The Move to Paris

It took a lot of moxie to get her here to Paris

but it is her faith in God that keeps her going.

Leaving Toronto with its familiar

haunts, a job she loved, family and friends

to settle in a city she had only visited once

wasn`t an easy thing to do at all.  She didn`t

think she had it in her.  Her friends rooted for her,

and already made plans to visit her in the

summer but her family was a different

story.

 

Her mother didn`t like the idea of her being in

Europe all by herself and was fearful of terrorist

attacks.  Mia had to remind her that she was old

enough to take herself.  And she assured her that

God would protect her.

 

Her father warned her to be careful of the

French men.  And her sister, well, she was glad

to see her go because it meant that she didn`t

have to share the bath-room with her anymore.

And she could move into Mia`s room which

was much bigger and nicer than hers.

 

Mia paused to look at the Eifle Tower.  She was

here to begin a new life, on her own.  It had

always been a dream of hers to live in Europe.

She had considered London, Rome, Barcelona

and Lisbon but she decided on Paris.  She could

speak French fluently and she loved the food.

And besides, she could always take the train or

the Hovercraft to London any time.

 

Upon her arrival in Paris, she applied for a

job to teach English and was accepted.  Her first

day on the job was tomorrow.  Her heart did

a little somersault.  The thought of standing

in front of a classroom was daunting.  Then she

heard the words, “Fear not: for I am with thee.

Peace filled her heart and she offered a silent

prayer of thanksgiving.

 

She asked one of the people standing nearby to

take a photo of her.  Her first Sunday afternoon in

Paris.  She smiled broadly into the camera.  Paris

is a beautiful city and she had all the time she

needed to enjoy it.  For now she was content to

stay here a little longer and just soak up the

atmosphere and admire the view.

 

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Pray for Rain

 

Please pray for rain to fall in Fort McMurray, Alberta to put out the fire that has destroyed homes and devastated lives.  There is the heartbreaking story of a firefighter who lost his teenage daughter in a crash.  Our thoughts and prayers are with the family.   Another story had a happy ending.  A wedding dress was destroyed in the fire just days before the wedding but, thanks to the kindness of strangers, the bride has a new dress and is getting married tomorrow in Toronto.  Pray for the people who lost their homes, had to be evacuated and the firefighters who are battling the fire.

The response to the crisis in Fort McMurray has been incredible.  Donations have been pouring in.  Canadians have donated over $11 million to the Red Cross.  Among the agencies working to help the displaced is ADRA (Adventist Development Relief Agency) Canada.  ADRA Canada joined together with the Alberta Conference of Seventh-day Adventists to purchase a disaster response vehicle which has been filled with supplies to be delivered to those affected by this disaster.  Local Alberta churches will provide volunteers and local families have opened their homes to the displaced.  ADRA Canada has also partnered with GlobalMedic to send hygiene kits containing toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap and a towel to 2,000 people.

If you are interested in helping ADRA in their work in Fort McMurray, please make a donation to their Emergency Relief fund at http://www.adra.ca/donate/.

Feminists’ Remarks Spark Outrage

I saw this on CTV Newschannel here in Toronto just earlier today and had to blog about it. Gloria Steinem and Madeleine Albright rebuked young women for supporting Bernie Sanders and their bid to to turn the tide in favor of Hilary Clinton has backfired.  Their outrageous remarks have offended many, including Zoe Trimboli, a feminist who supports Sanders.  “Shame on Gloria Steinem and Madeleine Albright for implying that we as women should be voting for a candidate based solely on gender.  I can tell you that shaming me and essentially calling me misinformed and stupid is NOT the way to win my vote.”

Dana Edell, Executive Director of SPARK Movement, a gender justice advocacy group, said, “While the historic aspect of the first woman president is hugely powerful and important and would set a really powerful image for young boys and girls to look up to, she might not be the right first woman.”

I agree that while it would be a historic moment for Hilary Clinton to become the first female Commander in-Chief much as it was when Barack Obama became the first African American to take that Oval office, women should not vote for Hilary Clinton simply because she is a woman but because they believe that of all the candidates, she is the most qualified or the best choice to run the country.

Some feminists, like Steinem and Albright want to see Hilary in office, regardless of whether or not she is the right choice. They want her there because she is a woman.  Albright talks about the importance of electing a woman to the country’s highest office but what about electing someone who is competent and who will be president for ALL Americans.  I have always believed that some feminists make feminism a hindrance rather than a help in the fight for equality.  Here are two icons causing divisiveness and undermining feminism because they are dictating how women should vote.

What sort of message are Steinem and Albright sending to young girls when they say that if women vote for a man they go to hell because they are not helping a female candidate?  Or if they vote for a man they are doing it because they want to be where the boys are?  This looks bad on women.  It’s sending the message that we vote with our emotions rather than with our heads.  Albright talks about women’s equality but what about the young women’s right to vote for whom they want, regardless of gender, race or age?  I have never seen a campaign where people are urged to vote for a candidate because he is a man.  Feminists would be up in arms if that were to ever happen.  So, when it comes to equality, a candidate should be voted for based on his or her merit and not on gender.  Wouldn’t putting the right person in the Oval office be a true revolution, even if that person turns out to be Bernie Sanders?  I am not a feminist but as a woman, I am offended by the thought that Hilary Clinton who is running for the presidency, should be entitled to the female vote.  I would vote for the most competent person to run the country.

As feminists, Steinem and Albright should focus on areas of inequality and leave the younger generation to vote as they choose. True feminism is not about forcing people to do what you want them to do or to do as you do but it is allowing people to make their own informed choices, even if you don’t agree with them. That’s what America is all about, isn’t it?

 

Source:  New York Times

Mary Ann Shadd Cary

Mary Ann Shadd Cary was the eldest of thirteen children.  She was born on October 9, 1823 in Wilmington, Delaware.  Her great-grandfather was Hans Schad, alias John Shadd, who served as Hessian soldier with the British army during the French and Indian War.  Her father, Abraham Doras Shadd was trained as a shoemaker and owned a shop in Wilmington and later in the nearby town of West Chester, Pennsylavania.  In these two places, he was a conductor on the Underground Railroad and involved in other civil rights activities.  He was an active member of the American Anti-Slavery Society and in 1833 he was named President of the National Convention for the Improvement of Free People of Colour.

It’s not surprising that the Shadd family moved to Pennyslavania when it became illegal to educate African American children in the the state of Delaware.  In Pennyslavania, Mary attended a Quaker school.  In 1840 Mary Ann returned to West Chester where she established a school for black children.  She taught in Norristown, Pennsylvania and New York City.  Three years later, Abraham was forced to move his family to Canada, settling in North Buxton, Ontario.  The reason of this move was the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.  The law threatened to return free northern blacks and escaped slaves into bondage.   In 1858, Abraham D. Shadd became the first black man to be elected to political office in Canada.

Mary Ann founded a racially integrated school in Windsor with the support of the American Missionary Association.  She ran The Provincial Freeman, an anti-slavery newspaper which made her the first female editor in North America.  Her brother, Isaac managed the business affairs of the newspaper and at his home he hosted meetings to plan the raid on Harper’s Ferry.

Mary Ann traveled around Canada and the United States, an advocate for full racial integration though education and self-reliance.  She promoted emigration to Canada amongst freemen.  In 1855 when she attempted to participate in the Philadelphia Colored Convention, the assembly debated whether or not to even allow her to sit as a delegate.  She was viewed as a controversial figure becuase of her advocacy for emigration.  By 15 votes she was admitted and according to Frederick Douglass’ Paper, although she gave a speech advocating for emigration, she was so well received that the delegates voted that she be given ten more minutes to speak.  Unfortunately, her presence at the Convention was omitted from the minutes most likely because she was a woman.  How sad.  Here we have blacks who know what it’s like to be discriminated because of color and yet they were discriminating against Mary Ann because she was a woman.  How difficult it was to be a black woman in those days.  She faced prejudice because of her color and prejudice because of her gender.

In 1856 Mary Ann married a Toronto barber named Thomas F. Cary who was involved with the Provincial Freeman.  They had a daughter and a son.  After Thomas died in 1860, Mary Ann and their children returned to the United States.

During the Civil War, at the request of abolitionist, Martin Delany, she served as a recruiting officer to enlist black volunteers for the Union Army in the state of Indiana.  After the Civil War, she went back to teaching.  She taught in the black schools in Wilmington before she moved to Washington, D.C. where she taught in public schools and attended Howard University School of Law.  In 1883, at the age of 60, she graducated as a lawyer, becoming the second black woman in the United States to earn a law degree.  Age didn’t slow this remarkable woman down.  Not only was she writing for newspapers such as National Era and The People’s Advocate but she organized the Colored Women’s Progressive Franchise.  She joined the National Woman Suffrage Association where she worked alongside Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton for women’s suffrage.  They testified before the Judiciary Committee of the House of the Representatives.

Mary Ann Shadd died in Washington, D.C. on June 5, 1893.  She was interred at Columbian Harmony Cemetery.  She left behind her a great legacy.  Her former residence in the U Street Corridor was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1976.  In 1987 the National Women’s History Project designated her a Women’s History Month Honoree and Canada honored her by designating her a Person of National Historic Significance.

Like her father, Mary Ann was an advocate for civil rights –the right to freedom and education among blacks.  She was an anti-slavery activist, journalist, teacher and lawyer.  She was a wife and mother.  She was a wonderful example to her children.  She taught them that everyone is entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  No one should have their freedom and right to education taken away from them.

Notes to Women salute this amazing woman who showed us that the things we sometimes take for granted are to be cherished.  Freedom and education are two things we should fiercely guard.  There are some countries in the world where human rights are violated.  Women are treated as second class citizens or worse, girls are denied education and Christians are denied the freedom to worship.  Be thankful for the freedoms you currently have.

“Self-reliance Is the Fine Road to Independence.”

 

 

Sources:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Ann_Shadd;

http://www.womeninhistoryohio.com/mary-ann-shadd-cary.html

Shriya Shah-Klorfine

She had a dream and she pursued it.  Shriya Shah-Klorfine was the 32 year old Toronto woman who was among three (some reports say four) people who died on their descent from Mount Everest late Saturday night.  Born in Kathmandu, Nepal and raised in Mumbai, India, Shriya, the entrepreneur, political activist, social worker saw herself as a primarily as a daring person.  She was adventurous so jumping at the opportunity to work on cruise ships so she could travel around the world was expected.  It was while she was abroad the cruise ship that she met her future husband, Bruce Klorfine.  The couple married in Mumbai and then moved to Toronto to start a new life.

On her facebook page, Shriya announced that she was finally going to realize her dream.

I am pleased to announce that I will be the first South Asian woman from Canada to make the attempt to raise the Canadian flag at the top of the world’s highest mountain -Mount Everest. My ambition is to become Canada’s 4th Canadian woman to make the climb and encouraging the youth and helping SickKids Foundation.

“This is my dream and passion, and want to do something for my country. I tell this all the time….Nothing is impossible in this world, even the word ‘impossible’ says ‘I M POSSIBLE’!

Shriya died after after living her dream to scale the world’s highest peak.  “My wife was someone who lived life to its fullest, with irrepressible energy and vitality,” her husband Bruce Klorfine said in a statement emailed to The Canadian Press.

I read on a blog that climbers were heading to the summit as late as 2:30pm when it is advised that they should not to try for the summit after 11 a.m. The area above the last camp at South Col is nicknamed the “death zone” because of the steep icy slope, treacherous conditions and low oxygen level.  Four of the main dangers they can face are frostbite, hypothermia, snow blindness, and acute mountain sickness (AMS). According to the blogger, hypothermia and snow blindness are not that common on Everest but frostbite and AMS are.  Read more.

This is  a sad story but inspiring at the same time.  Shriya had a goal, a dream and she went for it head-on.  She must have heard about the dangers of the climb to Mount Everest but that did not discourage or deter her.  It was something she had to do.  It was in her blood.  It was who she was–a woman who believe that nothing was impossible.  Notes to Women mourn the loss of this woman of courage and tenacity.  Our thoughts and prayers are with her husband, Bruce and the rest of her family.

“Climb every mountain in your life. You will reach the top. Best Wishes To You. Best wishes to you in whatever you do. God Bless and Keep Smiling.”

Shriya Shah-Klorfine

Source:  http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/05/21/canadian-climber-shriya-shah-among-three-dead-in-mount-everest-death-zone/

Toronto’s Women’s Expo

For those of you who live in Toronto or close by, here’s an opportunity you won’t want to miss!

A Celebration of Women

 will be participating in the Toronto Women’s Expo and

are offering our clients, friends and associates

 a FREE Pass to the June expo!

Need a fun day out of the house?
Spend time with your friends?
Want to find a new look, product or service?
Want to learn something new for you or for your business?
Participate in a Speed Networking Event to increase your business contacts and leads, after the expo!
Spend the day out…..
You will gain information on;
·    how to empower yourself
·    find new and innovative products and services
·    attend a seminar
·    improve upon your physical and mental outlook
·    entering the business world
·    business improvements (seminars, workshops, presentations & speakers)
·    meet new people
·    find anything from hair, clothing, makeup and skin care to marketing, web design, and other business topics

We’ve created an event where women can come see, touch, hear, get educated, and see the latest products and services , in an event specifically targeted to women.

This full day event will Present itself on Sunday June 10, 2012 from 10am until 5pm at the Days Hotel, North York, 185 Yorkland Blvd. @ Hwy 401 & Hwy 404.  Speed networking will go from 5:30pm – 7pm.  FREE Parking!

You will find us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Blogs, Affiliates, Partners, YouTube, and Meetup.

Come unearth your feminine side at the Toronto Women’s Expo
Sunday June 10, 2012!

Pre-Registration is $10 and you will receive FREE gifts for pre-registering
Without pre-registering, entrance will be $14 at the door!

Click HERE to Pre-Register or go to http://torontowomensexpo.com/event-registration/?ee=1

A Celebration of Women associates, please use coupon code ‘celebrate’ to register for your FREE Pass to the expo. 

WOMEN of ACTION that want to participate at our Tables,

with your goods, services,

 please email via REPLY HERE to make agreements.

**Please remember that you must register before 6pm, Sat. June 9/12 for this to be active.**
Stay tuned for a coupon coming to the local area to receive 10% off participating retailers!

We look forward to working with you!

Team Celebration

Zimele

‘Zimele’ means ‘standing on one’s feet’ in the Zulu language.  I love their logo.  It is of a woman not only standing on her feet but it looks like she is dancing.  This to me expresses the joy of knowing that you are empowering yourself–learning new skills, educating yourself–taking action instead of depending on others to help you.  Joy comes with knowing that you are standing on you own two feet.  Helping people to stand on their own feet is what separates Zimele from the rest of the organizations out there.  Zimele equips and empowers.

Zimele is an organization created from the vision of Rosetta Stander who wanted to develop community self-reliance in the KwaZulu-Natal region of South Africa.  Rosetta was convinced that while non-profit organizations had good intentions, they created a short-sighted welfare environment in which people depend upon the charities for their everyday needs.  Her prior experience of training people in life, vocational, and business skills gave her the conviction that the key to developing South Africa lay in the education of its people.  Education and self-reliance is the best way for a community to survive and thrive.  Rosetta pursued her vision and in 2006, Zimele was formed.  A year later, Zimele USA was founded.  Today, there are Zimele organizations in Canada, the UK and Germany.  The organizations’ mission is to free the rural communities of Kwazulu Natal, South Africa and Zimbabwe from the poverty cycle by transforming each into a ‘Zimele’ community able to ‘stand on its own feet’.

Zimele Canada is throwing their first annual gala here in Toronto.  Here’s your opportunity to learn first hand about the work this organization is doing and to meet its founder, Rosetta Stander.

BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW! 1ST Annual ZIMELE Gala

March 23, 2012

Come join us in the inauguration of the highly anticipated 1ST Annual ZIMELE Gala! This event is an invitation for Toronto to experience a glimpse of the ZIMELE com­munity and see how the region of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa is being empowered to overcome generations of poverty and illness with long term sustainability.

Guests will enjoy a fabulous evening of great food, live entertainment and opportuni­ties to learn more about ZIMELE through various testimonies, including the organization’s founder Rosetta Stander.

Join us in helping the people of South Africa stand on their own two feet!

WHERE: The Columbus Centre, Carrier Gallery
WHEN: Friday, March 23, 2012.
TIME: 6pm cocktail hour , 7pm–11pm
ATTIRE: Semi-formal/cocktail
TICKETS: $85 (no tickets at the door/pre-sale only)

Tickets are on sale now. Click here to purchase your ticket!

For those of you who live in New York or close to New Jersey, Zimele USA is having their annual gala on Sunday, April 1st.  Find out more here.