March is officially here, and that means it’s Women’s History Month. (Although I have also seen it referred to as Gender Equality Month, we’re going to keep it for the ladies!) In July 1848, a social visit brought together Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Martha C. Wright, Mary Ann McClintock and Jane Hunt to Seneca Falls, New York. This communal meeting later known as the first Women’s Rights Convention is generally considered the beginning of the Women’s Rights Movement in the United States. Every year in March, Women’s History Month is honored with activities and celebrations that continue to educate and inspire men and women, young and old.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the National Women’s History Project (NWHP), a very successful organization committed to honoring and preserving women in history. Founded in Santa Rosa, California in 1980, each year the NWHP coordinates a venture to systematically reinforce the strength of women everywhere. This year’s theme revolves around “Writing Women Back into History.” The hope is that finally women who really matter and make a difference will be showcased in the history books.

The NWHP hopes to increase female participation in history-making endeavors while at the same time celebrating the women who paved the roads ahead. Already in full force this month, the Smithsonian in Washington set up galleries and tours promoting women’s efforts. Family-friendly activities including scavenger hunts as well as arts and crafts are available at the museum throughout the month. On March 14, Baton Rouge is holding the 12th Annual Women’s Poetry Reading at the Baton Rouge Gallery. A broad scope of Louisiana performers will participate, from published poets to first-time readers. First Lady of California, Maria Shriver, took part in the Women’s Committee at Long Beach, which under Shriver’s guidance has become arguably one of the largest and most influential gathering of female innovators, writers, designers and opinion leaders in the world.

Making me even more proud to be a woman this month, especially one of color, is the fact that March 8 specifically signified International Women’s Day. Each year, thousands of globally rich and diverse local activities ranging from political rallies, business meetings, government and social networking events to women’s craft markets, theatrical performances, fashion shows and more are held across the globe to inspire women and celebrate their achievements. Google even joined in by changing its logo for the special holiday!

These are the types of phenomenon that are newsworthy. We don’t need to know that Lindsey likes her prescription pills or that time Britney shaved her head. Make room for the real catalysts of yesteryear.

The women of Seneca Falls would be very proud, but the battle’s only half won. It’s no longer about promoting HIStory or HERstory, it’s about recognizing that it’s OUR story.

Danielle Francis, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Gender Equality Month, Jane Hunt, Lucretia Mott, Maria Shriver, Martha C. Wright, Mary Ann McClintock, National Women's History Project, Seneca Falls, women's history, women's history month Hide

“Denial.” That was the first response Kayla Stott felt when she found out she was pregnant at 16 years old. While most teens were concerned about studying for exams, preparing to get a driver’s license, and discussing the latest gossip, Stott was buying diapers and commencing her biggest life change to date. Nine months later, on the eve before giving birth in March 2008, she sat gazing down at her enlarged belly and imagined how a baby would transform her life. Now, nearing her son’s second birthday, Stott is a “strong believer that everything happens for a reason” and has drawn incredible strength and positivity from his birth.

Not only has Stott been able to have her son, Lucas, and graduate from high school on-time with her classmates, but she has also faced tremendous adversity and judgment. “I may be a young mom, but I’m a good mom,” she states. “Age does not always determine maturity.” Stott is actively pursuing her return to college this year to continue her education and reach her personal ambitions.

A strong advocate against unprotected sex, Stott encourages teens to consider the responsibility that comes with the action. Yet, for those young mothers out there that feel alone, she offers words of advice.

“It takes a lot of strength to be a mom and you need to feel confident in what you are doing,” Stott explains. “It’s a journey that has many ups and downs, and it is a road that the majority of young girls don’t have to take. Yet there are many of us out there and I know from all the teen mothers I’ve met that we are willing to stand by each other and help out in any way, shape or form.” Stott believes that a strong family support system is important, but there are networks of “mom-and-tot” groups that can be equally supportive and informative.

The best part of being a mother for Stott has been the unconditional love Lucas has taught her. “It is so rewarding to see him learn the things I am teaching him and to watch him grow and change into an amazing little man!” He has provided Stott with a more positive outlook on life than she could have anticipated. She lives by the motto: “If you get a chance ― take it. If it changes your life ― let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it.”

As Stott approaches her twentieth birthday, I salute her for raising a beautiful son and continuing to persevere through trial and tribulation. It’s time to abolish the stereotypes of teen mothers and support a healthy upbringing for our next generation, rather than condemning life choices. We all have weaknesses and make mistakes, but what could be deemed a mistake by some can prove to be the miracle that provides confidence to overcome whatever life throws at us.

Genevieve Castonguay, Kayla Stott, mom-and-tot groups, pregnancy, teenage motherhood Hide

Welcome back, ladies!

Recent times have been very exciting here, with work and life galloping along at an insane speed. It’s taken this long for me to have half a chance to sit down and write. Since the birth of the New Year, I have been incredibly busy working on a number of projects, and trying to somehow fit in a social life, too. Balancing life and work is a constant battle, but recent times have given me cause to briefly pause and take stock of my lot.

A dear friend of mine is currently supporting her friend through the latter stages of cancer. She’s been so incredibly strong and positive but you can tell it’s hitting her hard. It’s so hard to support someone through such times, what can one possibly say to ease the pain? Mortality is such a fragile concept, something that many of us are lucky enough not to have to consider in any depth for the majority of our lives. With this in mind, I have spent some time considering my own life, my plans, goals and, most importantly, my luck.

I think it is too easy to stomp through life, achieving what you can, without taking a moment to consider just how lucky we are. Bellism, and all that it stands for, promotes self-reflection, and it is such a powerful tool for change, personally, locally and, hopefully, globally. We have a real opportunity to be part of a generation of women that can genuinely change the world — if only we accept the gauntlet.

I have been busy with my work as publicity manager at the Brighton Science Festival — something I would never have expected myself to do, but I am happy to say I have enjoyed every minute of it. As I write, the festival is in full swing. We are halfway through a two-week schedule packed with individual events, and as an integral part of a team of three (plus some sterling volunteers), it’s imperative that you balance functionality with professionalism. At recent events I have opted for classic skinny jeans (a staple) and black long-sleeved tees, or a blazer jacket and jeans. Comfort really is paramount when rushing about with a walkie-talkie on your belt, but I find that a well-placed oversized corsage on your lapel or a statement necklace allows you to stand out from the crowd while still allowing you to perform your job effectively.

Returning to the heart of iatg, I have had some fantastic meetings with the gals across the pond of late, and am very excited about the prospect of really promoting Bellism in the UK. Sometimes it may feel as though we are a world away from each other, but Bellism allows for continuity of being and a conglomerate of ideas that can really make a difference.

Stay beauty-full, ladies! And don’t forget to add your comments because a dialogue is only a few small steps away from a revolution!

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One basket at a time, Rwandan women are weaving their brutalized country back together. As citizens of one of the most devastated countries in the world, these women refuse to let the anger and bitterness from their land’s history affect its future. Rather, through self-sufficiency, hope and basket-weaving, they are leading their nation’s rebirth.

Between April and July of 1994, a swift and incomprehensible genocide swept through Rwanda over the course of 100 days. An estimated 800,000 Tutsi Rwandans and sympathizers were systematically slaughtered by their Hutu neighbors and militia with support from government and political leaders. While men were massacred, women and children were raped and mutilated. The terror left a population of only 30 % men and nearly 70 % women.

Coping with one of the gravest human atrocities in modern history is a considerable feat for any nation, let alone one with as tumultuous a past as Rwanda. But the country’s recovery has been remarkable and is now viewed as a model for other developing countries. In fact, a CNN foreign affairs analyst has even dubbed Rwanda as Africa’s “biggest success story.” And the country can thank its women for its present stability, economic growth, and rising education levels.

“I [saw] an opportunity to empower the women of Rwanda,” said Willa Shalit, reflecting on a 2003 trip where she first discovered the Rwandan women’s unique talent. By partnering with Macy’s and Gahaya Links, Shalit’s company Fairwinds Trading markets exquisitely handwoven baskets to American consumers for the Rwanda Path to Peace project. Proceeds are given to the artisan women who then invest their new-found income in their families.

“What I earn helps me take myself out of poverty,” attests weaver Justine in an interview with CBS. “Today I can buy a dress, I can feed my children.”

Moreover, these baskets benefit the nation as a whole as the project’s impact extends beyond individual family units. Through income made by weavers, entire villages can afford clean water and mosquito netting to combat deadly diseases. HIV-positive weavers can also better meet their medical needs with more access to healthcare and medication.

But the greatest impact is perhaps the least tangible. Another weaver, Dorcille Uwimana, reflects on the influence she and her fellow weavers have had on their homeland. “We have taught the country to move beyond hatred. We realized we cannot always be angry at each other. We have to weave. We have to make our lives better.”

For a country that has been torn asunder by inhumane man-on-man violence, reconciliation has been accomplished through women. And it is women who are the breadwinners, the catalysts, and the leaders.

The Rwandan widow-weavers prove what has been an increasing realization – that channeling aid to women and girls is the best way to combat global poverty and extremism. As New York Times reporters Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn write, “women and girls aren’t the problem; they’re the solution.”

Baskets are available for purchase from Macys.com.

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This past week I had the chance to speak with Anjelica and Ariel of the budding nonprofit, One is Greater Than None. These two girls, along with six others, started a organization at age 14 to raise money to save trafficked children in Ghana, Africa. After discovering it would require approximately $4,300 to save just one child, the enterprising young ladies decided to craft bracelets attached to cards that would educate people about the troubles in the African nation. There also were T-shirts, emblazoned with their logo, “1>0,” complete with the tag line “Be Part of the Equation.” Since their humble beginnings in 2007, the girls have raised over $100,000 and helped 48 children.

The girls, now 16, are moving on to help people in rural parts of the U.S. with Remote Area Medical (RAM), an organization supplying free medical care to rural areas. The mission is to motivate people by showing that even the smallest amount can help change the world.

Before seeing the Oprah episode “The Boy Oprah Couldn’t Forget,” what made you girls want to start a charity?

Ariel: Well, we all come from fairly comfortable backgrounds and families that involved us in charitable things since we were young.

Anjelica: We wanted to do something fun with our friends.

Who are some of the people the One is Greater Than None girls look up to?

Ariel: Oprah! Ah, Pam Cope who started Touch a Life. She helps orphanages around the world. She’s like a saint ― honestly the most amazing person! Eric Peasah from the International Organization for Migration. Oh, and Taylor Swift!

Anjelica: Yes!

Unison: TAYLOR SWIFT!

Ariel: We are in love with Taylor Swift! She knows who she is and she’s just a great role model.

Anjelica: We blast her music in the car when we’re all headed somewhere together and sing along!

 

 

The simplicity of this organization and the amount of impact it has is inspiring. Is there a lot of planning? What is a typical week for the girls like?

Ariel: Every Sunday there’s a meeting with all eight girls and sometimes the moms. Everyone is in charge of a certain something. We get help from parents on things we can’t do because of our age.

Anjelica: We usually do one charity a week. It’s great having eight girls because two girls can go here and two girls go there.

So much has happened with One is Greater Than None in the last two years. Are you overwhelmed with the amount people have given?

Ariel: I’m in shock that this is even happening, that we’ve been able to do so much in such a short time. People give so much!

How do you balance school, running a life-saving nonprofit and a personal life?

Ariel: Time management! It’s sort of like: Alright, Sundays ― make 20 bracelets; Saturday ― do all my homework in the morning then go hang out with friends.

Anjelica: I’ve learned how to manage time from being in the charity.

Ariel: Yeah, there’s not as much room for procrastination.

You ladies have accomplished so much at such a young age. In the midst of everything do you feel put together?

Ariel: I’m confident but am still learning who I am. As far as school and social life, I’m still learning how to feel put together.

Anjelica: This charity has helped shape who I am today. I’m a more mature person, more put together than if I hadn’t done this.

Your mission statement says that “any contribution, no matter how small, has value.” How can people be part of the equation daily, weekly, monthly or yearly?

Ariel: As far as helping the charity, you can donate, buy jewelry and spread the word. Organize something at school for us. We LOVE speaking at middle schools and high schools because students are so impacted by our message! For the world, any random acts of kindness. Just try to make the world a better place. There are so many different ways to help and get involved.

Anjelica: Definitely volunteer your time.

To donate to One is Greater Than None, purchase jewelry or clothing please visit Oneisgreaterthannonoe.org.

And remember, “Any contribution, no matter how small, has value.”

ghana, International Organization for Migration, Kimberly Bozeman, One is Greater Than None, Oprah, Remote Area Medical, taylor swift, Touch a Life Hide

As a little girl growing up in an adoptive family, Liz Tigelaar often fantasized about who her birth parents were. Since she was born in Washington D.C., she somehow convinced herself that her birthmother was Nancy Reagan, to the shock and horror of her liberal parents. In all seriousness, Tigelaar admits she spent a lot of her young life thinking about “the idea of who people are [in general] and who are those people out there just like me?”

Such questioning often resulted in her looking inside herself for the answers. However, it is that kind of deep introspection that, in turn, causes one to grow up a bit before his or her time. Tigelaar used such early maturity to become one of the youngest showrunners currently writing and producing original programming for network television. After getting her start as an intern on Dawson’s Creek, Tigelaar grew with the then-WB into the hip-and-now CW to act as consulting producer on Melrose Place in addition to her own Life Unexpected. 

“I feel like I’ve drawn from my own life, in that there are just those themes and ideas that run through my life as an adopted kid,” Tigelaar explains regarding the concept for a show about a teenage foster care kid who gets placed late in life with her birthparents. “But I’ve also always been really into coming of age stories. And this is a twist in that the adopted child is the one who will raise [her parents], and as [they] begin to mature and grow up, their daughter really gets to grow down, so to speak, and be a kid again.”

Tigelaar speaks of her creation with pure excitement and pride, like a young mother watching her baby take its first steps. If she is speaking from experience about being the adult when she was just a kid, she does so with the same amount of honest cheerfulness with which she approaches everything else.

Actor Kristoffer Polaha, who plays the male lead on her show, remarks that the best part of the job is working for Liz. “She’s an amazing leader and really makes us feel like we’re a part of a team,” he testifies. “We have a real feeling of collaboration [on set] and that makes everyone do their best work.”

Tigelaar is single-handedly changing the way critics look at artists from her generation. Instead of getting caught up in trends or choosing flash and style over substance, she goes for heartfelt and unique stories that are universal. Moreover, she does it while checking any ego at the door.

It takes talent to succeed in Hollywood, but her genuine love for what she does and her willingness to collaborate is what makes her one of the most sought-after, behind-the-scenes talents in television. Up-and-comers should take careful notes from Tigelaar’s handbook if they want to achieve similar success.

Danielle Turchiano is a freelance writer/producer living in Los Angeles. She is extremely excited to once again be a part of the i am that girl organization with her bi-weekly “Inspirational Women of the Entertainment Industry” column. More of her musings on film and television can be found on her personal Web site: http://www.danielletbd.blogspot.com/ If you have suggestions for who she should profile in future columns, feel free to leave a comment!

adoption, birth parents, cw, Danielle Turchiano, Dawson’s Creek, Kristoffer Polaha, Life Unexpected, Liz Tigelaar, Melrose Place, WB Hide

Girls need girls. It’s a fact. Whether it’s ogling over our latest crush (and don’t pretend we EVER grow out of it), crying over our most recent disappointment, laughing at our absurdities, or confiding our deepest, farthest, back-of-the-closet secret; we need to be heard. Through sharing our experiences we have an opportunity to explore our own thoughts, work through our emotions and discover new kernels of truths.

For some time I thought I could figure out how to eliminate insecurities, fears and doubts for girls and women. If only I had the right formula, magic pill or workshop. I could find a way to instill authentic confidence in girls and women everywhere so they were free to fulfill if not surpass their potential and powerfully contribute to the world. The reality is that I can’t. I don’t have a cure-all that will remove the challenges and obstacles inundating the human experience. No human being for that matter has that ability.

My revelation emerged from a company meeting where a group of us were sitting around chitchatting about nothing really (like girls do). We talked about work, dabbled in politics and circumnavigated the uncharted waters of relationships. That’s when it happened; our conversation about nothing became about everything. We brought up issues of quarreling co-workers, struggles with body image, society’s high expectations, third-world countries and naturally, boys.

Before you knew it, our “business meeting” had transformed into a group of healing listening, compassionate respect and validating patience. There were no epiphanies, or calendar-making breakthroughs. If it were any other day, I would have over looked it completely, but not this time. The light bulb went off and I wondered if all girls had this kind of outlet to be heard and to hear others?

It’s important that even if we don’t have the immediate answers that we are made to feel we’re not alone. There’s comfort in that. There’s fearlessness in knowing you have a crew backing you up, a group of women protecting you and looking out for you. That’s when we realized this tangible community is vital to our existence. If we are going to change this world, if we are going to empower one another and ignite a revolution, it’s going to require that we come together and support one another. If a man chooses to be an island, he can be alone all by himself. I’m not interested in going through life’s safari alone. We’re stronger and more equipped to handle life’s curve balls when we have a whole team out there on the field with us.

So we created local chapters for girls to get plugged in and find other like-minded women out to make a difference in the world. We need an army of women, a dream team of relentless activists who will dedicate one night a week for an hour or so to a group of women who also want to leave this world better than how they found it. We already have chapters in most big cities, but we need more. If there’s one in your hometown, then get involved! If not, start your own.

We meet once a week, provide the content for the meeting, the girls and the space. As little as three members, as big as almost fifty in our San Diego Chapter. Either way, it’s an opportunity for girls to empower other girls. Where women on the same wave length can come together and support one another.

And I get it, you’re busy. We all are. But it’s not for us, it’s for you. You need it, we all do. But better yet, we deserve it in our lives. We deserve taking some time for ourselves once a week and having an outlet to talk about things that matter in this world. We deserve being listened to and having a place to share. I am that girl just launched local chapters to make that a reality. Badass women coming together to change the world. We need you in this revolution, we need your voice and your life’s unique brand. Make it a reality, make you a priority. Get involved, sign up, and start your own. I don’t care what you do, but 2010 is the year for you.

It would be an honor to have you come in the name of i am that girl and share your life’s journey with us. To find out more about our local chapters, or if you want to be a badass and start your own, contact Rosalind Adams at rosalindzoeadams@gmail.com.

Until then, keep rockin’ this world and being That Girl.

alexis jones, empowerment, forum, local, meeting, San Diego, sisterhood Hide

This blog was recently posted on Womensconference.org.

The very tippy, top of my To Do list for 2010 is wildly unusual for me. I normally have the “complete a book, run a marathon, win a Nobel Peace Prize” kind of expectations, but 2010 is the year of being kinder to myself. So my number one priority is simple — loving myself more. I feel like today we’re expected to be Superwomen, and it’s so easy to fall into the trap of unrealistic, unattainable expectations of perfection and the disappointment and self-critique that quickly follow. 

I was recently told that the way we treat ourselves is a direct correlation to the way we treat others. So really, to exercise compassion, patience, unconditional love and forgiveness with myself is to practice for how I treat others. For me that means, a little more giggles and less discipline, a little more chocolate and a little less salad, a little more flirting and a little less work. So, 2010 is about loving myself as is… PERFECTLY FLAWED!

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