Men in traditional dress, holding decorative muskets. Called a Fantasia

Morocco celebrates many Moussems throughout the year, which are festivals in honor of the saints. May brings the annual Ben Aïssa Moussem— one of the most important festivals in Morocco named after Saint Ben Aïssa.  Ben Aïssa founded the Aïssawa Sufibrotherhood in the 15th century, which was once one of the largest Sufi sub cults in Morocco. Festivalgoers travel to Meknes, where Ben Aïssa’s tomb is located just outside the city. There’s food and fun everywhere, horseback races and fairground rides. More extreme devotees to the Aïssawa Sufibrotherhood put themselves in trances and put themselves through tests of strength and endurance to prove themselves to be true devotees. Up until recently, one of these trials included glass swallowing! According to the Lonely Planet, “It’s a busy festival with fantasias (musket-firing cavalry charges), medieval pageantry (against a backdrop of a modern fairground), illusionists and plenty of singing and dancing.”

With the exception of a small number of countries, America included, Labor Day or Workers’ Day is a holiday celebrated on May 1st of each year, dedicated to the struggles and success of working class people.

In Colombia, this day is called El Dia Del Trabajo. Walk down the usually busy streets of Bogota on this day, and you’ll find them deserted! Like in America, on our Labor Day, held in September to mark the end of summer, almost all businesses, post offices, banks, and stores are closed. Instead of working, people protest and parade across the country in solidarity with the working class.

On el Dia Del Trabajo in Colombia, workers from all industries make it a point to stick together and peacefully demand rights for the working class. Traditionally, they dress up in bright red, which stems from the holiday’s socialist origins. El Dia Del Trabajo isn’t only celebrated in Colombia, actually, notable celebrations happen all over the world.

There aren’t many celebrations in America, since our Labor Day is September. However, the origins of Dia Del Trabajo are a great history lesson to teach children. While it is a very somber topic, there are many great themes you can focus on: Human Rights, Equality and Fairness, Solidarity, and Tradition.

Here are some resources to get you started:

The Gaurdian – The History of Mayday

LibCom.org – A Short History of May Day

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The April 17^th deadline swiftly came and went, and for most of us, our yearly tax headache has finally subsided. In February, we provided information on how the 2011 Adoption Tax Credit affects you. Now, as we look to our near future, there is a very pressing matter at hand. After going through a number of iterations, increases, and restrictions in the past fifteen years, the current Adoption Tax Credit is set to expire on December 31, 2012. Instead, of ensuring that all families can benefit from this credit, the Adoption Tax Credit will revert back to its original parameters of a $6,000 non-refundable credit that will only be available to a limited selection of adoptive families.

On Tax Day, Iowa Rep. Bruce Braley introduced the Making Adoption Affordable Act (HR4373) to the House of Representatives. This bill aims to establish a permanent, inclusive benefit to all adoptive families, helping to offset the high costs of adoption related expenses. Under this bill, the Adoption Tax Credit would be:

• $13,360
• Refundable
• Permanent, with no future expiration date.

Rep. Bruce Braley said, “Renewing and expanding the adoption tax credit will help remove a barrier to more families deciding to adopt. It’s a small investment that provides a big return: getting more children into loving homes and out of the costly foster care system.  When a policy puts more kids in loving homes and also saves taxpayers millions of dollars in the process, expanding it should be a bipartisan no-brainer.”

The Making Adoption Affordable Act is extremely important because it permanently ensures all adoptive families receive relief from their adoption expenses, and it makes adoption a viable option for those who may not think that they can afford it. And, like Rep. Braley said, it provides a big return for everyone. It’s a no-brainer.

Please join us in advocating for the Making Adoption Affordable Act by writing your local congressperson to inform them about the urgency of this issue. Below is list of contact information for local representatives on the committee of Ways and Means, and also a sample letter you can use to urge our lawmakers to pass this important bill. For more information, please visit our partners at Save The Adoption Tax Credit.

Sample Letter

Click here to find your local representative

Bubba tweeted this picture of his baby boy Caleb.

This year, a miracle happened at the Masters, both on and off the green. While self-taught superstar Bubba Watson made his game-clinching shot down in Augusta, his wife Angie and his newly adopted son Caleb watched from their house in Orlando. Just one week earlier, before Bubba donned his iconic green Masters jacket, they got the call that they had been waiting on for four years, they were finally going to be new parents. “It’ll probably be more emotional than this win, just to be there with my son and my wife.  I’ll get to raise an amazing kid.” Bubba remarks on going home to see his wife and 8-week old son.

The couple is elated to bring their newborn home, but it has been a long and storied road to Caleb’s arrival. After Angie and Bubba decided on a domestic adoption, they chose an agency, Chicks in Crisis, to help start the home study process while living in Florida. But, mid-way through, the couple made the decision to move to Arizona to be closer to family and their church. “When you move states it’s a totally different process, our home study got wiped away so we had to start over.” says Watson.

After their move, their plan to adopt was met with number of setbacks. As for many other families, life kept moving swiftly, bringing with it a number of unexpected ups and downs. In 2008, Watson’s father was diagnosed with throat cancer, and two years later he passed away in 2010, right after Bubba won his first Major championship. Around this time, Angie was misdiagnosed, and the family was scared that she was suffering from a cancerous tumor. The couple stuck together through their emotional turmoil, never giving up on their plan of completing their family.

Finally, in 2012 the Watson’s had a year of breakthroughs, despite a few bumps in the road. “We had two babies, two moms turned us down that went with other families, and then the Wednesday night right before Bay Hill is when we got the word that Monday we’d pick [Caleb] up.” Even through the craziness of his sudden celebrity and a Masters victory, Bubba is most excited and thankful for his new-found fatherhood, planning the very best he can for Baby Caleb. “As a father, you just want him to excel at something, and whatever that is, whatever their passion is, you just want to support them, be there for them, and hopefully they can grow up and be better than you one day at whatever it is.”

The Colombian people have deep roots in Catholicism. In part, they express their beliefs through the splendor with which they celebrate Holy Week. Many of this special week’s traditions date back to the colonial centuries. During Holy Week, the Catholic religion commemorates the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

It is an entire ritual that congregates cities and towns and is proof of the religious spirit of the Colombian people. Holy Week celebrations in Colombia run from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday.

During these eight days, all regular activities come to a stop and people devote themselves to staging the drama of Christ in a variety of interpretations that reflect the social and cultural history of each community.

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Workshop:

Like adoptive families headed by heterosexual parents, gay parents and their children have to have conversations about the validity of their family, and how to deal with prejudice and questions from people outside the family.  Our family workshop on April 24th 6:30pm-8:30pm will  focus on the particular issues LGBT adoptive parents have to navigate with their children.

Advance registration required.

Support Group:

Starting June 18th, Spence-Chapin will be hosting a Gay Adoptive Parent Support Group. Same-sex couples have the added complexity that cross-gender parenting can bring. This group will offer practical advice and support for gay parents raising adopted children. The group will meet the third Monday night of each month from 6:30 pm-8:00 pm. Register now.