Travel

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime."
-Mark Twain

There is nothing I love more than to travel. The simple act of going somewhere new equates itself to possibility for me. I love not knowing what I will find around the corner or who I will meet, and meeting people is the best part. To meet people, I wholeheartedly recommend youth hostels. Forget the horror film connotations and stay in one; in Europe in particular, and you will meet people from all over the world. I still have friends I've met from my stays in hostels. I may discuss travel a lot in future blogs, because I feel there is no better way to celebrate the magnificent gift we've been given of this earth than to relish every place we can. Drink it in.
The first time I went to Europe (and I'll be the first to say I have so much more travel I want to do and in no way am I a seasoned explorer) but the first time I went was Greece in 2008. I went with my sister and we arrived in Athens to a hot, crowded but still unbelievably historic place. Even the soil held resonance when I imagined that underneath the archeological layers of earth, there were entire lives led and cities constructed. I felt invigorated by being overseas. We traveled on to the awe inducing island of Santorini and then to the tropical vibe of Crete. I learned perhaps for the first time, just how big the world really is. I was reminded about how small it can be too when I mentioned to a stranger on a bus about my experience with a non profit called Invisible Children and a woman a few rows up turned around and asked me if I knew a girl who in fact had been one of my good friends and roommates. Crazy how people can connect. The world is limitless in the things we can experience if we are open to GO.

Change

"When you are through changing, you are through." ~Bruce Barton

When people think of change, many get stuck on the magnitude of the problem or situation. I've learned that change is almost invisible while it is occurring, only obvious once it has happened. When I think of the changes I see in myself, most of the time, I never realized they were happening. They just did. That doesn't mean I didn't set out to change, work hard and apply myself. Anyone who has ever dieted or began a workout regime will identify with this. But even in those surface changes attempted, a deeper change is at work inside. This refers to one's mindset, how they view their routine, their habits and even their possibilities. They begin a steady transformation but usually don't notice the results. Then one day, they are different. This doesn't just allude to health and fitness, which I admit I am currently at work to alter, this is true for all of life. Growing up is change in perhaps it's most gradual form. The baby becomes the child, the child becomes the teen and the teen becomes the adult. Change never stops. It is essential that it never stop. Life and this earth are in constant transformation.
To accept that the world has heartbreaking realities does not negate the responsibility we all have to attempt change. No, there may not be some cataclysmic alteration. Peace may never be worldwide, but it is imperative to work toward that change. If there is injustice or hurt somewhere then it must be addressed. We may not recognize the monumental things happening on a day to day scale but the beauty is in the efforts toward that change. It is in the silent way you touch someone's life and perhaps more unexpected; the way you impact your own. Do not be dissuaded by the immensity of our world's problems. Set out to change what you can. This may be in your home, your town, your country or on the other side of the world. No matter where, it will also be in yourself that the greatest change happens.

Falling Whistles

New non profit Falling Whistles is seeking interns for the fall and continuing their efforts to spread the story of child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In addition to interning, the organization encourages young people to spread the story by hosting awareness events and wearing a whistle as a symbol of protest.
According to the organization’s website, the ongoing conflict in the Congo has lasted over ten years and resulted in over 6 million dead. In this region, children are forced to be child soldiers. According to the organization, if the children are too young to hold a weapon, they are given a whistle and sent to the frontlines of the fight. The lessening cries of a whistle indicate to rebel leaders, the extent of the fighting. Mineral trade is a definite factor in the instability of the region.
Founder Sean Carasso was traveling in the DRC in 2007 when he learned of this situation. He began to tell the story upon his arrival back home and the non profit was formed. Melissa Chambers, a recent college grad, shares why she wears a whistle.

The movement is fueled by people who wear the whistles to spark the attention of others, and spread the story. The organization is also in the process of networking options with community leaders in this war torn area, to aid the escaped child soldiers.
This process is funded by whistle sales. To help spread awareness, you can host a speakeasy by emailing david@fallingwhistles.com. For more information and a history of the conflict, visit www.fallingwhistles.com

Pride Profile: Final Project

This June Oklahoma City held its 23rd annual Pride festival to spread awareness and acceptance of sexual orientation. The festival lasted three days and included vendors, a block party, live performances and a parade. One college student, Josh Lindsey, shares his story of growing up gay in a small Oklahoma town. He has been influenced in a positive way by being in a larger city. Oklahoma City’s gay community is breaking new ground with their efforts in the fight for equality. Runs: 2:00



And now some additional voices on why Pride is important....

Invisible Children picks new roadies for fall tour:

Non profit Invisible Children seeks to spread awareness about a 23 year long war in Uganda. Their movement uses young activists called roadies to spread the message by traveling and speaking to people around the world. They are now in the final stages of selecting new roadies for the fall tour.
According to the organization's website, the tour will last from September to November and will help benefit the organization's Schools For Schools program to rebuild schools in Northern Uganda. Joining the tour will be 11 Ugandan students ready to tell their stories to American youth.
Invisible Children began in 2003 and has since sent numerous tours across the country, and the world, to show media documentaries and grow their movement organically. The Schools for Schools program alone has raised over 4 million dollars for the 11 partner schools supported.
Roadies chosen will travel and speak publically as well as gain experience from the internship as a whole. Newly picked roadie Lauren Grace is excited about the upcoming opportunity.

The roadies will be scheduling stops on their tours. To have them visit your school or to look into applying to be a roadie on the next tour, go to www.invisiblechildren.com
Below, a former roadie discusses the experience...

TOMS: New Line: Same mission

Who said helping others couldn't look good? Toms sure didn't when they introduced their new summer line Calypso as well as a fresh batch of their original style. The humanitarian focused shoe line is following up their nationwide spring awareness event with a new take on their popular shoe. Simply buying a pair will provide a pair of shoes for a child in need.
Toms currently delivers shoes to children in need in developing countries. There, many do not have access to simple protection for their feet. The resulting implications of potential disease and illness prompted the creation of Toms. To date they have delivered 600,000 pairs of shoes.
Since the organization began in 2006, they have been steadily introducing new designs and creating an awareness movement. In April Toms hosted "One Day Without Shoes" an awareness event where, according to the organization, 250,000 people went sans shoes for an entire day.
Lindsey Burleson, a student at OU, owns at least six pairs of Toms and believes in what the company is doing. She recently bought the new wedge design, Calypso, and comments on why she chose Toms.



The new design can be found at Shoetopia in Norman, among other metro locations. Toms is already gearing up for next year's "One Day Without Shoes." Check out www.toms.com for ways you can get involved today.

Regional Food Bank in Urgent Need of Volunteers

The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma is already doing the seemingly impossible. Now, they are in desperate need of volunteers. With a recent grant, they aim to have an almost 4 million pound increase in food distribution in the form of emergency family boxes.

Already, the organization feeds over 77,000 people in need on a weekly basis. They accomplish this through the help of numerous volunteers. According to the organization, this new initiative will equal an added 51 pallets of food and utility items to be boxed up per day by their volunteers.

The emergency family food boxes come at a time of increasing need in the summer months. The organization has been in operation since 1980 and last year their volunteers numbered in the thousands.

“They’re hoping to get out about 50 pallets a day just of the emergency family boxes. We cannot get that packaged without volunteers. We have about 200 today and we’d like to have that many all summer if possible,” says a representative in volunteer retention. She adds that they are seeing triple the workload. “The volunteers don’t see it go into the hands of the people but they know the benefit of it.”

Volunteer sessions are Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1p,m, to 4p.m. Individual volunteers do not need to make an appointment. Groups can call 405-600-3154.