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Kufuata Yako Moyo <3 Follow Your
Kufuata Yako Moyo <3 Follow Your
21 August, 2013
09 June, 2013
This Changes Everything
Over three years ago, I realized that it was time to make my longtime dream of working in Africa a reality. Little did I know, that it would change my life forever.
The program that I I interned with, Cross Cultural Solutions' (CCS) motto is: "Change their world. Change yours. This changes everything." This couldn't be more true.
My whole life I have always wanted to feel like I fit in; like I belonged somewhere. I wanted to make a difference in someone's life and know that I helped them. With CCS, I did just that. I know that in previous blogs I have written about "what you do matters" and I still believe that is so true. Everyday I think of "My Angel" and the moment she told me she loved me, or when I taught a little girl how to read her first book, or even when I climbed to the very top of Mount Kilimanjaro...all of these moments had a huge impact on the person that I am today.
I know that where I am meant to be upon graduation is Africa. It's where I belong. It's what I love. It's who I am.
01 March, 2013
Black History Month
The other day, a few children saw this picture and they asked me why I had it. I told them because I like the picture. It shows that we are all connected and we are all equal.
This was their response:
"It doesn't matter what color you are."
"We can all do the same things."
"We can all be in the same class and play the same games."
Later on, I was talking to the children about Black History Month. This is what one child had to say:
"Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks took a stand, and even though they got in trouble sometimes, they made life better today for black people, white people, and tan people, because now we are all equal."
It made me so proud to hear these words out of the mouths of five-year-olds. It is amazing how intelligent and caring they are already and I can't wait to see what they have to bring to the future.
05 February, 2013
Relay for Life 2013
My Reason to Relay
I am participating in the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life because I want to make a meaningful difference in the fight against cancer.
Almost everyone has been touched by cancer, either through their own personal battle or through someone they love. This past year, someone very close to me, whom I love very much, was diagnosed with cancer. It broke my heart because not only was I scared for her, but I never want to see anyone have to go through that diagnosis. Many tears were shed and a lot of anger was displayed, all very expected reactions. But what I learned most from her battle with cancer was how it is not just an individual fight. Cancer truly affects every person around you and takes it's toll on them all.
Today, I am so proud to say that she is a survivor. A survivor who inspires me and gives me hope because no matter how hard things got, no matter the amount of tears or anger, she never once gave up. She fought this battle and she won. And I am so proud of her. I have looked up to her my entire life and she has always been an extremely prominent role model to me. Her fight is just another reason why I love her so much.
Please join my team, or make a donation, to help me honor my survivor, as well as everyone else ever affected by cancer by following this link: My Fundraising Page. We will help the American Cancer Society create a world with less cancer and more birthdays. Together, we can help make sure that cancer never steals another year of anyone's life!
From the words of an AMAZING survivor:
I may not have chosen this battle
But I will damn well choose
How I will fight this fight
I will call the shots
When I am frightened
I will take strength
From those who love me
When I am tearful
I'll cry out and then move on
I will learn all I can from this battle
And I will WIN
15 October, 2012
17 September, 2012
12 September, 2012
Believe in ZERO
Before any unimaginable idea can become real, there has to be someone who believes in it. We believe in ZERO.
ZERO preventable child deaths
ZERO starving children
ZERO exploited children
If you believe, share this video.
Then go to http://unicefuse.org and take action.
UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to provide vaccines, safe water, improved nutrition, education, protection and emergency relief to the children who need it most.
--UNICEF
12 May, 2012
What You Do Matters
Over the past few months there has been much controversy over the Invisible Children and their Kony 2012 campaign. People are questioning their financials and what they are really doing and why. I have seen so many comments on Facebook and Twitter, both positive and negative. Many of those negative comments have really bothered me, not because they disagree, but because of the way the are stated. Yes, the Invisible Children organization has been around for many years and I have been a proud supporter of the organization over the past several, but before the Kony 2012 video was premiered, the majority of people had no idea what the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) is and who Joseph Kony is. The point of this campaign was to "make Kony famous." Invisible Children wanted everyone to know who he is and to bring awareness because it is an issue that has gone so unnoticed for far too long - the war has been going on for over 25 years.
One of the biggest arguments I have heard since the release of the video is "save America first." Now I am not against helping America at all; this is my home and a country I love very much. But we need to realize that America will never be 100% perfect; neither will any other country, or person for that matter. I am not saying we should drop everything in our lives and go help out foreign countries in need, but there is nothing wrong with being aware of other problems in the world, especially ones as significant as the LRA.
In one of my classes this past week, we had a discussion about the Kony 2012 campaign and just supporting organizations and NGO's in general. What I learned from this was how much people really do not know about providing aid and knowledge of foreign issues. One of the major problems with people trying to help out, even with the best intentions in mind, is assuming they know what others need without even asking them. There are so many different cultures and traditions throughout the world, and because of this, what we think is best may come across as extremely insulting to others. Before lending a helping hand, we need to educate ourselves on their cultures and really understand what they need and what will be most useful and productive for them. That is why I am so honored to have been a part of Cross-Cultural Solutions, and hopefully someday, the Peace Corps, because these organizations are always making a conscious effort to understand where their volunteers should be placed and what they should be doing by communicating with those countries in need.
Another comment that was mentioned multiple times was "I'm in college. I need to focus on my education. I don't have time for anything else." I completely understand where these students are coming from because college is a very time consuming point in life. Over the past year since I have returned from Africa, I have had many moments where I have felt so helpless because I haven't been able to do anything besides focus on myself and my studies. And that's ok, because education is extremely important and we do have to focus on our own lives, but I think the biggest thing we can all do is to educate ourselves. We need to understand other issues that are going on outside of our individual lives. And that is where the Kony 2012 campaign comes in. That was the number one reason why Invisible Children made it so big.
Many people have said this campaign is just another fad that will soon pass or anyone who starts supporting it is jumping on the bandwagon. Maybe they are correct to an extent if the supporters do not really understand what they are supporting. But the reality of it all is that there is a man out there who is capturing children to become his personal soldiers. He is teaching grade school age kids how to fight and murder. Young girls are beaten, raped, and forced to become sex slaves. Meanwhile, innocent people are brutally attacked and killed. This is absolutely not a fad. This is a tragedy that needs to end. Many people believe the arrest of Joseph Kony will not bring an immediate end to the LRA, and they are probably right. But we knew when we captured Bin Laden there would still be issues to work on, but it was a start. So is Kony's arrest. And a start is a major step in the right direction.
After my class discussion, I was left feeling like others believed my personal efforts to provide assistance in Tanzania was stupid and that I would never be able to accomplish anything. But this is what I realized: I did not save the world. I did not end world hunger. I did not find a cure for a disease. But what I did do was teach a little girl how to read her first book. I did help local blind children participate in a 5k they wouldn't have been a part of otherwise. I did put a smile on children's faces at orphanages and made them feel loved, even if it was only for a few minutes. I did get up off the couch and made an effort. And that's a start.
We all need to realize that the littlest effort from us can go a long way for others. It doesn't matter what the color of your skin is, your religion, sexuality, age, gender, sexual identity, weight, or disabilities. What matters is what you have to bring to the table; what can you do to make our world a better place. Adam Yauch said: "Through our every thought, our every word, the way that we interact with other people, we're constantly affecting the world." My wish for everyone is to not let anyone ever make you feel like your own efforts our worthless; they are something to be proud of. And always remember:
One of the biggest arguments I have heard since the release of the video is "save America first." Now I am not against helping America at all; this is my home and a country I love very much. But we need to realize that America will never be 100% perfect; neither will any other country, or person for that matter. I am not saying we should drop everything in our lives and go help out foreign countries in need, but there is nothing wrong with being aware of other problems in the world, especially ones as significant as the LRA.
In one of my classes this past week, we had a discussion about the Kony 2012 campaign and just supporting organizations and NGO's in general. What I learned from this was how much people really do not know about providing aid and knowledge of foreign issues. One of the major problems with people trying to help out, even with the best intentions in mind, is assuming they know what others need without even asking them. There are so many different cultures and traditions throughout the world, and because of this, what we think is best may come across as extremely insulting to others. Before lending a helping hand, we need to educate ourselves on their cultures and really understand what they need and what will be most useful and productive for them. That is why I am so honored to have been a part of Cross-Cultural Solutions, and hopefully someday, the Peace Corps, because these organizations are always making a conscious effort to understand where their volunteers should be placed and what they should be doing by communicating with those countries in need.
Another comment that was mentioned multiple times was "I'm in college. I need to focus on my education. I don't have time for anything else." I completely understand where these students are coming from because college is a very time consuming point in life. Over the past year since I have returned from Africa, I have had many moments where I have felt so helpless because I haven't been able to do anything besides focus on myself and my studies. And that's ok, because education is extremely important and we do have to focus on our own lives, but I think the biggest thing we can all do is to educate ourselves. We need to understand other issues that are going on outside of our individual lives. And that is where the Kony 2012 campaign comes in. That was the number one reason why Invisible Children made it so big.
Many people have said this campaign is just another fad that will soon pass or anyone who starts supporting it is jumping on the bandwagon. Maybe they are correct to an extent if the supporters do not really understand what they are supporting. But the reality of it all is that there is a man out there who is capturing children to become his personal soldiers. He is teaching grade school age kids how to fight and murder. Young girls are beaten, raped, and forced to become sex slaves. Meanwhile, innocent people are brutally attacked and killed. This is absolutely not a fad. This is a tragedy that needs to end. Many people believe the arrest of Joseph Kony will not bring an immediate end to the LRA, and they are probably right. But we knew when we captured Bin Laden there would still be issues to work on, but it was a start. So is Kony's arrest. And a start is a major step in the right direction.
After my class discussion, I was left feeling like others believed my personal efforts to provide assistance in Tanzania was stupid and that I would never be able to accomplish anything. But this is what I realized: I did not save the world. I did not end world hunger. I did not find a cure for a disease. But what I did do was teach a little girl how to read her first book. I did help local blind children participate in a 5k they wouldn't have been a part of otherwise. I did put a smile on children's faces at orphanages and made them feel loved, even if it was only for a few minutes. I did get up off the couch and made an effort. And that's a start.
We all need to realize that the littlest effort from us can go a long way for others. It doesn't matter what the color of your skin is, your religion, sexuality, age, gender, sexual identity, weight, or disabilities. What matters is what you have to bring to the table; what can you do to make our world a better place. Adam Yauch said: "Through our every thought, our every word, the way that we interact with other people, we're constantly affecting the world." My wish for everyone is to not let anyone ever make you feel like your own efforts our worthless; they are something to be proud of. And always remember:
What you do matters.
