Saturday, November 22, 2014

Friday, September 19, 2014

Lean In for the Next Gen

Lean In Circles Offer Women A Voice In a World Where They’re Constantly Told to ‘Be Quiet’

Lean In Circles Offer Women A Voice In a World Where They’re Constantly Told to ‘Be Quiet’
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As women, we’re often told to “settle down” and to “stop taking things so personally.” In the office, our voice tends not to reach as far as a man’s does. We’re more likely to be overlooked for promotions and raises, we’re more likely to be classified as “b*tchy” rather than “bold.”
We’re more likely to be bypassed for opportunities that we deserve and we’re more likely to struggle to find our voice in the corporate world. In college, we’re reminded to “be quiet” and to “speak when spoken to.”
And while society is slowly catching on to our female cry for equality and change, it’s just not happening fast enough.
But one organization, helmed by Sheryl Sandberg, is looking to change that, and aggressively.
LeanIn.org, the website that Sandberg launched in the aftermath of her stellar book being published, was created as the “next step” in the Lean In program.
While the book empowered women to pursue ambitions and change the narrative from “can’t” to “can,” the online space now stands as a digital reminded of the next phase: A continued commitment to spread inspiration and support to women leaning in in every town, city and office across the globe.
Now, a new program, Lean In Circles, joins its ranks and offers killer advice, support and inspiration to girls in college, sitting on the cusp of the working world.
After celebrating its first birthday this past March, the Lean In Circles organization has expanded into 73 countries and totals more than 20,000 Circles – groups where women and men can get together, support, discuss and empower each other – and they show no signs of slowing down.
We sat down with Rachel Thomas, Founder and President of Lean In, to talk about the paths that the Circles program has already helped women pave for themselves and others, the boundaries the program has helped break down and the exciting road that lies ahead.
At the college level, Circles award women and men the opportunity to build, grow and cultivate together.
They offer peer support and peer-learning opportunities that touch on hard-hitting gender issues, classroom issues and real-world issues that professionals face day in and day out, especially those that women deal with.
And by starting these learning opportunities at the collegiate level, Thomas says that they’re being proactive about the future of every individual.
When you’re in school, you’re at a critical point in your life where most of your big decisions are in front of you: ‘What do you want to major in? What do you want to have a career in? What do you want your life to be like? Who do you want to be?’
Getting together in circles and learning those skills that you need to be successful is really powerful and useful, especially before you go off and make those decisions, she tells Elite Daily.
You think you’re the only one who’s dealing with someone or something, but then you have that moment when you realize you’re not alone, Thomas adds. You have that all the time in Circles; women coming together and realizing that they’re not alone in their experiences as a woman in a number professional, educational and personal settings.
It’s important to know that being part of Circles on campus isn’t added homework – or even an added chore.
It’s about coming together and empowering women, says Rachel. We realized that a lot of the messages from ‘Lean In’ were resonating with younger readers who were facing many of these big life decisions.
So why not start with the Millennial movers and shakers? It’s been said time and time again that we’ll be the ones to change the world – and Thomas and Lean In wholeheartedly agree.
It’s not going to happen with the older generation – women and men in their 40s and 50s won’t crack gender equality,” says Thomas. “We know that you’re the generation to do it, so how do we get you that information?” The answer, she says, is by providing resources and outlets on campus.
At the start of college – or even at the end – Thomas says that men and women should be selfish.
Get all the information and support you need to be as effective as possible when you make that leap from student to young professional.
And Lean In Circles is all about giving you the tools you need to get there. We give you everything you need, so that you don’t have to think that hard about it. We make it as easy as possible and then we say, ‘Do what you want with it.’
If it sounds simple, that’s because it is.
If a Circle doesn’t exist on your campus, start one. And if there are tons already in session, join one. Thomas adds,
The number one trait of a successful female in the workplace is resilience. Anyone can be resilient because it’s not about how smart you are, it’s not about what your degree was in.
Lean In Circles teaches you how to find that resilient strength inside yourself.
Before we part, we ask Rachel to dish on the best advice she has for women who are constantly fighting to be heard and respected in the classroom, in the office and in the world. She tells us the same thing she tells her 7-year-old daughter:
Make your comfort zone a little bit bigger every day, in little and big ways.
She continues,
You can learn to be gritty. You’ll hit a couple bumps, but you’ll get through it. You’ll take risks and some will work and some won’t, but you’ll gain confidence and grit. Look for opportunities to go for things, and if they don’t go well, remember that resilience and the will to go for it is just as powerful as being successful.
It’s hard not to feel inspired after hearing that.

Tonight at 7:30 pm EST, Sheryl Sandberg will host a livestream to kick off the new season of Lean In Circles on campus. It will include insights from Sheryl and candid career advice, an introduction to Lean In Circles and case studies from two Campus Leaders and a question and answer session with the Lean In team.
Photo Courtesy: Instagram
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Kylie McConville

Kylie McConville is Elite Daily's associate editor. At Elite, Kylie heads up vertical development and strategy, the fashion and beauty department and manages the site's editorial calendar. For round the clock musings on Brie, Queen Bey and the death of Dobby (still not over it, you guys), follow her on Twitter, @kyliemcconv.

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Sexism in the Senate

Cut and paste the address to read an eye opening article by Ruth Marcus


http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/ruth-marcus-sexism-in-the-senate/2014/08/29/9cb99e9e-2f98-11e4-bb9b-997ae96fad33_story.html


Saturday, August 30, 2014

Thinking differently...again

On August 12, 2011, during a group exercise, I wrote a statement on a piece of broken pottery that would inspire me .  My heart was soft and I was vulnerable enough to believe my statement was life changing.  It encourages me to leave work in the church and to use my voice to teach others how to use theirs.  A few things spin in my mind about this mantra: With 3 years passed, what if I am just about to break into something big and as I am half way through?  What else could it mean to use me voice?  What else does it mean to help others use their voices?  And now that my husband and I have found a wonderful seat in the church as members, how does my thankfulness to God's leading become a part of my transformed thinking and teaching?
Over the summer of 2014, I have felt like this broken piece of pottery with tremendous words of hope.  How do I channel this break in my career or introduce the hope to the world around me?
The answers are just now coming.  Not in thoughts, but feelings, interactions, beliefs. Through a practice of releasing my old systems and not trying to second guess what people want to hear.  I believe I am finally stepping into who I am to be: a woman, a thinker, a spiritual being, a musician, a teacher.... There is no more waiting. There can't be.  The time must be now.  All I have to do is find each door the leads me there and accept the risk.  As the author Pablo Coelho says, we are asked to "honor our journey."  Even a broken piece of pottery is more than an inspiration, it is a jagged edged tool to help me escape the safe, yet failing life I have laid down to.

 

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Child Free Women

Cut and paste the address to read

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bri-seeley/childfree-woman_b_5672613.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000046

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Think like a Woman

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August 9, 2014
DD Spring Saturday
Think Like a Woman
Kenneth L. Samuel

"Then he called hastily to the young man his armor-bearer, and said to him, ‘Draw your sword and kill me, lest men say of me, 'A woman killed him.'" - Judges 9:54

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man is the title of Steve Harvey's best-selling romance guide. The book claims that if women are to get what they want from men, they must deal with men on men's terms.

This message is echoed throughout the traditional sectors of society where gender roles are rigidly dichotomized and where persons of both genders are pushed to "Man up!", "Grow a pair," and "Develop the testicular fortitude that is necessary to get things done."

It's a message that depicts all of us in a "Man's World"—a world in which the thoughts and perspectives of women, children and same-gender loving persons are all subordinated to the thoughts and perspectives of the Alpha Males.

But every now and then, our established patriarchies are disturbed by the Bible. In the book of Judges, Abimilech was a ruthless leader whose blind ambition to dominate the northern region of ancient Canaan caused him to massacre his brothers and incinerate the cities that opposed him.

Upon Abimilech's blood-thirsty assault on the town of Thebez, the townspeople sought refuge in the town's tower. As Abimilech approached the tower to burn it down, a woman on the roof dropped a millstone on his head and crushed his skull.

In order to deprive this woman of the recognition she deserved for having the courage, the ingenuity and the accuracy necessary to take down a tyrant and save her people, Abimilech thought like a man, and ordered his demise by the sword of his male armor bearer.

Perhaps we could arrive at more authentic solutions to our problems if we encouraged women to think like women.

Prayer
God, allow me think in ways that reveal more about my concern for family and community than my gender identity. Amen.

Kenneth Samuel 2012ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kenneth L. Samuel is Pastor of Victory for the World Church, Stone Mountain, Georgia.

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Monday, August 4, 2014

Dowry

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/08/04/the-despicable-persistence-of-the-dowry-in-india.html

Guildlines for All

Small spark: Recently, I have noticed a small spark in me.  I am hearing more about Feminism, Women, Girls and Leaning In.  I welcome posts and encourage information here that do 3 things.
1) Educate
2) Support and Contribute to the Equality of All
3) Give you a place to express and "try on" feminism
Comments should be enriching, a way to educate/build up, supportive and a contribution to the overall idea.  No yelling or venting for your own sake. 
Thank you.