New York-Dubai-Johannesburg
Oct20
Category Archives: Blogging
Oct5
The Social Good Summit in NYC 2013 #2030NOW
I was enraptured a couple of weeks ago as I soaked in information at the three-day Social Good Summit in NYC sponsored by Mashable, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 92Y, the United Nations Foundation, United Nations Development Program, and Ericsson . This to me is what being front row at the Super Bowl or The Oscars would be for others. The summit coincided with both the United Nations General Assembly and the Clinton Global Initiative, and so the city was abuzz with global leaders, humanitarians, media, and advocates, and the vibe was infectious.
The Social Good Summit is a three-day conference where big ideas meet new media to create innovative solutions. Held during UN Week from September 22-24, the Social Good Summit unites a dynamic community of global leaders to discuss a big idea: the power of innovative thinking and technology to solve our greatest challenges. The most innovative technologists, influential minds and passionate activists will come together with one shared goal: to unlock the potential of new media and technology to make the world a better place, and then to translate that potential into action.- www.Mashable.com/SGS
To kick off the conference World Moms Blog founder Jennifer Burden hosted a pre-game dinner party the night before for World Moms Blog editors & contributors in from out-of-town. Wave Bars sponsored our travel into the city the next day and kindly supplied us with a treat basket including a cache of their healthful snack bars for sustenance. To make us feel fully feted the creator of Dragonfly Designs had sent over a basket of gorgeous custom wine glasses, “Eat,Drink,Blog” perfect for our evening, and to get us going the next morning for a packed conference schedule.
Bright and early Sunday morning a Wave bar served as breakfast on the train into NYC to take part in the RUN10FEED10 10K with fellow Shot@Life Champion Myrdin Thompson, and my cherished childhood friend Maria. This was my first 10k and I could not have done it without their company. I loved the idea that between Maria, Myrdin and I, we started off the morning of the Social Good Summit having donated 30 meals with the run, while providing life saving vaccines, and supporting Parkinson’s Research by using the Charity Miles app we used. All before 9am. I knew that both Gene Gurkoff, Founder of Charity Miles, and Lauren Bush Lauren, Founder of FEED projects (two people I greatly admire!) would be speaking later that week at the summit.
Each day in fact, for the following three days, many of the people whose work I admire most took the stage and elucidated us further on the impact we can all have for social good, on emerging technologies, and best practices leading the way. The speaker line-up was star-studded (for the humanitarian world) and included Melinda Gates, Richard Branson, Al Gore and Malala Yousafazai, and tackled ending poverty by 2030, food security, Global health, and how mobile technology is transforming our world. Speakers ranged from humanitarian celebrities such as will.i.am, founders of inspiring NGO’s and non-profits, representatives from UNICEF and the World Food Program to HRH Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway. The full list of speakers and their topics can be found on the Mashable site. Each panel offered hope, solutions and actions toward the universal goal of ending extreme poverty by the year 2030 (hence the hashtag), and tackling the multifactorial root causes collectively.
A couple of my favorite snapshots include the National Geographic photographer Marcus Bleasdale calling us all out for using technologies that have conflict zones minerals in them. With his photographs he documented mineral mines where lives are lost for the necessary elements found in our cell phones, iPads and cameras. He urged us all to be more conscientious consumers, and let companies know that we will not purchase products produced in an environment that is harmful to others. An important message for a room full of social media producers. Jessica O. Mathews demonstrated the soccer ball that she invented with her company Uncharted Play, Inc., that harnesses power during play. To me her brilliant design was such a hopeful example of how young people are creatively solving the challenges we face. And Sir Richard Branson pointed out that the choice between saving the planet or saving our economies is a false choice. Al Gore would later expand on that calling the climate reality the most pressing challenge to the survival of human civilization as we know it.
Jessica O. Mathews, Marcus Bleasdale, and Sir Richard Branson
As electric as the energy was inside the 92Y, some of the highlights for me occurred outside of the summit itself, such as meeting our World Moms Blog Tanzanian contributor Nancy Sumari. Attending a roundtable lunch session with ONE, the Gates Foundation, and Save the Children focused on the Syrian refugee crisis and tackling the MDG’s. Joining other bloggers at a dinner meeting with WaterAid where we heard an update on implementing running water in the Madagascar schools several of us have written about. Attending a ONE.org panel at the United Nations on Millennial Factivism, and an inspiring blogger breakfast with (RED) to discuss upcoming products that help fund the fight against AIDS. Gathering in person with so many of the amazing people that share my passion for raising awareness and striving towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals, and the true possibility of ending extreme poverty by 2030. I am still processing all of the information that came home with me, in what feels like unpacking a duffle bag stuffed with the whole world of issues. One by one I aim to pull them out, and write.
LtoR: WMB Tanzania contributor Nancy Sumari, Carolyn Miles CEO of Save the Children, Nicole Melancon of Third Eye Mom, Jennifer Barbour of Another Jennifer, the author & Phil Carroll Save the Children Media & Communications
Jul17
Meet Jennifer James; My Travel Partner To South Africa & Founder of The Global Team of 200
For someone whom I took to be soft-spoken when we first met, Jennifer James sure does know how to amplify! Through her voice and those of her team members, around 50 million people around the world have heard the words and images she has to share. That is loud, and her messages of social good are worth listening to. This past spring I announced that I will have the privilege of traveling in August with Jennifer to South Africa for The Global Team of 200. I would like to introduce you to my travel partner, founder of Global Team of 200, Mom Bloggers For Social good, Mom Bloggers Club, and dynamo, Jennifer James.
In order to introduce you, fellow Global Team of 200 member, Jennifer Barbour, generously agreed to let me re-post the fantastic profile that she wrote for her Philanthropy Friday series on her blog www.anotherjennifer.com. Click here to read her piece in its entirety .
As Written by Jennifer Barbour:
Jennifer James
Jennifer James started blogging back in 2004 at a time when most people had never even heard the term “blog”.
She founded the oldest and the largest social network dedicated to mom bloggers in the world, Mom Bloggers Club, in 2007.
Clearly ahead of her time in terms of using the power of social media and creating online communities, Jennifer James has had the unique perspective of seeing how mom bloggers, in particular, have grown throughout the years. Read the rest of this entry
Jun28
Creating A Vision Board For The Future
I know this can sound a bit out there, but I have had friends who have done vision boards and some of their dreams from those boards have actually come true. I swear. Not just mundane things, but a job on a yacht for example, or funding for their company coming out of nowhere. I have heard of this happening enough times now that I am starting to believe there may be something to this whole vision board thing. So when Stacey Hoffer Weckstein of the Inspiring Moms Network told me about her new campaign, I thought I’d give my own vision board a try! This month I am working with Inspiring Moms Network on a project that helps women to Awaken their Age potential. What exactly does that mean? Guided by Lori Campbell and her book on the topic, it is inspiring people to foresee an exciting future for themselves as they age, as opposed to our cultural norm of fearing the aging process.
In my book, Awaken Your AgePotential: Exploring Chosen Paths of Thrivers, I introduce an emerging trend called AgePotential. AgePotential is a philosophical revolution to change how our culture perceives the daily process of growing older. AgePotential is all about choosing to live a thriving and engaged life instead of settling for the status quo.
As part of this campaign, my goal is to Awaken you to the knowing that this type of aging experience (thriving) is for real and the AgePotential reality can be true for YOU.
Be Well,
Lori
Personally I am not one to fear aging on a grand scheme in general. This may stem from the fact that internally I think I am only 23 years old, but I truly embrace the wisdom and self-assuredness that comes with age. The deeper understanding of life, and the knowledge that I will continue to grow, learn, and understand more as time goes by. That said I can not claim to love the wrinkles that are appearing, or the betrayal of my once swift metabolism. I am excited for the future, while at the same time savoring the present. As part of this Awaken Your AgePotential project I chose to create a future vision board to span the next several decades of dreams and to hone in on some of those hopes I am chasing. I have done collages like the one below based on some of my travels, but never a vision board, so I’ll give you a glimpse of my start and then keep an eye out for the follow up post for the final board once I’m done.
These are the instructions given on how you begin your vision board:
Clearly I’ve veered from the directions already at step 1…….
- Place two or three pictures of yourself at different ages in the middle of your vision board.
- Encircle the photos with a heart to symbolize a growing LOVE OF SELF. In doing so, you give your ever-evolving self a sense of acceptance and unconditional love.
- List attributes you value in yourself and place them around these pictures. Expressing self-love is an integral part of being YOUR OWN BEST CARETAKER. Placing yourself front and center gives your mind/body/spirit a message that you are worthy of focused attention.
- Set your INTENTION for this board. You are welcome to use the AgePotential Mantra of… “I Can, I Will, I Choose to Create and Live an Extraordinary Aging Experience.”
- Envision out three decades past your current age. For example, if you are in your thirties the board would depict you in your 40s, 50s and 60s.
- Decide on the main theme of each decade. It may be based on something specific you wish to accomplish or obtain, or it may be a general idea like: things that stretch me to get outside my comfort zone or opportunities that grow me to be more spontaneous.Allow yourself to dream and live the life you so desire. Wake up to all that you can be. Shine some light on a vision that may have been buried under a pile of fears for too long. Create an environment that puts you into a state of allowing. That may mean lighting candles, burning incense, using essential oils, or playing music that speaks to your heart. Remember, this process is not about impressing oneself or anyone else but rather about expressing your truest desires.
- Find images, photographs, quotes, affirmations, symbols, poems, songs, prayers that correspond with each decade theme. Draw from magazines, photographs, and the internet. Each theme should be stated clearly on your board so the eye catches the phrase at a glance. Be as creative and expressive as you can. Incorporate fabric and texture using scrap booking materials if you so desire. Any vision that doesn’t bring you alive is too small for you.
Things to Consider for Each Decade:
- Personal goals
- Professional goals
- Physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual growth
- Evolving a unique role each decade like… Sue the advocate, Sue the author, Sue the musician etc.
- Developing a new skill each decade
- Your bucket list
- Identify the roles and responsibilities you will give up to make time and clear space for the new
Some of the pictures that may end up on my vision board!
Will you create your own future vision board? You never know, your dreams just may come true!
Connect with Lori Campbell Online…
Free AgePotential Resources :
- Free Chapter: What is AgePotential?
- FREE AgePotential Quiz. Find out if you have what it takes to live a robust, active, and fulfilling life
- FREE Weekly Aging Affirmations (because the quality of your life is determined by the quality of your thoughts)
- FREE Videos at AgePotential TV
Jun3
An Exciting Announcement!
More details to follow soon!
