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So long...

2011-06-25T15:08:56Z

This project has been a wonderful learning experience, and one that's allowed for friendships and collaborations, celebration and love. It's time to move on though - feel free to keep in touch.

Moving Forward
Rainer Maria Rilke

The deep parts of my life pour onward,
as if the river shores were opening out.
It seems that things are more like me now,
That I can see farther into paintings.
I feel closer to what language can't reach.
With my senses, as with birds, I climb
into the windy heaven, out of the oak,
in the ponds broken off from the sky
my falling sinks, as if standing on fishes.

On being a woman

2011-06-13T12:44:32Z

By Meltem Arikan

BEING A WOMAN IN TURKEY?..

I always find discriminations such as, being a woman in Turkey, being a woman in Germany, being a woman in United States or the conditions of women in Turkey, conditions of women in Holland, very disturbing. Whichever country they are from, women have been living under the power of male dominated system and the imposed laws of this system for thousands of years.The issues could be relatively less or more problematic, this does not change the fact that women from all around the world are essentially facing the same issues.

Did you ever hear questions such as, what are conditions of men in Germany or how is it like to be a man in Africa? You cannot hear any of them because men own this world.

I've always made mistakes. I've always ignored myself. Why do I have this feeling of guilt, never understood. I am always guilty. Everything is ruined by me. These mousy and passed away feelings of mine. As if my nerves are pulled back. Pulled backwards. Within a vague time. Within vagueness... I've always tried to be strong, but always remained as weak. The more I dive deeper, the more I feel suffocated. I cannot breathe. Isn't there anyone who can help me? Isn't there anyone who can hear my voice?

In fact, we are all women trying to be heard in the men's world. However, over the last few years, it is not that easy for us to make our voices be heard anymore. In this century, we are in a transition period from the analogue world to the digital world and many countries are struggling for their freedom by risking their lives and many people in other countries are facing with new limitations.While the culture of fear widens its boundaries, the silence gets heavier and heavier day after day.

Slyly fed furiousness inside me...
My body composed of flesh and bones as if it turned into glass...just about to be broken...could I fix it? Could I fix my past or the future?
Let's say 'enough' I shouted. Would anybody hear me? My voice. A voice of a woman... Woman voice is equivalent to silence, right?

Women's alienation from their bodies and restriction of their demands for freedom begins when men constrain women to veil. It follows as women to approve that they can seduce men's sexuality and mislead them. It is imposed on women that men will use violence and rape women when even a strand of their hair is seen. 'Only women can break the male dominated system'; could this be the hidden fact lying under all this? Why are not men suggested to pull themselves together but women are subjected to hide their bodies and their femininity? For hundreds of years men are living with unveiled women and do not rape them openly. So how come women are always a source of risk in societies where women and men are forced to live socially separated. While these generated fears estrange women from their bodies, men are also scared away by the projection of women having seductive potentials. Men can only dominate women by fear, so they are indeed the only ones who can make the explanations...

I do not know anything about it but recently I am being aware of something. I am pretty sure other women know nothing about it as well. I am being aware of my body, which was destroyed with history. I am struggling to reunite it with my mind. When the mind stays independent from the body it dives into an abysm. My awareness is so fragile like a cotton yarn it can suddenly fade away and disappear. But if you hold that thin yarn really tight then it turns into a thick rope. Otherwise the thin yarn drifts away, taking you with it.

I believe, women should undress themselves to be able to exist. Although, undressing oneself needs great courage and responsibility. But societies are in need of overdressing and they fear from nakedness because nakedness also means transparency. Today, some Islamic fundamentalist women not only overdress themselves but also define hiding behind veils as freedom.

When women are told to have three children, when women without veils are being liken to a house without curtains either to rent or for sale, when discussions about raped women's guilt for wearing low cut dresses are carried to newspapers, when hearing the increasing voices of those demand for religious marriages to be legal which allows men to marry four women, I, as a woman, become more and more furious. For other women to keep silent and sometimes for them to acknowledge these statements hurts me deeply. Being a woman in male dominated system is painful.

Here in deep emptiness I am without a beginning or an end. My hand, my arm, my leg full of scars by being dispersed backwards and forwards.
My tears are so very heavy I am tired of hiding... My screams are like a puny headache. Reality petrifies when mind is prisoned in fear... A tiny stone between cinders, a flutter of a little hooked fish. Chords are doomed to be muted when ears are deaf... just like being a woman...

For me hope is the struggle of women for existence and to be able to exist. However, the sociocultural climate created by the male dominated system condemns women to have unhappy lives by driving them to have fake hopes.
These kinds of hope have turned into curse for me and for all women who want to exist. We are facing the results of these curses everyday. The male dominated minds are claiming that they struggle for the violence against women but cannot discriminate how they use the greatest violence on women by doing politics over women bodies. The politicians must move their politics, ideas and hands off from women bodies. As a woman, saying NO to every kind of violence against women is inevitable for me. For this reason I will continue to struggle against this.

If I cannot exist as a woman, I will become a slave, I do not accept being a slave.

It must be approved by all of us that there are no differences between a woman's body from New York and another woman's body from Turkey or a man's body from Turkey and another man's body from New York.

For thousands of years, the world has boundaries drawn by the male dominated system. It is time for women to say NO marginalisation created by boundaries. We must establish a common woman culture in the new world order.

Connecting with the Editor: The Yemen Times

2011-05-26T03:07:49Z

This was originally published on the 50 Women Project Blog by the amazing Jessica Buchleitner. Thanks, Jessica, for sharing and bringing this story to our attention.

By Jessica Buchleitner

It was, undoubtedly, the nature of the article on the International Women's Media Forum that I read about her which prompted me to contact her.

I read countless news articles every day: some not to their entirety, and others I find myself reviewing repeatedly. Many of these articles concern the series of revolutionary and utterly astonishing uprisings occurring in the Middle East in recent months.

Not to say that what is happening in other parts of the world is uninteresting. I pay attention to these things as well. Yet the protests and uprisings are infectious mainly because of the long oppression citizens of these societies have found themselves involuntarily subjected to. Who wants to live their entire lives in a tent on the streets? What chronically unemployed adult wants to sit back and observe politicians and officials gaining insurmountable wealth above the rest of the population? What person wants to be subjected to extensive humiliation by such officials? My point is: I don't blame the citizens of these countries for their anguish.

One particular quote told to me by another woman interviewed for "50 Women" stands out in my mind when I see these uprisings and speaks for the current circumstances in societies across the Middle East: "In order to gain wisdom and to be reborn, one must first lose everything".

Ultimately what I am referring to is that everything must be uprooted in the peace process in order to change. Old world leaders must be ousted, cities overtaken and the failing systems removed. In theory it sounds like a walk in the park yet the road to positive change is one of hardship, sacrifice and extensive cost. I watched at the beginning of 2011 as the Egyptian revolution unfolded and the protesters held steadfast and determined in Tahrir Square subsequently following brother nation Tunisia.

One such revolution receiving remarkably less news coverage in the United States were protests and uprisings in Yemen.

What most don't realize is that the Yemen uprisings followed the initial stages of the Tunisia uprisings and occurred simultaneously with the Egyptian revolution. Which brings me back to the article that I read on the International Women's Media Forum.

I discovered it one morning while reviewing their Courage in Journalism Award winners. Scanning the page, I learned of Nadia Al Sakkaf, Editor in Chief of The Yemen Times, the only objective and English speaking newspaper in Yemen; a newspaper acting as a veritable connector of Yemen and the rest of the world. The article was about some of the current hardships and setbacks the newspaper has suffered as a result of the tumultuous political environment in Yemen. In the brief article, Nadia talks about the challenges she and her loyal staff of reporters face daily in the wake of the revolution for change. Moved on many levels by Nadia's courage and strength in navigating such a stirring sea of political and economical turbulence, I felt an unyielding desire to connect with and interview her.

So I did.

Arising with the sun on a Saturday morning, I checked my world clock to see the time in Amann,Jordan. Noticing it was evening in her local time, I dialed her local number via skype and connected with her voice to voice from half a world away. There we were- two passionate and persevering female voices joined by a simple internet connection.

Nadia Al Sakkaf is one revolutionary woman. In addition to carrying an MSC in Information Systems Management and a BE in Computer Science, she has also worked for OXFAM GB in their humanitarian Programs and was the first recipient of the Gebran Tunei Award in 2006. Nadia has been Editor in Chief of The Yemen Times since 2005 and is paving the way in a leadership role for other women journalists in Yemen and other countries in the Middle East.

The Yemen Times is so near and dear to Nadia because it is a family business, started by her father in 1990 and wielded from his vision to be a global citizen and to bridge the gap between Yemen and the rest of the world. Today it is the only independent English newspaper in Yemen reporting on every activity of the country's current revolution.

Being a revolutionary in the realm of journalism and media has a heavy price tag. Nadia explained that her father was previously abducted and imprisoned for his involvement and the paper was closed more than three times between 1991 and 1999 when after his tragic passing, Nadia's brother stepped in and took over until 2005. Smashing stereotypes, Nadia assumed the position of Editor in Chief in 2005.

"Its interesting because Journalism is such a new profession for many Yemeni women. Still the culture does not generally accept women working in public positions but I have seen so much fascination for this profession grow. Women who decide to be journalists in Yemen are still facing the glass ceiling- its very difficult for them to climb up the ladder and become managers".

Nadia further explained to me the many reservations people had about her becoming the Editor in Chief since she was young . They did not feel that she would be able to handle the job- yet she has with grace and strong determination to keep her father's legacy alive. Now in one of the most difficult times, Nadia forges on with the belief that if she does not do her job- nobody will.

Currently, the paper faces challenges from power outages to phone and email threats. The objective or unbiased approach of the paper angers members of certain political parties. In Yemen, as Nadia explained, there is biased reporting from both sides, the opposition side and government side.

Even coverage of the protests have produced insurmountable challenges to reporters on staff. As protests escalate, so do the weapons used in clashes with security. Nadia explained that past protesters have used sticks or knives until recently progressing to the use of live bullets. The danger to reporters in these situation is they cannot act as a bystander to the effects of the situation. In doing their jobs, they become part of the action. When a reporter stands to cover a protest, he or she can become shot directly or victim of bullet ricochet. Thus, it is becoming more difficult for media to hide from attacks during such events.

"Once one of my reporters was there and said that a man next to him was shot. He was a bit traumatized because it could have been him. Its true and we all know that its true. Anytime I send another one of my reporters out my hand is on my heart waiting until they come back to the office so that I know they are safe. The problem is we cannot NOT send them. Its like, if we don't tell the story who will?"

Sympathizing with her concerns, I asked Nadia how she gets through each day in this environment. She explained to me much of her strength comes from the international community and the many people who responded to her previous IWMF article offering to help.

"You know Jessica, I feel that the international community believes in us. For example, those emails and you calling me now, we share those and we talk about those in our meetings. Some of them we even print out and say 'Look. There is a person who is praying for us'. I received an email from someone in Japan and it said 'I am praying for you' and that was amazing!"

I asked Nadia several questions about the revolution in Yemen and its significance to the Yemenis society. I felt strongly about hearing her perspective on the situation- as a citizen of Yemen, as a journalist, as a woman and as a mother.

Poverty, Nadia emphasized, is the reason many Yemenis are disgruntled. Over forty percent of the population lives in extreme poverty. In fact,Yemen ranks 152 of 177 countries listed on the Human Development Index and of all the Arab states,Yemen has the lowest HDI rank. An alarming ten percent of the current work force are children who are often forced to drop out of school in order to support their families. Perhaps this is one explanation of the looming amount of illiteracy in the Arab nation- an astonishing 54 percent of the population age 15 or older according to the World Bank. ( note: figures are different depending on the source or report)

In Yemen, Nadia explained articulately, there are a lot of injustices. Not only are large amount of citizens poor, but they also live under corruption and humiliation. Politics also until this year, was mainly the business of the elite and intellectuals not the layperson. As of 2011, this has drastically changed.

We discussed the Mohammed Bouazizi incident as the trigger to the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt. Bouazizi was a Tunisian vegetable vendor who set himself on fire in protest when his goods, which he allegedly purchased on credit due to poverty, were taken and he was harassed by a municipal official. Nadia pointed out to me that many people in Yemen are similar to Bouazizi in that they do not have much to live for and thus have nothing to loose which, in turn, lends strong legitimacy to the current revolution.

"I know so many Yemenis who would sell a kidney just to go abroad- I am dreaming of the day where the Yemenis don't even think like that because they want to stay in their own country and they feel appreciated" Nadia explained. "This is a very unbelievable time in history. It is much turmoil now, but I hope that the turmoil results in something much more prosperous in the end. I often explain it as a delivery- like we are giving birth and we are in the delivery room. It's a long labor but I can't wait for the baby to come out and take care of it and for it to become an important person".

Nadia believes she would not be strong without the loyal and dedicated team at The Yemen Times. Perhaps she does not realize what I see in her, but I see an enduring progressive soul, who genuinely and sincerely cares for the betterment of her country and its people. Her commitment and belief reveals itself in her reporting, her advocacy and her dedication to The Yemen Times and its mission.

It was a gift to speak with Nadia. I will never forget our conversation for the rest of my life. Here I was connecting with another person from across the world, whose country has been in my thoughts and prayers. It is my sincere hope that Yemen and the other Arab nations can finally attain for their citizens the change they deserve. Noone wants to live the way some of these citizens are forced to sustain. Noone wants to be subjected to the same humiliation Bouazizi was- a humiliation so deep and severe it forced him to self-immolate. I understand the anger which leaks from poverty and oppression. Now their voices are heard around the world just as I heard Nadia's through that simple article. For Nadia's voice is one beyond what we read in news reports- she is an influential part of Yemen's media and part of the present activity in the country. She is the woman in charge of the greatest link between Yemen and the rest of the world.

"This revolution, although it is a defining moment for Yemen, it's also an opportunity to unveil the other faces of Yemen and to break all the stereotypes. I am glad in a way that this has happened, even if it has happened this way. I am glad that the world knows more about Yemen and other Arab countries. You are hearing the names of cities that you never would have heard in your life had this not happened so it's brought the world together"...

Support The Yemen Times in their mission. Connect with them on Twitter or Facebook.

A Trail of Ashes

2011-05-26T02:10:09Z

We'd like to introduce writer Isela Washington, as she writes about the struggles and freedoms of recovery.

By Isela Washington

No words can describe the pain and despair I was in a year ago. I was dying. My soul was trying to escape from this body of a carcass it had been inhibiting. It seemed that I was the only one who could hear the muffled screams in my head.

I wanted to be happy and there were brief moments in my life as such. But I was never at peace. I was never okay in my own skin. No one hated me more than myself. I could not come to terms as to why my life was in such distress and chaos when I had everything that I had wanted.

I was married to a very loving, caring, funny and compassionate man. I had kids that other parents envied. I had in-laws that genuinely loved and cared for me. I had a great job. And while we we didn't have anything fancy, there was nothing that I was wanting or needing. There were moments in my life that I felt that my life just couldn't be any better.

I grew up with a father who was an alcoholic and a drug addict. My mother was very young and a victim of abuse, herself. Even though I suffered all sorts of abuse from my parents, I was able to conceal that from everyone. School was my refuge. I excelled through my school years and I loved how I was praised for good grades and my involvement with clubs, from school teachers. I was someone there. At home, I was nobody. I believed every hateful word my parents said to me, just as much as I believed every praise at school. At a very young age, I resigned to the idea that my life was going to be anything else than the way it was. I used to pray that my mom would leave my dad and stay away from him. But each time she would return and it would only get worse. I just knew that if we no longer lived with him, I would finally be happy.

My mom left my dad when I was 14. Surely, I was about to finally experience happiness. That dream was short lived. It actually never came. I was still living in fear of what this man could do to me and so I fathomed the idea that the only way that I would discover what being happy was all about was if he ever died. Three years later, on the night that we buried my father, I was getting my stomach pumped at the hospital with tar for trying to kill myself. I don't know why I did it; wasn't I supposed to be happy now that he was gone once and for all? I graduated the following year and I came to the realization that the only way that I would be happy was if I left my family. They were all my problem. Of course they were! And so I joined the military and left the country. I was exposed to a new culture, new people, money, men...all these things just came to me, but the more I searched for happiness in these, the further off I was from it.

After many failed relationships, I finally found the happiness I had so much longed for... in a man. He appeared fascinated by me. And I felt the same about him. Not only did I want him; I needed him. Little was I to know that 14 years later, he would be just as eager to divorce me, as much as he wanted to marry me, or that he would come to despise me just as much or more as he once loved me.

Shortly before we were married, I returned to the states with him to meet his family. I was in love! His family sat at the dinner table and they ate and talked and laughed...together. From that very moment, I just knew that I was going to be happy all the time. My happiness was guaranteed in acquiring his family. The next 14 years were good and bad. I remember more good than bad, but if you ask him, he'll probably tell you there were more bad than good. I couldn't tell you how or when, but not only was I no longer happy, I was more depressed than ever before in my life and I didn't understand why. It wasn't soon after that I started to blame my husband for my unhappiness. We had our problems, as any other married couple, I suppose. I had a very forgiving husband, all the while, I was slowly and steadily pulling him into my warped mind. He wasn't a bad husband, but I was convinced that he was the sole conspirator to my unhappiness.

Today, I can tell you that not only have I found happiness, but I am finally at peace. I have left a trail of ashes which has lead to this resurrected life that I now have.
In the issues to follow, I plan to share with you what happened to get me to the point of desperation, what I had to do in order to free myself from the bondage of myself and how I maintain a life of peace and harmony.

SlutWalk Dallas

2011-04-23T21:37:24Z

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know about the furor that's been raised by a Toronto police officer when he suggested that women can avoid being raped by not dressing "like a slut." In response, women in Toronto organized SlutWalk to demonstrate that what a woman wears has nothing to do with rape, whether it's considered "slutty" or not.

Elizabeth Webb, a rape survivor, was inspired to organize a SlutWalk in Dallas. A huge number of women and men from the area gathered to support a woman's right to safely wear whatever they want, without fear that she'll be accused of "asking for it" if she is sexually assaulted.

This message is one of the most important that needs to be shouted loud and clear. Victims of rape are still, even in 2011, accused of asking for it a variety of reasons, the main one being her clothing. The fact is that any type of clothing, even a burqa, could theoretically be considered sexually attractive by someone. After all, rapists aren't exactly known for following the norm. It's not only unfair but dangerous to assume that clothing can instigate a violent sexual attack on anyone.

Kudos to the Toronto "sluts" for starting the ball rolling, and to Elizabeth Webb for keeping up the fight in Dallas.

Check out the slideshow of the Dallas SlutWalk participants!

The Gulf of Mexico, depression, big oil...still a mess

2011-04-19T15:56:28Z

The Texas Gulf Coast got off relatively easy after the BP oil spill disaster, last year. The shorelines are clean, there are no dead baby dolphins washing up on the beach, and no chemical odors that deviate from what normally populated areas deal with anyway.

Because of the non-news coming from the area, when my husband and I went to Corpus Christi last weekend for an event celebrating environmentalism and land conservation, we fully expected to be living the spirit of "Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez" that infects the entire Gulf region. We couldn't wait to wash fresh fish down with Rum Runners and start socializing with the locals.

That's not exactly what we found, though. While the fresh fish was wonderful, the fluffy rum drink feel just wasn't there. Neither were many locals. In fact, there wasn't much there at all - just a bunch of buildings with bank logos on them, most of which were vacant. The restaurants and bars closed early because there is no business to justify staying open until even midnight.

Corpus is only one of many towns along the coast that's been hit hard by the economy and the oil spill. The businesses there thrive on oil, and with the shutdown of drilling after the spill, people had to either move away to find work or tough it out with the piecemeal work that was available. One tug boat captain I talked with said that because of the lack of work since the spill, and an influx of boats from the flooded northern states as added competition (a situation he sympathized with), he is afraid that he won't be able to continue to support his family without leaving town. He was heading to New Orleans, where oil work is on the rise.

Of course the situations from Louisiana to Florida are much worse because of the added destruction of fishing and wildlife areas. Tourism, the other big industry there, has taken a huge hit as well, adding another lash to the back an area that was still rebuilding after the 2005 hurricane season. The reminders are there for them every day, in oil on the ground, toxic fumes in the air, lack of work and now, lack of credit.

Dr. Steve Picou, a sociology professor who has studied the effects of the Exxon Valdez spill for 20 years, states that "Mental health difficulties caused by the Gulf oil spill are likely to linger through the next decade..." and that people involved in oyster harvesting and processing in areas as far away as Appalachicola, Florida were very depressed, even though they were no where near the spill area. The threat of possible future loss can cause depression and is affecting many people all around the gulf area. Although I'm not qualified to comment on any mental health statistics for Corpus Christi, there was definitely a sad aura going on, even listening to an old man doing country karaoke at Crawdaddy's, where there were two tables, including ours, enjoying the music.

If you've ever been to the gulf coast, you know the alternately laid-back and lively atmosphere, varied cultures and great food that it's known for. It's easy to forget about those who are still affected by a news story that was killed a couple of months after it broke, but the problem still exists. The warm people who take care of us on vacation, who have given us some of the best seafood in the world, and who have worked the dangerous drilling rig jobs to provide us with our oil-based addictions are as much in trouble as their land and waters are.

The NDRC's YouTube video, below, shows just how bad it still is along the gulf coast.

So what can you do? Here are some things that you can do to help the people along the gulf coast fight for their homes and livlihoods:

They need the oil jobs, so take a moment to demand that congress implement reform of offshore oil and gas drilling

Better yet, do you own a green company? Think about setting your company up in a gulf state and hiring those who have lost their jobs because of the oil spill. If given an option, I'll bet they'd love to stick it to big oil.

Travel to the gulf coast. Beaches and sport fishing tours aren't the only things those states have to offer!

Keep up with real time updates from Tulane University about the situation on the coast.

Contact BP and give them a piece of your mind. Not that it would help, but it might drive them nuts if enough people clogged their phone lines, since they offer no email.

Does Pink Stink?

2011-04-11T14:50:53Z

This is a guest post by the lovely feminist fashion blogger Mrs. Bossa and was originally published here. Check out her blog for more greatness!

By Mrs. Bossa

Chances are you thought of some positive and decidedly feminine words (and if you didn't, then kudos - I want to hear from you!) Pink is the colour of lipsticks, of Barbie's car (and house, and the myriad other material possessions that she's acquired through life). Pink roses are a gentler romantic gesture than bold red, the colour of lust and love and passion.

It is now almost impossible to enter a toy store without immediately being aware of 'girl toys' and 'boy toys', conveniently colour-coded; some stores boast an entire floor dedicated to the toys a girl might want, dumbed down...and in pink.

What's the problem with that? Well let's look a little closer.

The Pink Stinks campaign, established by two mothers who were horrified by the 'pinkification' of culture, aims to tackle the gender division affecting children. They argue that the gender-colour equation adds up to lower self-esteem in girls, as the incessant focus on princess dresses and babies and make-up affects young girls' aspirations. I looked on a well-known UK retailer's website, and the top 10 girls' toys included a Rapunzel costume, a dolls house, a bead-making set, and my personal favourite: a pushchair. Mainly in pink, might I add, with the odd splash of purple. The boys top 10 - and this will come as no surprise - included several guns, battle figures and cars. Try finding a firefighter fancy dress costume aimed at girls, or one that isn't a 50s nurse or a fairy. Now this trend may be older than me, but seriously: what message is this giving kids? I tell you what message: an outdated one.

Now a person may well argue that there is no harm in children showing a preference for a colour, and I agree with that in principle. But I plain refuse to believe that we are biologically pre-determined to like a colour to this degree. And, for me, the clincher is this: many boys with some level of cultural awareness refuse to wear pink. It has connotations of 'girliness', and that has to be avoided at all costs. Don't get me wrong: I'm not a particular fan of 'girly pink' either. But then, when I cast my mind back, I realised that I was never bombarded with pink accessories. This was definitely in part due to my mother, who, I remember, refused to buy me a toy kitchen, but the fact is there just wasn't the plethora of pink there is today. It's like we're going backwards.

Some hysterical British news reporters claimed that Pink Stinks was trying to 'ban pink', but this ain't the case. They have a problem with the connotations. Their site aims to focus instead on positive female role models who are known for their passions and achievements rather than their beauty or breast size, and they believe that by shifting the focus from 'princess' and 'soldier', toy and clothing companies have the opportunity to feed children the dreams they deserve, wearing whatever colours they choose.

And me? I actually love a bit of pink. I even have a fabulous pair of pink shoes...but the difference is, I'm old enough to know I can still change the world while I'm wearing them.

Anonymiss: a new arm of the women's movement?

2011-04-08T22:40:55Z

If you've kept up with events in the Middle East via Twitter, you've no doubt seen several different versions of a headless Lilith Sternin Crane-looking avatar floating around. If you've followed any of their feeds, you also may have found that the women sharing this image, and more who don't, are some of the best sources for information about the events happening in that region. They are all heavily involved with sharing breaking news coming from those countries, in helping to enable communications when internet service is cut, and they provide activists with "care packages" to maintain their privacy and security when authorities hunt down and arrest bloggers. These women are often a first choice for activists on the scene when it comes to cries for help, whether it's to relay a message or to get information.

On International Women's Day, this group of women from the notorious hacktivist group, Anonymous,launched their own initiative, called Anonymiss. I chatted with one or two members of Anonymiss - can't say for sure, since anyone using any combination of the words Anonymiss and PR could be one of hundreds or thousands. The message seemed to come from a similar if not the same voice in two conversations, though, and similar to that in Boing Boing's article about Anonymiss. So, as mysterious as the operations and identities are, at least in this beginning phase there appears to be a unifying voice.

Many were inspired by the events in Tunisia and Egypt, and especially by the women who were taking center stage of the fight. Out of frustration and a feeling of helplessness, these women began to ask what they could do to help. In getting to know each other through their shared concern for the oppressed, they decided that they could best help by banding together and offering skills ranging from hacking to graphic design to blogging and video editing. A lot of these women take to the streets in protest as well.

They've helped to keep alive the story of Iman al-Obeidi, and keep their voices loud against Westboro Baptist Church, anti-choice, and other oppressive and offensive organizations. While some of what they do might remind you of other web based activist organizations, the difference, according to Anonymiss, is that they are able to go beyond what a conventional human rights organization is capable of. They feel that more can be done without the restraints of hierarchy and with total anonymity to their actions.

Considering that women's rights are still under constant attack in western countries as well as in eastern countries, I asked if there were women's issues outside of the Middle East that her group would particularly like to take on. At least one Anonymiss thinks that western women, in general, need to be more proactive: "Where to begin? In western countries, although men do perpetuate a lot of the problems women face, it's a completely different issue from what men do in Middle Eastern countries (take the International Women's Day march in Egypt for example). In the western world, one of the chief issues we see is women who don't value themselves or other women, and act accordingly. The treatment of women in the tech industry was referenced earlier; many women opt to stay out of mistreatment of another woman, or choose to put up with undeserved disrespect. No intention of discounting pay inequities, state control over women's bodies, and other prevalent social issues, but I would say that the larger issue is when women fail to stand up for themselves or each other."

Although there is a question of whether misogyny in the main Anonymous group led them to branch off in the articles written elsewhere about Anonymiss, those I communicated with were diplomatic in answering the question. The hacker and gamer cultures have a strange combination of infuriating sexism and worship of women who can pwn their asses, and so the issue of misogyny seems to depend on the BS limits of any individual woman. In general, those who have joined Anonymiss are a combination of the tough and sassy who proved themselves in an area where everyone is under pressure to over-prove, and those who didn't want to deal with the sexist and immature conversation that takes place in these circles. The unifying factors are love of technology and activism.

Dealing with the sexism that does exist in Anonymous is a bit easier for the Anonymiss' than for women in a corporate tech environment, though, because for them, there isn't an HR department to answer to, no worries about being blacklisted for speaking up against sexism, and no good-old-boy system that can't be dealt with by using their own talents.

That said, there is a mixed reaction to the group. Some Anon women wonder why there is a need for a separate, gender specific group. Some other commenters have made snide remarks about the group really being a bunch of men, or a joke. There is always the usual comment that comes with any mainstream acknowledgment of a once underground organization - that the movement is dead and that women like Anonymiss are part of the problem. No matter how others feel about these women though, there is no doubt that they are already a powerful force and intend to continue with their mission to aid those in need in ways other organizations can't.

Anonymiss might seem to be a gentler version of Anonymous, but they don't back down from the main mission of the group. Their slogan, "We are Anonymous. We do not forget. We do not forgive. Expect us." is proclaimed loud and clear on their blogs and social media feeds. They aren't giving up the anarchic nature of their group just because the skill base is broadening from being mainly hacker oriented. An Anonymiss explained it in gamer terms, stating that they are "chaotic neutral" in any of their actions.

Because of this reputation of Anonymous, I asked if there is any kind of information that the Anonymiss group would not release to the public, and was told: "This is a difficult one to answer, as morals/ethics/ideals vary widely throughout Anonymous/Anonymiss. As part of Anonymous, many of us hold transparency as a very high ideal, with the other side of that coin being the fact that we also value our own anonymity and safety. I believe that many of us would not release information that would endanger someone's liberty or safety, but it is impossible to state that as a value that all of us would hold to."

It will be interesting to see how Anonymiss evolves, and to see what more they can do to help Middle Eastern protesters maintain communications and information exchange. They're also on top of news from Japan, ready to leap into action should there be any way they can help there. Agree with their tactics and philosophy or not, a group of women with a mission can't be ignored, and if they have their way, it will be impossible to ignore them.

Check out their unofficial blog for more information about this new activist group, and let us know what you think.

Finally! An electric car you can truly covet

2011-04-05T05:31:03Z

Yes that's right, Rolls Royce has developed an all electric version of the Phantom. Now, you don't have to resort to noisy and cramped environs when choosing to use environmentally friendly transportation. The car reportedly is just as comfortable and fabulous as the gas powered version, and the company plans to offer test drives and presentations to enthusiasts and media soon.

According to AutoBlog Green, the car was test driven 125 miles around Lake Geneva, and the 71 kWh battery still had almost a quarter charge. Not bad, not bad at all.

Read the article from AutoBlog Green and check out the video and pics!

Models, the modelling industry, and the potential transformative power of it all

2011-04-04T15:35:19Z

This was originally published at Oranges and Apples - please visit Franca for more thoughtful fashion and feminism!

by Franca Eirich

I love anything to do with models. I will watch any old reality TV show if it has models in it, I used to be majorly addicted to America's/Britain's/Germany's Next Top Model so much! I dislike the manipulative editing that makes it seem as if everyone is constantly bitching or fighting or crying, but I will watch it anyway. What I like best is the bits when they are working, particularly the photoshoots.

Lately, I've been watching Channel 4's The Model Agency. It's more about the agents than the models, and the majority of it isn't very interesting, watching office politics in a place run by a boss straight out of the management-techniques-to-avoid textbook. But I like watching it because of the glimpses into the model's lives.

Unfortunately, the things I have found out about professional modelling are not so encouraging. Here's just a few things I remember off the top of my head:

Clients demand models with 31 inch hips. Which is basically not physically possible. Which is what one of the model booker was explaining, when she made an interesting Freudian slip. After explaining that even her slimmest editorial girls with not an ounce of fat on them have 36 inch hips she said 'You can't shave bits off their bones. You wouldn't even want to ask'. You heard it here first - bone shaving, the next big thing in cosmetic survery!

Models don't get paid for Vogue covers. Editorial models basically work for not that much at all in the hope of getting their face recognised hope so that eventually they will pick up one of the big advertising contracts. But obviously there aren't that many of them and 60% of them seem to be taken by Kate Moss anyway.

'Money girls' eat, 'showgirls' don't. One model explained that she mainly did catalogue work rather than high fashion editorial stuff, so that she 'could eat'.

Boys need to eat, girls don't. Male model is having a major freakout over his stomach not being rippled enough and explains that he's not eaten any carbs in ages. Agent goes 'That's not healthy. You have to eat, you're a boy.'

Fainting is not an excuse. Model flies over from New York on overnight flight arriving 5am, goes straight into working day with 5 fittings and 4 shows. Has nothing to eat all day. Faints. Model agency boss lady goes 'I don't understand why she's so tired. This is only her first day out of timezone.' Then the next day everyone makes a massive song and dance about the fact that they are getting her a sandwich. Because that is really pushing the boat out in terms of looking after the people you represent.

What all of this really brought home to me is how profoundly unglamorous the life of a professional model is. It's basically all indeterminate amounts of waiting, short bursts of frenzied activity, minimal sleep and minimal food. Being alone or shoved in with random strangers. Sexual abuse being common. Agents only looking out for you if it threatens business. And so many of these girls (and boys) are aged 15-16, an age where most people already lack confidence anyway, without being isolated, starved and judged by powerful strangers.

There's no denying that modelling pays well, and I'm sure there are models out there who are able to get exactly what they want, and are happy with everything about their job, but it seems that overall, the models are pretty low down the fashion industry food chain. It's a shame that something like Erin O'Connor's Model Sanctuary is even needed, but it is.

I wish modelling was just treated as a job with pros and cons like any other, but I just find it so weird that it's this thing that so many young girls aspire to to the extent that they will completely screw their life chances in other areas such as education to pursue it. I can understand why it appears glitzy, since models are the public face of the fashion industry, the most visible jobs there are in it, and the ones that don't need any formal qualifications, but surely everyone *knows* that it wouldn't be much fun in practice, that the chances of success are slim (no pun intended!) and that even if you do 'make it', it's only going to last a few years anyway?

On the flipside of that, I've written a bit in the past about using 'real', non-model models, (I won't go into that here now) and researching those posts, I was struck by how much of the vitriol that bloggers were dishing out when writing about size zero and diversity in fashion was aimed at the models themselves, who surely are just as much victims of the fashion industry's twisted standards of beauty as the 'normal' women who are made to feel inadequate by them.

It seems models are always talked about as heroes or villains, hardly ever as people.

So why then am I so interested in all things modelling? I'm not even into high fashion that much, and my fascination definitely goes beyond the clothes.

The best I can explain it is that I love is the transformation: in ANTM, on the film camera's you see a studio or an outside location with millions of people wandering about, clothes strewn everywhere and the model looking nervous and awkward, the photographer spouting incomprehensible directions or bland encouragements. It's all pretty mundane and not so nice. But then you see the photo coming out at the end, and it's like magic. A whole aspirational world is created. I *know* that that model is the same awkward and nervous teenager I saw on film, but here she is looking a strong and beautiful woman.

Another thing that struck me about the Model Agency programme was that none of the editorial models actually looked conventionally pretty. They mainly looked fragile and knackered. Many look androgynous and angular. If I had passed any of them in the street, I would never have thought 'oh, she/he's stunning'. I probably wouldn't even have noticed most of them. But when I look at the pictures of them, I get it. They do look stunning.

And somehow I take heart from the fact that gawky teenager with thin short hair can end up as internationally renowned symbol of beauty. Somehow despite the fashion industry and it's obsession with unattainable thinness, I think it opens the doors for the possibility of a more diverse definition of beauty. It recognises that beauty is a matter of stand point, of expectations, a creation, not a natural status.

It seems I am an optimist at heart after all!

What do you think? Anyone share my obsession with models?

Photos via here.

Women's History, all Year

2011-04-01T02:15:34Z

Women's History Month is a great time to learn and celebrate women's history, but don't stop learning and celebrating just because March is over.

We've rounded up some resources for extending your women's history education, as well as keeping track of women making history as we speak. Let us know if there are any of your fave resources that we missed!

Learn about female leaders:

Biography Online has a great list of women who changed the world.

The Smithsonian's teaching resources is a great collection of information about women throughout history.

Take a look at this reading list of feminist classics, and catch up on world changing literature by feminist leaders.

Here is another great (and exhaustive) list of women throughout history, complete with brief bios.

Learn about Gerda Lerner, who was pivotal in establishing women's history as an academic field.

Keep up with these websites:

Ms Magazine, of course, a premier source for information about women in history and especially about women currently making history.

Feminist.com is another great resource for your daily dose of lady news and women's history, much of it in the making.

Women's International Center is a great site to celebrate and learn about women who have made or who are making history.

Follow these women on Twitter:

@TheWomensMuseum

@earlpat

@Morgane_R

@AAUW

@feministfatale

Read some of our articles about women in history:

The Explorers

Amelia Earhart

Women Labor Heroes

Rise and Revolt: Catholic women take on the Vatican

Women in Punk Rock

Reflection on Women who Paved the Way

A'Lelia Bundles: Family History

The Enchantress of Numbers, Ada Lovelace

Gerda Lerner once said, "Women have always made history as much as men have, not 'contributed' to it, only they did not know what they had made and had no tools to interpret their own experience. What's new at this time is that women are fully claiming their past and shaping the tools by means of which they can interpret it."

Keep learning about the centuries of history that women before us made, and celebrate those who are currently making history - it's important to make sure that the women who come after us know where they came from so they'll have a better path to their futures.

Click, and anti-click: my feminist coming out

2011-03-31T04:22:41Z

This article is written as part of the Feminist Portrait Project Blog Carnival, inviting women to tell their stories of when the "click, I'm a Feminist" moment hit them. The discussion also involves "anti-click" in reference to non-white and oppressed, non-executive women who have many times been failed by Feminism.

Growing up in a small town in Oklahoma in the 70's and 80's, Feminism wasn't something I was raised to respect. Although there were a few Feminists in my community, Phyllis Schlafly was definitely more of an influence than Gloria Steinem, and the mention of the word "Feminist" evoked responses similar to Pat Robertson's infamous definition of Feminism: "Feminism is a socialist, anti-family, political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians."

To top it off, I was raised Catholic, and when I would ask why nuns didn't perform mass or why the Virgin Mary wasn't also considered as God, the way Jesus was, the only explanation available was, "because women can't." Even at ten years old, it bothered me to the point that I applied to be an alter girl, just to make a statement. When Father McGouldrick approved it (!) I chickened out...suddenly afraid of calling the wrong attention to myself or of being laughed at. I didn't want to be a spectacle.

None of this is to say that my parents didn't encourage me to do whatever I wanted, obviously, but in the structure of a small, highly religious community with conservative values, Feminism as a political statement was something that was not encouraged. Just as many women today state, "I'm not a feminist but I believe in women's rights..." people in my community in Oklahoma would say similar things. They believed a woman could work as hard as a man, but feminists were atheist, heartless, ugly, man-women and supporting them made you nothing less than the same.

My parents did fall into the "divorce phenomenon" of the early 80's, placing my brothers and I among the growing number of so-called latch-key kids. That's when making a spectacle about women's rights clicked in my mind as being okay. After holding my own with a house full of boys, I would see my mother come home exhausted and with more work to do, totally unprepared after years of being a housewife. I vowed very vocally that I would never be reliant on anyone but myself. I was a feminist.

Perhaps it was seeing women like those in my community who were caught off-guard by divorce - who never considered it as a possibility - that also gave me an anti-click moment. Many women born in the 40's and 50's were raised to only hope for a good husband who would provide. Education was put on the back-burner, or dropped all together. Divorce forced these women into the workforce as low-level employees - receptionists or factory workers - where feminism and women's rights were laughed at. Women in these positions had no one on their side - not even the executive level women, who at the time were fighting so hard to move up the ladder and gain respect that stepping on lower-level women was an afterthought.

Feminists, at that time, were mostly white and privileged and educated, and women in small town Oklahoma could not relate - nor could Feminists relate to them. The culture of the south still tends to lean toward weakened women in low-level positions, but as Feminism learns to reach out beyond the academic, and with the growing community of vocal feminists online, I have faith that will change.

Dad's Limoncello

2011-03-29T05:15:34Z

I want to do business in Italy.

My dad used to do that, mostly in the Naples region, and would always come home with different and amazing recipes that his hosts generously passed along. Although proper Italian food is an art form that I'm sure none of the family could really master, making a good batch of limoncello is another thing.

Sure, it's easier to just buy a bottle in the store, but you'll never get a really great taste of limoncello until you make it yourself. It's not difficult but is involved, and evokes a bit of a bootlegger/bathtub gin kind of feel. This has become a family tradition, and in the spirit of passing along the love, I'm sharing the recipe so y'all can enjoy this tasty treat.

Although limoncello is great any time of year, warm weather months are particularly great for imbibing. Drink it the traditional way - in an aperitif glass as a digestive after dinner - or mix it with soda and ice for a refreshing cocktail.

Ingredients:
20 large lemons (Sorrento lemons, if you can get them)
1 liter Everclear
1 -1.5 liters water
3 3/4 cup sugar

* Peel the lemons and soak the peels only in 1 liter of Everclear for 7 days.
* After 7 days, strain the liquid into a separate container.
* Bring the water to a boil (I use 1.5 liters - are you kidding? You can use 1 though, if you're brave)
* Dissolve the sugar in the water, and then allow to cool
* Combine the Everclear with the sugar water, pour into bottles, and chill in the freezer.

Keep this in the freezer for maximum refreshment.

Drink responsibly, and enjoy!

Body Policing

2011-03-29T04:49:17Z

This article, by the fabulous Feminist Fashion Blogger, Eleanor Snare, was originally published on her blog, The Magic Square Foundation. Please visit her for more!

By Eleanor Snare

external policing
Extreme images of feminity in the media, specifically those in advertising or consumption industries, present a perhaps idealised, perhaps violently distorted, image of the female body (including hair, lack of hair, face etc - general physical form). Digital editing and 'airbrushing' help to remove flaws and apparent problems with female bodies, often with bizarre effects: some images are immediately identifiable as being digitally 'enhanced', others more subtly and insidiously so. This is a form of body policing, the recognition of an ideal form - a 'law' of beauty - that should be adhered to either completely or as closely as possible. Those outside the 'law' are reformed through digital technologies and image manipulation.

But this is a very simple and possibly reductive example. The body policing is undertaken by a specific group - the manufacturers of products - in order to 'appeal' to another specific group - the consumers - by allying their product with the 'law' of beauty. But when we begin to think about policing that happens almost automatically, policing that does not need external forces to enact it but in fact comes from within, then things begin to grow in complexity.

Within this subject there is so much to talk about and this post can only really scratch the surface, and even then in a very loose and superficial way. Therefore, I want to concentrate on body policing specifically in fashion trends and individual clothing choices; the movement of body policing from an individual onto others; and the role of body policing in the constitution of 'a feminist'.

individual and trend body policing
To start, the use of body policing in fashion trends and individual clothing choices. Bearing in mind that external body policing - that which is proliferated by media forms and cultural sensibilities - is always hanging over our heads, body policing can also manifest itself as an internally generated mechanism. Maybe reacting to social anxieties, pressures, health concerns, idealisations, aspirations, and all the rest, women frequently police our own bodies by identifying our adherence with or transgression of a specific, individualistic form. We will pinpoint that which we dislike most about our bodies - our thighs, breasts, etc - and consistently police the way it appears to us in the mirror. Fashion trends, and the discourse surrounding fashion trends (like how to 'disguise' certain undesirable parts of one's body), continue this policing and effectively manipulate the beauty 'laws' to their own end. For example, summer fashion trends that locate themselves around full length, strapless dresses also locate themselves around a specific beauty 'law' to fulfill this trend most successfully: probably tall (in the legs), fairly slim and with small breasts in order for the dress to fall and fit 'properly'. When we take part in this trend, not only do we police our own bodies in accordance with specific, individual sets of 'laws', but also in their adherence to the external trend 'law' of how slim we are, how long our legs are, how small our breasts are. And if it doesn't work, we rip it up and start again.

Fashion trends constantly produce new 'laws' around which policing strategies form, new ideals around which we can manipulate our internal body policing. Bandage and harness dresses, aside from their dubious connotations of repression, slavery and bondage, police the body very effectively by allowing only a specific form to fit into their very specific and very restricted form. Tight elastic, spandex and little-stretch jersey physically limit who can wear what by their very material nature. This is not to say that the fashion industry only produces items in one size, but the style and trend of the garment does have a huge effect on types of body policing that take place within a certain social time frame. So, if we desire to be fashionable, we begin to police our bodies according to rapidly changing and mutating fashion trend 'laws'; and then we simultaneously police our bodies according to individual, most likely socially encouraged and constructed, specific 'laws' of our own making.

transmission of body policing
It would seem only natural, then, that the body policing we encounter internally and through individual choices seems to transmit, despite choices not to allow it, onto others. Judging others by clothing and by outside appearance is superficial and yet is inherently human: we privilege vision above all senses, modern capitalist societies cater to this privilege, and we conduct huge swathes of our existence through visual stimulus in whatever sense. So body policing of others does enter into day to day human relationships, whether we wish it to or not, whether we try and actively deter it - as many of us do - or not. The body policing tactics we enforce upon our own bodies will often manifest themselves in our policing of others. If we are modest and generally wear clothes that conceal our flesh and specifically apparent 'erogenous' zones, we will police and pass judgement on those other individuals that prefer to do the opposite. This policing is compounded in certain cultural situations, posited on things as diverse as geography, sexuality, music taste, or eating habits, and again in group instances where there is a significant difference in the body policing 'laws' of different groups. When we say 'I wouldn't go out dressed like that', we are bringing into play, consciously or unconsciously, a vast range of complex physical, ethical, sexual, geographical, political and social forms of body policing tactics.

You can see that the policing of other women's bodies is not only incredibly complex, but in many ways almost inherent in the social system we live in. As we ourselves are policed by external forces - like media discourses and consumption industries, fashion trends or magazines - and then internalise that policing into specific and individual 'problems' we find with our own body, so this whole mechanism is externalised yet again as we draw judgement over others. We are both the policewoman and the victim of the law, re-enacting these roles over and over again.

body policing and feminism
So if we're at this point, where does the difficult understanding of the relation between feminism and body policing come in? Valuable points in the forum discussions were made about trying to avoid body policing, avoiding dictatorial understandings of the constitution of 'a feminist'. A friend of mine pointed out recently that one of the reasons she was so averse to labelling herself as a feminist was because of the implications of body policing in the feminist tradition. In her experience, being a feminist meant wearing trousers and no makeup, short hair and no heels. I would happily put forward that while the feminist movement has released itself from these bonds, the populist conception of feminism still centres on this imagery, especially the 'anti-feminist' polemics. Releasing itself from these bonds - 'this is what a feminist looks like' - means the movement takes on a wider and more diverse range of individuals. But it does play merry havoc with understandings of relations between feminism, power, sexuality, the body and clothing. Difficult and sometimes unanswerable questions arise.

If I wear short skirts, am I a feminist? If I wear makeup, am I a feminist? If I wear restricting but 'sexy' underwear for the mutual benefit of myself and my partner, am I a feminist? If I worry about young women wearing see through tops or hot pants, am I a feminist? If I enjoy bondage, am I a feminist? If I like wearing heels, am I a feminist? If I am male, and like looking at women with their hair done and makeup on, am I a feminist? If I dress for the gaze of others as well as myself, am I a feminist? And if I am, how do I know?

Feminism can, and should, avoid body policing, but not because it is inherently wrong. Visual reaction and consideration will occur, male or female, in many different forms of culture and society. Feminism should avoid body policing because in policing the bodies of other women, we are only replaying the act of violence that has already been done to ourselves. However, the actions of avoiding it are much more difficult than that neat little statement would have you believe: if body policing occurs internally, individually, how are we to stop it transmitting outside ourselves, onto others and into the understandings of what constitutes a feminist? A good answer would be to change the system; change the social and cultural impetuses that encourage the base level policing and therefore change the entire process. But that's quite hard to do (as we know). It has to come from an individual level, a theoretical level, a material level, a level of both intellect and feeling. The questioning of particular fashion or beauty 'ideals', the understanding of the greater complexities of power and sexuality plays that occur within fashion and surrounding 'the body', the development of individual strength in resisting playing the role of policewoman and victim, the increasing of diversity - and acceptance of diversity - in the feminist movement: these are all things that will aid in resisting the perpetuation of externally-manufactured, internally-reconstituted body policing.

The Legendary Face of Famine

2011-03-23T16:09:20Z

The 1984-1985 famine that struck Ethiopia and Eritrea was not only disastrous but unfortunate. Roughly one million Ethiopians died from results of this famine and the world watched in horror. The effects of low rainfall caused at least four Ethiopian provinces to fall short of natural resources and food. This famine was also made worse by government revenue being disbursed among the wrong people and places. In March of 2010, BBC News reported that investigators found that millions of dollars in aid were given to rebels to buy weapons to fund attempts to overthrow the government. Widespread media coverage of the crisis and the Live Aid concert of 1985 helped raise more than 60 million dollars in aid and also introduced us to Birhan Woldu.

Never seeking attention, but her fate was soon the fate of the world. Birhan Woldu became the poster child of Ethiopia solely based on her brush with death. The "miracle girl" was found in 1984 by news crews from CBC . Her family reportedly walked from their village of Tigray to Mek'ele with the hopes of finding relief in the form of aid and food. Given 15 minutes to live by the nuns at an aid center, Birhan's dad begin wrapping her in white burial cloth and begin digging a grave. In the midst of what he felt was a proper burial for his daughter he felt a pulse. Her health was restored. Birhan Woldu was alive. The image of her face became the symbol of a dying country. The fact that she lived was a symbol of hope for a dying country. Because of the rebroadcast of her story, the world began to take notice and take charge.

Birhan is alive and well. She recognizes that the world sees her as a legend and that this will always follow her. Because of this, Birhan earned a degree in nursing so that she could possibly save a life just as the nurses who saved hers did. She also studied Agriculture so that she can be able to work with poor families in an impoverished Northern Ethiopia.

Her story and the story of others who face famine are not only inspirational but informational.

Read the rest of Birhan's story...