A Day of Service

No matter where you live, you can participate in the first official activity for the Inauguration. That is, a day of service to honor Dr. King on his official holiday, 21 January 2013 (today is his actual birthday). Search here for an event in your area (or just do something on your own). If you have or will be looking after small children for the holiday, here is last year's post. (photograph via Pinterest)

In Case You Were Wondering...Obama 2012

There haven't been political posts here because we're not feeling up to much of anything--it must show. If we've done anything positive lately, it has been of the get-out-the-vote variety. You can do the same by visiting the Obama/Biden 2012 website. You can join with others at a call center or make calls (free) from your home. You could also volunteer to drive the elderly & disabled to the polls. There is a lot to do. It's now just under 4 weeks away. Do something. Please. xo

Some other political links:

The debate schedule.

A political poems sampler by The Poetry Foundation editors.

Reading this from outside the States? Allow the BBC to explain.

For relief, nip in to Comedy Central.

(Specialty campaign button --there are many -- via Democratic Stuff)

Seeds of Change/Heifer USA

Heifer USA recently kicked off Seeds of Change, a five-year project to support and cultivate sustainable community food systems and create jobs in Arkansas and Appalachia. In collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other partners, Heifer USA will build a food system value chain that connects farmers with businesses, markets and their communities. - Heifer Blog

To learn more about this vital project (& to donate) visit Heifer's website. You can also give where the need is greatest.

(vintage illustration via Agence Eureka)

Peeps for Peeps from Heifer International

Are you looking for a winter project? What about teaming up with family, friends, a school or community group to raise some funds for a Heifer International gift? A flock of chicks, ducklings, or goslings are $20.00 each. A Flock of Hope is only $60.00. You could probably raise money quickly for those. Then think about continuing on through 2012, working up to a spectacular holiday gift at year's end. It's exciting to think about it.

Start with some peeps & see how it goes. To get started, visit Heifer International & take a look at their work, the gift catalogue, & their blog. (By the way, Heifer also has projects in the U.S.)

ciao-peep-meow/GGCM

(photograph via Heifer International Flickr)

Don't Just Stand There

So many crises in the world can be daunting, even overwhelming. But you must start somewhere. There are many links on this page that will lead you to many worthy causes. It doesn't take a lot of money or a lot of time. Everyone can do something. It's especially important to teach children early in life that they are able to help others.

ciao-meow/GGCM

(lovely photograph by liivia)

Design is Powerful - 50 Years of Amnesty International Posters

Happy birthday year to Amnesty International. See The Guardian's slideshow of the best of the posters (the one by Picasso is a favorite & available as a notecard). If you would like to get involved, here's an activist toolkit that will get you started no matter where you live.

Hope your Sunday is a peaceful one. Giulia is asleep & therefore the house is very, very quiet.

ciao-meow/GG Sunday Central

(La Colombe et le Prisonnier, 1959 via The Guardian)

Faces of January 12

Some very much unfinished 2010 business. It's days before the first anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti. Things are really bad. Everyone can do something. If you can do a little more, there are Haitian artists ready to sell you some fabulous paintings & drawings. (photograph of Patricia Brintle charcoal Faces of January 12 - #2 via MedaliaArt. More Haitian art for sale, here.)

ciao-meow/GG Holiday Central

What is The Giving Effect ?

A national movement getting food, gently-used items & more to people in need. From people like you! Donate your things. Change lives.

Genius idea. We bet you have stuff you can give in your local area.

ciao-merry-meow/GG Central

(Anthropologie photograph via Rebecca Schley via Pinterest)

Write2Win - Calling All Writers & Editors

Writers and Editors: Will You Help Us?

Write2Win is a new nonprofit organization that brings the writing community into 6th-12th grade U.S. classrooms via email to provide personal mentoring to struggling students. Our goal is to make a difference by helping teachers and administrators who are working hard to turn around failing schools and galvanize effective educational innovation.

Low-achieving students in our Chicago and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, pilot programs have been raising their writing grades an average of over 19% working with our editors’ one-on-one guidance. For many of them, this has been the difference between a D and a B! Teachers report that students look forward to their personal notes and encouragement each time they receive our edited files.

Too many of our young people are falling through the cracks of the public school system, and too many are dropping out or graduating with very low academic confidence. We want to help them succeed, and having strong writing skills leads to success, not only in college but in just about any career they might pursue.

To that end, we are asking everyone who has taught writing or made their living as a writer or editor to consider volunteering an hour or two a week (or even an hour or two a month). Joining our team of volunteer writers is easy, flexible, and absorbing. You will notify us when you are available to take on a few papers, with no pressure from us. We usually have four to five days' turnaround time, so our editors find it easy to fit this into their schedules.

Many of us enjoy reading the students' papers and finding creative ways to encourage and mentor them. I hope you will consider joining us. Please go to this page on our website to see our small but mighty (and growing) wall of heroes: http://www.write2winonline.org/editors.html

You can view and open sample edited papers from this link to see the color-coded system we use to provide guidance to the students: http://www.write2winonline.org/system.html

Please write Linda Wolf at info@write2winonline.org for more information on becoming part of our team. More info: http://www.write2winonline.org/index.html

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As seen on Work-in-Progress. How about it?

(photograph via Spanish Vogue)

"I Need You to Vote"

President Obama & GG ask you to vote, please. If you still do not know where your polling place is, please go here & find out. (scan of sign we proudly display)

GOTV - Volunteer to Get Out the Vote

"This election isn't just about one vote or one party--it's about your future. It's time to get out there and shape it, it's time to get out there and fight for it."--President Obama


Please spread the message. This election is as important as 2008, perhaps more.

ciao-meow/GGTV

From Kids to Kids

GG & her editor would be so very happy to hear from readers who decide to participate in this program. Hone your correspondence skills by writing to our friends! ciao-meow on the first day of autumn/GG Central

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The Darfur Schools Program has seen tremendous support from schools across the U.S. Students ranging from kindergarten through college have held successful fundraisers and community awareness events. No matter how big or small, their goal is the same: to bring much-needed relief to the people of Darfur.

This fall, DPDO is initiating From Kids to Kids, an informal pen-pal project. Students in the U.S. can create artwork, take photos, and write notes that will be delivered to a school in Darfur. These messages of hope and peace will brighten classrooms in Darfur and spirits of Darfuri students. DPDO encourages student supporters in the US to send correspondence to:

Darfur Peace & Development Organization

“From Kids to Kids”

P.O. Box 66475
Washington, DC 20035-6475

Correspondence packages will be delivered to a Darfur School of Peace. When possible, photos and drawings from that classroom will be sent back to DPDO.

Contact katherine@darfurpeace.org with any questions. Please notify DPDO before sending any boxes heavier than 48 ounces (3 lbs).

(Photographs: Girls sitting in classroom at Ain Siro School- Sept. 2009; Decorated box sent by California students/DPDO/all rights reserved)

Sunday Style - Become Fashionably Enlightened

Here's your passport to style if you live in the Washington area Thursday, 23 September 2010. GG's editor would love to see you there. (YSL blue coat, Paul Schutzer for LIFE, via myvintagevogue)

ciao-charmed-meow/GG's personal stylist

The Girl Effect, Redux - Week's End

Humor us. We apologize in advance that this lacks cupcakes, cute babies, fabulous dinner party plans, what-to-buy, gratuitous exclamation points, pink objects, & baby animals. (The Girl Effect website) [Domino Cascade photograph]

ciao-meow/GG Central

Stop Violence Against a Woman - Urgent

No! No! No! Information that might help Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, scheduled for death by stoning in Iran. This could happen as early as Friday. (This post's links are not graphic.)

Please use care when visiting sites if you do a search; some are right-wing cesspools. If that's your thing, we feel sorry for you & hope you see the error of your unkind ways & soon. We will add more sites as we examine them. Meanwhile, these are the only stones acceptable in our home this evening.

Thank you.

(heart stones photograph D Sharon Pruitt; Some rights reserved by Pink Sherbet Photography)

GG & Women's Rights - Sign Our Petition (Please)

Did you know that you burn more calories when you're a a busybody pest? Yep.*

Let's get this show on the road; it's only been 15 years (!) since the Beijing Conference Women's conference. Below is a snippet from Amnesty International's petition. Please, please sign it (or go to your home country's page & sign it). We know what you're thinking (yes, we do). Oh who cares, nothing ever gets done, blah blah meow. No kidding. It is very difficult but some good is accomplished. So what is the choice? What do we do then? Nothing? This is not an option. (Besides, we know many of you hang out on Facebook & Twitter. Uh huh. And we'll track you down!) Oof. Got carried away into a case of the vapors. So sorry.

"The General Assembly has at last taken decisive action to create a new gender equality entity on the eve of the 15th anniversary of the Beijing women's conference in 2010. It is a great victory for women's rights as well as for the coalition of women's and other civil society organizations. Now we must ensure that it is a robust and transformational body, capable of advancing the realization of women’s rights on the ground, urgently and effectively."

Charlotte Bunch, Founding Director, Center for Women’s Global Leadership, USA.

"In order to achieve this, the agreed new women’s agency urgently needs sustained political commitment from all governments and immediate, substantial funding to ensure its effective establishment and success."

So fer cryin' out loud, sign it. (Please & thank you)

ciao-grumble-meow/GG's editor

*No scientific proof but we are convinced; fidgeting does burns calories. In which case GG's editor will be back to her normal self by summer's end.

[stand-in for GG - who does not type - cute cat via we heart it]

Twenty-One Years Later - Tiananmen Square

The 21st anniversary of an outrage. From Amnesty blog. Amnesty International (US section; see page for your country)

Bird on the Wire

Darfur Peace & Development Organization (DPDO) is building the Gangy High School of Peace in El Fasher, Darfur, Sudan. Considering the news, things are moving along. We'll have on-the-ground news (& more photos) sometime in late May. Meanwhile, we don't ask that often. (No, we really don't.)

ciao-weary-meow/the Mgmt

[photograph by Bron, via we heart it]