For every woman, everywhere Enjoy!

1. Women are the smartest people in the world.

• The two highest IQ scores ever recorded were both attained by women.

2. Nuclear reactors, sterile food, cancer treatment would all be impossible without…women!

• Marie Curie (1867 -1934) won two Nobel Prizes for her groundbreaking work in Physics. She discovered radioactivity which is necessary for all of the aforementioned.

3.  Women stemmed overpopulation.

• Margaret Sanger was the first to coin birth control and was instrumental in fighting for more effective contraception for women. Katherine McCormick  donated over $2 million ($23 million today) in order to fund research for the birth control pill which was released largely through her funding in 1960..The pill is still the most popular form of contraception today.

4. Behind every Apple is a smart woman

• Much of the original, foundational, cutting edge Apple Computer interface was developed by Susan Kare. 

5. Literature would not be the same…

• Gwendolyn Brooks, Pearl S. Buck, Toni Morrison, Nelly Sachs, Charlotte and Emily Bronte, Sylvia Plath and Emily Dickinson to name a few. Besides the world’s first novel published in AD 1000 was published by a woman, Murasaki Shikibu.

6.  We make some of the best leaders

• Queen Elizabeth helped make England into one of the greatest nations on Earth. Corazon Aquino became president of the Phillipines and restored democracy to the nation with a revolution.

7. We fight for what we love

• Queen Nzinga Mbande of modern day Angola resisted Portuguese colonization and made her country a commercial state on par with Portuguese settlements. Mandukhai Khatun reunified the eastern Mongol empire and fought bravely in defense of her people.  Trieu Thi Trinh was a Vietnamese warrior who resisted Chinese occupation and won 30 battles against China with her rebel army.

8. Compassion is our middle name

• Clara Barton started the American Red Cross which has helped millions in their time of need. Mother Theresa cared for the Untouchables in India whom society overlooked.

9. We live longer

• Sorry guys, but in most countries life expectancy for women is higher than those for men.

10. We are masters of innovation

• Stephanie Kwolek invented Kevlar, the main ingredient in bulletproof vests and a material found in many modern day items from skis to suspension bridge cables. Hedy Lamar had beauty and brains. She was a world renown actress who helped invent spread spectrum technology which provided the technological basis necessary for the fax machine, cell phone,  and wireless communication

In honor of Women’s History Month of course!

Shouldn’t everyone be able to vote? Yes! I think so, and I’m pretty sure you do too. I think, we as Americans take pride in the fact that we are an open democracy in which every citizen has the right to vote. Throughout our history people have been fighting for the right to vote – from Women’s Suffrage to Civil Rights to Post Vietnam the American voting demographic has been increasing. I love that I am part of a country that over time has increased and extended the right to vote over the years. But, America at present has me a bit troubled. Recently, there has been a plethora of voter fraud accusations. As a result Texas, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Alabama, Maine, Ohio, West Virginia, Florida, Georgia, Rhode Island, and South Carolina have already passed voter suppression laws.

At first glance these laws seem quite miniscule, maybe even beneficial. On paper these laws aim to secure votes and resist fraudulent activity by requiring government issued ids. The problem? Our current voting system is working! Prevalence of voter fraud in America = 0.0004%. The amount of people this legislation will affect in upcoming election = 5 million. How is this not an attack on voter rights? How is this justified? By implementing these measures that ‘protect’ voters we are literally excluding millions in the process. Sadly the majority of people who don’t have government ids are senior citizens, minorities, college students and lower income class people. So, what is this legislation really saying about America? I think it’s saying that voting should be a privilege. Voting is a right that should be afforded to all people regardless of socioeconomic status, ethnicity, or age demographic. We already have a voting system that works, why should we change it and displace millions in the process. That is not the democratic America we all know and love.

Check out this superb video by Colbert talking about voter fraud:

Voter Fraud

When I was younger, I grew up in a very diverse area – I knew racism, classicism, and discrimination existed. However, I always believed these antiquated views were an anomaly for a pretty fair and informed American public.

Yes, I had my share of bouts with blatant racism. But, for the most part, these were rare occurrences. Classmates used incorrect racial slurs sparingly and only one high school teacher accused me of plagiarism. Considering that my older brother was accused of plagiarism several times and had to write several essays in a classroom by himself to prove his mental aptitude, I thought things in my high school and more importantly my society were progressing.

However, the age of technology is exposing me to a multitude of views that I believed America had moved beyond. Behind the veneer of a computer screen, people freely share their true views about race and class in America. Frankly, I find it quite alarming. Let’s consider the racial slurs I have come across just this week in the news.

1.Hunger Games?!?!

• I love the Hunger Games! I read them earlier this semester and could not put them down. The movie came out last weekend. Amidst the excitement, I witnessed a backlash I was not anticipating. One of the characters, Rue was casted as a black girl. The response on Twitter? Pages of tweets from fans upset that the little girl was cast for the part…

Really America? Does the color of a little girl’s skin really make or break a movie for you?? In any case Suzanne Collins described Rue as having “dark brown skin and eyes” (p. 45)  The movie was simply staying true to the book!!

2. Awkward Black Girl

• Awkward Black Girl is a new web series that recently won the 2012 Shorty Awards for Best Web Show. Personally, I really like Awkward Black Girl – it’s kinda hilarious! (Warning –obscenities used)  Winning the award amidst 700+ competitors was no easy feat for producer Issa Rae. Sadly, as soon as she was awarded, racial slurs began pouring in…

3. Talking to North Carolininans…

• This week I was talking to women about the Affordable Healthcare Act to get their opinions about it. The responses?!?! Worse than I expected…

1.     “ You and President Obama can just shove it”
2.      Woman: “ Is it associated it with Obama?”

Me: “Yes, his administration is pushing it”

Woman: “ Well then I hate it, it can’t help me if his name is on it.”

I don’t recall all the comments I received, but I remember leaving disheartened.

Thankfully, most Americans are not like this. But, the prevalence of such content on the Internet has me increasingly worried. These comments illustrate deep-seated prejudice. So I wonder, Is prejudice more common in America than I previously thought? Is political correctness  a front only to be put on? My experiences are leading me to believe so. Even so, I still have hope in my fellow American citizens that there are still many who deflect racism and prejudice for a more egalitarian society for everyone.

Today is kind of a big deal. The Supreme Court will be tackling the Affordable Health Care Act, better known as Obamacare. The main issue the Supreme Court will be tackling is whether or not it’s constitutional to mandate people purchase healthcare. The decision will dictate whether or not health care reform will  benefit over 50 million people. Already 2.5 million people between the ages of 21 and 26 have health care because of the Act. Fortunately, that includes my brother whose job didn’t provide adequate health insurance. This also includes me and many of my comrades graduating this year. I am ecstatic that my healthcare won’t run out a couple months after graduation as was the case before the Act. To say the least, I’m in support of the bill. If our country can mandate we purchase car insurance to drive, doesn’t it also have the right to require us to have health insurance to take care of ourselves?

For those who are completely against healthcare reform, please help me understand! If people aren’t required to purchase healthcare and fall fatally sick, the onus of their medical bills fall on the American populous. Thus, their refusal to pay incrementally over years places unnecessary pressure on healthcare systems and hospitals often that absorb the debt raising costs for other services.  Ironically enough, Mary Brown, the  lead plaintiff challenging Obamacare recently went into bankruptcy due to mounting healthcare costs after she fell sick. She couldn’t afford to pay all her medical debts and they were ultimately absorbed by the hospital. Needless to say she is no longer on the case. With our current healthcare system, it would be extremely difficult for Mary to receive treatment. Most insurance companies do not cover extremely sick patients. Under Obamacare Mary would be covered and would likely not default on hospital bills – see? Better for everyone.

I sincerely hope the Affordable Care Act is not deemed unconstitutional. There are 50 million Americans that could benefit from this reform. I think the potential to help America’s large underinsured population far outweighs the costs of the Act.

Dearest son,

I remember…your smile. Like sunshine after a long night, that smile beamed across your warm face every morning. I remember those mornings, those days – we talked, we laughed, we were happy. And love? You, my dear son, you were love incarnate.

I remember your dreams! You aspired to be a pilot. Beyond excelling in school, you were a passionate athlete and inspiring mentor – I could not be more proud. You were my joy. Your teachers and coaches spoke so well of you. I was fortunate to call you my own. Yes you had high hopes. Hopes and dreams that would take you far beyond these four walls. College was the next step. I was preparing my heart to let you, my only son, become the man you were always meant to be. Those bittersweet conversations that reminded me that the best way to let you grow was to let you go. Go…but not this way.

I remember… that day. Forever etched in my mind, February 26^th – a Sunday night. It was raining – as if perhaps the earth itself was already mourning for the tragedy to come. You decided to go to the store despite the inconvenient showers. The corner store was close and you wouldn’t be out long. I’m sure your father wasn’t worried – you had walked those streets countless times before. But on your way back to his house, prejudice personified identified you as threat. Because of the color of your skin, you were a dangerous, a drug addict, a gangbanger. I knew you. These perceptions couldn’t be farther from the truth.  Long, lanky and barely 140 pounds you had never gotten into a fight. But this night was different. You were followed, targeted because you looked suspicious in your hoodie. You noticed the man following you and you decided not to run. You held your ground and chose not to run – you, my heart did nothing wrong. But hatred pursued you and killed you in cold blood.

I will never forget…your heartbeat – it will forever be the metronome that sustains my fight for a more just future for these United States. These United States – this land of liberty that so innocently slaughtered the bravest soul I knew. I’m hoping someone will awake me from this nightmare that says you’re gone. It cant be true.

And now? Your murderer remains free. His innocence is maintained by a veneer of “self defense,” that his actions were justifiable…JUSTIFIABLE?  Half his size and armed with an iced tea and bag of Skittles, I know you were not a threat. 911 phone calls, eyewitness accounts, and your cries for help all are proof that this man is guilty…Yet an unjust law upholds his freedom.

I grieve for you everyday. Every moment is reminiscent of a time we shared. Yet,
I cannot afford to mourn. I refuse to be overcome by this abyss of sadness. I must be strong for both of us. I will continue to create petitions, raise awareness, call for protests, and pressure our judicial system until justice is served. I am comforted by the movements people have begun because of you. Multitudes of groups have led hoodie campaigns to dispel perceptions that hoodies breed suspicion. The Miami Heat joined this effort and released photoswith their heads bowed in hoodies to honor your death. I am amazed that people continue to come together to raise awareness. I hope more and more will continue to join my fight for justice.

I will live brave, just as you did. I will not stand by and let prejudice and hatred freely reign in this country. I will stand for you my love, and for all the innocents who have been slaughtered in these states because of the mere color of their skin.

With love,

Mommy

*Trayvon Martin’s murder on February 26^th was a true tragedy. I hope you will join his family and thousands of others seeking appealin for justice on his behalf. Here at Duke, today many students will be wearing hoodies to support Trayvon Martin’s family. Beyond Duke, I would encourage you to sign a petition, become more aware of the issue and increasingly find ways to dispel racial discrimination in your social networks.

I recently read that #Occupywallstreet may be running out of cash…Is it true? The social, grassroots movement that has spread to countries around the world may be coming to end. How unfortunate! I may not agree with everything #Occupy stands for but I certainly support the light it has shed on social inequality. I know, I know – #occupy has been characterized as unorganized, rogue and blatantly ineffective. In some ways, it is! But, honestly, I think that’s okay. Someone needs to stand up to the bankers who were able to walk away with millions while thousands of Americans lost their homes. I’m totally against any system that squeezes millions of Americans to cater to the 1%. It’s unjust and undemocratic.

The Occupy Movement is certainly garnering attention from widespread audiences and encouraging greater discourse about economic inequality. Former Goldman Sachs executive Greg Smith resigned earlier this week and wrote an op-ed detailing his disappointment with the Goldman Sachs culture and the financial industry holistically. In his appeal, Smith criticizes the culture of Goldman Sachs because it has shifted from a business of integrity to one primarily concerned with making money. Call me optimistic, but I believe Americans can be prosperous without exploiting others in the process.

In an effort to reenergize the movement, Occupy Wall Street is calling for a city-wide strike. Over the weekend over 70 protesters were arrested and members of Occupy are reporting claims of unnecessary police brutality. Throughout the country, May 1^st will be a call to action. The movement is encouraging people to abstain from work and school to communicate a very serious message to our government and financial sector. I sure hope it works – I think this country could use greater solidarity and more reverence for the rights of the people who keep it running.

I support #occupy. I may not tent outside or get arrested, but I commend those individuals actively standing up to our current economic system and boldly criticizing it.

For the past week or so our Facebook newsfeeds, twitter feeds, and YouTube picks have been bombarded by Kony 2012. Since it was uploaded on March 5, the video has received over 82 million views. The goal? Make Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) famous. By making Kony famous, Invisible Children hopes to raise awareness and finally bring him to justice. Kony is an African warlord who has abducted thousands of children over twenty years. Thus efforts to finally capture him are something we can all agree on, right? Well, it is – to some extent. Beyond the agreement that Kony is armed and dangerous, very little consensus exists. As the Kony campaign has gained an influx of media attention, there has been substantial backlash. Why? Let’s delve a little deeper into the problem to see what the Kony 2012 campaign is truly about and find out why it has been both sincerely praised and ferociously attacked.

Tangible Relief

According to Invisible Children, the campaign is geared to raise awareness, arrest Kony, disarm the LRA and reintegrate ex-combatants into society. How is Invisible Children doing this? Mainly through advocacy. Invisible children spends roughly one third of its funds to direct programs to help Ugandans and former child soldiers. The other two-thirds of funds go to advocacy campaigns. One third of funds isn’t much. For Invisible Children, awareness is an end of itself. So I must ask, should people be donating to an organization that tangibly isn’t doing much to help Ugandans? Shouldn’t peoples’ funds be redirected elsewhere? I would hope that my donations would help more Ugandans rather than printing more t-shirts with Kony’s face plastered across them – but that’s just my opinion…Let’s keep looking.

Advocacy

In terms of accomplishing their main goal, Invisible Children is succeeding tremendously. What other social justice campaign has been able to raise so much awareness in such a short span of time? None… So in this regard international justice organizations can take a lesson. Utilizing the media to galvanize America’s youth is extremely clever and effective. This video has shown how concerned American citizens can become. Monetary donations are continuously being poured in and the message continues to be reverberated.

For Uganda?

One glaring problem with the documentary is its portrayal of Uganda. The trajectory it frames is that of Uganda a decade ago. In the short documentary, we see a country that is war-stricken with children taken from their homes. Thankfully that situation has changed. Kony has been ousted and the LRA now numbers in the low hundreds. Now, the best way to bolster the Ugandan people is to help educate the next generation. When screened in Uganda, the video faced extreme backlash. Ugandans felt as if the video was not made about their lives but crafted a story of African victimization and the need for American heroism. The video failed to promote Ugandan agency. Instead it left Ugandans looking helpless as if there wasn’t room for them to take action and become part of their own solution. We must realize that the best solutions are those that include Ugandans because those are the most sustainable. Beyond these problems, the massive campaign of plastering Kony’s face on paraphernalia is especially offensive. One woman stated seeing Kony’s face on t-shirts, banners, and posters is akin to having Osama bin Laden’s face plastered everywhere post-9/11. Not particularly inspiring.

Oversimplification…

The Invisible Children Calculus:

Make video + raise awareness + increase pressure on US government = capture Kony

Capture Kony = Success for Ugandans

The reality:

Make video + raise awareness + increase pressure on US government = may capture Kony

Capture Kony  Success for Ugandans

Success for Ugandans = sustainable rebuilding efforts like… increasing access to education, helping victims, infrastructure investments, and health initiatives

Even with the oversimplification of complex problems into a good vs. evil paradigm, the narrative of helpless Africans in need of saving by the Western world is way too reminiscent of colonialism. It may make Americans feel more caring but what is it doing for Ugandans? And what is this message saying about Ugandan people? Are these children invisible until Americans notice them? We need to empower Ugandans, not victimize them.

Ugandan Prime Minster, Amama Mbazi recently issued a Youtube  response to the Kony 2012 campaign. Utilizing the press Uganda has garnered over the past month, he invites the American leaders the Kony 2012 campaign targets to visit Uganda and see for themselves that that the country has “peace and stability.” Mbazi uses his video to focus on the true heros and heroines of this story – the Ugandan people who have rebuilt their homes and livelihoods in the face of destruction. That is the story we should be portraying and celebrating.

Stopping Kony will bring some sort of justice to many of the victims but many hard-pressed problems still remain. What are some of the problems that are more pressing and relevant in Uganda? The AIDS epidemic, prevalence of Hepatitis, poverty, educational gaps, and social stability. Let’s partner with Uganda to bolster the organizations that exist there. That’s the best way to help Uganda.

An aside…Over the weekend Jason Russell was arrested or public masturbation, vandalizing cars and disturbing the peace. Unfortunately this is not the behavior we expect from the leader of the next big social justice plug…#justsayin

Each year Urban Ministries of Durham hosts its signature fundraising event – “Empty Bowls.” It’s all happening next Thursday, March 8^th 6:30pm – 8:00pm. For just $15 you can sample fresh soups from Durham favorites Guglhupf, Revolution, Watts, Toast, Mad Hatter, Saladelia and many more! And for $15 more you can take home your very own uniquely hand-crafted, bowl! How cute J I love events likes these because you get to fill your tummy as well as someone else’s. Urban Ministries works with over 6,000 people each year and provides emergency shelter, food, and clothing. Not only does the center help with immediate needs, it works with men, women and children to help them find long-term support and stability. So why not support an organization that supports so many in our community? Grab your ticket here! It’s an event your belly and your heart are sure to enjoy!!!

This week the Supreme Court agreed to hear the affirmative action case Fisher v. University of Texas. Needless to say as an African American female, I am deeply concerned about how the outcome of this case and how it will affect affirmative action policies in universities and colleges nationally. So, from woman to woman I have decided to write a little letter to Abigail Fisher, the young woman filing the case:

Dear Abby,

I am a beneficiary of affirmative action and you are too. You see Abby, affirmative action is much more than just a set of policies aiming to increase the representation of minorities. Believe it or not the largest benefactors of affirmative action policies are white women just like yourself. In the workforce especially, affirmative action helps women to better compete with their male counterparts. I’m sure you don’t think that America should get rid of the affirmative action policies that help women overcome discrimination in the workplace. Honestly, without it your chances for attaining a job post-graduation would be negatively affected. Beyond that, think of all the women this legislation has helped placed in government sectors and Fortune 500 companies. Don’t you support initiatives aimed to make women more successful in the workplace and overcome discrimination?

Well then Abby, why are you avidly against policies to support minority college admissions? I know you may harbor some resentment because you did not get accepted to your dream school – University of Texas. But honestly, why would you push for a Supreme Court decision that would hurt millions of minorities in college? As it stands, your case is pushing for the end of racial considerations in public university admissions because you believe minorities who were ‘less-qualified’ than you were admitted instead of you. Well Abby, here are the facts. Honestly, there are a variety of factors that are incorporated in admissions. The numbers are only part of the story. Even if you did better on the SATs or ranked higher than a minority student, factors that you are not privy to such as the personal statement and interviews may have made the candidate chosen a better fit. In fact according to the National Organization of Women, acceptance rates of white men would only increase 2% if half the people admitted to school under affirmative action were cut. Abby, you are fighting policies that benefit millions and affect only 2% of potential white candidates…how nonsensical is that? You speak of equality for people ‘like you’ yet to achieve such equality you are fueling systemic inequality against minorities for a whopping 2% of white men who don’t benefit from affirmative action.

Additionally, there are so many other special considerations that may boost a candidate’s acceptance. At the University of Texas these include socioeconomic status, single parent home, language spoken at home, family responsibilities, cultural background, overcoming diversity and race. Why aren’t you fighting any of these factors? Race is only ONE factor among MANY that may enhance a candidate’s application. Race as a consideration doesn’t limit access to qualified students; it simply gives access to capable minority candidates who are too often written off by society.

So Abby, as you move forward with this court case I hope you realize the harm you are doing to equality. Realize that affirmative action benefits you as well. Realize that you are fighting against the very system that provides you with opportunities too. Please Abby, don’t bite the hand that feeds you. Today, the question is race-based affirmative action in public universities. If it is indeed deemed unconstitutional what affirmative action policies will be questioned next? Will they be the very ones that ensure you as a white woman is well-represented in the workforce?

Abby, you and I are more similar than you think. We both benefit from affirmative action. Rather than attacking race-based affirmative action, we should partner innovative ways to improve the existing system. We both have a lot at stake in this case. Realize the millions of minority teenagers affirmative action helps, the young women in engineering it supports, and ultimately the opportunity it gives to so many groups often marginalized by our society. But most of all Abby, realize affirmative action helps your mother, your aunties, your sister, your female role models, and YOU.

Best,

Keturah

On a brisk Saturday morning, a couple of friends, my sister, and I gathered together at 9:00am to participate in the Historic Thousands on J Street March. Upon arriving we were met by a large crowd of people gathered at Shaw University awaiting for the march’s commencement. Honestly, I was surprised to find thousands of men, women, teenagers, and children coming together on a chilly Saturday morning. Today, my socially progressive postulations had brought me face to face with thousands of people fighting together for their civil rights. The encounter was nothing short of awe-inspiring. People united beyond difference to petition for change – a breathtaking snapshot of the power of passionate people.

This year the supporters at the march were aggressively supporting a variety of agendas. From fracking to immigration rights, a bandit of socially progressive policies were being promoted by people so divergent that only an overarching commitment to civil rights could bring them all together. The result? One beautiful gambit of people coalescing to appeal for greater equality and access across the board. Even though it was my first march, I felt right at home.

Seeing thousands gathered together to support their various causes helped me tangibly see that civil rights battles still most effective when fought together. At the march I joined the ranks of millions who had traversed the path of activism before me and stood alongside thousands to amplify my own cry for civil rights. I encourage you – whatever your passion is find others who will be passionate with you. One of the greatest cures to apathy is encountering extremely driven, civic-minded people.

The rattling effect of thousands working together awakened me to a myriad of issues. Power was actualized in the unity of protestors at the march. For me the march was a wake-up call – people are mobilizing to make a difference. I choose whether I will partner with social change movements or quietly sit on the sidelines.