Ushahidi

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-03-03/to-report-election-violence-in-kenya-text-ushahidi

While looking for an article to review, I was lucky enough to stumble across “To Report Election Violence in Kenya, Text Ushahidi.” I have a philosophy of non-violence myself. I do not believe violence is the answer, and I do honestly think that with enough persistence and the right conversations, all situations can be solved through conversations over actions. Of course, violence does happen and many people believe it solves issues, however, the people of Kenya are trying to put an end to such solutions. With the new election, spirits are high and people are passionate to elect a better official than before. With heated souls, comes at times violence, and so a small group of volunteer programmers decided to get together and wrote software to map people’s reports of crimes sent by witnesses either by phone of online. This project has shown to provide as “tens of thousands” of people have used this method to track the trouble in order to warn and protect others. “Ushahidi” is Swahili for testimony. This program was initiated in order to stop events of the past from occurring again. In the last election, rival ethnic groups fought for almost two months before the dust settled and a prime minister was finally chosen. To avoid these events reoccurring, the group put up ads all over Kenya promoting the service and asking all to text 3002 to report any and all incidents. The great thing about this program is that it started out as a way to track problems, but it grew into a way for people to get help. Not only can people report issues, but they can also get to the authorities and stop trouble happening before it even occurs. A truly great program to help the community. 

Arts Festival

http://aif.org/2013/02/o3-arts-festival-connecting-arts-and-media-to-social-action/

The reason why I chose this article is because it looked very interesting to read about another culture. I have never read or even heard about Indian culture so I felt like this was a good way to start. The article is about the America India Foundation’s project Our Neighborhood Our World Our Family (O3), and how the organization is celebrating its one year anniversary. For the past year the program has educated its members about the origins of the Punjab and uses many different projects and activities in order to connect the local Indian Community to the rest of the world. Some of the activities that take place include theatre performances on Punjabi culture and social issues and traditional folk dances. In the festival, they include a performance about the Punjab and India female identity that I thought was very different seeing as how many people talk about the mistreatment of women in India. It’s nice to see that not only were adults taking place in the festival, but kids as well. The students from various schools also did their own works on the issue of gender equality and how no issue in Indian society should go uncontested. This article shows the importance that AIE feels to get intercultural interaction and understanding in order to bring Indian people together. It wants to create global communities for learning and cooperation because if it is not done the traditions are bound to be forgotten. Not only does it bring together different people of the Indian community, it also strives to create better leaders out of the younger generations.\ and educate them so they can keep the program going.

Hoo-RA for prison

http://us.foxnews.mobi/quickPage.html?page=26048&content=90264149&pageNum=-1


I believe that this is an example of showing how American  prison systems are flawed ; not only is are justice system flawed it has been empirically proven but the practice of solitary confinement is a cruel and unsual punishment. The closest concept that reflects entrapping the human body from the outside world in the history of man was the completely  enclosed iron maiden.  This shows that the Philadelphia  society for alleviating the misery of thr public had good intentions but began to produce men that would loose their mind when they were trapped in four walls isolated. 

Prison systems are relatively new concept and we are finally able to track in detail the scope of mental deterioration from solitary confinement.  This article is proof that the our government understands the powerful negative effects, seeing that this is our highest settlement given to a mistaken prisoner. The initial settlement was 22 million but New Mexico is now appealing it to 12 million; still this is recorded as the largest civil rights settlement.

Regardless of the countless documentaries by National Geographic and NBC news, our American justice system still employs this method. We save the solitary confinement cells for those that we believe to be most dangerous in a prison environment. It has been proven that these men in solitary become more aggressive and alien to human contact. This disconnection from society seems contradictory to the soul concept a prison. It is a behavioral correctional facility.  It is suppose to take and correct the crime filled behavior of these inmates, not exacerbate the problem. There are also empirical evidence that people who serve out there sentences are likely to return back to jail within a year, and the rates are even higher for those that spent more than six months in solitary confinement. 

I'm not proposing a solution to the problem. However, I am proposing that we take a second look at how this cycle of prisoners returning back to jail can be broken. I believe this calls for us to look at what cycles and oppression is happening in our society and not be afraid to call for change. I hope that we won't be afraid to admit that the American euphemism, "that the way things always been" can be forgotten and move forward. We built our country at a specific time for a specific time. We live in a completely different world than 1776 and we must be able to adapt to it.

Can a Film Really Make a Difference?

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This weeks blog post was inspires by an article link http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/03/using-moviemaking-to-change-the-world-both-inside-theaters-and-out/273716/

 posted by @MissionBostonPR.

  

This week’s blog is a fast growing trend that I believe with help shape social action in our society. In the last year several filmmakers have turned to documentaries in order “incite action” for a particular problem. The linked article covers 3 of the latest documentaries aimed at doing just that. However, they are doing more than making a movie.

One of the documentary films creators has partners with other organizations to put together an action plan and to raise money for that cause. So, not only are they spreading the word but they are also raising money to take action themselves. The film I am referencing is Girl Rising by the 10X10 group. The documentary pairs girls from the poorest countries with celebrated writers from their countries and follows how their lives are transformed by the ability to attend school. The film’s aim is to show society what educations itself could do for youth around the world if it was accessible. You can go to www.girlrising.com to see exactly what the project is about, where it is headed and to donate if your heart so desires.

A Place at The Table is another film dedicated to the hunger issues our country faces in some of the wealthiest places. Surprisingly this is a shock to some people and that is exactly what this film’s purpose is. You can check out their website at http://takepart.com/place-at-the-table. The website give a brief glimpse of the move and allows you to do a zip code search for programs in your area that are combating the issue of hunger in America. I actually enjoyed preview. It is going to be a film that I watch with my children, who are privileged, so that they have an idea of what is going on.

The third and final film listed in this article was the most touching to me. Its title Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Health Care says it all. This film shows how broken our actual healthcare system is and gives some insight on what we could potentially do to fix it. You can take a look at the preview and information on the film at www.escapefiremovie.com. In the future I aspire to be a doctor. Not because of the money but because of the care I can provide to the people of my community. That may sound strange to some but honestly I don’t need the money I sincerely just want to help. There are so many doctors out there that feel the same way but its not their choice. Take a look at the film and let me know what you think.

Overall this article was a pleasant surprise to me. Finally there are filmmakers that are more concerned with their message instead of profit. I hope one day these kind of films can hit the “big” screen and bring in more views than your average action flick. Maybe then people will get the message.

Gender Equity

http://www.heifer.org/blog/2013/01/ending-violence-against-women-through-social-change.html

I found this article on Twitter and learned about an organization called “Heifer International.” This organization promoted gender equity and also holds different programs throughout the world to help teach men how women are equals and how they contribute to society. This article particularly focused on India, where rape is a very common crime. Rapes in India have risen 25% between the years of 2006 and 2011, and this rising issue is finally reaching worldwide attention due to such extreme issues such as the medical student who died from injuries received in a brutal rape attack. Heifer International not only holds information sessions for men, but for women as well, which serve as self-help groups and a way for women to group together and accomplish goals together. The project has already changed some men’s views of women, with one man who underwent the training saying “I used to be guilty as well in believing it was more important to educate or provide for my sons than for my daughters. But the trainings changed all that for me. Today, my daughter is in the army. She has made me realize and understand that girls are no less than boys.” 

Training like this should not only be used in countries where rape and crimes against women are common, but everywhere. For example, workshops like this could benefit men here in America and promote gender equity here in America. Gender equity here is not as serious of a problem, but is still present in the workplace especially, where men still earn more than women and are promoted quicker. It could even prevent extreme instances from happening such as domestic abuse, both physical and emotional. The organization clearly makes a difference in some men, and it’s a change in image and the way men see women that could benefit men, and women, in America. Society has changed and it is not as patriarchal as it used to be, and gender equity has become more popular in society. Organizations such as Heifer International could help bring gender equity to life, and not just something that some people talk about.

Ammo Shortage

Over the past few months we as a country have been seriously struggling to keep ammunition on the shelves. Shooting is somethings people do independently, as sport, they conceal, or defend. It is our constitutional right as Americans to be able to bear arms. But what do we do when there is no ammo to do so? Guns don't work without ammunition, they are basically fancy paper weights. I don't understand how things like this happen. Store after store, empty. Shelves empty.

My family is a shooting family to say the least, most of them carry and my first job was at a shooting range. Are you interested what the price is for a 100 round box of .22s is? 26 dollars at any gun shop, minimum. I want to point out that this is a 5 dollar box of ammunition, that people are fighting over. The last two months has been the hardest, if I show up at 4:30 in the morning for my 1 box of ammo limit, I am usually around the 6th or 8th person in line waiting for the doors to open. This line I am talking about runs outside of every Academy on truck day. This is the only time a person can buy ammunition for the actual cost, if you can find it somewhere else 5x the price. The man in the video is very correct, gun owners are doing to themselves. I have never in my life bought more than 2 boxes at a time, why should I have to suffer to get one just because someone bought 20 boxes. The companies are going to have a hard time keeping up with demand, and we as consumers will have to PAY for it.

http://www.digtriad.com/news/national/article/273202/175/Ammo-Flying-Off-Shelves-Due-To-Shortage

Finally?

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/17/social-changes-age-of-enlightenment/

Have we finally reached the turning point? Have we reached a time where we have truly decided to change and finally acknowledged one of our biggest problems? In the article I have chosen, the author and the supporters seem to think that such a time has finally come upon us as a society. The term, “Enlightenment” was utilized as it was a great way to describe the transition that we have gone under. I am glad to say that I agree completely with both the word and the general outlook that is being depicted. I feel that we have begun to find reasons and perhaps even more important, different outlets to let our voices be heard amongst times that such an ideal seemed impossible. I also think that those details really make the most difference. We no longer have the excuse of being unable to find ways to give our best efforts in regards to how we find ways to approach situations that are in need of change or improvement. It seems that perhaps the hardest obstacle is finally from out in front of us, and the only thing we can do now is simply improve in how we manifest out message into a social change. This is a time that is beautiful and truly one to enjoy as we help other reap the benefits of a community that we have helped created for ourselves. This article might be old in comparison to others, but it sure is one that really depicted a great turning point.

Yo-Yo Ma and Civic Engagement

For those of you who do not know, Yo-Yo Ma is a world recognized Cello player. Some would consider him the number one Cellist in the world. So why would he be at a music school giving a lecture? Some might say for the money that they paid him if he was paid. A lecture I can agree with the response of doing it for the money. This is not the only thing that Yo-Yo Ma did for the university. He sat in with the orchestra and tutored individual students while he was there. The whole two days that he was there was spent with the students to help them better themselves not only as players, but also in the way that they think about music.

 The link to YouTube shows parts of both the lecture and also his interaction with the students. Unlike some musicians where you can see that their reactions are not genuine and they wish they were somewhere else, Yo-Yo Ma is fully engaged with them and looks to enjoy every second of it.

Yo-Yo Ma explains that the concept of music is not only to read the notes on the page and enjoy playing them as a musician, but also to be able to be so in tune with the music that you can make it live in others heads. That sentence in particular stuck with me because to be a great musician you have to have people want to recognize your music or say that it sounds like someone great’s music such as Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel and Frederic Chopin.

Yo-Yo Ma could sit around and do nothing for the community and just enjoy his fame, but he takes the time to talk and help students instead. Yo-Yo Ma is an inspiration and someone who I believe is a great example for not only the ideal musician, but also an ideal human being.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAy0Hx85FlE

Fighting Negative Stereotypes

This article was a really good example on how gender is still taken into consideration when it comes to competitions and social challenges. When researching #social action, it told of how a young girl, Ana “Rokafella” Garcia, who was inspired and driven to practice breakdancing all in the fight for women who were abused, neglected and treated badly by men. The only way she saw fit to relinquish the gender injustice that was always present around her was proving to the community that men were not the only ones that could break dance. Eventually she was recognized by a young woman after one of her shows, and was told that just by watching her perform, inspired her to do anything. Realizing what a huge impact she was having on other women, her goal changed. Instead of proving that women can do anything men can do but better, Ana’s goal was now to inspire women from all over the  city that they should be the best they can be for themselves and only themselves.

Ana made a huge difference in people’s lives. She eventually became a directory of a relating documentary and co-founded a nonprofit hip-hop dance company. For someone to have gone through all this trouble and responsibility just to make a social change really says something about her character. If today’s community would go out and make a difference in a social issue, there probably wouldn’t be any failing neighborhoods or run down rural areas. I myself have seen multiple examples where gender is an issue for whatever reason. For example, when applying for a job back home at a place that was hiring, I did not get the job because the business only hired women. This was not as big as what Ana did of course, but it was enough to see that the gender injustice still exists in our community today.

Ana made a huge social change when she started break-dancing for the purpose of proving people wrong, to making herself into an inspiring symbol. She might have done it for her own different and personal reasons at first, but it then grew to become the community’s inspiration toward a social change in gender. Overall I liked this article because it caught my attention with the gender injustice issue. Just because someone is a specific sex does not mean they are automatically fit for that job, skill, etc.  Everyone deserves a chance to experience new and different things, no matter what circumstances there may be.

http://ht.ly/is8Mk

Generation On

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In class we talked about education and we discussed ways to better the quality of our younger generation and I couldn’t help but think of the work that “Generation On” has been doing. Generation On is an organization that gets younger children involved in their community by giving them a chance to volunteer. I know of plenty of kids who have a very comfortable lifestyle and their parents give them opportunities to volunteer in their community in order to humble them and make them realize not everyone is as blessed as they are. I know we have all seen those television shows that have bratty kids and they are so spoiled to the point where you wish they grew up in a different place so that they would be better people, well this program can help make that difference in them.

One of the best things about this is that the attention isn’t directed to those who are privileged but to those who have few. We talked in class about how terrible it was that where you grew up and went to school basically determines how much opportunity is given to you and even your chances of succeeding in life, this programs wants to change that. It is common sense what when someone is pushed down so much after a while people tend to give up, in the video explaining who they are it states that what they try to do is show children that no matter what their lifestyles they can all make a difference in the world.

Teaching children to volunteer in their community has been statistically shown that they are so much more likely to volunteer as adults and that is something that this world needs more of. Children learning about their world and trying to make a difference can be linked to a better over all education because they are taught that they need to want to be better and do better for themselves as well as for others. This organization sounds like they are doing work that can really change the way we view children doing community service. If you’ve seen the commercials on Disney already it wouldn’t come as a surprise when I say they are one of their sponsors. Look into it, it’s really cool! 

Generation On

Intellectual Disabilities

http://www.kltv.com/story/21538141/special-olympics-officials-working-to-change-the-communitys-vocabulary

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words cannot hurt me.” We have learned that portion of the saying has been proven to be entirely wrong. Verbal bullying can cause lots of psychological damage to a person, that is also a main reason for bringing an end to the R-word. The special Olympics officials have been working on changing the verbiage used to encourage people to stop using the words retard and retarded. They themselves have started intellectual disabilities in substitute for mental retardation.

I think this is a good point that many in today’s world should really consider. From very recent events of suicides caused form bullying we know that a simple word can make a difference in a person’s life. In my personal opinion I truly feel like we should get rid of this word, it really does have a negative feeling. Even though this word can be used amongst friends jokingly, it can cause awkwardness if it is used if the family of an intellectual disabled person is close by to hear, and we may not know if that specific individual feels as though they are the ones being made fun of.

Something that stood out to me from this article was the when Deanna Ramsey says, “It’s  hard to see other people use that word and even me though his diagnosis is MR we don’t use MR we say mentally challenged.” To me I felt like that was another way to say we need as much support to keep moving forward and making life happier for these individuals and their families. So yes it does bring me to really feel that as a person if the one thing I can do to help a family going through a mental disability is not use the words retard or retarded I should stop the word use and encourage others to do so as well.  

A Pep Talk from Kid President to You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-gQLqv9f4o

This is truly one of the best videos I have ever watched. Who would know that a 9 year old could express himself so well? Who knew that those thoughts could be running in his head? Every single comment that that boy said, I truly believe in. He sure can inspire people. Something that he did a great job in was quoting Journey. “Don’t stop believing…unless your dream is stupid.” It’s true. Find a dream that challenges you to think in a different way. Find a dream that you are very passionate about. He also mentioned Michael Jordan. If he had quit at a young age, he wouldn’t have been known for his amazing basketball skills. So don’t quit now. You could be a very important person later in life.

    He certainly grasped my attention because he talks about how “it’s time we do something.” I strongly agree because we view the United States as a powerful nation, but that has changed. It isn’t as strong as it once was, but it can be. Instead of watching disasters happen and talking about how bad this country is doing, we need to take action.  Every single person has a talent. We all have different talents. Some of us have art, music, drama skills; others are amazing at using words to get their point across. Or you can be like me, who is good with numbers. We should not throw these talents away. Instead develop them and use them in order to better this country. 

Potable Water In Lima

Most Billboards are made to advertise, cars, stores, and other retail products, but this all changed when a billboard in Lima, Peru was made by UTEC that produces fresh potable water out of air.  Lima is the capital of Peru and is the fifth largest city in the Americas, and the largest city in Peru. Lima is part of a costal dessert and is located in the northern edge of the Atacama, which happens to be the driest desert in the world.

Lima only sees about 0.51 inches or rain per year, making it very difficult for the people of Lima to have access to fresh, clean, water. Most of the people from Lima use a well to access water, and about 1.2 million residents lack running water. Since Peru is located along the southern Pacific Ocean, the humidity averages to 83% and almost 100% in the mornings, thanks to this the engineers of UTEC were able to create this billboard, which creates 100 liters of potable water per day.

This billboard has definitely changed the lives of many of the residents of Peru, and is an amazing project, which not only helps promote UTEC, but also helps out the residents of Lima. I believe UTEC should build more of these billboards and locate them not only around Lima, but also in other places that suffers from low humidity.  With new creative projects like these our whole world would change, thanks to technology.

http://techland.time.com/2013/03/05/finally-a-billboard-that-creates-drinkable-water-out-of-thin-air/

Health Insurance Cost

http://quoteautoinsurancerates.com/health_insurance_costs_article

The rising cost of insuring Americans has never been greater. As the population age increases and the healthy lifestyles decrease, the need will only get bigger. This is precisely what the big corporations want, to raise rates because we will not take charge and get in better condition. Although age is not an issue that can be fixed, there are ways to age gracefully without jeopardizing your health.

   Exercise is the best way to stay fit and keep your premiums down. Most doctors say that walking is one of the best ways to get in good working condition. Even though walking doesn’t seem like exercise it is one of the best ways to get your heart pumping and blood flowing. Walking in the park or walking in the mall are just two places where you can do this and have fun at the same time. The idea is to make this activity fun and enjoyable so you will make it a part of your everyday life.  

   Another good way to get in better condition is to eat properly. Cutting down on fatty foods and sodas will amaze you on not only the weight loss but also how effectively it lowers your sugar levels. Eating plenty of greens and having a high fiber diet can improve your health and mindset. Drinking water regularly also helps with cleaning out your system.

I think the above mentioned tips can not only bring you happiness but also give you many more years to live. Exercise and diet doesn’t have to be a bad thing if you look at it in the right context. Many people will use exercise as a way to meet others who also want to improve their health and as a way to socialize. Anyway you look at it, your body is the only one you have so why not treat it good and eat healthy and in return keep the insurance costs down..

An Attack Against Urban Blight

        It is no question that with the expansion of urban communities, disrepair in underfunded areas will occur. This is what is known as “urban blight.” In an article that I read in The Christian Science Monitor, one nonprofit organization has decided to take a stand against this issue and make their community a more beautiful place. The Detroit Blight Authority, run by Bill Pulte the CEO of Pulte Capital Partners, has teamed with the city of Detroit to start a regime to tear down and rebuild upon blighted areas. They have recently started with a 10 block area located near a school in Detroit. Not only are they tearing down unwanted and dangerous buildings, they are recycling 80 percent of the debris, and are reseeding these areas to prevent the growth of weeds. This organization is also tackling the political aspects of this issue by pushing for lower demolition costs throughout the city. What impressed me most about this article were the actions of Mr. Bill Pulte. Being someone that was an heir to his company, it is surprising how much he along with his colleagues care about utilizing their resources to help others rather than themselves. I feel that many corporations disregard the issues of their community because they stand on a point where they have enough money to ignore these problems. The world needs more CEOs like this who are willing to give back to their community and become civically engaged with selflessness intact, and awareness of who in the world really needs help.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Making-a-difference/Change-Agent/2013/0219/In-Detroit-a-nonprofit-fights-urban-blight?nav=323313-csm_subcategory-moreTopStories

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/drones-killed-4-700-u-senator-says-141143752--politics.html


Drones so have killed an estimated 4700 people!! Wow, people are going to have to start keeping one eye in the sky. Where does it stop? What are the boundaries? I'm a patriot, I love my country and I think we should do almost anything to protect it. With this is mind, what's up with a drone strike taking out a US citizen? No trial, no nothing. With this kind of action I really have to think, what country do I love and why? Martin Luther King said in his Letter from a Birmingham Jail: "We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people."

I kind of have to wonder, where is my line in the sand? Where is America's line in the sand for which we will have no choice to act against the laws that are taking away our America, the America of our fathers? That being noted, when the line is crossed what is acceptable action? Or am I just some "passive good person" waiting for repentance (according to MLK). I'm going to make a point to look inside of myself, to not avoid the zone of comfortableness that comes with self-acknowledgment of the not so pretty side of oneself.  Maybe you should too and if you choose to not do this, maybe it’s because you already don’t like what you see.  You PASSIVE GOOD PERSON you.