Introducing myself and my journal

About Me:
I just finished the book "Half the Sky" by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn. Already a feminist, I was incredibly moved by the stories of women in the poorest parts of the world who suffer needlessly simply because they are born female. Kristof and Wudunn's discussion of forced marriages/prostitution/physical and metal abuse due to the lack of education for girls, lack of iodized salt for pregnant women, and widespread fistulas (often a result of rape and/or childbirth without the aid of doctors/nurses/hospital staff) have compelled me to action. In the near future I want to volunteer my time working on the education of girls in high need parts of the world. I had a taste of it in 2010 on a two week humanitarian clowning trip with the Gesundheit Institute (www.patchadams.org) ; I joined Patch Adams and his clowns in community building in Belen, Iquitos (Peru). The community suffered from ongoing violence and physical/sexual abuse towards women and children (as well as lack of clean water and basic sanitation needs). We painted homes, led workshops, and got local organizations to reach out to help this suffering community. I loved that the approach was not about bringing aid and then leaving, but it was about getting to know people well, and learning what the problems were about in a grassroots, personal way. As Kristof and Wudunn highlight, "The most effective supporters will donate not only their money but also their time, by volunteering on the front lines. If you care about poverty, you must understand it." (p.252) I am about to start my first year as a teacher for 3rd grade, but I soon want to find a way to apply my teaching skills where they may help bring education to girls around the world. I am going to sponsor women and children through womenforwomeninternational.org and planusa.org. My goal this year is to ensure I donate approximately ten percent of my income to a cause I believe in, so I'm already on the right track!

My Passions:
Education, Storytelling, The Arts, Social Justice, and Feminism

My Challenges:
I need to learn a foreign language.

My Vision for the Future:
A world in which women are not discriminated against simply for being women.

My Areas of Expertise:
Elementary Education (Columbia University), Improvisation Comedy