Category Archives: Philanthropy

Walk to End FGM

FGM is the intentional removal of either all or part of the external female genitalia and is not religiously mandated.  85% of maternal and infant mortality in Africa is the result of FGM.  Presently, FGM is being practiced here on American soil, as well as the UK, and the EU.  We want it stopped in the world!
 
200 MILLION girls and women are alive today who have had their genitals cut off.  Maria will be participating in the 6th Walk to End FGM (Female Genital Mutilation). Somalia has a 98% cut compliance rate!
 

Money raised from this event will be used to support the “Lisa C. Bruch Scholarship Fund to help pay for the education of girls in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea which also have high cut rates.  Their parents are asked to sign a legally binding document that states they will not allow their daughters to be cut.  This is enforced by an annual physical exam.
 
 

Join us for this 2-day Event!

GLOBAL WOMAN AWARDS CEREMONY – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2019
6:30 PM (1830) EST, Friday 10/18/19
Awards and Silent Auction
Milken Institute School of Public Health
George Washington University
950 New Hampshire Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20052
WALK TO END FGM 2019 – SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2019
Pre-Walk Program: 12:00 Noon EST, Saturday, 10/19/19
High Profile Keynote Speaker, Prizes & Recognition
National Sylvan Theater
Washington Memorial Drive, SW
Washington, D.C. 20024
 

WALK-A-THON STARTS
1:30pm on Saturday, October 19th
Walk Route: Begin at the Sylvan Theater and we will walk to the Lincoln Memorial and back to the Sylvan Theater.

Professor Edward Schmitt

Our guest this week is Professor Edward Schmitt, an Associate Professor of History at UW-Parkside, currently working on a book about the unique role of activist and humorist Dick Gregory in the social movements of the 1960s. Dick Gregory (Richard Claxton Gregory) was an African-American comedian, civil rights activist, social critic, writer, conspiracy theorist, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. During the turbulent 1960s, Gregory became a pioneer in stand-up comedy for his “no-holds-barred” sets, in which he mocked bigotry and racism. He performed primarily to black audiences at segregated clubs until 1961, when he became the first black comedian to successfully cross over to white audiences, appearing on television and putting out comedy record albums.

Jennifer Hurwitz of Blue Star Families

This Memorial Day, May 28, 2017 – learn about BLUE STAR FAMILIES! Jennifer Hurwitz, a Research and Policy Analyst at ‘Blue Star Families’, will join us! Blue Star families is a non-profit that supports military families and helps them with deal with having a member of the family in the service and provides free resources, services, and opportunities to more than 1.5 million military family members—making military life more sustainable.

Jennifer has been an Air Force spouse for 19 years, and has volunteered and worked in a variety of roles that help to support military families. Military spouse underemployment is an issue that she has experienced first-hand due to the 10 military moves she, her husband and daughter have made. After years of reinventing herself at each duty station – working as a speech-language pathologist, teacher, university professor and researcher – she joined Blue Star Families, an organization that fully understands these challenges.

For more info see Bluestar Families and listen to the discussion by clicking on the player below:

CODEPINK and Global Exchange

 

Meet Medea Benjamin, author and American political activist and co-founder of the women-led peace group CODEPINK and the co-founder of the human rights group Global Exchange. She has been an advocate for social justice for more than 40 years. We’ll also discuss this past March 8th’s International Women’s Day event celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievement of women. The theme was #BeBoldForChange. The earliest Women’s Day observance was held on February 28, 1909 in New York and organized by the Socialist Party of America.

 

 

Click the link below to listen to the podcast:

I have entered the world of dogs!

Miss Millie & chew toys - 2I was in San Diego last month attending to the needs of my elderly parents when I first encountered a foster mommy, her forever dog and the pup that she was taking care of that had been rescued from the streets of Los Angeles. I stopped and talking with her about the rescue organization and the circumstances regarding Millie’s need to be adopted.

The next day at a different time, in a different place I once again encountered Miss Millie, her foster mommy and forever dog. I asked if I could pick Millie up and I was told that’s what she lives for.

I scratched Millie’s face, she closed her eyes and leaned into my face. I was enchanted.

I have never had a dog as an adult. I was raised with a pet dog while I was growing up but it was clear that our dogs belonged to our father who took care of them, fed them, trained them etc.

I raised four children as a single mother. They were 2, 4, 6 and 8 when their father and I divorced. I used to say that I didn’t have time to potty train a dog because I was potty training children. I’ve been ‘home alone’ for nearly 5 years since my 4th child went off to college. The resulting freedom, independence and solitude were luxuries to me and the thought of taking on another responsibility was not in my game plan.

However, after I returned to my home last month, I couldn’t stop thinking about Millie and her circumstances. I logged onto the rescue’s website, www.forgottenpaws.org and saw Millie’s picture as available for adoption.

I contacted the woman that founded the rescue and she told me that Millie was indeed still available for adoption. I decided then and there that if I could raise 4 children, surely I’d be a good forever mommy to Miss Millie.

I drove back to San Diego to pick up Millie and we’ve been fast friends ever since! Millie loves everyone she encounters and every four legged friend too.

I take her to as many places as I can (that allow dogs) so as to incorporate her into her new life and make her as much a part of mine as possible.