“Poverty, by America" written by Matthew Desmond, was a fascinating read. The author, also known for his work in "Evicted," with many considering it his best book. "Poverty by America" delves into the causes of poverty in the United States, primarily attributing it to actions by Americans themselves. The book not only explores the roots … Continue reading Book Review: Poverty, By America
Author: Edward Ortiz
Home Sweet Home
Finally made it back from a fantastic vacation, but I think I need another vacation to recover from this one. Maybe it was the 13-hour drive since our flights got delayed, and we didn’t want to miss the cruise. Anyways, we enjoyed our vacation. We spent New Year in New Orleans, and it was fantastic. … Continue reading Home Sweet Home
80’s Party
We’ve started our vacation and are enjoying the warm weather so far. This trip will take us to Mexico, Honduras, and Belize. Here are a couple of short videos from last night’s 80s party. https://videopress.com/v/ziceJo5t?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true https://videopress.com/v/ForLziSv?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true The ’80s was the best decade, so enjoy!
Combating Sexual Exploitation and Human Trafficking
A friend of mine is the director of El Paso CARES, a non-profit dedicated to combating sexual exploitation, abuse, and human trafficking through community education and assistance to those engaged in sex work, and yesterday, I received an email from her with a brief and wonderful message highlighting some of the significant accomplishments of the … Continue reading Combating Sexual Exploitation and Human Trafficking
Reflecting on 2023
Looking back at 2023, I can say without a doubt that it was a great year. Here is why. I finally retired this summer from the U.S. Army after serving for 31 years, the majority of which were spent leading Soldiers as an officer. Four combat tours, three to Iraq and one to Afghanistan, were … Continue reading Reflecting on 2023
Ethics and Social Responsibility
This morning, I was reading Jane Fritz's blog, 'Robby Robin’s Journey,' and I learned that today is International Human Solidarity Day. On the United Nations website, I found that the day is1: A day to celebrate our unity in diversity. A day to remind governments to respect their commitments to international agreements. A day to … Continue reading Ethics and Social Responsibility
Book Review: Love & Respect
This year, I read one of the worst books about marriage, and it was extremely painful. The book, “Love & Respect” by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs was given to me by a Chaplain, and I read it because I like to study all aspects affecting current social issues. I’m a Christian, and it bothers me when … Continue reading Book Review: Love & Respect
Community Requires Forgiveness
"What is forgiveness? Forgiveness means that I continually am willing to forgive the other person for not fulfilling all my needs and desires. Forgiveness says, "I know you love me, but you don’t have to love me unconditionally, because only God can do that." I too must ask forgiveness for not being able to fulfill … Continue reading Community Requires Forgiveness
New Year’s Resolutions
We are about 18 days away from the new year, and I know many of you are preparing or at least thinking about New Year’s resolutions. I’m not a big fan of New Year’s resolutions; instead, I spend time reviewing and adjusting my short and long-range plans. I started this process back in the '90s … Continue reading New Year’s Resolutions
Evolution of Leadership
Today, I shared an article on LinkedIn from U.S. News1 that discusses the evolution of leadership, moving from the concept of a “strongman" leader—presumably referring to the authoritarian and inflexible type—to a more collaborative approach. The article highlights a survey conducted by U.S. News and The Harris Poll, identifying the most important traits for a … Continue reading Evolution of Leadership
Thoughts about leadership, history, and more 