; no president, politician, or celebrity that can prevent school shootings alone. This is a challenge for every community in the country. Make sure to like and follow this podcast and sign up for my newsletter on www.ASafePlaceBook.com.  I will see you on the next episode. One nation.