TED Heads and Why I Love TED Talks

Giving birth to (business) twins! EXCITING NEWS! READ ALL ABOUT IT!

Dear WCC Community,

So, I have REALLY EXCITING news to share with you! 

The Women's Collaborative Circle is growing by LEAPS and BOUNDS! So much so that the WCC (as a brand, business, and organization) has bursted into two!  Well, not quite bursted, but has gone through a strategically planned rebranding and development to bring you TWO new business to best serve your needs ;) 

 

First, let me say that your dedication and commitment to the development of the WCC has meant the world to me!  Because of your support and generosity, I have been able to connect, work with, and serve women locally and globally. Because of your time and energy, I have been able to further grow the vision of the WCC and introduce you to the next level of women's self-care, empowerment, and social change.  

 

I am thrilled to announce the soon-to-be launch of Woman Centered - a personal development and social action organization.  Woman Centered empowers forward thinking women to actively effect change within themselves and in the world around them.  Woman Centered will be offering 1:1 mentoring services, special events, programs, resources, and SO MUCH MORE! YAY! The site is set to launch in another few weeks, so stay tuned!

 

I am equally excited to announce the development of my specialized psychotherapy practice for women.  Dr. Carly Goldberg - Therapy for Women. My private practice offers a dedicated space for women to receive in person psychotherapy services to meet the needs of women's psychological development and emotional wellness.  For more information, please visit www.drcarlygoldberg.com.  

... Wow!  I feel like I just birthed twins! ;) 

As I finish the final touches on both new websites, I want you to know that I am developing this with all of you in mind.  I can not wait for us to further grow as a community and create long lasting change within ourselves, our families, communities, and world around us! 

Please feel free to reach out, let me know your thoughts, feedback, or just say hello! 

With deepest gratitude,

Carly 

Carly Goldberg, DSW, LCSW

www.drcarlygoldberg.com

www.womancentered.org

My Body, Not Yours!

                                    

Honoring Our Goddess Time

Last night I had the privilege to be part of a Goddess Gathering in Topanga Canyon, Los Angeles.  The drive through windy roads, the smell of fresh air, and ascent up a Christmas-lit staircase twenty-five feet to the front door was enough to light my magic match & make me want to move in ~

We nourished ourselves with potluck food, we sat on cushions in a circle by candlelight, breathing through our chakras, sharing what we were letting go of & bringing into our lives, sharing the successes, celebrations, & joys, & stating our next intentions. 

We also watched the trailer to a stunningly gorgeous film, Things We Don’t Talk About.  If you haven’t seen this trailer yet, check it out here.  It will make you cry, it will make you want to celebrate & gather together all women dear to you.   If you’ve read Anita Diamant’s book The RedTent, this is essentially what the documentary is about:  women coming together to share, celebrate, & heal.

I arrived at the event with books & business cards in hand.  I was there to network, to promote my books & business, to network around housing in LA, etc. 

What I found was I kept filling my plate at the potluck table.  More kale salad, one more raw chocolate, & blue corn chips with organic cheese.  What was I trying to nourish?  In all the excitement of moving out to California & finding/ creating my way, I have been so in the masculine.  Business owner, driver across the country, & back & forth from San Francisco/ Santa Cruz to L.A.  Figuring out where my next paycheck is coming from, longing for a lover/ love.  Longing for someone to just hold me/ heal me/ to unpack my burden & breathe.   

Yes, I am a feminist.  I believe women are people too, and we all have human rights as citizens of this planet.  This is what feminism, at its heart, is to me.  & Yes, I enjoy being a business owner.  I enjoy the freedom of being a single, unencumbered woman, free to travel, to have love affairs, to do as I choose, to be in charge, to be a leader & a player in creating our world, to be in the conversation about business & marketing, to be and do whatever & however I choose.  However, I am also ready to receive.  I am ready to receive love, I am ready to receive money, I am ready to receive home, and I continue to be ready to receive gracious, powerful, healthy, creative, phenomenal community. 

Last night was a gift, and I am glad I set down my bags, took off my jacket, and sat down, breathing, sharing, being vulnerable, and listening.  We all need this.  No matter who we are. 

Debra Jill Mazer is a magna cum laude graduate of Brandeis University, with a B.A. in Sociology & Women’s Studies.  Using her degree to become a hippie New Age healer & Raw Food Chef, Debra currently offers a 6-month Holistic Health Coaching Program (your first session is free!!).  Author of Open-Eyed Heart-Wide Haggadah, for a transformative Passover, artist, dancer, singer, and more, Debra is based in a beautiful community in Santa Cruz, CA, and is currently housesitting in LA, where she will be working the Tadasana Festival, volunteering at AgapeRevelation Conference, and then heading onwards to the kitchen of Epic Eden HotSprings Retreat (phenomenal!!!! & a few spaces left ~ May 2-6, 2012) in Arizona.  

Loose Garments: Fighting for the Genuine Voice of Women

With our blog Loose Garments we aspire to promote genuine women’s voices worldwide. We want to celebrate the fact that all women are unique, and allow this diversity to be more public. Some women love boxing or fashion, while others adore cooking or math. There is nothing wrong with this variety and, in fact, it is awesome! We want to celebrate the many complex layers that make up femininity, and rejoice the vast diversity of women.

We also want to empower women worldwide to help others in need. We feel that bringing awareness to women’s rights issues creates a sense of community, and ultimately contributes to progress: women can feel supported by a global network.

           

We are tired of the promotion of unrealistic and stereotyped portrayals of women, as it promotes mistreatment and violence against us. Gender is a complex and continuous variable, which has been forced into two simplistic dichotomies. Think about how ridiculous that actually is! Not only does the polarization of gender restrict women, it restricts men and members of the LGBT community as well. There are around 3.4 billion women on this earth, and it is unrealistic to expect that across the many personality traits we can all be perfectly divided into 2 basic groups: Man or woman, aggressive or submissive, and gentle or powerful. The reality is that we all vary in our personality traits and preferences. Estrogen isn’t strong enough to change every aspect of our personality.

           

Social psychology and neuroscience findings actually indicate that most gendered behaviors are learned through positive and negative reinforcement (“what a big, strong boy” and “what a sweet, pretty girl!”) and the Smithsonian recently called biological gender differences one of the biggest myths of the brain. Yet, the majority of women are not being fairly represented in government, in the media, in film or in magazines. We hope that the world can become more honest about the fact that women are complex and equal in worth, and we hope to amplify their many diverse voices.

Thank you to the fabulous feminist bloggers at Loose Garments for sharing your amazing blog with the WCC community! Go check 'em out!

Miss Representation - What Are We Going to Do About It?!

Human Trafficking Awareness Day 2012

January 11th is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.  Are you aware of this?

What is human trafficking anyway?

Well, in short human trafficking is slavery.  Yes, modern day slavery.  More specifically human trafficking is the buying and selling of human beings across national and international borders for the use of labor and sexual servitude.  You may be thinking, "how can this be?"  Well, it is estimated that there are over 30 million slaves in this world - more than in any other point in human history.

There are numerous organizations, campaigns, films and advocates such as The Polaris Project, Soroptimist, Not for Sale II, NightLight, GEMS, and The Project to End Human Trafficking.  As well as resources such as 10 human trafficking videos in 2008 and 2009 and 10 essential human trafficking reads and action to take right now!


 

Speaking Their Voices - Women and Girls of Beit Shemesh

Beit Shemesh is a neighborhood of approximately 80,000 in Jerusalem, Israel. It is home to an ultra-Orthodox sect of Jewish people, along with many other residents. With an increase of immigrants, especially of American expatriates, there are rising tensions between the ultra Orthodox and other Orthodox residents. Most recently, an uproar began over the establishment of a new national religious school for girls, Orot Banot. Upon the opening of Orot Banot, there were violent protests from the most ultra-Orthodox men who feel the students don't abide by the special extra stringent rules of dress and lifestyle espoused by the ultra-Orthodox community.  Many of these girls, as young as 7 years old, have been harassed, cursed at, spat on, and have had rocks thrown at them all in the name of what? God, real estate, "self-preservation"? This is mind boggling! Check out the video below.



Despite (and perhaps because of) these horrific offenses, women and girls in Beit Shemesh are speaking out! Their voices will not be extinguished. Anti-extremist rallies have also been held and hopefully will continue - if nothing else then to protect the right of our girls to live in a safe, violence-free world.

Robin Lim Wins CNN Hero of the Year -A Win for Human Rights

Motherhood, should never be a death sentence and birthing in a clean, safe and healthy environment is a human right.  That is why Robin Lim, a mother of eight who was born and raised in the Philippines, then moved to the United States became a midwife when she experienced the tragic death of both her sister and her newborn baby due to birth complications.  Robin Lim or "Mother Robin" as she is so fondly called by communities of women, mothers and their families in Bali who she champions for on a daily basis.

Mother Robin, is the founder of Bumi Sehat Foundation International, a non-profit organization that provides maternal/fetal health care to pregnant women and their children throughout impoverished and underserved communities in Indonesia.  Women's access to health care, including sex education, accessibility to contraception, menstrual products, and education is an ever increasing human rights violation.  This is why individuals, groups, communities and organizations globally are celebrating the efforts of Mother Robin.

World AIDS Day 2011 - Getting To Zero

Today, December 1st is World AIDS Day.  Every year since 1995 when the President of the United States declared 12/1 World AIDS Day, each year has had a different theme focusing on fighting this pandemic.

This year is "getting to zero."  Currently, there are 2.7 million individuals living with HIV/AIDS and over half of them are women.  In our local and global communities education, prevention and action is key!

If you don't know your status, you should!  There is no excuse.  It is fast, easy and free. HIV testing information HERE.



If you need further information about HIV/AIDS please contact us at the WCC!  We have years of experience in the field of HIV/AIDS and no question is a stupid, embarrassing or shameful one.
Contact us at hello@womenscollaborativecircle.org. 

Great New Website and Resource - Bedsider!

A new health campaign started by the Ad Council is aimed at preventing unwanted pregnancies and helping and empowering women find a method of birth control that is right for them.  Bedsider.org is a new website aimed to educate and empower women about their choices in birth control.  The U.S. has one of the highest rates of unplanned pregnancy in the entire developed world. Nearly one in ten unmarried young women (ages 20-29) has an unplanned pregnancy each year. This means fewer opportunities to complete their education or achieve other life goals, and increased health and social risks for mother and child.  Know your choices, ask questions and keep yourself safe while having fun! 

Life's Defining Moments: The Moment I Knew

Thank you for this opportunity to share my excitement with you and your readers.

We all have them. We're in the midst of some minor or major quandary and suddenly or not so suddenly, after much toiling and heartache, the clouds part and the view becomes clear. Deeper understanding breaks through the chaos and confusion and sheds the light we need to propel us forward The Moment I Knew: Reflections from Women on Life's Defining Moments by Terri Spahr, Editor is a collection of thirty real-life stories or poems of just such events.

It has been a thrill for me to have my story included in this candid, inspiring anthology. "This One's On Me" chronicles my friendship with a sweet girl friend that ends in heartbreak. But then a surprising epiphany assures me that all is okay.  

From concept to publication and beyond, Terri Spahr-Nelson and her Reflections From Women crew have labored tirelessly, keeping each author in the loop with regular emails and publicity opportunities. Further, proceeds from the sale of The Moment I Knew are donated to charities that empower women. To order a copy of the book and learn more about the Reflections From Women organization and to learn how you can submit a story for future anthologies, please click onthe link.

WCC guest post contributor Grace Peterson is a married mother of four grown children. She is an avid gardener and writes a garden column as well as a garden blog. She is pursuing publication of a memoir and also authors a writing blog. Her essay titled, "This One's On Me" is included in the women's anthology The Moment I Knew. She lives in western Oregon. Her blog is, www.gracepete.com.

Professor X and the Half Breed - Half Breed Haven

Magneto holds his hand up and with all his might, attempting to bend the metallic water tower he sees in the distance. As he furrows his brow, he thinks about the sadness and anger that fuels him, about how different he is from the rest of the world.

Professor X can see the future, his telepathic powers helping to save lives and cities. Like Magneto, he feels out of place, but there is this powerful emotion that rings inside his head, telling him Belong! Belong!

Last weekend after meeting these two X Men for the first time (yes, I know I am many decades late…) I had to ask:

What does the half breed do with his or her pain?

The X-Men, of Marvel Comic fame, present two courses of action for all of us half breeds.

Conform (to society, blend in and hide our superpowers) or Separate (and celebrate our difference even if it means a life of eternal isolation)?

In the few months since I began my blog, Half Breed Haven, I have pondered this question trying to understand both what a half breed is, (Is it someone who is of mixed race or religion? Is it anyone who feels out of place? ) and what influences a half breed’s decision-making process around the question posed by the X Men- Conform or Separate?

At times I am Magneto, angrily crushing the skulls of those who don’t except me and then there are moments when I am Professor X, eager to be considered an honored member of the place where I am.

I caught myself acting like Magneto this week when I couldn’t pronounce a word with the right Hebrew accent and I said to my staff, “You know what I mean, I can’t say it in your accent” separating myself from everyone in the room. The looked at me quizzically, perhaps not understanding why I was isolating myself from them.

Happily there are also times when I feel like I really belong, like that email I got from my boss a few days ago telling me how eloquent I am in Hebrew and how I can’t use the “new immigrant” ticket anymore to differentiate myself from the people around me.

Unlike Magneto and Professor X, more often than not, my reactions to feeling out of place are unconscious and reactive. My out of place-ness does not dictate everything I do, but it is always there, hovering above my soul like a humming bird, flitting around in and out of sight, reminding me that I am loved when I feel like a wall flower and kicking me in the butt when I am feeling powerful, part of the group. I am a half and half breed- I have the fury of the outcast Magneto and the determination to belong of Professor X.

I guess we are all half and half -breed- We are at once like Magneto and Professor X, toying with these alternate states of belonging and loneliness, forever searching for a place that makes us feel normal, whatever that is…

WCC guest post contributor Tamar Zaken is a social worker, informal educator and writer who lives in Jerusalem. She is the Director of Volunteer Service Learning at Memizrach Shemesh- the Center for Jewish Social Activism  in Israel. She started halfbreedhaven.com, a blog about mixed ethnic/racial identity, in order to explore her Kurdish/Hungarian/Jewish/American/Israeli identities, and to create a place for other halfbreeds (however they may define themselves...) to discuss, deliberate, enjoy and celebrate their halfbreed heritage.