The Girl Who Silenced the U.N. for Five Minutes
July 1, 2008 | 3 Comments
This is an incredible video of a Canadian girl who spoke to the United Nations and left them completely silent and speechless for five minutes. Her name is Severn Suziki, and her speech was given at a U.N. assembly in Brazil when she was twelve years old. She had raised all the money to travel to the delegation, five thousand miles from her home, herself.Speaking about the hole in the ozone layer, pollution, the devastation of the forests and extinction of so many species, Severn charges that we adults have no idea how to fix these things, in fact can’t fix them, and that we must change our ways. “If you don’t know how to fix it, stop breaking it,” she pleads.
Severn continued to say:
“I am here to speak for all generations to come. I am here to speak on behalf of starving children around the world whose cries go unheard. I’m only a child and I don’t have the solutions…but neither do you. I am only a child, but I know we are all part of a family five billion strong; in fact, 30 million species strong, and borders and governments will never change that.
Even when we have more than enough, we are afraid to share. We are afraid to let go of some of our wealth. Two days ago here in Brazil, we were shocked when we spent some time with children living in the streets. This is what one child told us:
‘I wish I was rich. And if I were, I would give all the street children food, clothes, medicine, shelter, love and affection.’
If child on the streets who has nothing is willing to share - why are we, who have everything, still so greedy?
I am only a child, but I know if all the money spent on war was spent on finding environmental answers, ending poverty, and finding treaties - what a wonderful place this world would be.”
And here’s the kicker - this speech was given in 1992, at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. How much is still relevant today? All of it. And the more important question is: How much has been changed, accomplished, since Severn spoke that day?
Years later, Severn wrote a piece for Time magazine in which she said: “I spoke for six minutes and received a standing ovation. Some of the delegates even cried. I thought that maybe I had reached some of them, that my speech might actually spur action. Now, a decade from Rio, after I’ve sat through many more conferences, I’m not sure what has been accomplished. My confidence in the people in power and in the power of an individual’s voice to reach them has been deeply shaken…In the 10 years since Rio, I have learned that addressing our leaders is not enough. As Gandhi said many years ago, ‘We must become the change we want to see.’ I know change is possible.”
At the age of nine, Severn founded the Environmental Children’s Organization (ECO), a group of children dedicated to learning and teaching other kids about environmental issues. Today, Severn is an environmental activist, speaker, television host and author. She has spoken around the world about environmental issues, urging listeners to define their values, act with the future in mind, and take individual responsibility.
She co-hosted Suzuki’s Nature Quest, a children’s television series that aired on the Discovery Channel in 2002. In early 2002, she helped launch an Internet-based think tank called The Skyfish Project. As a member of Kofi Annan’s Special Advisory Panel, she and members of the Skyfish Project brought their first project, a pledge called the “Recognition of Responsibility”, to the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in August 2002.
Click here to watch the video and hear her incredible speech.
June 20, World Refugee Day
June 20, 2008 | Leave a Comment
UNHCR celebrates World Refugee Day 2008:
“On June 20, we celebrate World Refugee Day. This year, events around the world will focus on the fundamental need for protection. For some, this means economic security; for others, protection is freedom from violence and persecution. On World Refugee Day, we will turn our attention to the millions of refugees who live without material, social and legal protection.”
To learn more about UNHCR and see what you can do, check out their DONATE page and see how your small change can make a difference.
June 13, 2008 Weekend Challenge - Donate A Phone®
June 12, 2008 | Leave a Comment
So how many of you have old cell phones sitting in a drawer? What about your brothers or sisters? Neighbors? Cousins? What about your best friends sisters boyfriend? You get the picture. For me, I know I have two.
Why are they just sitting in my drawer taking up space and collecting dust? Well, I’m done with them. I received an email from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence yesterday letting me know about their 2008 National Conference. I spent some time around the site and the Donate a Phone Program jumped out at me. They describe it as:
NCADV has partnered with The Wireless Foundation for over seven years through the CALL TO PROTECT program which was created to provide victims of domestic violence who may encounter emergency situations with free cell phones for that use. The collection of deactivated cell and wireless phones for this purpose has literally saved hundreds of lives over the course of our partnership. In addition to phones being distributed for emergency use, proceeds from the sale of phones not utilized for emergency use help fund agencies that work to end violence in the home, such as NCADV.
So my challenge to you is to go find as many phones as you can get your hands on. Make sure the phone is deactivated, is turned off, and has a battery before mailing it off.
Sound like an easy plan?
Well, I made it even easier. You can download a free mailing label and send it on its way this weekend. Don’t forget to ask your friends and family too!
Have a great weekend.
Let’s Open Our Eyes…
May 13, 2008 | 1 Comment
The Children Caught in the Middle
April 28, 2008 | 4 Comments
There are over half a million children in the foster care system in the United States today and I am partially to blame. As a board member of SCAN (Stop Child Abuse Now) I know that our organization, through the DSS and courts, is responsible for making recommendations that sometimes call for removing endangered children from their family members.
I can’t imagine anything more frightening to a child than being taken from their family and placed in a home with total strangers. Despite the abuse, most children desperately want to stay with their natural family. However, over 40% of children in foster care are with non-family members.
A very close friend of mine has been a foster child his whole life. Growing up in South Central Los Angeles, he lived with a couple he still calls his parents after 46 years yet they never adopted him because he was their source of income. Some of his stories would make you cry; not just because they are tough to hear, but because you realize that even the little morsels of care he received made him grateful. He defends them to this day despite it all.
Thankfully, most foster parents provide a loving safe haven for children. According to the non-profit organization FosterClub, abuse is the number one social concern among teens in the U.S. Clearly a foster home offers a sense of protection. But, beyond the fear of abuse, how do foster children cope with the typical struggles that go along with growing up?
Thanks to organizations like FosterClub, there are wonderful resources available for foster children. FosterClub is a non-profit organization created to “provide encouragement, motivation, information, education, and benefits for foster youth.” Their 3 websites: FosterClub.com, FosterClub.org and Fyi3.com were created for a place for kids to got to ask questions, learn about other successful foster youth, share opinions about their own foster experiences, get recognition and support for overcoming obstacles, enter contests and more according to their website.
They also provide publications to help the youth, events especially for the youth, and even an outreach program where foster kids can work with child welfare professionals to develop effective ways to communicate wtih foster children.
FosterClub.com servers as their primary communication tool with youth and is a “hub of information related to foster care, including articles written by young people..message boards, contests and even biographies of famous people who grew up in foster care. It’s youth-friendly, interactive, and available 24/7″.
FYI3.com is a website designed for youth preparing to transition out of foster care. It offers an incredible array of resources to help the youth become independent.
FosterClub.org is their website designed for adults; particularly those who support and care for young people in foster care.
In a world where foster youth may feel different, alone or isolated, it is so important for them to know there are such great resources available just for them.
Want to learn more about how foster care works:
How Does the Child Welfare System Work?
http://nccanch.acf.hhs.gov/pubs/factsheets/cpswork.cfm
A Child’s Journey Through the Child Welfare System
http://pewfostercare.org/docs/index.php?DocID=24
How it Works: The Foster Care System
http://people.howstuffworks.com/foster-care.htm
A Family’s Guide to the Child Welfare System
http://www.cwla.org/childwelfare/familyguide.htm
Foster Care Glossary of Terms
http://www.fosterclub.com/fostercareFacts/glossary.cfm
Foster Care Questions & Answers for Youth
http://www.fosterclub.com/fostercareFacts/QA.cfm
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