I think I was struck most by the thought that the glimmer of an idea that came to me literally as I was washing my hands at a First Tuesday meeting, would have manifested itself a year later, living and breathing with unknown pulsing potential. In March of 2011, First Tuesday launched the Mentor Ring, with its vision of connecting First Tuesday members with women and children in need of support. Our first group of mentees were two families … [Read more...]
What if the voices of young women in communities around the world dominated global media? How would our world be different? I recently had the opportunity to work with eight young women from East Los Angeles in a media-training program aimed at bringing out these voices. It's called Global Girl Media. (http://www.globalgirlmedia.org) When I sat with the girls to talk about how they wanted to use their voices, they told me: "I want women … [Read more...]
“Women die in childbirth as a result of systemic failures including: barriers to accessing care, inadequate, neglectful or discriminatory care, and overuse of risky interventions like inducing labor and delivering via cesarean section.” -- Amnesty International For many of us who haven't yet been through childbirth, there's an image we have of what it's like: A woman is rushed to the hospital in a taxi; she gets put in a wheelchair and is … [Read more...]
Have You Ever Though About Mentoring? Last month was National Mentoring Month. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, 15 million young people in the United States are in need of a mentor. Have you ever thought about mentoring? You've probably heard that mentor programs help decrease youth violence, lessen drug abuse, reduce the high school dropout rate, and help send thousands of young people to college each year. This evidence … [Read more...]
I was standing at my sink the other morning, when I saw it: this beautiful little bird, with black and white markings and a stunning yellow throat. Now, I don’t know what kind of bird it was, but I do know that seeing that bird absolutely delighted me. In some ways, it’s just common sense. Like every other creature, birds need three things: food, water, and shelter. If you can provide those things they will visit. All we need to do … [Read more...]
Generosity: A Rewiring Process Does generosity mean giving money? In the last three weeks I’ve been examining my relationship with generosity and giving. I am very fortunate to have dear family and friends who are and have always been very generous with their time, love, advice, finances, support and so much more. However, I found myself wondering, “Am I as generous as them?” Not that it’s a competition. I just was curious. Little did … [Read more...]
We as a culture are familiar with setting goals. We hear all the time, dream big. Create your reality. Which I agree with. I find value in setting goals, intentions, and getting clear on what I want in my life. However, I seem to be relearning a lesson that I’ve struggled with in the past. I can’t help but wonder, “Are we holding so strongly to an ideal that we can’t see what’s right in front of our face?” I first learned this lesson … [Read more...]
One moment it is a whisper of an idea. The next it is a bunch of folks sitting in a living room, the vision taking shape and moving forward. There were twelve of us that evening, sitting appropriately, in a circle; the first incarnation of the Mentor Ring. We were a group of women and men committed to the idea of giving back, paying it forward. All of us were busy, with more than enough on our plates, but for some reason when the call … [Read more...]
Sustainability. Organic. Green. We hear those terms a lot these days. Unfortunately, those terms are now often used for marketing materials and sales tools, and so are losing some of their impact. The term sustainable can be defined as ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’ So, how does that apply to our own little corners of the earth? As I … [Read more...]
Improving Body Image By Bridget Loves Body Image is a tricky thing. What is the definition? When I ask a group of students this they generally come up with the same conclusion- body image is the way YOU think you look to the outside world. Wow, that is a tough thing to control! So in an effort to help us all feel more comfortable in the bodies we live in, how can we embrace them and love them more? Particularly since your friends don’t … [Read more...]
