Philadelphia · est. always
noun. Joy + Gratitude, blended equally. A reminder that there is a lesson and / or a blessing in every life experience.
Three things I live by
Joy + Gratitude
JoyTeeTude came to me while I was grieving the loss of my daughter, Gabrielle. I was searching for the lesson. Searching for the blessing. I blended the words together, started saying it out loud, and it stuck.
Today, folks are speaking JoyTeeTude in twenty-eight countries.
“There’s a lesson, and / or a blessing, in every life experience.”
Cooperation over competition
It was born in a Philadelphia basement on January 4th, 2014. Pat McCoy asked us what we wanted to see in the year ahead. My answer: more cooperation, less competition.
Three weeks later, while I was playing with words in my head, the phrase landed. I’ve been carrying it ever since — into men’s circles, Zoom rooms, flea markets, and grocery-store aisles around the world.
“Has anybody mentioned the Spirit of Harmonious Cooperation today?”
A meditation that became a mural
I sat in meditation in 2014 and asked the universe what the word respect had to say to me. An acronym landed, almost in one breath:
2014 — what landed first
Remember Everyone Suffers Painful Experiences.
Communicate Tenderly.
Ten years later, I sat with the same word again. Here’s what came back:
2024 — what ten years taught me
Restoring Emotional Stability.
Providing Empathetic Compassionate Transformation.
The first one ended up painted 12½′ tall on a wall at Philly Unknown in Kensington. I can’t wait to see what shows up ten years from now.
A little about me
I’m Jim. Most folks call me Bear.
I’ve worn a few hats. Roofer. Christian clown minister. General contractor. Plant manager. Volunteer youth sports director. Husband. Father. Grandfather. Honorary co-chairman of The Mankind Project. Ambassador to the Spirit of Harmonious Cooperation. A guy who hugs strangers at the grocery store.
When I was young, I never thought I’d see thirty. I had a near-death experience as an infant, a childhood with more trauma than a kid should carry, and I was an angry man for a long time. In June of 1999, I went through my New Warrior Training Adventure with The Mankind Project — and that weekend changed my life. If it hadn’t, I’m honest with myself: I’d either be in prison for a long time, or I’d be gone.
I’m sixty-six now. I love myself, which wasn’t always true. I’ve buried a daughter, two brothers, more cousins than I can name, and I’ve learned to embrace grief instead of fight it. I started making art on 3×5 cards during Zoom meetings — just doodling, playing, letting the colors talk. Turns out, people wanted them. So I keep making them.
I’m not your guy if you’re looking for perfect, polished art. But if you want something made with love, by hand, with a little bit of mess and a whole lot of soul — pull up a chair.
— Bear
If you ask me to introduce myself:
I am the Magnificent Mission Maven. I nurture and empower the Divine Child within, while JoyTeeTudedly walking in the Spirit of Harmonious Cooperation with R.E.S.P.E.C.T. — and inspiring others to live to their full potential.
3×5 cards, made by hand
Pens, markers, gel pens, an index card, and whatever the day puts in front of me. I started doodling these during Zoom meetings — and people kept asking for them. Some pieces get a digital glow through the Prisma app. All of them get signed Bear.
Three words I keep coming back to. The order matters.
Spoken without words. I hug a lot of people.
Two words. A whole philosophy. Look up — it’s happening, all around you.
All gender. All people. Infinity woven through inclusivity symbols, with a heart in the middle. Everyone’s welcome at my table. Signed Bear, 2021.
Every card is an original. No two are exactly alike. Reach out if one speaks to you.
A gift, free, no strings
I hand these little wooden coins out for free wherever I go.
“Now that you’ve got a round TUIT, have a JoyTeeTudinal Delightful Day.”
— what I say when I press one into your hand
If you see me at an event, just ask. I’ll have one in my pocket for you.
free, always
Conversations & collaborations
I’ve been honorary co-chairman of The Mankind Project for two decades. These are a few of the conversations I’ve had along the way — about manhood, grief, marriage, prejudice, and the long, slow work of becoming a kinder version of yourself.
The Mankind Podcast
Boysen Hodgson and I sit down to talk about the Spirit of Harmonious Cooperation, the R.E.S.P.E.C.T. acronym, the loss of my daughter, my marriage to Dawn, the Kensington mural, and the long road from anger to gentleness.
Open on YouTube →A talk for the brothers
I walk through my journey — family, the near-death experience as an infant, clowning, NWTA, JoyTeeTude, the Kensington storefront, and how a meditation in 2014 birthed the R.E.S.P.E.C.T. acronym that became a mural.
Open on YouTube →The Divine Child reads Dr. Seuss
I read Dr. Seuss’s 1961 story about prejudice and privilege, then lead a discussion on how those messages still land, decades later. A look at the arbitrary lines we draw — and what it costs us to keep drawing them.
Open on YouTube →The Mankind Project is a global non-profit changing the world one man at a time. I’ve been part of this brotherhood for over twenty-five years — an honorary co-chairman, an ambassador, and an old friend to many of the men in it.
Learn more about MKP →Stay in the loop
I set up at flea markets, festivals, and community events around Philadelphia. Look for the big guy with a table full of colorful cards, stickers, and a pocket full of TUITs. That’s me. Come get a hug.
Next up: To be announced — sign up and I’ll tell you first.
Everything I create is a gift to the world. If a piece speaks to you and you want to chip in, here’s how:
Drop your info below and I’ll send you first looks at new art, event dates, and the occasional story worth telling.
Welcome to the family. Talk soon. — Bear
