Spring 2013
Beyond Good Ideas The Case for Collaboration Learning to Focus on Strengths and Recognizing Opportunities
America Left Behind: Maternity Leave and the Nations Leading the Pack
New Courses! Institute for Social Change
#APYDCON 2013
Best Practices For Youth Conference
Women in Battle &ŝŐŚƟŶŐ The Invisible War
New Data on Millennials and Civic Engagement
Operating from the Cloud 5 Ways To Descrease Cost & Increase Efficiency in Nonprofit Operations
Featured Short Story by Nick Haldika Mwaluko 1
The SISGI Group Online Magazine
Beyond Good Ideas Voices and Views 19
Time for Millenials to Take a Seat at the Table - Annie Lorenzana
29
Defining Sustainability in the Wake of Hurricane Sandy - Jaclyn Lyons
57
Living a Healthy Life: One Size Does Not Fit All - Wanda L.Snead, Dr. HSC
62
The Cover Conundrum - Kristen Wendt
74
Featured Short Story: New Beginnings - Nick Haldikwa Mwaluko
Social Issues 16
Maternity Leave and the Nations Leading the Pack- Devon Bacso
48
Gender Equality - Still a Work in Progress - Regina Bernadin
54
Women in Combat: Fighting The Invisible War - Jacyln Lyons
65
The Slow Shift Towards Marriage Equality: The United Kingdom and Changing Global Trends - Devon Bacso
 Mark Your Calendars ISC Research and Learning Summit April 22-24, 2013. 2
APYD Best Practices For Youth Conference August 5-8, 2013.
Cover Story
35
Operating from The Cloud 5 Steps to Decrease Cost and Increase Efficiency for Nonprofit Operations By Thenera Bailey
The SISGI Group 7
Letter from the Editor
22
Beyond the Blog - January - March
28
Quotes to Live By
33
ISC Open Enrollment Courses
70
SISGI Internship Experience
Strategies for Social Change 12
The Case for Collaboration - Phil Hsiao
24
Just the Tip of the Horn - Rajesh Gowan
52
5 Ways to Build Pro Bono Service into Your Company - Jennifer Lawson
68
Lessons Learned From... - Kafia Ahmed
72
From the Front of the Class: Innovation and Education - Sarah Sosbe
3
Meet The Team
THENERA BAILEY
4
JACLYN LYONS
EDITOR/CEO, THE SISGI GROUP
FEATURES EDITOR
Thenera has an accomplished career as a consultant, trainer/technical assistance provider to programs, organizations, government agencies, nonprofits, corporations, schools and school districts. As SISGI Group CEO, Thenera is the lead partner in the consulting group and has developed key programs and organization initiatives for the organization’s nonprofit division. She has served as the director of the organization’s cutting edge virtual internship program, overseen the increase in low-cost trainings and pro bono services and established SISGI’s strategies around collective impact and collaboration in the nonprofit sector. Thenera has an Master of Social Work and a Master of Arts and is currently completing a Doctorate in Business Administration with a concentration in Strategy and Innovation.
Jaclyn is an avid writer and blogger on all things related to literature and life. With a strong educational background in the humanities, Jaclyn’s interests range from creative writing to environmental philosophy, but it is difficult to give any parameters to the topics that interest her. Her current work includes a collection of creative non-fiction essays, The Urban Pastoral, which seeks to dismantle the long-held binary between nature and culture, specifically in highly urbanized places like New York City. Jaclyn also has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in English and is very passionate about all things literary, with a particular interest in eco-criticism.
DEVON BACSO
TENELLE BAILEY
Devon is currently finishing her education in English; she has a passion for literature and creative writing as well as women and gender studies. She loves helping others and has worked as a writing tutor and classroom assistant. Her interests include writing, sexual education, and female empowerment. As a queer women, she is very concerned with LGBTQ issues and forming safe spaces for queer communities. She has a history working with women’s groups such as domestic violence shelters and Planned Parenthood, and hopes to use her writing as a new way to give back and raise awareness about issues that concern her.
Tenelle is a Design Consultant for The SISGI Beyond Good Ideas Foundation. She is a Fashion Design Professional with a Bachelors of Science and Masters of Science in Fashion Design and over a decade of experience in the retail and fashion industry. Over the years she has designed womenswear for highly recognized clothing labels and worked in retail management. Tenelle is currently the Creative Director/Editor-in Chief of an online fashion company, Dose of Vitamin F, which showcases unique and creative doses of fashion, trend news, and accessories through a website, blog and boutique. In addition, she leads a design and stylist consultancy that supports the needs of individuals, small businesses, entrepreneurs and pro bono design projects to select nonprofit organizations.
ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR
DESIGN CONSULTANT
5
Turning Good Ideas Into Real Solutions. The SISGI Group works to build the capacity of individuals, organizations and groups to create lasting social change. We remove barriers to action by using a simple, common-sense approach: Preparation, Education and Collaboration. Our Focus Sustainable ImpactsŠ A positive and cohesive outcome from the work of a charitable organization, social innovation or venture that can be maintained, upheld and defended until no longer necessary. Strategic Global Initiatives Measurable global efforts designed with multidimensional local perspectives to address social problems and achieve sustainable impacts.
SISGI Group, LLC + SISGI Beyond Good Ideas Foundation Inc. = The SISGI Group The SISGI Group is a consulting firm and nonprofit organization. SISGI Group, LLC is a consulting and research group that specializes in nonprofit capacity building. Bringing together independent consultants with a variety of expertise, the consulting group is able to address cross sector issues and and a range of specialties impacting organizations, individuals and groups working within and on social problems. SISGI Beyond Good Ideas Foundation is the nonprofit division of the SISGI Group. All programs such as our internship programs, educational resources and collaborative work sit within the nonprofit division. The foundation also awards free and low cost consulting services to organizations and individuals interested in creating lasting social change. The foundation serves as a donation clearinghouse for corporations and small businesses looking to support sustainable efforts towards social problems.
6
Beyond Good Ideas Magazine by The SISGI Group is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Letter From The Editor The Beyond Good Ideas Magazine builds on the SISGI Group’s mission to increase the capacity of individuals, groups, and organizations to create lasting social change. Like our online learning opportunities and social research blog, this publication is part of a strategic effort to inform and create awareness of current social issues and best practices. We have collected stories, strategies, and views from a diverse group of individuals for our inaugural issue and I am excited to add this quarterly publication to the portfolio of work coming from the organization. When I set out to create what would eventually become the SISGI Group, two things were crucial in the operational design: diverse global perspectives and the ability to operate from any location. Social change strategies require global perspectives of social problems and I didn’t want the location of the organization to create a barrier or burden for our work. Our unique virtual business model also evolved out of my selfish desire to continue to work from home. I had successfully worked for other organizations as a telecommuter and as an independent consultant from my home, so why not try to create an overall virtual operational strategy for a consulting and nonprofit organization? Once I began researching how this might be possible, the financial, strategic, and operational benefits quickly became apparent. According to the annual Cushman and Wakefield Office Space Across the World Report, office space in the New York area averages around $79/ sq. foot. So the cost savings in rent alone were a no brainer for a start-up on a very limited budget. But how do you bring together staff and volunteers to create a collaborative office culture if they are all working from their respective homes and locations of choice around the globe?
The virtual business model seemed like a good idea, but how do we go beyond that idea and find the best operating solutions?
We have made this work by utilizing mostly cloud based systems and other forms of technology.
Making a virtual organization operate successfully requires more than just email and a telephone. Just to be clear, I am by no means a tech guru. I am your stereotypical career nonprofit professional whose slight comfort with technology has only occurred through years of trial and error. It is through this trial and error that I have discovered several simple, low cost, and efficient ways to maximize our ability to operate virtually. I share five of the easiest ways for organizations to leverage the cloud for operations in the cover story for this issue. I hope that this information will help more organizations scale up their ability to achieve their mission, cut unnecessary costs, and increase their effectiveness in creating lasting social change. I would love to hear how nonprofits, start-ups, small businesses, and social entrepreneurs are decreasing operating costs and increasing efficiency with low-cost cloud technologies. Email your stories to bgi-editor@sisigigroup.org or Tweet us @ BeyondGoodIdeas Thanks for joining us in the launch of this new online magazine and I hope you find information that helps you go beyond good ideas to real solutions!
Thenera Bailey Editor-In-Chief and CEO of The SISGI Group 7
Contributors KAFIA AHMED Kafia’s parents moved from Somalia to Virginia in the eighties, where she was born and raised. After graduating magna cum laude with a B.A. in International Studies and a minor in Public Law, Kafia dedicate a year to City Year New York in East Harlem. Kafia then worked for the Diamond Empowerment Fund, a nonprofit that supports higher education initiatives in diamond producing African nations. As the Project and Events Associate, Kafia contributed to the overall success of several events raising more than $3 million. In 2011, Kafia began graduate school at NYU in social innovation and creative activism in order to create platforms that empower individuals and inspire positive social movements around the globe.
REGINA BERNADIN Regina Bernadin is a Program Manager at the International Rescue Committee, where she supervises the Florida Freedom Partnership, an anti-trafficking program in South Florida, and develops new projects to assist victims of conflict, including refugees and asylum seekers. She holds a Bachelors degree from the University of Miami and an M.A from that same institution. Regina, a published author, is currently working on her Ph.D in Conflict Analysis and Resolution at Nova Southeastern University.
RAJESH GOWAN Rajesh is an accomplished consultant who works with nonprofits around the world on projects that aim to eliminate poverty, provide education to those who do not have excess to it, project’s that help bring medical assistance to those who are left without and projects that aim to improve our environment. He has an economic background and thus is well suited to provide guidance to nonprofits to achieve success.
PHIL HSIAO Phil Hsiao is a Graduate Fellow at the CUNY School of Law. Phil focuses his professional attention on the impact of economic institutions on the law. Phil also holds a Master’s degree from NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study, where he focused on questions of global political economy. Phil was born in Appalachia in Eastern Kentucky and has a wide range of professional experiences. Phil’s experiences on the economic margin of our society greatly influences his activism and interests.
8
JENNIFER LAWSON Jennifer is the Executive Director of A Billion + Change leading the fast growing national campaign that has recruited more than 300 of America’s best brands in a pledge of pro bono service. She joined A Billion + Change and Points of Light from the Pew Center on Global Climate Change (now C2ES) where she led Make an Impact, a global campaign focused on energy efficiency and environmental awareness for some of the nation’s largest companies. Prior to that Jennifer served as the director of the office of the president at the Nature leading initiatives to engage corporate thought leaders in sustainability efforts. Jennifer is a graduate of the University of Virginia. ANNIE LORENZANA During the 2010 mid-term election cycle, Annie became discouraged by negative media coverage and dismissal of millennial impact and inclusion in political issues. She became involved with Rock the Vote to increase youth voter turnout and civic engagement in FL, CO, NC, PA and OH. Annie continued her career with Hands On Orlando and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital where she gained experience in event planning, partnership development and fundraising. As Program + Communications Associate for Mobilize.org, Annie supports the planning and implementation of Mobilize.org summits, leadership development trainings and Summit Awardee support through the fellowship program. Annie graduated from Jacksonville University and is a native Floridian. She has two cats: Eleanor Roosevelt and Nancy Reagan.
NICK HALDIKWA MWALUKO
Nick Mwaluko was born in Tanzania but raised mostly in neighboring Kenya, among other east African countries.. Nick’s feature stories have been published in the Washington Times, Reuters News Agency, and most recently the Huffington Post. Nick’s plays have been produced in New York, NY and Ft. Lauderdale, FL through Thinking Cap Theater under Director Nicole Stoddard where Nick was Artist-in-Residence for three consecutive years. Nick’s fiction, poetry and plays focus on African and POC LGBTAI folk. London’s National Theater recently shortlisted Nick’s play Waafrika, the story of an interracial love affair between two women. Waafrika was read at The Magic Theater, for the 2013 new voices series. Nick’s plays include Blueprint for a Lesbian Universe, Asymmetrical We, Brotherly Love, Trailer Park Tundra, Are Women Human? and others. Nick hates pronouns.
Continued on the next page....
9
Contributors WANDA SNEAD Dr. Wanda Snead received a B.S. n Biology from Fort Valley State University, M.S. from Western KY University, attended Medical School at the University of KY, and Doctorate Degree in Health Science from Nova Southeastern University. She is a faculty member in the Vanderbilt University Dept of Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism in the School of Medicine. She is Associate Director of the Summer Research Training Program for Medical Students at VUMC, Associate Program Director NIDDK Medical Student Program, and a Clinical Trials Specialist. She is team leader on the TN Obesity Task Force for Vulnerable Populations Group. Dr. Snead is an adjunct professor at the University of Phoenix in the Health Sciences Division. She is a contributing author for more than 50 articles in journals such Journal of American Physiology, Diabetes, and Journal of Endocrinology & Metabolism. Her research interests include Behavioral Mechanisms in Controlling Obesity, Diabetes & Metabolism, Nutrition, & Physical Fitness. Married to Dr.Donald Snead, Pastor and College professor, two children,1 granddaughter. SARAH SOSBE Sarah Sosbe has been a NYC educator for the last 11 years. Beginning her career in the Bronx, Ms. Sosbe taught 6-8 grade English Language Arts and Social Studies at the Angelo Patri School. During that time, she earned two degrees from Fordham University, one for Adolescent Literacy education 7-12 and the other for Administration and Supervision. During her time as an educator, Ms. Sosbe has worked as Lead Teacher, Literacy Coach, Data Specialist and for Teach for America as a Curriculum Specialist and summer School Director. Currently, she works as an 8th grade Lead English Language Arts teacher at Promise Academy Charter School at the Harlem Children’s Zone. KRISTEN WENDT
Kristen is a senior communication major, sociology and psychology minor from Villanova University. Kristen’s interest in social justice began shortly after arriving at Villanova in 2009. She has participated in many different volunteer opportunities, such as Special Olympics, New Directions (a Bigs and Littles program), and after-school programs in Philadelphia. She has also participated in multiple service break experiences to Kentucky, Alabama, and Costa Rica to confront issues on everything from homelessness to affordable housing to environmental sustainability. Kristen was a Program and Research Intern for the SISGI Group for the summer of 2012, and continues to contribute as a featured writer for the SISGI Group’s “Not Enough Good” blog on the issues of advertising and media, gender, and education.
Interested in Writing for Beyond Good Ideas Magazine?
10
Would you like to share your knowledge and experience in the next BGI Magazine? We’re currently looking for Contributors for the July Issue. Click here to find out how you can you can submit an article idea or topic for a future issue.
SISGI Group-� Institute for Social Change Presents:
2013 ISC Research & Learning Summit April 22-�24, 2013 The Institute for Social Change Research and Learning Summit is where new ideas and additional perspectives are included in global social change efforts. It is an opportunity for individuals and organizations to discuss relevant issues impacting efforts for social change and to participate in a public learning environment. The biannual ISC Research and Learning Summit brings together researchers, students and practitioners to share, learn and discuss. This online event includes webinars, online trainings and live streamed events.
Do Not Miss This Unique Online Learning Event Register at- http://spring2013-iscsummit.eventbrite.com/ Registration Includes access to all online events and discussions around nine topics
Regular Registration Fee-$35 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: All times are Eastern Monday, April 22, 2013 11:00 am - Redefining Beauty: Its Time for a Change. Its Time for a New Standard of Beauty 2:00 pm - Google + Hangout On Air - ISC Interns and SISGI Group President/CEO 3:30 PM -Modern Day Slavery: Human Trafficking in Ghana and its Implications Tuesday April 23, 2013 11:00 am - The US Prison System: How it Works and Why it Needs to be Reformed 2:00 pm - Integrating Health Services: A Way to Improve Global Health Delivery 3:30 pm - Somalia Toso - Storytelling to Change a Nation Wednesday April 24, 2013 11:00 am - Missionary Objective: What should missionary work look like 2:00 pm - Urbanization and Health: Building Healthier Cities 3:30 pm - Just the tip of the horn - A look at aid and alternative long term solutions
For regular updates about the summit, follow @BeyondGoodIdeas and @Notenoughgood! Follow #ISCSummit for the latest information about registration, workshops, and everything else related to the summit!
11
The Case for Collaboration By Phil Hsiao
“Even if your organization is growing and grabbing grants and other resources because you ȱ Ĵ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ competitor, is the private gain of your organization moving the needle on the issue you started the organization to address?”
The nonprofit industry is growing. Not only is it growing, but the types of entities and methods of intervention used by change-makers are going far beyond the traditional tax-exempt 501(c)(3). However, even in this more diverse and innovative environment, the outmoded ways of thinking about the economics of social change still seem to dominate: Organizations address a large social problem as though one dedicated group of highly-motivated people, properly financed, can change the world. This model causes organizations to compete amongst each other to get the resources they need to carry out their missions. Considering that the proliferation of organizations and people dedicating their working lives to making change does not seem to have left the world with fewer problems, this kind of model may not be working. What’s worse, since governments are worrying about tightening their belts and private funds are as limited as they’ve ever been, the increased competition within the nonprofit industry for scarce financial and human resources means that inefficiencies can translate into drastically wasted opportunities to make meaningful change. Is this really the best we can do? 12
The world’s largest economies are at least partially arranged around the idea that competition is the most effective mechanism for making sure resources are properly divvied up. We are taught that competition can do everything from lowering prices, to encouraging meritocracy, even so far as ensuring the end of discrimination. Because of the prevalence of the competition narrative, we often assume that it is the only real model for managing scarce resources. But there are several problems with competition that make it particularly ill-suited to the nonprofit context.
The primary flaw with competition is that it operates on the notion that the competitors’ main goal will be private gain. McDonald’s and Wendy’s don’t compete over hamburger sales to feed the hungry; they compete over hamburger sales so that more people will pay for their food. In this way, competition necessarily privileges private goals— like profit and prestige—over social good. Even if your organization is growing and grabbing grants and other resources because you provide better solutions than a competitor, is the private gain of your organization moving the needle on the issue you started the organization to address?
Collaboration is much better suited to the goals and set-up of the nonprofit industry. In a resource-scarce environment, collaboration can help us maximize efficiencies in resources while bringing every player to the table. Since collaboration allows us to pool resources rather than try to shut out competitors for access to resources, collaboration also helps organizations to focus on their goals and promote the best and most ethical practices. But in a world saturated with competition, what is the best way to think of collaboration to make sure that we are able to maximize added value with the resources we secure? Every introductory course in economics covers a powerful concept that can help us get better outcomes in the nonprofit industry using collaboration: comparative advantage.
“Comparative advantage boils down to the simple idea that people and organizations can get better returns on their investments when they focus their resources on the things they do best and work with others who are focusing their resources on what they do best.”
Collaboration
vs. Competition In theory, this framework is not so difficult to understand. It seems very obvious that if two organizations could swap their weakest points they would be able to get more done. However, the narrative of collaboration seems a bit more piein-the-sky than good, old-fashioned competition. Everyone knows working together is better—but not everyone knows just how much better it can be. In the interest of developing the line of thought further, let’s explore some simplified situations to demonstrate how powerful collaboration can be compared to competition.
It involves not only knowing where you add the most value, but also sharing that value with others who can help you increase that maximum value.
Working together works because each organization has advantages in accomplishing certain tasks. Think of the thing that your organization is the best at: In what particular aspect of the problem area you have chosen to tackle have you seen the most success? Now, think of all the other things you have to do in addition to that task in order to bring meaningful solutions and impacts to the problem area. Every time you turn your attention away from the thing you do the best and spend time on things you don’t do as well, you incur important opportunity costs. These opportunity costs are the loss of the benefit you could have provided if you had dedicated your time to the thing you do best.
Continued on the next page.... 13
The  Community  Garden  Scenario
Organization A
Organization B
Organization A and Organization B are two nonprofits operating in a major urban center in the United States. Both of them are working toward clearing out abandoned lots and converting them into community gardens. We can focus in on two major aspects to this task: Clearing lots and planting the gardens.
Organization A
Organization B
- Better at clearing than planting
- Better at planting than clearing
- Total Gardens per day: 1/2
- Total Lots cleared per day: 1/2
- Volunteers: Clear 1 lot a day
- Volunteers: Plant 1 garden a day
If each organization is currently working on five lots, how long will it take for the lots to be made into gardens? Organization A will have all the lots cleared in five days, and it will take an additional ten days for the five lots to have gardens planted on them. Organization B will have all the lots cleared in ten days, and it will take an additional five days for the five lots to be made into gardens. Working separately, Organization A and B will have taken 15 days to convert a total of ten lots. But what if they worked together? Organization A can clear lots much more quickly; so, Organization A should clear all ten lots. Meanwhile, because Organization B is much better at it, Organization B should plant all ten gardens. 14
Working together in this way, Organizations A and B will have converted the ten abandoned lots into beautiful gardens in ten days. This new rate means that each organization now has five days of time gained to find new lots, get permits, find and train new volunteers, or do any of a myriad of other things that will allow them to create more green spaces. This means that the organizations can more quickly solve the problem they are working to eliminate. Who doesn’t want all the abandoned lots in their city converted to community gardens 33% sooner?
In the examples (See the sidebar for even more ways this works), collaboration beat out competition by a significant margin. Even when competition would have shut Organization B out from the work entirely, collaboration made it possible for Organization B to contribute and significantly bring down the amount of resources needed to complete the task at hand. By taking advantage of collaborative models instead of competitive ones, most tasks tackled by organizations seeking to make major impacts could be accomplished more quickly and leaving more resources aside for creating greater impacts down the road. Nevertheless, in a culture based on competition, it can be very difficult to implement a collaborative strategy. “This difficulty is mostly related to organizational ego: An organization simply might not feel comfortable assessing its weaknesses and admitting who can do things better, or an organization might be so much better established that it assumes it will always be better off to work by itself. As the math above demonstrates, these attitudes are not only irrational, but they cause actual harm by allowing problems to persist and wasting desperately needed, scarce resources.”
So, as you plan your next year, ask yourself: “What things do I do best? Where do I see the most quantifiable impact for a dollar I spend?” Then ask yourself: “What things do I do worst? Who can do them better?” And instead of using that as an opportunity to compete up to the level of that organization, meet with the people who run it. Show them how much impact you could have working together. If we can break the cycle of competition in the nonprofit industry, we can produce better outcomes and have a more integrated dialogue about making lasting social change. Other Ways Collaboration Works It is worth noting that the same advantages can be gained even if one organization is absolutely better at doing each part of the task. In our example from before, the differences could be less drastic; so, let’s adjust the numbers. Organization A can clear one abandoned lot every day, and it can plant 90% of a garden every day. Organization B, however, can only clear half a lot every day, and it can only plant 45% of a garden every day. Both organizations still each have five lots to work on. The math is more complicated, but the results are the same. If the organizations work separately, it will take over 31.5 working days to convert the total of ten lots to gardens. Organization A will clear all the lots in five days, and it will plant all the gardens in 5.5 days. Therefore, Organization A will have converted all its lots in 10.5 days. Organization B will have cleared all its lots in 10 days and will have planted all its gardens in just over 11 days; so, it will take Organization B over 21 days to complete its tasks. However, if Organizations A and B worked together then the results would be quite different. Organization A does each part of the task better, but it can clear lots slightly faster than it can plant gardens on them. So, Organization A should clear lots, and Organization B should plant gardens. If the work were distributed in this way, Organization A would have all the lots cleared in ten days, and Organization B would have all the gardens planted in just over 11 days. This setup would mean that all ten gardens would be converted in just over 21 working days— creating the social benefits of the gardens a full ten working days earlier than working separately. Phil Hsiao, is a Graduate Fellow at the CUNY School of Law and SISGI Beyond Good Ideas Foundation Board Member. He uses his background in economics and political economy to analyze issues of public interest activism and advocacy. 15
America Left Behind: Maternity Leave and the Nations Leading the Pack by Devon Bacso
While the United States prides itself on being a strong, successful nation, one area in which we are hugely lacking is parental leave. In 178 countries, mothers receive paid leave after the birth of a child, with 50 countries offering paid paternity leave as well. The United States is one of the only countries that gives no financial assistance to working mothers, lagging behind almost all other countries in providing mothers and fathers time off with benefits after the birth of a child.
“Swedish parents are given 480 days off to split between them, with the incentive of an equality bonus if the father and mother share the time evenly. The 480 days can be used anytime from when the child is born until the age of seven; this gives parents flexibility in how much time and at what age 16 want to use their they leave.”
Parental leave produces numerous rewards for the parents, the child, and society in general; if the United States wants to continue to keep up with other nations, we need to take a long look at our lack of parental leave and make some serious changes.
For inspiration, the US should look to Sweden, as it’s a great example of parental leave.
Sweden was the first country to change from maternity leave to more inclusive gender neutral parental leave in 1974. Companies are not allowed to deny Swedish residents the right of parental leave, and the policy on leave is very liberal. Swedish parents are given 480 days off to split between them, with the incentive of an equality bonus if the father and mother share the time evenly. The 480 days can be used anytime from when the child is born until the age of seven; this gives parents flexibility in how much time and at what age they want to use their leave. Parents are typically paid 80% of their salary during leave, and can additionally choose to cut back on their hours by 25% without compensation, but with the guarantee of retaining their job. This comprehensive and egalitarian policy has great results for citizens and Sweden in general.
“In 1995, Sweden introduced a month of parental leave specifically for fathers, and since then, Sweden’s divorce and separation rates have decreased, in opposition to global trends.”
In addition, problems of gender discrimination are being addressed through the policy, as companies are now used to both parents taking time off at some point, minimizing the risk of women only being penalized for trying to juggle a career with family.
The US offers twelve weeks off with no pay, whereas countries like Bangladesh, Rwanda, Peru, and Fiji give a limited twelve weeks off, but with full or partial pay. Macedonia offers mothers nine months and Austrailia twelve months off with no pay; while the time off is more generous, many families cannot depend on a single wage for an entire year, forcing the mother to forfeit her remaining leave and return to work early.
The United States has only rudimentary legislation in place to protect parents in the workplace. In 1978, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act banned discrimination against an employee due to pregnancy or childbirth and the Family Medical Leave Act in 1992 required companies to give parental leave to qualifying employees.
Thankfully, Sweden does not stand completely alone with its forward thinking parental leave policy. The United Kingdom is pushing for a revised parental leave policy by 2015, which would offer a more equal division of labor between parents.The new policy would give mothers eighteen weeks of paid leave followed by thirty weeks to be split between the parents, with seventeen of those weeks coming with pay. Each parent would also be given four weeks of paid leave for anytime during the child’s first year. The flexibility of the leave would allow whichever partner is the bread-winner to return to work, and would recognize that fathers play just as central a role in a child’s life as the mother. If implemented, the UK would join the rank of other countries with progressive parental leave. Croatia gives mothers over a year off with full wages, with Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina also offering a year of full pay for parents after the birth of a child. Denmark gives full pay for a year and specifies that both mother and father must take a certain amount of time off, ensuring that both parents play a part in caring for the child. The United States and a small handful of other countries stand in contrast to these supportive policies.
As the policy stands now, American companies with more than fifty employees must legally offer twelve weeks of unpaid leave with health benefits following the birth or adoption of a child. To qualify, employees must have worked over 1,250 hours in the year before seeking maternity leave. These restrictions combined with those who can’t afford to go on unpaid leave means that around 40% of workers miss out on these benefits. After taking time off from being vice president of a consulting firm for maternity leave, Gayatri Bhalla was refused her full bonus for missing work, while another mother, Liza Barry-Kessler, noticed how difficult it was for anyone who wasn’t middle class to afford twelve weeks off without pay. New Jersey and California are slight exceptions, as their public insurance programs offer paid leave; New Jersey caps parental pay at $584 a week and California offers a maximum of $1,000 a week. Better parental leave is necessary, for the existing structure is ineffective at benefiting the average family, thereby causing the United States to miss out on opportunities to produce happier citizens and stronger families. 17
“Businesses are able to claim back over 90% of the cost for paternal leave, with smaller firms facing no loss of profits; therefore, offering more generous parental leave would not destroy industry productivity and would create a more welcoming work environment.”
More accommodating parental leave policies produce beneficial effects for almost everyone involved. Sylvia Guendelman’s 2009 study showed that women who did not work during their last month of pregnancy had a much higher percentage of having a natural birth, as they were 73% less likely to have a Caesarean section than women who did not go on leave for their last month of pregnancy. Caesarean sections often result in increased hospital stays and come with the risk of complications during surgery, events that cost the hospital valuable resources as well as the pregnant woman herself. Another study by
Guendelman revealed
that women who went
back to work instead of staying on leave after delivering a child had a more difficult time establishing breastfeeding during the first month, an unsettling fact given
that breastfeeding results
in many health benefits for babies. Longer maternity
leave also results in children
with lower mortality rates and higher test scores according to recent research, while mothers who stay on leave longer report fewer symptoms of depression than mothers who return immediately to the workplace, though the difference between the two becomes smaller after twelve weeks of leave. 18
Meanwhile, allowing the father paternity leave breaks families out of the traditional mold and gives the father time to bond with his child. Businesses are able to claim back over 90% of the cost for paternal leave, with smaller firms facing no loss of profits; therefore, offering more generous parental leave would not destroy industry productivity and would create a more welcoming work environment.
The lack of adequate parental leave is a huge flaw in the United States today. Luckily, there are groups like Momsrising and Working Mother that are starting petitions and trying to change the current policy, but change needs to happen quicker. By depriving parents of sufficient paid leave, everyone is suffering. Companies, parents, and children will all be strengthened by allowing
parents to have more time with their children to nourish their babies and prepare themselves for a healthy return to the workplace. The United States needs to step into today’s world and update our outdated and harmful parental leave policy before the next generation fails to reap the benefits. Devon Bacso is a Junior in college currently studying abroad in England, passionate about feminism, sexual education, and LGBTQ issues.
It is Time to Give Millennials a Seat at the Table Announcing the new data research on the Millennials Civic Health Index by Mobilize.org, NCoC, CIRCLE and Harvard IOP By Annie Lorenzana On November 5th, the media was primed to push out a story about the sad, lazy and apathetic Millennial Generation who couldn’t even make it to the polls to take part in democracy and vote. But then November 6th happened – and the Millennial vote determined the election because not only did we show up (duh?), but we did so in historic numbers. Suddenly the media got real shy. At Mobilize.org, we saw this coming. Every day we work with inspiring, engaged and activated Millennials who don’t get the attention or recognition they deserve but ARE reshaping their communities and creating solutions to issues impacting us all. But we wanted to have more than incredible testimonies and Millennial stories to share – so we partnered with our friends at CIRCLE, Harvard Institute of Politics and the National Conference on Citizenship to pull together research that accurately depicts the Civic Health of the Millennial Generation.
February 2013, we released those findings, and think everyone should take note because there were definitely some interesting finds.
To start, the Millennial Generation decided the 2012 Presidential election. You heard correctly. By CIRCLE’s estimate, 50% of young people (18-29) voted in the 2012 election. If they had split evenly between the Democratic and Republican candidates, Mitt Romney would have won. But because they chose Barack Obama by a 20-point margin, the president was re-elected. Our generation is big, powerful and decides elections, even if campaigns continue to ignore us. Cough, cough – politicians, please take note. Despite being excluded from most of the dialogue and debates, Millennials did (and do!) care – and know that their vote makes a difference.
It’s time to give us a seat at the table.
Continued on the next page.... 19
We also found that the economy isn’t recovering enough for us. Now this is scary: Our report shows 62.9% of Millennials are currently working, but over a third of those are working part-time. We hear over and over again how challenging this economy is for young people who are unemployed, underemployed or somewhere in between. Crippled by student debt, our generation is desperately seeking a way to transition from academia to the real world. We’re willing to work for less, intern for free and couch surf like a pro. But is this making our communities better in the long run? We don’t think so. That’s why this April Mobilize.org is headed to Detroit (a place where unemployment for young people peaked at nearly 57%*) to host College to Career Pathways Summit, a three-day convening to help Detroit Millennials discover and define their role in the city’s revitalization efforts.
“College grads are four to five times more likely to be civically engaged than someone without a high school diploma.” Through Millennial-led solutions, funded by Mobilize.org, these Millennials will collaborate with community leaders and stakeholders to make Detroit a better place for Millennials to live, work and play. Check out more on our College to Career Pathways, including our application competition proposal form at www.mobilize.org/ c2cp. Together, we can write our own future.
On the topic of education, our research found that achieving more education strongly predicts the likelihood of that person becoming civically engaged. And by a HUGE margin: college grads are four to five times more likely to be civically engaged than someone without a high school diploma. Many people believe that civic engagement is a learned habit; if that’s the case, education is even more critical to ensuring our democracy has a thriving future. We recently concluded our Target 2020 | My Education, a four 20
part summer series that concluded in 2012. Our Future summit series, where we jumped into communities in California, North Carolina and Florida to address the challenges facing college completion, and identify and support Millennial led to solutions for these issues. We were overwhelmed by the enthusiasm, understanding and eagerness that these students had to not only address these issues in education, but ensure that the reforms they needed would also address bigger community needs. Our post-summit Meetup Series has continued to equip Millennials with the tools they need to continue on their path to transforming their communities. You can learn more about our next Millennial Meetup in Miami, part of Global Youth Service Day here. The Millennials Civic Health Index includes quotes and highlights from some of the amazing Millennials we have had the privilege of working with over the years. These rockstars are reshaping their communities by addressing issues in new, innovative ways. You may have never heard of them, but you should. They are leaders in their communities today, and will lead this nation tomorrow. And that is the Millennial story we think should have been told in November.
Annie Lorenzana, Program and Communications Associate for Mobilize.org. Annie can be reached at lorenzana@mobilize.org or @this_is_annie.
For more information on the Millennials Civic Health Index, or to download the full report, please visit
http://mobilize.org/2013/02/civic-healthindex-major-study-released/
â&#x20AC;&#x153;$QVZHUV WR <RXU 2IĂ&#x20AC;FH &KDOOHQJHVâ&#x20AC;? Administrative service consultants providing answers to your office challenges. Our commitment is to serve your company or organization with excellence and to provide top-notch customer care.
Administrative Solutions Why our company? * You are a small business, solopreneur, or nonprofit organization in need of adminstrative consulting and services. * NO overhead costs. * Top notch customer service. * Virtual (internet-based), local and on-site administrative service consultation.
This is just a sampling of the services that we provide. To see more service options visit us online or click here.
Robin Neely is an Administrative Consultant with three decades of administrative services experience, twenty in the non-profit sector. Learn more about her company at http://robinsadminsolutions.com/
21
Beyond the Blog... NotEnoughGood.com is a social research blog from the SISGI Group that contains daily content on social change and social issues. Here is a selection of articles from the blog since the start of 2013. To see the full post visit the blog at NotEnoughGood.com or follow the blog on twitter @NotEnoughGood to get a daily update of new content.
March 5, 2013 -Freedom Through Acting, Not Guns
March 1, 2013: "Nuclear Power Will Save the World"
In Palestine, there is a city by the name of Jenin located in the West Bank. A majority of the city’s population is made up of Palestinian refugees displaced from their homes. The Freedom Theatre, established by Juliano Mer-Khamis and Zakaria Zubeidi, is an institution that believes that the children of Jenin can bring about social change through music, plays, acting, and the arts in general. It is an artistic haven that is open to both boys and girls, and supports youth and female empowerment. The theatre serves as an outlet for the frustration, pain, and hardships young people in Jenin experience on a near daily basis.
Most people associate the idea of nuclear energy with a vision of apocalypse.It drives people to protest against nuclear programs, and even call for condemnation of those leaders who seek to implement such programs. This is fair, considering the stigma around the word ‘nuclear’. When I think nuclear, I have this image of a big mushroom cloud, soaring into the sky, everything taking on a scary red glow, and everything being obliterated. These were my thoughts, until I started writing this article. It changed my mind about nuclear energy completely, and after reading this, I am sure it will change your minds too.
Read More - http://notenoughgood.com/2013/03/freedomtheatre/
February 25, 2013: “Why We Don’t Need Industrial Agriculture to Feed the World” How many times have you heard someone say something like, “the world’s population is growing and we need to dramatically increase our food production”? And then heard someone talking about how more pesticides, fertilizer and genetic engineering is going to help us do it. While the intentions of these people may seem good, these proposed solution are not as practical and sustainable as we might think.
Read More- http://notenoughgood.com/2013/02/industrialagriculture/
22
Read More- http://notenoughgood.com/2013/03/nuclearwill-save-world/
February 25, 2013 - Economics and Happiness The Easterlin Paradox, simply stated, suggests that people do not get happier as they get richer. One issue that has come up in recent years is that the Easterlin paradox just doesn’t seem to hold up to empirical scrutiny. People are now beginning to report becoming happier as they get wealthier, the opposite of what Easterlin found almost 40 years ago. This data, however, seems to come mainly from developing countries, rather than developed countries. So what does this information mean for economic development? Read More - http://notenoughgood.com/2013/02/ economicshappiness/
February 22, 2013: "Breastfeeding in Developing Countries" Almost 6.9 million children under five died around the world in 2011. Did you also know that almost 830,000 deaths could be avoided if every baby was breastfed within the first hour of life? Colostrum, found in breast milk, is known to be the most potent natural immune system booster ever known in the field of science. It is considered the superfood for newborn infants and protects them from hunger and disease. Breastfeeding for at least six months prevents infant mortality and protects infants from diseases such as diarrhea and pneumonia. Despite the benefits of breastfeeding, global rates of breastfeeding have remained below forty percent for the past twenty years. Why? According to Carolyn Miles, the President and CEO of Save the Children, there are four main barriers to breastfeeding around the world. These barriers include: community and cultural pressures, the health work shortage, lack of maternity legislation, and inappropriate marketing of breastmilk substitutes. Read More-http://notenoughgood.com/2013/02/breastfeedingintheworld/
February 5, 2013 - Protecting the Mentally Ill in Prison
January 25, 2013 - Girl Problems
People with mental illness simply need more care than other inmates. So the fact that over half of the inmates in state prisons have mental health issues is extremely troubling. In order to provide proper care for these people, more time and resources need to be directed toward their care. They need treatment, medication, and special care, which they would not receive if they were treated as the average prisoner. This isn’t to make their lives easier per se or to lessen their punishment. It is simply a necessity because they are not completely equipped to deal with life within a prison.
Girls and women face barriers at almost every point of their lives whether its either health, economic, or even social. According to researchers, women have the potential to ultimately save the world and even the human species.Equal rights for women can dramatically lower birth rates, increase economic productivity and positively impact the health of their families. If there are so many benefits, why are women not treated equally?
Read More - http://notenoughgood.com/2013/02/mentally-ill-inprison/
Read More - http://notenoughgood.com/2013/01/ girl-problems/
January 15, 2013 - Gay Kenyan Gang-Raped (Part One): Journey to Self On the morning of December 11, 2007, Anthony Adero decided to leave his hometown forever and head to the city-center because he wanted to kiss a man for the first time in his life. He packed the few essentials needed for his five-hour trip—little things that carry weight like family photographs, his cellphone with a prerecorded message in his baby sister’s voice that soothed him whenever he heard her giggles. What he could not stuff into his suitcase, he’d already packed in his heart, measured silence induced by two reassuring breaths for courage after which Anthony headed straight for the central bus station in Kisumu for final “goodbyes”. Read More - http://notenoughgood.com/2013/01/gay-kenyan-raped-1/
January 15, 2013- Fueling Guatemala’s Hunger Crisis The increased demand for biofuel has sparked a hunger crisis throughout Guatemala. Globalization has a large effect on countries like Guatemala that import goods from other countries.. Local farmers are losing their land, making Guatemalans dependent on external countries like the United States and often unable to afford basic staples of their diet. There must be a way for the world to become more environmentally friendly without causing starvation for people in places like Guatemala. Read More- http://notenoughgood.com/2013/01/guatemala-hunger-crisis/
View more great articles at NotEnoughGood.com and connect with us on Twitter @NotEnoughGood
23
Just The Tip Of The Horn By Rajesh Gowan
When I first discussed the horn of Africa in a blog post, “Just the tip of the horn,” I made the comment that aid sent to the horn of Africa is actually having a negative effect on that particular region. Today I still hold that opinion. Far too much money is being sent in the form of aid rather than using the money to develop permanent solutions. The strategies and policies that are being implemented by large aid organizations have, unwittingly, caused a dependency on aid. Aid is welcomed at times of extreme and dire circumstances, but can it be relied upon as a long term, sustainable solution? I believe that it cannot. In my opinion, there are far better long term solutions available, and if implemented effectively, they will eliminate the need for aid in the future of the region.
“The biggest industry in Kenya is agriculture; as much as 75% of the country’s population is employed by it. Yet Kenya is not a food secure country. More than half of its population lives in poverty, and depends on aid money.” 24
Let’s take a closer look at some of the possible solutions that can be implemented throughout Africa:
KENYA The biggest industry in Kenya is agriculture; as much as 75% of the country’s population is employed by it. Yet Kenya is not a food secure country. More than half of its population lives in poverty and depends on aid money. Why? Because food aid can cause local food prices to drop significantly; that drop, in turn, decreases the relative payoffs for investing in one’s own food production. You might say, “But this negative impact is only short-term” and you would be right. However, due to circumstances where more food aid is needed more often, this short term effect has become permanent. Local farmers and producers are left with an unresponsive demand. Food aid has also had a negative effect on labour, because the fact is it is easier to wait for food aid than to work for money to pay for food.
The most destructive effect that food aid has had is on the infrastructure; this includes roads, bridges, and ports which are vital for the proper functioning of the food market.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Is it worth continuing to send millions and millions of dollars each year without seeing any real progress? Wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it be better to find a long term solution? The long term solution is there, it just needs to be nurtured.â&#x20AC;?
If food did not come in the support of foreign aid, people would then rely on local farmers for sustenance. Food from farms would need to be transported via the roads and other forms of infrastructure that simply do not currently exist or are in need of extensive repair that no one has tended to because aid delivered to specific locations has eliminated the need for transportation in this way. This represents a major oversight by aid organizations in Africa who have allocated their resources directly to food sources and not to a more permanent solution that would encourage people to grow their own food. With the reallocation of resources to infrastructure, this new system of farming and markets could become a reality and a stepping stone in the rebuilding of local economies throughout the region. Food aid has even altered the diet of the population. This has happened over the years as more food aid has been sent to the region. The local diet has been based on wheat and maze, which is used to make Ugali, a popular dish in Kenya; however, due to the lack of maize supply from farmers, the price of maize has ensured that it is well out of reach from most Kenyans. They have thus relied instead on food sent in by aid organizations. The food sent in by those aid organizations include a lot of rice and rice-based
foods, causing an alteration to the diet. Some children in Kenya now grow up solely on food sent in the form of aid and no longer eat traditional dishes. The introduction of other foods like canned beans, corn, and other vegetables also added to a change in diet where these foods were not previously available in many local markets. This is an unintended cause of food aid, but it shows that through time food aid can cause something far worse than a change in diet; it has caused a dependency on food aid. And so the vicious cycle will continue. For how long you ask? Well, that is my point. If food is given out with no system to sustain or supplement the ongoing food supply for the long term, then it can make it difficult to develop systems to grow your own food. And believe me if the vicious cycle continues, it will become worse. Aid organizations need to teach people how to grow and obtain their own food. Thus, I believe aid monies should to be diverted to local farmers and producers. This will encourage growth and increase production. A certain portion should also to be given for infrastructure development.This type of strategy could eventually lead to sustainability of the food systems in the region, decreasing the need for external food aid and investment.
Continued on the next page.... 25
SOMALIA Another part of the region that has been facing a number of obstacles in the past and present is Somalia. Millions of dollars in aid money has been sent to Somalia, yet there has been little to no progress in many of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s major social issues. Today aid money is still needed as regions of Somalia are dependent on it. It is quite sad that so much aid money has been sent there, but lasting benefits have not occurred. In the midst of suffering and hopelessness lays a potential economic powerhouse. I am, of course, referring to the livestock trade--a currently untapped resource. The reason that the potential is currently unrealised is because the trade is currently very informal. If aid money is going to continue to be a strategy to support the country, it should be used to modernize the livestock trade. This strategy could lead to an increase in production levels and a formalized trade. Countries in the Middle East would certainly increase their imports of meat from Somalia.Why? Well the Middle East is a very diverse region. I say diverse because it is made up of extremely wealthy countries as well as extremely poor countries. With this in mind the, MENA was formed. MENA (Middle East and North Africa) 26
is a cooperation of countries in North Africa and the Middle East formed to reduce poverty in both regions. It allows countries throughout the world to export food products at reduced cost in terms of taxes and duties. Though this a positive agreement other issues may impact the ability of countries with informal livestock trades from participating. Although MENA gives North African countries greater incentives to export meat to poorer countries in the Middle East, it does so only if the meat meets international standards of quality. This is were Somalia is left with a dilemma. They do not have the infrastructure to ensure that they will be in a position to export meat that adheres to these standards, including hygienic machinery and equipment and temperature controlled transport and storage facilities to ensure that the meat is kept fresh. With the implementation of these systems, favorable conditions in Somalia could exist for building an export market. Thus, if aid monies were used to create this scenario, it would effect poverty levels in both regions.
My question remains, is it worth it to continue to send millions and millions of dollars each year in the same ways without seeing any real progress? Wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it be better to find a longer term solution? The long term solutions are there, they just need to be nurtured.
ETHIOPIA One of the greatest tragedies in Africa, if not the world, is Ethiopia. Ethiopia is actually referred to as the “Water Tower” of Africa. Four major rivers run through it, including the Nile. Given this fact, why are thousands upon thousands of people succumbing each year to hunger and malnutrition? Because of the continued reliance on aid, water and other infrastructures have broken down completely. There aren’t any irrigation systems in place to allow farmers to utilise the huge supply of water, to grow crops, and create a steady and stable food supply. Current dams which are in poor condition are unable to hold adequate volumes of water in places where it is most needed. Again, aid money could be reallocated to best serve in this area and create conditions for the local economy to flourish. A similar situation exists in Djibouti. The climate is too harsh to sustain an agricultural economy, but aid money could and should be used to increase the capacity of other industries in order to put them in a position to import food as needed; however, once again the infrastructure simply doesn’t exist to support this solution since that is not where aid is being used.
There is an alternative to an endless flow of aid.
Despite poverty and death due to lack of food and clean water, most countries in the region have actually recorded economic growth of around 5% on average. This has not gone unnoticed. toward
building this much needed infrastructure. This will have the effect of compounding the economic growth rates already achieved thus far. Cynics at this point might argue and say that the African continent is riddled with conflicts, corruption, and dictators. It is a fair point. There is still a lot of work to be done to root out corruption. However, there has been a significant decrease in conflicts throughout Africa, with leaders taking strides to move towards democracy. The situation, while not ideal at the moment, is still ripe for positive change. I, like most Africans, am growing tired of seeing our continent’s dependency on aid when there is so much potential to grow local economies throughout most nations. Where aid is needed and received, people are, of course, very appreciative and recognize those who have helped in crisis situations; however, there is a yearning among African countries and its people to take the reigns and grow into something great. The foundation is laid, as the economic growth figures highlight. The will is certainly there and stronger than ever. All that is needed is a jump start in the form of solution oriented programmes and investment in developing infrastructures. I believe with that initiative, the growth, development, and prosperity of Africa and its people will thrive.
Rajesh Gowan, is a SISGI Group consultant based in South Africa who works with nonprofits around the world on projects to eliminate poverty, provide education, bring medical assistance and improve our environment. To contact him send an email to rgowan@sisgigroup.org
Rajesh will continue to explore this topic in a presentation that is part of the ISC Research and Learning Spring 2013 Summit April 24, 2013 at 3:30 pm Eastern. http://sisgigroup.org/2013/03/spring-13-iscsummit/ Join the live workshop or view the recording through the ISC Online Learning Center. 27
Quotes To Live By... “Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it’s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential.” -Barack Obama “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” - John Quincy Adams
"Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less." - Marie Curie
28
Defining Sustainability in the Wake of Hurricane Sandy By Jaclyn Lyons The notion of sustainability has been tossed around relentlessly from the likes of environmentalists, scientists, builders and planners, and, of course, politicians. But what are we really talking about when we use the word ‘sustainable’? Too often the term is used as propaganda or a marketing tool to gain popularity for an initiative that claims its end result will somehow encourage sustainability. Of course those of us who care about the environment are quick to support sustainable solutions, having the innate idea that it must mean something like “environmentally friendly.” In reality this is not always the case as there are two sides to the coin when we use the term sustainable; it is not simply about ecology, but equally about economy. It is natural to want to point fingers and to place blame when people have been devastated by a storm and let down by their government agencies in time of crisis. But no one is responsible for a natural disaster. We all have a responsibility to learn from this experience. It is the only way we will be able to respond better in the future.
It is too simple for environmentalists to blame the exploitation of the planet by humans as the cause for such tragedy. Similarly, it would be wrong for a businessman to see this simply as a financial opportunity to rebuild quickly and cheaply. Either of these viewpoints is faulty in that it assumes that there is logic within nature. Logic is a solely human phenomenon. In fact, many have used this argument in defense of exploiting nature since other living things are assumed to be inferior. It would be irresponsible to turn the tables and take up arms against nature. It is not only superior to us, as Sandy has shown, but also a major factor in our survival as a species on this planet. Superstorm Sandy illustrates the need for a non-partisan participation in defining sustainability. Take for instance a right-wing real estate investor whose latest venture was demolished by the storm, leaving him or her near bankrupt in an already difficult economy. Is it okay for that person to take advantage by capitalizing on a scheme to make back what was lost? 29
What if this scheme took no consideration that much of the area of New York and New Jersey is close to sea-level and susceptible to the same devastation when the next superstorm hits? And what about the liberal environmentalist who blames environmental degradation on capitalism and thus the storm that ripped apart their shorefront home? Should he or she be lobbying for billions of dollars from the highest income brackets to pay for their ignorance towards global warming?
“The photos of the aftermath of the storm humbled those of us who imagined built environments like New York City as a kind of fortress, the epitome of our human domination over a once wild and unruly place.”
The point is that nature is non-‐‑partisan. Hurricane Sandy didn’t care if you were liberal or conservative, black or white, rich or poor. Why, then, does a natural phenomenon like a hurricane get so wrapped up in politics? Wouldn’t it make sense to use the environmental, science-based knowledge of those on the left and combine it with the economic know-how of big money managers on the right? Imagine what we could rebuild with that. What we need is a joint effort that takes into consideration safer, stronger, and smarter ways to rebuild what was lost. Only then we will see sustainability in action as we combine the interests of ecology and economy or the environmentalist and the entrepreneur. The opposition of nature and culture can perhaps be best exemplified by the recent Superstorm Sandy. Natural disasters are certainly devastating for those affected and the loss and disruption of people’s lives from such events cannot be overstated. From this perspective, it is
easy to pin nature against culture, to see them as two forces in contention.
30
But I would suggest, without any intention of undermining the tragedy, that the humbling effect Sandy caused could be a platform for a reconception of the relationship between human culture and the power of nature. Unlike other tragic events that have devastated New York City, this perfect storm, as some have dubbed it, cannot be retaliated against. We cannot wage war with nature; to do so would be self-annihilation. It is clear that we need to learn how to work with it, to be a part of it, and as we rebuild, we need to be cognizant of our place in the larger scheme of the natural world of which human culture can be seen as an outlet of nature, not an enemy of it. There seems no better time to reconsider, or perhaps really consider for the first time, how to aptly define sustainability as New York and New Jersey plan and rebuild areas devastated by the wrath of Hurricane Sandy.
Keeping in mind all user groups above, it would be a shame if the legacy of hurricane Sandy were to be exploited by any group, ranging from both ends of the political spectrum; arguably this has already happened and five months later is continuing to happen since the Senate passed over a $50 billion dollar relief measure. Arguments from all across the political spectrum are being made about the spending and where these funds will actually end up.
Storms are inevitable, but the way Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy were dealt with is unacceptable. When are we going to learn? Why does it always seem like too little too late, even when we are given massive figures like the one above? Who will ever see those dollars, when will they see them, and how will they manifest in regards to so-called relief measures? We never seem to get a straight answer. For a country built on the notions of pragmatism and independence, it doesn’t seem fitting that we borrow more money from foreign countries with no concrete plan of precisely how it will be used. It’s time to get back to the basics for both liberals and conservatives.
“Hurricane Sandy is not just a case of bad weather in the same way our environment here in New York is not simply one of skyscrapers and alleyways, cold winters, or crowded subways.” Within academic discourse it is easy to assume that environmental study belongs strictly to the sciences, but the use of the word environment here has implications far beyond the laboratory. In the city of New York we have our physical environment, social environment, and political environment, too. All of these forces affect our psychological state and our comprehension of reality and meaning.
Hurricane Sandy is not just a case of bad weather in the same way our environment here in New York is not simply one of skyscrapers and alleyways, cold winters, or crowded subways. The systems in place that both aided the storm’s victims and disappointed them are all part of this larger environmental schema. It is made up of social, economic, political, and even psychological factors that can not be understood by dissection, but rather by intersection. As the floodwaters have now receded it is time we all step back from our political high horses. We must work together to figure out by virtue of our combined knowledge and resources how we can prevent such devastation by innovative rebuilding and how to wisely budget for the inevitable need of aid programs that offer real relief at the right time and the right place.
Jaclyn Lyons, is a current graduate student at New York University. Jaclyn can be reached at info@jaclynwrites.com or @jaclynwrites
31
FORTUNE 500 TRAINING ON A NONPROFIT BUDGET Move your training and knowledge management to the cloud with the ISC Online Learning Center.
The Institute for Social Change Online Learning Center provides on demand, collaborative and certificate courses for social sector professional development. With a Social Change Academy Membership, gain access to free and low cost courses in the ISC learning library with an individual or organization membership pass. Courses cover topics such as general nonprofit management, social media, strategy, critical analysis, leadership and topics within the SISGI Group 6 focus areas. SCA membership helps social change agents stay on top of their skills and research of social change issues.
Are you an organization looking for a great online learning tool for your staff, board, volunteers or partners?
32
Schedule a demo and see how you can utilize the Institute for Social Change – Online Learning Center for your internal and external training needs. Visit http://sisgigroup.org/isc/online-learning-center/ for more information.
ONLINE LEARNING CENTER - OPEN ENROLLMENT COURSE LISTING SPRING 2013
OPEN ENROLLMENT COURSES
The following courses are for a fee and are available to the public through open enrollment.
Presentation and Online Training OTP01-‐O
Designing Strong Presentations
$25.00
Introduction to Project Management
$25.00
Learn best practices in developing strong presentations, trainings and courses.The course consists of four learning objectives: (1) Preparation of strong presentations, (2) Leveraging presentation tools, (3) Presentation communication techniques and skills, (4) Dealing with questions and different learning styles.
Professional Skills CS02-‐O
Many of us in our professional and academic life manage complex tasks towards a shared goal. This can include being able to manage time and resources, to control a budget, or to create and guide a team. All of these are tasks utilized by a project manager to meet project objectives. This course will provide an introduction to project management techniques to deal with all kind of projects.
PS01-‐O
Management of Meetings and Workgroups
$25.00
What are the indispensable elements of a meeting? This course is useful to understand what makes a meeting a working tool. You will learn a new meaning of meeting and all the efficient techniques to make it productive.
Social Media, Awareness and Engagement
CA02-‐O
Blogging For Social Change
$25.00
This course will provide an introduction to blogging and writing online about social issues. Writing for online is very different than academic writing and often more personal than the writing that may occur in a typical professional environment. Learning to master a style that provides a critical analysis that engages and connects with readers takes time and practice. This course will provide an introduction to blogging and writing online about social issues. Participants will be able to submit articles and content that may be added to NotEnoughGood.Com, the SISGI Group Social Research Blog.
SMAE 01-‐O
Research and Learning through Social Networks
$25.00
This online course provides a basic foundation to leveraging online platforms and social information networks to research and connect on topics online. Key Learning Objectives Include: A look at trends in how individuals gain information about current events and social problems; Leveraging RSS Feeds and Online Readers to find information about social issues; Introduction to Twitter.
For an additional $5 get an individual season pass and access to all of these courses and more in the ISC Learning library. Learn more at http://sisgigroup.org/isc 33
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Many for profit companies and startups have been
using cloud technologies in their operations for years. Even though some companies, like Yahoo, might be going in the opposite direction, the future nonprofit sector should be looking to the cloud and virtual environments to decrease their operating costs and increase efficiency.â&#x20AC;? 34
Cover Story
Operating from the Cloud By Thenera Bailey
How do you interact with your colleagues or clients in your organization? If you are like most individuals working in an office, you probably spend a lot of your time on the phone, in front of your computer, and in meetings. Historically, this was our only option since the technology did not exist to support operating in any other way. This is no longer true, as mobility and technological advances have increased our ability to collaborate, work, and communicate in low cost and innovative ways. Unfortunately, many nonprofit organizations see technology as a costly luxury investment or an unnecessary extra. They continue to utilize an operating structure and technological strategy that predates the Internet or barely includes the use of email. Though many strong nonprofits may be successful in achieving their mission, this antiquated view towards technology is a burden
on their operations and may even decrease their ability to reach scale. It’s time for the nonprofit sector to begin to think outside the box and into the clouds, to find innovative ways to work and structure their operating strategy.
You don’t necessarily need an IT department or to be a technology genius to move aspects of your operations to the cloud. Some of you are probably confused by what “the cloud” even is and what it has to do with organization operations. Cloud computing can be easily defined as taking aspects of your hardware, software, and file storage and rather than save it on your computer, you access it and interact with it online. Just like smartphones have shifted to leveraging mobile applications to allow you to play games, interact with friends, or share information, operating in the cloud can provide the same flexibility. The key benefit of shifting things to the cloud is all you need is a secure Internet connection and you can access everything that was once only available on a single desktop or laptop. No more worrying if you left a file in the office as you travel or if you unexpectedly need to work from home. If you are operating a smart and fully functioning cloud operation structure, you can be on any computer, smartphone, or tablet, and have the same information and systems. 35
“After the 2012 Social Good Summit, I wrote on our blog about the impact advances in mobile technology would have on efforts for social change. With mobile users outpacing desktop users and certain regions of the globe focusing entirely on mobile as a strategy for connection, social change agents need to also keep on top of the advances in mobile technology. It is estimated that by 2020 there will be 50 million Broadband users so organizations and stakeholders can collaborate, share, and connect in ways like never before.”
There are aspects of cloud based operations and mobile technology strategies that almost all organizations can incorporate to decrease their operating costs. Let’s look at 5 specific strategies that you can use in your organizational operation structure.
5 Specific Strategies for Nonprofit Cloud Operations End The Paper Trail - Collaborate in Real Time Waste Less - Decrease Supply Costs Avoid Tech Upgrade Cycle - Limit Your Upfront and Capital Investment Forget Typical Office Structure - Move The Office To The Cloud Manage Your Knowledge - Cloud Based Learning
36
1) End The Paper Trail -Â Collaborate in Real Time Here are the typical ways something is reviewed and edited in most nonprofit offices. Person A writes the document and prints it to share in the meeting
Everyone receives a handout and it ends up on a pile on their desk or recycled after the meeting.
Person B realizes they canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find the document a week later and requests Person A email it to them. Person B makes changes and saves it to their computer.
Person B and A are asked to send the document to their boss but Person B is out of the office and the latest version is on their computer. Its not urgent so they wait until Person B returns to the office, and the newest version is sent via email to the boss...
The boss prints it out and calls them to meet and discuss changes to the document.
At the end of the meeting they each give their paper notes to Person A who will incorporate the notes into the final document.
Person A emails back and forth the rest of the day to make sure they are incorporating the correct individual changes. 37
If you were in the cloud here is how that same scenario might go. The document for the meeting is written in a cloud based platform such as Google Documents. Everyone in the first meeting is sent the document with viewer privileges that they can use in advance or during the meeting. Person B will always have the document in the correct version so no need to email or wait. When the boss is ready to discuss, they can all work on the document simultaneously, updating, commenting and chatting in real time whether they are all in the same location or not. At the end of the meeting the document has everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s edits and is the final version they can all access.
Increased Efficiency+ Decreased Duplication of Efforts = More Time To Save The World! Moving to the cloud allows collaboration to occur with less duplication of efforts, because accessing the files in real time is more likely to occur. You can get many of the same real time document sharing outcomes with a public folder on a file server but it requires a larger initial investment and the need to probably have dedicated IT support. However, without the cloud you lose some of your ability to collaborate at the same time. Leveraging one of the many cloud based platforms can make collaboration and document sharing quick, cheap, and easy. 38
For example, for the last year we have used Podio as our internal project management system. For any organization that has multiple programs or staff working in a variety of locations, using a cloud based project management system can make it easy to coordinate and plan with teams and groups. Imagine combining Facebook status updates with your computers file drive, a task list and an access database, and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have a basic idea of how you might use this platform. It can be a great way to plan meetings, create an intranet for communicating
Benefits of Cloud Collaboration for Nonprofits Non-profits are often highly dispersed geographically and demand an easy way of documenting their processes and communication within their organization to keep everyone in the loop, no matter where they are working from. Using a collaborative work platform like Podio allows people to keep all their work in one place, giving access to all their coworkers without and sharing information, creating workspaces pushing the information at them irrespective for delegating tasks, and managing work of relevance. Working from the cloud on a requirements. Individuals log into Podio through collaborative work platform such as Podio helps any browser or use the Android or Apple mobile on-boarding new members of any organization apps and access information in any of their online with great ease and simplicity. Given that many workspaces. Each workspace can be shared volunteers can only be involved temporarily to with other internal and external organization help with a project or event, having a quick and stakeholders or used by an employee to manage easy way to share the history of the organization their own work. So the development team can and the conversations related to relevant manage the fundraising cycle in one workspace subjects, helps ensure no time or resources are while the volunteers are managed in another. At wasted. Nonprofits are the type of organizations SISGI we use Podio for things like managing that are dealing with matters that demand applications for open staff and volunteer positions, organization, efficiency and transparency. The presenter proposals for conferences and events, pro simplest way to do this is to create a smooth bono capacity building projects, meeting agendas, workflow, cut down significantly on emails & give and even the content developed for this magazine. context to all communication. Podio has enabled Using the cloud to end the paper hundreds of non-profits in reducing email trail is about increasing your ability to more overload by keeping all communication and effectively collaborate within your organization, documents in their context and on one platform, so seek platforms that will allow you to work while encouraging them to go paperless by simultaneously in online documents and forms. storing everything in the cloud to help support Google Documents and computer screen sharing a healthy environment. In a nutshell, that's programs like join.me are great for real time got to be more than two birds with one stone. feedback and input. It is not uncommon for me to create a cloud document during a phone call and share it with the person on the line so we can brainstorm, plan, or collaborate in real time. This decreases the multiple emails after the fact where you might miss or forget crucial parts of the discussion. By incorporating this style of collaboration into your work, you can increase your efficiency in managing your files and interaction around your documents.
Continued on the next page....
Julia Judge User Engagement , Podio Julia@podio.com Twitter - @Judgejul
39
2)
Waste Less -足 Decrease Supply Costs
Our organization policy is to, as much as possible, create only cloud documents that can be shared and collaborated with others online. We avoid creating documents that might get stuck on an individual computer and do not print anything unless it is absolutely necessary. I even developed a Green Project Policy for my client consulting work, which requires all projects leverage technology platforms and electronic communications. In addition, all deliverables are provided electronically to clients. According to the Clear Air Council, 10,000 sheets of copy paper are used by the average US office worker. If a ream of 500 pages is around $5, a company is saving $100 per person annually just by refraining from printing or creating paper copies. That is not a ton for a small company, but when you are running a large nonprofit, paper expenses can be a significant chunk of money that can be allocated in other ways towards your mission. 40
There is also the factor of environmental impact. The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 71 million tons of paper are used each year. So next time you are preparing for a meeting or conference think: do we really need to have paper handouts? The next time you are hosting a fundraising event, consider using e-tickets and smartphones to scan at the door through cloud/mobile companies like Eventbrite. Rather than printing your training manual and other documents for every volunteer, create a cloud based file folder through a free service like Dropbox, SkyDrive, or Box and let them access it online as needed. Need people to sign a million documents for your hiring process or for a grant agreement? Cloud platforms like SignNow are legally binding for e-signatures and you can have the person sign and return directly to you without ever needing to print and scan to create an electronic file.
Decreasing your dependency on paper products and other office supplies can provide more flexibility in your operations and a small savings in your operating budget. Take an organization assessment and determine where you might be able to utilize a cloud platform or a greener policy to decrease your paper and supply waste. For manuals and other paper documents, try to transfer them to a cloud based file system. It not only will save paper, it makes files easier to keep up to date. Though you may not be able to completely operate without ever printing a page, there are many useful platforms to decrease the amount of waste your company creates and, in turn, save you a little money that you can use towards your mission or other costs.
technology debtors cycle, just by utilizing cloud software. Today you can create everything from a document, presentation, or video without having to make a major software investment. Seek out cloud platforms through Google’s Play Marketplace, Apple’s App Store, or Windows App Store to find ways to manage your accounting, contacts, publication creation, and everyday word processing. When the company that created your cloud platform upgrades their service, you are automatically accessing the latest and greatest without starting over. Plus, if you get a new computer or use multiple computers there is often no need to buy separate licenses. Just use your username to login and access it from anywhere.
Tech Upgrade Cycle - 3) Avoid Limit Your Upfront and Capital Investment New technology is one thing that is almost always on a nonprofit organization’s wish list. It is not automatically included in operating budgets because the upfront investment is high and often funders don’t want their donation used towards equipment and other items with a short shelf life. Technology has also been in some instances wrongly associated with luxury and privilege so, like high salaries for nonprofit leaders, great technology in a nonprofit setting may seem like a misuse of donor funds. The cost to upgrade software or purchase the latest computers can hurt an organization with limited cash flow. And often it seems just when you finally have the latest and greatest, they release the newer, younger version. For many of these reasons organizations should avoid spending a lot investing in large scale and expensive technologies with a high upfront cost and leverage lower cost cloud platforms. Most cloud platforms will continually upgrade and you can often pay per user, per month, or annually to have access. There are also several very good and reliable ways to avoid the
Another way to decrease your overall technology investment is to use a master and remote computer strategy. If you can’t get around the software issue, which will probably be true if you, for example, have a major donor database in a particular program, then consider having a few master computers instead of an office-wide investment in certain hardware and software. Through cloud remote log in programs such as Log Me In and Go To My PC, you can create logins for the master computer and use remote access through simpler computer systems. For a little extra each month you can add features that allow printing of documents from the master computer at your local machine and movement of files between the two computers. Staff can have simple computers with limited software and share access to the core software for special projects as needed. If you try to think of innovative ways to manage your organization’s technology needs, you will probably find that strategies like check out systems for staff computers, or computer stations and a mixed technology operation model of tablets, laptops, and cloud platforms can save resources and increase efficiency.
Continued on the next page....
Take a moment to consider your real technology needs-‐‑ Does everyone need a desktop, or could your organization utilize a techshare or tablet strategy based upon when someone is in the 41 Ĝ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ workload or delegated tasks?
4) )RUJHW WKH W\SLFDO RIÀFH structure- Move The 2IÀFH 7R 7KH &ORXG If you are utilizing cloud technologies then any computer, and often any tablet, can be your personal computer. This means that your staff isn’t tied to a particular office or desk because that is where their computer is located. Utilizing cloud platforms can mean more flexible work environments and inspire creative office and technology structures. In some organizations the staff travels to local sites, works in the field, or spends their time doing other things besides sitting in front of a computer. Why not choose low cost tablets for certain staff members that utilizes mobile applications that also have a desktop version? Therefore, your field staff can visit a site and log in notes using a program like Evernote on their tablet, and then use a computer station in the office to update and add detailed information in your company database when they return. As I stated earlier, mobile technology is outpacing desktops globally, so think how you might be able to increase your mobile operations and ultimately decrease your operating costs.
Another place for creative thinking is in how your office structure and space might be decreased or changed if you no longer needed to tie a desk and computer to each staff person. A central work area or space might allow teams to collaborate during key project milestones, but when the project ends or is complete, they can return to their home office or other workspaces. This flexibility allows the work to guide the location structure of your office and opens you to options like office sharing and only accessing office space where and when you need it. At SISGI, we utilize day office space in cities for specific times when our staff and volunteers need to be in the same place at the same time. Because the SISGI “office” is in the cloud it can be anywhere, decreasing our costs of year round office space. The cost of office space is a significant burden for most nonprofits, especially because the majority of nonprofits are located in expensive rent cities like New York, San Francisco, Washington D.C. and London. The cloud removes the physical tie that forces an organization to work in one place or location. The biggest problem I see with Melissa Mayer’s decision to have an “everyone in the office” operational structure at Yahoo, is that it can limit the organization’s access to talent and global perspective.
42
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Companies should look into shifting their company to the cloud, and bringing the office to the employee instead of the employee to the office.â&#x20AC;? Though the change at Yahoo was mostly focused on those telecommuting, as the company looks to increase creativity and innovation, they are limiting their talent pool and viewpoints to wherever they have an office. Some of the greatest advances in technology are coming from offices in Silicon Valley, but they are also occurring in basements in Tokyo, schools in Narobi, and living rooms in Rio. For organizations that are serving a global market or tackling a global issue, it is crucial to include diverse views and stakeholders, many of which may not be in one city, community, or even country. Companies should look into shifting their company to the cloud, and bringing the office to the employee instead of the employee to the office. The cloud makes this possible, as cloud based platforms allow any location to operate the same way a structured office does. Like many organizations, our primary type of communication at SISGI is email. But we also use chat and video conferencing to allow for impromptu conversations and face to face interaction.
Our staff meetings and workgroups often occur as Google+ Hangouts, a free service and social network. 10 people can be in a video conference for free and if you assure everyone has a headset to cut out background noise, it can at times be more interactive than in person meetings. It also allows you to share your screen and present notes and videos to those in attendance. But best of all, it can be used for connecting groups of individuals that are based all over the globe at the same time. Take a step back and truly think about how and why your location and operation structure exists the way it does and if it is the most effective way to reach your mission. If you are not a place-based organization like a school, clinic, or community center, you probably have much more flexibility in how and where your organization is structured. Thinking outside the box could provide huge cost savings in your operations without loss of effectiveness and efficiency.
Continued on the next page....
43
5) Manage Your Knowledge - Cloud Based Learning In one of my first nonprofit positions, I developed and led mentoring trainings for individuals and organizations interested in being mentors or running mentoring programs. Each month we conducted the same trainings to a different group of people. The content was the same and our goal was to increase the effectiveness of mentoring efforts in our state and increase the number of qualified mentors. At the time, we had very few options for managing our training program any differently, as the Internet and even email were still relatively new technologies with only basic capabilities. If I were to run this program today, I would move the whole system to the cloud, utilize our Institute for Social Change, and turn the training curriculum into online courses with interactive activities and assessments. Instead of reaching only a fraction of people in the state, the organization’s best practices in mentoring could be utilized by the entire state at any time or place. It is surprising to me that over a decade later, when technology has advanced to make this and so much more possible, many nonprofit organizations are operating as though online training and meeting programs don’t even exist. There are several free and low-cost online training and meeting platforms that are available to assist in standardizing the learning experience for nonprofit stakeholders and increasing the availability of training content. Because most online webinars/trainings can be recorded, they do not need to be repeated monthly, weekly, and annually like my the trainings from the early days of my career. Someone with basic knowledge of PowerPoint (which most nonprofits are using) can easily transition their trainings to recordings and webinar platforms. I am not saying there is no longer the need for the in person trainings and seminars, but that organizations should assess which of their training practices might work in a standardized recorded webinar or course that individuals could access as needed.
Some examples are: Employee or volunteer orientations Training videos for programs or systems Partner training and information Professional development Grant or reporting requirements Content-based information videos such as organization history or information on specific social issues relevant to the organization’s mission 44
Organizations that begin to utilize cloud platforms for their training and professional development will benefit from the standardization of the learning experience and long term knowledge management strategy. All organizations should assess their knowledge management strategies and see where they are ineffective and perhaps inefficient. If you are completely relying on an individual or even a group of individuals to manage aspects of core organizational knowledge, it is not a strong or sustainable operational strategy. By utilizing recordable cloud based systems for meeting and training services, you are taking steps to create institutional rather than individual knowledge. Even recording live trainings and hosting them in a private YouTube channel as a form of internal training can help an organization keep a record of processes and information. The ability to provide greater accessibility should always be a part of your organizational strategy. If you limit trainings and meetings to only what is possible in person, there are barriers created by geography, travel, and timing. Utilizing online systems can open the conversation to greater geographic communities and new stakeholders in your mission. If you are taking on a national or large scale issue and not utilizing strong online and cloud based knowledge management, you will continue to struggle to reach scale and have a missed opportunity to capture the knowledge sharing and learning across your issue.
On a basic level, every organization should have access to a cloud based online meeting platform that allows you to record and either screen share or upload PowerPoints and other training content. Anymeeting is a free platform that is great if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mind advertisments. For a nominal fee the ads are removed and you get some of the same technology that is available in more costly meeting platforms. It also provides up to 6 screen video conferencing, a new best practice in online meeting technology. If you are interested in creating video trainings and other knowledge management resources, Startmeeting Studio allows you to create cloud based presentations for free with recordings
of your screen with audio. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great about this is you can easily share these via social media or download and use them internally. Leveraging the cloud to build and develop your capacity towards information sharing and learning can assist you in scaling your work and decreasing your repetitive strategies. Knowledge management is easy and affordable when incorporated with simple cloud based tools.
Moving into operating from the cloud To begin to leverage the many examples I have outlined requires an operational mind shift and organizational fit. Funders need to see the value in technology for social change and organizations need to seek ways to leverage free and low cost options that improve their efficiency. Not every cloud strategy will work with every organization and it is important to make sure that you have assessed the alignment with your mission and your organizational structure for each platform. Additionally, include key stakeholders and partners in developing a plan of how to think out of the box and in the clouds. With increased efficiency in your operations and decreased costs, you will be able to achieve more, change more, and provide a greater return on the investment of donors, funders, and advocates in your work. As Founder and CEO of the SISGI Group, Thenera Bailey is the lead partner in the consulting group, and has developed key programs and organization initiatives for the organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nonprofit division, all of which operate from the cloud. For strategic planning assistance on how to move your nonprofit operations to the cloud contact her at thenera.bailey@sisgigroup.org
45
Thenera’s List Of Free Cloud Platforms That Every Nonprofit Should Have... Google + - Many people are not paying attention to what a wonderful resource for organizations Google+ can be. From event management and marketing to free video conferencing, Google+ is way more than a social platform. Even if you are not going to utilize Google+ Hangouts for internal collaboration and meeting, every organization should consider hosting a Hangout on air and adding it to their YouTube Channel. Thank donors, interview stakeholders or build awareness about your mission. Google+ is a hidden free enterprise solution for nonprofits. DropBox - Create an organization wide policy that nothing (except confidential files
and information) will be saved to one computer and utilize a cloud based file storage. Make file sharing easy for organization wide documents and information. Quickly provide access and permissions internally and externally.
Join.Me - Ever need to just walk through a document on the fly with someone and
don’t want to invest in a major meeting platform? Join.me is your solution. Just sign-up for an account, add the program to your computer and send a quick link to anyone you want to see your computer screen.
Skype - If you are working on international issues and your organization does not have a Skype account you are missing out on a great resource for lower cost conversations. Save on phone charges by utilizing Skype for your calling and individual video conferencing options. With a business manager account you can create organization Skype profiles for your entire staff and then allocate credit (if needed) to make calls to non-Skype users. SignNow - From grant agreements to policy manuals, never print a document again
just to get a date and signature. Through SignNow you email the pdf document to the user, they sign and email it back to you. You can create and save your signatures for quick signing at anytime. You can also type text within the document which is perfect for longer agreements or forms.
Anymeeting - Most organizations know they need the ability to meet online, but with many online meeting platforms starting at $40+ a month for just a few people to join, it can be hard to validate if you don’t meet that often or have a large group to train. Anymeeting provides free meeting access for 200 people and all the bells and whistles of more expensive products. It will have ads but may be the best way to ease into hosting more meetings online.
46
Evernote - Notetaking, To Do Lists, Jotting down a simple idea. Remove the post-its and legal pads and create these things in Evernote. Employees can download the app to a smartphone or use the system online and share/ access their notes anywhere and with others. No more lost notes in a pile on someone’s desk.
The SISGI Beyond Good Ideas Foundation invites you to join us for the:
Best Practices for Youth Conference August 5th-8th, 2013 $ 8QLTXH 2QOLQH DQG 2IÀLQH (YHQW coming to a computer screen or a city near you! The Alliance for Positive Youth Development is a national platform that allows for networking and professional development for youth serving professionals, ongoing assessment of youth needs and significant increased positive outcomes for youth led by The SISGI Group. We invite all youth, parents, practitioners, community & youth leaders, policymakers and educators to join us in this unique opportunity to collect and share best practices for youth with others around the world. Learn more and see what happened in last year’s conference at http://apydconference.sisgigroup.org/
Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter (@ideas4youth) #APYDCON WR ¿QG RXW ZKHQ \RX FDQ UHJLVWHU DQG IRU PRUH LQIRUPDWLRQ Interested in volunteering to help with this year’s conference? (PDLO \RXWKFRQIHUHQFH#VLVJLJURXS RUJ
47
Gender Equality: Still a Work in Progress By Regina Bernadin The world has taken notice of women, their causes, and their endless spirit in the fight for gender equality. Despite being labeled as feminists and criticized for revolutionizing gender roles in the home and labor force, women continue to seek their rights. It has only been within the last century that women gained the right to vote and receive fair wages through the Equal Pay Act of 1963 (which has not been fully enforced). Today, the battle against inequality and discrimination still forges on. What the women’s movement has asked for is the right to experience the same rights, protections, and overall opportunities as their counterparts, which are currently not being granted due to their gender. While great strides have been achieved in the last century, globally there are still women who cannot drive, vote, divorce their spouse, attend school (two-thirds of the world’s illiterate population are women) or travel without permission from a male relative or spouse. This lack of equity appears early, as seen in South Korea, where “thirty percent of pregnancies identified as female fetuses are terminated. Contrastingly, over ninety percent of pregnancies identified as male result in a normal birth.” “In Guatemala, the number of femicides [the murder of women and girls] has risen steadily from 303 in 2001 to 722 in 2007.” Inequality also manifests itself through dowry deaths, which “are responsible for the murders of thousands of women every year, especially in South Asia” and honor killings, which are common among countries in the Middle East and Central Asia. Gender inequality is also clearly obvious when two-thirds of the world’s illiterate population are women. 48
“While great strides have been achieved in the last century, globally there are still women who cannot drive, vote, divorce their spouse, attend school (twothirds of the world’s illiterate population are women) or travel without permission from a male relative or spouse.” This may appear extreme to some societies, but inequality is not always so evident; sometimes, inequality is weaved into everyday reality with few realizing its existence. For example, in the United States, discrimination against women can be seen in sports, one of the preferred national pastimes (all major sports are male-dominated), the formal job market (twenty-one of the Chief Executive Officers “(CEOs) of Fortune 500 companies are women, which means that 479 of them are men”), and in local, state, and national politics (in 2013, of all elected officials to U.S Congress, women represent under 20 percent).
The milestones achieved have not been forgotten. Women’s contributions in public service, education, and the sciences have enriched their respective fields. Working jointly with men, women have helped the world make advances in medicine through the discovery of cures for illnesses, achieve developments in technology, and work to preserve scarce natural resources.
Melissa Mayer (CEO of Yahoo), Hillary Rodham Clinton (former First Lady, Senator and Secretary of State), and Aung San Suu Kyi (human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner) have proven that the proverbial glass ceiling has been cracked but not shattered. This is a call to action. Gender inequality perpetuates poverty in society, which undermines the foundation of any community; long-term, bridging disparities will aid in not only mending the existing gender gap, but also in improving the economic, social, and political outlook of any nation.
To further understand the impact gender discrimination has on a country, the World Economic Forum, a Swiss nonprofit organization, “measures gender equity through a series of economic, educational, and political benchmarks.”
Profiling the United States, which ranked number nineteenth, here are examples of how the lack of equality affects communities across the nation: “Women are more likely than men to live in poverty because they earn less money for the same work: In 2009, the U.S Department of Labor indicated that the “median weekly earnings of women who were fulltime wage and salary workers was eighty percent of men’s.”
“Women are more likely to be victims of intimate partner violence and sexual assault: The Department of Justice found that the percentage of female victims of intimate partner violence was about five times that of male victims.”
“Women experience high rates of maternal mortality: “The U.S ranked 41st in a ranking of 184 countries on maternal deaths during pregnancy and childbirth.” This is below all other developed countries around the globe as well as a number of developing ones.” Continued on the next page.... 49
The profile found that the educational, political, and economic disparities do not just directly affect the power held by women in society, but indirectly impact the sociocultural aspect of their lives as well. Women’s access to health services is compromised by gender inequality and their relationship dynamics are affected too; indeed, every aspect of life is shaped by gender.
Gender inequality is so ingrained that an entity for combating the phenomenon has formed to bridge the gap . UN Women, or United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, is the UN arm focused on women empowerment, which now leads the fight to increase the quality of life for women around the world. Their mandate is three-fold: (1) to support those developing policies; (2) to help UN member states implement their protocols and provide them with technical and financial support; and lastly (3) to allow member states to hold the UN accountable for “its own commitments on gender equality”.
Global bodies are not the only ones making a commitment to end gender discrimination. Along with the United Nations, individual countries have also taken the pledge to aid women and girls in their pursuit of equal rights. For example, Germany has given the largest percent of aid for gender issues, followed by the United Kingdom and neighboring France. In Africa, over 3,000 villages in Senegal, approximately 300 villages in Guinea, and 23 villages in Burkina Faso have eliminated female genital mutilation (FGM) through education on health, human rights, and responsibilities. “Between 100 and 140 million women and girls have undergone female genital mutilation worldwide and 3 million girls are at risk of the procedure each year in Africa.” In Latin America, “Mexico established the Special Commission to Monitor Investigations of Feminicide, which is working to raise awareness 50
of the severity of violence against women among legislators in Mexico”.
Lastly, in the United States, Congress reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), “a landmark law that has transformed the way the county responds to domestic and sexual violence.” In 2013, new provisions were added to address the violence experience by specific groups, including Native American women.
While international organizations like the UN and governments have taken steps towards change, the role of the individual should not be underestimated. In cities around the world, men and women “came together as part of 1 Billion Rising, a global day of action to remind the world that violence toward women persists despite progress in recent decades. Those involved say the events also created a platform to share how violence has touched their lives and solidarity.” While many argue that gender equality is not possible because of the inherent nature of humanity, there is a belief that the gap can be closed. The change will need to occur at every level in society. This systematic change can
begin with dialogue in the home, where gender roles and tasks are reinforced daily. Additionally, it is necessary to address cultural practices that create and strengthen gender inequality and discrimination. Individuals can also promote
women for public office, which can serve as a platform for their voices to be heard. Overall, there needs to be a change in individual and societal mindsets. On International Women’s Day and during Women’s History Month, the accomplishments of women can be revered and lauded, but always with an understanding that the efforts for equality are not over and that everyone can play a role in the fight against sexism. Regina Bernadin, a human rights advocate, supervises the Florida Freedom Partnership, an anti-trafficking program in South Florida. She is currently working on her Ph.D in Conflict Analysis and Resolution at Nova Southeastern University.
51
5 Ways To Build Pro Bono Service Into Your Company By Jennifer Lawson
Pro bono and skills-Âbased volunteering leverages the skills and talents of your organization to meet WKH QHHGV RI QRQSURĂ&#x20AC;WV ,W FDQ DOVR EH D JUHDW ZD\ WR get your business and brand to connect with your community.
But how do you get started? 52
1. Start with what you know.
Pro bono and skills-based volunteering leverages the skills and talents of your organization. These talents can be a direct extension of the work you do, like adding one pro bono client to your portfolio or the skill sets that you have. Do you have an IT team that could help improve a website? HR know-how that FRXOG KHOS D QRQSURÀW UHFUXLW QHZ VWDII" 6RPHWLPHV WKH VNLOOV \RXU FRPSDQ\ can offer are broader than the product or service you provide.
2. Ask those you already know.
2IWHQ WKH HDVLHVW ZD\ WR ÀQG D QRQSURÀW WR VXSSRUW LV WR DVN WKH QRQSURÀW partners you already support with contributions a simple question, “What more could we do?”
3. Start small.
Even the biggest pro bono programs in the biggest companies start modestly. 0DWFKLQJ D IHZ HQWKXVLDVWLF HPSOR\HHV DQG RQH JUHDW QRQSURÀW SDUWQHU LV DQ excellent way to understand your organization’s capacity to serve.
4. 3UHSDUH \RXU QRQSURÀW
Help your nonprofit use your skills and talents effectively by providing significant time to scope the project and the time and effort successful completion will require. A great free resource to help this process is www.readinessroadmap.org.
5. Take the A Billion + Change Pledge.
Companies who take the pledge join in an amazing national network of peers dedicating their employees to pro bono service. With webinars on best practices, newsletters and special events you can launch your program on a path to success www.abillionpluschange.org.
Jennifer is the Executive Director of A Billion + Change, leading the swiftlygrowing national campaign that is recruiting 500 of America’s best brands in a pledge of pro bono service. www. abillionpluschange.org
53
3 Fighting The Invisible War
By Jacyln Lyons
In late January of this year, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta decided to allow women in the military to occupy combat positions that they were previously forbidden. Immediately, both men and women serving in the military feared the implications and debated the decision. Wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t we all typically rejoice in any measure of gender equality, particularly one exemplified by the highly respected armed forces of the United States? A red flag was raised at the opposition to this policy. What was the problem?
My own answer to this question came to me quite unexpectedly in the form of a documentary film released last year. The Oscarnominated film, The Invisible War, exposes women in combat on quite another front. Ties between the Defense Secretaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision and the shocking revelations by the release of this film are inextricably linked and it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take an expert to figure out why. Women in all branches of the armed forces are being brutally attacked and raped by fellow servicemen and until now, little has been done to stop it. The Invisible War does more than address the fact that this is happening to women at such staggering rates; it suggests two fundamental problems that need our immediate attention: the hyper-masculinity so highly valued in a male soldier, and an inadequate judicial system within the armed forces. Little did we know as civilians that women had already been fighting a horrific battle long before Panetta decided they were able. In the opening credits of The Invisible War we learn that all statistics shared came from US government studies. 54
â&#x20AC;&#x153;25%  of  servicewomen  didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t  report  their  rape  because  the  person  to  report  to  was  the  rapist.â&#x20AC;? The filmmakers had obviously feared we simply wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t or couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe that 20% of female veterans had been sexually assaulted, an estimated 500,000 when we combine that statistic with the 80% of attacks that are not reported. Why would a woman choose not to report her assailant? The film explains, â&#x20AC;&#x153;33% of servicewomen didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t report their rape because the person to report to was a friend of the rapist.â&#x20AC;? Furthermore, another â&#x20AC;&#x153;25% of servicewomen didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t report their rape because the person to report to was the rapist.â&#x20AC;? But why is no one sticking up for these women? It seems the internal politics of the military deems it nearly impossible for a woman to report a rape. Victims of rape are treated like criminals, immediately having their credibility questioned by â&#x20AC;&#x153;false statementâ&#x20AC;? interrogations that include ludicrous questioning like, â&#x20AC;&#x153;why were you there, what were you wearing, and do you have a boyfriend.?â&#x20AC;? This type of questioning clearing indicates the blame is placed on the women who are often told they were â&#x20AC;&#x153;asking for it.â&#x20AC;? There are also professional retaliations for reporting such crimes, including rank reductions. When charges are made, its usually akin to a slap on the wrist, so to speak. Women, though, are the ones who are charged with â&#x20AC;&#x153;adultery,â&#x20AC;? regardless of the fact that
“This is not just a military problem; it is a much larger social issue.” The Invisible War features Russell Strand, Chief of Family Advocacy Law Enforcement, Training Division US Army, who explains “most sex offenders are hunters, and like any hunter they study their prey, they study their movements, they study their behaviors, they study the environment.” Much like they would have to do in war. The reality of the environment they are in whether on base or deployed is an extremely closed system that creates a target-rich environment. Furthermore, the judicial system, if it even deserves to be called one, is nothing like the criminal justice system in civilian life and recruits are aware of this. The film informs us a Navy study found that 15% of incoming recruits had attempted or carried out a rape prior to their enlistment. This is double the percentage of the equivalent civilian population. Clearly there is something alluring about the military for sexual predators and we can easily point to it: lack of accountability. a few days after seeing the film The Invisible War, Leon Panetta decided to revoke the privileges of prosecution appointments away from unit commanders who, it’s been found, were essentially covering up either their own transgressions, protecting a friend, or simply inept when it comes to proper due process of law. This points to the second fundamental problem: the very judicial system itself that failed to promote a system of accountability. When criminals such as these sex offenders essentially get away with their crimes, it only makes them that much more likely to repeat the offense. Of 2,039 rape cases, only 147 offenders were convicted in 2009. The average sex offender has 300 victims--no, this is not a typo. Furthermore, if these men are not convicted and charged with a felony, they never end up on a sex offender registry list. Where they do end up is in our civilian neighborhoods. This is not just a military problem; it is a much larger social issue.
In 2011, the case against the military by several women that The Invisible War documented was dismissed, citing the reason that “rape is an occupational hazard of military service.” Panetta’s decision mirrors many NATO allies’ policies that do not allow commanders to participate in the judicial process of such cases is certainly a step in the right direction, but it is not enough. We need more serious policy changes to come through Washington to protect the women in our armed forces.
Just
Continued on the next page....
55
“...women who have been raped in the military have a PTSD rate higher than men who have been in combat.” In the recent debate over whether Panetta was right to let women occupy combat positions holds a certain irony. The argument that it is somehow immoral to put women in such places of danger sounds ridiculous knowing the fear and trauma women in the armed forces already face. Of course there are good men in the military who find issue with seeing a woman--biologically weaker as she may be--harmed or killed. But I don’t think I’m being hyperbolic when I say this is already happening, just not on the battlefield. Furthermore, the reality of modern warfare has essentially no equivalent of a frontline. Women are stationed in dangerous places already; they just don’t get the credit for being in so-called combat positions even though they are; therefore, women have yet again reached the same glass-ceiling effect in the military as in any corporate job. Only in this case, they are putting their lives on the line for the protection of our freedom. Let’s give these women their due credit, shall we? *Above images are from The Inisible War film.
Trauma to women who have been attacked and raped by fellow servicemen, often so-called friends or brothers, cannot even be adequately articulated. Women are being drugged, raped, and seriously injured we now know, but what about the aftermath? STDs, pregnancy, PTSD, general anxiety disorder, depression, alcoholism, and, of course professional retaliation and ridicule if they choose to report it are only the commonly cited after-effects. The film tells us that “women who have been raped in the military have a PTSD rate higher than men who have been in combat.” 56
Here are some great ways to action: http://www.notinvisible.org/take_action *All statistics are from The Invisible War Jaclyn Lyons, is a current graduate student at New York University. Jaclyn can be reached at info@jaclynwrites.com or @jaclynwrites
Living a Healthy Life: One Size Does Not Fit All By Wanda L. Snead, Dr.HSc
“Many will use the excuse that our health is somehow predetermined, destined to go one way or another because of genetics. Often this cop out leads people to believe they have no responsibility or part in ensuring that they live their lives to their fullest, healthiest potential.” If one turns on the television, listens to the radio, picks up a favorite magazine, or even has a phone conversation with a friend or relative, at some point the words health, healthy living, or healthy lifestyle enter the dialogue. The subject consumes us in the 21st century; however, with all the information available, we still haven’t received the message. Statistics indicate that the number of people with type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, mental disorders, and other chronic health diseases continue to increase rather than decline. The indication is that the message of how to live a healthier life is not quite clear or maybe it is a message that we are attempting to fit to many different circumstances-- different people, cultures, and customs – and one size just does not fit all.
Many have a narrow view, believing healthy equals skinny and unhealthy equals overweight. But research has shown that there are overweight individuals (Body Mass Index, or BMI, 26 or greater) who are more healthy and fit than the lean individual with a BMI of 25 or less. Much goes into living a healthy life and no one method fits all. Each individual must find the size, so to speak, that best suits him/her and their way of life and use that method habitually. So what does it mean to live a healthy life? This is a small phrase that has a powerful impact upon every aspect of our journey in life. It is not only about our physical wellbeing, but it takes into
account those things that brand and maintain us as healthy, happy, and whole.
In his book Happy, Dr. Ian Smith indicates that it is a way of living that allows us to enjoy every aspect of life in more fulfilling ways. It is not just about trying to avoid one illness after another; it is about feeling and being well physically, mentally, and socially. Living a healthy life is about making choices specific to individual needs, which empower us to feel our best for as long as we can. We should not be eating unhealthy or overeating even on healthy foods for that matter, which for some stems from the idea that food is needed to bring happiness into life. It is not only food but tobacco, alcohol, sex, poor choices in relationships, inactivity because of television, iPads, Xboxes, iPhones. There is an extensive list of “stuff” that we engage in just to make life more tolerable, but at the same time more unhealthy and sedentary.
To help get the message out, I teach a science class that introduces the aspect of healthy living to young adults from the perspective that “living life healthy” is more complex than just eating right and exercising. It entails multiple dimensions. Specifically, individuals must maintain 6 dimensions for longevity of life and happiness (Developed by Dr. Bill Hettler, co-founder of the National Wellness Institute, 1976). In order to keep a healthy status we need to make sure we are not compromising any of these dimensions. 57
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Health is a dynamic, ever-changing process.â&#x20AC;?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), health is a dynamic, ever-changing process of achieving individual potential in each of the following 6 dimensions:
PHYSICAL-
Includes body functioning, physical fitness, activities of daily living,, practicing healthy eating habits, being physically active, feeling well, resistance to disease, taking care of our bodies, and our ability to heal. Example: Eating what you enjoy but in moderation. Adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet, eating less red meat, cutting back on the fats and sweets, exercising regularly and getting enough sleep..
MENTAL- Ability to think
are part of a greater field of lifeinward harmony and peace with life, working towards a purpose, striving towards a meaningful life, pursuing answers to life's questions.
clearly, reason objectively and critically, problem solving abilities, learning abilities, and knowledge learned throughout life.
Example: Reading books, taking classes, learning a new language or trade, or working on a quilt, painting, music, the arts in general. 58
SPIRITUAL- feeling like we
Example: Engagement in a religion or philosophy, having meaning and purpose in life goals, meditation, or being synchronized with the body.
EMOTIONAL- Self-efficacy and
self-esteem, social ability for satisfying relationships, Interactions with others, adapting to social situations, social bonds and support. Ability to express and control emotions appropriately, emotional reactions to life, how you feel about yourself, and the quality of your relationships. Example: Dealing with the death and dying, discussing feelings openly and honest, engaging in emotionally healthy relationships, belief in yourself and capabilities, maintaining friendships, joining clubs and organizations, sense of community, meeting new people with a positive attitude.
ENVIRONMENTAL - Gratefulness
and acceptance of external surroundings caring for it - Being more earth friendly, recycling, appreciation of nature and the environment, enjoying the outdoors and the ability to create change if you do not like it.
Example: Riding your bike to work, walking places instead of driving, hiking, traveling, enjoying outdoor sports or activities, or being involved in community clean up. Community awareness, neighborhood watches, etc.
SOCIAL- Social health is based around
relationships with others. Having meaningful relationships builds self-respect as well as appreciation for others and their differences. This encourages positive and effective communication in all situations from work and professional environments to personal friendships and social situations.
Example: Staying in touch with friends, whether a quick phone call or text to let them know you are thinking of them. Being able to voice your opinion. Feeling valued in a collaborative work environment and in one-on-one relationships. Cultivate a meaningful support system of friends and family.
What other examples can you think of that match these dimensions? Share your answers with us on twitter @BeyondGoodIdeas using #6Dimensions Continued on the next page.... 59
A healthy lifestyle doesn’t happen overnight for any of us, especially if we have less than ideal eating and lifestyle habits. But if we endeavor to understand the 6 dimensions and how they fit as a pattern for living well one step at a time, we can get on the path to better health. So consider incorporating the following in the 6 dimensions where best suitable for your specific needs and goals for healthy living:
1)
A Balanced Diet - “eat to live and not live to eat. Listen to the body and eat only when you are hungry. When you do eat, consume a healthy diet culturally appropriate for you- choices from all of the food groups. "Eat a rainbow” of vegetables and fruits - all colors: orange, red, yellow, green, purple. Be realistic about the size you are. You are likely to be based on your genetics and environment.
2) Get Regular Exercise
- do something you enjoy! Check with your doctor or other health professional for the exercise that is right for you, but one of the keys to a healthy lifestyle is to get moving and keep moving. Exercise isn't just for those who want to lose weight. It keeps our joints moving and our heart pumping.
60
3)
Accept You As You Are - we are unique creatures and loving ourselves just as we are, with all faults and shortcomings, is a necessary key to an overall healthy lifestyle. Too many of us learn this later in life, after having spent many years beating ourselves up about our looks, weight, career or relationships. Doing our best is the most any of us can ask of ourselves. Be gentle with you; work toward self- acceptance and forgiveness. Make some life decisions and goals about what is most important to you and pursue them.
4)
Quit The "BAD" Behaviors – Trying to kick smoking is hard but doing it is incredibly
5)
Stay Connected - Healthy relationships are necessary for overall health. We need people who love us near. Both friends and family encourage our spirit and adds completeness to our lives. Pets can be an important connection, too. I have a wonderful cat that is always near. It is one of the healthy lifestyle features of my life that is therapeutic.
beneficial to life. Too many of our relatives who smoked have been lost to lung cancer. COPD and Sleep Apnea are issues related to smoking. It is a killer - and you can immediately reduce your chances of developing these illnesses if you quit smoking. It really is a matter of life and death. Also, if you are a regular or heavy drinker, limiting your drinking will impact your health and particularly your liver.
6) Create Balance And Reduce Stress
-Excess stress is a killer. In our society we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to lead what we think of as "full" lives. But balance is important, too. The stress that pops up in various areas of our lives as we try to do it all can lead to heart disease and other serious health issues. Doing what you can to eliminate the stress in your life, or at least better managing the stress, will have a very beneficial impact on your health and your life.
7) Work At What You Love
-Don't you admire those people who manage to make a living at doing what they love? I do. Whatever your passion, make sure you include it in your life on a regular basis. If you want to and are able to turn it into your work, all the better. People who are happy in their work have been shown to be more satisfied with their lives overall and consider themselves happy people.
8) Have Fun
- Have you noticed how much better you feel when you smile or laugh? Having a positive outlook and making sure you take time out to have fun can actually have a positive effect on your health, too. Of the 8 things needed for a healthy lifestyle, taking time to have fun and enjoy your life, is just as important as the other points. Remember - balance is the key in pretty much everything we do. Also remember that you don't have to change your life overnight. A step in the right direction, taken every day, will get you where you want to go.
Everyone has a different perspective on what a healthy lifestyle is, but it really comes down to practicing good health habits and giving up harmful ones. A healthy lifestyle is one
that focuses on maintaining a normal weight, provides defenses against disease, enhances energy levels, and offers regular opportunities for stress reduction activities. In other words, a
healthy lifestyle is one that creates a sense of balance and harmony in life. With it comes positive reinforcements such as feeling great, energized, better sleep patterns, greater relaxation, looking good; having a nice toned body, strong muscles, bright eyes healthy hair and skin, and, most important, happiness and a better outlook on life. In summary, take small steps, make simple changes that best fit your needs and better health will be your reward. No, one size does not fit all, but with a little tenacity, we can find the one that does!
In some cases, you may need additional assistance in incorporating the above, especially if you have already developed chronic disease symptoms. If this is the issue, please visit the websites of the American Diabetes Association, The American Cancer Society, The American
ȱ ǰȱ ǯȱ ȱ¢ ȱ ȱę ȱ ȱ ę ȱ information for your condition and how to continue to live a healthy life. Wanda Snead, Dr.HSc, is a faculty member in the Dept of Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville,TN and a National African American Diabetes Association Sub Committee Member.
61
The Cover Conundrum By Kristen Wendt
Approximately 66 times. That’s how many times women have graced the cover of Sports Illustrated since it was first established in 1954 (excluding the Annual Swimsuit Edition, of course). That averages out to approximately one cover photograph per year, leaving the remaining fifty plus covers every year to the male athletes.
I was in highschool when I first realized the blatant discrepancy between the representation of male and females athletes in popular sports publications, like Sports Illustrated and ESPN the Magazine. Every single week, my brother would receive Sports Illustrated in the mail, which I would subsequently grab and run up to my room to read. I would devour the magazine, soaking in the articles, interviews, and player bios. My favorite part though? The photographs. They were full of displays of extreme athleticism. Limitless talent. Raw passion and emotion.
However, over time my love for the magazine began to fade, replaced instead with feelings of skepticism and confusion. Where were all the photographs of female athletes? Where were all the images of women looking strong, tough, and powerful? The women that I saw on the covers of Sports Illustrated and ESPN the Magazine were not the same athletes that I had seen competing on television. They had changed from fierce and 62
aggressive to pretty and passive. Their sexuality, rather than their athletic abilities, had become their greatest selling feature.
The inevitable truth is that dominant masculine ideologies have long ruled the realm of sports. Men were the ones who played the sports, coached the sports, and even reported on the sporting events. They simply dominated the sporting world. However, female membership in sports has exploded in recent decades, and men are slowly losing their tightly held grip on athleticism. However, one area they have managed to maintain control over is the mainstream print media. Ninety-four percent of all sports editors are men. It’s no wonder women don’t make the cut. Magazines, as a form of print media, are unique in the fact that their entire external focus is on their single cover photograph. That one image is the magazine’s primary selling feature; it is the reason people will impulsively grab it off the shelf in the checkout line or will pick it up in the dentist’s office. It is meant to entice people, command attention, and make customers want to open the magazine up and read more.
This differs greatly from other forms of broadcast journalism, like the sports segments on the local news or SportsCenter on ESPN. In these types of mediums, news stories are afforded the
luxury of time. They consist of numerous video clips, embedded together to create a story, lasting anywhere from only a couple minutes to a couple hours, whereas a photograph is simply able to capture a one short moment in time. In a world saturated with visual imagery, it is important to analyze these dominant images in order to determine their impact on society as a whole.
In 2011, The Atlantic posted an article titled “9 Way Women Get on the Cover of Sports Illustrated”. Here are the nine best ways to make the cover of Sports Illustrated, according to journalist Eleanor Barkhorn:
1. Get famous before 1962: Ironically, the majority of female athletes graced the cover of Sports Illustrated before the passing of Title IX. Women were on SI’s cover fourteen times in the 1950s and early 1960s. 2. Be a cheerleader: Self-explanatory. It’s the oldest sports cliché in the book.
3. Play tennis… 4.…or soccer… 5…or run track. 6. Be an Olympian. A female athlete’s best chance
of making the front cover comes once every two years – each time the Winter or Summer Olympics rolls around. Recent Olympians who have graced the cover of Sports Illustrated include Lindsey Vonn, Hope Solo, and the 2012 Women’s Gymnastics Team.
7. Be an outlier. Case in point: Danica Patrick. 8. Be beautiful. Beauty sells. It’s Marketing 101. 9. Put on a bathing suit. Which woman holds
the record for the most Sports Illustrated covers? Candace Parker? Mia Hamm? Maybe Jackie Joyner-Kersee? Nope. It’s supermodel Elle MacPherson, who has graced the cover of Sport Illustrated’s Swimsuit Edition five times, more than any other female athlete in history.
“It is critical to analyze these images, which are some of the most prominent in our society...” The mass media is one of the most powerful influences in our society. It has the power to create expectations, establish beliefs, and promote values in our culture. Without even knowing it, we are shaped by its influence every single day – every time we read a magazine, listen to a news report, or watch the ten o’clock news. It is critical to analyze these images, which are some of the most prominent in our society, in order to realize the profound impact that they have on our culture. The cover photographs are more than simply a collection of photographs – they are a culmination of our society’s beliefs about gender, a women’s role in sports, and a women’s role in society. 63
Many people argue that we now live in a “postpatriarchal” society. That we have gotten past the days of discrimination, bias, and misrepresentation between the sexes, and have moved on to becoming a more gender equal society. So I’m going to leave you with two simple truths:
Truth #1: The most likely way for a women to end up on the cover of Sports Illustrated is by gracing the cover of the Annual Swimsuit Issue. “It’s time we get rid of the highly sexualized, passive cover photos.”
Truth #2: There are many years, where not even a single female athlete makes the cover of Sport Illustrated. Yet every single winter, a supermodel makes the cover of SI’s Annual Swimsuit Edition. (In 2007, the only woman to make the cover of the weekly publication was Beyoncé. In 2008, that honor went to supermodel Marisa Miller). On the field, female athletes are breaking boundaries every single day. They are achieving success never thought possible. However, off the field, women continue to be constrained by the limitations of living and playing in a hegemonic masculine society. It’s time we get rid of the highly sexualized, passive cover photos. Why not make them all action shots? Show off their drive, their strength, and their athletic abilities. Allow the women to be shown doing what they do best: competing. Their desire, their determination – that’s what makes an athlete truly beautiful.
“Their desire, their determination - that’s what makes an athlete truly beautiful.” Kristen Wendt is a senior communication major, sociology and psychology minor from Villanova University.
64
The Slow Shift Towards Marriage Equality: The United Kingdom and Changing Global Trends By Devon Bacso
On the site Out4Marriage, one can view Former Cabinet Minister Jack Straw, Rabbi David Mitchell with his partner Ian, and Norma and David Green, who have a gay grandchild, all talking about why they believe their LGBTQ people should have the right to be married. The site, which links to YouTube, contains over forty videos of United Kingdom residents declaring their support of the UK’s recent steps towards approving same sex marriage. Despite the lack of backing from many conservative members of Parliament, the Commons has voted in support of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill for England and Wales, which would accord same sex couples the right to be married. This decision has had a large impact on the United Kingdom and echoes the shifting trend towards greater gay acceptance.
However, for the Marriage Bill to pass into law, there are still many steps that have to be accomplished. While Clause 1 of the bill has passed, there are seventeen more clauses that must be individually approved. If all the remaining clauses are approved, the members of Parliament will vote again before the bill undergoes an approval process in the House of Lords. Even though it has not been completely approved yet, the Marriage Bill has already created controversy among politicians and citizens. Cicely Maunder, former mayor of Chipping Norton, has resigned from David Cameron’s Conservative Party Assocation and has surrendered her position as Chipping Norton’s branch chairwoman, due to Cameron’s recent support for gay marriage. She claims she is not anti-gay and has gay friends, but believes that marriage is between a man and a woman because of her Christian values.
The United Kingdom has a relatively accepting history of LGBTQ rights: Section 28 passed Parliament in 1988 and forbid the promotion or acceptance of homosexuality in schools, but was repealed in 2003.
In 2002, Parliament removed the stipulation that a couple had to be married to adopt a child, thus opening adoption to same sex couples.
In 2004, Parliament allowed same sex couples to enter into civil partnerships and passed the Gender Recognition Act, which allowed transgender people to legally change their sex.
In 2008, the UK signed a United Nations declaration striving for global decriminalization of homosexuality.
Meanwhile, Sadiq Khan has received death threats after voting in support of the same sex marriage bill. One of the most well-known Muslim MPs following his successful campaign management for Ed Miliband, Khan seems to have been singled out from the other four Muslims supporting the bill and is receiving hostile backlash. The death threats are serious enough that Khan has been instructed to confirm that he has adequate security and officers are 65
prepared to respond quickly if an incident unfolds at his home. This marks the first time Khan has faced threats of this nature and intensity.
Despite there always being some upheaval in response to change, recently the global trend seems to be leaning towards same sex marriage approval. While seventy-eight countries still view gay sex as a crime, there are an increasing number of countries who are embracing queer rights. In 1989, Denmark was the first European country to grant same sex couples the same rights as married straight couples and legalized same sex marriage in 2012. Today, ten other countries allow for same sex marriage, as well as Mexico City and nine states in the United States. The UK’s recent push for same sex marriage mirrors global trends, though not all countries are following suit. Within the United Kingdom itself, there are discrepancies in accepting gay marriage. Northern Ireland does not intend to introduce similar legislation to the Marriage Bill, though Scotland did announce a same sex policy in 2011 with plans to introduce a same sex marriage bill in the future. The same-sex marriage bill, while supporting the right of marriage, explicitly bans the Church of England and Church in Wales from conducting same sex marriages, though it is their legal duty to wed straight parishioners. In addition, due to the 2010 Equality Act, same sex couples cannot bring discrimination claims against religious organizations that refuse to perform same sex marriages. While it is illegal by default for religious organizations and ministers to wed same sex couples, religious organizations can choose to opt-in to holding same sex ceremonies and thus will gain the ability to perform marriage ceremonies legally.
While seventy-eight countries still view gay sex as a crime, there are an increasing number of countries who are embracing queer rights.
66
The British territory of Bermuda has not changed their stance on gay marriage despite the United Kingdom’s move towards marriage equality. In early February, the government considered updating the Human Rights Act by making it illegal to discriminate against someone for their sexual orientation, but those changes now may not happen according to Minister Wayne Scott. Scott also claims that Bermuda is not considering legalizing same sex marriage despite the news of the Marriage Bill passing the Commons in the UK, and adds that there are no plans for it to be on the government agenda anytime soon. Meanwhile, countries like France are undergoing similar processes as the UK in order to secure LGBTQ rights for their citizens. France’s government recently debated a bill that included both same sex marriage rights as well as the right for same sex couples to adopt; the lower house of Parliament approved the bill, which will now go through the senate for final approval. The bill is expected to pass as the Socialists carried the bill through the lower house and have a majority in the senate as well, meaning that soon there could be another country affording marriage and adoption rights to LGBTQ people.
Germany does not allow for same sex marriage but is preparing to give same sex couples adoption rights; in early February, Germany’s court ruled that queer people have the right to adopt a child if their partner already adopted the child.
Today, ten other countries allow for same sex marriage, as well as Mexico City and nine states in the United States. A recent survey for RTL television and Stern magazine showed strong support for gay marriage, with 74% of Germans believing same sex couples should have the right to marry. This positive move towards same sex adoption could hint at the possibility of same sex marriage and further rights in the future.
In the United States, gay rights are progressing as well, with President Barack Obama calling for the Supreme Court to strike down California’s ban on same sex marriage. If the court obeys, there is a chance that same sex marriage would become legal in seven other states that are similar to California, where same sex couples have benefits comparable to married straight couples without the right to wed themselves. In addition to hearing arguments about Proposition 8, California’s ban on gay marriage, the Supreme Court will also debate the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as being between a man and a woman. The decisions of the Supreme Court may very well usher in greater LGBTQ rights and create a more equal nation. With many countries evaluating their policies on same sex marriage in recent months, the next few years may very well see an expansion of LGBTQ rights throughout the world. One can hope that soon, the UK residents appearing in Out4Love’s videos will get their wish for equality and same sex marriage; though progress occurs at different rates and change rarely comes without controversy, one can trust that there will soon be an increase of wedding bells heard throughout the world. Devon Bacso is a Junior in college currently studying abroad in England, passionate about feminism, sexual education, and LGBTQ issues.
Want to learn more about LGBT social issues in the US? Check out our ISC Course in the Online Learning Center- Equality: Looking at the LGBT Social Movement
67
Lessons Learned From.... By Kafia Ahmed
Africa.
The word alone tends to raise eyebrows and ruffle feathers. Most people unknowingly attribute the 11 million plus square foot continent to a far off country. This is perhaps why Africa continues to be misconstrued as a far off land unable to move forward from the continent’s dark history. In a TED talk, Italian humanitarian Ernesto Sirolli gave a realistic account about his work during the 1970’s in Africa: Somalia, Zambia, Kenya, Ivory Coast, and Algeria to be exact. He went on to highlight his work and the effect it had on him, but perhaps the most brilliant point that Dr. Sirolli discussed was that of failure. Yes, failure. In Zambia, he explained how his humanitarian efforts regardless of the hours of work and piles of research miserably collapsed because his team overlooked one simple step: they did not speak with the local people. According to the lecture, the western world has contributed two trillion dollars in the last fifty years to the continent of Africa. The question is, where has it gone? Why have we not seen drastic change? Or has change occurred in a different way than 68
expected, so that mainstream media and traditional political leaders overlook and ignore any change? Fast forward from Ernesto Sirolli’s days in Africa to the present. In Kenya, a young boy by the name of Richard Turere has accomplished something quite remarkable. As a Maasai, Richard’s family generates their income by herding livestock. However, given their close proximity to the Nairobi National Park, instead of rejoicing over successful herding activities, Richard had to count their losses on a daily basis. Plagued with an annoying and persisting problem, Richard let his imagination run wild to solve their problem.
Without any help from a patronizing western nation or a righteous NGO, Richard developed Lion Lights. Some of you may wonder what in the world that is; it’s pure genius. With limited resources, Richard developed a set of flickering lights that scared off the beastly creatures at night. It’s inexpensive and created by the person having the problem instead of coming from an outside source.
By solving his family’s problem, Richard’s simple idea has sparked national interest and is now viewed as a potential solution to a larger issue for Kenya. Kenya’s wildlife is allowed to roam freely in its internationally recognized park. However, the wildlife is increasingly in jeopardy of being wiped out by individuals, like Richard, whose income is threatened by the animals. The invention of Richard’s Lion Lights is forcing leading thinkers to reimagine tangible solutions for the human-wildlife dilemma. This story won’t be headlined on NBC or BBC - instead it will be neatly tucked in some back part of the “Africa” section. While the rest of the world goes on to prescribe solutions for the continent, stories like Richard’s will be ignored. Perhaps it’s time for developmental agencies to do something that Ernesto Sirolli explained worked for him...”I do something very very difficult - and shut up - and listened to them”. Maybe then, we will see change for the entire continent.
Kafia Ahmed, Philomath. Gastronome. Adventurer. Contact Kafia at kafia.h.ahmed@gmail.com
Do you have a “Lesson Learned From...” story or idea that you would like to share? This regular column highlights strategies, stories, and lessons learned from implementing or creating social change. Submit your story idea today. 69
DID YOU KNOW: 53% of US college graduates are unemployed In a Hart Research Study employers stated the top- three skills desired in recent graduates were teamwork skills, critical thinking/reasoning and oral/written communication. Taken all together, the nonprofit sector generates almost $1.5 trillion in spending per year and employs about one in 10 American workers, or 13.5 million people. It is the third largest labor force behind retail trade and manufacturing. Many nonprofits require a graduate degree for an entry level job because they need individuals with applicable skills but many students are hesitant to take on additional student loans despite a high interest in working in the nonprofit sector.
The SISGI internship experience prepares future nonprofit employees with a practical skill set to address the challenges and issues of the growing nonprofit sector. Here is what our former interns have to say... “Currently, I work as a Program Specialist in the field that I spent my internship researching. Since I didn't major in my current field, the internship helped prove to my employers that I had an interest and a background in the subject. I use the writing and the communication skills I developed during the internship every day during my job.” - Undergraduate Spring 2011 (California)
“In regards to my current job, my internship has made me a more confident speaker. I’ve always been painfully shy when meeting new people, and now when I have to interact with various people at work, I am better adept at handling myself.”- Undergraduate Summer 2011(New Jersey)
“The most important part of the SISGI internship program is the passion it instills in the interns. I think that because I am now more cognizant of problems, having researched them for the internship, I am more likely to do this type of research on my own now.” - Undergraduate Summer 2011 (North Carolina) 70
“At my current job at a small nonprofit, I have been able to make a number of suggestions on how to reach out/garner support via social media platforms I used as a SISGI intern, which has been very helpful. I’ve also been able to train other employees on how to do the things I learned during my internship.” Undergraduate Spring 2012 (Texas)
“The best part of the SISGI internship experience was that at the end of the term, I had a portfolio of tools (ie. collection of blogs, a Webinar presentation and YouTube video) to showcase my work in human rights. This portfolio was invaluable as a student and as a working professional. It set me apart from others.” - Doctoral Student Summer 2011(Florida)
“I am more aware of what is happening around the world and why it is happening. This internship pushed me to further develop my critical thinking and problem solving skills. If I read or learn about a social problem, I know not to judge a book by its cover. By using my critical thinking skills, I am able to understand the reasons behind the problem. In short, this internship has expanded my world view.” Undergraduate Summer 2012 (New Jersey)
“Participating as a intern with the SISGI Group opened so many doors for me because it allowed me to explore my interests within the realm of social justice. The best part of the SISGI internship experience was realizing that I had a voice - an important voice - which I could share with the world.” - Undergraduate Summer 2012 (Pennsylvania)
SISGI interns work in project teams connecting their academic and career interests and gain critical thinking skills, the ability to develop original products to address social issues and skills in project management and research. Preparing students to enter the workforce with practical experience and providing leadership training to current professionals increases the effectiveness of the social sector and enhances efforts for lasting social change. Learn more about the SISGI internship experience at http://sisgigroup.org/scl-program/ Help us to grow this unique internship experience by donating to the SISGI Beyond Good Ideas Foundation.
71
From the Front of the Classroom
Innovation and Education By Sarah Sosbe
Kids today are moving at faster speeds than what many could have assumed, and much of this is attributed to the speeds with which they are digesting information from 21st century media sources. In order to keep pace with the world around them, the four walls of the classroom must match this exterior reality. In working with students, there are three key areas that expand the depth of knowledge and allow the classroom to parallel real-world student intake of information. These areas are processing, producing, and presenting. Students are eager to learn new information, however, the packaging of learning can be the cumbersome part. There are many
“The program “Schoology” (www.schoology.com) is an internet-‐‑ based social media outlet that is ę ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ student use. The program runs similarly ȱ Dzȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ the content is the classroom teacher.” 72
options available to allow the process of learning to be just as addictive as Facebook or Twitter. The program “Schoology” (www.schoology. com) is an internet-based social media outlet that is specifically designed for teacher and student use. The program runs similarly to Facebook; however, the controller of the content is the classroom teacher. Teachers are able to post discussion topics, resources, assignments, grades, and attendance totals. Students can check their grades, upload assignments, and engage in online conversations about classroom topics. The site also has features to create groups based on interest, shared reading, or clubs. What makes the program even more attractive to students is the app, which can be downloaded to smartphones and iPADs. This simple website allows the process of learning to take a different form where students can comment at any moment, read news articles and offer their opinion, and simply ask questions to verify the night’s homework.
Once students have invested in the class and their learning, it’s important to offer them innovative ways to demonstrate their learning. Many programs are available for student productions, with two in particular that have shown very popular and user friendly for students: Prezi (www.prezi.com) and Videolicious (www. videolicious.com). Prezi is a more animated version of PowerPoint, where students not only have control over the design of the actual frame of each slide, but also how each pops in and out of the screen. Prezi has the added benefit of being a web-based presentation where multiple users can work on the same presentation. This alleviates the cumbersome tasks of emailing back and forth and losing track of the most updated version. Videolicious is another easy to use product innovation that encourages students to create their own lessons. With this program, students take still or moving shots of scenes, such as the steps involved in making popcorn. For each shot, students can record their voice explaining the step. Student learning increases as they consider how to best teach someone else a concept through visual and audio directions. Both programs, Videolicious and Prezi, also offer free apps that can be downloaded to Smart Phones and iPads.
Once the work has been completed everyone loves to show it off. A great way to capture learning is through the use of flip cameras and iMovie. With flip cameras, or in many cases cell phones, students can design and record a presentation on a topic to share with the class. Flip cameras are a great way for kids to learn the importance of enunciation, volume, and posture when giving information to a group. Through the video footage, they are able critique themselves and others and learn the importance of exhibition. Once the footage has been recorded, iMovie is a great tool for adding on extras, such as music, animation, captions, or backgrounds. These items can make a simple video-recorded presentation look more professional and “movie-like.” Students enjoy the options that iMovie offers, such as creating a
“Many programs are available for student productions, with two in particular that have shown very popular and user friendly for students: Prezi (www.prezi.com) and Videolicious (www. videolicious.com). Both programs, Videolicious and Prezi, also offer free apps that can be downloaded to Smart Phones and iPads.”
a trailer for their short films or designing their presentation to look like an actual newscast. IMovie has an app for IPad and IPhones ($4.99), which allows for those without Macs to use the program as well.
All of these innovative tools are other ways to engage students in the classroom and make connections with the social media students are exposed to in the real world. Since students are paying attention to social media and flashy video shots online and on television, it makes sense to grab their attention through similar means. Technology has completely changed the way everyone learns and takes in information, so it is only natural changes take place in the classroom as well. Luckily, there are some great programs out there that are simple to use in the classroom and that will keep students interested in learning through connection with the outside world. Sarah Sosbe, is a middle school educator who has worked for 11 years in NYC schools, 9 within the public school system. Currently, she works at Promise Academy Charter School.
Are you an Educator with a technique, tool, or best practice that could help others leading “From the Front of the Classroom”? Submit your article idea to be included in this regular column.
73
Featured Short Story
New Beginnings By Nick Haldikwa Mwaluko As the door swings open, s/he steps inside. Someone alerts security so that the freak in a dress with long legs and heels is arrested for trespassing. Someone else screams, “Man in the ‘Ladies’ restroom!” A suburban housewife with a pinched nose and sparkling but soulless eyes is by the sink washing her hands, debating if the communal soap is sanitary or not. She looks up long enough to realize she’s staring but can’t stop herself. Impolite, it’s true, but the suburban housewife feels she can dispense with niceties when a “freak” in a dress walks into the ladies’ restroom where men are not allowed.
Quickly, s/he slips into the stall closest to the door, bolting the snap-lock twice just in case. A rectangle of sunshine hits the small of hir back like an artificial spotlight shaped like an angel’s wings. Pantyhose down, handbag floored, underwear at the knees, s/he leans forward to take a dump. Two things: excess light only stretches an already large shadow cramped inside a toilet built for a woman without a penis. Second, s/he forgot to come up with an escape plan in case things go too wrong. 74
S/he listens for the dangerous poetry that comes with life, in hir case the easing rush of tap water at the sink as the suburban housewife twists squeaky faucets to a close. Maybe the housewife will grab her purse off the top shelf, leave without a word, only she’s the type to call the cops, know why? Everything about her—non-threatening color of her clothes; angular facial features; the narrow line that is her mouth and generosity; her relationship to space; her relationship to her own body; her relationship to time with respect to death, birth and rebirth; her relationship to what’s normal; how society works to protect her from a larger truth; her inability to connect creativity to identity— everything suggests a woman who never stopped to question gender. So what’s next? Wait till the housewife calls the cops to kick down the stall door as s/ he rises from the toilet seat naked from the waist down? Or maybe wipe then leave quickly only to come face-to-face with the suburban housewife at sink, go for a heart-to-heart about what it means to be a “real” woman? Either way, s/he’s at the mercy
of anatomicals who might or might not understand, let alone show compassion for, the war between hir legs. S/he opts for the heart-to-heart with the housewife, only mounting tension has made hir upper-lip pretty sweaty which, to say the least, is not very ladylike, so s/he decides to take a muchneeded breather, inhale-exhale, trapped deep into a corner, back pressed against a dirty bathroom wall. S/he listens as the fading footsteps of the bird-like housewife die in the hallway, thinks “She’s gone. Finally, I’m safe”.
S/he makes a quick dash for the door. S/he stops, knowing the world on the other side carries just as much uncertainty, just as much threat. Someone is bound to ask intimate questions about hir body that call for detailed answers because the person asking holds more authority, authority based on complete disrespect for the choices s/he’s made of hir “pathetic” life. They will not see how special s/he is; they don’t know it takes courage to act on the sound of Truths coming from your own voice. No. Open the door, s/he’ll die. S/he opens the door. S/he meets the cops. They force hir to hir knees, handcuffed belly down to the ground, face staring into space for answers to questions nobody ever asks. If filmed in slow motion, coupled with heightened, operatic music, the flailing arms of all those cops pounding hir skull could be beautiful. Like violence serving as gateway to the Divine. Blood spilling spilling everywhere as generous sacrifice the same way Christ spilled sacrificial blood at the cross to redeem humankind; the same way Budha sacrificed personal wealth to live among the poor sufferers in an unjust world. Beating, clubbing, warring, spilling blood.
The cops beat hir to make sure that poor, poor housewife will never see her privacy violated again. They keep beating hir to see if they can pound their “manhood into a faggot.” They continue to beat hir to make sure they pound Order into a world free from gender. Bad news: s/he died from severe contusions to the skull on the way to the hospital. Good news: every transsexual has risen from the dead.
Nick Mwaluko was born in Tanzania and raised mostly in neighboring Kenya. Nick writes plays, fiction, poetry and is currently writing a novel.
CALLING ALL AUTHORS AND CREATIVE WRITERS! DO YOU HAVE A SHORT 75 STORY ON A CURRENT SOCIAL ISSUE OR PROBLEM? SUBMIT YOUR CREATIVE WORK TO BE FEATURED IN BEYOND GOOD IDEAS MAGAZINE.
Special Thanks... We would like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of all the contributors, volunteers, editors and designers that lent their talent, knowledge, and expertise to this inaugural issue. If you would like to help support the growth and expansion of this and other educational resources from the SISGI Beyond Good Ideas Foundation, DONATE TODAY! Your donation in our work is an investment in the overall social sector. By supporting our programs you prepare the next generation of social change leaders and empower the current changemakers. The SISGI Beyond Good Ideas Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. All donations are taxdeductible as allowed by law.
Thank You! 76
In the Next Issue In the July issue we will be covering topics about youth, Millennials and the next generation of social change. Content will look at youth issues and will include the voices of youth contributors discussing topics impacting their lives.
Topics In the Pipeline... Teen Suicide- Beyond the Statistics Student loan debt - How our economic state and rising tuition costs might be discouraging young people from going to college A look at young creative writers and artists and their decision to pursue the arts in higher education. The Growth of Activism in Millennial Teens Girls Education in the Middle East Successful best practices in connecting youth to careers and workforce preparation Technology and Youth - How to guide young people towards appropriate online behaviors The Next Generation of Nonprofit Leadership - Young Leaders Making their Mark Today
AND MUCH MORE! Its not too late to share your knowledge, story and/or expertise in an upcoming issue of Beyond Good Ideas Magazine. Submissions are accepted year round. Though we would love to include all of the content submitted for inclusion in the magazine, we are unable to guarantee your story will be chosen or your issue preference. Should you have any questions about this process or the magazine please contact us at bgimagazine@sisgigroup.org
If you are interested in advertising your service or product in the magazine please contact us at advertise@sisgigroup.org
77
“Now is the accepted time, not tomorrow, not some more convenient season. It is today that our best work can be done and not some future day or future Ǥ Ƥ Ǥ ǡ are the hours of work, and tomorrow comes the Ǥdz Ȃ Ǥ Ǥ Ǥ
78
Continue the conversation in the Beyond Good Ideas Community LinkedIn Group
External Links and References In Alphabetical Order By Title 5 Ways to Build Pro Bono Service into Your Company www.readinessroadmap.org www.abillionpluschange.org
Gender Equality: Still a Work in Progress http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/index.php/publications/publications-a-z/1556 http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2013/03/01/progress-on-womens-rights-very-slow-says-activist/ http://www.odi.org.uk/publications/2386-gender-mdgs-gender-lens-vital-pro-poor-results http://www.weforum.org/ http://www.dol.gov/wb/factsheets/Qf-laborforce-10.htm http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/faq/ http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2013/February/13-ag-253.html http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/14/living/vday-one-billion-rising/index.html?c=living http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/ipv.pdf http://www.cedaw2011.org/index.php/whats-in-it-for-us http://womenstreaty.org/?nr=0
Innovation and Education https://www.schoology.com/home.php http://prezi.com/ https://videolicious.com/
It is Time to Give Millennials a Seat at the Table www.ncoc.net/MillennialsCHI http://mobilize.org/2013/01/individual-application/ http://mobilize.org/2013/01/individual-participation-competition-application/ www.mobilize.org/c2cp
Just the Tip of the Horn http://notenoughgood.com/2013/01/aid-to-horn/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenya http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somalia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djibouti http://sisgigroup.org/2013/03/spring-13-iscsummit/
Letter From the Editor http://www.cushwake.com/cwglobal/jsp/kcReportDetail. jsp?Country=GLOBAL&Language=EN&catId=100003&pId=c47100010p Continued on the next page.... 79
External Links and References Lessons Learned From... http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/26/tech/richard-turere-lion-lights http://www.ted.com/talks/ernesto_sirolli_want_to_help_someone_shut_up_and_listen.html
Living a Healthy Life: One Size Does Not Fit All Human Kinetics. 2009. Health on Demand. Online teaching resource. Human Kinetics. 2009 . Health & Wellness for Life featuring Hettler. Bill, National Wellness Institute, 1976 .Six Dimensions of Health & Wellness. Online teaching resource. Lester, Meera.2010. 365 Ways to Live Happy. Adams Media Publishing Co. ppg 98-105. Smith, Ian. 2012. Happy. Cooper, Kenneth H., MD, MPH, 1970. "Father of Aerobicsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Cummings, Carol, BSN, RN, Certified Wellness Coach (9/1/2010).Dimensions of Wellness at http:// www.brookdaleliving.com/six-dimensions-of-wellness.aspx. Six Dimensions of Health. https://rlhs224.wikispaces.com/Dimensions+of+Health
Maternity Leave and the Nations Leading the Pack http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/05/22/maternity-leaves-around-the-world_n_1536120.html http://www.thelocal.se/14022/20080829/#.UTHxs809lE8 http://www.20-first.com/1380-0-how-sweden-has-successfully-dealt-with-the-problem-ofmaternity-leave.html http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19925686 http://www.creditcardcompare.com.au/blog/best-worst-countries-in-the-world-for-paidmaternity-leave.php http://voices.yahoo.com/maternity-leave-global-comparison-work-life-4196465.html?cat=52 http://helloladies.com/about/feature-story/ http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765623383/US-maternity-leave-trails-other-countries-andgoing-away-may-not-mean-out-of-the-office.html http://www.medpagetoday.com/OBGYN/Pregnancy/12336 http://www.nber.org/bah/winter04/w10206.html http://blogs.thisismoney.co.uk/2011/01/maternity-and-paternity-leave-is-good-news-forbusinesses.html http://www.learnvest.com/2012/02/maternity-leave-why-american-mothers-have-it-so-bad/
Operating From the Cloud www.yahoo.com http://notenoughgood.com/2012/09/sgsglobal/ http://www.cleanair.org/Waste/wasteFacts.html http://epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/paper/faqs.htm#use http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/23/yahoo-working-remote_n_2750698.html http://new.livestream.com/Mashable/SGS/videos/3992903 80
External Links and References SISGI internship experience http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/04/53-of-recent-college-grads-arejobless-or-underemployed-how/256237/ http://www.aacu.org/advocacy/leap/documents/re8097abcombined.pdf http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/19/opinion/schmitz-nonprofit-jobs
The Cover Conundrum http://www.cosellout.com/2008/04/14/cover-girl-sports-illustrateds-glass-ceiling/ http://blackathlete.net/2013/02/bikinis-sports-illustrateds-rules-land-cover/ http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2011/07/9-ways-women-get-on-the-cover-ofsports-illustrated/242251/
The Slow Shift Towards Marriage Equality: The United Kingdom and Changing Global Trends http://www.out4marriage.org/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21346220 http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/equality/sexualorientation/information/lgbtrights http://www.populus.co.uk/uploads/OmGay_Rights.pdf http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/02/26/first-clause-of-equal-marriage-bill-passes-committeestage-in-uk-parliament/ http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/yourtown/witney/10252850.Top_Chipping_Norton_Tory_ quits_party_over_gay_marriage/ http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/head-of-camerons-local-tory-branch-resignsover-gay-marriage-8508661.html http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2279703/Death-threats-UKs-Muslim-MP-voted-gaymarriage.html?ito=feeds-newsxml http://www.economist.com/news/international/21566626-trend-toward-giving-homosexualsfull-marriage-rights-gaining-momentum-have-and http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4081999.stm http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/02/26/bermuda-says-no-to-same-sex-marriages/ http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/12/french-gay-marriage-bill http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/02/27/uk-germany-gays-idUKBRE91Q0NT20130227 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Barack-Obama-asks-court-to-overturn-gaymarriage-ban/articleshow/18743541.cms http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21629876
Women in Combat: Fighting The Invisible War http://invisiblewarmovie.com/ http://www.notinvisible.org/ 81
Stay in Touch! .org
YouTube
82
Google+
Beyond Good Ideas Magazine by The SISGI Group is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.