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Watch Mister Rogers totally win over a tough, skeptical senator in 6 minutes

"I'm supposed to be a pretty tough guy, and this is the first time I've had goosebumps in the past two days."

mister rogers, fred rogers, pbs

Fred Rogers managed to secure $20 million in PBS funding from Congress.

On May 1, 1969, Fred Rogers sat before the Senate Subcommittee on Communications to make the case for funding children's educational programming. His show, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, had recently become nationally syndicated, and the program relied on the $20 million in government funding allotted to public broadcasting. That funding was on the chopping block, with President Nixon wanting to cut it in half, so Rogers went to Washington, D.C., to advocate for the funding before Congress.

In a video clip of Rogers' testimony, we can see how subcommittee chairman Senator John O. Pastore sat across from Rogers, appearing somewhat disinterested. He had never heard of or seen Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and wasn't familiar with Rogers himself.

"Alright Rogers, you have the floor," he said in an almost condescending tone.


(Side note: Who in their right mind condescends to Mister Rogers? Granted, Senator Pastore didn't know who he was and the world hadn't yet realized his wholesome amazingness yet, so it's somewhat forgivable. Still funny to see it, though.)

For six minutes, we watch Fred Rogers work his calm, compassionate magic on the committee. As he methodically and eloquently made his argument, Pastore became transfixed and ultimately transformed.

Rogers described how he speaks to children on his show and how he felt that showing people working out their emotions was much more dramatic than gunfire.

"I feel that if we in public television can only make it clear that feelings are mentionable—and manageable—we will have done a great service for mental health," he said. "I'm constantly concerned about what our children are seeing, and for 15 years, I have tried—in this country and in Canada—to present what I feel is a meaningful expression of care."

The senator was moved by Rogers' words. "I'm supposed to be a pretty tough guy, and this is the first time I've had goosebumps in the past two days," he said.

By the end, Pastore was totally on board. "I think it's wonderful," he concluded. "I think it's wonderful. Looks like you just earned yourself the $20 million."

Watch how Rogers did it:

It's not just that Rogers explained himself well. According to Jean Greaves, Ph.D., specialist in Industrial-Organizational Psychology and author of "Emotional Intelligence 2.0," Rogers used four specific skills to connect with the committee members and influence their decision-making.

Greaves wrote that Rogers utilized self-awareness by knowing—and sharing—his own expertise and experience with children's programming. He stayed focused and kept his emotions in check, even while sharing his feelings, which used the skill of self-management. Utilizing social awareness, Rogers read his audience and understood what they valued. ("Mr. Rogers understood he was addressing a senator who was more than just the decision maker—he was a man who used to be a boy, a man who had a family, and a senator whose sworn duty was to represent the needs of Americans," Greaves wrote.) Finally, he used relationship management to make a personal connection with the senator, telling him he trusted him to read his statement and acknowledging that they shared the same concern for the quality of children's television programming.

Having watched countless hours of Mister Rogers' programming myself and being a lifelong fan of both the show and the man, my hunch is that those emotional intelligence skills were simply a part of who he was. And thanks to the funding for PBS that he helped procure, his "meaningful expressions of care" helped millions of kids gain greater emotional intelligence themselves.

Just a wonderful, decent, delightful man who loved children just exactly the way they are. What a gift he was to us all.

Identity

Celebrate International Women's Day with these stunning photos of female leaders changing the world

The portraits, taken by acclaimed photographer Nigel Barker, are part of CARE's "She Leads the World" campaign.

Images provided by CARE

Kadiatu (left), Zainab (right)

True

Women are breaking down barriers every day. They are transforming the world into a more equitable place with every scientific discovery, athletic feat, social justice reform, artistic endeavor, leadership role, and community outreach project.

And while these breakthroughs are happening all the time, International Women’s Day (Mar 8) is when we can all take time to acknowledge the collective progress, and celebrate how “She Leads the World.

This year, CARE, a leading global humanitarian organization dedicated to empowering women and girls, is celebrating International Women’s Day through the power of portraiture. CARE partnered with high-profile photographer Nigel Barker, best known for his work on “America’s Next Top Model,” to capture breathtaking images of seven remarkable women who have prevailed over countless obstacles to become leaders within their communities.

“Mabinty, Isatu, Adama, and Kadiatu represent so many women around the world overcoming incredible obstacles to lead their communities,” said Michelle Nunn, President and CEO of CARE USA.

Barker’s bold portraits, as part of CARE’s “She Leads The World” campaign, not only elevate each woman’s story, but also shine a spotlight on how CARE programs helped them get to where they are today.

About the women:

Mabinty

international womens day, care.org

Mabinty is a businesswoman and a member of a CARE savings circle along with a group of other women. She buys and sells groundnuts, rice, and fuel. She and her husband have created such a successful enterprise that Mabinty volunteers her time as a teacher in the local school. She was the first woman to teach there, prompting a second woman to do so. Her fellow teachers and students look up to Mabinty as the leader and educator she is.

Kadiatu

international womens day, care.org

Kadiatu supports herself through a small business selling food. She also volunteers at a health clinic in the neighboring village where she is a nursing student. She tests for malaria, works with infants, and joins her fellow staff in dancing and singing with the women who visit the clinic. She aspires to become a full-time nurse so she can treat and cure people. Today, she leads by example and with ambition.

Isatu

international womens day, care.org

When Isatu was three months pregnant, her husband left her, seeking his fortune in the gold mines. Now Isatu makes her own way, buying and selling food to support her four children. It is a struggle, but Isatu is determined to be a part of her community and a provider for her kids. A single mother of four is nothing if not a leader.

Zainab

international womens day, care.org

Zainab is the Nurse in Charge at the Maternal Child Health Outpost in her community. She is the only nurse in the surrounding area, and so she is responsible for the pre-natal health of the community’s mothers-to-be and for the safe delivery of their babies. In a country with one of the world’s worst maternal death rates, Zainab has not lost a single mother. The community rallies around Zainab and the work she does. She describes the women who visit the clinic as sisters. That feeling is clearly mutual.

Adama

international womens day, care.org

Adama is something few women are - a kehkeh driver. A kehkeh is a three-wheeled motorcycle taxi, known elsewhere as a tuktuk. Working in the Kissy neighborhood of Freetown, Adama is the primary breadwinner for her family, including her son. She keeps her riders safe in other ways, too, by selling condoms. With HIV threatening to increase its spread, this is a vital service to the community.

Ya Yaebo

international womens day, care.org

“Ya” is a term of respect for older, accomplished women. Ya Yaebo has earned that title as head of her local farmers group. But there is much more than that. She started as a Village Savings and Loan Association member and began putting money into her business. There is the groundnut farm, her team buys and sells rice, and own their own oil processing machine. They even supply seeds to the Ministry of Agriculture. She has used her success to the benefit of people in need in her community and is a vocal advocate for educating girls, not having gone beyond grade seven herself.

On Monday, March 4, CARE will host an exhibition of photography in New York City featuring these portraits, kicking off the multi-day “She Leads the World Campaign.

Learn more, view the portraits, and join CARE’s International Women's Day "She Leads the World" celebration at CARE.org/sheleads.


Health

Over or under? Surprisingly, there actually is a 'correct' way to hang a toilet paper roll.

Let's settle this silly-but-surprisingly-heated debate once and for all.

Elya/Wikimedia Commons

Should you hang the toilet paper roll over or under?



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