One of the sweetest things in our world is children's laughter and their smile. I know I have spent too much time watching a video of a laughing baby on YouTube. In fact I will share that with you now. :-)
Every time I watch it I can help but smile and giggle along with that little child, especially when he starts laughing before ripping the paper - he knows what is about to happen. It puts me in a better frame of mind every time. Which is why today I today I decided to support Operation Smile, every child deserves to have a beautiful smile and they help with this.
The organizations goal is to help those who are born with a cleft condition that makes it hard for many of them to eat, speak, socialize, or smile. It requires surgery to fix it and in many places the parents can't afford that surgery, which is where Operation Smile comes in, they help these children live a normal life by giving them the ability to smile naturally. "Since 1982, Operation Smile — through the help of dedicated medical volunteers — has provided free surgeries to children around the world. As one of the most prominent children’s charities in the world and with a presence in over 50 countries, we are able to heal children’s smiles and bring hope for a better future."
I'm a bit of a sucker for charities that work with and for children, if you hadn't noticed already, and this one really is a great organization and has received many awards in honor of their service around the globe. Because I missed a post, I went ahead and wrote a second post for y'all today...let me know what you think of this organization.
Showing posts with label Youth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Youth. Show all posts
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Toys for Children
First off, I apologize for the missing posts, but I was definitely feeling under the weather. Still not feeling 100% but am almost their. :-)
Today, I will be talking about Child's Play Charity. This is a charity whose mission is to donate gaming systems, games, and toys to hospitals and children who are at the hospitals. I remember when my brother was in the hospital when we were younger, he was only allowed one stuffed animal (their fur and stuff attracts germs, not good, and I don't remember them having games like this. I'm sure that having Playstations or Wiis for the children to play with would be wonderful and keep them from being bored and unhappy in the hospital.
While the majority of the hospitals are located in the USA, they also have hospitals in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the United Kingdom, and one in Egypt; they are expanding as they find people willing to help organize with hospitals around the world. "With over 70 partner hospitals and more arriving every year, you can be sure to find one from the map above that needs your help! You can choose to purchase requested items from their online retailer wish lists, or make a cash donation that helps out Child’s Play partners everywhere. Any items purchased through Amazon will be shipped directly to your hospital of choice, so please be sure to select their shipping address rather than your own."
You can help wither through donating money to the organization, to a hospital to purchase needed items, or purchasing items from their wishlist and shipping them via Amazon. They try to keep their administrative costs as low as possible, often being only 2-3% of their over all budget, but "there is a slight administrative cost that does get paid for with donations (for example, shipping $200,000 worth of Nintendo DS’ to dozens of hospitals worldwide is not free, sadly)." They do try to keep the costs as low as possible, by not having lots of staff or big offices that they think are unnecessary.
You can also help this charity through Giving Works, a program of Ebay where people can sell items and have the proceeds be donated to a charity. You can also search for sales benefiting charities you like and purchase those items to support your charity. Its a pretty interesting concept, but I haven't used it, If you have or someone you know has let me know what you think. :-)
Well, that is today's post. I like this organization because I think it is important to remember that children need more than just medicine or research on illnesses, if they are sick they need to be entertained and happy which is what Child's Play Charity does for kids in the hospital. :-)
Today, I will be talking about Child's Play Charity. This is a charity whose mission is to donate gaming systems, games, and toys to hospitals and children who are at the hospitals. I remember when my brother was in the hospital when we were younger, he was only allowed one stuffed animal (their fur and stuff attracts germs, not good, and I don't remember them having games like this. I'm sure that having Playstations or Wiis for the children to play with would be wonderful and keep them from being bored and unhappy in the hospital.
While the majority of the hospitals are located in the USA, they also have hospitals in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the United Kingdom, and one in Egypt; they are expanding as they find people willing to help organize with hospitals around the world. "With over 70 partner hospitals and more arriving every year, you can be sure to find one from the map above that needs your help! You can choose to purchase requested items from their online retailer wish lists, or make a cash donation that helps out Child’s Play partners everywhere. Any items purchased through Amazon will be shipped directly to your hospital of choice, so please be sure to select their shipping address rather than your own."
You can help wither through donating money to the organization, to a hospital to purchase needed items, or purchasing items from their wishlist and shipping them via Amazon. They try to keep their administrative costs as low as possible, often being only 2-3% of their over all budget, but "there is a slight administrative cost that does get paid for with donations (for example, shipping $200,000 worth of Nintendo DS’ to dozens of hospitals worldwide is not free, sadly)." They do try to keep the costs as low as possible, by not having lots of staff or big offices that they think are unnecessary.
You can also help this charity through Giving Works, a program of Ebay where people can sell items and have the proceeds be donated to a charity. You can also search for sales benefiting charities you like and purchase those items to support your charity. Its a pretty interesting concept, but I haven't used it, If you have or someone you know has let me know what you think. :-)
Well, that is today's post. I like this organization because I think it is important to remember that children need more than just medicine or research on illnesses, if they are sick they need to be entertained and happy which is what Child's Play Charity does for kids in the hospital. :-)
Friday, January 7, 2011
Uganda orphans
This week has been about supporting young girls and giving to projects at the Global Giving site. Today's post is a project to educate young girls in Uganda who have been orphaned due to war or HIV/AIDS. This project is organized by the Platform for Labour Action, whose focus is on a grassroots effort to reach out to the affected community and working with them to meet their needs.
This project will provide education, lunch, school materials and school uniforms to orphaned girls. Counseling support, nutrition and basic health care will be offered to rehabilitate these children. This project's goal is to enable "displaced and orphaned children will be able to read and write; communicate; develop their intellect; improve socializing skills and realize their right to education. They will have potential to earn income, leave meaningful and positive lives.
This project aims to remove 200 orphans from exploitative situations and provide them with education and nutrition, as well as counseling and health care. Without this project these girls lack access to education and the social instability leads to displacement and exploitative work situations. Many young girls end up turning to forms of prostitution in order to survive, which puts them at risk to STD's and HIV/AIDS, as well as causing many of them to be child mothers.
Its truly a tough place to survive, one of the reasons is that HIV/AIDS has destroyed an entire generation. In many areas of Africa, the predominance of people are elderly or very young children being raised by grandparents or their older siblings. HIV/AIDS has impacted middle aged people the most, which is very hard on the children who do not have parents to care for them. This project will help children who have been orphaned or displaced get their education, and to survive and thrive despite the obstacles they face.
I hope that you have been inspired by these amazing projects that are working to empower young girls around the globe. Knowing that I helped people around the world often helps to make me feel more empowered about my own life. If these children can survive what they have been through, then I too have the strength to be successful. Helping others through volunteering or donating is a great way to feel empowered in your own life.
P.S. I slept badly, so if there are grammatical errors or inconsistencies please blame them on the lack of sleep. On the other hand, if today's post was brilliant, I take full credit for that! :-)
This project will provide education, lunch, school materials and school uniforms to orphaned girls. Counseling support, nutrition and basic health care will be offered to rehabilitate these children. This project's goal is to enable "displaced and orphaned children will be able to read and write; communicate; develop their intellect; improve socializing skills and realize their right to education. They will have potential to earn income, leave meaningful and positive lives.
This project aims to remove 200 orphans from exploitative situations and provide them with education and nutrition, as well as counseling and health care. Without this project these girls lack access to education and the social instability leads to displacement and exploitative work situations. Many young girls end up turning to forms of prostitution in order to survive, which puts them at risk to STD's and HIV/AIDS, as well as causing many of them to be child mothers.
Its truly a tough place to survive, one of the reasons is that HIV/AIDS has destroyed an entire generation. In many areas of Africa, the predominance of people are elderly or very young children being raised by grandparents or their older siblings. HIV/AIDS has impacted middle aged people the most, which is very hard on the children who do not have parents to care for them. This project will help children who have been orphaned or displaced get their education, and to survive and thrive despite the obstacles they face.
I hope that you have been inspired by these amazing projects that are working to empower young girls around the globe. Knowing that I helped people around the world often helps to make me feel more empowered about my own life. If these children can survive what they have been through, then I too have the strength to be successful. Helping others through volunteering or donating is a great way to feel empowered in your own life.
P.S. I slept badly, so if there are grammatical errors or inconsistencies please blame them on the lack of sleep. On the other hand, if today's post was brilliant, I take full credit for that! :-)
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Girl 2 Girl
Hello,
Today's program that I am featuring is the Girl 2 Girl run by Oasis for Girls, a project of the Tides Center. They focus on young girls from 11 to 24 years old, many of whom are immigrants or from marginalized groups, in the neighborhood's of San Francisco who are struggling to fit into our culture while maintaining their own heritages.
Oasis for Girls "provides a safe space where girls and young women are inspired and empowered to become strong and creative leaders in their communities. Oasis For Girls provides culturally relevant and gender specific Arts and Arts Education, Leadership Development, and Life Skills Education programs that support the growth of low-income and immigrant girls and young women of color in urban communities. Through these programs, girls and young women have access to a community of adults who support them in creating change and integrating their skills to address issues they face in their lives and in their communities"
Here is a video done by their Girl Leadership Institute discussing teen pregnancy, safer sex, abstinence, and abortion from their own viewpoint. This video made by young women is intended to educate other young women about their options.
The Girl 2 Girl project is focused on girls from 11 to 14, helping them to find and reach their potential. Being a young girl in an urban environment can be quite challenging; "just walking down the street can be an exercise in sexual harassment. Overtures from gang members - both male and female - are a daily reality, and even the youth-focused community centers can be dominated by boys and young men. In an effort to protect their daughters, many parents require their girls to come straight home after school, rather than hang out, unsupervised, with friends. So if you're 13, where do you find a haven, an Oasis?"
The project provides and environment for the girls to be themselves and to escape the pressure of their lives. It helps them to become leaders in their community.
Today's program that I am featuring is the Girl 2 Girl run by Oasis for Girls, a project of the Tides Center. They focus on young girls from 11 to 24 years old, many of whom are immigrants or from marginalized groups, in the neighborhood's of San Francisco who are struggling to fit into our culture while maintaining their own heritages.
Oasis for Girls "provides a safe space where girls and young women are inspired and empowered to become strong and creative leaders in their communities. Oasis For Girls provides culturally relevant and gender specific Arts and Arts Education, Leadership Development, and Life Skills Education programs that support the growth of low-income and immigrant girls and young women of color in urban communities. Through these programs, girls and young women have access to a community of adults who support them in creating change and integrating their skills to address issues they face in their lives and in their communities"
Here is a video done by their Girl Leadership Institute discussing teen pregnancy, safer sex, abstinence, and abortion from their own viewpoint. This video made by young women is intended to educate other young women about their options.
The Girl 2 Girl project is focused on girls from 11 to 14, helping them to find and reach their potential. Being a young girl in an urban environment can be quite challenging; "just walking down the street can be an exercise in sexual harassment. Overtures from gang members - both male and female - are a daily reality, and even the youth-focused community centers can be dominated by boys and young men. In an effort to protect their daughters, many parents require their girls to come straight home after school, rather than hang out, unsupervised, with friends. So if you're 13, where do you find a haven, an Oasis?"
The project provides and environment for the girls to be themselves and to escape the pressure of their lives. It helps them to become leaders in their community.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Human Trafficking
A heartbreaking issue is the trafficking of huge numbers of adults and young girls and boys for labor, sexual exploitation, and other purposes. People in these situations have very little protections and options. For example, someone trafficked to the U.S. in many areas is seen as an illegal and are deported instead of prosecuting those who trafficked them, the laws are being changed, but it is still an ongoing fight for recognition of their plight. It is a tragic situation across the globe, and it is widespread although many people may not have heard about it. One area that has been impacted by this is Cambodia, one reason it is so prevalent is the poverty. When people have no options they will take any chance in hope of a job, but will often end up being trafficked instead. And parents will sell their children because they need the money to survive or they might hope that their child might have a better future.
Which is why I today I focus on Restoring Hope to Trafficked Girls in Cambodia, a project supported and organized by Hagar USA which support the mission of Hagar International. Their mission states that "Hagar is an international Christian organisation committed to the recovery, empowerment and reintegration of women and children in Afghanistan, Cambodia and Vietnam. Pierre Tami and his wife, Simonetta launched Hagar in 1994 in Cambodia with the vision of empowering women and children from devastating backgrounds of violence, abuse and trafficking, to become strong, resilient and independent members of community again. At Hagar, social programs meet social business. This approach, including recovery shelters, education, vocational training, and employment, has enabled hundreds of women and children to reintegrate into community again."
I love the focus on empowering women who have dealt with so much violence and abuse in their lives and showing how strong and amazing these women can be. Women who escape and overcome situations, such as human trafficking, are often the fiercest advocates for change in their community and in stopping other women and girls from ending up in the same place as them.
This specific project is dedicated to helping young girls from 4 to 14 that were trafficked or experienced other forms of sexual abuse. They want to create a residential care facility for these young girls, a place where they can feel safe and receive holistic recovery services, including counseling, medical care, legal support, and education. The environment will be one that will support and nurture these girls to break the cycle of abuse and restore their lives.
Hopefully, it will restore hope to all the girls in Cambodia that pass through its doors. Please consider supporting it as well.
Which is why I today I focus on Restoring Hope to Trafficked Girls in Cambodia, a project supported and organized by Hagar USA which support the mission of Hagar International. Their mission states that "Hagar is an international Christian organisation committed to the recovery, empowerment and reintegration of women and children in Afghanistan, Cambodia and Vietnam. Pierre Tami and his wife, Simonetta launched Hagar in 1994 in Cambodia with the vision of empowering women and children from devastating backgrounds of violence, abuse and trafficking, to become strong, resilient and independent members of community again. At Hagar, social programs meet social business. This approach, including recovery shelters, education, vocational training, and employment, has enabled hundreds of women and children to reintegrate into community again."
I love the focus on empowering women who have dealt with so much violence and abuse in their lives and showing how strong and amazing these women can be. Women who escape and overcome situations, such as human trafficking, are often the fiercest advocates for change in their community and in stopping other women and girls from ending up in the same place as them.
This specific project is dedicated to helping young girls from 4 to 14 that were trafficked or experienced other forms of sexual abuse. They want to create a residential care facility for these young girls, a place where they can feel safe and receive holistic recovery services, including counseling, medical care, legal support, and education. The environment will be one that will support and nurture these girls to break the cycle of abuse and restore their lives.
Hopefully, it will restore hope to all the girls in Cambodia that pass through its doors. Please consider supporting it as well.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Unleash the Leader in a Girl!
I came across an organization that seems really great, I hope you agree. I found them at the Global Giving and they caught my eye, I have therefore decided that this is going to be a week dedicated to young girls and women around the world. Today's charity is The Mariposa Girl's Leadership Program in the Dominican Republic and it focuses on empowering young girls in order to create change and promote social justice. They are inspired by the UN's Millenium Development Goals, so they focus on "eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equality and empowering women, reducing the child mortality rate, improving maternal health, combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases, ensuring environmental sustainability, and developing a global partnership for development." And they believe that the achievement of these goals are "dependent upon the education and empowerment of women and young girls."
Any organization which works to empower young girls has my support. Here is a video from them talking about their work. Very inspiring.
So, if you find them interesting and want to donate to them, you can mail them checks or donate through their Global Giving page.
While we are on the subject, Global Giving is another site you can look for and find wonderful charities, just another resource for y'all.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Do you use Google Chrome?
If you do, then you need to download Chrome for a Cause add-on. For a short time, Dec 15 to Dec 19, google is going to donate to a few different charities based on your Internet usage. The five different charities are The Nature Conservancy, charity: water, Doctors Without Borders, Un Techo para mi Pais, and Room to Read. Which are all wonderful organizations, if you aren't familiar with them you should read more about them. Every day you get to decide who to donate to out of the five and I have to say, it would be really hard for me to choose one, but thankfully you can do it everyday as you surf the Internet.
Unfortunately, my comp is one version too old for me to be able to use Chrome... So I cannot do this, which means you have to do it for me. So download Chrome and go about your daily life as usual while getting Google to donate to wonderful charities. It takes absolutely no extra effort on your part, except for the tough choice of who to donate to, I say choose a different one every day, cycle through them all.
According to a TechCrunch article here is "how much you have to browse to donate to the various charities: 10 tabs = 1 tree planted, 10 tabs = 1 book published and donated, 25 tabs = 1 vaccination treatment provided, 100 tabs = 1 square foot of shelter built, 200 tabs = 1 person’s clean water for a year." So like the article says "just browse the web, and donate to charity."
So here is the add-on go and download it now!
Unfortunately, my comp is one version too old for me to be able to use Chrome... So I cannot do this, which means you have to do it for me. So download Chrome and go about your daily life as usual while getting Google to donate to wonderful charities. It takes absolutely no extra effort on your part, except for the tough choice of who to donate to, I say choose a different one every day, cycle through them all.
According to a TechCrunch article here is "how much you have to browse to donate to the various charities: 10 tabs = 1 tree planted, 10 tabs = 1 book published and donated, 25 tabs = 1 vaccination treatment provided, 100 tabs = 1 square foot of shelter built, 200 tabs = 1 person’s clean water for a year." So like the article says "just browse the web, and donate to charity."
So here is the add-on go and download it now!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Ending Gay Bullying....
Even in this day and age, queer youth face the risk of bullying, tormenting, and even attacks. There have been numerous, at least eight, suicides of teens who were gay or were bullied and harassed on the assumption that they were gay.
These stories break my heart for multiple reasons. First of all, the loss of people as young as 13 is just heart wrenching. A 13 year old has not experienced so many of life's joys and the experiences they have missed out on is so sad. At 13, there were so many things to live for that I didn't even know about and had not yet experienced. Everyone deserves the chance to experience life's up and downs and the things that make life worth living for.
Also, for those who were queer, they never got to be okay with who they are. They bullying and teasing made them feel so ashamed of who they are that they would rather commit suicide than have their family know they were gay or acknowledge their true selves in public. They never got to find people and family that love and accept them for themselves, no matter who they love.
And the fact that gayness is still being used as a pejorative label. Bullies use queerness to belittle and make one the other. To show their difference and make it a weakness. To say you are weird and that weirdness makes you a bad person. That kids and full grown adults still use these identities as an insult and consider them to be bad and a threat to our society is just ludicrous. But as insults they have the power to make children contemplate and attempt suicide.
And the reason it is so important to talk about this is because gay teens attempt suicide four times more often than their straight peers. Not being accepted and considered weird your whole life definitely impacts queer teens through bullying and teasing...
So today, I am donating to GLSEN - the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network. They do some really great work at trying to stop bullying in our schools and to create safe space for diversity. They are "the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students. Established in 1990, GLSEN envisions a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. GLSEN seeks to develop school climates where difference is valued for the positive contribution it makes to creating a more vibrant and diverse community."
I first heard about this organization through participating in the Day of Silence event held in April across the nation. It is a nationally student organized event in which participants are silent throughout the day in order to raise awareness of the silence around the issue of LGBT bullying. It is a symbolic event to show the helplessness and inability to voice their true feelings that many youth experience. LGBT and allies, raise awareness through not speaking of the issues facing our youth.
I found it to be a very powerful and moving event and thus think that GLSEN is a great organization for me to support on this blog.
And to any queer LGBT youth, I care about and accept you, please don't think about giving up on life so early. If you or anyone you know is thinking about suicide because of their sexuality please call the Trevor Project - 866- 4 U TREVOR.
Thanks all, and please spread the word that in this day and age we should all support our queer friends, family, and everyone else!
These stories break my heart for multiple reasons. First of all, the loss of people as young as 13 is just heart wrenching. A 13 year old has not experienced so many of life's joys and the experiences they have missed out on is so sad. At 13, there were so many things to live for that I didn't even know about and had not yet experienced. Everyone deserves the chance to experience life's up and downs and the things that make life worth living for.
Also, for those who were queer, they never got to be okay with who they are. They bullying and teasing made them feel so ashamed of who they are that they would rather commit suicide than have their family know they were gay or acknowledge their true selves in public. They never got to find people and family that love and accept them for themselves, no matter who they love.
And the fact that gayness is still being used as a pejorative label. Bullies use queerness to belittle and make one the other. To show their difference and make it a weakness. To say you are weird and that weirdness makes you a bad person. That kids and full grown adults still use these identities as an insult and consider them to be bad and a threat to our society is just ludicrous. But as insults they have the power to make children contemplate and attempt suicide.
And the reason it is so important to talk about this is because gay teens attempt suicide four times more often than their straight peers. Not being accepted and considered weird your whole life definitely impacts queer teens through bullying and teasing...
So today, I am donating to GLSEN - the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network. They do some really great work at trying to stop bullying in our schools and to create safe space for diversity. They are "the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students. Established in 1990, GLSEN envisions a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. GLSEN seeks to develop school climates where difference is valued for the positive contribution it makes to creating a more vibrant and diverse community."
I first heard about this organization through participating in the Day of Silence event held in April across the nation. It is a nationally student organized event in which participants are silent throughout the day in order to raise awareness of the silence around the issue of LGBT bullying. It is a symbolic event to show the helplessness and inability to voice their true feelings that many youth experience. LGBT and allies, raise awareness through not speaking of the issues facing our youth.
I found it to be a very powerful and moving event and thus think that GLSEN is a great organization for me to support on this blog.
And to any queer LGBT youth, I care about and accept you, please don't think about giving up on life so early. If you or anyone you know is thinking about suicide because of their sexuality please call the Trevor Project - 866- 4 U TREVOR.
Thanks all, and please spread the word that in this day and age we should all support our queer friends, family, and everyone else!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Happy National Coming Out Day!
Today is a day in which the queer community supports others through national coming out events and is also a great chance for all people to support their LGBT families, friends, employees, and other peoples. So I am supporting the Human Rights Campaign today, because they organize many of the events today.
Additionally, this year's day is especially important in regards to the recent teen LGBT suicides which I have written about previously. From the Human Rights Campaign website, here is some info on the events: "This year’s National Coming Out Day takes on increased importance after at least eight teenagers have taken their own lives as a result of anti-gay bullying and harassment, including four in one Minnesota school district alone. “The more we as LGBT people tell our stories and engage others, the closer we are to achieving equality,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “The recent tragedies involving young gay Americans, and those perceived to be gay, increase the urgency for all people of good conscious to Come Out for Equality. Our youth need to have ‘out’ role models and see the visible support of non-gay Americans.”
The importance of this year’s event will be heightened by the recent news of teen suicides precipitated by anti-LGBT bullying and/or harassment. National Coming Out Day encourages people that are or may be LGBT to live open and honest lives. Similarly, the yearly observance is also an opportunity for all fair-minded Americans, friends and family members to support LGBT people they know."
So, as all fair minded Americans should support LGBT individuals and support children's right to go to school without experiencing bullying. Today I come out in support of LGBT right and support everyone who is coming out or reaffirming their sexuality. I hope you do too!
Additionally, this year's day is especially important in regards to the recent teen LGBT suicides which I have written about previously. From the Human Rights Campaign website, here is some info on the events: "This year’s National Coming Out Day takes on increased importance after at least eight teenagers have taken their own lives as a result of anti-gay bullying and harassment, including four in one Minnesota school district alone. “The more we as LGBT people tell our stories and engage others, the closer we are to achieving equality,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “The recent tragedies involving young gay Americans, and those perceived to be gay, increase the urgency for all people of good conscious to Come Out for Equality. Our youth need to have ‘out’ role models and see the visible support of non-gay Americans.”
The importance of this year’s event will be heightened by the recent news of teen suicides precipitated by anti-LGBT bullying and/or harassment. National Coming Out Day encourages people that are or may be LGBT to live open and honest lives. Similarly, the yearly observance is also an opportunity for all fair-minded Americans, friends and family members to support LGBT people they know."
So, as all fair minded Americans should support LGBT individuals and support children's right to go to school without experiencing bullying. Today I come out in support of LGBT right and support everyone who is coming out or reaffirming their sexuality. I hope you do too!
Friday, October 1, 2010
Be proud of who you are!
Being a teenager is hard for everyone, now imagine what it might feel like if you you were also an atypical teenager. There have been multiple teen suicides in the last week by students who were outed, tormented, bullied, and harassed for their sexuality.
Multiple studies have shown that LGBT teens are at a higher risk to attempt suicide. "A controversial U.S. government study, titled Report of the Secretary's Task Force on Youth Suicide, published in 1989, found that LGBT youth are two to three times more likely to attempt suicide than other young people." And "for every completed suicide by a young person, it is estimated that 100 to 200 attempts are made (2003 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey)."
So, while suicide is tragic for every community, it is especially tragic for the queer community because it affects so many of our youth. And in this day and age it is absolutely ludicrous that people discriminate and tease other youths to the extent that they feel hopeless. And it is EVERYONE'S responsibility to change our society. Today, I am going to support The Trevor Project whose focus is on helping end teen suicide among LGBT youth. They "advocate acceptance and help prevent teen suicide by promoting mental health and positive self-esteem through a premiere on line destination, nationwide 24/7 call centers, and empowering social activities."
They are an amazing group, don't believe me, here is Daniel Radcliff's PSA for The Trevor Project.
For more information, here are a few links.
Suicide among LGBT youth - Wikipedia.
Gay And Lesbian Teen Suicide: The Trevor Project Helpline - NowPublic.
The Trevor Project.
The Girl Effect.
Thanks to a professor of mine for this link, I found it to be very provocative and thoughtful. And it has a great point. So, today we are helping Girl Effect in order to help them grow into powerful women.
According to their site, merely 2 cents of every aid dollar is given to girls. They want to change that math, lets help them. According to their website: "there are 600 million adolescent girls living in poverty in the developing world. By giving one of these girls a chance, you start the girl effect. When girls have safe places to meet, education, legal protection, health care, and access to training and job skills, they can thrive. And if they thrive, everyone around them thrives, too."
I love it when i find the sites to be interesting and thought provoking, its worth it to explore their website to learn more about the plight facing young girls globally.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Youth issues.
I really like the work of this group. They are working with at risk youth and those in crisis to create long term solutions and help for homeless youths and their families. They do more than just provide shelter or food, they want to help youths and their families to become self-sufficient. The majority of their work is done with runaway, abused, or at risk youths in San Diego. The services they offer are broad and support the diverse youth's that need their help.
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