Who’s Your Hero?

March is Women’s History Month. Here are the honorees:

Juana Gutierrez (b. 1933)
Political Activist and Community Organizer

Aileen Hernandez (b. 1926)
Union Organizer and Human Rights Activist

Winona LaDuke (b.1960)
Economic Justice Activist and Public Policy Visionary

Cindy Marano (1947-2005)
Economic Justice Activist and Public Policy Visionary

Mary Aloysius Molloy (1880-1954)
Educator and Innovator

Nancy Skinner Nordhoff (b. 1932)
Philanthropist and Environmentalist

Mary Taylor Previte (b. 1932)
Pioneer and Advocate for Juvenile Justice

Betty Reid Soskin (b. 1921)
Cultural Anthropologist and Writer

Mary Taylor Previte (b. 1932)
Pioneer and Advocate for Juvenile Justice

Marian Van Landingham (b. 1937)
Artist and Community Leader

The theme is “Women: Builders of Communities & Dreams”

For more information, click here.

technorati tags: womens_history_month, heroes

Everybody Has a Story

Monday is the first day of MS Awareness Week.

A new website is launching today, illustrating the changing face of MS. Click on the picture of an MSer to see and hear the story. On my first visit, I listened to Neal Cavuto, a Colorado Supreme Court justice, the father of an MSer, and a 16-year-old MSer. It’s a clever design, a fun and very interesting visit.

Become aware of the changing faces of MS.

technorati tags: MS, Multiple_Sclerosis, Stories

Lunch with Mother

Last weekend I had lunch with my mother. It had been months since I had seen her before that.

My mother lives in an assisted living residence and no longer drives. I live in a nice house less than 300 miles away, but I also no longer drive. We talk by phone on a regular basis, but neither of us is a phone chatter preferring to listen. We needed to see each other.

My brother and his family live near her, so he and my sister-in-law planned to take her halfway to my house. My mother is older, but she can get in and out of the car and walk into a restaurant, but she is very slow. Garry lives near me – very near, as in the same house – so he planned to take me halfway to her. I am non-ambulatory and breakable, and pretty slow, too. With an abundance of patience, we were going to have a family luncheon.

After lunch, we visited my father’s grave. I haven’t been there since the funeral, but I was still walking then. This time I stayed in the car – getting in and out of the car seems to be my most breakable time, so I limit the number of my car transfers. We parked nearby and Garry took pictures for me. I wish the grass had been greener.

Then we went home. Not a very exciting day, but a very appreciated day. Thank you Steve and Bonnie. Thank you Garry.

MS Awareness Week is coming

MS Awareness Week: March 13-17, 2006



Activities and webcasts are planned for each day with the mission of increasing awareness. Visit my MS blog Down the MS Path.

technorati tags: MS, multiple_sclerosis

What’s up with Kanab?

Well, what is up with Kanab? Kanab is a small city in a beautiful area of Utah. The local government has passed two laws under the guise of “Natural Family Resolution” that seriously invade personal freedom.

First, they decided households can have two – and no more than two – dogs. Anyone with more than two dogs is covered by a grandfather clause and can register two extra dogs. If anyone has more than four dogs, they have to choose which ones to discard. After four, the dogs are unregistered and therefore under the jurisdiction of Animal Control.

What if the dogs are well-behaved, don’t bother anyone, but bring joy to their owners? Are there more than two? Some have to go.

It mentions only dogs. Maybe they just don’t like dogs. I think most communities handle the perceived problem with regulations such as leash laws and designated areas like dog parks. There has to be a better way.

Now, to the people in the family –

A political think tank drafted a resolution based on a church document and sent it to all Utah cities. Kanab is the first to adopt it, word-for-word.

The natural family idea guides the local government in public policy and action. Their “first responsibility” is to protect “the natural family.” That’s nice -- if you fit the definition.

But only the traditional two-parent (man and woman) family with a “quiver of children” fits the definition. Is there a number of allowed children? It mentions a “quiver,” but does not say how many that is. Maybe numbers work only for dogs.

My understanding of a community is a diverse group of people, each with value, some with problems, some with solutions, everyone contributing and a local government that works for everyone. Naïve? Maybe, but fun and interesting and free.

So what's up with Kanab?

technorati tags: traditional_values, single_parent_family, divorce, church_and_state, same_sex, childless, Animal_rights,

Alice Berry -- Independent Designer

Alice Berry is an independent designer who is making it on her own. After graduating from design school she spent her time in Paris showing textile and clothing art while developing her style. How exciting to learn the craft in a fashion capital!

Alice Berry’s fashion style is to play with relationships between color and texture to make functional pieces. She relates the process of designing to composing music. Alice has clothes, but her focus is on scarves. She uses her scarf fabrics and patterns to create elegant window treatments.

She is both versatile and successful. She recently opened a Chicago store, Alice Berry at Tree Hill.

A Young Photographer

My friend's son has a friend who is a photographer.

Jennifer has a website with some pages under construction, but what is there is worth the visit. Look at her seasons. Then go to “series & projects” and try “How are you feeling?”

She writes story captions to enhance her pictures. Take a look.

Her current exhibit is at Tisch School of the Arts in NYC.

technorati tags: photographer

Dancing and Women's Hearts

Twice as many women as men die within a year of a heart attack. We women need to improve our fitness.

But working to be fit doesn’t have to be tedious and boring. There is no rule that says it can’t be fun.

The National Day of Dancing for Heart Health is designed to help women have fun while becoming fit. The Day of Dance sponsored by the Spirit of Women network is an event of dance and educational activities February 25 held across the country. The Dallas event will be held at Methodist Health System.

The Spirit of Women was created to educate women and inspire us to work for better health. The network is comprised of corporations, media, and hospitals.

Join the movement, receive a spirit lapel pin, and register to win a trip to Nashville. Start dancing and get healthy.

technorati tags: dancing, heart+health