Eyes on Africa

"Clear vision is a gift we often take for granted" - Eyes on Africa

When I was in third grade, my teacher called my mom and said that she thought I might need reading glasses because I would put my head down on my desk when to read or write. My mom immediately made an appointment for me to see the optometrist, and within a week of that phone call I had my first pair of glasses.

This month’s blog post is supporting Eyes on Africa. Eyes on Africa provides free eyeglasses through a distribution program in communities that don't have access to vision care. 

Eyes on Africa Logo.

Eyes on Africa has been distributing eyeglasses since 2005. They have partnered with non-governmental organizations (NGO's), the Peace Corps Volunteers, medical clinics, mission teams, churches, and community leaders. 

Being someone who has had reading glasses, and glasses for well over ten years, I am able to understand the importance of being able to have them when I need them.

Selfie of me in my glasses.

If you wear glasses you understand the importance of getting your eyes checked, and being able to get the glasses you need.  

I decided to donate to Eyes on Africa directly. The donations go to provide the glasses, as well as provide the services necessary to examine the eyes. 

There are two ways you can supports Eye on Africa. You can support the directly by visiting their website http://www.eyesonafrica.info/how-to-help/, or by purchasing sunglasses from Diff eyewear at http://www.diffeyewear.com

Sources:

http://www.eyesonafrica.info

http://www.diffeyewear.com/pages/charity

Free Hugs Project

"Fear and hatred cease to exist when love is in abundance" - Ken E. Nwadike Jr. (Free Hugs Project)

This months post is different. This month isn't going to a charity but going to support a good cause. This is about inspiring change, something that every single person is capable of doing. 

Over the past few weeks, and maybe even months, I find myself struggling with the world we live in. 

Being 23, I am so sad to say that acts of terrorism no longer surprise me as much as they should, because they are now happening so regularly. But I am devastated to say that shootings are now a regular part of the news and don't surprise me anymore. 

It feels like everyday I turn on the tv, or look at social media I am hearing about some sort of shooting, whether its a police officer being shot, a police officer shooting someone, a completely accidental shooting, or a gunman opening fire in a public place. Never would I have thought that I would be growing up in a world where gun violence, gun abuse, and shootings would become such a  normalized part of society. 

I stumbled upon The Free Hugs Project, and immediately fell in love with the work that they are doing. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOzyzbnsYEE

The Free Hugs Project was established by Ken E. Nwadike Jr. to spread love, inspire change, and most importantly, bring awareness to social issues. The Free Hugs Project was born in 2014 at the Boston Marathon (one year after the bombing), with a free hugs sign, a camera, and a tripod.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvn-rgk1bPo

Nwadike said "While viewing the devastation of the 2013 bombing of the Boston Marathon, I was determined to be a participant in the next race. I failed to qualify by just 23 seconds, so I decided to attend the event in a different way. I provided free hugs to runners as encouragement along the route. This simple act made national news headlines and lifted runners spirits. Hugs produced smiles and gave runners an extra boost as they ran." Now over 30 videos have been created raising awareness on social issues, but inspiring change to happen and spreading love through something as simple as a hug.

A hug between my mother and I. 

I have decided to donate to the Free Hugs Project. Donating to the Free Hugs Project makes the videos possible. It covers the travel expenses for the crisis response team of huggers, film crew, security, and to promote the videos. 

You can help the Free Hugs Project by visiting http://freehugsproject.com/donate/

Sources: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvn-rgk1bPo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOzyzbnsYEE

http://freehugsproject.com

Alcohol Abuse Awareness

Picture from my personal Instagram.

This month's blog post is about Alcohol Abuse Awareness. 

In the United States 1 in every 12 adults suffers from alcohol abuse or dependence. That comes out to 17.6 million adults in the United States is suffering from alcohol abuse or depending on alcohol on a regular basis. 88,000 people die each year due to excessive alcohol abuse.

I have personally been affected by alcohol abuse or dependency, and I have seen how it has affected people I love. 

At 8:30 in the morning, on the 101 freeway at Tampa Ave, on August 10, 2011, my dad was traveling to work when he was side swiped into the center divider by a drunk driver. When people hear this story they are shocked by two things, one that it happened at 8:30 in the morning, and second that the man who side swiped him was on his way to check himself into rehab (as he told the police). Getting the call that my dad was in a car accident and was being taken to the hospital, was the scariest call I have ever received. 

I remember growing up hearing stories of my grandmother (my father's mother). From what I understand she was a great mother, who always wanted the best for her children and pushed them to reach their fullest potential. But then I was always told about how she was an alcoholic. When I think of her the first thing I usually think about is how she was an alcoholic. 

Pura Vida Alcohol Abuse Awareness Bracelet.

I purchased two bracelets from Pura Vida for this months post. The bracelets are $5 each, and $1 from each bracelet is donated to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD). 

I chose Pura Vida for two reasons. One because it was started by two college graduates who took a graduation trip to Costa Rica. They fell in love with Costa Rica. While there they crossed paths with two bracelet peddlers, and had them make 400 bracelets to take back home with them, they sold them at a local boutique; within days the bracelets were sold out! Thats when the developed the idea of Pura Vida (Pure Life in Spanish). Now the two bracelet peddlers and 100 of their friends have full time jobs making bracelets for Pura Vida. Second because the money is donated to NCADD. Each donation is used to help provide support services for individuals and families suffering from alcohol abuse and dependency.

Results of my Am I Alcoholic Self Test on NCADD Website. 

The NCADD website has a self test that you can take and see if you are an alcoholic, at risk, or not at all. Based on my family history and how I answered the questions I am considered to be at risk. With this information I know that I am at risk and will work to make myself aware of situations to try and prevent myself from becoming an alcoholic or dependent on alcohol. You can take the self test at https://www.ncadd.org/get-help/take-the-test/am-i-alcoholic-self-test 

You can help by purchasing a Pura Vida bracelet at http://www.puravidabracelets.com/products/alcohol-abuse-awareness, or by making a donation directly to https://www.ncadd.org/get-involved/make-a-donation

Sources:

https://www.ncadd.org

http://www.puravidabracelets.com/products/alcohol-abuse-awareness

Save the Elephants

Photo from treehugger.com 

Elephants have always been my favorite animal. They can typically live for up to 70 years, weighing between 5,000 to 14,000 pounds. 

There is something about elephants that I find so majestic. They are one of the most beautiful creatures in this world. They are so smart, and capable of displaying and having strong emotions. 

Dr. Jane Goodall said “I have spent hours and hours watching elephants, and come to understand what emotional creatures they are…it’s not just a species facing extinction, it’s massive individual suffering.”

Between 1979 and 1989 half of Africa’s elephants were lost due to the ivory trade. It is estimated that the worlds forest elephant population has declined by 62%. Between 2010 and 2012 it is estimated that 100,000 elephants were killed for their ivory. Ivory has reached a per kilo dollar price of 2,100. 

Keychain purchased from Ashely Jewels. 

This months blog post is dedicated to Saving the Elephants. I decided to purchase the keychains seen above in support of the elephants. A portion of the proceeds go to help save the elephants. 

You can help the elephants by purchasing keychains at http://www.ashleyjewels.com/collections/keychain/products/magnetic-elephant-love-keychain, or making a direct donation to http://savetheelephants.org/get-involved/donate/.

  

Keychains on my keys. 

** This post is late because I was waiting on the arrival of the keychains, if you order the keychains please be aware that they are shipped from China and take a little bit longer to arrive.**

Sources:

http://www.soselephants.org/fun_facts.html

http://worldelephantday.org/about/elephants

http://media.treehugger.com/assets/images/2011/10/20110629-african-elephant.jpg

Love is Louder

It's hard not to care about what people think of us, or take what they say about us personally. Today we live in a world where what people say about us almost always gets to us.

Especially when you're younger, its hard not to let what people say about you get to you. When I was 15 years old, I let what others said about me online and at school control my life. Their words had so much control over my life, but also over what my other friends thought of me. 

They had so much control, that I would try and find reasons not to go to school. I even went to look at a new school. My dad told me that I could move schools if I wanted but I would just be running from the situation. 

People will never stop talking about other people. Its hard not to let their words get to us, but its up to us how we react.

Recently in my small tight knit community a story came out of a member of this community having differing views from the majority on Israel. This was brought to light because this individual got a job on a well known presidential campaign. 

A parent in this community posted a link to an open letter to this individual on her Facebook page from a peer. Other parents s in the community began posting comments on the Facebook post. They have created hashtags about this individual, saying “We are all disappointed and ashamed of her”, saying that they are sad for this individuals parents and family, wondering what went wrong.  Young adults not far from her age were saying “She makes me want to vomit”. 

Posts about this individual continued to pop up on Facebook from members of this community. There have been a few members to stand up for this individual and say “Dear friends, I respect whatever you believe about this situation. Blasting … here is not productive”. 

Seeing these things made me think about 15 year old me, and how it made me feel. I began to do some research on bullying and cyberbullying. I found that the UK had a lot of charities set in place for this issue. I then began researching for charities in the US, I found that a lot of them were set up after people passed away due to bullying or cyberbullying. After hours of research I came across the Love is Louder movement. 

The Love is Louder movement is a project that was set up under The Jed Foundation, with Brittany Snow. The purpose of Love is Louder is to support anyone who feels misunderstood, alone, or mistreated.

Love is Louder is not just about bullying, its about lowliness, negative self-image, discrimination, and depression.

I supported Love is Louder by purchasing a shirt, as well as making a small donation. 

Photo of shirt purchased from Love is Louder

You can support Love is Louder by visiting http://www.loveislouder.com

Or share a photo, art, video, or music on Facebook or Twitter using the #loveislouder

Sources: http://www.loveislouder.com

Art Pals

Abstract Expressionism Lesson, 3rd Grade

This months blog post supports The National Council of Jewish Women Los Angeles(NCJW/LA). But I specifically chose to support their Art Pals program. 

Art has always been a part of my life. My Aunt Beverly was always painting, and would often let me paint with her when I went to her apartment. My family and I often visit museums and discuss our favorite pieces. Maybe 13 years ago we went to LACMA and saw the Andy Warhol collection they had on display there. I instantly fell in love with his work and we bought a print of his self portrait and two prints from his shoe collection. In January my family and I took a trip to the Broad Museum, where we were able to see some of Warhol's pieces, including his self portrait series. I remember sitting there so fascinated with the self portraits like it was the first time I was seeing them. I was able to see and appreciate Warhol's work in a whole new way 13 years later. 

On February 20, 2016, I went to the NCJW/LA volunteer brunch, where my mother was receiving an "Unsung Hero" award, for all her hard work and dedication to the council. When I walked into the auditorium I saw pictures on construction paper to my left, and to my right I saw paintings done by various children in different grades. As I walked along the wall on my right looking at the paintings I kept stopping at this one particular painting (photographed above). This painting just spoke to me in a way that none of the other paintings did.

I decided that I needed to have this painting. The painting was $25 and the proceeds went directly back into the Art Pals program, to help fund the program for the school year.

Art Pals was established 25 years ago by volunteers at NCJW/LA. Art Pals is a thirteen week class in the contemporary arts. The curriculum was designed by the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art, and is delivered to 500 third graders in elementary schools, where visual arts education has been either  reduced or completely eliminated. The program is run by volunteer art educators. Not only do the children participate in hands on activities, they are given art history lessons, and taken on field trips to see museums and galleries. 

Art Pals in one of the many programs NCJW/LA offers to children and young adults. Their programs include Light Up a Library, a program designed to help operate underfunded libraries in public schools; After School Homework Clubs, where children can receive assistance on their homework from volunteers; Shelter-Based Enrichment and Tutoring where tutors assist children and teenagers living in shelters with homework and creative activities; Art Bridges Culture, in which volunteer art educators use various art forms to teach third-graders about the diverse cultures in Los Angeles; Pregnant and Parenting Teens Tutoring and Enrichment, a program designed to help teens earn their high school diploma through one-on-one tutoring, as well as helping them with life skills, interview techniques, and resume writing; Back to School Store, provides children in need with school supplies, and with new clothing and shoes. 

NCJW/LA does a lot to help the community. You can support Art Pals by purchasing Art Cards at http://ncjwla.org/who-we-are/about/shop/art-cards/. Or you can help NCJW/LA in any way you choose at http://ncjwla.org/donate/. 

Sources: 
http://ncjwla.org/what-we-do/youth-educational-programs-and-services/

Gift of Life

Sydney, Zoe (author), 2015. 

My best friend Sydney has always had a passion for helping and working with people who have cancer. She is the type of person who will do everything in her power to raise awareness for a cause, and run fundraisers just to get the word out. This semester Sydney got an amazing internship, with the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation. 

It is sad to say that we now live in a world where cancer has affected our lives in some way. But we do live in a world that is advancing everyday, and have people working everyday to try find a cure for cancer. This month goes to the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation. 

Leukemia is known as a "random killer"; anyone can get it, at anytime. For many people with Leukemia the cure is a bone marrow transplant. 1 in 200 Americans will receive a bone marrow transplant at some point in their lifetime. 

Hearing this I began to wonder, do I really know what Leukemia is. I always knew that it was a form of cancer that affected the blood, and the bone marrow. But that was really all I knew, so I decided to do some research. I went through hundred of links, and read through them to make sure I had clear understanding of what Leukemia was. I found the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society website, which answered a lot of my questions. 

Leukemia starts in a single cell in the bone marrow, and then that cell changes to eventually become a Leukemia cell. Once the marrow cell has changed, Leukemia cells begin grow and have a better survival rate than the normal cells. The Leukemia cells reproduce incredibly fast, and start to crowd the normal cells, suppressing the development of the normal cells. There are 9 forms of Leukemia, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), then  Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL),  Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), Hairy Cell Leukemia (HCL), Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia (CMML), Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia (JMML), Large Granular Lymphocytic Leukemia (LGL), and Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm (BPDCN).

The Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation has over 200,000 registered donors, they have made 12,634 matches, have facilitated 2,951 transplants, have 8 collection facilities, have serviced 45 countries, and held over 7,000 donor recruitment drives. 

When someone registers to be donor, they will have their cheeks swabbed and fill out some information bout themselves. A donor will stay on the registry for about 30 years. When someone is called to be a match the procedure is virtually painless. Back in the day the most common way to get bone marrow was to go to the source directly and get the marrow; they would usually drill into ones hip bone while they were put under and get the marrow directly. Now its usually done through a peripheral stem cell collection, which means the donor is hooked up to a machine that filters out the stem cells; this means no down time, and no surgical procedures need to be done. 

I have decided to support Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation in a few ways. In December I made a small donation to them. This month I have purchased a hat, and made another small donation. Proceeds from the hat, and my donation will go towards processing swab kits. Each swab kit costs about $60 to process, but that is a small amount to save a life. 

Stop, Swab, Go hat (front and back). 
  
You can support Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation by purchasing a hat from https://www.booster.com/giftoflifecsun?type=1&side=front or going directly to their website https://www.giftoflife.org/Public/ContribOnline.aspx



Sources:
https://www.lls.org/leukemia
http://www.giftoflife.org
https://www.booster.com/giftoflifecsun

The Savannah Project

 Beverly in Africa, 2006. 

This month is honor of my Aunt Beverly. Someone who had a love for Africa, and all the animals there. One of the last trips she took was to Africa with my Auntie Shelli, Uncle Herbie, and cousin Aly. While in Africa they went on a safari where they saw tons of animals. When they got back from their trip my Aunt Beverly showed me tons of photos of Africa, and tons of photos of the safari. While they were on the safari they saw some lions. This months charity goes to help the lions in Africa. 

Beverly with a tribe in Africa, 2006. 

I decided to research the lions and found interesting facts about the lion population in Africa now. A century ago there were more than 200,000 lions living in Africa and now according to Panthera, there are 20,000 lions left in Africa. They have completely vanished from 90% of their historic range, and are extinct in 26 African countries. The lions have made their way on to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) "Red List of Threatened Species" because they can now be thought of as critically endangered. Lions habitats are being threatened by illegal bushmeat trade, trophy hunting, and fragmentation. 

Photo of lioness taken by Beverly in Africa, 2006.

    

In doing research on lions I stumbled upon Savannah Co., this is a company that makes handcrafted bracelets with a lion head bead in the middle. The bracelets are made out of stone, and have a single gold, silver, or rose gold lion head bead in the middle. 

Bracelet from Savannah Co. 

    

Savannah Co. gathers 10% of their profits at the end of each month and gives it to the Wildlife Conservation Network (WCN). WCN works to help save wildlife by helping conservationists build lasting connections with established organizations. WCN has set up a specific project called Nissa, to help the lions in the National reserve of Mozambique. Donations to the project help provide radio collars to track the lions, vehicles, and education so everyone has the appropriate training necessary to work in the reserve.  WCN has another project set up in Kenya called Ewaso to help the lions. Donations given to Ewaso go towards equipment (GPS to detect human-predator conflicts), operations (providing internet to those working in the field), providing education to local secondary students. 

I chose to support the lions by purchasing a bracelet from Savannah Co. Wearing the bracelet will be a reminder of lions, and how much they now need help in order to survive in their natural habitats. 

The bracelet from Savannah Co. 

    

The bracelet from Savannah Co. 

You can help by purchasing a bracelet from http://savannahco.com or you can make a donation directly to http://wildnet.org. 

Sources:
http://savannahco.com/pages/about-us
http://wildnet.org/what-we-do
https://www.panthera.org/cat/lion

Welcome!

I would like to start by welcoming you to my blog. This blog is called “ Bigger Than Me”, and in this blog I am going to share with you different charities that I have found, and how I have chosen to support them, and how you could support them in different ways.  

I have decided to call this blog “Bigger Than Me”, because we live in a world where it is easy to forget what we have and lose sight of what is really important. I was and am fortunate enough to live a very privileged life, and I forget to take time to be thankful for what I have and appreciate it all. I feel like there is more that I can do for the world, and more I can do to help the world.  

My New Year’s resolution is to support different charities each month in different ways, whether it’s buying merchandise from their website or making a donation directly to the charity.

This is my way of doing something more for the community, and the world in which I live. This is my of doing something “Bigger Than Me”.