Our changing world

Huff Post said it best, I merely share. Please read and enjoy. :)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/23/march-on-washington-infographic_n_3794682.html?utm_hp_ref=@education123

With Jim Crow segregation, voting discrimination and rampant joblessness not yet in rear view, 1963 was a tough time to be black in America.

In January, Alabama governor George C. Wallace would defiantly proclaim in his inaugural speech: "Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, and segregation forever!," sending a wave of intolerance across the south that would lead to the death of four young girls at Birmingham's 16th Street Baptist Church and the shooting death of civil rights activist Medgar Evers at his home in Jackson, Mississippi later that year.

And though there were bright spots -- African-American student Harvey Gantt entering Clemson University in South Carolina, the last U.S. state to hold out against racial integration, and James Meredith becoming the first black person to graduate from Ole Miss -- it would be a while before true change would come (as soul singer Sam Cooke's 1963-inspired hit proclaimed).

But has it?

By some estimates, no, with African Americans only barely better off in the war on poverty and imprisonment that pervades the news today. By other summations, the black community is leaps and bounds beyond where it was back in 1963.

As we acknowledge the anniversary of the 1963 March On Washington For Jobs & Freedom, a rally with parallel issues in mind, the Huffington Post has laid out a look at black life then and now to help you decide.

It's a smaller world after all

 Check out this video below!

My whole life, my family has always been just a phone call away. Some family even lived right down the street from me and I often just used my two feet to say hello.

Not everyone was as lucky as me. For some people, family is simply a distant memory; an idea from their remote past. What is exciting is that today things are changing for those people. 

Our world is increasingly getting smaller! We have access to the other side of the world in mere seconds! We have accomplished many things, and the future is now.

Now, I have my qualms about modern technology and its rate of growth, but I also can't help but feel lucky to live in a day and age where the world is at my fingertips. 

The globe has never seemed so small.

Just food for thought

Sadly Stuck in an Archiac State of Mind

     So I am sitting on my couch today watching television getting ready to take a nap. I then see a really cute Cheerios commercial about a family eating cheerios for breakfast. I thought the little girl was really cute, and I remembered that I had seen that little girl before, but where?

 

     A few seconds later, it came to me. I remembered seeing her in the Huffington post a while back! I like to be correct about things so I looked it up and sure enough, the very same adorable little girl was on the front of the Huffington Post from May 31st.The reason? This commercial apparently got backlash from commentators on You Tube and other sources, 

because. the. family. was. mixed.
 

    

Are you joking? Are we not in 2013?

     It seems to me that issues that have existed in the world never truly go away, and that makes me sad. There are still people who feel the need to hang onto these bigoted ideas and refuse to let them go. The rest of the world moves on, while these people wither away in their own conceived misery of the world.
     I appreciate sources, one being the Huffington Post, for calling these people out. I think it is great that people out there will stand up for the right thing. Watch this clip in response to the backlash. I love how they are making a clear bold statement that these issues are inane, and people need to move on.

     My point,  Citizens of this country are currently fighting for equal rights; murder is on the news almost every day; our economy is slowly crippling; there are still people (in this country) who are hungry with nothing to eat; water is not guaranteed in every city around the world, and not everyone has someone to hug. Yet, people are worried about a mixed race family. I think what this country needs is for everyone to worry about themselves, and what directly affects their life. If it doesn't have to do with you, your income, your family, or your belongings, then it doesn't concern you. Let the world be, and enjoy your days on this Earth. They are limited and should not be spent worrying about the wrong things.

Just some food for thought...

 

My discovery of Charity:water

Today, as I continued to net away as what has become a part of my morning routine, I discovered yet another incredible story.

This story is about a nonprofit called Charity: water and founder Scott Harrison's passion project. Founded in 2006, it has helped fund 6,611 projects in 20 countries, benefiting over 2,545,000 people!!

So, how did he do it? Well, he joined the passion project after leaving a 10 year run promoting night clubs.

He then took a trip to to Africa and one thing really caught his eye. He noticed people walking three or four hours a day for filthy water that would make them sick, ''water that you wouldn't let your dog drink."

So this is how it began: On his 31st birthday, he invited all his friends to a night club to celebrate, however instead of having them pay for the event, he asked for a donation to help fund something even greater. This also included a promise, that he would show all his friends where their money went and what it accomplished. What began as one man giving up his birthday for a greater cause, a movement was started. People all over are giving up their birthdays for charity:water.

Overall, the organization has raised over $40 million as of January 15, 2012.

But there is more!! It is about a little girl named Rachel.

Rachel heard about charity: water and decided to try and raise 300$ for her ninth birthday to help fund a project with Charity: water. Sadly, she fell short, and only raised 220$. She made a promise to

try harder next year. But on July 11th, she was killed in a tragic car accident.

Her story got out. People from all over the world heard Rachel's story and began to donate. Only a few months after her death, over 1.2 million was raised in her honor for Charity: water. That means that in her honor, she was able to help close to 40,000 people across the globe. One year after her death, on the anniversary of the accident, Rachel's mother and grandparents took a trip to Ethiopia to see those who she helped through her donations. She will be forever remembered all over the world for her caring heart, and what her death has brought to the world.
This little girl holds a special place in my heart, and I have decided to possibly try this for my next birthday. If I could raise even the littlest amount of money, I will have played some role in the changing of this world.

Here is Rachel's story, and a link to her site if you decide you would like to help.

http://www.charitywater.org/rachels-gift/

Just some food for thought...

We are the World

I have had a lot of time on my hands to just internet browse this summer. I usually wake up, eat breakfast and do a bit of net searching since my schedule makes it easier on me to sleep in and relax in the mornings. I came across a video today that I completely forgot existed.

Back in 2010, Haiti was hit with a 7Mw earthquake approximately 16 miles west of Port-au-Prince. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, January 12, 2010.
By January 24th, at least 52 aftershocks measuring 4.5 or greater had been recorded. There was an estimated three million people that were affected by the quake. The highest death count was estimated at 220,000.  The government of Haiti estimated that 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings had collapsed or were severely damaged.It destroyed everything and left so many with nothing.

I saw this one video back in 2010 where a bunch of music artists came together to raise awareness. It made me cry, and it made a big scene with the media, but then it died off. Like I said, I completely forgot about this video.

Well, I came across it again today, and it still gave me chills.  I think it was pretty cool that all these people came together to raise awareness for such an important cause.

"There comes a time when the world must come together as one."

 Some people don't find it important, or even our "duty" to help others in need. But if we take politics, money, territory, religion and anything else that causes a barrier out of the equation and just look at everyone as  human being, then we will see better in the world. I know if I needed a hand, I would hope that any human being would lend me a hand, because we are one and the same. 

Here are some people that did something.  They stepped up and made a difference. The coincidence about this is that what I am writing right now is an edit to my original post because after I had my own little flash back Friday with this video above, I went on my Facebook and saw this off the Invisible Children site. They had the title, #flashbackfriday. Not knowing we both were flashing back to the very same day, I decided to add their video to my blog post as well. 

Just food for thought...

First Year

Man does time fly.

I was officially hired as a second grade teacher in August, a week before school started. Excitement and nerves ran through my body like a drug. I was actually at my restaurant job, my new one. We were in a preshift meeting when I got the call. On the spot I quit, and ran to work to set up my room.

I walk in and there are three interns from other classes there to help. Everyone is looking to me for answers. “Where would you like these, where is your desk going to be?” All I wanted to do was ask them, or tell them, “I have no idea what I’m doing, help me.”

It was scary if not anything else. However, I got through it. The next hurdle…meet the teacher on Monday. Hmm…I’m the teacher. What will I say? Am I going to look confident enough? Sweet but strict? Ahh...all these thoughts raced through my head. Again, I got through it. I also got through my first child tantrum, first referral, first lost tooth, first scrape, first cry, first difficult and challenging question, first embarrassing moment in front of the class, first field trip, first observation. I made it through it all. I am amazed at how much I have learned, and how much I continue to learn. These kids have taught me so much about myself, and about the teacher I want to be.

It wasn't always easy. There were days when I'd leave work and wonder if this was right for me. The exhaustion I felt leaving there day after day overwhelmed me at times. Tedious hours of planning. Stacks of papers to grade. Never ending arguments and tattles. I was often questioning myself as well. “Am I good for these kids? Am I a good teacher?”

I know, with the year coming to an end, that it was worth it all. My first year is in the past! On to a long, and successful career. I know I am in the right place at this very moment.

Are you in the right place at this very moment?

Just food for thought.

A run on the river

River Run 2013, great success!

I had so much fun with my family, like I always do. The river was perfect and the company even better. The water was high and flowing, so locking onto each others canoes was just the thing to do. There was a smaller turnout than usual, which is great. I was apparently a champ at the bongos, which I absolutely love! I need to buy me some bongos!

Nothing like keeping the beat with some guitarists by a bonfire. 

Day 1 pretty much went in that fashion. Drinking, camping, stories and laughs.

Day 2 started with a beer, which explains it all. Flowing and drinking, all day long. Nothing better, nothing worse. Company makes the difference.

On the way back, Rebecca got a chance to catch up. We talked a lot, about life and the images we see for our future. She made big steps to benefit her future, and I am still in a spot where I don't know what I see ahead. I guess I just have to keep going with the way things are until I know what I have to do. Maybe Gainesville is in my future after all. At this point, I am just riding the wave, or flowing down the river. Waiting to see what lies ahead. Not to get caught up in the fututre too much, and simply enjoying the now.

Always enjoy the now.

Just food for thought...

"Life is like the river, sometimes it sweeps you gently along and sometimes the rapids come out of nowhere.”
― Emma Smith

Procastination vs Evil

I am procrastinating on things that I should be doing because I just feel like I have some things to say. 

When the events occurred on 911, I was young. I remember being in my 4th period Algebra class. My teacher, Mr. Fatout. Not many people can forget where they were that very day. Just in the same way that not many people can forget where they were the day Kennedy was shot, or the day Princess Diana was killed. Although I was young, I knew I wouldn't encounter monstrous acts like that often, and that was somewhat comforting.

I don't know if it is because I am older and I pay closer attention, or because they publicly televise things at a much greater rate than they used to, but does it not seem as though these things are becoming much to common in the most unbelievable places? Is it safe anymore to go to the movies, to go to work, to run a marathon,  to be a young child in class? Where can you be safe if you can't be safe at home, you can't be safe in the world you create for yourself?

 These tragedies happen far too often in other countries, and although they are far away places outside of our mind and space, we still pity those people when we hear such tragedies. Now, they are hitting closer to home and I hope everyone opens their eyes and see's that these things can no longer be ignored. Especially when they happening in your own backyard.

Why is it that people can go on the internet to find out how to make a bomb out of household items??

Did it really have to be another mass tragedy where another innocent child is killed and where innocent people who worked hard to get where they were now have loss limbs and psychological fear for the rest of their lives?

I am at a loss of words for humanity, and can only thrive on what I am for my species.  

I pray for you little one...

 

"Most of us end up with no more than five or six people who remember us. Teachers have thousands of people who remember them for the rest of their lives."

-http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_teacher.html