Monday, August 26, 2019

{Women's Equality Day}


On August 26, 1920, after three generations of an unrelenting, brilliant, courageous, political campaign, women in the United States won the right to vote. 
In 1971, to honor and commemorate this historic event, Congresswoman Bella Abzug introduced a Congressional Resolution (she had to introduce it again in 1973 when Congress passed it) to ensure that this date would be commemorated with the designation of Women's Equality Day, which is now celebrated on August 26th each year.

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi leads a Women's Equality Day
 celebration in 2016

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

{Harry & Jane}

 “Just one week after Prince Harry and Dr. Jane Goodall shared a dance and ‘chimpanzee greeting’ during an event for young conservationists, British Vogue published an enlightening conversation between the two as part of the September issue guest edited by Meghan Markle,” wrote Carly Ledbetter in HuffPost.
“The prince and the primatologist discussed the environment, slowing down climate change, and not having too many children in the article….”
From the sussexroyal Instagram account: Roots and Shoots is a global youth service program founded by Dr. Goodall in 1991. She has created and encouraged a global youth community to recognize the power of their individual strength—that each day you live, you can make a difference.

Tuesday, August 6, 2019

{I Will Be Your Friend}

A 6-year-old boy named Blake is highlighting the power of kindness and friendship just in time for back-to-school season, wrote Caroline Bologna for HuffPost.  Last week, Blake’s mother, Nikki Rajahn, posted a photo of her son wearing a shirt that says I will be your friend on Facebook. She also shared the sweet backstory.:

“I told him that as a back to school gift, I will make him any shirt he would like. It could have anything- a basketball theme, football, etc. which are all his favorites,” she wrote. After thinking about it, Blake asked her, “will you please make me a shirt that says ‘I will be your friend’ for all the kids who need a friend to know that I am here for them?”

The Georgia mom ended her caption with the hashtag #stopbullying and concluded, “Never underestimate your kid’s heart for others! I love my sweet Blake!” The post has received more than 10,000 likes, and the comments section is filled with positive reactions and requests for the mom to make more of these shirts.


{This post is dedicated to my great-niece Maggie who turns 9 today...and is a great friend! xoxo}


Friday, August 2, 2019

{Forces for Change}

Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, is the guest editor of the September issue of British Vogue (out today!) titled Forces for Change — learn about her empowering vision for women and girls and the world:

From Chevaz Clarke at CBS News:
“To have the country’s most influential beacon of change guest edit British Vogue at this time has been an honour, a pleasure and a wonderful surprise,” the magazines editor-in-chief, Edward Enninful, said of the historic collaboration. “As you will see from her selections throughout this magazine, she is also willing to wade into more complex and nuanced areas, whether they concern female empowerment, mental health, race or privilege.”

From Page Six by Elana Fishman:
“The Forces for Change issue highlights a diverse selection of women from all walks of life, each driving impact and raising the bar for equality, kindness, justice and open mindedness,” according to a post from the Duchess and Duke of Sussex’s official Instagram account shared.

Jacinda Ardern
The lineup, photographed for the cover by Peter Lindbergh, includes models/activists Adwoa Aboah, Adut Akech and Christy Turlington, Somali boxer Ramla Ali, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, diversity advocate SinĂ©ad Burke, “Crazy Rich Asians” star Gemma Chan and actress and LGBTQ+ advocate Laverne Cox, notably the first trans person to ever appear on the title’s cover.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
It also features actresses/activists Jane Fonda, Salma Hayek and Yara Shahidi, Royal Ballet principal Francesca Hayward, body positivity warrior Jameela Jamil, feminist author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and teen climate activist Greta Thunberg.
Additionally, there’s a 16th spot on the cover featuring a silver reflective mirror, so readers can see themselves amongst these change-makers.

Also inside the issue? An exclusive interview between Markle, 37, and former first lady Michelle Obama as well one between Prince Harry and legendary primatologist Jane Goodall, along with a guest editor’s letter penned by Markle.

Adut Akech
“These last seven months have been a rewarding process, curating and collaborating with Edward Enninful, British Vogue’s editor-in-chief, to take the year’s most-read fashion issue and steer its focus to the values, causes and people making impact in the world today,” the Duchess of Sussex told the magazine.

“Through this lens I hope you’ll feel the strength of the collective in the diverse selection of women chosen for the cover as well as the team of support I called upon within the issue to help bring this to light. I hope readers feel as inspired as I do, by the ‘Forces for Change’ they’ll find within these pages.”

Greta Thunberg
Enninful told British Vogue that Markle declined to appear on the cover herself. “From the very beginning, we talked about the cover — whether she would be on it or not,” he explained. “In the end, she felt that it would be in some ways a ‘boastful’ thing to do for this particular project. She wanted, instead, to focus on the women she admires.”

Still, according to Lindbergh, that didn’t stop Markle from being hands-on when it came to photographing the issue’s cover. “My instructions from the Duchess were clear: ‘I want to see freckles!'” the famed photog told the glossy. 
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