Intersecting Identities: How I Navigated Feminism, Yoga and Dieting

I’ve been a feminist since before I knew that word existed.  And for most of that time, I hated my body.

Ironic much?

I spent most of my twenties living, breathing, marching and signature-collecting feminism.  To say I wore it as a badge of honor is about the most understated way I can say it.  I didn’t get in people’s faces about it so much as have it inform everything I did, including my career choices.

As I attended meetings and participated in consciousness-raising, the topic of body image would come up occasionally.  And every time it did, I rolled my eyes to myself and hoped for the conversation to be over soon.  If I knew ahead of time that the topic of a meeting was body image, more likely than not, I skipped it.

I didn’t dislike talking about body image, exactly.  It’s more like I didn’t see the point of it.  “The media socializes women to hate their bodies,” blah, blah, blah.  When were we going to get to the real injustices women faced?

Concurrent to all of this, I was on diet after diet after -- literally.  I rarely discussed this with my feminist sisters.  I thought it would be uncouth to talk about being on a diet (although I certainly wouldn’t have been the only one to do so), so I didn’t.  Also, dieting, body shame, and disordered eating are usually pretty private behaviors, and I fit right into that mold.  I figured if I didn’t say it out loud (at least much), I wouldn’t give other people the chance to agree that, yeah, I really did need to go on a diet.

Surprisingly, what ended up bringing together my feminism and body image struggles was yoga.  I started practicing yoga in this same several year span that brought me feminism and the depths of my dieting despair.  Similar to dieting, I often kept my yoga a secret.  I thought people would be embarrassed for me if they knew a curvy gal like me was practicing yoga, so I kept hoping for the day I’d be thin enough to both enjoy my practice and share it with others.

As I continued to develop my sense of how I wanted to live in the world and who I wanted to be, I started to cast off other people’s expectations about who/what/how I should be.  I also desperately wanted a yoga practice that met the needs of my body and made me feel safe, comfortable and empowered rather than crappy about how my belly was getting squished in forward bends or my boobs were about to suffocate me in Shoulderstand.  I made the decision to not wait any longer for that to happen.  I became a yoga teacher and started my own business, Curvy Yoga, teaching and writing about body positive yoga for people of all shapes and sizes.

It is in Curvy Yoga that these seemingly disparate parts of myself join and find voice.  Through the freedom of moving in ways that are tailored for curvy bodies, I’ve found space for both feminism and body positivity.  I’ve seen that body image isn’t a trivial issue; rather, it’s something that all of us live in in one way or another, every day.  I’ve also learned how much getting bogged down in dieting instead of eating intuitively and moving joyfully robs us of our happiness.  And not only that, it keeps us limited in what we imagine we can do, which is pretty much the opposite of what I want as a feminist.  

So here I am today: a curvy feminist yogini.  And it doesn’t feel ironic at all.

Guest Blog Contributor Anna Guest-Jelley is the Founder of Curvy Yoga, which is all about lovin’ the body you have today. Through Curvy Yoga, she offers yoga designed to fit the bodies of people of all shapes, sizes and abilities as well as messages of body positivity and meeting yourself where you are--both on and off the mat. Connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.  

Your WCC Holiday Shopping Guide!

Chanukah is already here and Christmas and Kwanza are just around the corner... so what are you getting your loved ones?  Here are some suggestions that will support women and girls around the globe and save you a trip to the mall!

1. Heifer International - Heifer International is a global nonprofit with a proven solution to ending hunger and poverty in a sustainable way. Heifer helps empower millions of families to lift them out of poverty and hunger to self-reliance through gifts of livestock, seeds and trees and extensive training, which provide a multiplying source of food and income.

2. Ten Thousand Villages - Ten Thousand Villages' mission is to create opportunities for artisans in developing countries to earn income by bringing their products and stories to our markets through long-term fair trading relationships.

3. Nest - Nest is a nonprofit organization that empowers female artists and artisans around the world. Using a unique combination of interest-free microfinance loans, mentoring from established designers, as well as a market in which to sell their crafts, Nest helps its loan recipients create successful small businesses. Nest instills pride of ownership, preserves ancient artistic traditions and successfully moves women from poverty to self-sufficiency.

4. Goods 4 Good - Our slogan is straightforward because our mission is straightforward: through the innovative use of surplus, G4G promotes the development of orphans and vulnerable children.  Send an E-Card or make a donation to help out this amazing organization!

5. Peacekeeper Cause-Metics - Peacekeeper Cause-Metics is the first cosmetics line to give all of its after-tax, distributable profits to women’s health advocacy and urgent human rights issues. PeaceKeeper builds a bridge between extraordinary women in the land of plenty and extraordinary women who, by chance of birth, don’t have our resources or opportunities.

6. Nothing But Nets - Nothing But Nets is a global, grassroots campaign to raise awareness and funding to combat malaria, one of the largest killers of children in Africa. With a $10 contribution, Nothing But Nets provides individuals – from CEOs to youth, professional athletes to faith leaders – the opportunity to join the global fight against malaria by sending a net and saving a life.

7. Global Girlfriend - Specializes in fairley traded apparel and accessories hand-made by women and communities in need. 

8. Women's Peace Collection - The Women’s Peace Collection is an enterprise that fully supports women in regions of conflict and post-conflict – as mothers, peace builders, entrepreneurs, and skilled artisans.

9. Global Sistergoods -  Brings you the finest in fair trade, eco-friendly, and handmade gifts, jewelry, handbags, accessories, children's clothing and toys, baskets, and home decor items. All of our fair trade products are made by women from around the world, and offer the high quality and one-of-a-kind feel that today's socially responsible customer demands. Each fair trade product is as unique as the woman who makes it, and each purchase helps women throughout the world earn a living wage and build beautiful, thriving communities.

10. One Mango Tree -  One Mango Tree uses a fair trade model to provide income generating opportunities for women in impoverished and conflict-ridden areas of the globe.  Our first project is now well underway in Northern Uganda, a region devastated by more than twenty years of armed conflict. The war has taken the lives of thousands, displaced more than two million, and destroyed the once-vibrant local culture and economy. 

11. Same Sky - Is a fair-trade company whose mission is to empower women worldwide and inspire a movement of women empowering women.  Founded in 2007, Same Sky aims to be a part of the global movement lifting women out of poverty by giving them the tools to become entrepreneurs and lead self sustaining lives. 

12. Vital Voices - Our mission is to identify, invest in and bring visibility to extraordinary women around the world by unleashing their leadership potential to transform lives and accelerate peace and prosperity in their communities.

13. Kiva - Kiva's mission is to connect people, through lending, for the sake of alleviating poverty.

Q & A with Julia Gartland - The Sassy Gourmet

What really goes on in a woman's mind? As part of the WCC's mission, we hope through narrative and various forms of media to draw on women's connections with one another, creating a greater understanding, compassion, and utility within our relationships to build stronger selves and communities.

Julia Gartland, founder of Sassy Gourmet Bakery and creator of Sassy Kitchen--a blog and website sharing with her readers good food, good talk, and, as she likes to say, "a bit of sass"--shares with us her illuminating thoughts to our questions.  Thank you, Julia, for your fabulous and, as always, sassy contribution.  To learn more about Julia, her blog, and bakery, please visit her website.  To read an essay contributed to the WCC site by Julia, please visit Julia's post here. 

WCC - What have you learned about yourself in the past year?

JG - I learned that I really do have all the power in the world. I always had a feeling that I really could do anything if I really tried, but it was just a feeling. This year, I feel I really executed or overcame so many challenging endeavors for myself. I'm very proud of the risks I've taken, and in sharing more of myself than I previously have.

WCC - What do you see when you look in the mirror?

JG - I see a self-assured, put-together woman. I definitely think I have a presence, for whatever it's worth. I try to mirror my insides on the outsides, literally and figuratively.

WCC - What defines you as a woman?

JG - Fearlessness. I didn't always feel confident to defend my gender, or stand up for my opinion. Now, I'm not afraid to be who I am. I'm not afraid to say I'm a feminist, demand respect, and stay true to myself no matter what people could be thinking of me. It is more important for me to feel myself, and feel proud of what I am at the end of the day.

WCC - What motivates you to get up in the morning?

JG - What doesn't? I absolutely thrive on all of the dreams and ideas I plan on executing in my life. I almost worry I won't have enough time to do them all. I am similarly motivated by connections, family, love and all of my creative pursuits.

WCC - If you could share any piece of wisdom with a woman or girl of a younger generation, what would it be?

JG - All the things you've probably already heard; listen to your gut, stay true to yourself, etc. I think the problem is how abstract those phrases can be if you don't know who you are. I would suggest as much exploration as possible in your younger years. Finding out what isn't you, is just as important as finding out what is. It's all part of the process...

Phree To Be Me - Speaking Her Voice: Ahyana King

Ahyana King is entrepreneur extraordinaire and founder of   Phreedum, an independent novelty t-shirt company.  Phreedum is dedicated to providing unparalleled creatively constructed clothing to the socially conscious fashion forward individual.  Ahyana uses the creativity of fashion design to raise money through sales for non profit organizations currently addressing societal challenges such as poverty, HIV/AIDS, and access to education.  Each quarter Phreedum donates 5% of our profits to a different nonprofit organization addressing such needs.

A native of West Philadelphia, Ahyana is a Crisis intervention Counselor for Philadelphia’s only free rape crisis center. She also works as a resident director where she has been for three years at a girls home in Swarthmore, PA, living in an building community with eleven other young women. Additionally, Ahyana is a full time graduate student at Walden University earning a Master’s in Mental Health Counseling. 

 Thank you, Ahyana for sharing your inspirational writing with the WCC!

Phree to Be

by Ahyana King

     In 2006 the singer India Arie debuted her song “I am not my hair.” I suppose the song was meant to revolutionize the way women, especially Black women think about their hair. I suppose it was her response to the age old cultural debate in the African American community, good hair versus bad hair. In 2009 comedian and actor Chris rock debuted his film Good Hair. His film was a comedic documentary about hair, textures, colors, weaves, perms, wigs, hair shows, etc. I suppose his film was his attempt o enlighten the world about the age old good hair versus bad hair debate and to instill a sense of pride about whatever happens to grow out of our heads. Three weeks ago I sat in my office with one of my adolescent clients who stated she did not like being African American, and a huge part of that was because…..she did not like her hair. India I and my client are our hair. Chris, I have “good hair” and my client doesn’t.

     I am an ethical practitioner, so I won’t betray my client’s confidence. I’ll just betray the confidence of most women, Black or not. My client was unhappy with herself. This time it wasn’t her weight or height, but her race. She didn’t associate her race with wealth, power, influence, or intellect. She didn’t find her race, or features such as her hair that are common characteristics of her race, desirable. And as I talked with my supervisor about this, my supervisor normalized my client’s feelings. After all she was not only an adolescent, but an adolescent girl. My supervisor had a point. I spent many a nights on my knees, days in the bathroom, in the back of the school bus praying to be pretty. I wanted “long stringy hair” and didn’t want to be in the sun too long because I did not want to get any darker. Even as I left work and called close friends to express my shock that an African American teen girl could bluntly, seriously, and unapologetically express her disdain for being Black, no one else was really fazed. In fact I even had friends, even guys, who shared they don’t blame her and that they too had times when they wished they were not African American. And don’t even get me started on the hair issue. My girlfriends and I shared stories for days.

     But none of this comforted me. I didn’t want my client’s feelings normalized. I didn’t want to see how she could be dissatisfied and why no one wants bad hair. And bad hair for those who don’t know is kinky nappy hair. If it doesn’t move, it’s not good. And that’s not my opinion, that’s the generally accepted definition in the Black community. Don’t let length full you. If you have to perm it, run a hot comb through it, or braid it, yet it’s long, it’s still no good. I didn’t really want to reflect on my own process of growing self acceptance. I didn’t want it to be an issue at all. I didn’t want to be reminded of India Arie’s song, Chris rock’s film, or my own secret gratefulness that on a bad day I can wet my hair let it curl up and still look good. I didn’t want my client to not like herself. I certainly didn’t want to chalk her dislike to her being a woman. I didn’t want to acknowledge that perhaps as women our self dissatisfaction is a rites of passage of sorts and I just needed to let my client self loathe until she was twenty, thirty, or forty something and then she’d be like….

     She’d be like most women I know. Women constantly having a love hate relationship with themselves. Constantly lying in the tension of acceptance and rejection, dissatisfaction and satisfaction, goals yet to achieve and pondering missed opportunities. Is this the added bonus that comes with being a woman? Is that what we do? And why? Why do laser, lose, bleach, perm? Why do we stop at Bachelors, believe we can’t be successful in our careers and as wives/mothers? Why do we default to mom jeans and nikes?

     I went back the following week with my client and I told her the next several sessions would focus on identity development. I told her that we were going to explore the woman she was becoming. I didn’t tell her I was sad she didn’t like her race or her hair. I didn’t say it was a shame she didn’t equate her culture with anything good. Instead I made a commitment to simply walk her through the process. I made a commitment to help her explore, discover, challenge, and rethink.

     I didn’t write this article to educate or enlighten. I didn’t write it to have someone remind me that we are human and all humans regardless of race, gender, religion, or orientation spend years developing their identity. I know. I did write this article to say that as women I think we do have a continued obligation to help each other through the process. We have an obligation to lay with each other in the tension of self acceptance and rejection. We walk with each other through self discoveries. We celebrate the victories of weight lost or gained, hair permed or picked out. We acknowledge that certain parts of us don’t make all of us but some of us are judged as parts. And we stand with our sisters who are judged as parts until they judge themselves as whole.

For more information about Phreedum and to support the fundraising efforts for local non-profit organizations, please visit Phreedum's Website.

(Printed by permission of the author. All rights reserved).

Speaking Her Voice: Stefanie Bryn Sacks

Stefanie Bryn Sacks, M.S., a Culinary Nutritionist, works hands-on with individuals and groups in transition to a healthier way of eating as a food counselor, nutrition educator and chef instructor. She has been studying food and healing for twenty-five years, has her Masters of Science in nutrition from Columbia University and is a graduate of The Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts. In 1999, she created Nutricook®, a program to help prevent illness and restore health through personalized nutrition therapy and culinary guidance.

In addition to her private practice, Stefanie conducts workshops for adults and children at community centers, schools and universities, corporations, medical organizations and health and wellness expos. She also works with many organizations on food and nutrition related projects. Currently, she is collaborating with Field to Plate, a company dedicated to creating and delivering innovative food education for health professionals and consumers; and Urban Zen, Donna Karan’s foundation devoted to patient advocacy and well-being. She also she speaks at nutrition focused health and wellness events; and is developing a food and nutrition related television show.

Stefanie contributed a 21-day meal plan and 70 recipes to The Source, Unleash your Natural Energy, Power Up your Health and Feel 10 Years Younger by Dr. Woodson Merrell and Kathy Merrell. She also offered her culinary nutrition expertise to Discovery Health’s National Body Challenge, ABC Eyewitness News—Seven On Call with Dr. Jay Adlersberg, ABC News, the TV Food Network and WOR-710’s nationally syndicated radio program Health Talk with Dr. Ronald Hoffman. In addition, she has contributed to Fitness, O Magazine, Body and Soul, Teen Vogue, Oxygen, Self and Red.

Stefanie lives on the east end of Long Island with her husband and two young sons. She practices throughout the Hamptons, New York City and vicinity. She travels throughout the country teaching and speaking.

Finding the Right Nutritionsit for You

I am now the proud mother of two young boys. Jack is almost four years old and Hunter is 9 months. After Jack was born I went through a major adjustment period, as do all new moms. However, after Hunter’s birth (that being NOW), I am finding this need to redefine myself both personally and professionally.

Many many years ago (like 25), I wondered why the doctors I visited (all too frequently) for my asthma and allergies never questioned if my food intake was affecting my health. Around that same time I started cooking in a local health food joint and happened upon a book, Food and Healing by Annemarie Colbin, PhD. I must say my world was rocked. I became convinced that what I ate had EVERYTHING to do with my health (Duh!). Thus, I said no more to these doctors and sought out someone who could not only medicate me if needed, but also look at my diet and other lifestyle factors to determine what was really making me sick.

So, at the ripe age of 17 I had my first appointment with Dr. Sherry Rogers, a pioneer in environmental medicine (what we now call integrative medicine). To make a long story short, she put me on a special diet (to address my asthma and allergies), gave me vitamin and mineral supplements (after checking for deficiencies), allergy shots (after testing for allergies) and one or two medications (rather than the 5 I was on).

Let’s talk about the diet. Thank goodness I worked at a health food store, was passionate about food and food products and loved to cook. Compliance was easy. And what was a necessity (food lifestyle change to support my health) soon became a bleeding passion (bordering on obsession at times) and the center stone of my personal journey.

But, what if I didn’t have that knowledge and interest? How could I have changed the course of my health? This question sat with me for many years. Fast forward to 1997 when I entered culinary school. Soon after I graduated a dear friend’s father became ill with lung cancer and asked me to cook for him. This led to others. But because I wasn’t a huge fan of private cooking (too isolating for me), I figured that there had to be another way to help those in need of food lifestyle change.

New business idea! Bridge the gap between a practitioners’ dietary recommendations and what the client can and will do to implement the suggested changes—bring the nutrition prescription to the living kitchen. I traveledv this road personally, so why not turn it into my profession? By 2003 I felt comfortable calling myself a culinary nutritionist. I was a professionally trained chef and had a Masters degree from Columbia University. So, this brings me to my question: What is a nutritionist and who is qualified to call themselves this?

In the process of redefining myself professionally, I have been asking myself this question daily. I am a chef with a Masters in nutrition. Does that qualify me? Would I have been qualified if I did a 6-month program in NYC? As far as many registered dietitians (those who study nutrition—Bachelors, Masters or both—then go through an internship with clinical, food service and community rotations) are concerned, neither is enough to wear the “nutritionist badge”. I beg to differ. I believe the answer truly lies with the consumer (yes, that is YOU!). But, you must be an educated consumer!!!

I always like to use this example: When buying a car, a person takes the time to research the make, model, take it for a test drive, look into financing options, etc. So, why don’t we take the same measures when seeking a nutritionist (or other healthcare provider for that matter)? Research a potential healthcare provider as you would a car. They work for you thus it is your job to seek out your best match and “hire” them to support you in the best way possible.

As a patient, I always follow these guidelines:

-Identify my healthcare need.

-Go to the people I know and trust (especially my current healthcare posse) and ask for suggestions.

-Research suggested provider on web (formal education—and you need to decide what is formal enough for you to make him/her credible; philosophy; scope of services).

-Make sure that the provider is doing what he/she is qualified to do (I once worked with a woman with cancer whose yoga instructor prescribed herbs for her that were contraindicated to the medication she was on for cancer—bad news!!!). You can find this out by speaking to potential provider, other patients on the web (if he/she has a website).

-Make sure provider is not claiming to be everything under the sun (which can be the case and is just not possible). Again, you can find this out by speaking to potential provider, other patients on the web (if he/she has a website).

-If possible, speak directly to provider prior to arranging appointment
In the end, it is up to you to decide whom you want to partner with on your road to wellness. An educated consumer is the best consumer. And, asking the right questions will ensure that you are working with the right person for you.

As for me, although I am always and will always be redefining myself both personally and professionally, I am comfortable calling myself a culinary nutritionist given my formal training. In the end, I know what I know and I know what I don’t know! (And when I don’t know, I refer out to tried and true colleagues).

(Reprinted by permission of the author. All rights reserved).

For more information about Stefanie, her work and her amazing resources, please visit her website http://www.stefaniesacks.com/.

Speaking Her Voice: The Sassy Gourmet

Julia Gartland is a self described 20-something vegan obsessed with all things green and gluten-free. She is the creator of Sassy Kitchen, a blog and website sharing with her readers good food, good talk and as she likes to say "a bit of sass."

Julia is a gluten-intolerant vegan with a passion for health, cooking and baking. She started Sassy Gourmet Bakery as a response to the lack of gluten-free tasty baked goods out on the market. "I don't just want a cracker I can eat, I want a GREAT cracker...with some sass. So, with this dilemma, I realized I would have to make it myself."

On her journey through food intolerances, and chronic stomach pain, she's developed an intense passion for holistic health and gluten-free baking. Her blog, Sassy Kitchen, also features cooking recipes, vegan product reviews and personal accounts.

Please read below as Julia shares with the WCC community a bit of her sassy insight and delicious wisdom.

STOMACHS AND WHY WE HAVE "GUT FEELINGS"

By Julia Gartland of Sassy Kitchen and Sassy Gourmet

I believe some people hold all their feelings in some part of their body, and for me, it's my gut. My "pain," we'll call it, started about 4 years ago and it's evolved about 100 times since then. I've seen about 8 different specialists in the meantime, none of whom could diagnose me with anything specific, which was always what I was afraid of.

For anyone with severe stomach pain, or any chronic illness, you know what kind of effect it has on your entire life. Getting up in the morning, being active, being busy, traveling, mood, etc etc etc. The ways it can hinder your life are often listless.

It's hard to even remember where and when it started because it has felt like a lifetime. It began randomly and stubbornly as my digestion is best known for its transformative nature. A chameleon, really. Sometimes it's horrible, sometimes it is OK, for months at a time. It makes diagnosis for a mystery illness very difficult. I've seen countless specialists and done every diet modification in existence. I've eaten all cooked, all raw, all green, all grain, no grain, no yeast, dairy, no dairy and the list continues. Over the course of these years, taking an unbelievable amount of herbs, probiotics and enzymes, only eating this before that, food combinations, taking 6 pills before eating anything, and NOTHING CHANGED. Not once were my symptoms relieved. It was almost comical the way my stomach was so abusive and yet completely unresponsive to everything. Some of you may understand when I say I resented my body, which is a horrible way to feel. I did everything I could for it, fed it all the right things, did yoga and every other exercise I could find, and it was still causing me pain.

Between the very beginning of this illness and now, I have little clarity on what the actual problem is. From what I can tell, I've had a heavy bacteria imbalance that is effecting my entire body, but most specifically, my intestines. I'm also hypoglycemic. I do little things everyday to help. but as exhausting and heart-breaking as this experience has been, most of it has been about LETTING GO. Stressing about the problem could have been causing the problem. I know now that the worry was hurting me and accepting it has done wonders. For me, it was about "releasing the demon" sort-of-speak, and letting go of the anger I had about the situation.

My life and priorities have completely changed. Through this process I became gluten-free and vegan. I learned about foods and nutrition that I never knew before through all the research. Most importantly, I've grown to understand my body. My body has become even more precious to me. Through food I have reached a clarity about health and what it means to me. It has been the worst and best experience and one that deserved it's very own post. I couldn't even fathom the way my stomach has changed my life, but I know without it, I wouldn't have learned all the things I now know. And that is my peace of mind. I now practice unconditional love towards my body, in all the ways I can. Some days are good, some days are bad, but either way I know I'll be OK.

Things I have learned:

aloe supplements are my savior

always drink your smoothie with a spoon, and chew

drinking during or after a meal does affect my digestion

ginger tea soothes me no matter what

raw onion or garlic are toxic to my body

yoga or physical exercise always help to keep my digestion moving

too many grains will give me "brick in the belly" syndrome

too much raw will also back me up

not enough water causes sluggish digestion and cramping

stressing about my digestion will make it worse, every time

(Reprinted by the author. All rights reserved).

For more information, recipes, words of wisdom or to purchase delicious treats from her bakery, please visit her blog Sassy Kitchen.

Love to Buy Shoes?

Buy one for you and Toms Shoes will give one to a child in need!

Groovy.

Visit Toms Shoes here for more details.

About: Social Entrepreneurship

Distinct from a business entrepreneur who sees value in the creation of new markets, the social entrepreneur aims for value in the form of transformational change that will benefit disadvantaged communities and ultimately society at large - skollfoundation.org.

Organizations like the Skoll Foundation which drives large-scale change by investing in, connecting, and celebrating social entrepreneurs and other innovators are dedicated to solving the world’s most pressing problems. Social entrepreneurs are proven leaders whose approaches and solutions to social problems are helping to better the lives and circumstances of countless underserved or disadvantaged individuals. By identifying the people and programs already bringing positive changes to communities throughout the world, the Skoll Foundation empowers them to extend their reach, deepen their impact and fundamentally improve society.

Ann Cotton, who started the Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED) in 1993 [is an example of a social entrepreneur] whose simple goal was one of ensuring an education for young girls in Africa whose families cannot afford school fees. By establishing a sustainable model that provides community support for girls to go to school, start businesses and return to their communities as leaders, CAMFED has broken the cycle of poverty for hundreds of thousands of young women in Zimbabwe, Ghana, Zambia and Tanzania. Since 1993, 645, 400 children have benefited from Camfed’s education program across a network of 2,798 Schools. 5,132 young women have received business training and start-up grants to establish their own rural enterprises. 1,067 young women have been trained as community health activists; in 2008 alone, they reached 79, 998 children and young people with vital health information - skollfaoundation.org.

Other notable social entrepreneurs are Muhammed Yunus founder of the Grameen Bank and 2006 Nobel Peace Prize recipient whose work can be found at the Grameen Bank website, and Florence Nightingale, founder of the first nursing school and developer of modern nursing practices.

What do you dream of doing?

Shake What Your Mamma Gave You!

Your entrepenurial skills that is. Becky and Ashley of The Cutest Blog on the Block are just one example of thousands of women who are embracing all elements of their lives and integrating them into a thriving business! The Cutest Blog on the Block marries the skills of educated women with the creativity of artists and the ingenuity of mothers. Becky and Ashley's services offer professional and lay bloggers as well as small businesses owners an affordable and personal opportunity to spiff up their sites with easier navigation and personal flare.


The WCC is giving TCBOTB a nod because it is an opportunity to reflect on thinking outside the box - to make the most of your life, balancing work and home and loving every moment!


Check out their site! http://www.thecutestblogontheblock.com/. We at the WCC thank them very much for their undeniable patience and creativity in spiffing up and helping us to organize our site!