Impower You

When parents defend their spanking with the statement,

“I was spanked and turned out fine.”

You can reply with,

“No, you grew up thinking it’s okay to hit a child.”

Ini the USA it’s illegal to hit a spouse or other adult, but children can be hit by their guardians and in some states by their teachers.

It’s simple logic, if you discipline your kids by striking them, whether hard or soft, you teach them to strike others as a way to create order. You create a bully.

If you like this blog buy and share my books and art at Leahis.com or Amazon.com

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Book Reviews

Book Review of “The Pizza Trap” by Gabrielle H. Welch with Dr. Devinder Bhatia.

July 15, 2014January 14, 2016 Impower You

We shouldn’t have to think or worry so much about something so basic and necessary as food. “The Pizza Trap” by Gabrielle H. Welch with Dr. Devinder Bhatia is a must read for everyone, but especially parents who are concerned with their children’s health and tired of fights over what their children will and won’t eat.

In a world of confusing and hidden ingredient labels, debatable nutrition facts, mass-media marketing directly to children, unknown GMO’s, and harmful pesticides, it’s become an Olympic sport to eat healthy. The author herself is a parent of 3 children and knows too well the challenges of feeding a family. Her suggestions include guiding and educating chldren by encouraging them to be active participants in the family grocery, speaking up about school lunches, considering the expensive and long term risks of an unhealthy diet, dealing with eating healthy on a full schedule, and offering budget-friendly alternative solutions including links to resourceful nutritional websites.

Her book reviews the difference between the terms of GMO’s, natural, organic and 100% organic, the sugar-free myth and chemically addicting power of sugar, the dangers of additives, preservatives, hormones, pesticides, and so called “natural” flavors, the hidden ingredients our government allows compared to safer regulations in other countries, supplements, vitamins and minerals, and educating your family on the hidden words and actual meanings of ingredient labels.

I was lucky to grow up with a mom who cared about my health and taught me healthy eating. Despite my rebellion with junk food and the consequental health problems caused during my teens and twenties, I eventually took heed and used her wisdom as a basis for a better diet and improved health. Not everyone has the support and knowledge I had, so this book needs to be read and shared widely. Buy this book at: http://www.amazon.com/Pizza-Trap-Childrens-Dangerous-Addictions-ebook/

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Empowering Discussions

Another Driver Distracted by Texting Almost Runs Over Pedestrians

July 11, 2014July 9, 2014 Impower You

I walk and ride my bike around town since I don’t own a car and danger is everywhere. Just this morning, me and a family with young children were crossing the street(at the cross walk with the greenlight and walk signal) when this distracted driver slammed on her brakes and stopped in the middle of the cross walk. If she had stopped 10 seconds later she would have hit one of us. Then she looked back down at her phone. I was so annoyed that she didn’t seem to even notice where she was and that we all had to walk way around her car to cross the street. So I made these stickers below to slap on people’s driver side window when they are texting and driving.

Be A Hero: Stop Bad Drivers!

The next time someone almost kills you or causes an accident because they are texting, put this sticker on their window! It’s easy for someone to say they will be safer next time, but with this waiting on their driver side window when they get to the car will remind them not to text.
**Don’t wait for them to stop texting and driving, put this on their car window(not the windshield) so they have a physical reminder.**

Buy your pack of stickers here: http://www.zazzle.com/the_official_love2drive_sticker-217473558402041894

If you like this blog, check out my art and books at Leahis.com and Amazon.com

Empowering Discussions

How To Prepare a Better Argument Requires Research

July 9, 2014July 9, 2014 Impower You

On the playground I learned to win an argument by saying “I’m right, you’re wrong. Nanananana! or “Because I said so/want to.””

Since I stopped taking advice from other 7 year olds my education on problem solving has really matured. A recent study shows that if we want to prove we are right about a solution or issue than we must explain how. That’s right, you can’t just say I’m right, you need to say how your answer is going to solve a problem. Apparently we humans have this knack for being just familiar enough with a subject that we assume we know everything to create a correct opinion.

It makes sense if you think about it. How much do you know about climate change or parenting that is based on research and personal experience as opposed to bits of information we pick up along the way? We all have the responsibility to learn not just why, but how we want to create our world.

Read the article at www.businessinsider.com/how-to-win-an-argument

The study is published at www.pss.sagepub.com/content/24/6/939.short

…If you like this blog buy my books at Amazon.com or hire me to write for you at Leahis.com

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Empowering Discussions

Culture is Important: Photos from the 2014 Inter-Tribal Pow Wow at San Luis Mission Rey.

July 2, 2014July 2, 2014 Impower You

I recall going to a Pow Wow or two with my family when I was younger. Part of our family is Cherokee so Native American culture has always held an importance in my life. While my own family is mixed up with different colors our culture is a mashup that closely resembles many modern families. Holidays are observed as a occassion to get together or have a potluck, not out of obligation, religion or superstition.

Still preserving our diverse and global cultures is important to me. I’m especially drawn to cultures that incorporate music, dance, costumes, and earth friendly traditions. Native Americans embody all those qualities. I highly recommend attending a Pow Wow or other tribal events in your area. It’s eye-opening to remember that we live in a world where everything cannot be bought in a store or filmed on a Hollywood set. On Father’s day I went to the 2014 Inter Tribal Pow Wow hosted by the San Luis Rey Band of Mission Indians, www.slrmissionindians.org

At this years event we were honored to listen to a few elders share their wisdom along with a call to action. Among those actions was to respect the earth and stop destroying our Mother Earth with so much pollution. Another was to stop judging others and being negative, jealous, or mean because you don’t understand or like someone. Their messages varied on topics, but were all about creating a sustainable world. They asked for peace, for problem solving, and to rethink the world we are leaving for the next seven generations.

The Pow-Wow featured beautiful costumes, enchanting dancers of all ages, basket weavers and vendors selling a mixture of native made products and modern toys and clothing. Everyone who was attending and performing was friendly and enjoying themselves. I had a great time. The California Indian Basketweavers Association was set up displaying their talents and weaving baskets. This was my favorite booth by far. www.Ciba.org

The only disappointing part was the food. The closest thing to “native” food was fry bread, which only became a traditional diet staple when tribes were forced off their land and onto reservations where hunting and foraging was scarce. Our government was “nice” enough to give tribes flour, sugar, and lard so women used what they had tokeep their families alive. With a rise of diabetes and obesity among Native and all Americans fry bread is an easy target and up for debate on whether it should continue to be a staple: www.harisingh.com/newsNative4.htm. In addition to fry bread there was soda, lemonade, tacos, steak, and ice cream to eat. I decided to walk a few blocks away and get bring back food from the grocer instead. Hopefully next year they will have healthier fare.

If you like this blog buy my books on Amazon.com or hire me to write for you at Leahis.com

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Empowering Discussions

Will Saudi Arabia Become a Beacon of Hope for Gender Equality and Women’s Rights?

June 28, 2014July 2, 2014 Impower You

While volunteering at a local school garden this week I was talking about sports to one of the teachers. She mentioned that when she was in school Title IX had not passed and there were no girls sports teams. She shared her experience on trying out for the swim team. Despite being a certified life guard and coaching a swim class, when she asked to try out she was told that “the girls who can swim good will be timing the boys”. That was their idea of allowing girls in sports. We’ve come a long way in the U.S. and many other countries, but there are still many places in our world where women are deemed unequal to their male counterparts.

Like me you’ve heard about the ridiculous restrictions on women in Saudi Arabia. They can’t drive cars, must be covered from head to toe, and aren’t supposed to even leave the house without permission from a male relative. In 2011 Manal al-Sharif created an activism campaign that got women outdoors and driving cars despite the law forbidding them, but change has been slow. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manal_al-Sharif.

Women have become deemed second class citizens compared to men! Thankfully though there are bright spots amidst the oppression. Co-Education has a foot in the door of equality at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology(KAUST) www.kaust.edu.sa

Princess Ameerah Al-Taweel is an outspoken activist for equal women’s rights in Saudi Arabia.

If you like this blog hire me to write for you! Check out my website at Leahis.com

Empowering Discussions

Supporting Local Organic Food and Small Businesses With a Trip to the Farmers Market in Little Italy, San Diego

June 25, 2014June 26, 2014 Impower You

Last Saturday I strolled through the farmers market in Little Italy, San Diego. I was heartened to see so many signs for organic and pesticide free foods. I enjoyed a delicious veggie samosa covered in a rich and slightly spicy sauce. There was so much to look at, art, trinkets, crafts, food, plants, and various musicians.

Why should organic, local/seasonal, and small farms take precedence over our current food supply system of supermarkets catering to our every convenient whim? For so many reasons! Basically this huge agriculture system is extremely unsustainable and it’s making us sick.

We are no longer eating whole foods that naturally are fully loaded with antioxidants and nutrition. Now our food is full of artificial flavors, preservatives, and genetically modified organisms(GMO’s), additives, sweeteners, and pesticides. These were all created in an effort to cut costs for business and create an easy lifestyle for everyone. Unfortunately what we reaped is unhealthy processed food-like meals and snacks that cause numerous health problems like obesity, diabetes, cancer, and food allergies. We traded health for convenience.

Now we must revolt against this revolting idea of agriculture. We can return to a healthier way of living by buying organic and seasonal food from smaller and local farms. Start small if you must, go to your local farmers market once a month or once a week. When shopping choose a quarter or half of your groceries to be organic. Say goodbye to the easy solution of processed foods. Cut back on Starbucks and go to local coffee shops and cafes. Do some research to find the best place to shop in your community. Take the time to change now or pay in medical bills later. If not for yourself, how about the next generation?

The cuffs and lock necklaces in above photos are the work of Modern Muse; visit her website at www.ModernMuse61.jimdo.com or follow her on Facebook at ModernMuse61. Peace Pies offers more than pies! They create delicious food that is vegan, raw, and gluten/soy free; visit their website at PeacePies.com.

Thank you for reading. Please share this post. If you like this blog check out my books and art at Leahis.com

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Empowering Discussions

Trans-People, Gender Identity, and LBGTQ Are the New Civil Rights Movement

June 17, 2014June 17, 2014 Impower You

Equality starts with acceptance. I grew up after the civil rights movement in a family of multiple racial identities. So I know that our differences don’t need to segregate us. MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech may not have included little trans boys and little queer girls holding hands with children of different colors and abilities, but nowadays it should. I admit that when I was younger I fell into the trap of believing that people who wanted to be a different gender were freaks. Hmmm, I wonder where that came from? Like you, I picked up things from adults, messages in the media, and raunchy playground jokes.

But now I know better. I know that not only do I feel comfortable around people who are different from me, but that all people should be treated with kindness and have equal rights. I refuse to deny rights to anyone simply based on their gender or how they express their sexuality, just as I would not deny someone rights based on their skin color or nationality. There’s no “I love America/God said so and so is going to hell” hate speech on this blog.

This weekend I attended Guerilla Pride 2014 in San Diego at the Canvass for a Cause house. It was a comfortable experience. I met so many nice people of different backgrounds and saw some people I already know and like. My favorite part was a talk by a young man named J. who is undocumented and queer. He gave a moving speech about what it’s like to grow up and not just be afraid of being outed or being deported, but both. He described his own experience, which is different for every person, with such emotion and detail that I was enthralled during his 1 hour talk which included a Q&A discussion. Learn more at CanvassforaCause.org

I recommend attending different cultural events in your community with an intent to listen. Ask questions if you must, but simply attending events (whether it’s Pride or the local Inter-Tribal Pow Wow) and allowing yourself to keep your ears open and your mouth shut is a chance to expand your mind and learn about all the amazing people our planet contains.

For your convenience, here are a couple of articles to enjoy, expand on and share. Sharing is caring! 😉

Check out CeCe McDonald’s list of myths about trans women http://www.policymic.com/articles/89735/cece-mcdonald-shuts-down-7-lies-we-tell-about-trans-women

Ending the justification of oppressing trans people http://everydayfeminism.com/2012/08/myths-about-transgender-people/

.…. If you like this blog, check out my books and art at Leahis.com ….

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Empowering Discussions

I’d Rather Have A Hijab Wearing, Muslim, Somali-American, Female Police Officer Pull Me Over Than A Hot Headed Male

June 14, 2014June 13, 2014 Impower You

Minnesota swore in their first Somali-Muslim-Hijab-wearing woman into the police force. There are so many reasons I like this!

1. We need more police officers with college education.

2. We need more women police officers.

3. Encouraging cultural diversity in our police force will help reduce violence against minorities by officially endorsed cultural acceptance.

4. If she pulls over other Somali/Muslim women they will be more comfortable than a hot-headed white male cop. I know it would make memore comfortable.

5. This is setting a great example for police forces in all 50 states.

Read the article on the Hijabican blog: http://www.blog.hijabican.com/meet-kadra-mohamed-minnesota-americas-first-hijab-wearing-police-woman

…. If you like this blog check out my books and art at Leahis.com …

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Social Action

It’s All Rosy Now For LGBTQ People … Or Is It Really? The Rooting Out of Homophobia

June 13, 2014June 13, 2014 Impower You

Despite the last few years of rosier media exposure for LGBTQ equality we still have along way to go. Like with slut-shaming and institutionalized racism, what seems to work is bringing the issue into the news on a daily basis. As long as we continue to point out hate and the problems it causes we will continue to diminish it and replace it with acceptance.

Read more about continuing homophobia in this article by Emelina Minero on The Human Experience Blog http://thehumanexperienceblog.com/uncovering-homophobia

…..If you like this blog check out my books and art at Leahis.com ….

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