Mentor Someone

January 9

Act #9:  Believe in someone else and take the time to show them that you do.

Four years ago I met then freshman, Jamie Nunnery in a Berea College "What Not to Wear" planning committee.  She was 17 and walked in with a Miley Cyrus folder.  I remember thinking to myself, who the heck is Miley Cyrus!?  She was beaming, full of life and ready to take on the world - her energy actually took my breath away.  In my former life as alumni director of Berea College, I spent the next four years working alongside Jamie, who was a Berea Ambassador, and I literally watched her grow and blossom right before my very eyes.  This week, Jamie was just accepted to the prestigious Teach for America program.  She will be based in South Carolina.  She will be impacting young lives and the world around her in monumental ways.  As I reflect on our countless coffee dates and lunchtime chats about her aspirations, her hopes, her future, I find myself beaming with pride about the strong, focused, and compassionate young woman she has grown to become.  While I hope that I've been able to pass on some of my life experiences and lessons learned to the next generation of feminists, I know for certain that MY life is indeed richer, fuller, and more meaningful for having known Jamie Nunnery.

Model Love

January 8

Act #8:  Lead by Example

This week one of my role models, Lexington-Herald Leader columnist, Merlene Davis  wrote a humbling and generous piece on people in the central KY area who were practicing 26 random acts of kindness to strangers to honor the 26 victims of Sandy Hook Elementary.  While flattered and humbled by her inclusion of me in the piece, I also felt incredibly unworthy.  You see, it's not that difficult for me to practice kindness, when I come from a place of such privilege:  warm home, supportive family, wonderful education (thank you, Berea College), stable and rewarding work.  I also felt so unworthy because I am surrounded daily by others who practice such acts and go unmentioned and unnoticed. These people are my heroes and are the ones truly worthy of recognition, although they would never seek it out.  There's no earthly way I can highlight every single kind person I've come into contact this year, and I'm certain I will leave someone out, but here goes.  Thank YOU, the individual you - for inspiring us by your example of selflessness and goodness and generosity.

Steve Karcher - called a car rental company to commend the excellent customer service he received, naming the specific employee.

Kelly Smith - randomly gave a gift card to a pregnant woman with toddler who was shopping at a grocery store.

Ronnie Nolan - donated a bench to provide education to future Berea College students, and dedicated it to his mother.

Diana Taylor - visited and spent time with an elderly woman in Lexington who lives alone.

Kif Skidmore - designed a nursery for a friend with a new baby.

Matty Suramek - made spring rolls to thank her grandson's kindergarten teacher for her service.

Gayle Partain - wrote a detailed employee appreciation letter to the manager of her favorite grocery store.

Laura Arnsdorf - created a resource library and reflection area for employees of the BG rape crisis center.

Jo An Gaines - sent money from Hawaii to help out a struggling single mom in Kentucky that she read about on Facebook.

Bill Laramee - provided a listening ear, support, and counsel for a former employee during a critical and transitional time in her life.

Charliese and Robert Lewis - hosted a Christmas party, inviting guests to bring a gift card to help support a struggling family.

Adam Mullikin - bought $100 worth of gas cards to help his favorite server visit home for the holidays.

Dean Higgins and Beth Mainwaring - bought a cow in my son's honor. Well, they made a gift in his name to Heifer International...

Caitlin Bentley - bought gourmet, beautiful coffee for the office coffee pot. Apparently she's been keeping our low-budget non-profit stocked for some time now!

Marisa and Chad Aull - served thanksgiving dinner in a shelter, hosted a birthday party for underprivileged kids, and reached out to countless others over the holidays.

And this, my friends, is just a small list of incidents I can actually remember over the holidays. There are countless others. Apparently I keep really, really good company.

Volunteer

January 7

Act #7:  Give of your time, talents, or (if you've got enough to spare) treasure.

Today the Berea Human Rights Commission will be welcoming three new members: a vice president, a spiritual leader, and a business owner - all who have more than enough on their personal plates but are willing and eager to meet monthly (and often times more) to work towards a Berea where everyone is welcomed and treated equally.  Civic participation of "regular" folks like you and I, who are connected to daily life, and representative of our communities is essential for true progress.  Thanks to all of you out there who are already willing to miss dinners with your families to meet weekly, monthly, or quarterly to serve your community.  If you have it in you, won't you consider serving on a local school board, non-profit board, governmental commission, community task force, or neighborhood association?

Offer Non-Violence as an Option

January 6

Act #6:  Showing my son that a lack of violence does not equal a lack of strength.

The classic book about passivist hero, Ferdinand the Bull, was an early-year birthday gift from Jack's uncle Ronnie.  First published in 1936, the book tells the story of the biggest, strongest bull picked for the main bull fight in Madrid.  While other bulls ran, jumped, and butted their heads together, all Ferdinand wanted to do was sit and smell the flowers. And that was perfectly OK.  What a different world we'd live in if more of us would leave the bull fight every once in a while, and slow down to savor the beauty around us. 

 

 

Do More Than Wear Pink

January 5

Act #5:  Do something MORE to contribute to the fight against cancer. 

My father in-law died of colorectal cancer three years ago.  My mother is a breast cancer survivor.  A sweet college friend (whom I participate in an 80's dance-off with every Homecoming) just shaved her entire head because she was beginning to lose her hair in her fight against a cancerous tumor in her chest.  We all know someone.  We all fear it.  We all care.  I have so many pink products and I've run so many Susan G. Komen 5-K's it's not even funny.  If you're like me and feel helpless and want to do MORE, here's how we can:

 

1.  The American Cancer Society is launching a historic cancer prevention research study in 2013.  Sign up to participate:  http://www.cancer.org/cancer/news/features/resolve-to-help-researchers-learn-more-about-cancer?awid=7143425873916058611-571

2.  Research takes money.  Give:  https://www.cancer.org/involved/donate/donateonlinenow/index

3.  Encourage your loved ones (yes, that includes yourself) to get their timely screenings:  mammograms (40), colonoscopy (50), cervical screening (21) and more:
http://www.cancer.org/healthy/findcancerearly/cancerscreeningguidelines/american-cancer-society-guidelines-for-the-early-detection-of-cancer

4.  NOW, put your pink ribbon on (or teal, or purple, etc.) and when people ask you why you're wearing it, tell them how THEY can help.

Act From Your Desk

January 4

Act #4:  Staying informed (and helping to keep others informed) about issues that I care about.  While I have your attention, if you feel called to support victims of sexual assault, domestic/dating violence, and stalking in your communities AND to work towards a safe, violence-free world, please contact your legislators about passing the Violence Against Women Act this year.   This tragedy is real folks.  And it's not going away until we all take responsibility for our communities.  www.4vawa.org

Get Your Cup of Joe from Down the Road

January 3

Act #3:  Supporting my local economy.  Had a warm cup of the flavor of the day (coconut cream) and an even warmer welcome from Tony and Annie at Berea Coffee and Tea!

Lighten Up

January 2  

Act #2:  Replacing all lighting with CFL bulbs.   Overall, fuorescent bulbs save energy (about 50%) and reduce pollution.  Hopefully on-going research about the mercury risks will lead to a safer, less toxic (and even more energy efficient) bulb.

 

How It All Started: Add Pink to Your (Son's) Closet

To be an activist is to "act" in support or opposition of a worthy cause.  I've never seen myself as an activist.  Like many of you however, I often get completely and utterly overwhelmed with the suffering and injustices that seem to be multiplying all around me - in humanity, in our environment, in our spirits.  As a Generation-X female juggling a career, motherhood, a 2-hour daily commute, and aging parents - for years I struggled with the question:  Can a 5-foot-one, painstakingly average, already-stretched, 40-year old woman living in Berea, Kentucky really make a difference at all?  This blog is an attempt to commit to one small act each day that supports the principles in which I believe - fairness, a violence-free world, cooperation, diversity, respect for the earth, and basic human acceptance.  You're probably already demonstrating "activism" in your daily life without even realizing it.   Trust me, if a regular 'ol gal like me can call herself an activist, so can you.

It's gonna take all of us.

January 1

Act #1:  Adding pink, glass slippers to my 5-year old son's dress-up trunk. Allowing my kid to be a kid, to imagine and create freely without the confines of gender stereotypes.