Category: Empowering Discussions

Empowering Discussions

Change Maker: Justin Lee

Impower You

I just found this article about a young man named Justin Lee, who at the age of 17 decided to clean up his neighborhood. He mows lawns on vacant homes, removes litter, and plants flowers.  And he does it all on his own.

“Lee said one thing that spurred him to act was seeing young children walk through trash and weeds to nearby Ohio Elementary School. “It’s not motivating,” he pointed out. He hopes he encourages others to follow in his footsteps. “One day of doing something is better than two days of thinking about it,” he said.”  – Thank you Mark Ferenchik of The Columbus Dispatch for sharing this story of Justin’s amazing effort.

I love reading about people who just go and take action. He didn’t wait for a team of people to help, he just started working. That initiative is what we need more of from the smart people in the world.

SHARE AN ARTICLE WITH US ABOUT A CHANGE MAKER WHO INSPIRED YOU!

Empowering Discussions

The Privilege of Education???

Impower You

  I found a great article on what our educational system needs written by a teenager who receives their education through home study.  The article is on TeenInk.com and my favorite part was about how their mother, who teaches them and their sister’s, has made a point of informing them how important it is and how privileged they are to have this opportunity. The author states that parents who don’t share this view with their children is one major flaw in our education system. “In the past, going to school was a privilege. Children wanted to go to school. … Because school is now mandatory, many children seem to have lost their love of it. For me, school is mandatory, too… I have to learn. But she has taught me that education is a privilege, and given the choice I would still choose to learn rather than be uneducated.”

That view is shared along with what they say about how their mom is able to give so much attention since she only has 3 children to teach as opposed to the new normal of 25 or more in one classroom. “Another thing that’s great is that if I don’t understand something, my mom can sit down with me and help me one-on-one until it clicks. Because she only has three students to teach, she has more time to make sure we all understand our work. A school teacher with twenty or more students simply doesn’t have that time to help the students individually.”

It’s great to read these words form someone who is actually STILL IN SCHOOL, as opposed to those adults among us that figured it out much later.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO ENCOURAGE A DESIRE  TO BE EDUCATED IN ALL CHILDREN?

Empowering Discussions

Thank you Voice 4 Socety

Impower You

Voice 4 Society is another great supporter that empowers and connects people with tools and information.  V4S shares resources, information, life lessons, and stories of positive change from people of various backgrounds.  “Life is one big lesson and we are here to pass on your wisdom to this generation so that they could make a positive impact on the future.”

Today they blogged about the More Than A Girl Sweepstakes, http://voice4society.wordpress.com/2012/10/17/book-giveaway-sponsored-by-investing-in-women

 

THANK YOU VOICE 4 SOCIETY!

Empowering Discussions

Deaf Poetry Jam – Speechless

Impower You

Yes, you can be deaf, and even mute, and be in a poetry jam. I am constantly amazed at the innovative people in this world that do what seems impossible or never even crosses my mind. Aside from a few people I have met, my experiences with deafness is my sister learning sign language as a teenager, my friend in college studying ASL, and reading biographies about Hellen Keller. While researching women who make a difference I found this preview for a movie on PBS about young people who are deaf and how they became part of a poetry jam/slam contest.


We all think of entertainment as having lots of noise, but think about back in the day when movies first came out. Those were SILENT. You laughed or cried because of the actors facial expressions and body language. Deaf and mute does not decide whether or not you can “speak out” and express yourself. If you know someone who is deaf or has a deaf child, friend, or acquaintance share this video with them. Show that you understand deaf people can be heard.

  • Get involved at Ohsoez.com/Events and find events in your local deaf community that you can be involved with.

 

Empowering Discussions

Pray for Peace? Take Action for Peace!

Impower You

Would you have the courage to stop war and rape by gathering a group of women (or men) together and staging a sit in to meet with the president and call for peace?   Leymah Gbowee did and she succeeded.

After years of civil war ravaged her country she learned that since women suffer the most during war that women promoting peace would be the way to solve her country’s problem and end the war. She became a trauma counselor, joined the Women In Peacebuilding Network, and formed a group of women who worked for peace in Liberia. Their efforts forced then president, Charles Taylor to attend peace talks and eventually end the war. After that the women worked to elect a new president and the first female president, Ellen Sirleaf.  Leymah is now the executive director of  Women Peace and Security Network which is a women focused, women led, NGO in Ghana working to promote women’s strategic participation and leadership in peace and security governance in Africa.

http://www.praythedevilbacktohell.com

The civil war that ravaged Liberia destroyed so many lives, but like all wars, someone decided to change tragedy to triumph. How did a mother of six graduate college, work, volunteer, and still make time to create such change?  She took action and she gathered other concerned women to help.

  • In 2002 with very little time to spare, she worked with other women of different religious backgrounds by asking for help from people she knew. Together they made flyers and would go to different churches and mosques to get more women involved in “praying for peace”.
  • Once they had hundreds of women assembled, they held protests with threats of curses and a sex strike to get men to pay attention. Eventually they were able to protest in a soccer field that was part of the route where the president drove to work each day.  He granted the women an audience and they convinced him to attend peace talks in Ghana.
  • In 2003 the women went to the peace talks, applied pressure and after months of protest were finally able to end the war.

Learn more about details aboutwhat she did and her peace movement at LeymahGbowee.com or PrayTheDevilBackToHell.com

WHAT PEACEFUL SOLUTIONS CAN BE USED TO CREATE POSITIVE CHANGE IN YOUR COMMUNITY? 

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Empowering Discussions

So You Have a Deaf Child?

Impower You

It is not easy to be deaf and not easy to have a deaf child, but it is important to remember that deaf is not a “bad” or “dumb” aspect, just like being blind, in a wheel chair or missing an appendage does not make someone dumb.  Dumb is thinking that you are better than someone else because they are handicapped. Dumb is thinking that you cannot give your child a wonderful life.

There is a video called “To Educate Hearing Parents of Deaf Child on YouTube. It was created by a young woman who is a college graduate and model that happens to be deaf.  Her advice for parents is simple: Show lots of love, learn sign language to communicate, be involved with your child’s deaf community, treat your child normal, and trust your heart. Here is the video:

FYI: I recently learned that it is not politically correct (PC) to call someone  “differently abled”.  According to Urban Dictionary and several other websites and blogs, this word is an insult.  So use specific words like blind, deaf, paraplegic, quadriplegic or if you don’t know one and you must describe their differences from what you  consider “normal” use disabled.

Empowering Discussions

River of Change: The Anacostia Project

Impower You
Earth Conservation Corps at ecc1.org

Do you have an image in your mind of environmentalists as a small section of upper middle class whites, boring scientists, or aging doped up hippies that live in a commune? This image is marketed in blockbuster movies, TV shows, and magazines, but like most of what the mainstream media projects it is just a tiny fraction of our world. It’s time to shake that image off and step outside away from your TV or computer screen. Anyone can clean up and protect our environment, just like residents of D.C. in the “South East” area near the Anacostia river. Like many “ghettos” in the USA a majority of residents are black and brown with little income and YES they care about the environment.

The Earth Conservation Corps  is a community program that encourages youth to get involved with environmental issues. It provides paid work and education to make it happen. Despite the area’s reputation to be a hot bed of violence, pollution, and poverty, residents are cleaning up and protecting their beautiful home.  Until today I had not heard of this amazing community work and education program.  I watched a video on PBS in a series, Special Profiles: Making a Difference in the Community and am their newest fan.

ECC gets their message out into the community. ecc1.org

Youth ages 17-25 are PAID and given health benefits to be a part of the ECC. There is even a $5,0000 scholarship for youth that return to school. The organization offers environmental education, workforce training, and journalism/media arts training.

  • Members host assemblies at schools to teach about environmental sustainability and wildlife.
  • Workforce training is supplied for jobs in public lands and green energy jobs.
  • They are trained to record and report on their activities.  This includes investigation and research into who and what is polluting the river.

The ECC is profiled n a wonderful video on PBS and Jerome Scott, is my newest role model. He is a knowledgeable environmental steward who gives guided tours with elementary students. Earth Conservation Corps on PBS. So many youth have been provided a chance to move beyond what they know and succeed. You can also enjoy this article on ecc1.org about Lavette Sears and her success n the program.

This is not a everything is great now story. Over the years of work, many  corp members have been killed simply from living in the neighborhoods they grew up in.  At the end of the video on PBS you learn about the true obstacles that residents must overcome to change their community. One tragic example among many is Jerome Scott. The budding scientist mentioned above died from un diagnosed Leukemia not long after receiving a full scholarship to college. Despite these terrible circumstances of living in an area with such poverty and violence the youth who work at ECC, the students they teach, and the community they serve are  making a positive difference. I am extremely grateful that they do.

DOES THIS INSPIRE YOU TO MAKE POSITIVE CHANGE IN YOUR COMMUNITY?

WHAT DOES YOUR COMMUNITY NEED TO IMPROVE?

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Empowering Discussions

Change Maker – Julia Bluhm

Impower You

Would you start a petition, get help from a marketing firm to send out a PR about it, and stand outside the offices of a business you admire, but whose policies you dislike to ask for something better? Julia Bluhm did and she is just in the 8th grade! If this sounds like the kind of action you are willing to take to create positive change in the world than you are a Change Maker!

Photo from lanny-yap.blogspot.com

Resources:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2168740/Schoolgirls-protest-magazine-airbrushing-success-Seventeen-vows-alter-models-bodies-again.html

http://www.change.org/seventeen

How to make change:  1) Educate yourself and then educate others with the truth. 2) Form a change maker group or team to make it happen. 3) Develop a plan and find more supporters.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO CHANGE ABOUT THE WORLD?

DO YOU HAVE THE STRENGTH, THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE STAMINA TO MAKE IT HAPPEN?

Empowering Discussions

A Guide For My Daughter

Impower You


Dear Daughter, You are an amazingly talented and compassionate girl who will grow up to be a strong, altruistic woman. The world will give you so many conflicting ideas of what you should be, what you should want and how you should act.  I wrote this guide for you. When you are in doubt, when you are in pain and when you are at a crossroads, remember this. Decide for yourself which if any to follow and keep moving forward. (see also – A Guide For My Son)

1) I have a right to change my mind at any point in any situation. Whether because I am scared or uncomfortable, if something feels wrong or I am no longer able.

2) I will not allow anyone to turn me into a victim. I am a survivor who will always look after myself first.

3) If I am physically assaulted, I will fight back with every ounce of my strength.  I will look my attacker in the face so I can report them to the authorities.

4) If I am emotionally assaulted, I will choose to either look my attacker in the face and inform them their behavior is unacceptable or I will ignore their words and walk away standing tall.

5) If I change my mind about having sex I will clearly and firmly say “No!”,” Stop!”,  “I Don’t Want To!”, or scream “Fire!”

6) I will help people by teaching not preaching.

7) I will treat everyone I meet with respect and will not judge based upon gender, skin color, sexual orientation, religion, place of birth, physical appearance, or economic class.

8) I know that I am strong, smart, beautiful, and capable.

9) I will learn from my mistakes. I will not call myself stupid when I fail. I will pick myself up and move forward.

10) I will strive for my best and not compare myself to others nor they to me.

11) I will love my body. It is the only one I have. I will not fall for a socially accepted idea of what a woman should look like.

12) I will be involved in my community and always vote.

13) I will not be defined by the labels of others, society, or authority.

14) I will create my own opinions, live by my own creed, and act upon my own morals.

What Guidelines Will You Pass On To Your Daughter?

Empowering Discussions

Hey Man, There is No Excuse for Rape

Impower You

For some reason, that I cannot fathom, there are a lot of arguments out there that blame the victim.  So for all you ignorant men (and few women) who seem to think that a woman (or man) asks to be raped because of their appearance or actions here is a clarification of your arguments. Here are the three main points of blame that are used against victims/survivors of rape. This article is so you can rethink ideas about victims an why violence and rape happen.

1) Appearance

Your ignorant argument:  When women(or men) dress a certain way they are asking for attention.

Your learned action:  Stare a little too long, call out names such as “beautiful”, “baby” or “ho”, get mad when we don’t respond and harass further, assault, or rape.

Reality: YOU are turned on by someone else, they do not turn you on.  It is YOUR reaction, not theirs that makes YOU feel a certain way.  This is basic common sense and basic psychology. Humans dress different ways for different reasons, such as expressing our individuality, business, or comfort. This does not mean we necessarily want your attention. And when we do there are more respectful ways to show it.

Think About It: If you are a man walking down the street in your favorite team jersey and a larger man or group of men jump you and beat you bloody, was it your fault?  Were you asking to be hurt or killed because you wanted to brag about or support your favorite team?

Women are raped wearing anything from a full burqa cover to a bikini.  Men are raped in jail wearing drab jumpsuits or dressed up for a fun night out. Rape has nothing to do with what you wear.

2) Inebriation

Your ignorant argument:  If a woman(or man) is drinking, drunk, or high she is loose and wants to have sex. Women(or men) should know better than to get drunk or high because rape happens.

Your learned action: Drunk = Sex.

Reality: People drink for all sorts of reasons like celebration, blowing off steam and fun. It doesn’t matter if that person flirts with you or tells you they usually get drunk/high and have sex, it doesn’t mean that they want to have sex with you. Having fun with alcohol or drugs does not give you the right to rape.

Think About It:  Why do you drink?  If you get mugged while you are drunk or high was it your fault? Shouldn’t you have known better than to get drunk because robbery happens?

3) Walking Alone

Your ignorant argument: A woman should know better than walking alone at night or anywhere other than her home.

Your learned action: A woman walking alone at night is probably a slut or a prostitute.

Reality:  There are too many reasons to list why a woman can walk alone at anytime.  Going to or from work, exercise, leaving a party,  and car trouble are a few that pop into my head.  This is probably the stupidest argument. It’s like saying that men should not go out alone for fear they will get mugged.

Think About It: Why should anyone be blamed for rape because they were walking somewhere or going for a jog alone?

Blaming victims is an easy way to feel like there are always easy solutions. Unfortunately that is not true. Yes, we can all take actions to lower our risk of violent crime and prevent ourselves from seeming to be easy targets for rapists, murderers, or muggers. No, that does not mean that if we feel like walking with music in our ears, alone, or dressing to express is being foolish. The bottom line is violence is never the victims fault.  When you make a choice to disrespect a woman who says NO, you are now a violent criminal. 

Since men are the ones who rape, it is up to men to stop rape. Start a discussion with your friends, brothers, sons, nephews, and co-workers.  Below are some points you can bring up. Be sure to steer clear of victim blame.

Why do you think men rape women?

Is it fair that we say things like “She/he got raped because of appearance, inebriation or location”? 

What can you say to another man who brags about rape or having his way with someone who was drunk or passed out?

How would you feel if your mom, sister, aunts, daughters, grandmothers, nieces, and friends were raped?

How much of a role do you think the media plays in exploiting and presenting women as sex objects?

How do you feel about men who call women slut, ho, or easy?

Do you think it is okay to get women or high so you can take advantage and have sex with them?

How do you feel about men who rape other men?

What can you say to other men to discourage the idea that rape is just what some men do?

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