Category Archives: Personal Empowerment

Planet Earth gets Trumped http://www.kingstonregion.com/ ... legacy of the Trump presidency. Citizens working together with local and state governments at the grass roots level can overcome any Whitehouse madness. And that discovery of personal empowerment may not be a bad thing for the U.S. and the world. and more »

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Planet Earth gets Trumped - http://www.kingstonregion.com/

Female characters seen on TV arent found in the kitchen anymore. Or in the spotlight just a housewife for that matter. Looking to share the best of what women do in real life, the characters on TV reflect what women do today. Viewers see a positive and inspiring contribution to todays society. From scientists to firefighters, from geologists to snipers, empowering moments are shared with TV viewers every week.

On TV today, viewers see Olivia Benson of Law & Order: SVUin the streets of New York City finding justice for victims of sexual abuse. Elizabeth McCord of Madam Secretaryis in the White House making tough decisions that impact the world as she guides the country as the top State Department Head. Dr. Miranda Bailey of Greys Anatomymakes daily life and death decisionsat a Seattle hospital. Every week millions of people watch these women at work. Empowering examples of women on TV, they impact our society, our youth and our dreams.

Where do these empowering women who are TV characters come from? Its fascinating to learn that the writers who sculpt these dynamic female characters actually might be sharing a sliver of a woman they know. Its a powerful trait of a mother, daughter, sister or neighbor who pushes themselves to be the best or to make her dreams come true. These are real traits built into a TV show in the form of a character.

Women empowerment isnt just about being strong. There is a deeper reflection. Empowerment is a woman who steps up to conquer the world in her own way. She has the will to pursue her goals and dreams. The drive to do whatever is needed. And the determination to not stop until she has found her place in life. Recognizing there are pitfalls for equality, empowering women are determined to make a change by being the first, the best or even the strongest. They never dwell on what they dont have, they focus on how to get it what they want. Only stopping when they have achieved their personal desires.

Empowering female characters on television include real women stepping in front of the camera too. There are news anchors, talk show hosts and reality show celebrities who are empowering. A peek at the inspiration, dedication and the undeniable determination of every strong woman seen on TV is what the Women Empowerment series is all about. SHE can do it on TV. And if SHE. can why cant every woman watching dream big and accomplish their goals too?

Take a minute to check out all of the television characters highlighted in this series. You might be surprised to learn those familiar faces on TV are more than just characters. They are empowering women who could encourage your daughter, sister, friends and mother to dream big and charge forwards toward the future.

You will be able to view all entries in this Women Empowerment series by visiting the link here.

This column was written by Jodi Jill and if youre looking for more then be sure to head on over to the link here.Also, you canfollow her on Facebook and Twitter! (Photo: CBS.)

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Women Empowerment series: TV characters encouraging women around the world - CarterMatt

For all to see: The uniforms of Col. Vera Jones, a Marine in the Vietnam War, and Vonnie Carlsons Air Force uniform from 1975. COURTESY PHOTO, Brandon Gustafson

By Brandon Gustafson/For the Auburn Reporter

One side of the room holds the uniform of the highest-ranked female Marine during the Vietnam War, including pumped shoes, hose and a girdle, while her male counterparts wore more comfortable fatigues.

Hanging on a wall are 11 tips for men managing women in the workplace from 1943. Suggestions for these men included hiring husky girls as well as giving women a day-long schedule so they will be less likely to bother the management.

These artifacts, and many more, are on display at White River Valley Museum in Auburn, in a temporary exhibit titled, Women at Work: Uniforms and Work Wear 1910-2010.

The exhibit, which runs through June 18, includes work uniforms of women who were teachers, in the military, flight attendants, and more. Many of these uniforms come from the private collection of Alice Miller and her husband, Steve.

We do a show on womens history every other year or so, Patricia Cosgrove, the director of White River Valley Museum said. Usually we tackle the subject by looking at fashion, as it is an easily understood way to get into the story of peoples lives, their roles in society, daily activities. We learned about the collection of military uniforms owned by Alice Miller, and that was the beginning of this idea.

Miller, a nurse, said that she grew up in a military family, and that she was interested in nurses who had served in past wars.

Some of the nurses that were actually my mentors that I worked with were actually World War II nurses, Miller said. We would talk about their service, and one gal showed me her uniform and she let me borrow it, and I said, Well, this is pretty cool.

Miller took care of nurses who had served in World War I, and said that she loved talking to them about their time in the service and progressively started collecting more uniforms.

One day somebody said to me Why dont you come to this school and do a display? Alice Miller said while laughing. I said, A display? A display with what? and she said, With some of the uniforms that you have! Wear them for the kids or bring them on hangers!

Millers first exhibit with the school had three uniforms. She sent pictures to her sister, who was in the Air Force, and loved it. The success and affirmation from her sister led Miller and her husband to collect more memorabilia and assist in exhibits like Women at Work to which they contributed roughly half of the artifacts.

Changing look

Women make up the bulk of our world, yet are little studied, understood, or featured in most media and educational programs, Cosgrove said. At least 51 percent of our potential viewers have a one-on-one, direct relationship to the subject of women at work. Over the past 100 years or so, womens lives have changed greatly, and this exhibit shows a very clear view of those changes.

An example of this can be seen in the uniforms of flight attendants.

Flight attendants in the 1960s wore paper dresses and heels while customers were given paper dolls in the attendants likeness. The requirements for women to get hired for this job included being between 5 feet tall and 5 feet 4 inches tall, 20 to 26 years old, and weighing between 100 and 118 pounds. These women also had to be registered as nurses, had to be single, and could be fired if they got married.

The women featured in this exhibit are really everyday women, but they carried on under some extraordinary challenges. I think womens history is full of this kind of story and is well worth telling and appreciating, Cosgrove said. I really do not think that men comprehend the day-to-day challenges experienced even today by women in the workforce. Challenges not experienced by their male counterparts.

The exhibit has been a success thus far, according to Miller, who said that one woman from out of state has come back twice and told her how much she enjoyed it.

This has been reaffirmed by Rachel McAlister, the museums Curator of Education.

Im not sure about the attendance numbers, but I have witnessed a lot of people in the gallery having a great time, McAlister said.

McAlister personally likes the Hello Girl uniform belonging to Satie M. Brown, which is the first uniform youll see when you walk in the exhibit. Hello Girls would help translate French during World War I so the French and American forces could communicate with one another, and would only get to have this job by paying their way to France and for their uniforms after being accepted.

Stories like Browns are all throughout the exhibit, offering insight into womens roles in the past.

Its a wonderful exhibit that provides unique insights into the hardships and triumphs of women in the workforce, McAlister said. My hope is that guests will exit the exhibit with a feeling of pride and respect for pioneering women, a sense of empathy for those who continue to trail blaze as well as those who struggle, and that they leave with a little touch of personal empowerment for what they, too, can accomplish.

Alice Miller has served as a guest curator of the exhibit once already, and will do again on June 10.

ONLINE: For more information on the White River Valley Museum, its exhibits, programs, hours and admission prices, visit wrvmuseum.org.

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Museum exhibit highlights struggles, changes for working women - Auburn Reporter

WWD	Alice + Olivia Offers Empowerment Ts WWD ... said that her company is run by women, and the clothes are designed by women for women. We believe that clothing is personal expression, what a woman puts on each morning is her daily art, her voice, something she shares with the world around her.

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Alice + Olivia Offers Empowerment Ts - WWD

Mental health is one of the biggest issues facing youth in Canada.

According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, suicide accounts for 24% of all deaths among 15-24 year olds.

Teachers, counselors and parents trying to help youth are often facing their own challenges with heavy workloads, lack of resources and time constraints.

Nine Rising is a Kelowna based start up that provides consulting programs and services in schools, businesses and organizations with the goal of educating and empowering the community to be more inclusive and build safe spaces for all persons to thrive.

Nine Risings CEO and founder Kathleen MacKinnon became interested in mental health and youth empowerment while in high school and studied Psychology and Gender Studies at the University of Alberta before moving to Kelowna to start Nine Rising.

There is this very large communication gap, between youth and their parents, counselors and teachers, said the 23-year-old Mackinnon.

Some of it is resources, like schools not being able to provide enough counselors or teachers and parents being so busy. Some of it also generational, sometimes youth dont feel comfortable opening up to adults, sometimes they feel adults won't properly understand issues specific to youth today, like pressures and expectations surrounding social media.

Nine Rising now runs courses and workshops adapted to middle and secondary schools for character education and empowerment. The workshops cover a range of topics including self-esteem and self-advocacy, healthy relationships, conflict resolution, gender roles and stereotypes, mental health and social media and safety.

We spend so much time taking our kids to soccer, we spend so much time making sure their grades are great, and now we're realizing there's this crisis in regards to mental health, explained MacKinnon.

Every parent-youth relationship enters this stage after elementary school, where issues start arising around scary topics like relationships, mental health, drinking and drugs, or addiction and all that stuff, its very personal.

To help facilitate these topics that become tough conversations between youth and parents, Nine Rising is creating an app called Ekanary.

Ekanary provides parents with the education, the resources and a place for parents to share with other parents so they know they aren't alone, said Mackinnon.

"Its about providing tools and conversation starters on many different subjects so parents are able to go and have powerful conversations with their youth to better understand whats going on in their youths world, where they're at and how they can support."

The backing for Nine Risings app came from Kelownas annual Start Up Okanagan weekend, which is a global grassroots movement where entrepreneurs who are learning the basics of founding startups and launching successful ventures come together.

The events are 54-hours long where developers, designers, marketers, product managers, and startup enthusiasts alike come together to share ideas, form teams, build products and launch startups.

I came to Okanagan Start Up Weekend in 2015 with this concept for Nine Rising and our app, said Mackinnon. It was a bit rougher around the edges at the time but we pitched it and actually ended up winning the weekend, which provided Nine Rising with an office space at the Centre for Innovation, a mentorship with Accelerate Okanagan. I've had so much community support for the project, its been very inspiring.

In her free time, Mackinnon volunteers at HOPE Outreach Okanagan and teaches yoga.

This July, Nine Rising, HOPE Outreach and Lululemon Athletica will come together to host an event for Nine Rising's BA project with proceeds going to HOPE Outreach and their goal of supporting homeless and exploited women in the Kelowna Area.

You can stay up to date with the BA project and get in touch Nine Rising by clicking here.

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Kelowna startup brings empowerment to community's youth - KelownaNow

WFLA	Beat Bloat WFLA Kimberly is also a sought-after speaker and has been a keynote speaker on the topics of health, beauty, wellness and women's and personal empowerment for many top companies and conferences across the country. Kimberly is on the Board of Advisors for ...

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Beat Bloat - WFLA

The hippie communes that formed down the USAs West Coast after the Summer of Love dont appear to be the logical starting point for the empires of Apple, Google and Uber. But the philosophy developed in this time and place that of democratising the tools of liberation is one that continues to live on in Californian technology and design.

The formation, expansion and product of these tools of liberation is the central focus of the Design Museums latest exhibition. Brendan McGertick, the co-curator of California: Designing Freedom, explained: What distinguished Californian design is, is a certain kind of philosophy or ethos which thinks that design or creativity or innovation should go towards personal empowerment.

This new attitude to design is encapsulated in the Whole Earth Catalog [sic] a guide, first published in 1968 and displayed at the show, on DIY building for those seeking a communal life away from the established towns and cities. The build-it-yourself culture aimed to shift technology from the military-industrial complex into the hands of the masses and went on to directly inspire the big players of the Silicon Valley tech scene, including Steve Jobs, who dubbed the Whole Earth Catalog as one of the bibles of my generation.

One of the first aspects of the [Californian 1960s] counterculture is the back to land movement, which is where a lot of people following the Summer of Love left San Francisco to try to form their own communes in different parts of the country, said McGertick. Through that process a certain philosophy emerged, which is that tech should help empower people to create their own realities, create their own communities and build their own alternative societies.

What we learnt is that idea actually went on to be very influential toward the next generation of computer designers and computer programmers and it established a way of understanding design that resonates today.

The exhibition contends that the notion of freedom in 1960s California found itself expressed in less obvious ways too. For instance, the museum displays Waymo, the worlds first self-driving car, alongside intricate designs of LSD on blotting paper; the earliest skateboards which opened up freedom of movement can be viewed next to make-your-own computer kits.

The show is divided into five sections: Go where you want: tool of movement and escape; See what you want: tools of perception and fantasy; Say what you want: tools of sef-expression and rebellion; Make what you want: tools of production and self-reliance; and Join who you want: tools of collaboration and community.

California: Designing Freedom also explores how advertising was influenced by the West Coast counterculture. For instance, the We the people campaign released ahead of the inauguration of Donald Trump is displayed to showed how personal liberation and anti-establishmentarianism still find themselves relevant to todays marketing design.

However the ad that embodies the Californian ethos most is Apple Macs 1984 spot, which aired the same year at the Superbowl. As such, a video of the commercial playing on a loop is given a prime place at the exhibition.

This idea that Californian technology is somehow liberating or empowering to the individual very much played out in Silicon Valley advertising, said Justin McGuirk, exhibition co-curator and chief curator at the Design Museum. If you look at the Apple Mac from 1984, which was really the computer that launched personal computing, the advert directed by Ridley Scott was an advert about personal freedom a colourful, creative individual rebelling against a grey, bureaucratic, Orwellian society.

This idea that technology that enables you to do anything anywhere has often be sold to the consumer as personally liberating.

Everybodys free (to make money)

The paradox for todays consumer is reconciling the world of hippies searching for a life outside a governmental system to the corporate tech behemoths that we know and use today. How can the central ideas of truth and liberation live on in brands so embedded to the mainstream and dedicated on making money?

One of the interesting things about California is that while it is completely wedded to an idea that design should empower the individual and technology should be distributed to the widest swath of the population possible, it is also an entrepreneurial society where getting rich is not in any way shameful, said McGertick. Its this idea of wanting to change the world and get rich at the same time.

I think in Europe or even on the east coast of America thats more of a contentious idea but [in California] theyve synthesised it in a way that allows someone like Steve Jobs to feel that hes coming from a hippie impulse but be a billionaire and thats justified.

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Tools of liberation: how 1960s Californian counterculture lives on in ... - The Drum

You have likely heard the statistics. Most Americans can't pass a basic financial literacy quiz, they aren't saving enough for retirement, and they consider money to be a top source of stress.

Perhaps more so than any other factor, our economy hinges on personal financial knowledge and informed decision-making. Without understanding the fundamentals, we can make financial mistakes that range from frustrating to life-altering.

For those living paycheck to paycheck or struggling to get by, the stakes are especially high. A recent study from Pew Charitable Trusts shows that low-income families have the equivalent of less than two weeks worth of income in checking and savings accounts and cash at home. Many young adults are in the same boat. Weve found in our own research that nearly four in ten have no savings at all. And, with one in three saddled with student debt, thats a scary thing.

We, as a community, need to ensure that our schools continue and grow their efforts to prioritize financial educationboth by advocating for required courses and properly equipping our teachers with the knowledge and resources that they need to succeed. But we know that schools cant go it alone, and thats where both public and private partnerships can work.

Here in North Texas, there are efforts afoot to address this challenge. The Dallas and Plano mayors summer intern programs are great examples of partnerships that, in addition to providing work and leadership experience to deserving students, prepare young people for life on their own. Through the online financial education initiative called Better Money Habits and collaborations with organizations and community leaders, we are enabling personal financial health and growth. High school students who are about to graduate are learning the basics of banking processes such as available account types and tips on how to manage bills, budget and save. Teaching these principles now can help them avoid living paycheck to paycheck, defaulting on student loans, falling further into debt, or making wrong decisions that can have a big impact on their financial lives.

In addition to equipping students, we need to make sure that local non-profits like the North Texas Food Bank or Legacy Grace Project serving women living with HIV/AIDs have the resources they need to operate. Sometimes that help is through financial support, but many times it is ensuring that non-profits and community partners are aware and taking advantage of the tools and resources local corporations already haveand actively talking to their constituents about them. This could be in the form of great financial education content that discusses what to do if youre in a financial bind. It could be telling them about a loan that might be available to them or an affordable housing option.

Now is a good time to step back, recognize the scope of this challenge and double down on our efforts as a community to improve financial well-being for North Texas residents. We should listen closely to those who need our support the most, identify the right resources and best channels to reach them, and make sure they are fully empowered to take control of their financial futures.

Richard Holt is Dallas market president of Bank of America

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Guest column: Financial empowerment takes a village - Star Local Media

If youre overweight, theres a good chance youre addicted to certain foods.

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

It doesnt mean youre gluttonous, weak-willed or a bad person.It means your biology has learned to crave junk food.

Food addiction is usually framed as an emotional issue. But readily available, intensely addictive sugary foods can hijack your hormones, taste buds and brain chemistry.

Research shows that these sugars light up the pleasure center in your brain, which can cause addictive cravings. How else to explain why:

Were biologically programmed to eat lots of hyper-palatable sweet or fatty foods, then store the excess calories as belly fat to sustain us through scarcity.

But what saved us as hunter-gatherers doesnt work for us today.

Our bodies certainly need the starches and sugars found in healthy carbohydrates: veggies, whole-kernel grains and low-glycemic fruit like berries.

But the refined carbs and sweeteners filling processed foods like bread, pasta and chips basically turn into sugar in our bodies.

These foods spike blood sugar, trigger cravings and drive us to seek out more of the substance that gave usthat high. They also leave usstruggling with weight and feeling sick.

A powerful Harvard study reveals the addictive nature of sugary foods. It proves that foods with more sugar, which quickly raise blood sugar (foods with a high glycemic index) trigger the brains pleasure center: the nucleus accumbens.

Activating this center makes us feel good and drives us to seek out more of whatever gave us that feeling.

In the study, researchers gave 12 overweight or obese men, ages 18 to 35, a low-sugar, low-glycemic milkshake. Four hours later, they measured activity in the nucleus accumbens, along with blood sugar and hunger levels.

Several weeks later, the same men got another round of milkshakes. This batch tasted and looked the same, with the exact same flavor and texture, and the same amount of calories, protein, fat and carbs. But it was higher in sugar and had a higher glycemic index.

Without exception, the high-sugar, high-glycemic-index milkshake caused a much greater spike in blood sugar and insulin levels, and increased hunger and cravings four hours after they were consumed.

But the breakthrough finding was this: For every single participant, when the high-glycemic shake was consumed, the nucleus accumbens lit up like a Christmas tree.

The low-glycemic shake caused no such response.

You can probably guess that table sugar and sodas, juices, sports drinks and vitamin waters have a high glycemic index. But you may be surprised to learn that:

In fact, about 80 percent of the hundreds of thousands of processed food items that are sold contain added sugar.

You may hear that foods are neither good nor bad, that all you need to do is practice moderation.

Yet personal empowerment and responsibility are rarely strong enough defenses against addictive foods.Eating such foods leads to a vicious cycle of cravings. Chemically exaggerating certain flavors can create taste sensations so intoxicatingly appealing that no matter how much you devour, you feel you can never get enough.

You may also hear that you can eat whatever you want and simply exercise it off.

But youd have to walk 4.5 miles to burn off one 20-ounce soda. And youd have to run 4 miles a day for a week to burn off just one supersized fast-food meal. (And once youve eaten it, youre going to want another soon.)

Twelve Step addiction programs dont advise practicing moderation. They want alcoholics and addicts to completely clear the brain and body of the addictive substance.

Moderation wont work for food addiction, either.

If you continue to use sugar and processed foods, your dopamine receptors will decrease. You will develop tolerance. And you will need more and more of these addictive substances to generate the same amount of pleasure.

The more youre aware of the biological forces at play in your cravings and how important it is to break free of them, the better your chance of healing yourself.

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Struggling With Your Weight? How to Beat Food Addiction - Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic (blog)

They say that turning 30 comes with perspective and for sure Savara of Sauti Sol has proven just that. He officially launched a project he has been working on for a while that involves training and mentorship program for young ladies in Eastlands.

The project dubbed Savara Women's Advancement #SaWA Program is a platform created to empower women on how to explore their full potential no matter their background.

I am happy that on my special day I am launching a project that has been close to my heart for years: #SaWA. I want all the young ladies in Eastlands to apply for the #SaWA training program. It will be all about empowerment, personal growth, and knowing how powerful an individual you are. Watch this space for more details soon!

The 30 year old singer also announced their first activity will be a football tournament that will be held at Camp Toyoyo, Jericho starting 9.a.m. on the 17th and 18th of June.

The tournament shall be a 5-a-side set up with a total of 20 teams of five players between the ages of 18 and 25. Every team will have to have at-least two women. The top teams will win great prizes.

Savara shall also return to the field, playing soccer for the first time since his injury early this year. The icing on the cake will be the after party where the group shall give their first concert in Eastlands, my brothers and I are ready to tear it down.

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Sauti Sol's Savara launches mentorship program for women - SDE Entertainment News