Imagine a New Reality with Donna Goodman

    

Donna Goodman has spent her entire life learning about and advocating for the protection of our Earth and its children. She is an activist, author, and a teacher of sustainability, who has worked in over sixty countries. In our recent conversation, I asked Donna why she focused on water. She described growing up in Connecticut, exploring nature and backyard streams. Later in life, Donna co-founded a science education company teaching preschoolers about the invisible forces of nature, like gravity, magnetism and water. Through her work at a peace and sustainability NGO, Donna began to understand that: “Water is a necessary component of sustainability and peace.” 

     

During her years in water education, Donna was inspired by the young voices in the sustainability movement. She worked 15 years for UNICEF, and founded Earth Child Institute (ECI), an international NGO in 2002. The idea for the Earth Child Institute, which engages children with climate education, originated from a young intern at Global Education Associates (GEA). ECI has blossomed into a center of sustainability studies and collective action. Today, the climate movement continues to be led by many young voices. Donna has learned from children that they need adults to respect them, and take their projects seriously. The children of today know they have a responsibility to fight for climate justice. The environmental crisis seems like an overwhelming issue however, investing in our young people, especially girls, is an achievable step in the right direction. Donna enjoys reminding people of the words of Martin Luther King Jr.: “Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” Donna considers her “apple tree” to be her sustainability-driven fictional series, Ecomasters. 

Ecomasters is a girl-led series that brings the stories of a group of young, changemakers. The characters and settings are inspired by the real people and places Donna has encountered over the course of many years. Donna wanted to make her book accessible to children all over the world, which is why Ecomasters includes stories on every continent. The series possesses elements of magic, using the natural and scientific principles of water to create a world of magical realism. Donna believes reading is a fundamental process for young people to expand their dreams. She envisions a final series of five books and multimedia adaptation.

Donna writes in Ecomasters, “Everything here, and elsewhere is connected and dependent upon everything else and, at the heart of that connection, is the Earth’s Life blood: water.” We are united now more than ever because of our shared threat of climate change and our dwindling drinking water supply. Donna imagines Ecomasters to be a vehicle for social change and education by engaging and empowering young women with stories of courageous acts towards sustainability. 

 https://ecomastersbooks.com/ 

https://donnagoodman.com/ 

By Grace Gallant

Laetitia's Compassion Created a Community Center in Costa Rica

Pictured: CEPIA founder, Laetitia Deweer

Laetitia Deweer moved to Costa Rica when she was 23 and she began her volunteer work with PANI, a government child protection agency. While working with this organization, she noticed that children in poverty were in the streets all day, vulnerable to harm and violence. These children were not able to heal from their trauma because they were still experiencing it. Realizing this, Laetitia shifted her focus to combating the root causes of poverty by founding CEPIA (Culture, Education and Psychology for Infants and Adolescents) with her friend Lotje De Ridder. CEPIA was founded in 2005 as a non-profit organization that promotes culture, education, jobs, and health services.



Within the first week of opening the center, 50 children showed up at their doors. As more children and families were drawn to the center, Laetitia and her partners expanded their programs to address a wider range of needs, across many different communities. With the help of counselors, children now have the opportunity to open up about their trauma and begin to heal.

Pictured: Costa Rican children enjoying a CEPIA youth program.

CEPIA has grown its after school programs to include youth creatives, psychological healthcare, childcare, professional training and education, scholarships, environmental initiatives, and cultural education. CEPIA also partners with many organizations, both governmental and grassroots, to fund similar projects in additional locations in Costa Rica.

Pictured: Community members packaging food for those in need with CEPIA.

When the Covid19 pandemic began, it worsened the already harsh conditions for impoverished people. In this time of crisis, CEPIA stepped up their support for the community by providing psychological treatment to over 500 adults, and delivering 8,393 food packages between April and December 2020. The Christmas Campaign donated nearly 500 Christmas packages to families in Guanacaste. For the past 15 years, CEPIA has strengthened community bonds, spreading Laetitia’s vision of healing and devotion.



Visit CEPIA’s website https://cepiacostarica.org/about/, to see the long list of donors and contributors that helped push the vision forward.

Ten Years of CPAS Ghana

Pictured: Priscilla Jeffery with students in Ghana

Priscilla’s interest in Ghana began when she met her friend Mary, a Ghanaian nurses aid who cared for her mother. Their relationship brought her closer to the Ghanaian community. After she retired from teaching, her next step was to create a nonprofit organization in Nsawam, lending money to women in need. Renting an apartment in town, attending church and shopping at local shops, Priscilla became part of the community. After ten years of living and working in Nsawam, she saw that many women were not able to make their loan payments. All their money went to pay for education. Priscilla transitioned her organization to fund schooling for girls. Education is not easily accessible for a lot of people in Ghana. One must buy a uniform and school supplies in addition to paying school fees.

Pictured: Students return to school in 2021 with masks.

This year CPAS (Community Partnership in Akuapum South) celebrates its tenth year anniversary. Priscilla Jeffery founded the organization CPAS in Ghana to make education more accessible for girls. Without education, it is easy for girls to fall into a life of exploitation and poverty. CPAS Ghana gives young women in Ghana an alternative path of opportunity and success. 

Pictured: CPAS Student studying science with organization The Exploratory

CPAS has grown from educating 15 girls in 2011 to 75, in 2021. The organization pays for school fees, and buys locally printed books and uniforms made by local seamstresses. The staff follows each girl on their journey of learning, working with her teachers and family to guarantee a clear path to success. Greenwich High School in Connecticut, supports CPAS with donations of school supplies through the “Education for all” club. Donor and community support, Ghanaian students’ ambition, Jeffery’s generosity and the dedication of the staff brought this nonprofit to life.

With the help of the woman in the community Priscilla has created another way to fund her organization. Products made by the local women will soon be sold online. For more information, contact: priscillaj@cpasghana.org

Photos of products are below.

Beaded bracelet

Knitted cloths

Purses made with bright colors

Fans

Another style of purse

The Haute Healing Foundation: A Gift of Burnout

The story of Dr. Dominique Jean begins with burnout, as it was this feeling that led her to make a decision that changed  her life. After years of schooling and training to become an anesthesiologist, Dr Jean discovered that the constant stress of work with no outlet for passion was the cause of her burnout. 

Dominique realized that she must make a change, and incorporate balance in her life. In the podcast linked below she remembers wishing to get in a minor car accident in order to have a break from the stress of her professional life. This was a clear sign of the need for change.

Pictured: Dr. Dominque Jean and her "glam boxes", that have been given out during Covid.

Her first step was to cut back her hours in the hospital and work part time. She recognized that she was able to do this because of financial stability and independence. Knowing that she would have to make some sacrifices and live on a budget in order to pursue her passion, she decided it was worth it. Dominique emphasizes the importance of letting go of the fear and negativity that comes before making a drastic change.

Searching for balance, Dominique reflected on what made her happy and what fueled her passions. Fashion had always inspired her, however she had never thought about it as a profession. Acknowledging her love of fashion, she enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles, and continued to work as an anesthesiologist. She created the necessary balance in her life by being intentional and well organized.

Pictured: Two young girls who received a full makeover, wardrobe
styling, and photoshoot from the Haute Healing Foundation.

 Allowing herself time to spend on her passion and leisure, she found a door opening to a second career. By choosing to incorporate meditation and prayer into her daily life, Dominque noticed a sense of calmness that has made her a better doctor. 

The combination of fashion and medicine led to the inspired notion of makeovers for her patients. She realized that offering glamor to the sick and disadvantaged kids in the hospital would bring them delight and joy. The Haute Foundation was born out of this idea.

Pictured: Makeovers at the Haute Healing foundation set, pre-Covid.

    

The Haute Healing Foundation delivers “glam” to the sick even in the midst of Covid by sending gift boxes.Visit https://www.hautehealing.org/ to learn more about this amazing pediatric anesthesiologist Dr. Dominique Jean.

                                                                                

Pictured above: The Haute Healing Foundation offers their services of head-to-toe makeovers followed by a photoshoot to disadvantaged and sick children. 

Photos from @hautehealing on Instagram

Learn more about this story here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-physician-to-fashion-creating-income-balance-between/id1285879846?i=1000472761023

by Grace Gallant

Compassion in Community - Food Bank in Chicago

As winter approaches and the coronavirus continues to spread through the city, the people at the Pilsen Food Pantry are working together to fight hunger in their community. 

Through the work of the community and mutual aid, Pilsen Food Pantry has been able to receive enough donations that they had to stop accepting them. For the month of November, the pantry was able to donate hundreds of coats, 200 pairs of children's shoes and clothing to over 200 clients. 

Photos from @pilsen_food_pantry on Instagram

Pilsen Food Pantry was created by the Figueroa-Wu Family in 2018 to fight the endemic hunger in Chicago. The pantry has four employees and is supported by hundreds of volunteers, of which include college and medical students, community members and youth. 

The Pilsen Food Pantry offers a variety of culturally inclusive foods, perishable and non-perishable, and household items such as period products, light bulbs, and other hygiene items. Food offerings are sourced daily from Greater Chicago Food Depository, Trader Joe’s, Imperfect Produce, and Whole Foods. Occasional donations come from Hunger Resource Center, food drives, and ad hoc wholesaler arrangements. Menstrual products are donated from the Chicago Period Project (www.chicagoperiodproject.org) and local drives. During non-COVID times, the Pantry offers SNAP enrollment assistance.

In response to COVID, the Pilsen Food Pantry has introduced a delivery system for their clients that are unable to leave their houses. Individual public health projects have included food delivery and tracking of social and health outcomes.

Through donations and the work of volunteers, the Pilsen Food Pantry has graciously spread love and supported the people of Pilsen, Chicago. The selflessness and community organizing that is shown by members of this food pantry should be emulated in places around the world. The pandemic has only worsened the hunger and poverty crisis, so organizations such as this are essential right now. 

"The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members." – Coretta Scott King.

 

Check out their website: https://www.figueroawufamilyfoundation.com/pilsen-food-pantry

And if you are looking to donate this holiday season, here is a link to their donation page: https://www.figueroawufamilyfoundation.com/donate

They are also looking for volunteers! It takes lots of hands to organize donations so your time is very valuable. 

You can also follow Pilsen Food Pantry on Instagram @pilsen_food_pantry, where they post recipes, news, and donation opportunities. 

NOW IS THE TIME to have heartfelt racial justice conversations.

 “Trayvon Martin Is Our Son Too,” were the words my friend Karen had printed on one thousand metal, pin-on, buttons surrounding a picture of her family and me. That happened in April 2012 when Karen was dying from the effects of Multiple Myeloma and her husband was recovering from a heart attack.

    On the day we decided to have the buttons made, I had gone to her home to pick her up because we planned to visit her husband at the rehab facility. She was troubled by the news of Trayvon Martin’s death. As we talked about it, her activist personality took over and she declared:

            “We have to DO something.” 

    After a conversation about possibilities – a community meeting, a newspaper article, a letter to the editor – we decided to create the button. We looked up button companies and chose one that would deliver in twenty-four hours if they had a picture by 3 PM.

    We planned to take the picture at the rehab facility in order to include Karen’s husband. As I packed the car with Karen’s walker and wheelchair, she called to me, “Don’t forget the hoodies. Bring one for everybody.  Trayvon Martin was wearing a hoodie when he was killed.”

    When we arrived at the rehab facility, Karen gave these instructions.

    “Everyone put on your hoodies. And Rosemary go get a nurse or an aide to come in here and take the picture.”

    I returned with a nurse, handed her an iPhone and joined the group posing for the photo.

            Karen explained to the nurse, who was black, “We are making a button. The words on the button will be,’Trayvon Martin Is Our Son Too.’ We will wear these buttons until justice is done.” The nurse reacted with surprise before tearing up. Then she whispered, “I didn’t think white people cared.”

   

    Karen died a few weeks after we had the buttons made but she lived long enough to start conversations about racial justice. We gave buttons away until they were all distributed within the community. I still have my button and will wear it now, hoping for justice. 

    This time, in 2020, we are focused on a different son. George Floyd is our son too. 

Link to the Conversation Pandemic as a Liminal Pause with Jean Bolen and Claudette Werleigh

Here is the Link to the Zoom Recording of Women's Perspective, 

Currency of the Heart, Zoom Conversation on May 15 at 2:00 PM EDT

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/9cxeMY-o8VJIbqOTx1PABv8-BaLjT6a81nJP_qdZnky2wyfETbxGBhKtY2DAhUhT Password: 6t.8c70u

 We will continue these conversations and focus on the idea that this time is a threshold, a liminal space where the potential to create a new future has great power. We will explore ways to use this time?  Let's imagine together and use this pause well.

Last night on 60 Minutes Arundhati Roy suggested we are "in some sort of transit lounge". 

"In the course of history, there comes a time when humanity is called to shift to a new level of consciousness to reach a higher moral ground. A time when we have to shed our fear and give hope to each other. That time is now." 

Wangari Maathai

A recording of our May 15, 2020, Currency of the Heart Conversation with Jean Bolen, Claudette Werleigh, Justine Toms and Rosemary Williams will be available here early next week.